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.
Fly Away
The Living End Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Not to turn into the type, but I've found
Is it too late, has my time come?
Sometimes I think I'm losing it
Am I the only one?
Understandin', more like demanding
Where do the grey skies end?
Should I stay or fly away?
Will surely let me know
How far I have to go
And I'll be there
Oh yet again, thought I was right
But as usual I end up on the wrong side of the fence
Is it too late, has my time come?
Sometimes I think I'm losin' it
Am I the only one?
The Living End's song Fly Away is a tale of self-reflection and realization. The lyrics describe the singer's reluctance to become the kind of person he's always avoided becoming, but he fears that it may be too late to change. He's unsure of where he stands and questions whether he's the only one feeling this way. He's seeking understanding, but it feels more like an obligation to demand answers rather than comprehend the situation.
The chorus of the song is the singer contemplating whether he should stay or fly away. The wings metaphorically represent his desire to escape and find himself, but he's unsure of the path he needs to take. As he continues to grow, his wings will guide him in the direction he needs to go, but the journey may not be easy.
Line by Line Meaning
I've told myself, so many times
Repeatedly reminding myself
Not to turn into the type, but I've found
Trying not to become someone I dislike, but failing
Is it too late, has my time come?
Wondering if it's too late to change
Sometimes I think I'm losing it
Feeling like I'm going crazy
Am I the only one?
Questioning whether others feel the same
Understandin', more like demanding
Expecting others to understand me
Where do the grey skies end?
Wondering when things will get better
Should I stay or fly away?
Deciding between staying or leaving
The wings that I begin to grow
The potential for change and growth
Will surely let me know
Will guide me towards my path
How far I have to go
The distance to achieve my goals
And I'll be there
I'll reach my destination
Oh yet again, thought I was right
Assuming I was correct again
But as usual I end up on the wrong side of the fence
Finding out I was wrong once again
Is it too late, has my time come?
Questioning if there's time to make things right
Sometimes I think I'm losin' it
Feeling like I'm losing control
Am I the only one?
Worrying if others are dealing with the same struggles
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHRIS CHENEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind