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 left the band and was replaced with Travis Dempsey who was soon playing with the band at major festivals such as Pushover and the Falls Festival. After a year touring Australia, The Living End again headed into the studio to record something new to sell at their now very popular shows. The result was the Second Solution / Prisoner of Society double single.
Prisoner of Society quickly became a national hit and the band signed on to Modular Recordings for the release of their debut self titled album, The Living End. The album was an instant hit with Australian audiences and resulted in six Australian singles (counting the "Second Solution" release as two because both songs received major airplay). The Living End became the second-highest-selling debut rock album in Australian music history, now five times platinum.
The Roll On album in 2000 was a more creative work, but did not manage to achieve the status of their earlier album. 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.
The band hit a quiet period after that during which Chris Cheney had a tragic 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.
In 2003, after Chris's recovery and with new drummer Andy Strachan, the band made a comeback, releasing One Said to the Other, Who's Gonna Save Us? and getting air play once again. This was followed by heavy touring (including Big Day Out) and a release of Modern ARTillery.
In late 2004, the band has released a singles collection From Here on In: The Singles 1997-2004 as well as a DVD, which included all video clips and a "supergig", collections of the band's most famous songs performed in Australia, Japan and the USA. The DVD also features the band's history- documented in interviews and home footage.
Recently, Chris performed at the 2004 ARIA awards as part of the supergroup The Wrights, featuring members of many other Australian rock bands.
Chris Cheney and Scott Owen have won the Best Guitarist and Best Bassist awards for 2004 and 2005, in the Jack Awards.
The band performs regularly in Melbourne, one performance recently was for the Channel V Music Bus at Federation Square Melbourne, Australia (15th of December 2005) which saw a capacity crowd of between 4,500 and 5,000 people attend. The event saw many under 18's get the chance to see their idols for free, and for a lucky few, the chance to sing with Chris Cheney, unplanned of course.
The Living End's fourth album, titled State of Emergency, was released on February 4 2006 and was recorded in Byron Bay after they played in the Splendour in the Grass festival. They had finished the recording and the artwork for State of Emergency in mid December 2005. The single "What's on Your Radio was released on November 20, 2005, and debuted at #9 on the ARIA singles chart. The second single, "Wake Up" was released on February 19 and debuted at #5 on the ARIA singles chart. The group is currently signed to Adeline Records, owned and run by Billie Joe and Adrianne Armstrong.
In 2008 The Living End released their fifth studio album titled as White Noise, showing more hard rock influenced sound of The Living End. First single from the album was a double A-side single White Noise/How Do We Know which was released physically and digitally 5 July 2008. The second single Moment in the Sun was released 25 October 2008. The third single, Raise the Alarm, was released 22 December 2008. In 2009 The Living End started the Raise the Alarm Tour.
Black Cat
The Living End Lyrics
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That you have fallen down on your knees
You better take cover
It's gonna spread around like a disease
Now you're going under
You got caught running from the scene
You better take cover
Gonna make you suffer
Face up to your responsibilities
Is it any wonder
That you've fallen down on your knees
On your knees
On your knees
And there's a black waiting for the moment to strike
Crossing your path at the dead of midnight
A black cat waiting for the moment to strike
I know you can't explain
Why you take more than you need
Looking for someone to blame
But you are blinded by what you see
The seeds you've sown
Prove to be nothing more than weeds
And the life you've known
Won't be he same as it used to be
Used to be
Used to be
What you get isn't always what you see
And there's a black waiting for the moment to strike
Crossing your path at the dead of midnight
A black cat waiting for the moment to strike
And there's a black waiting for the moment to strike
Maybe next time you'd better think twice
And there's a black waiting for the moment to strike
And there's a black waiting for the moment to strike
Crossing your path at the dead of midnight
A black cat waiting for the moment to strike
And there's a black waiting for the moment to strike
Maybe next time you'd better think twice
A black waiting for the moment to strike
The Living End's song "Black Cat" is a cautionary tale of consequences and being caught in the act, symbolized by a black cat waiting to strike. The opening lines of the song suggest that the singer has fallen and needs to take cover, as their actions will spread like a disease. The lyrics continue to describe how the singer has been caught running from their actions, and they need to face up to their responsibilities. The lines, "The seeds you've sown, prove to be nothing more than weeds, and the life you've known won't be the same as it used to be," suggest that the consequences of their actions have forever changed their life for the worse.
The black cat in the song is a symbol of bad luck or impending doom, waiting to strike at the worst possible moment. This is a common superstition and could be interpreted as a warning that the singer's luck is about to run out. The final lines of the song are a warning to the singer to think twice next time, suggesting they have learned their lesson the hard way.
Overall, "Black Cat" is a song about consequences and facing up to your actions. The singer's actions have caught up with them, and they are now paying the price. The black cat is a powerful symbol of bad luck, waiting to strike at any moment, and serves as a warning to listeners to be mindful of their actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Is it any wonder
It's not surprising
That you have fallen down on your knees
That you're in trouble and need help
You better take cover
You need to protect yourself
It's gonna spread around like a disease
The situation will become worse and affect more people
Now you're going under
You're facing the consequences of your actions
You got caught running from the scene
You were trying to avoid responsibility
Gonna make you suffer
You will face the consequences for what you've done
Face up to your responsibilities
Take responsibility for your actions
On your knees
In a state of desperation or surrender
And there's a black waiting for the moment to strike
Bad luck or trouble is looming
Crossing your path at the dead of midnight
The bad luck or trouble will come unexpectedly
I know you can't explain
You don't have a reasonable explanation
Why you take more than you need
You're being greedy or selfish
Looking for someone to blame
Trying to avoid responsibility by blaming others
But you are blinded by what you see
You're not seeing things clearly
The seeds you've sown
The things you've done
Prove to be nothing more than weeds
They were not good choices and will have negative consequences
And the life you've known
Your life as it was before
Won't be he same as it used to be
Things have changed and will not go back to the way they were before
Used to be
In the past, before things changed
What you get isn't always what you see
Appearances can be deceiving
Maybe next time you'd better think twice
You should be more careful and reconsider your choices
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: CHRISTOPHER JOHN CHENEY, SCOTT BRADLEY OWEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind