Fred Cole has engineered most of the band's recordings and mastered them on a mono lathe that was used for The Kingsmen's version of "Louie Louie."
Their early records, such as In the Graveyard, were released on the Tombstone Records label, named for the musical equipment store Fred and Toody operated at the time. Soon they caught the attention of the German label Music Maniac, and toured Europe successfully. Not until the mid-nineties did they tour the United States. Much of their following is in Europe.
A U.S. filmmaking team (Kate Fix and Jason Summers) produced a 2004 documentary, Unknown Passage: The Dead Moon Story, which played in independent theaters around the U.S., New Zealand, and Melbourne International Film Fest, and might be offered with the upcoming Dead Moon box set on Sub Pop Records. Dead Moon has recorded for labels such as Empty Records, but most releases are on Music Maniac abroad and Tombstone in the U.S. The Tombstone label has also provided cheap mastering and duplication for other bands, serving more as a cooperative than a promotional vehicle.
Fred and Toody are in their sixties. They currently own the Tombstone General Store in Clackamas, Oregon, and are building a shopping center nearby.
Pearl Jam often covers the song It's OK.
In December 2006 they retired:
2006-12-13 - AN ANNOUNCEMENT FROM DEAD MOON
After 20 yrs, Dead Moon is retiring. It has been a journey we will always treasure and feel that a worldwide family has emerged in its place. Dead Moon became much bigger than the band itself, it became a DIY underground hopeful for a lot of people. The candle is still burning!
--Fred Cole
(from http://www.subpop.com)
2007-05-18 PIERCED ARROWS
For the first time in a long time, Fred and Toody Cole were nervous. Six months after the breakup of their legendary garage-rock outfit, Dead Moon, the Coles were about to debut a new group—something they haven’t had to do for 20 years. And their new trio, Pierced Arrows, had only six practices under its belt at showtime.
http://localcut.wweek.com/2007/05/23/pierced-arrows-at-ash-street-saloon-may-18-2007/
Last Train
Dead Moon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm standing on the platform waiting for the one they left behind
If I'd foreseen the future, could I or would I have changed a thing?
Down a million miles of empty track just trying to get beyond what people think
And I don't know where I'm at
I'm heading down the hallway trying to find that doorway lost in time
I'd been here once before but through the years it slowly left my mind
And if I ever find my way back to you- this time I'll realize
I don't know where I'm at
Imprisoned in a window, passengers looking down the line
I wonder what they're thinking, I wonder what they'll find
As I lit another cigarette watching for the wind across your hair
And for that fleeting moment, I swear, I saw you standing there
And I don't know where I'm at
Dead Moon's "Last Train" lyrics, at first glance, seem to be about missing opportunities and feeling lost. The first verse is about someone watching the last train leave and reflecting on their regrets, wanting to go back and change things. The line "Down a million miles of empty track just trying to get beyond what people think" suggests that there was some external pressure or perception that led to these regrets.
The second verse shifts to a more specific memory or dream about trying to find a lost love. The metaphor of "heading down the hallway trying to find that doorway lost in time" suggests a sense of searching for something that has been gone for a long time. The line "And if I ever find my way back to you- this time I'll realize" implies a sense of having missed an opportunity in the past and wanting to make up for it.
The final verse switches perspective to the singer watching other passengers on the train, and imagining what they might be thinking and feeling. The feeling of imprisonment and being stuck in a situation is reflected in the line "Imprisoned in a window." The singer then has a moment of almost seeing their lost love again, but it is fleeting and ultimately they are still lost and unsure of where they are.
Overall, the lyrics explore the theme of missed opportunities and the desire to go back and change things. The imagery of trains and journeys suggests a sense of movement and progression, but ultimately the singer is still stuck and unsure of where they are going.
Line by Line Meaning
The last train is leaving, can't you read the signals in my eyes?
I'm trying to convey through my expression that the end is near and it's time for me to leave.
I'm standing on the platform waiting for the one they left behind
I'm waiting for someone who was left behind by the last train, just like I might be.
If I'd foreseen the future, could I or would I have changed a thing?
I'm pondering how the future would have been different had I known what was to come.
Down a million miles of empty track just trying to get beyond what people think
I am traversing a vast stretch of deserted land, trying to escape the judgments of society.
And I don't know where I'm at
I am lost and unsure of my whereabouts.
I'm heading down the hallway trying to find that doorway lost in time
I am searching for a portal that has been lost to time.
I'd been here once before but through the years it slowly left my mind
I had visited this place before, but with time, my memories of it have faded.
I know your out there somewhere, waiting for me just beyond the rise
I am confident that there's someone out there waiting for me, just beyond the horizon.
And if I ever find my way back to you- this time I'll realize
If I reunite with that person, I'll be more aware of their value.
Imprisoned in a window, passengers looking down the line
I am trapped inside a train, while other riders stare off into the distance.
I wonder what they're thinking, I wonder what they'll find
I am curious about what the other passengers might be thinking and what they'll discover on their journeys.
As I lit another cigarette watching for the wind across your hair
I'm smoking while gazing off into the distance, searching for a hint of someone's presence in the wind.
And for that fleeting moment, I swear, I saw you standing there
For a brief moment, I was certain that I had caught a glimpse of the person I had been searching for.
And I don't know where I'm at
Despite the momentary sighting, I am still lost and unsure of my current situation.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALLEN TOUSSAINT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind