Song: "Who's Gonna Save Us"
Artist: The Living End
Album: "Modern Artillery"
Year: 2003
Place Of Origin: Melbourne, Australia
Years Active: 1994 - present
WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:
"Who's Gonna Save Us" appears to be a song about how the government creates more division amongst it's people than unity. If you can't trust your own government to help it's people, then who can you trust? The vocalist sees all these pressing issues around him, whether it's war, whether it's domestic issues or societal ills, and the appointed and elected leaders aren't providing it's citizens anything but chaos and division. They can't seem to save themselves let alone you!
THE LIVING END DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):
1998 - The Living End (Modular Records)
2000 - Roll On (EMI Records)
2003 - Modern Artillery (EMI Records)
2006 - State Of Emergency (EMI Records)
2008 - White Noise (Dew Process Records)
2011 - The Ending Is Just The Beginning Repeating (Dew Process Records)
2016 - Shift (Dew Process Records)
CURRENT STATUS OF THE LIVING END:
The Living End is an Australian three piece band that formed back in 1994. Chris Cheney (guitar/vocals) and Scott Owen (stand-up bass) began playing music together that had a 50's rockabilly feel. Both guys were heavily influenced by The Stray Cats and that sound was the foundation of their music. Soon, however, the band began adding punk rock elements to their rockabilly sound and in 1995, they released the single "From Here On In" which began getting some radio play in their native Australia. Then in 1997, the band released the double A side single, "Second Solution/Prisoner Of Society". This single only became the highest selling single in Australia of the 90's! The Living End was on the map. Their debut self-titled album which includes both "Prisoner Of Society" and "Second Solution" hit #1 on Australian music charts and by 1999, had been certified 4X platinum. The band's follow up album would be 2000's "Roll On". While not as successful as it's predecessor, many hail "Roll On" as The Living End's "London Calling". Singles like "Pictures In The Mirror", "Roll On" and "Dirty Man" show a band that was growing musically and lyrically. 2003's "Modern Artillery" was a bit of a disappointment for the band sales-wise. It did achieve gold status however. 2006 was a re-emergence for the band with their album "State Of Emergency". It became their second #1 album in Australia thanks in part to the hit singles "What's On Your Radio" and "Wake Up". After this album, chief songwriter Chris Cheney had thoughts of leaving the band. In fact, he kind of isolated himself for a year or two as he was dealing with major writer's block. Luckily, the other band members convinced Chris not to leave the band and he returned with a batch of songs that had a distinct heavier feel to them. These new songs comprised the album "White Noise". This album felt like a breath of fresh air for the band members and the juices began to flow again. By 2011, Cheney had 40 plus songs in the fold which the band narrowed down for the release of "The Ending Is Just The Beginning Repeating". The band would also add a second guitarist for their live shows at this time. The Living End's last album was released in 2016, entitled "Shift". They have also released a single called "Don't Lose It" in 2018 that is set to appear on their brand new album "Wunderbar" which is slated to be released sometime in the fall or winter of 2018. As I said earlier, The Living End's sound has it's roots in 50's rockabilly and rock and roll music. If you made some concoction of Elvis Presley, The Stray Cats, The Clash and Green Day, you'd probably get something sounding like The Living End. Their contemporaries would be bands like Green Day, Unwritten Law, Rancid, Social Distortion and Millencolin. For whatever reason, The Living End didn't hit in the United States like they did in their native Australia. They're a pretty big deal down under, selling loads of albums and winning several Australian music awards. From a U.S. perspective, I see The Living End as a really unheralded band. I can't see why they didn't get bigger here in the States. It baffles me. Maybe it's just the fact that the punk rock revival here in the States was kind of winding down as the nu-metal and rap/metal acts started gaining steam. If "Prisoner Of Society" came out around 1994, I think they would have popped bigger here in the U.S. I think The Living End are a great band and I can't wait for "Wunderbar" to drop!
TEN THE LIVING END SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:
1. Prisoner Of Society
2. Wake Up
3. Roll On
4. I Can't Give You What I Haven't Got
5. Dirty Man
6. Who's Gonna Save Us
7. Song For The Lonely
8. White Noise
9. Don't Lose It
10. Staring Down The Barrel
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