The Living End's Chris Cheney Announces Debut Solo Album

The Living End frontman and guitarist Chris Cheney has launched his debut solo project, with the release of single California.

The single is the first taste of his forthcoming album, The Storm Before The Calm, set for release on June 17.

Written in his Melbourne garage during their lockdown, California is a love letter to the city of Los Angeles, a place Cheney called home for nine years before the pandemic thrust him back to Melbourne.

“Australia will always be home. We do have the best of everything here,” Cheney said.

"But I loved the time I spent in LA and I found it a very inspiring place to be a musician. I had some really amazing experiences where I got to work with and play music alongside some incredible people. LA is just such a buzzing town.”

Following nine albums and tours across the globe as a member of The Living End, The Storm Before The Calm sees Cheney exploring his own unique sound for the first time. 

It offers an incredibly personal reflection from the singer-songwriter, capturing him in his songwriting prime, discussing his struggles through a personal breakdown, substance abuse, the loss of his father, and the near dissolution of his marriage. 

“It’s not been an easy road and I’ve wanted to throw the towel in many times, but I knew if I could just finish this album, then I’d have created something special,” Cheney said.

"That’s why it feels like a personal triumph for me, not just because I got it finished, and not just because it’s a different album to anything I’ve ever done; but because I think It’s the best album I’ve ever done.”