First of all, when and how did The Last Dance come into existence?

JEFF: Rick and I started the band in 1990. He was getting out of one project, and I had sort of been involved in management of that band. He was still writing music, and asked me to sing on some of it. It didn't really start off with the idea to be a band, just more of a fun thing. Our friends were the ones who told us we should try and make something of it. We found a name and a drummer and bass player. Peter has been with us for 10 years.

If I am informed rightly, The Last Dance is not to be considered a Christian band. However, a lot of your lyrics seem to have a spiritual dimension. What exactly are your spiritual backgrounds?

JEFF: We're not a Christian band. I know Christian bands, and we don't deserve to be called one. I was raised going to church, and it's not something that you can simply disassociate with after being such a part of your life. I was always very much into the social aspects of church, but there's a serious downside to it. Religion just so easily becomes a kind of accountability to people's whims, where your behavior is condemned by people who think God cares about this-or-that. The bitter end of me and church was a conflict like that. Judgment-based love is not love. I got tired of the political and financial activities of the church. That's just so middle-class America, and not what it's supposed to be about (assuming that it's supposed to be about the kinds of things Jesus said or did). If religion decides to do something like end world hunger instead of controlling congress, I'll consider going back to church. However, I do remain vaguely spiritual. I think the Golden Rule is the greatest thing ever, and I wish humanity were nicer to each other.

RICK: My spiritual background is Christian, in fact I work on Sundays doing sound for a Christian church called Bethany here in California. A great place really, and good to TLD as well, we have recorded our past few albums there, borrowed equipment for shows, etc... I tend to be what some would call a Liberal/Conservative Christian, meaning I am not about the rules of the church so much but more so about the rules of God. In my experience it is a person's heart that defines them and who they are for the most part, and not the actions as much so I find it difficult sometimes when "Christian" people judge others for such things... The church I work at now, they seem to have the right idea as far as how I grew up believing and existing, meaning everyone is welcome, even a silly boy in a Goth band with colored braids in his hair.

PETER: We are all somewhat spiritual people in our own ways. I myself was raised in a very open-minded environment. It was Christian in the sense that my family was traditionally Catholic, but neither my parents nor I were particularly devout, nor did we necessarily believe in all of the teachings of the church. These days I am a great admirer of what you could call "Christian" values, but I also believe that most of those values are not exclusive to Christianity, but in fact are the same values that form a common thread with all religions and beliefs. So, while I would not call myself an atheist or an agnostic, I definitely hesitate to align myself with any one belief system.

How did you guys get to play at Cornerstone Festival? In what ways are you connected to the Christian scene?

JEFF: We're connected through mutual fans. A friend has a friend who is on the board or something. We offered, given our history with a few Christian music things here and there. There were a few (probably more than people think) bands like us there, with connections to the scene but not really Christian or ministry bands. It's funny how you go to a thing like Cornerstone and talk to all these bands and listen to them hedge and haw their way out of being called a Christian band. We have a lot of fans from the Christian scene who like our lyrics because they do reflect the human side of spirituality.

RICK: It was great to be at Cornerstone really. A crazy day for me as my daughter was born that day as well, so it was an overwhelming night, but definitely fun and a wonderful experience, aside from the weather. We are connected to the Christian scene via a few underground Christian record companies like Cold Fusion Records who release compilations and like to include songs of ours. Us saying that we are not a Christian band does not follow with a "we do not want to have anything to do with them". Good songs, like art is meant to be interpreted by the listener, to apply their own meaning sometimes to a feeling inspired by a song or its lyrics. For some Christians who like our music our songs do that in a spiritual way for them... that is great really. Paul was all things to all men right? Why not be all music to all people.. that would be lovely for us I think...

Do you think a "Christian music scene/industry" with record labels, etc. is a good thing?

JEFF: I think it's great. I grew up with bands like Undercover and The Choir and Adam Again... ancient history now. Those bands, along with many others, helped me define myself a lot in those days. They were talented artist with a vision for their music that went beyond simple success. They had something to say about the struggles of life and love. Even the campy-Christian anthems were fun in that context. Those musicians taught me, because I was so willing to listen to them. Music can have that effect on people. Having an entire industry all about the "Christian" music is great. It's corrupt as any other industry, but the guy writing a song that can change some kid's life is a good thing. Even better when there's a vehicle for getting that message out there.

PETER: It can be a very good thing in the sense that it provides a community of like minded people a source of entertainment, inspiration, and education and does so in a way that is hopefully consistent with their values. However there are many potential pitfalls too. A lot of the practices of the music industry, or any successful big business industry really, are often in opposition to traditional Christian values, when you consider that greed, jealousy and backstabbing are often the keys to success in that industry. There is also a great deal of infighting and competition in the modern Christian music scene. Add to that the constant bickering and controversy over different acts and whether or not they are "true" Christian music, and you have a lot of potential problems that can distract and alienate the people that are looking to this music as a source of strength for their faith.

