by Ron Hasbah
And it may well be their last. It’s certainly not their first. The Last, SouthBay pioneers of the ‘70s punk rock movement, have re-emerged onto the scene with their seventh studio album, “Danger!” After 17 years without producing an album, brothers and founding members Mike and Joe Nolte have broken their silence. They’ve enlisted an all-star rhythm section to help oil the gears – Bill Stevenson (Descendents, Black Flag, etc.) on drums and Karl Alvarez (ALL, Descendents) on bass – and this new lineup is busying themselves with live dates across the country in support of the record. Until just a couple of years ago, the brothers were playing an average of one local show a year, with the basically-original lineup of The Last. When asked how the music’s been flowing after swapping some members, guitarist and singer Joe Nolte assured me that the “new lineup is a pretty natural fit because The Last was an influence on Bill [Stevenson] in the early days… He actually just told me, too, that when Karl [Alvarez] joined the Descendents, they handed him a Last record, you know, as a [rite of entry].”
In fact, the group’s influence runs deep, dating back to Hermosa Beach in the 1970s. During an era when nobody outside of New York had yet to hear the Ramones, The Last were taking some Velvet Underground, some Stooges, some Modern Lovers, some ‘60s psychedelia, and “you know, shake ‘n’ bake.” Given their punky edge – while the hippie movement was still in full effect at the beach – the Nolte brothers literally had to “trick people to play music with [them].” Joe recalls, “We’d have to tell the guy, ‘we’re just playing rock… and there’s beer.’” Through these formative years, they were regulars at the legendarily defunct church-turned-party pad off of Pier Ave., where they established ties with Black Flag. When The Last’s first studio album hit stores in 1979, they were graced with a short streak of fame and success in Los Angeles. With The Last having their foot in the door of the music industry, they were able to pull Black Flag into clubs in Hollywood that, otherwise, wanted nothing to do with them. Into the ‘80s, the band continued to record studio albums, though to this day they reportedly have more unreleased cuts than album tracks.
With the passing of a few decades and a few lessons learned, The Last have stepped onto the modern playing field donning a wiser, warier sensibility of being a band. “I have lower expectations this time around,” claims Nolte. “Back in the ‘70s, we thought we could make money with music. It’s gotta be fun or you’re setting yourself up for dismal disappointment… Now I’m trying to be a rock star at 57… Why not?” That’s right – Why not? With an album full of new songs that Joe considers “the best thing we’ve ever done,” cover artwork by the infamous Raymond Pettibone, and festival appearances around the country, it seems as though The Last are on a road loaded with prospects. In any case, at least they’re having fun.
The Last’s new album, “Danger!” can be ordered on iTunes, or purchased in music stores as a CD or vinyl record.
