The Living End
Encyclopedia
The Living End are an Australian rock band from Melbourne
, Victoria
, formed in 1994. The current lineup consists of Chris Cheney
(vocals
, guitar
), Scott Owen
(double bass
, vocals) and Andy Strachan
(drums
). The band rose to fame in the late 1990s after the release of their double A-side single, Second Solution / Prisoner of Society.
They have released six studio albums and one singles compilation in Australia; three of which have reached the #1 spot on the Australian Albums Chart
. They have also gained notable success in the United States and Europe.
and Scott Owen
, who met through their older sisters while attending Wheelers Hill Secondary College
in Melbourne
. Cheney was a big fan of rockabilly
group Stray Cats
and this prompted Scott Owen, who originally played piano, to switch to double bass. He was taught by Maddie O'Reiden, a classical upright bass tutor. The pair formed a cover band
, Runaway Boys, named after a song from the Stray Cats' debut album
. The band played in Melbourne's rockabilly music scene. While Cheney and Owen persevered, the band went through several drummers while still in school.
However, by 1994 Chris and Scott were writing their own material and they decided to change their name to The Living End, a reference to the film Rock Around the Clock
. The group went through a procession of drummers, including Alex Sarris, before settling on Joe Piripitzi
. Sarris played for several months, but was unable to remain in the band, as a result of irreconcilable creative differences with frontman Cheney. However, Cheney considered Joe an ideal drummer because of his charismatic appearance.
The Living End got their first big break in 1995 when, after sending a t-shirt and a demo tape to Billie Joe Armstrong
, they landed a support slot in Green Day's
upcoming Australian tour. After the tour, the group went into the studio to record their debut EP Hellbound which received moderate support from community radio stations.
In November 1995, the band went back into the studio to record their second EP It's For Your Own Good
which they released several months later. This recording yielded their first major radio airplay with the song "From Here On In", which was placed on high rotation on the youth radio network Triple J
. Shortly after the release of the second EP, drummer Joe Piripitzi was fired as his lifestyle choices were said to be holding back the band, being replaced with Travis Demsey
. Demsey was soon playing with the band at major festivals such as Pushover and the Falls Festival, and was considered to drum very much in the style of Keith Moon.
After a year touring Australia, The Living End again headed into the studio to record something new to sell at their live shows. The result was the Second Solution / Prisoner of Society double A-side single.
.
for the release of their debut self titled album. The album was an instant hit with Australian audiences. The Living End
became the second (now third) highest-selling debut rock album in Australian music history. It charted at #1, and is now 5x Platinum. During this period six singles were released including the previously stated double A-side, and in addition "Tainted Love", a live cover, was released as a radio-only single on Triple J.
The Living End were awarded two more ARIA awards in 1999 for Best Group, and Best New Artist.
album in 2000 was a more creative work, but it did not manage to achieve the status of their earlier album. Despite this, many fans consider Roll On
to be as strong as the Self Titled album, The Living End
. Cheney later stated that he was trying to prove to critics that The Living End were not a band simply defined by their hit "Prisoner of Society", and the album showed this by displaying other influences, as well as their traditional fast-paced rockabilly music. The album even garnered comparison, by a few critics, to seminal punk band The Clash
's creative breakthrough, London Calling
. Much of the style was comparable to 1980s hard rock and pub rock, as well as many tracks being obscure mixes of many ideas, resulting in 'procrastinating' structures. This defined the album's creativity.
During this period, relative success was achieved in addition in the US, with the band receiving America-wide coverage by playing on both Conan O'Brien
and David Letterman
's major late-night variety shows. The album included "Carry me Home", which was included in the Guitar Hero II
soundtrack.
However, singles and success for Roll On was limited because of a twist of fate. In 2001, the band hit a quiet period after Chris Cheney was in a car accident on the Great Ocean Road
, rendering him unable to play for a significant period of time. He had been on the road to the house of a member of fellow Australian band Bodyjar
.
was accepted as the new drummer. The Longnecks were formed to test out Andy Strachan and new material to be on the Modern ARTillery album, without attracting too much public attention. The name is a reference to 'Longneck' beer bottles, as can be heard on the band's Podcast on iTunes.
Travis Demsey now plays drums in a punk/folk rock band called 'The Currency'.
The Longnecks name has since been used by the band to try out potentially new album material for both State of Emergency and the band's fifth album, White Noise.
The band has also played under many different names such as Glen Waverley & The Mentones, The Dovetones, Roller Toasters, Doncaster & The Dandenongs and Redwings at various venues in regional Victoria.
" in late 2002 (originally released as an EP then later re-recorded for the album) and "Who's Gonna Save Us?
" in 2003, and getting air play once again. This was followed by heavy touring (including Big Day Out) and the release of Modern ARTillery
.
The Modern ARTillery album in 2003 was a return to musical simplicity in most tracks (the rock anthem "The Room" being an exception), but was certainly of a different style to the 'punkabilly' of the self-titled album, and the jazzy rockabilly of Hellbound and It's For Your Own Good. Instead, punk pop, computer-generated sounds, country music, and 1960s style rock'n'roll had their share on Modern ARTillery, among other styles.
Because of the quiet period, their return was initially received with much hype compared to Roll On, with "One Said To the Other" becoming a top 20 hit, the album debuting at #3, and the promotion of three singles and one radio release. However, the long run saw their stylistic change to be less popular, with overall sales of albums and singles being comparatively less than that of the self-titled album and Roll On.
The Living End's fourth album, titled State of Emergency, was recorded in Byron Bay
with Nick Launay
, following the band's appearance at the Splendour in the Grass
festival. The recording and the artwork was completed in mid December 2005, and the album was released on 4 February 2006, debuting at #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart. The Living End again played gigs under the name The Longnecks before recording the album, to test out new material.
The album's tracks are even simpler than Modern ARTillerys tracks, but with a more raw sound, so as to assimilate even further with the early releases and the self-titled album; also being aware that they sound best live and raw. Nevertheless, the new styles and other styles experienced in Modern ARTillery remain in State of Emergency to a small extent; arguably most dominantly pop punk, rockabilly now being a less met blend of The Living End's 'punkabilly' style.
The single "What's on Your Radio?" was released on 20 November 2005, and debuted at #9 on the ARIA
singles chart. The second single, "Wake Up
", was released on 19 February and went straight to number #5. The third single from the album, "Long Live the Weekend
", was released 20 May, but did not enter the top 20, whilst the other two singles had entered the top 10. The fourth single, "Nothing Lasts Forever", was released in Australia on 19 August and was not as successful as the first two. Nevertheless, State of Emergency continues to hold onto its position as a generally very successful album, enhanced by the great success of the first two singles. The album was also nominated for the 2006 J Award
.
The album was released in the United States through Green Day
frontman Billie Joe Armstrong
's Adeline Records
along with Eastwest Records on 11 July 2006 and Canada on 18 July 2006. Further releases in support of the album was the DVD Live At Festival Hall on 30 September, which captured a Melbourne performance of the State of Emergency Tour, featuring many songs from the album, and many classics.
In 2006 the band took 4 Jack Awards
; Best Live Band, Best Live TV Performance, Best Performer (Chris) and Best Drummer (Andy). This means that The Living End has being awarded the most Jack Awards each year and overall so far.
During the 2006 State of Emergency tour, the Living End's show in Milwaukee was cancelled, so it was rescheduled on 2 December as a supporting act for +44
.
