Alternatives to Violence, Wild Cupids, and Eternity

Patrick Moore

By Gabrielle Mattingly

Gray As I pen this review on the Eve of Thanksgiving, lfind myself giving thanks for being on the same planet at the same time with Patrick Moore. This is by no means a coincidence — we planned it that way.

Our beautiful mothers were sisters, so I have known this talented musician/songwriter since birth, following with avid interest his musical career with its many twists and turns, from one part of the globe to another as it picked up cosmic steam.

Patrick the Person is the wildly exciting cousin who always went out of his way to be gentle, affectionate and kind to me. On my visits to Louisville, he and I would compare musical aspirations while strolling to White Castle, running through the fountains at Tyler Park, careening on the roller coaster at Fontaine Ferry Perk, zooming through Cherokee Park on a motorcycle. As an adult peace activist, his world travel has focused on finding the fun, healing the hurt, sharing the sweetness, rockin' away the blues.

Excitement, Energy, Love, Romance, World Peace, Fun, Family, Friendship, Healing, ' Rock. This is what Patrick is all about, and these are the gifts Moore the Musician shares on his latest CDs: Alternatives to Violence, Wild Cupids, and Eternity.

And what gifts they are. All 60 songs are Moore originals, small glittering jewels in a big crown of accomplishment. Patrick does all the vocals and acoustic guitar work. His co-musician, gifted rocker Jon Stephen Faget, provides superb studio arrangements and engineering skills on all issues.

The pulsating rhythms are enticingly danceable. Poetic imagery pervades lyrics such as "The sky is our ceiling, the stars are our friends, we wash in rainwater an' dry in the wind," and "Baby how ya move me, dancin' in the moonlight, such a delite!" Moore shares his pain in "Brothers in Blood" and his humor in "Slam That Phone Down, Mama." He is redeemed by submission in "I turn it over to the one who puts the sunlight in the sun; I step aside an' take a bow, I'll never solve it anyhow." And his wanderlust is contagious in "We can be Gypsies together, as long as we never say never." As a physician, his prescription is a tonic: "Do you rise every morning and laugh with the sun, figuring new ways to make it all fun?"

For all of us Boomers, these songs bridge the gap between the Hippie era and hitech society. Here's a man who's been there, done that, loved it, and lived to sing about. His CDs will be a welcome breath of fresh new air for your collection.