You guys toured Europe last fall. In retrospect, what would you say were some of the best moments of that tour?

JEFF: Most of them involved drinking and being with good people. I was also very partial to the snow in Germany and Italy. Scary to drive in, but the most beautiful countryside you would ever want to see. Overall, it was a difficult year. We all struggled financially to make all these little tours work out. They did, but it was a difficult year for us, and we won’t be touring nearly as much this year.

PETER: There were a lot of great moments. For me, I would say that playing Whitby again, playing in Portugal for the first time and hanging out with the many good friends we have made in England and Germany were the highlights. And just all being together with our good friend and touring drummer Stevyn was as always, a fun time. We don’t see each other much socially these days, so the tours are really the only time I hang out with these guys.

RICK: Best moments, well playing festivals there are great, Whitby and the Portugal events were just amazing, both as a show and also for the people we met. Seeing friends we rarely see except on tour is always a plus... meeting new people and becoming friends with them is wonderful too...

What did you think of Germany?

JEFF: I think Germany is fantastic. I love the food, the people, and the country. I think that Europe has something socially that you don't find as much in America. It’s hard to put into words, but I like it.

RICK: Germany is great, so different than how I imagined it before we first played there. Not that I expected it to be bad, I suppose I was just a little nervous to go to a new country as I had only been in the UK before with the band. The people are great, very friendly and supportive of music, all kinds of music which is really wonderful... the sound techs take their job seriously and almost always do perfect sound for us. The countryside is really lovely, and the culture unique to Germany is seen in the small town villages and such that we sometimes get to travel through. Then there is Octoberfest which is definitely an experience everyone must have at least once... only in Germany!

PETER: I have liked Germany since we first visited in 1999. Even though I can speak only the most basic and awkward German, I have always felt very comfortable and at home there.

How did you get Stevyn Grey (who has played with bands like Mephisto Waltz, Faith and the Muse and Shadow Project) to tour with you?

RICK: Money, lots of money... actually if that had been it, well we would have never had him play... seriously, the way that came about is a mutual friend of ours, Jeremy Mesa who plays with Stevyn in Frankenstein asked me to help out in the mastering of their last album... I met Stevyn during those sessions and as we talked it came out that we were looking for a drummer to fill in/ help out on our upcoming European Tour... he offered basically, to learn all our songs and do the tour with us... On that tour we bonded great and well he is an amazing drummer as well a person and we all instantly became close friends... Currently Stevyn is one of 2 drummers that are performing members of The Last Dance, Tom Coyne is the other. Both are wonderful people, drummers, and family to us.

I felt that the live drums added a kind of "rock" flavor to your overall sound. Was it your aim to make the songs sound different when you're playing them live?

JEFF: Most of that is accidental. We are a rock band, and the sound of live drums and guitars has always been a big part of our sound. Recordings let you bring out some more of the electronics and subtleties of the songs, whereas live you are much more at the mercy of the sound system and engineer. The songs sound more energetic live because they are performed with more energy. By the time you are playing the songs live, you know them better than when you recorded them. They have evolved a bit, and there’s more confidence in the performance.

PETER: Actually, the goal is to make the records come closer to capturing the energy of the live show. We have always used live drums and it is only recently that we started to add the electronic elements to the music. But we have always been more of a rock band that incorporates electronics, not an electronic band that uses live instruments.

Tell us about the side project Creta.

RICK: Creta is a side project that I am involved in with a dear friend of mine Esther Hernandez. It is basically her project, dream, and music that I help write and produce. It is a Christian project, and comes from the heart of Esther and her amazing life and passion. The one song we released called "Silence" came out on a couple compilations, one a Christian label, one a Goth label and the response was really good... currently we have songs and ideas in the works but this is a work in progress that in my word falls second to The Last Dance and my responsibility towards taking care of my family so when we are touring lots or writing / recording I have not much time for Creta... so watch for things... they will happen, but in there own time... thanks for asking!

What are you doing at the moment?

JEFF: We're busy working on songs for the new album. We won't be recording for a few more months, but some good tracks are taking shape. There are a few local shows and interviews and the usual business.

RICK: Currently... resting... last year was quite the exhausting year for me personally, having arranged 3 long tours, played them, had a daughter born, and traveled I think a bit much for my own limits of sanity and health... so yes, resting and enjoying my family while also writing of course... for new TLD... that is exciting always!

PETER: Currently I am working on ideas for the new TLD album and also a soundtrack for a film that I was hired to compose music for.

Do you have any idea as to when you might be coming to Germany again?

RICK: The weekend of July 15 - 18, 2005 we will be in Germany for a festival in Köln called the Nights of Darkness Festival... after that we will be touring the US working on The Last Dance Movie with a film crew here in California and then our return to Europe for a complete tour should follow sometime in Autumn...

Thanks for the Interview!!

Interview by Patrick Maiwald; February 2005