On 6 October, Chris Cheney left the band because he felt enormously burnt out, and was sick of the constant touring, as well as experiencing writers block. Chris felt that his life was going nowhere and that he needed to get away from the band, and gain experience in other areas of life. This information was kept confidential until 2008.
2007 saw Chris Cheney isolated from his band mates trying to write the follow-up to "State of Emergency". He was disappointed with the results so he took up yoga
, spent time painting and being around his baby daughter whilst taking a break from music for the first time in 10 years. During this period the band released a radio-only single, the Cold Chisel
cover "Rising Sun", available on the Standing on the Outside
Cold Chisel tribute album. After Chris was convinced not to leave the band they played The Great Escape in May and re-started work on their fifth studio album, though they toured the UK in August, releasing State of Emergency there on 13 August through Deck Cheese Records.
The first track released from the album was the title track, "White Noise". The song, "How Do We Know", was simultaneously released as a radio-only track on Triple J, but was also heard on such radio stations as Nova 969. These two complimenting tracks came together to form the first single from the album. The White Noise/How Do We Know?
double A-side single was released both physically and digitally on 5 July 2008.
The Living End released their fifth studio album, White Noise
, on 19 July 2008. Recording of the album took place at Water Music Studios in Hoboken, New Jersey
, on the week beginning 31 March. The producer was John Agnello
, whom Cheney felt "[could] capture the energy and attack we are after". Brendan O'Brien mixed the record at Silent Sound Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.
The White Noise
album had almost a year and a half of solid writing behind it, with the end result revealing "more of a hard rock influence." The band self proclaimed the album as "the best thing we've ever done."
The band launched the album on 19 July 2008, with an in-store appearance at the Virgin Megastore in Sydney. The band spent almost 2 hours signing copies of the album for fans. In support of the album, the band made many television
appearances in Australia
, including their performance on 5 October at the 2008 NRL Grand Final
at ANZ Stadium.
White Noise was awarded the ARIA for Best Rock Album of 2008, over such competition as Gyroscope
and Faker
.
On 25 September 2008, "Moment in the Sun
" was released to Australian radio as the second single from White Noise. It was physically and digitally released on 25 October 2008.
On 22 December 2008, "Raise the Alarm
" was released to Australian radio as the third single from White Noise. A music video has been released containing footage of live performances during the white noise tour and some others.
In February 2009, the band made a secret appearance in Melbourne
supporting the Stray Cats
on their Farewell Tour.
On 27 February 2009, tickets were released for the Raise the Alarm Tour which happened in May.
In the January edition of The Living End's News, Chris says, "Having spent all of 2010 writing album 6 we have amassed something in the vicinity of 40+ songs to choose from... There are some really different ideas kicking around this time but the emphasis has been on creating a cohesive album that is heavy, melodic and overall very anthemic."
The Living End's new single "The Ending is Just the Beginning Repeating", also the new album's name, was premiered in early June 2011 on radio stations across the country, and can be heard at thelivingend.com. The album
was released on 22 July 2011.
On The 17 July, Triple J Played A few new songs off the upcoming album and more song were played throughout the week leading up to its release. Song Played Included "Universe" and "Away From The City".
The Living End also allowed people who were a part of the fans mailing list a 24 hour stream of the record on 18 July. Fans could listen as many times as they wanted and were able to comment on the stream.
In support of the album a live stream of a live performance occurred on YouTube on 19 July. This performance featured a guitarist in addition to Chris Cheney playing rhythm guitar.
, Iggy Pop
, The Who
and The Jam
as influences and bands with whom they share the same ideals, making a social commentary on what's going on around them. They have also been compared favorably to 1990s punk revivalists Rancid
. However, the band do not consider themselves a punk band, more a rock 'n' roll band who are influenced by punk.
Chris Cheney
regards 1950s rock 'n' roll as his greatest influence and first musical love which, along with 1980s rockabilly revival band Stray Cats
, the band's sound was based on. They also regard Australian pub rock as an important influence on the band, something the members grew up with and appreciated. Other rockabilly
influences include Reverend Horton Heat and Eddie Cochran
.
Scott Owen
has said that his favorite bands include Stray Cats, Reverend Horton Heat, Midnight Oil, The Clash, The Jam, Green Day, Sublime, Bodyjar, The Brian Setzer Orchestra, Rancid, The Beatles and Supergrass. He regards Lee Rocker
of Stray Cats as the main musical influence of his, mimicking his right hand movements on the upright bass when he first learnt how to play.
Amongst other bands, ex-Sum 41
guitarist Dave Baksh
has suggested that it would be great if he could tour with The Living End, saying that they're all "really good musicians".
In 1998, just as they were gaining popularity in Australia, they performed at "Tour of Duty" for the peace keepers in East Timor. At this, their first live concert to Australians, they performed two tracks from what was their up coming album, as well as performing with The Angels'
frontman Doc Neeson
and "Jingle Bell Rock" with Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue
.
In December 1998, supporting the German band Die Toten Hosen
they played a cover of Slade's "Merry Christmas" with them on 26 December 1998 in Düsseldorf, as part of Die Toten Hosen's 1998 Christmas tour of Germany. The two bands met on the 1998 inaugural Warped Tour of Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Hawaii.
In early 2001 The Living End performed as the support act for AC/DC
during the Australian leg of their Stiff Upper Lip
world tour.
The Living End performed alongside Normie Rowe
performing two of Normie's hits "Que Sera Sera" and "Shakin' All Over
" at the 2005 ARIA Hall of Fame.
In 2005, the band recorded a version of Ashton, Gardner and Dyke
's "Resurrection Shuffle" with Jimmy Barnes
on his duet album Double Happiness
. The Living End also appeared on Australian country and western music artist Kasey Chambers
' album Barricades & Brickwalls
, contributing the music and backing vocals to "Crossfire".
Lead singer and guitarist Chris Cheney
was also a member of the "super group" The Wrights
who released covers of Stevie Wright's songs, "Evie Parts 1, 2 & 3" after performing "Evie Part 1" at the 2004 Australian Music Industry's ARIA Music Awards
.
Cheney also played guitar and contributed backing vocals to "Private School Kid" on Sarah McLeod's (formerly of The Superjesus
) debut solo album.
Cheney appeared as a guest guitarist on Stephen Cummings
Firecracker
album.
On Australian band Jet
's live DVD, Right Right Right, Chris Cheney appears at the end of the recorded concert to feature on a cover of Elvis Presley
's "That's Alright Mamma".
Chris Cheney also played "I Fought the Law
" with Green Day
at their Melbourne concert on 17 December 2005.
Double bassist Scott Owen
appeared on Australian legend Paul Kelly
's Foggy Highway album, playing bass on "Song of the Old Rake". Scott also appeared in the film clip for the track.
In July 2011 the self titled album "The Living End" was voted number 4 by the Australian public in Triple J Hottest 100 Australian Albums of all time.
