THE LAST DECADE

"Tonight we will be one. There is no choice on our run.”

Like a vampire awakening in the dead of night, The Last Decade emerged—new, yet carrying the weight of histories lived by its members. Tim Vic, the vocalist of Nosferatu—the UK gothic rock band formed in 1988—and Michael Huber, known by his stage name Michelle “Darkness”, the vocalist and guitarist of Stuttgart’s End Of Green, came together over old melodies and forgotten songs. Around them gathered seasoned musicians: Rich (ex-The Mission, Rocky Warwick), Vince (Schwarzer Engel), Pat (Seekers Are Lovers), and Al (Love Like Blood). Together, they formed something greater than the sum of its parts—a sound rooted in experience yet alive in the present.

What began as a reworking of an old track, Dragons, became the spark that ignited the band. Their music is a journey through memory and shadow, built on the layers of previous lives in gothic and doom rock. Then came the unexpected: a song, War, sent on a whim to Poland’s Mystic Festival, became their ticket to a stage they had barely rehearsed for, scattered as they were across Germany and the UK. Chaos, nerves, and magic intertwined as they faced a crowd that had never heard their name—and yet they were heard.

Since that first step, The Last Decade has played festivals such as Castle Party, toured with The Awakening across Germany, and begun shaping an album that will define who they truly are. They are not loud, but present; not fleeting, but persistent. The Last Decade is a living echo of past histories, a shadow that moves, remembers, and manifests. Every song is a corridor of sound where memory lingers, every note a reminder of the paths that brought them here—and still they walk forward, only just beginning.

Through this final stretch of time, in a last turning of dimming light, we at Peek-A-Boo cross paths with Tim Vic, who stands ready to speak about The Last Decade—their origins, their now, and the darkness still unfolding ahead.
Tim, it’s an honour to speak with you. Forged by seasoned hands, The Last Decade has the aura of a gothic rock supergroup. How did this awakening happen — how did you all come together?

Good evening Hayley, first of all, thank you so much for your interest in this new group.

We came together from various existing bands where we still play or have played before. I remember that one day Michelle (Darkness, vocals and guitars in the German band End Of Green) called me to ask if I had a recording of a track called “Dragons” from the very first band I was ever in. It was just a small local project that didn’t last long before I joined other bands—so in a way, the story of The Last Decade actually began a few decades earlier.

I found the old recording and sent it to him - after converting it from an MC/tape to MP3. A few days later, he had practically re-recorded the whole song. All I had to do was sing. We tweaked a few parts, added some layers—and that’s the version you hear on Spotify now and on our CD, “Return to Now,” which we’re selling at our shows.

At that point, we were both still fully involved in other bands—he with End Of Green, me with Nosferatu. We never had the time or the intention to start something new. But maybe that’s exactly why it worked: there was no pressure. We just created whenever the mood struck.

With the idea of a supergroup in mind, were there any supergroups or collaborative bands from the past who are an influence on The Last Decade? I’m thinking, for example, of formations like Cream or The Power Station.

Oh wow, I liked The Power Station! Great musicians — and Cream as well! But I was actually more into Arcadia — what a great darkwave album, don’t you think? Thanks for bringing this up.

Ok, so to be honest, there was never an idea of forming a “supergroup” when we recorded the tracks that eventually ended up on this EP. Nosferatu was originally scheduled to play at Mystic Festival in Poland last year, but the dates didn’t work out. I sent one of those tracks we had — “War” — to the organizers, just to see what they thought. The next day they replied: “We can’t get this song out of our heads. You’re in.” That was completely unexpected.

Suddenly we had two months to put a band together and rehearse… and we had nothing but a handful of songs. So we called in old friends from other bands: Rich (ex–The Mission, Ricky Warwick), Vince (Schwarzer Engel), Pat (Seekers Are Lovers), and Alex (Love Like Blood). We never even managed to rehearse as a full band before the show — we’re spread between Germany and the UK. I threw together a logo, got a backdrop made… we met whenever we could, but honestly, it was all last-minute chaos.

