FEATURE – Chris Cheney interview
Words: Royal Enfield
Photos: Haberdash
Founding member of The Living End and a singer/songwriter/musician for more than 30 years, Chris Cheney is now also a motorcyclist, having recently got his motorcycle licence and purchased his first bike.
For his two-wheel debut, Cheney selected a new Royal Enfield Interceptor 650. Why? Cheney said it’s got the same combination of classic looks and modern performance as the Gretsch guitars that have become a trademark of The Living End frontman.
Royal Enfield interviewed Cheney soon after he purchased his new ride from Victorian dealer, Mid Life Cycles, and discovered that, while he may be a new rider, Cheney has a long association with motorcycles.
What was your first motorcycling experience?
“As far back as I can remember, I always had an awareness and love for motorcycles. When My dad was in his 20s, he raced a 500 Manx Norton and travelled around Australia as well as Europe and Spain. He had given up racing long before he had kids but remained an enthusiast.
“We would travel to Mt Panorama every Easter to watch the motorbike races and they were some of my best memories growing up. The smell and deafening sound of the bikes hurtling around that mountain was incredibly exciting to watch. My hero was Rodger Freeth and we always stayed at the same motel he did, so I remember meeting him each year and we used to give him Easter eggs.”
(Ed: Rodger Freeth was a gun road racer in the 1970s and ‘80s, winning Production, TT and Formula 1 class titles in his native New Zealand, as well as multiple events here in Australia. Freeth first raced at Bathurst in 1980, taking a podium on debut. The Easter meets at Mount Panorama that Cheney recalls were the Arai 500 endurance races, which Freeth won twice – in 1982 and 1985 – riding a McIntosh Suzuki on both occasions. Freeth was also successful in rallying, serving as Peter ‘Possum’ Bourne’s co-driver in WRC competition from the late 1980s until 1993, when he died from injuries sustained in a crash at Rally Australia.)
Why did you decide to get your motorcycle licence at 46?
"Better late than never! I think because my dad had raced bikes and had seen first-hand the danger attached, he never encouraged me! I’ve always been interested in them, though, but I guess I just never got around to it until now.
“My wife bought me the 2-day licence course and gave me the (learner’s) handbook and was like, ‘Here you go, go and tick this off the bucket list.’."
Why did you choose the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 for your first bike?
"I’ve always liked the look and sound of old motorcycles, particularly the British ’50s and ’60s style - motorbikes that actually look and sound like motorbikes, not all plastic and polite. Once I decided to actually get a bike, I test rode a couple of Enfields at Mid Life Cycles in Cremorne (Richmond) and loved them.
“The Interceptor and GT were right up my alley. I’m a big fan of vintage guitars and amplifiers, and the Enfields have that same style and feel to me as an old 1950s Gretsch guitar. They’re beautifully made but they growl when they need to."
What are the plans for your motorcycling future?
"It’s just a hobby, really. I don’t plan on doing long distance travel trips. I like the idea that there’s a whole scene and lifestyle that goes with these bikes, particularly the Royal Enfields. There’s a really great community of like-minded people who enjoy the craftsmanship and aesthetics of the cafe racer style."
What is next for Chris Cheney and The Living End?
"The band is going great! We’re lucky to still be doing it and it blows me away that Scott and I started this band when we were about 14 years old!
“Despite not being able to play as much as we’d like due to restrictions, etc., we had just started working on some new material when the pandemic hit, so looking forward to getting back into that ASAP. I have a solo album that is getting geared up for release and I’ve been doing some touring with that which has been a blast."
Chris Cheney and The Living End – brief bio
Born and raised in Melbourne, Chris Cheney’s first exposure to music was as a 5-year-old at a KISS concert in 1980. He taught himself guitar at age six and started playing music with primary school friend, Scott Owen, in 1990. Two years later, the pair formed The Runaway Boys, whose punk/rock/rockabilly style was inspired by bands like The Stray Cats and The Clash.
While Cheney and Owen remained the core of the band, there was a succession of drummers, which continued when the band was renamed The Living End in 1994 and started writing and recording their own material.
The Living End’s first big break was as support for Green Day’s Australian tour in 1995, but big-time commercial success wouldn’t come until 1998, when single ‘Prisoner of Society’ from their self-titled debut album went double platinum.
The band’s second album, Roll On, was released in 2000 and produced two hit singles, while the arrival of drummer Andy Strachan in 2002 completed a lineup that’s still in place today.
More singles, albums, tours and industry awards followed, including headlining the Summernats and supporting Cold Chisel, while the band’s most recent album, Wunderbar, was released in 2018.
COVID has curtailed activities for The Living End, but as Cheney mentions, the band has been working on new material, while Chris, back in Australia after a decade living off and on in the US, has a solo album coming soon.
Keep up to date with Cheney and The Living End at the following channels.
facebook.com/thelivingend
thelivingend.com.au
instagram.com/thelivingendaus
instagram.com/chrischeney23
