PIERCED ARROWS, DON'T, ABATIS
Pierced Arrows (Ex-Dead Moon) - To
call Fred Cole a “living legend” is like saying, “Yes, and water is
wet.” A true frontiersman without peer, Fred has blazed his own sonic
trail for over 45 years, resulting in leaving his own unique, indelible
stamp on nearly every genre imaginable. And if he wasn’t directly part
of a particular scene or musical aesthetic, you can be damn sure he was
at least an influence on it. His musical career
took root as “Deep Soul Cole,” singing blue-eyed soul with an all-black
backing band. After that he fronted The Weeds, who produced a regional
hit in the Northwest (Fred’s adopted home) with the slate-hard “It’s
Your Time.” Lord Tim Byron, The Weeds’ manager who they shared with The
Seeds, told Fred and co. to change their name as they couldn’t be
sharing bills with a band whose name rhymed with their own. They settled
on The Lollipop Shoppe (a less appropriate moniker seemingly
unavailable) the band reached the murky depths of the Top 100 with one
of punk’s finest moments: “You Must Be a Witch.” To this day, their
follow-up LP bursts forth with moody, angry psych/garage scorchers that
are as dark and strong as your favorite cup of coffee.
Fred would
soon unleash his unique take on the hard rock sounds of the 70s with
groups like Zipper and Kingbee. But the musical tide was turning, and,
as before, he was determined to ride that wave into oblivion. Now joined
by his wife, Toody Cole, on bass and vocals, Fred formed The Rats, who
became a popular live act. They also put out several fine punk rock/new
wave LPs (at the time the two genres were basically one and the same).
Eventually
The Rats mutated into Dead Moon, arguably the end result of all the
rough-and-ready sounds the Coles had produced in the past, boiled down
to a single, perfectly aimed shot. The blood-red raw rock ’n’ roll of
Dead Moon answered to a call of rage and hope. The band took hold in
Western Europe, much of it the then-Soviet Bloc, and then proceeded to
storm America in a non-violent coup (barring mental violence, that is).
One could say that Fred had peaked and could rightfully rest on his
laurels when, after a staggering 20-year campaign and a fervent fan
following, Dead Moon called it a day.
But that’s not how our story ends.
While
some of Dead Moon’s more ardent fans went into mourning, figuratively
waving rosaries and holy cards, Fred and Toody were already auditioning
drummers in search of someone who could not only keep a good beat, but
someone who would be willing to follow them in a new direction. After
agreeing on drummer Kelly Haliburton, Pierced Arrows was born.
The
new name seems to evoke the saying “If you cut me, I will bleed.” Not
that any of us want to see that literally happen, but Pierced Arrows,
just like Fred’s previous bands, bleeds all over their performances and
records with such wrought emotion it only took one 45 to prove that the
band was the worthy successor to Dead Moon. Ma and Pa Cole’s General
Store has reopened for business, producing “rock ’n’ roll that’s rough,
ragged, and honest,” as Fred once described their predecessor’s
collective output. It’s both a new sound and an inheritor of tradition.
A
Pierced Arrows performance is a form of communion. They are there to
see you just as much as you are to see them. You are not likely to find
them cowering in a backstage corner. Though they are there to work, and
work hard, don’t be surprised to find them hanging with friends and
fans, checking out the opening act. Fred and Toody have always done it
their way. This is their life’s work, and life is just the beginning if
you really believe.
Don't (Ex-Wipers) - www.facebook.com/pages/Dont/255434963477
Abatis - www.facebook.com/abatismusic
