Onstage company
Documented collaborators
If you’re looking for a quintessential slice of DIY punk history, you’ve found it with Dead Moon. Formed in 1987 in Portland, Oregon by Fred Cole, Toody Cole, and Andrew Loomis, the band fused garage punk with lo-fi aesthetics and Western influences to crafting a raw, unpolished sound that remained deeply influential in underground circles. The trio released ten studio albums between 1988 and 2004, along with a number of live and compilation titles that captured their relentless touring spirit. Their story is celebrated in the documentary Unknown Passage: The Dead Moon Story (2004), which chronicles their dedication to independent music and the Jim Crow-era ethos of self-release and resilience. Although the band officially disbanded in 2006, they briefly reconnected from 2014 to 2017, with deep losses following the deaths of Loomis (2016) and Cole (2017) that effectively closed this chapter. Portland even proclaimed October 5, 2017 as Dead Moon Night in recognition of the band’s enduring impact. In 2025, the Dead Moon legacy continues through tribute events in Portland and solo appearances by Toody Cole, including Australia in late 2025. Archival releases and reissues persist via Mississippi Records and other specialized labels, keeping the Dead Moon catalog vibrant for new listeners and longtime fans alike.