In 2011 The Living End were nominated for three ARIA awards, taking out two of them for Best Live Act and Best Rock Album.
are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association
(APRA).
|-
| 2009
|| "White Noise
" – Christopher Cheney
|| Song of the Year ||
|-
|rowspan="3"| 2010
|| "Raise the Alarm
" – Christopher Cheney || Most Played Australian Work ||
|-
| "Raise the Alarm" – Christopher Cheney || Rock Work of the Year ||
|-
| "White Noise" – Christopher Cheney || Rock Work of the Year ||
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
, formed in 1994. The current lineup consists of Chris Cheney
Chris Cheney
Christopher John Cheney is the guitarist, main songwriter and lead vocalist in the Australian rock band, The Living End. His trademark guitar is a Gretsch White Falcon and he uses mainly distortion and modulation effects...
(vocals
Singing
Singing is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
), Scott Owen
Scott Owen
Scott Bradley Owen plays the double bass in the Australian rock band The Living End. After playing the piano for many years, he decided that the keys would not work for a rockabilly band, so at age 17 he purchased and taught himself double bass, letting him play rockabilly with best friend and...
(double bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
, vocals) and Andy Strachan
Andy Strachan
Andrew Douglas Strachan is the drummer of Australian rock band; The Living End.-Biography:Andy started drumming at the age of 12, and is self-taught.He graduated year 12 at Aberfoyle Park High School in Adelaide and went on to study Natural Therapies for 3 years...
(drums
Drum kit
A drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
). The band rose to fame in the late 1990s after the release of their double A-side single, Second Solution / Prisoner of Society.
They have released six studio albums and one singles compilation in Australia; three of which have reached the #1 spot on the Australian Albums Chart
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
. They have also gained notable success in the United States and Europe.
Beginnings (1994–1996)
The Living End were formed in 1994 by Chris CheneyChris Cheney
Christopher John Cheney is the guitarist, main songwriter and lead vocalist in the Australian rock band, The Living End. His trademark guitar is a Gretsch White Falcon and he uses mainly distortion and modulation effects...
and Scott Owen
Scott Owen
Scott Bradley Owen plays the double bass in the Australian rock band The Living End. After playing the piano for many years, he decided that the keys would not work for a rockabilly band, so at age 17 he purchased and taught himself double bass, letting him play rockabilly with best friend and...
, who met through their older sisters while attending Wheelers Hill Secondary College
Wheelers Hill Secondary College
Wheelers Hill Secondary College is a coeducational state school in the Melbourne suburb of Wheelers Hill, Victoria, Australia. School number 8474....
in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. Cheney was a big fan of rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
group Stray Cats
Stray Cats
Stray Cats are an American Rockabilly band formed in 1980 by guitarist/vocalist Brian Setzer , upright bassist Lee Rocker and Slim Jim Phantom in the Long Island town of Massapequa, New York. The group had numerous hit singles in the UK, Australia and the U.S...
and this prompted Scott Owen, who originally played piano, to switch to double bass. He was taught by Maddie O'Reiden, a classical upright bass tutor. The pair formed a cover band
Cover band
A cover band , is a band that plays mostly or exclusively cover songs. New or unknown bands often find the cover band format marketable for smaller gigs, and these bands may be known as a wedding band, party band and function band. A band whose covers consist mainly of songs that were chart hits is...
, Runaway Boys, named after a song from the Stray Cats' debut album
Stray Cats (album)
Stray Cats is the first album from the rockabilly band Stray Cats. It was released in the UK and was very successful, with hits such as "Runaway Boys," "Stray Cat Strut," and "Rock This Town."...
. The band played in Melbourne's rockabilly music scene. While Cheney and Owen persevered, the band went through several drummers while still in school.
However, by 1994 Chris and Scott were writing their own material and they decided to change their name to The Living End, a reference to the film Rock Around the Clock
Rock Around the Clock (film)
Rock Around the Clock is the title of a 1956 Musical film that featured Bill Haley and His Comets along with Alan Freed, The Platters, Tony Martinez and His Band, and Freddie Bell and His Bellboys. It was produced by B-movie king Sam Katzman and directed by Fred F...
. The group went through a procession of drummers, including Alex Sarris, before settling on Joe Piripitzi
Joe Piripitzi
Joe Piripitzi was the first drummer for the Australian rock band The Living End. He played in the band from 1994 to 1996. The studio albums featuring Piripitzi are Hellbound and It's For Your Own Good....
. Sarris played for several months, but was unable to remain in the band, as a result of irreconcilable creative differences with frontman Cheney. However, Cheney considered Joe an ideal drummer because of his charismatic appearance.
The Living End got their first big break in 1995 when, after sending a t-shirt and a demo tape to Billie Joe Armstrong
Billie Joe Armstrong
Billie Joe Armstrong is an American rock musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, main songwriter and lead guitarist for the American punk rock band Green Day...
, they landed a support slot in Green Day's
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
upcoming Australian tour. After the tour, the group went into the studio to record their debut EP Hellbound which received moderate support from community radio stations.
In November 1995, the band went back into the studio to record their second EP It's For Your Own Good
It's For Your Own Good
It's for Your Own Good is the second EP by Australian rock band The Living End. The EP was recorded in June 1996 at Birdland Studio, Melbourne. "From Here on In" also later became the name of the band's singles collection which was released in 2004, with the song included on it because it got the...
which they released several months later. This recording yielded their first major radio airplay with the song "From Here On In", which was placed on high rotation on the youth radio network Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
. Shortly after the release of the second EP, drummer Joe Piripitzi was fired as his lifestyle choices were said to be holding back the band, being replaced with Travis Demsey
Travis Demsey
Travis Demsey was the former drummer for The Living End from May 1996 to Feb 2002.He had envisioned being a drummer since his youth, eventually The Living End's big break fulfilled his dream. Being part of the Living End, he was able to visit sick children. One certain child was particularly close...
. Demsey was soon playing with the band at major festivals such as Pushover and the Falls Festival, and was considered to drum very much in the style of Keith Moon.
After a year touring Australia, The Living End again headed into the studio to record something new to sell at their live shows. The result was the Second Solution / Prisoner of Society double A-side single.
Breakout (1997–1998)
Second Solution / Prisoner of Society quickly became a national hit, with the double A-side becoming the highest selling Australian single of the 1990s and peaking for several weeks at No.4 and receiving the 1998 ARIA Award for Highest Selling Single. It lasted a record-breaking 47 weeks on the ARIA Top 50 singles charts. It was later featured in the game Guitar Hero World TourGuitar Hero World Tour
Guitar Hero World Tour is a music video game developed by Neversoft and published by RedOctane and Activision. It is the fourth main entry in the Guitar Hero series...
.
The Living End (1998–1999)
The band signed on to Modular RecordingsModular Recordings
Modular Records is an Australian record label. It was established by Sydney-based music promoter Steve Pavlovic as a joint-venture with EMI, but is now distributed by Universal Music in Australia...
for the release of their debut self titled album. The album was an instant hit with Australian audiences. The Living End
The Living End (self-titled album)
Note: "Sleep on It" was omitted and changed to "Strange" for all versions released outside Australia. "Strange" had already appeared on previous releases in Australia and it was deemed unnecessary to repeat the track again for Australian fans.-Singles:...
became the second (now third) highest-selling debut rock album in Australian music history. It charted at #1, and is now 5x Platinum. During this period six singles were released including the previously stated double A-side, and in addition "Tainted Love", a live cover, was released as a radio-only single on Triple J.
The Living End were awarded two more ARIA awards in 1999 for Best Group, and Best New Artist.
