FLUORESCENT LADIES OF THE NEON NIGHT (1976-79)

Frederick Moore

Flecks of Heaven

Brighter Days (ioneyes)

Mecca

Maybe We'll Fly

Sayrah

Wait for Me

Carmelita

Dogs Waiting for the Moon

Cold Wind blow

Say Yes

Linda Strange

Except where specifically noted, all track were composed, performed, and produced by Frederick Moore.

A world was shown in the form of you,/ A world I never felt./ Sensing nothing but craving something,/ I never did pray as I knelt./ I placed all faith within my eyes,/ Believed only words I had said./ Wanting something but showing nothing,/ Confiding in only the dead.

When these silent stains fade/ And the stars blow away.

She came by and I grabbed it all,/ Mistaking her need for mine:/ Craving everything but keeping nothing,/ Leaving my real self behind./ Love fell through and I thought she knew,/ But she could never understand./ Wanting something and taking something/ Are phantomed in every man.

Your little flecks of heaven/ Are all in your mind.                   

This was "rescued" from a distressed cassette.

ioneyes: George Hublitz, drums; Carl (Ray) Leach, vocals and guitar; Sky Michaels, lead guitar and vocals; Frederick Moore, vocals and bass.   Produced by ioneyes.

Just like an old-time movie now / Two brothers walking on a beach, / So much to learn, so much to teach. / Looking up to the friendly skies, / Big brother wonders how to fly. / So much to learn, so much to reach. / You should see them flying, / Laughing hard and crying, / Lots of "wonder-whying". /I can feel those brighter days, / The moments form and they fade away. / Passing through another phase, / The hours fade into the day.

Just like an old-time play of hands, / Two brothers playing in the sand. / Castles dissolve at their command. / Looking out to the giant sea, / Big brother looks out carefully, / Doing a child's photography. / You should see them flying, / Laughing hard and crying, / Lots of "wonder-whying". /I can feel those brighter days, / The moments form and they fade away. / Passing through another phase, / The hours fade into the day.

                                           

 

 

Rest awhile more my spacey one,/ Just ignore the morning sun./ It's always there, it's everywhere,/ The feeling makes us run from where we are.

Say goodbye to all around you,/ Say hello to you and me./ You've always cared, you've always shared/ The feeling that has brought you where you are./ It's gonna be a long, hard ride to California./ Don't know what to do when we get there./ It's gonna be a long, hard ride to California./ Stepping aboard the greyhound bus,/What lies ahead for us?

Sail another ship my spacey one./ Mecca's wind holds only one./ It's always there, my everywhere,/ The feeling makes us run from where we are./ It's gonna be a long, hard ride to California./ Don't know what to do when we get there./ It's gonna be a long, hard ride to California./ Stepping aboard the greyhound bus,/What lies ahead for us?

You say together we could make it work our way./ You say tonight that we could fly./ Maybe we’ll fly.
I feel the skyline reaching out to you and me./ It whispers low that we should try./ Maybe we’ll try.

In a one room on a third floor,/ Only one room above the drug store./ On the third floor, in a one room,/ Living a life of two.

The dawn’s approaching, through the smog I see the light./ The darkness fades behind the sky./ Look to the sky.

In a one room on a third floor,/ With the soft glow of neon rainbows./ On a third floor, in a one room/ Living a life of two.

You say together we can make it work our way./ You say today that we could fly./ Maybe we’ll fly.

This was a casual rehearsal recorded on a portable cassette deck. The tape then sat in a box for nearly thirty years. Pretty lo-fi, but it's the only version that exists.

ioneyes: George Hublitz, drums; Carl (Ray) Leach, vocals and guitar; Sky Michaels, lead guitar and vocals; Frederick Moore, vocals and bass

 

I’ve haven't written many love songs lately,
I haven’t had the time to try.
I spend my time singing old songs lately.
Something in them is missing in me,
But it’s not the way I’ve chosen to be.
Wait for me.

I’ve had to say a lot of goodbyes lately,
I haven’t had the heart to cry.
I’ve seen your face but I’ve looked right through you.
Something in you is missing in me,
But it’s not the way I’ve chosen to be.
Wait for me.

Children play,
Am I that different from them in any way?
On their way,
Will I be able to love another day?
Something in them is missing in me,
But it’s not the way I’ve chosen to be.
Wait for me.

You don’t see me,
But through the window I can see your face,
And for a moment it feels like I’m moving,
But it’s the train, and I’m standing on the platform.
You’re on your way;
It’s the end of everything.
Something in them is missing in me,
But it’s not the way I’ve chosen to be.
Wait!