But that’s how the group came together. There are some clips of that first performance on YouTube btw.

The song Dragons played a significant role in shaping the origins of The Last Decade—lifted from the ashes of your earliest musical days. Seeing it as a doorway into your past, could you take us back to those first steps in your musical life, to the band where this song was first born? What memories do you still carry from that time?

This song, like many others, was created in a kind of isolation. Thoughts run through your mind. Dragons can fly, high and away from others and from everyday life. But they can also defend themselves… The song describes these thoughts: escaping into a world without others— or other things—you simply don’t want near you.

Besides being the vocalist of The Last Decade — and of course Nosferatu — you also play guitar and bass guitar. Do these instruments play a role for you on stage with The Last Decade, or do you prefer to focus purely on the vocals?

I’ve played bass in the past, programmed drum machines, and added a bit of keyboards, but in the end I’m not particularly good at any of it — luckily we’ve got some really talented lads in the band, haha.

And as someone who moves between voice, guitar, and bass, which vocalists, guitarists, or bass players do you look up to—artists who have left an important mark on your own musical path?

Of course I take my hat off to every multi-instrumentalist and to all talented and/or creative people. But for me, it’s not just about the technical side — it’s the whole package.

Sticking with music as an example: there are loads of brilliant songs that don’t actually sound complicated. Yet there’s often a lot more behind them than you’d think.

Take hugely successful songs, for instance: the intros to ‘Smoke on the Water’, ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’, ‘Highway to Hell’, or even ‘Personal Jesus’ don’t sound complex, but they’re genius precisely because they’re simple and they stick in your head… don’t you think? And if someone can sing on top of all that, I find it genuinely fascinating and impressive.

But to come back to your question: when it comes to playing bass, for me it was Craig Adams (Sisters Of Mercy, The Mission, The Cult...) — not that I was anywhere near as good as him, but that’s why I ended up buying a bass guitar.

As for singing, I’m not entirely sure anymore. I saw Nick Cave recently, and I have to say, the way he delivers his vocals and lyrics is pretty much unbeatable, in my opinion.

Apart from that, there are so many musicians I admire — people I genuinely bow down to. From different genres.

Now imagine: The Last Decade… the final day is upon us. No turning back — the world sinks into its last fading light, shadows swallowing the horizon. Yet in the heart of this ending, you are granted one final chance to step onto the stage and let the music breathe for a moment longer — one ultimate concert before the lights go out forever. You get to decide the place… and the bands who share that last stage with you. What would await those attending this apocalyptic concert?

Hayley, you’re scaring me! But then again, if you choose to call yourselves The Last Decade, the question isn’t all that far-fetched.

First of all: I’d much rather skip that concert if it meant our planet could keep on turning!

I should also mention that one of our songs, ‘Candle (burning down and fade)’, already carries quite a sad lyric — with one final line of hope — and that’s really how we should act every day: respecting our world. There is a future, and there will be generations after us.

Still, I must admit I’d absolutely love to play a concert at the Royal Albert Hall! As for the bands, though… the stage and the hall would be far too small. There would be far too many — and too many listeners as well.

But I get it, you want names, haha. I’d actually love to invite unknown bands — but I certainly wouldn’t mind playing there with Kate Bush.

Then, of course, The Cure immediately comes to mind, as I’ve been revisiting their albums recently. Maybe also Chelsea Wolfe and Lycia — the list would be very long. Over the past few weeks, I’ve seen Iron Maiden, Dimmu Borgir, Duran Duran, and Fields of the Nephilim, so my musical taste probably isn’t ideal for putting together a truly coherent concert night.

After imagining that final apocalyptic concert, let’s return to the stages you’ve already conquered. Which of them still haunt you in the best possible way?

Honestly, I can’t really pin it down to just one. Every place has offered something new and different so far, and the most important thing is always the audience. I think if I were an artificial intelligence, the audience wouldn’t matter to me. But as it is, I can and must say: please keep coming in the future—we’ll give our very best for you out there!

Though a limited edition, released in July 2025, Return to Now marks the first official step of The Last Decade. Besides Dragons, it also features Vigilance, Face, War and Candle — with Vigilance reaching all the way back, originally composed in 1993. What can you tell us, and the fans, about this first release?

We wanted — and needed — to have a physical release, as we also played a few shows with The Awakening during the summer and performed at the Castle Party Festival. Not everyone listens via Spotify yet (which musicians are secretly quite happy about when you consider the revenues there), and since we are self-financed, we genuinely depend on income and are endlessly grateful for any support.

“Vigilance”, like “Dragons”, comes from the very early days. "Vigilance“... you know, I’m not really a writer or a speaker, but back then I was thinking about questions like: where is this all heading, what am I supposed to do, when so much already seems predetermined and manipulated — systems, violence, religion, politics… I put all of those thoughts down on paper.

I think a lot of people think about these today. Probably even more so today than back then. Especially now, with fake news on a massive scale, we really do have to stay vigilant — and we need to pass that awareness on to those who come after us.

On the one hand, I was surprised by the lyrics, because in my view they sadly fit today’s world even better than they did at the time. But hey — I’m no fortune teller… so has it always been like this?

War, by the way, unexpectedly found its way onto a 7-inch vinyl release supporting children in Ukraine, and later even climbed Poland’s TurboTop20. That’s a great achievement.

Thank you very much and yes, as mentioned earlier, “War” was very well received by the organisers of the Mystic Festival. Initially, we only wanted the song to be presented via the festival’s social media channels. We had no intention of doing a video message like you often see from others – we make music, not toothpaste adverts.

The idea of releasing “War” as a 7-inch vinyl then came from the festival itself, in order to have a physical product that could be sold to raise donations. We deliberately chose to support children suffering as a result of the war in Ukraine.

At the same time, the song was also passed on to radio through a partner. “War” was featured in the TurboTop20 and voted in by listeners alongside new releases from Lenny Kravitz, Bon Jovi and Bring Me The Horizon. The track then climbed from number 19 to number six in five or six steps. That was quite something, especially considering that the band hadn’t even existed a few weeks earlier.

For me personally, it was something special as well, because in the past bands or artists always wanted to get on the radio in order to be heard. Nowadays, with social media and music platforms, all of that has become much easier. And not to forget: having our own music on vinyl!

With Return to Now anchoring anchoring The Last Decade in the present, what stirs on the horizon? Are you already working on new material, and what can fans look forward to in the near future?

There are already a few lights on the horizon – hopefully no one switches them off. After the concerts (we were on the road in quite a few cities this year), we want to record the songs from Return to Now with the full band and also work on additional new material. We already played some of those new songs live, such as “Shadowman”, “Big Black Car” and “Destination Unknown”.

We’ll also be playing concerts with VLAD IN TEARS – that sounds pretty dark, doesn’t it? After that, we’re playing in Gothenburg with some close friends’ bands. Then we’ll see what happens… that’s all I can reveal for now.

Alright Tim, this has been a pleasure. On behalf of Peek-A-Boo, thank you for taking the time to speak with us — it truly was an honour. Before we let you go, one final question: A The Last Decade performance with no sunglasses and plenty of free ginger beer afterwards… or keeping the sunglasses on and settling for whatever the venue bar happens to serve?

Cheers to an everlasting Last Decade!

It was a pleasure for me as well, Hayley. Thank you and best regards to the Peek-A-Boo team – it’s really great and important that you exist, along with your community out there. I’ll happily make time again; it’s just been a bit difficult lately – sorry about that.

As for the sunglasses, that’s a tricky one: when I squint my eyes under the stage lights, I end up looking like a mole. Ginger beer – how did you know about that? But you do have much better beer in Belgium, so the sunglasses can stay on! Oh, and chocolate! If this were a Nosferatu interview, I’d probably have to mention blood instead…

Many thanks — we hope to see you again very soon, and next time with the full band! Finally, a huge thank-you to all your readers for thier interest and support. Stay safe!

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Hayley CLX
17/12/2025