Roll On (2000–2001)
The Roll OnRoll On (The Living End album)
Roll On is the second album by Australian rock band The Living End, released in Australia and New Zealand on EMI in 2000, and internationally on Reprise/Warner Brothers in 2001....
album in 2000 was a more creative work, but it did not manage to achieve the status of their earlier album. Despite this, many fans consider Roll On
Roll On (The Living End album)
Roll On is the second album by Australian rock band The Living End, released in Australia and New Zealand on EMI in 2000, and internationally on Reprise/Warner Brothers in 2001....
to be as strong as the Self Titled album, The Living End
The Living End (self-titled album)
Note: "Sleep on It" was omitted and changed to "Strange" for all versions released outside Australia. "Strange" had already appeared on previous releases in Australia and it was deemed unnecessary to repeat the track again for Australian fans.-Singles:...
. Cheney later stated that he was trying to prove to critics that The Living End were not a band simply defined by their hit "Prisoner of Society", and the album showed this by displaying other influences, as well as their traditional fast-paced rockabilly music. The album even garnered comparison, by a few critics, to seminal punk band The Clash
The Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
's creative breakthrough, London Calling
London Calling
London Calling is the third studio album by the English punk rock band The Clash. It was released in the United Kingdom on 14 December 1979 through CBS Records, and in the United States in January 1980 through Epic Records...
. Much of the style was comparable to 1980s hard rock and pub rock, as well as many tracks being obscure mixes of many ideas, resulting in 'procrastinating' structures. This defined the album's creativity.
During this period, relative success was achieved in addition in the US, with the band receiving America-wide coverage by playing on both Conan O'Brien
Conan O'Brien
Conan Christopher O'Brien is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer and performer. Since November 2010 he has hosted Conan, a late-night talk show that airs on the American cable television station TBS....
and David Letterman
David Letterman
David Michael Letterman is an American television host and comedian. He hosts the late night television talk show, Late Show with David Letterman, broadcast on CBS. Letterman has been a fixture on late night television since the 1982 debut of Late Night with David Letterman on NBC...
's major late-night variety shows. The album included "Carry me Home", which was included in the Guitar Hero II
Guitar Hero II
Guitar Hero II is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems and published by RedOctane. It is the second installment in the Guitar Hero series and is the sequel to Guitar Hero...
soundtrack.
However, singles and success for Roll On was limited because of a twist of fate. In 2001, the band hit a quiet period after Chris Cheney was in a car accident on the Great Ocean Road
Great Ocean Road
The Great Ocean Road is a stretch of road along the south-eastern coast of Australia between the Victorian cities of Torquay and Warrnambool. The road was built by returned soldiers between 1919 and 1932, and is the world's largest war memorial; dedicated to casualties of World War I...
, rendering him unable to play for a significant period of time. He had been on the road to the house of a member of fellow Australian band Bodyjar
Bodyjar
Bodyjar were an Australian punk rock/pop punk band based in Melbourne. They began performing under the name Bodyjar in 1994; their previous names included Damnation and Helium.-History:...
.
The Longnecks (2002)
In early 2002, Travis Demsey left the band shortly after Chris's recovery, so he could spend more time with his family, supported by a developed dislike of heavy touring. However, the dilemma was overcome when Andy StrachanAndy Strachan
Andrew Douglas Strachan is the drummer of Australian rock band; The Living End.-Biography:Andy started drumming at the age of 12, and is self-taught.He graduated year 12 at Aberfoyle Park High School in Adelaide and went on to study Natural Therapies for 3 years...
was accepted as the new drummer. The Longnecks were formed to test out Andy Strachan and new material to be on the Modern ARTillery album, without attracting too much public attention. The name is a reference to 'Longneck' beer bottles, as can be heard on the band's Podcast on iTunes.
Travis Demsey now plays drums in a punk/folk rock band called 'The Currency'.
The Longnecks name has since been used by the band to try out potentially new album material for both State of Emergency and the band's fifth album, White Noise.
The band has also played under many different names such as Glen Waverley & The Mentones, The Dovetones, Roller Toasters, Doncaster & The Dandenongs and Redwings at various venues in regional Victoria.
Modern ARTillery (2002–2004)
At this time the band made a comeback, releasing "One Said to the OtherOne Said to the Other
"One Said to the Other" is a single by The Living End. "One Said to the Other" and "What Would You Do?" featured on this EP were recorded in 2002, before the Modern ARTillery sessions....
" in late 2002 (originally released as an EP then later re-recorded for the album) and "Who's Gonna Save Us?
Who's Gonna Save Us?
"Who's Gonna Save Us?" is the first single from The Living End's third album Modern ARTillery...
" in 2003, and getting air play once again. This was followed by heavy touring (including Big Day Out) and the release of Modern ARTillery
Modern Artillery (album)
Modern Artillery is the third album by the Australian Punk rock band the Living End. It was released twice for 28 October 2003 as an international release date and 2 March 2004 for a United States release date...
.
The Modern ARTillery album in 2003 was a return to musical simplicity in most tracks (the rock anthem "The Room" being an exception), but was certainly of a different style to the 'punkabilly' of the self-titled album, and the jazzy rockabilly of Hellbound and It's For Your Own Good. Instead, punk pop, computer-generated sounds, country music, and 1960s style rock'n'roll had their share on Modern ARTillery, among other styles.
Because of the quiet period, their return was initially received with much hype compared to Roll On, with "One Said To the Other" becoming a top 20 hit, the album debuting at #3, and the promotion of three singles and one radio release. However, the long run saw their stylistic change to be less popular, with overall sales of albums and singles being comparatively less than that of the self-titled album and Roll On.
From Here on In (2004–2005)
In late 2004, the band released a singles collection, From Here on In, as well as a DVD, which included a collection of their music video clips and a "supergig" of the band's most famous songs performed in Australia at Splendour In The Grass and Big Day Out in Sydney, and from Summersonic festival in Japan. The DVD also featured the band's history, documented in interviews and home footage. The CD featured two new tracks: "I Can't Give You What I Haven't Got" and "Bringing It All Back Home". Some editions were released with the bonus 'Under The Covers' CD, which featured six covers from various parts of their career.State of Emergency (2005–2007)
Byron Bay, New South Wales
Byron Bay is a beachside town located in the far-northeastern corner of the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located north of Sydney and south of Brisbane. Cape Byron, a headland adjacent to the town, is the easternmost point of mainland Australia. At the 2006 Census, the town had a...
with Nick Launay
Nick Launay
Nick Launay is an English record producer and recording engineer. He is currently one of the most sought after producers in the world due to his current success with recent albums by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Arcade Fire, and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds...
, following the band's appearance at the Splendour in the Grass
Splendour in the Grass
Splendour in the Grass is an annual Australian music festival held in July at Woodford, Queensland, and previously held at Belongil Fields, outside Byron Bay...
festival. The recording and the artwork was completed in mid December 2005, and the album was released on 4 February 2006, debuting at #1 on the ARIA Albums Chart. The Living End again played gigs under the name The Longnecks before recording the album, to test out new material.
The album's tracks are even simpler than Modern ARTillerys tracks, but with a more raw sound, so as to assimilate even further with the early releases and the self-titled album; also being aware that they sound best live and raw. Nevertheless, the new styles and other styles experienced in Modern ARTillery remain in State of Emergency to a small extent; arguably most dominantly pop punk, rockabilly now being a less met blend of The Living End's 'punkabilly' style.
