The Living End

In 1998 while Savage Garden's pure pop was conquering the world, Australia was resonating to the Living End's "punkabilly" , rockabilly with a punk attitude.

The band has its beginnings when Chris Cheney and Scott Owen met at primary school, brought together by their older sisters, and constantly finding themselves the only kids their age at backyard barbecues. Owen also had an older brother and through him was gravitating towards the usual Cold Chisel/Midnight Oil taste in music. Alternatively, Cheney started out enjoying early eighties pop until he discovered Elvis Presley, and explored everything that flowed from Elvis until he struck the Stray Cats. That changed everything. When Cheney played Scott Owen a Stray Cats album, Scott's life was changed too. He'd been playing some piano, but there and then he decided to get himself a double bass. In 1990 they formed what was essentially a Stray Cats cover band, named after that band's signature tune, the Runaway Boys.

They imagined they were unique and searched hard and wide for gigs, travelling to surrounding country cities in Cheney's Kingswood, trailing a small PA behind them on a trailer. For three years they played almost every weekend to audiences who were always older than they were. In January 1992 they gave their first performance as the Living End. By now they had also discovered a healthy rockabilly scene in inner suburban Melbourne. The Living End quickly outgrew that, as they had the audiences in the country towns. The difference was that they weren't revivalists at heart. They wanted to play that music with "attitude". They were starting to write their own songs.

With 1995's EP/mini album 'Hellbound', (still with original drummer Joe Piripitsi) they turned their back on '50s rock revivalism and adapted that instrumentation to original songs steeped in UK punk. Their next EP, 1996's 'It's for Your Own Good', provided the first breakthrough with the song 'From Here on In' which received healthy airplay support from the youth radio network Triple J. During the six months the EP spent on the indie charts, the group changed drummers for Travis Dempsey, still in rockabilly style, standing up at his kit.

The group now found themselves in such demand they felt they needed a quick release to tide themselves over while touring. They recorded new songs, 'Second Solution' and 'Prisoner of Society'; continued the theme with their version of the theme from a cult Australian TV series 'Prisoner'; and added live versions of songs from the 'Hellbound' days their new fans might not have caught up with. The resulting EP was expected to equal 'From Here On In's 's success on the alternative scene. It did far better. 'Second Solution/Prisoner of Society' was the biggest selling Australian-made "single" of the entire '90s decade. It spent 37 weeks in the mainstream Top 40. When the Living End released their self-titled first album in October 1998, it entered the sales charts at number one and sold platinum. The album is released worldwide on Reprise, and the Living End have toured extensively throughout North America.

In July 2000 Living End set about recording their second album, taking another step away from their rockabilly roots by listening to classic rock by Cold Chisel and Midnight Oil as part of the album's process. With 'Roll On' Living End broadened their musical scope while keeping in tact what made them unique - the instrumentation and the socially-aware lyrics. 'Roll On' received significant attention in the US and led to extensive touring. The band was beginning to think about their obviously important third album when in September 2001 Chris Cheney was involved in a near fatal car accident. The resulting forced layoff produced unexpected consequences. Cheney was given the time to reconsider the direction that third album might take. However drummer Travis Demsey reconsidered his future and his departure was announced in February.

Andy Strachan of Pollyanna had been first to apply to be Dempsy's replacement, even before auditions were held. He met Chris and Scott over a beer, clicked, and the next day joined them in a jam. While he fulfilled commitments Cheney and Owen auditioned more drummers, with their favourable impression of Andy Strachan as the bench mark. In April 2002 The Living End announced Andy as their new drummer. Travis Dempsy joined Fez Perez in August.

When the Living End returned to the studio to record a new album, there were plenty of songs to choose from. Chris Cheney is prolific at the best of times, and that and the layoff meant that there were 70 new songs to consider. The band also chose that moment to broaden their musical outlook again for the heavier, rocker 'Modern Artillery' recorded in Los Angeles to record Modern Artillery with Mark Trombino (Jimmy Eat World/Blink 182). That behind them the Living End put the focus on their punkabilly style for 2007's 'State Of Emergency', reunited with 'Roll On' producer Nick Launay.

It was meant to be the beginning of an exciting new era for the band, but was almost the end. Chris Cheney found himself going through a personal and creative crisis. One day on stage he decided he didn't want to be up there any more. He pulled the plug on the band's ongoing plans, questioning whether he wanted to play or record any more. To their credit the other members stood back patiently while he resolved his dilemma. At one stage the band came back together but Chris needed more time. For the first time he was now also experiencing writer's block. When the songs started coming again the band tested them out on stage with performances as the Long Necks.

In March 2008 sessions began towards The Living End's fifth studio album at Water Music Studios in Hoboken, New Jersey, producer is John Agnello, known with Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jnr and The Hold Steady. 'White Noise' was released in July.