Brooke Tuley
and the Moon Travelers
Eras is an archive of past projects and creative chapters that inform the work being made now.
Basement Disasters (1997-1999)
In her teenage years, Brooke didn’t care for the mainstream — she was drawn to the noise, the honesty, and the chaos of punk. She saved up for her first bass and joined a band, playing at all-ages clubs across town. The best $20 ever spent was purchasing a live recording of her band's show at Gee Coffee.
Ad Astra Per Aspera (2001-2009)
College years and beyond brought new horizons — meeting Mike, falling in love, and finding a creative family in Lawrence, KS. Brooke and her bandmates practiced several nights a week for the better part of a decade touring the country, making records, chasing sound and freedom. Guitars in strange tunings, sprawling arrangements, songs that felt like wild landscapes... Brooke discovered the thrill of performing and the discipline of creating something real from nothing.
Ad Astra Arkestra (2009-2011)
​​​​​​​​An experimental offshoot of Ad Astra Per Aspera, Ad Astra Arkestra was centered on Brooke and Mike and featured a rotating cast of collaborators. Known for genre-bending, percussion-driven compositions and theatrical, high-energy performances, the ensemble embraced collective improvisation, audience participation, and bold storytelling. Shows included memorable moments like immersive performances and playful chaos on stage, earning local acclaim for their creativity, intensity, and joyous energy.
Bloodbirds was a high-energy trio with Brooke on drums, Mike on guitar, and Anna on bass. The band wrote and recorded extensively, performed regionally, and were featured in Doug Aitken’s Station to Station project. Their releases, Psychic Surgery and MMXIII, explored psychedelic-garage rock with dense textures, driving rhythms, and a live intensity that pushed every instrument to its edge.
First Midnight (2013-2015)
An early self-released album recorded late at night on a four-track while pregnant with her first son. The songs draw from text, history, and spiritual practice—exile narratives, plague accounts, speculative worlds, and imagined futures. Released quietly on CD and cassette, the record remains an origin document: work made in attention rather than for an audience.
Chase Me (2022-now)
This era marks a return— creating with intention after years of teaching, collaboration, and raising two sons. Chase Me is rooted in confidence and clarity, shaped by experience rather than urgency. It’s the sound of stepping into the light after years of helping others find theirs.
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