teens

"He's jealous." The three members of Silverchair met in primary school. They don't talk anymore.

At just 15 years old, Daniel Johns was the face of one of Australia's biggest bands, Silverchair.

But in the years since, Johns has said that the experience emotionally scarred him - affecting his mental health, relationships and friendships - most notably with his former bandmates.

After starting Silverchair with his school friends, Ben Gillies and Chris Joannou, the trio from suburban Newcastle skyrocketed to worldwide fame as their debut album, Frogstomp, dominated the charts. Within just months of the release of Frogstomp, Silverchair were supporting the Red Hot Chili Peppers at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

But before long, Johns discovered the price of fame.

While performing both within Australia and internationally, Silverchair were incredibly popular among teenagers - and a wave of hysteria from fans was born. There were serious security breaches. There were obsessive women who were Johns' mother's age. One fan threatened to harm themselves if they didn't get to speak to Johns on the phone. Another claimed she was pregnant with Johns' baby. At one point, Johns was even beaten up.

By 2011, the band had decided to split indefinitely. 

Now Johns has confirmed there is no chance of Silverchair ever coming back together. 

Daniel Johns, Chris Joanngu, and Ben Gillies in 1996. Image: Getty. 

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On The Project last week, Johns was promoting a new album of his, FutureNever

Interestingly, Johns did reach out Ben Gillies and Chris Joannou to see if they wished to collaborate on Johns' new album. They both declined.

Reflecting on that decision, Johns said: "I was alright. I kind of expected it. I was just extending the whole 'we can still play together'."

Johns and The Project's Carrie Bickmore held the interview at the Past, Present and FutureNever exhibition on Johns' life currently taking place in Melbourne. Johns and Bickmore were surrounded by images of him in his Silverchair days - and when Bickmore asked if Gillies or Joannou would ever come to see the exhibition, Johns said no.

"They would never come see this. Bitterness, jealousy, anger, like anything. I don't have any bad feelings, but I know bitterness and I know jealousy when I see it. Cause I've seen it my whole life. That's what it is."

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When Bickmore asked Johns if he would like a relationship with either of his former bandmates at the moment, he said not at the moment.

It was at this point in the interview that Johns alleged that Gillies in particular has "not shown me any respect".

Watch some of Daniel Johns' interview with Carrie Bickmore. Story continues below.


Video via The Project.

"One of the guys, in particular, has taken a real shining to kicking me while I was down while I was in rehab. Saying that I was exploiting mental health to sell records or something along those lines," Johns said. 

"I always say 'they', but me and Chris have a very passive relationship, there's no issue. Ben for some reason has a real issue with me being successful without him, and that's sad. Because I wish him all the best - honestly. But unfortunately, he doesn't want me to branch out."

Regarding these new comments from Johns, Gillies is yet to release a statement or publicly reply to them.

Gillies has gone on to produce more music and is also providing drum lessons and the method behind some of Silverchair's best drum sequences via his Behind The Beat series on YouTube. He is also married to Real Housewives of Melbourne star and psychic Jackie Gillies, and they share twin boys.

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In the past, Gillies has said he still looks back fondly on his Silverchair days, although he described it as a "whirlwind".

Reflecting on the band break-up he said to Daily Telegraph: "The music became about how many albums we sell and that can influence your music… you forget about why you're doing it. Silverchair lost it being about the music a bit. If I never make music with Silverchair ever again, that's fine. If something happens and we do end up making music again, that's fine too."

As for Joannou, he has gone on to work in business hospitality, co-owning a successful bar/restaurant in Newcastle called The Edwards. He also has a wife and two children. 

"I have shifted into a different phase in life I guess," Joannou said to ABC Newcastle earlier this year. 

"I'm a bit more behind the scenes in things that I do, rather than out front. There were definitely moments (throughout the band's lifespan) that were, for each individual at different timers, very testing. But we just reached a point where we were interested in exploring things on our own outside of Silverchair. And that's sort of where we are at now."

Feature Image: Getty/Mamamia.

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