The train awakens, and you look forward.
And the train veers north
Toward other cities and other men.
I haven’t written many love songs lately,
I haven’t even tried.
 

Wrap around world comes unfurled, comes unbound./ Lost in the swirl, whirling girl, whirling down./ Carmelita slow down. Carmelita, just slow down./These hollow sounds they can hurt you.

Dark kiss unfeigned, fast and strained, fast but rounded./ White blanket stained, flogged and maimed, you're surrounded./ Carmelita slow down. Carmelita, just slow down./These tragic flaws disconcert you.

Cold prayers rebounding, oaths confounding, words unwound./ Lost in the swirl, whirling girl, whirling down./ Carmelita slow down. Carmelita, just slow down./ Don't let these sick clowns convert you./ They know how to break you, and so they take you tonight.

 

Recorded at San Bernardino Vally College in June of 1980. A friend happened to record the concert on her portable cassette recorded. Lo-fi again, but it's the only version of this that exists.

Bruce Rubio, Tenor Saxophone; Frederick Moore, Piano; Ken Mohr, Fretless Bass; Henry Lozano, Drums

Sometimes I think I’d like to run away and start a life from nothing, with no conception of what I’ve been./ But now I’ve said some things I can’t take back,/ My words are pressed in memories, but they’re words I can’t remember./ Let the cold wind blow./ Take me to some other place where I can sleep and I can dream and start my life anew./ Let the cold wind blow./ Take my tired things away./ Let time and loss of memory bring strength to start again.

Sometime I know I’ll have to start again, find warmth where there in nothing from one who isn’t here./ But now I only know I can’t look back./ Her memory chills my mornings, bare flesh against the wind./ Let the cold wind blow./ Take me to some other place where I can sleep and I can dream and start my life anew./ Let the cold wind blow./ Take my tired things away./ Let time and loss of memory bring strength to start again.

This was "rescued" from a distressed cassette.

ioneyes: George Hublitz, drums; Carl (Ray) Leach, vocals and guitar; Sky Michaels, lead guitar and vocals; Frederick Moore, vocals and bass. Produced by ioneyes.

I've spent a little, such a precious little time on my knees. / I can't go on living my life on the white keys. / I know you've done it, we've both done it, / We could go on smiling like two dolls that are broken. / I want to set you free.  

Say yes, or don't say anything at all.

It's all around,  it's all around, just call it life in the deep-freeze. / The people go down, never hearing the sound of the dark keys. / I know you know it. We both know it. / We should go on smiling because it's the way that we feel. I want to set you free.

Say yes, or don't say anything at all.

I found you beaten, broke-down and shattered, / As though your little world really mattered. / Count your reservations. / You can be my guest! / It's so good, say yes.

My favorite song I wrote with my first musical partner in LA, Rob Silkensen. It was an unusual collaboration in that I really can’t remember who wrote which lines and who came up with which musical ideas. It’s also an unusual structure for a four-minute song. No real verses and choruses, more like part 1, part 2, and part 3. Rob’s voice was much better than mine but I did my best here to reproduce his vocal parts. He and his band, the Rocktops, are still active in the LA area.

LINDA STRANGE

We’ve been walking on water,/ We’ve been turning back time,/ And I know these thoughts will fall on you./ With the weight of a candle/ And the fright of nightmare,/ Can you see yourself without a shadow./ And I can’t drive your ghost from my bed.                                                                                                                                                                                

We’ve been walking on water,/ In a time far from when/ Choices clear, no thoughts behind a smile./ You can hide behind laughter,/ You can block pain for years./ It will grow, take more than has been given./ And I can’t drive your ghost from my bed,/ Nor the words I’d wished I’d heard,/ Your feelings I preferred to show me./ Through a picture that was blurred/ Had time occurred, it would have braved us./My sweet Linda Strange.
 
Linda Strange, you keep making me promises/ And breaking them in two,/ What’ you gonna do?/ Linda Strange, I keep making you promises/ And breaking them too,/ And if we don’t change we’re gonna change ourselves,/ And we’ll both find a place on the shelf./ Linda Strange.

I remember your ball and jack,/ I remember your welcome mat./ She’s your lover, she’s your mother, she’s your color TV,/ Oh my love you're so twentieth century./ I found you walking at the pier at night,/ Fluorescent lady of the neon night./ Living out an act from a worn out play,/ Etching out a version in a modern way.

And I can’t drive your ghost from my bed./ Through a picture that was blurred/ Had time occurred, it would have braved us./ Through a picture that was blurred/ Had time occurred, it would have braved us./ Through a picture that was blurred/ Had time occurred, it would have braved us./ My sweet Linda Strange.