The single "What's on Your Radio?" was released on 20 November 2005, and debuted at #9 on the ARIA
Australian Recording Industry Association
The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956...
singles chart. The second single, "Wake Up
Wake Up (The Living End song)
"Wake Up" is the second single from The Living End's fourth album, State of Emergency. It was released on 18 February 2006, in Australia. The song was both popular on Australian and New Zealand radio stations. It also peaked at number five in the Australian ARIA Singles Chart...
", was released on 19 February and went straight to number #5. The third single from the album, "Long Live the Weekend
Long Live the Weekend
"Long Live the Weekend" is the third single from The Living End's fourth album, State of Emergency. It was released on 20 May 2006 in Australia. The song was one of the most added to Australian radio during April...
", was released 20 May, but did not enter the top 20, whilst the other two singles had entered the top 10. The fourth single, "Nothing Lasts Forever", was released in Australia on 19 August and was not as successful as the first two. Nevertheless, State of Emergency continues to hold onto its position as a generally very successful album, enhanced by the great success of the first two singles. The album was also nominated for the 2006 J Award
J Award
The J Award is an award given by influential Australian youth radio station Triple J to Australian Album of the Year. It is judged by a panel of members of the music industry, led by Richard Kingsmill...
.
The album was released in the United States through Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
frontman Billie Joe Armstrong
Billie Joe Armstrong
Billie Joe Armstrong is an American rock musician and occasional actor, best known as the lead vocalist, main songwriter and lead guitarist for the American punk rock band Green Day...
's Adeline Records
Adeline Records
Adeline Records is a record label which was formed in Oakland, California in late 1997. It is co-owned by Billie Joe Armstrong, lead singer of Green Day, his wife Adrienne Armstrong, and Jim Thiebaud, professional skateboarder...
along with Eastwest Records on 11 July 2006 and Canada on 18 July 2006. Further releases in support of the album was the DVD Live At Festival Hall on 30 September, which captured a Melbourne performance of the State of Emergency Tour, featuring many songs from the album, and many classics.
In 2006 the band took 4 Jack Awards
Jack Awards
The Jack Awards are a set of popularly-voted Australian music awards, sponsored by Tennessee whiskey company Jack Daniel's. The awards were conceived by Damien Wilson, former creative director of Peer Group Media to create a national platform that rewarded all areas of Australian live music, from...
; Best Live Band, Best Live TV Performance, Best Performer (Chris) and Best Drummer (Andy). This means that The Living End has being awarded the most Jack Awards each year and overall so far.
During the 2006 State of Emergency tour, the Living End's show in Milwaukee was cancelled, so it was rescheduled on 2 December as a supporting act for +44
+44 (band)
+44 was an alternative rock band formed by Blink-182 members Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker...
.
On 6 October, Chris Cheney left the band because he felt enormously burnt out, and was sick of the constant touring, as well as experiencing writers block. Chris felt that his life was going nowhere and that he needed to get away from the band, and gain experience in other areas of life. This information was kept confidential until 2008.
2007 saw Chris Cheney isolated from his band mates trying to write the follow-up to "State of Emergency". He was disappointed with the results so he took up yoga
Yoga
Yoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
, spent time painting and being around his baby daughter whilst taking a break from music for the first time in 10 years. During this period the band released a radio-only single, the Cold Chisel
Cold Chisel
Cold Chisel is a rock band that originated in Adelaide, Australia. It is one of the most acclaimed Australian rock bands of all time, with a string of hits throughout the 1970s and 1980s and huge sales that continue to this day, although its success and acclaim was almost completely restricted to...
cover "Rising Sun", available on the Standing on the Outside
Standing on the Outside (album)
Standing on the Outside: The Songs of Cold Chisel is a tribute album dedicated to the songs of Australian band Cold Chisel. The album features 18 songs recorded by Australian and New Zealand artists The Living End, Dallas Crane, Pete Murray, Ben Lee, Thirsty Merc, Evermore, Paul Kelly, Troy...
Cold Chisel tribute album. After Chris was convinced not to leave the band they played The Great Escape in May and re-started work on their fifth studio album, though they toured the UK in August, releasing State of Emergency there on 13 August through Deck Cheese Records.
White Noise (2008–2009)
Two new songs were debuted at the EG Awards in Melbourne, "Raise the Alarm" and "How Do We Know". These tracks were well received by the audience who witnessed the performance, although a few days after the performance Chris Cheney sent an email to everyone in The Living End mailing list talking about the EG Awards show and expressing how far away these new tracks are from being recorded. He also stated that they were only a week or so old. The band announced a short tour under their pre-release alias The Longnecks to try out new songs before they went into the studio. The new material played during these gigs are said by Cheney to be the most exciting of their career, saying "there is a heaviness and depth to the new stuff that we simply haven't had before".The first track released from the album was the title track, "White Noise". The song, "How Do We Know", was simultaneously released as a radio-only track on Triple J, but was also heard on such radio stations as Nova 969. These two complimenting tracks came together to form the first single from the album. The White Noise/How Do We Know?
White Noise (song)
"White Noise" is the first single from The Living End's fifth studio album, White Noise. Released on 5 July 2008, after the "White Noise" track was the most added song on Australian radio in the weeks previous, it went on to top the Australian Airplay Chart...
double A-side single was released both physically and digitally on 5 July 2008.
The Living End released their fifth studio album, White Noise
White Noise (The Living End album)
-Bonus CD :-DVD :All tracks recorded live at ACDC Lane, Melbourne.-B-Sides:-Charts:-Personnel:* Chris Cheney – vocals, guitar* Scott Owen – double bass, backing vocals* Andy Strachan – drums, backing vocals...
, on 19 July 2008. Recording of the album took place at Water Music Studios in Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
, on the week beginning 31 March. The producer was John Agnello
John Agnello
John Agnello is a producer, recording engineer and mixer who has been involved with many albums throughout the last 25 years. Most recently, John has been involved with Kurt Vile, Sonic Youth, Sweet Apple, Dinosaur Jr...
, whom Cheney felt "[could] capture the energy and attack we are after". Brendan O'Brien mixed the record at Silent Sound Studios in Atlanta, Georgia.
The White Noise
White Noise (The Living End album)
-Bonus CD :-DVD :All tracks recorded live at ACDC Lane, Melbourne.-B-Sides:-Charts:-Personnel:* Chris Cheney – vocals, guitar* Scott Owen – double bass, backing vocals* Andy Strachan – drums, backing vocals...
album had almost a year and a half of solid writing behind it, with the end result revealing "more of a hard rock influence." The band self proclaimed the album as "the best thing we've ever done."
The band launched the album on 19 July 2008, with an in-store appearance at the Virgin Megastore in Sydney. The band spent almost 2 hours signing copies of the album for fans. In support of the album, the band made many television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
appearances in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, including their performance on 5 October at the 2008 NRL Grand Final
2008 NRL Grand Final
The 2008 NRL Grand Final was a rugby league football match played between the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the Melbourne Storm, held on Sunday, 5 October at ANZ Stadium in Sydney to determine the 2008 Telstra Premiership....
at ANZ Stadium.
White Noise was awarded the ARIA for Best Rock Album of 2008, over such competition as Gyroscope
Gyroscope
A gyroscope is a device for measuring or maintaining orientation, based on the principles of angular momentum. In essence, a mechanical gyroscope is a spinning wheel or disk whose axle is free to take any orientation...
and Faker
Faker
Faker can mean:*Someone who fakes*Faker , an Australian alternative rock band, formed in Sydney in 1996*Faker , a cartoon supervillain*Faker , a comic book...
