The Living End White Noise

Circa 2006, a weary Chris Cheney temporarily quit The Living End. The band’s lead vocalist and resident guitar hero had decided to trade the rigours of performing and recording for the rest and relaxation of yoga retreats. In doing so, he envisioned the form of their fifth studio album with a single guitar riff that lavished opener “How Do We Know?” with as much Living Colour as The Living End—and defined White Noise as an album to redefine the Melbourne power trio. White Noise is a rock album that has more in common with Sonic Youth than Chuck Berry (though closer “Sum of Us” does pipe up to suggest that ska is, as always, not dead). Such was the shift towards guitar-centricity that a few months prior to its release, The Living End embarked on a modest local tour under their cheeky, long-standing alias—The Longnecks—in a bid to focus-test their new direction. Whatever the consensus, it wouldn’t have mattered to Cheney. He’d long been of the opinion that their breakthrough hit, 1997’s “Prisoner of Society”, now felt juvenile. White Noise’s way out was to break out, so to wit: “Make The Call” is very nearly a metal song, and “Loaded Gun” pays immediate tribute to AC/DC rather than Stray Cats. That’s not to say The Living End abandoned their penchant for anthemic hooks, as evidenced by the chorus of just about every song—and especially the self-titled lead single’s blaring disenchantment with a troubled relationship.