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.
PROBLEM
The Living End Lyrics
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Stuck in a fight
But there's nobody else just you
You're standing there alone again
Just like a child without a friend
It's not my problem anymore
It's not my problem anymore
So don't come crying to me
When the weight begins to fall
Your standing in a crowded room
This is your life
But there's nobody who'll see you
You're standing there alone again
Just like a child without a friend
It's not my problem anymore
If you don't know what's going on
It's not my problem anymore
So don't come crying to me
When the weight begins to fall
You never seem to know what's right
Stuck in a fight
But there's nobody else just you
You're standing there alone again
Just like a child without a friend
It's not my problem anymore
If you don't know what's going on
It's not my problem anymore
So don't come crying to me
When the weight begins to fall
The Living End's song "Problem" is a song about someone who is stuck in a cycle of making poor choices and dealing with the negative consequences of those choices. The lyrics paint a picture of a person who is alone, misunderstood, and struggling to navigate life's challenges. The repeated refrain of "It's not my problem anymore" serves as a declaration of independence from this person's problems, as if the singer has finally realized that they can't fix someone else's issues and they must focus on their own life. The song suggests that sometimes, the best thing we can do for someone who is struggling is to let them face the consequences of their actions and learn from their mistakes.
The guitar-heavy track emphasizes the frustration and intensity of the situation described in the lyrics. The verses are fast-paced and almost urgent, while the chorus slows down to emphasize the weight of the singer's words. The song is an anthem for anyone who has ever felt like they are stuck dealing with someone else's problems, and it encourages listeners to take responsibility for their own lives and refuse to be weighed down by other people's choices.
Line by Line Meaning
You never seem to know what's right
You always seem to be unsure about what the right thing to do is.
Stuck in a fight
You're stuck in a difficult situation or conflict.
But there's nobody else just you
You're alone in this situation; there's no one to help you.
You're standing there alone again
You're once again by yourself with no one to turn to.
Just like a child without a friend
You feel like a lonely child with no friends to rely on.
It's not my problem anymore
I'm no longer responsible for your situation or feelings.
If you don't know what's going on
If you're clueless about what's happening.
So don't come crying to me
Don't come to me for help or comfort.
When the weight begins to fall
When the consequences of your actions start to burden you.
You're standing in a crowded room
You're surrounded by people, but still feel alone.
This is your life
This is your reality, your situation.
But there's nobody who'll see you
There's no one who will notice or acknowledge your struggle.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHRIS CHENEY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind