In a latest interview with The Blairing Out With Eric Blair Present, former ACCEPT and present U.D.O. bassist Peter Baltes confirmed that he’s a “born-again Christian.” He stated (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “There was a time I used to be gonna have a band with [fellow born-again Christian Dan] Spitz from ANTHRAX, however that fell by means of. And I simply principally performed within the church worship band, which was humorous as a result of I used to be at all times too loud, I performed an excessive amount of, and I performed guitar. It was simply the funniest factor ever.
“I bear in mind once I went again to go along with ACCEPT, the pastor took me apart and everyone else took me apart and stated, ‘You are going to hell,'” he continued. “And I stated, ‘No, I am not going to hell. I am gonna be a lightweight.’ And I spotted then how within the church setting, it’s very completely different. You’ll be able to have your personal perception, however how the church tries to mildew you and make you and push you, I did not like that in any respect. So I simply stated, ‘You realize what? You guys do your factor. I am gone anyway, however I will be a lightweight. And that is it.'”
Requested if he got here from a Christian household, the 66-year-old Peter stated: “No. [We’re] Germans.” As for the way he grew to become a born-again Christian, Baltes stated: “My spouse took my youngsters to church. I did not wanna go. After which in the future I went, and I sat all the way in which within the again subsequent to the exit so I can get out actual fast. However then some guys from the church got here to the home in the future, introduced a cake, and we talked and talked and talked and talked. And I had simply misplaced — I used to be producing a Philadelphia punk band, they usually perished in a hearth, three of ’em. They’d a rehearsal room and a storage unit factor, they usually had one of many kerosene heaters and it blew up. And I used to be imagined to be there that day, however I used to be some place else. I used to be late. I got here with my backpack and the entire thing was on flames. In order that was like a month earlier than. And I used to be combating that. Once they talked to me, all of it made sense. And I used to be in that state that I wanted one thing. And that is how that took place.”
Baltes beforehand mentioned his religion in a interview with the Christian Broadcasting Community. Recalling the tragedy that led to his turning into a born-again Christian, Peter stated: “[The punk band I was producing] had a rehearsal room in a storage place, a storage facility. There was a kerosene heater. That individual evening, I used to be imagined to go there and ship some tapes, however I used to be late. The guitar participant and the singer had been there early. They lit up the kerosene heater, and it exploded. It set guitar participant on hearth, and he fell over the drum set and burned to his loss of life.”
Baltes stated the incident hit him arduous. “For the primary time, I really felt my coronary heart in all probability,” he revealed. “I used to be very prideful. You’ll be able to’t assist it whenever you’re in my enterprise. Satisfaction is all you could have. That is what you reside off. That is the way you make your cash. So now, for the primary time, I began caring about others.”
Recalling his discussions with two members of the church who paid Peter and his spouse a go to, the bassist stated: “They began speaking to me and requested me about God. I advised them, ‘I do not imagine. I feel it is all humbug.’ They requested me extra questions, and I acquired slightly aggravated. For like three or 4 hours, we went backwards and forwards. Then lastly I threw them out of the home. I stated, ‘Do not you ever come again right here.’ Then I felt actually empty. I am considering, ‘They actually got here in love, these individuals. They did not do something to me. They did not name me names, curse at me or something. They introduced me a pleasant piece of bread.'”
After the 2 males returned per week later, Peter was extra open to listening to what they needed to say.
“This time, they did not say a lot,” he stated. “They stated, ‘What’s flawed with you?’ I stated, ‘Properly, my mates died in a hearth.’ They simply requested me, ‘Would you thoughts if we prayed for you and with you?’ All I bear in mind is that I began getting… first I acquired chilly after which I acquired heat. Then I began sweating so much and shaking slightly bit. On the finish, they only each requested me how I really feel, and I stated, ‘I by no means felt like this earlier than in my whole life.’ They stated, ‘Are you prepared to just accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, as a result of that is the one approach you’ll ever really feel this manner once more.’ I stated, ‘Completely, sure.’ That is how I acquired saved. The subsequent day, I by no means smoked a cigarette, drank a beer or any alcohol. My complete life modified.”
This previous October, Baltes launched a GoFundMe marketing campaign to help him and his spouse in repairing their residence in Nokomis, Florida resulting from damages brought on by Hurricane Milton. Solely $2,783 was raised of the marketing campaign’s preliminary $10,000 purpose.
Peter exited ACCEPT in 2018 after spending greater than three a long time with the Wolf Hoffmann-led outfit. He later advised Finland’s Chaoszine that issues “began to go down” inside ACCEPT “perhaps the final two years” earlier than his departure. “I did not prefer it anymore,” he stated. “And I came upon some issues — I do not wanna elaborate — however I came upon some issues which might be actually not good. I would been along with Wolf my complete life, and that wasn’t actually vital. Some individuals need to have all of the management, and when it began going into the creative management, then it actually bothered me extra. So I actually wasn’t into it anymore.”
Baltes was changed in ACCEPT by Martin Motnik.
