Released 26 July 1999 Recorded 1998 Length 3:54 | Format CD single Genre Punk rock, punkabilly Label Modular, EMI | |
"West End Riot" was the fourth single taken from Australian rock group, The Living End's debut self-titled album. It was released in July 1999, and peaked at #83 on the Australian ARIA singles chart in August 1999. The song was more popular with listeners of national radio station, Triple J, appearing at #48 on their Hottest 100 poll for that year.
The song title and lyrics refer two boys who are born and raised in two different areas, who play together in the streets with toy guns, but who grow up to live very different lives, with their childhood fun being nothing more than a memory. The song is based on the West and East sides of Melbourne, even though in later years the feud has died down.
I was listening to a lot of the Jam at this point. It was about kids knocking around together and how their lives part as they get older – and never the twain shall meet again. My mum and dad were both from that area [the industrial west]. Dad’s family was very poor and he told me stories about his dad sitting on the steps crying during the Depression when all the men would come home from work, because he didn’t have a job. Maybe that stuff gets into you. I always hated the idea of some people looking down on other people.
The video for the song was directed by Don Letts, (who also directed a number of The Clash's videos). It was filmed in London whilst the band was touring the UK.
A crowd favourite, it is often played at the end of a show, most notably at Festival Hall in 2006.
The song appears in the opening film clip for the PlayStation 2 video game World of Outlaws: Sprint Cars 2002.