Putting Your Faith In Rock N Roll With SCOTT OWEN From THE LIVING END

When The Living End burst onto the Australian musical landscape with their self-titled debut album in 1994, the blurred lines between rock, punk and metal were suddenly more accessible, introducing a wide network of music lovers to genres they might otherwise have avoided.
Their rebellious spirit, emphasised through songs like Prisoner Of Society and Second Solution, suddenly made punk cool, with adolescents everywhere jumping on board The Living End freight train. It was the turning point for Australian music, seamlessly blending rockabilly and punk with metal stylings to create a musical force rarely seen on these shores.
Fast-forward 25 years and The Living End are still pumping out the same infectious brand of punk n roll, albeit with a maturer edge and slightly different viewpoint on the world around them.
The Living End are set to release their ninth studio album, I Only Trust Rock N Roll, this Friday, September 26, with frontman/guitarist Chris Cheney proclaiming, "This one had to sound like a slick machine. Trim the fat." And that is exactly what The Living End have done with this new album. It is truly an album of all killer, no filler across its 11 tracks, each one with a lifeblood of its own that shows just how far, but also so little The Living End have come in the last quarter of a century.
HEAVY sat down recently with bass player Scott Owen to dig deeper.
"Yeah, it's been a slow process," he sighed, alluding to the fact that this is the band's first album in eight years, "but it's given us the chance to give it everything we possibly can. Every idea we have, every thought we have, has gone into it. We didn't want to rush it. We wanted to make sure we got it right, and I think we did. I think it's ready to be born and to get out there."
We ask if he is feeling confident going into the release date.
"Yes, I do," he affirmed. "I speak for the three of us. Yes, there is confidence, and it's because we definitely feel like we should be feeling, put it that way. We really did concentrate on keeping it simple and keeping the message simple; keeping the music simple, staying in our own lane and knowing what we do good and not trying to reach beyond that. Just doing our thing. Doing the thing that we really like. We've worked on all these songs with the thought that we're going to go out and play them on stage, so we need to make sure that they're just lean, and they're built for a three-piece band on stage. Not too many overdubs and not too many… Not too many studio things, you know, just good rock music. So yeah, to answer your question, very, very confident and very, very proud."
In the full interview, Scott shared insights into the album's creative process, emphasising a cohesive vision that prioritises a simple, energetic rock sound suitable for live performances, while aiming to capture a raw, live feel through minimal overdubs. They also talked about upcoming Q&A sessions in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney, inspired by a successful art installation related to their single Strange Place, designed to create an immersive experience for fans.
Additionally, Scott highlighted the unique tour format featuring two different sets each night, showcasing both new tracks and songs from their first album, and mentioned their performance at the Wanderer Festival in New South Wales on October 4 and 5. We talked more about keeping it simple with fans and maintaining a connection with your fan base and music to appease the cross-section of listeners over the years and more.


Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.