New Pierced Arrows Record in 2010-- Local Cut

New Pierced Arrows Record in 2010

November 4th, 2009 [11:19AM] Posted by: Michael Mannheimer | 0 COMMENTS

Fred and Toody Cole have been making music together for a long time. The legendary Oregon couple are the linchpin of Portland’s punk scene: since first appearing in the early ’80s, the pair has released a staggering 17 albums, mostly behind the name of their old band, Dead Moon. One of Portland’s most revered outfits, Dead Moon’s consistency and influence is almost unheard of. That song “Fire in the Western World” that the Shaky Hands always play? Yep, a Dead Moon cover. But since the Cole’s formed a new band, Pierced Arrows, with drummer Kelly Halliburton in 2006, things have been a little quieter.

That looks to change on February 2. That’s when Pierced Arrows are set to release their second album—the awesomely titled Descending Shadows—on Vice Records. Recorded at Portland’s Buzz or Howl Studios with the help of Stan Wright (who also recently did the rad Welcome Home Walker 7-inch), the set is described by Fred as “rock ‘n’ roll that’s rough, ragged, and honest.” Sounds good to me. You can hear one new track, the cryptic slow-build “Paranoia,” at the Vice Records site. It sounds great, and Vice Records’ garage centric lineup seems like a good fit for the band. 2010 couldn’t come soon enough.

Full press release deets:

Pierced Arrows, the Portland-based trio comprised of legendary members Fred and Toody Cole of the seminal punk band Dead Moon have announced their signing to VICE Records for the release of their sophomore LP Descending Shadows on February 2nd.

Descending Shadows expands on their fervently rough signature sound, recorded at Portland’s Buzz or Howl Studios and mastered to vinyl lacquer per tradition at Fred and Toody’s home. Promising to herald a new generation of fans steeped in the progeny which Dead Moon influenced, Descending Shadows will provide longtime followers of the Cole’s work with a new vital installment of what Fred once described as “rock’n'roll that’s rough, ragged, and honest”, a sincere answer to the void of emotion lacking in today’s era.

During their defiant career, Dead Moon released a staggering 16 albums. Many of which were engineered and mastered direct to vinyl lacquers by Fred Cole on his 40-year old home lathe, the likes of which being infamous for cutting the original version of The Kingsmen’s “Louie Louie”. Since the late 1960s Fred and Toody also ran seminal music equipment stores and their own general store in their hometown of Clackamas, OR (Freedom Guitar, Captain Whizeagles, Tombstone Music), well known for outfitting generations of Portland musicians. Influencing many garage punk bands, Dead Moon are cited as a vital inspiration for the DIY movement, Dead Moon in part spawned an international phenomenon of focus on the Pacific Northwest music scene throughout the 90’s.

Following the disbandment of Dead Moon in 2006, Fred and Toody continued their endeavors, eventually tapping veteran Portland-based Kelly Halliburton (Severed Head of State, Defiance) to play drums for their next incarnation as Pierced Arrows. Coincidentally, Kelly’s father happened to play with Fred in his first band Albatross in 1972. In line with Fred and Toody’s ethical and cultural ideals, Kelly’s role in the band was set. Their debut LP Straight To The Heart in was released in 2008 on Tombstone Records, echoing the raw murky blues and country influence of Dead Moon as well as their first punk incarnation in the early 1980s as The Rats, the veterans (now in their 50’s) continued their tradition of powerful raucous live performances, touring heavily through the US and Europe for legions of Dead Moon fans eager to revisit the band’s new direction.

Links:
Pierced ArrowSpace
Vice Records

Photo of Fred, Toody and the Dead Moon coffin by Hans Kesteloo

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