Teen Magazine
Daniel Johns of Silverchair
Silver High-Chair: Before Silverchair became the biggest thing Down
Under, guitarist-vocalist Daniel Johns and drummer Ben Gillies had a
band called Short Elvis. When they added Chris Joannou as bassist, they
changed their name to Innocent Criminals. Before that, Daniel was
writing rap songs. Why rap? "I couldn't play an instrument," he admits.
It wasn't until he reached the ripe old age of 12 that he took up
guitar.
Radio Pirates: Back in Newcastle, Australia, silverchair sent a demo to
a local radio station. Sure enough, that early tape of Tomorrow won a
contest and got the band time in a recording studio. Shortly
thereafter, the trio was selling tons of records and winning all sorts
of awards-but they'd never even been to a live concert. The first show
that Daniel, Ben and Chris attended was their own!
On a Short Leash: Since they're still 17, silverchair band members
travel with their parents. Does it cramp their style? "They allow us
to do pretty much whatever we want," Daniel says. "It's not that bad.
But when we're 18, they're gone!" When not on tour promoting their new
record, Freak Show, the Aussie boys attend school like anyone else.
"It's probably the most comfortable part of our life," remarks Daniel.
Not Such Innocent Criminals: During a recent visit to Southern
California, Daniel was hauled off to jail for driving without a license
on the sands of a Santa Monica beach. Fortunately for Danny, the
officer who booked him had a huge silverchair fan for a daughter, who
insisted that justice be served and the teenage rock star be released.
[Thanks to Sara for the transcript.]