.
On 25 September 2008, "Moment in the Sun
Moment in the Sun
"Moment in the Sun" is the fourth track and second single from Australian rock band The Living End's fifth studio album, White Noise. The song was released to radio on 25 September 2008 and had its physical release on 25 October 2008....
" was released to Australian radio as the second single from White Noise. It was physically and digitally released on 25 October 2008.
On 22 December 2008, "Raise the Alarm
Raise the Alarm (The Living End song)
"Raise the Alarm" is a song by Australian rock band The Living End. It is the second track and third single from their fifth studio album, White Noise. The song was released to radio on 22 December 2008. A music video was released containing footage of the band performing live throughout the band's...
" was released to Australian radio as the third single from White Noise. A music video has been released containing footage of live performances during the white noise tour and some others.
In February 2009, the band made a secret appearance in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
supporting the Stray Cats
Stray Cats
Stray Cats are an American Rockabilly band formed in 1980 by guitarist/vocalist Brian Setzer , upright bassist Lee Rocker and Slim Jim Phantom in the Long Island town of Massapequa, New York. The group had numerous hit singles in the UK, Australia and the U.S...
on their Farewell Tour.
On 27 February 2009, tickets were released for the Raise the Alarm Tour which happened in May.
The Ending Is Just the Beginning Repeating (2010–present)
During September and October 2010, The Living End performed a few secret shows under the alias "Safety Matches", testing new material, much like what they did under The Longnecks. The main songs they played were "United", "Universe", "Away From The City", "The Ending Is Just the Beginning Repeating", "Resist" and "Heatwave".In the January edition of The Living End's News, Chris says, "Having spent all of 2010 writing album 6 we have amassed something in the vicinity of 40+ songs to choose from... There are some really different ideas kicking around this time but the emphasis has been on creating a cohesive album that is heavy, melodic and overall very anthemic."
The Living End's new single "The Ending is Just the Beginning Repeating", also the new album's name, was premiered in early June 2011 on radio stations across the country, and can be heard at thelivingend.com. The album
The Ending Is Just the Beginning Repeating (album)
The Ending Is Just the Beginning Repeating is the ARIA Award-winning sixth album by Australian rock band The Living End, released on 22 July 2011 on Dew Process. The album was produced by Nick DiDia.-Composition and recording:...
was released on 22 July 2011.
On The 17 July, Triple J Played A few new songs off the upcoming album and more song were played throughout the week leading up to its release. Song Played Included "Universe" and "Away From The City".
The Living End also allowed people who were a part of the fans mailing list a 24 hour stream of the record on 18 July. Fans could listen as many times as they wanted and were able to comment on the stream.
In support of the album a live stream of a live performance occurred on YouTube on 19 July. This performance featured a guitarist in addition to Chris Cheney playing rhythm guitar.
Musical style and influences
The Living End consider themselves to be a rock 'n' roll band based on punk ethics, citing the ClashThe Clash
The Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
, Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop
Iggy Pop is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Though considered an innovator of punk rock, Pop's music has encompassed a number of styles over the years, including pop, metal, jazz and blues...
, The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
and The Jam
The Jam
The Jam were an English punk rock/New Wave/mod revival band active during the late 1970s and early 1980s. They were formed in Woking, Surrey. While they shared the "angry young men" outlook and fast tempos of their punk rock contemporaries, The Jam wore smartly tailored suits rather than ripped...
as influences and bands with whom they share the same ideals, making a social commentary on what's going on around them. They have also been compared favorably to 1990s punk revivalists Rancid
Rancid (band)
Rancid is an American punk rock band formed in Berkeley, California in 1991. Founded by Tim Armstrong and Matt Freeman, both of whom previously played in the ska punk band Operation Ivy, Rancid is credited—along with Green Day and The Offspring—for reviving mainstream interest in punk rock in the...
. However, the band do not consider themselves a punk band, more a rock 'n' roll band who are influenced by punk.
Chris Cheney
Chris Cheney
Christopher John Cheney is the guitarist, main songwriter and lead vocalist in the Australian rock band, The Living End. His trademark guitar is a Gretsch White Falcon and he uses mainly distortion and modulation effects...
regards 1950s rock 'n' roll as his greatest influence and first musical love which, along with 1980s rockabilly revival band Stray Cats
Stray Cats
Stray Cats are an American Rockabilly band formed in 1980 by guitarist/vocalist Brian Setzer , upright bassist Lee Rocker and Slim Jim Phantom in the Long Island town of Massapequa, New York. The group had numerous hit singles in the UK, Australia and the U.S...
, the band's sound was based on. They also regard Australian pub rock as an important influence on the band, something the members grew up with and appreciated. Other rockabilly
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
influences include Reverend Horton Heat and Eddie Cochran
Eddie Cochran
Eddie Cochran , was an American rock and roll pioneer who in his brief career had a small but lasting influence on rock music through his guitar playing. Cochran's rockabilly songs, such as "C'mon Everybody", "Somethin' Else", and "Summertime Blues", captured teenage frustration and desire in the...
.
Scott Owen
Scott Owen
Scott Bradley Owen plays the double bass in the Australian rock band The Living End. After playing the piano for many years, he decided that the keys would not work for a rockabilly band, so at age 17 he purchased and taught himself double bass, letting him play rockabilly with best friend and...
has said that his favorite bands include Stray Cats, Reverend Horton Heat, Midnight Oil, The Clash, The Jam, Green Day, Sublime, Bodyjar, The Brian Setzer Orchestra, Rancid, The Beatles and Supergrass. He regards Lee Rocker
Lee Rocker
Lee Rocker is an American rockabilly double bass player. He is the son of the classical clarinetists Stanley Drucker and Naomi Drucker. His sister Roseanne is a country music singer-songwriter...
of Stray Cats as the main musical influence of his, mimicking his right hand movements on the upright bass when he first learnt how to play.
Amongst other bands, ex-Sum 41
Sum 41
Sum 41 is a Canadian rock band from Ajax, Ontario. The band was formed in 1996 and currently consists of members Deryck Whibley , Tom Thacker , Jason McCaslin and Steve Jocz .In 1999, the band signed an international record deal with Island Records...
guitarist Dave Baksh
Dave Baksh
David Nizam "Brownsound" Baksh is a Canadian guitarist, singer and producer of Indo-Guyanese descent, best known as the ex-lead guitarist of punk band Sum 41, but has since became a singer/guitarist in his own heavy metal/reggae project Brown Brigade...
has suggested that it would be great if he could tour with The Living End, saying that they're all "really good musicians".
Collaborations
The Living End have made recordings with many popular bands and artists.In 1998, just as they were gaining popularity in Australia, they performed at "Tour of Duty" for the peace keepers in East Timor. At this, their first live concert to Australians, they performed two tracks from what was their up coming album, as well as performing with The Angels'
The Angels (Australian band)
The Angels are a hard rock band that formed in Adelaide, Australia in 1970. The band later relocated from Adelaide to Sydney and enjoyed huge local success until well into the 1990s. For the purposes of international release, their records were released under the names Angel City and later The...
frontman Doc Neeson
Doc Neeson
Bernard "Doc" Neeson is an Australian rock singer. Neeson is known as the lead singer and frontman for Australian hard rock band The Angels.-Early life:...
and "Jingle Bell Rock" with Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue
Kylie Minogue
Kylie Ann Minogue, OBE - often known simply as Kylie - is an Australian singer, recording artist, songwriter, and actress. After beginning her career as a child actress on Australian television, she achieved recognition through her role in the television soap opera Neighbours, before commencing...
