The Living End are a punk rock band from Melbourne, Australia who formed in 1994 influenced by bands like: Iggy Pop, The Clash and The Who. With various accolades and six albums under their belt, the band have achieved major success in both the US and UK.
In their teens, childhood friends Chris Cheney and Scott Owens got together to form a covers band called The Runaway Boys paying homage to their musical idols, Stray Cats and The Clash. Having gathered enough confidence in their ability, the boys began playing locally within the prominent Melbourne rockabilly scene. Soon the pair began writing original material inspired by the fifties rockabilly sounds and decided upon renaming the band The Living End. Cheney would assume lead vocals and guitar while Owens took to double bass. The line-up would then be completed by Joe Piripitzi on drums.
In 1995 the band recorded the demo track “Hurricanes” and later that year they sent a copy of the track along with a band t-shirt to Green Day frontman, Billie-Joe Armstrong. So impressed with the demo, the band were invited to support Green Day on their Australian leg of tour. Later that year The Living End would release their debut EP “Hellbound” where they fused 50’s rockabilly with British punk.
After the release of their second EP “It’s For Your Own Good” in 1995, Piripitzi was fired from the band for his lack of commitment to the band and his lifestyle choices. Travis Demsey would take his place as the band embarked on a yearlong nationwide tour. The band released the double A side “Second Solution/ Prisoner of Society” in August 1997 with the intention to sell on tour. The single soared to through the charts peaking at number four and certifying double platinum, breaking The Living End into the mainstream as the track stayed in the top 50 chart for a total of 47 weeks.
In 1998 the band signed to Modular Recordings to release their debut self-titled album later that year. The album clinched the number one spot in the ARIA charts becoming the second fastest selling rock single in Australian music history. Churning out six singles, the album also earned the trio two ARIA Music Awards in 1999 for Best Group and Breakthrough Artist Album.
With pressure to match the success of their debut album, the follow-up “Roll On” released in 2000 wasn’t as commercially successful but both the title track and “Pictures in the Mirror” made it into the top 20. Whilst on the road supporting the album in 2001, Cheney was involved in car accident which left him unable to play for two months. The following year Demsey left the band citing family commitments and was replaced by Andy Strachan.
In 2002 to test out their new material for their upcoming album whilst putting Strachan through his paces, the band started a side project performing under the name Longnecks as well as number of other aliases. The Living End released their third album “Modern ARTillery” in 2003. Over the next few years Longnecks and aliases would reappear allowing the band to road test new material for the next releases.
By the time they had released their fourth album in 2006, the band had been relentlessly touring, released a live DVD, greatest hits and accumulated four JACK awards along the way, leaving Cheney feeling burnt out and lacking inspiration. After taking a year break from the band, Cheney returned as they played the 2007 Great Escape Festival in Brighton, England.
In 2010 The Living End released their sixth studio album “The Ending Is Just the Beginning Repeating” which debuted at number three in the ARIA charts. The band continue playing shows across the globe spreading their definitive punkabilly sound.
Post Malone
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