5 Things About Our New Single 'Alfie' Shared By The Living End

After a couple of recent intimate, pop-up gigs in Melbourne and Sydney, after playing a last-minute, midweek gig at Fitzroy's Punters Club, iconic Aussie rockers The Living End have dropped their first new music in almost a decade.

Released last month, 'Alfie' returns TLE back to their raw roots; three-chord rock & roll that's stripped, chopped and straight to the point. "It's been eight years since we've released new music and let me tell ya, things are looking pretty different to when we last put music out," frontman Chris Cheney shares.

"A lot of aspects of the music industry seem to be really struggling at the moment – venues, festivals, young artists, roadies – so we felt it was only right to come back with a song that talks about what we're seeing happening to our beloved musical eco-system.

"We didn't want it to bum people out either. We wanted it to lift people up and get them excited again. So our new one, 'Alfie', is a bit of a call to arms I guess. Wake up Alfie!"



With The Living End set to headline the Sunday instalment of South Coast's biennial Wanderer Festival – situated in the beautiful, idyllic surrounds of Pambula Beach, NSW, where they'll be joined by the likes of Missy Higgins, Saint Motel, Hockey Dad, Magic Dirt, Boy & Bear, Jacob Banks, Petit Biscuit, Nikki Lane and more – here Chris shares some insights behind the writing and recording of 'Alfie'.

Alfie is simplicity

For us this new song 'Alfie' is a real return to our punk-rock roots and the simplicity and urgency of our first couple of albums. It's the most simple and straight-forward song we've written in a very long time. The old punk adage: 'Three chords and the truth,' is very much alive and well in 'Alfie'.

Alfie is a rediscovery

It's been really great to reconnect with what The Living End is all about after eight years away from releasing music. At its core, The Living End has always been somewhere between AC/DC, Little Richard and The Clash, and we reckon you can hear all those influences in 'Alfie'.

Alfie is Rock & Roll

The Alfie on our song isn't an actual person. It's an idea. It's a feeling. It's the raw, powerful, uplifting spirit of rock & roll. We've always believed in the power of rock & roll to change lives and the world, and we wanna bring a bit of that spirit back to the music scene. We wanna get rock & roll back on the airwaves and liven things up again.

 

 

 

 

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Alfie is the music biz

Following on from the above idea, Alfie also represents the music industry itself. So many parts of the musical eco-system are struggling at the moment. Venues are closing. Festivals are going under. Event staff and roadies are out of work. Young bands are struggling to get heard on radio and streaming services. Local bands are struggling to sell tickets to their shows.

We were so fortunate to come up at a time when there were a lot of amazing opportunities and avenues for young bands, but right now it all just feels like it's in a funk. Like it's all in a coma and we wanna wake it back up.

Alfie is wake up call

We don't wanna just sit around and bitch and moan about how things used to be better way back when. That sh.t is boring! There's still so many amazing young bands (and old bands) making great music.

So get out there and see a show, support your local venue, buy a record, buy some merch, hassle your local councillor to make it easier for venues to open and operate in your neighbourhood. Good music prospers when the grassroots levels are supported.

Imagine what your favourite football team would be without the junior clubs?! Well we're losing that breeding ground in rock & roll. The rock & roll life is out there people. Let's go get it!

Wanderer Festival takes place at Pambula Beach (South Coast) 4-5 October.

Wanderer Festival 2025 Line-up

SATURDAY

Missy Higgins
Saint Motel
Hockey Dad
Magic Dirt
Lavern
Pierce Brothers
Grace Cummings
Folk Bitch Trio
Johnny Cash Recordings w Henry Wagons
O And The Mo
Jack Botts
The Tullamarines
Dust
MAD.DAY
Groove Society
Jimi The Kween
Bec Sandridge
Prodikal - 1
Sixten b2b Benjamin
Sunday Lemonade
Bega Sound Collective

SUNDAY

The Living End
Boy & Bear
Jacob Banks
Petit Biscuit
Nikki Lane
Cut Copy (DJ set)
The Vanns
DUG
Emma Donovan
Sylvie
The Bures Band
MAD.DAY
Groove Society
Jimi The Kween
Bega Sound Collective
Lotte Gallagher
Mika James
Radium Dolls
Val Moogz
Lillian Mcveity

WANDERHAUS Stage

Chicka b2b Rangz
Darcy M. & Carlo T.
Jai Cole b2b Kurtis Markwort
Just Andrew
Swell Records DJs
Usual Suspects DJs

ARTS

Circus Trick Tease
Hannah Cryle - Giant Wheel
Josh Philips - Giant Ladder
Hobby Horse Gymkhana
Sam's Caravan
The Swell - Festival Zeen
I Wear Wanderer
Big Lost Band
Fling Physical Theatre
We Shaped Up Like This
Morning Dance Party
Hair Dressing Salon
Morning Yoga
Social Dancing
Welcome To Country and Smoking Ceremony with Duurunu Miru Dancers