.
In December 1998, supporting the German band Die Toten Hosen
Die Toten Hosen
Die Toten Hosen is a German punk band from Düsseldorf. They have enjoyed decades-long mass appeal in Germany.The band's name literally means "The Dead Pants" in English, although the phrase "tote Hose" is a German expression meaning "nothing going on" or "boring"...
they played a cover of Slade's "Merry Christmas" with them on 26 December 1998 in Düsseldorf, as part of Die Toten Hosen's 1998 Christmas tour of Germany. The two bands met on the 1998 inaugural Warped Tour of Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Hawaii.
In early 2001 The Living End performed as the support act for AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...
during the Australian leg of their Stiff Upper Lip
Stiff Upper Lip
Stiff Upper Lip is the 14th Australian and 13th international studio album by Australian hard rock band AC/DC; it was released in 2000. The album was recorded at The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver, British Columbia and mastered at Sterling Sound in New York City. The album was produced by George...
world tour.
The Living End performed alongside Normie Rowe
Normie Rowe
Norman John "Normie" Rowe AM was a major male solo performer of Australian pop music in the 1960s. Known for his bright and edgy tenor voice and dynamic stage presence, many of Rowe's most successful recordings were produced by Pat Aulton, house producer for the Sunshine Records, Spin Records and...
performing two of Normie's hits "Que Sera Sera" and "Shakin' All Over
Shakin' All Over
"Shakin' All Over" is a rock and roll song originally performed by Johnny Kidd and the Pirates. It was written by frontman Johnny Kidd and reached #1 in the United Kingdom in August 1960...
" at the 2005 ARIA Hall of Fame.
In 2005, the band recorded a version of Ashton, Gardner and Dyke
Ashton, Gardner and Dyke
Ashton, Gardner and Dyke were a power rock trio, most popular in the early 1970s. They are best remembered for their song, "Resurrection Shuffle", a transatlantic Top 40 success in 1971...
's "Resurrection Shuffle" with Jimmy Barnes
Jimmy Barnes
James Dixon Swan , better known as Jimmy Barnes, is a Scottish-born Australian rock singer-songwriter. His father Jim Swan was a prizefighter and his older brother John Swan is also a rock singer. It was actually John who had encouraged and taught Jim how to sing as he wasn't really interested at...
on his duet album Double Happiness
Double Happiness (album)
Double Happiness is an album by Australian singer Jimmy Barnes. It was released on 18 July 2005 on CD and vinyl. The album contains duets Barnes performed with various solo artists and bands.-Track listing :...
. The Living End also appeared on Australian country and western music artist Kasey Chambers
Kasey Chambers
Kasey Chambers is an Australian country singer-songwriter. She is the daughter of steel guitar player Bill Chambers, and the sister of musician and producer Nash Chambers.-Solo success:...
' album Barricades & Brickwalls
Barricades & Brickwalls
- Charts :...
, contributing the music and backing vocals to "Crossfire".
Lead singer and guitarist Chris Cheney
Chris Cheney
Christopher John Cheney is the guitarist, main songwriter and lead vocalist in the Australian rock band, The Living End. His trademark guitar is a Gretsch White Falcon and he uses mainly distortion and modulation effects...
was also a member of the "super group" The Wrights
The Wrights
The Wrights were a one-off Australian rock music "supergroup". They consisted of Nic Cester , Bernard Fanning , Phil Jamieson , Kram , Chris Cheney , Davey Lane and Pat Bourke...
who released covers of Stevie Wright's songs, "Evie Parts 1, 2 & 3" after performing "Evie Part 1" at the 2004 Australian Music Industry's ARIA Music Awards
ARIA Music Awards
The Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards is an annual series of awards nights celebrating the Australian music industry, put on by the Australian Recording Industry Association...
.
Cheney also played guitar and contributed backing vocals to "Private School Kid" on Sarah McLeod's (formerly of The Superjesus
The Superjesus
The Superjesus were an ARIA award–winning rock band from Adelaide, Australia. They are best known for their singles "Shut My Eyes", "Down Again" and "Gravity".-History:...
) debut solo album.
Cheney appeared as a guest guitarist on Stephen Cummings
Stephen Cummings
Stephen Donald Cummings is an Australian rock singer-songwriter and writer. He was lead singer of Melbourne-based rock band, The Sports, during 1976–1981, followed by a solo career which has met with critical acclaim but has had limited commercial success...
Firecracker
Firecracker
A firecracker is a small explosive device primarily designed to produce a large amount of noise, especially in the form of a loud bang; any visual effect is incidental to this goal. They have fuses, and are wrapped in a heavy paper casing to contain the explosive compound...
album.
On Australian band Jet
Jet (band)
Jet are an Australian rock band formed in 2001 while attending St Bede's College Mentone in Melbourne, . The band consists of lead guitarist Cameron Muncey, bassist Mark Wilson, and brothers Nic and Chris Cester on vocals/rhythm guitar and drums respectively...
's live DVD, Right Right Right, Chris Cheney appears at the end of the recorded concert to feature on a cover of Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
's "That's Alright Mamma".
Chris Cheney also played "I Fought the Law
I Fought the Law
"I Fought the Law" is a song written by Sonny Curtis of The Crickets and became popularized by a cover by the Bobby Fuller Four, which went on to become a top-ten hit for the band in 1966 and was also recorded by The Clash in 1979...
" with Green Day
Green Day
Green Day is an American punk rock band formed in 1987. The band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt, and drummer Tre Cool...
at their Melbourne concert on 17 December 2005.
Double bassist Scott Owen
Scott Owen
Scott Bradley Owen plays the double bass in the Australian rock band The Living End. After playing the piano for many years, he decided that the keys would not work for a rockabilly band, so at age 17 he purchased and taught himself double bass, letting him play rockabilly with best friend and...
appeared on Australian legend Paul Kelly
Paul Kelly (musician)
Paul Maurice Kelly is an Australian rock music singer-songwriter, guitarist, and harmonica player. He has performed solo, and has led numerous groups, including the Dots, the Coloured Girls, and the Messengers. He has worked with other artists and groups, including associated projects Professor...
's Foggy Highway album, playing bass on "Song of the Old Rake". Scott also appeared in the film clip for the track.
Current
- Chris CheneyChris CheneyChristopher John Cheney is the guitarist, main songwriter and lead vocalist in the Australian rock band, The Living End. His trademark guitar is a Gretsch White Falcon and he uses mainly distortion and modulation effects...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, lead vocals (1994–present) - Scott OwenScott OwenScott Bradley Owen plays the double bass in the Australian rock band The Living End. After playing the piano for many years, he decided that the keys would not work for a rockabilly band, so at age 17 he purchased and taught himself double bass, letting him play rockabilly with best friend and...
