The Last

Brothers Joe on guitar, Mike handling vocals, and David on bass—all Noltes from Los Angeles—teamed with Jack Reynolds on drums and Vitus Matare on keyboards to launch the Last in 1976, drawing from the sounds of '60s surf, psychedelia, and folk-rock. Early singles issued on the group’s own Backlash imprint established them as a foundational indie act. Their debut full-length, L.A. Explosion, appeared on Bomp! in 1979 and earned praise as an intense, near-flawless opening statement.

A follow-up album, Look Again, was tracked for Backlash in 1980 and circulated independently. Returning to Bomp! in 1982, the band delivered the EP Fade to Black, then finished Painting Smiles on a Dead Man for Lolita Records before splitting in 1985. David Nolte subsequently joined Wednesday Week and later surfaced in Lucky.

Reconvening in 1988, the Nolte brothers added Luk Lohnes on guitar and vocals, Missy Buettner on bass, and Robbie Rist on drums. That year marked their first performances beyond California and the release of Confessions on SST. Two further SST albums arrived: Awakenings in 1989 and Gin & Innuendo in 1996. During the Awakenings sessions Dave Nazworthy took over the drum chair from Rist, while David Nolte contributed a guest spot; Nazworthy also performs with the Chemical People.

Despite repeated lineup shifts, the Last have sustained their signature brand of potent power-pop, rooted in the regional sounds they absorbed while growing up in Southern California.