The Living End

Author: Tuppy MacIntosh

Punk means anarchy man! Punk is raw chaos! And raw chaos is pure truth and anything else can be stuck up the arse of the nearest hotel manager! yeah! Punk means doing lines of speed off the back of your guitar mid-set and not remembering how to play the rest of the song! Hell, if the rest of Oz punk trio, The Living End, are anything like their drummer Andy Strachan, then punk’s in deep shit.

“Thanks mum and dad,” says Strachan.
“I mean, drums are quite an obnoxiously loud instrument, especially when you’re a kid trying to learn how to play. I’m so glad they let me learn.

Andy Strachan isn’t just sweet to his parents. He’s sober, he’s eloquent, and (Sid will roll over in his grave) – He gives a shit. Before whip-lashin their headfirst energy around 2005’s Splendour in the Grass festival, The Living End will be playing a benefit gig for MS at a Melbourne Hospital. Chris Cheney, the band’s singer, has also formed a groups called The Wrights, with members from Jet, Spiderbait and You Am I, who perform solely for charity. And when it comes to Ideology, don’t get Strachan started on the recent festival ticket rorts on Ebay. With tickets for Splendour selling out in a day and then appearing for sale over the internet for inflated prices, Strachan is pissed smaller festivals are falling prey to scalpers.
“I reckon its shithouse,” he said.
“It means some people who really want to go are going to miss out.”

Okay, so what about influences? No surprises here, right? Surely the mutated genealogy of being a punk muso means you only raise your lighters to other rock puritans, like Black Flag, The Clash, the Stray Cats?
Strachan laughs good naturedly.
“Coldplay were headlinging at the last Splendour we played at. I think they’re incredible.”

Excuse me? Aren’t they – pop?
“They make this music that is very complex and perform it perfectly, yet there’s this simplicity. That’s real talent: to know exactly what’s needed and no more.”

Geez, throw us a bone, Andy! At least try to say something jaded and cynical: You’re a rock star for chrissake!

Strachan, originally the kit man with indie stalwarts Pollyanna, replaced drummer Travis Dempsey in 2002 and played his first gig with The Living End when they headlined the Big Day Out. Says Strachan of the gig:
“I told myself that I just had to make it through the first two songs, then I’d be right.”

Okay, I give up. The Living End boys are Australia’s premier contemporary punk band, yet have high rotation on mainstream radio, win awards for best-dressed band and are so sweet you’ll want them to meet your mother.
“We love the North Coast, with surfing and the lifestyle. We’re gonna spend two weeks after Splendour recording our album up there so that’ll be great.”

Oh for – ! (sigh) I’ll ask mum to make up the spare bedroom, lads.

Never Ending

Author: Eva Roberts

When it comes to performing live, the guys from The Living End classify it as one of their favourite things to do, which might be why they are so good at it. Drummer Andy Strachan explains why to Eva Roberts.

It’s been a while since the band took to the stage in Cairns and needless to say they, they are looking forward to their 2005 stage debut up north at the Queen’s Birthday long weekend Rip It festival.

Drummer Andy Strachan says the band always puts in 120 percent when it comes to their concerts.
“It has probably been maybe a year and a half or so since we have been here and it was bloody hot last time,” he says of their last performance in the region, “So hopefully it won’t be as warm. But we love it up here. It’s a beautiful part of the world, it is the polar opposite to where we live,”

*It isn’t as hot as last time, but still bloody hot!*

Apart from enjoying the climate of Cairns, Andy says the group is looking forward to playing a festival vibe.
“There will be lots of sweaty rock and roll, lots of noise as well,” he says, “It is generally really good,. You get to play with so many bands, there might be other bands on the bill that you really want to see and it’s a good opportunity to see the bands you don’t normally get to see. And the crowds are much bigger, and there is adrenaline”

The line up for the bill for the Rip It festival is a pretty special one, with acts such as 28 Days, Shihad and Frenzal Rhomb also headlining. Apart from the upcoming performance at one of the biggest musical events in Cairns in recent years *try, biggest EVER!!*, The Living End are about to get back into the studio to record another album.

The band have been working on material and plan to start the recording process in the next few weeks with the aim of getting a song on the airwaves by the end of the year.Andy says the band is super keen to get it all done and start touring again.

With album number four on the way and the prospect of a forthcoming national tour, it is evident the Living End are keeping their spot as one of Australia’s favourite bands. Although this isn’t something the band takes for granted.

“We put a lot of pressure on ourselves more than anything,” Andy says, “We are all striving to be better musicians, better songwriters and better as a band. We are all fairly ambitious I suppose, we are always trying to better ourselves. The pressure comes more from us than anyone else,”

And that pressure is about to be on again when the group lock themselves into a studio to lay down the tracks for the new album.

Andy says the lockdown period of being in a studio with a producer can be quite a funny one.

“Some of the time it is an absolute laugh, because you can go through those moments of strangeness being locked in a room for that long sends you a bit crazy and the jokes get worse,” he jokes, “You might have a night on the booze and some funny things come out. Where is the video tape when you need it?”

When it comes to documenting things on videos, the Living End’s last release “From Here On In – the Single CD and DVD” has already done that. Released late last year, it acted as a marking point in some ways, the history of the band and the next period in its musical journey – and it looks to be a busy one.

And after spending the majority of last year overseas, then performing a few gigs in Australia and trying to find the time to write material for the new album, it would be safe to say the band has been juggling a busy schedule.

Although, despite its successes and the incredible following by Australian audiences, the Living End are still down to earth and appreciative of other good music.

Andy says he still gets excited about bands who play around Australia all the time, such as Shihad. Performing on the same line up as Shihad is also something the band is looking forward to and hopes Cairns audiences will get out and support the festival.

“Come along, don’t be lazy,” Andy says, “It is going to be a bloody good night. I guess two days can be one big long night. Just get along, you have got to see Shihad anyway, and stick around for us if you want.”