– double bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
, backing vocals (1994–present) - Andy StrachanAndy StrachanAndrew Douglas Strachan is the drummer of Australian rock band; The Living End.-Biography:Andy started drumming at the age of 12, and is self-taught.He graduated year 12 at Aberfoyle Park High School in Adelaide and went on to study Natural Therapies for 3 years...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, backing vocals (2002–present)
Studio albums
- 1998: The Living End
- 2000: Roll OnRoll On (The Living End album)Roll On is the second album by Australian rock band The Living End, released in Australia and New Zealand on EMI in 2000, and internationally on Reprise/Warner Brothers in 2001....
- 2003: Modern ArtilleryModern Artillery (album)Modern Artillery is the third album by the Australian Punk rock band the Living End. It was released twice for 28 October 2003 as an international release date and 2 March 2004 for a United States release date...
- 2006: State of Emergency
- 2008: White NoiseWhite Noise (The Living End album)-Bonus CD :-DVD :All tracks recorded live at ACDC Lane, Melbourne.-B-Sides:-Charts:-Personnel:* Chris Cheney – vocals, guitar* Scott Owen – double bass, backing vocals* Andy Strachan – drums, backing vocals...
- 2011: The Ending Is Just The Beginning RepeatingThe Ending Is Just the Beginning Repeating (album)The Ending Is Just the Beginning Repeating is the ARIA Award-winning sixth album by Australian rock band The Living End, released on 22 July 2011 on Dew Process. The album was produced by Nick DiDia.-Composition and recording:...
Awards and nominations
- The Living End have won a total of six ARIA awards in 1998, 1999, 2008 and 2011.
- The Living End hold the record for the most consecutive entries in Triple JTriple Jtriple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
's Hottest 100Triple J Hottest 100The Triple J Hottest 100 is an annual music poll, based on the votes of national Australian radio station Triple J listeners, in order to determine their favourite song of the year. Voting is conducted by the internet and begins roughly two weeks prior to the new year for the previous year's songs...
. The band made the chart every year between 1997 and 2006. - The Living End have won eight gongs at the Jack Awards (for Australian live music) since the first ceremony in 2004. This is more than any other artist as a whole and individually for 2006 and 2005 (2005 was actually a tie with Grinspoon on two awards). Of these, two awards were Best Guitarist (Chris Cheney), one award was Best Live Male Performer (Chris Cheney), two awards were Best Bassist (Scott Owen), one award was Best Drummer (Andy Strachan), one award was Best Live Band, and one award was Best Live Performance (on Channel V).
- In 2008 The Living End were nominated for four ARIAARIA ChartsThe ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
awards. The categories included "Album of The Year", "Single of The Year", "Best Group" and "Best Rock Album". They won one award for Best Rock Album. - In July 2009 "Prisoner Of Society" was voted number 34 by the Australian public in Triple JTriple Jtriple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
Hottest 100 of all time
In July 2011 the self titled album "The Living End" was voted number 4 by the Australian public in Triple J Hottest 100 Australian Albums of all time.
In 2011 The Living End were nominated for three ARIA awards, taking out two of them for Best Live Act and Best Rock Album.
APRA Awards
The APRA AwardsAPRA Awards
The APRA Music Awards are several award ceremonies run in Australia and New Zealand by Australasian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members annually....
are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association
Australasian Performing Right Association
The Australasian Performing Right Association is a copyright collective representing New Zealand and Australian composers, lyricists and music publishers. The association's head offices located in Sydney Australia, and it has branch offices in Auckland, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth...
(APRA).
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| 2009
APRA Awards of 2009
The Australasian Performing Right Association Awards of 2009 are a series of awards which include the APRA Music Awards, Classical Music Awards, and Screen Music Awards. The APRA Music Awards ceremony occurred on 23 June at the Peninsula in Melbourne, they were presented by APRA and the...
|| "White Noise
White Noise (song)
"White Noise" is the first single from The Living End's fifth studio album, White Noise. Released on 5 July 2008, after the "White Noise" track was the most added song on Australian radio in the weeks previous, it went on to top the Australian Airplay Chart...
" – Christopher Cheney
Chris Cheney
Christopher John Cheney is the guitarist, main songwriter and lead vocalist in the Australian rock band, The Living End. His trademark guitar is a Gretsch White Falcon and he uses mainly distortion and modulation effects...
|| Song of the Year ||
|-
|rowspan="3"| 2010
APRA Awards of 2010
The Australasian Performing Right Association Awards of 2010 are a series of awards which include the APRA Music Awards, Classical Music Awards, and Screen Music Awards...
|| "Raise the Alarm
Raise the Alarm (The Living End song)
"Raise the Alarm" is a song by Australian rock band The Living End. It is the second track and third single from their fifth studio album, White Noise. The song was released to radio on 22 December 2008. A music video was released containing footage of the band performing live throughout the band's...
" – Christopher Cheney || Most Played Australian Work ||
|-
| "Raise the Alarm" – Christopher Cheney || Rock Work of the Year ||
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| "White Noise" – Christopher Cheney || Rock Work of the Year ||
Video games
- "End of the World" was featured in Tony Hawk's Underground 2Tony Hawk's Underground 2Tony Hawk's Underground 2, also known as THUG 2, is the sixth installment in Neversoft's Tony Hawk's Series and sequel to Tony Hawk's Underground. Tony Hawk's Underground 2 was released on October 4, 2004 for the PlayStation 2, GameCube, Xbox, PC, and Game Boy Advance platforms...
, a skateboarding video game. - "Carry Me Home" was featured in the video game Guitar Hero IIGuitar Hero IIGuitar Hero II is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems and published by RedOctane. It is the second installment in the Guitar Hero series and is the sequel to Guitar Hero...
as a playable song using the guitar peripheralPeripheralA peripheral is a device attached to a host computer, but not part of it, and is more or less dependent on the host. It expands the host's capabilities, but does not form part of the core computer architecture....
. - "West End Riot" was featured in the video game World of Outlaws: Sprint Cars 2002World of Outlaws: Sprint Cars 2002World of Outlaws: Sprint Cars 2002 is a sprint car racing video game for the PlayStation 2 and Microsoft Windows.-Career mode:The career mode enables the player to almost have a real Sprint Car racing experience. Starting with one car and little money the driver has to race at the available...
in the opening film clip. - "Prisoner of Society" was featured in the video game Guitar Hero: World Tour as a playable song, as well as in the Guitar Hero: World Tour meme 'Bike Hero.' The song was included in a 19 December 2008 DLCDLCDLC may refer to:* Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport, which has the IATA code DLC, a military and public airport in Ganjingzi District, Dalian, China* Dead Letter Circus, an alternative rock band from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia...
release for the Xbox 360Xbox 360The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
karaokeKaraokeis a form of interactive entertainment or video game in which amateur singers sing along with recorded music using a microphone and public address system. The music is typically a well-known pop song minus the lead vocal. Lyrics are usually displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol,...
video game LipsLips (video game)Lips is a video game for the Xbox 360. Lips was developed by iNiS and published by Microsoft Game Studios. The game features the use of motion sensitive wireless microphones and supports the use of songs already owned through a Zune or iPod. The game was released on November 18, 2008 in North...
. It was also featured in the game Supercross 2000Supercross 2000Supercross 2000 is a racing game for the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation based on the motorbike racing sport of supercross. It was released at the end of 1999 by EA Sports, and includes campaign and multiplayer modes, as well as a "free play" feature for practicing tricks, similar to many other trick...
by Electronic ArtsElectronic ArtsElectronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
, along with their track "I Want A Day."