Silverchair – Biography, Songs, Albums, Discography & Facts

Silverchair - Biography, Songs, Albums, Discography & Facts
Silverchair – Across The Great Divide. Image source: Jeanie Mackinder, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Silverchair Biography

Ben Gillies on drums, Daniel Johns on vocals and guitars, and Chris Joannou on bass guitar created the Australian rock band Silverchair in Newcastle, New South Wales, in 1992 as Innocent Criminals. In mid-1994, the group won a nationwide demo competition hosted by SBS TV show Nomad and ABC radio station Triple J, which gave them their big break. Murmur signed the band, and they went on to have a lot of success both in Australia and worldwide. Silverchair’s albums have sold over ten million copies around the world.

Ben Gillies and Daniel Johns, the creators of Silverchair, went to the same primary school in the Newcastle district of Merewether.

Under the name The Silly Men, singer-guitarist Johns and drummer Gillies rapped over an electronic keyboard’s demo button when they were “11 or 12 years old.” They began playing music together more frequently as teenagers, and in one lesson, they made a stage out of tables and performed rap songs for their classmates. When they transferred to Newcastle High School, Chris Joannou, a fellow student, joined them on bass guitar. Innocent Criminals was created in 1994 with Tobin Finnane as a second guitarist, but he quickly quit. In their early adolescence, they performed a number of performances in the Hunter Region, performing cover versions of Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, and Black Sabbath. Innocent Criminals won YouthRock, a national competition for school-based bands, in 1994, beating out older competitors. Early in the year, the band recorded demos of “Acid Rain,” “Cicada,” “Pure Massacre,” and “Tomorrow” at Platinum Sound Studios.

The band’s break into the public occurred in April, when they won a national competition called Pick Me with their demo of “Tomorrow.” The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) alternative radio station Triple J and the SBS TV show Nomad hosted the competition. Triple J recorded the song as part of the reward, and ABC filmed a video, which premiered on June 16th. They altered their name to Silverchair for the video’s airing (styled as silverchair until 2002)

Silverchair have won the most ARIA Music Awards of any act in history, with 21 wins out of 49 nominations. They also won six APRA Awards, with Johns taking home three for songwriting in 2008. Frogstomp (1995), Freak Show (1997), Neon Ballroom (1999), Diorama (2002), and Young Modern (2007) all debuted at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart (2007). “Tomorrow” (1994), “Freak” (1997), and “Straight Lines” (2007) all charted at number one on the ARIA Singles Chart.

Silverchair’s alternative rock sound evolved over time, with different styles on different albums becoming more ambitious over time, from grunge on their debut to orchestral and art rock influences on more recent material. Johns’ songwriting and voice had progressed considerably, while the band’s intricacy had grown.

Following the publication of Diorama in 2003, the band went on sabbatical, during which time Silverchair members worked on separate projects such as the Dissociatives, the Mess Hall, and Tambalane. At the 2005 Wave Aid concerts, Silverchair reunited. In 2007, they released their fifth album, Young Modern, and toured with Powderfinger on the Across the Great Divide tour. Silverchair declared an indefinite sabbatical in May 2011.

Silverchair Discography

Young ModernSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
DioramaSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Neon BallroomSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Freak ShowSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
FrogstompSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who are Silverchair Band Members?

The members of Silverchair are Daniel Johns, Chris Joannou, and Ben Gillies. They formed the band in 1992 when they were just 13 years old. Silverchair is one of the most successful Australian bands of all time, selling over 6 million albums worldwide. They have won numerous awards, including 5 ARIA Awards and 2 Grammy nominations. Silverchair disbanded in 2011, but Daniel Johns has since hinted at a possible reunion.

Who Is Lead Singer Of Silverchair?

The lead singer of Silverchair is Daniel Johns. He was born on April 22, 1979, in Newcastle, Australia. He started playing guitar when he was 11 years old, and formed Silverchair with Ben Gillies (drums) and Chris Joannou (bass) when they were 14 years old. In 1995, Silverchair first album, “Frogstomp,” was released. Silverchair went on to release three more albums – “Freak Show” (1997), “Neon Ballroom” (1999), and “Diorama” (2002) – before going on hiatus in 2005. Johns has also released two solo albums, “Talk” (2011) and “Prelonged Play” (2013).

How old were Silverchair when they released Frogstomp? 

When Silverchair released their debut album “Frogstomp” in 1995, the band  lead singer Daniel Johns was only 16 years old.

What is Silverchair Genre?

Silverchair was known for their alternative rock music. The band’s musical style has been described as “a cross between Nirvana and Pearl Jam“. Silverchair’s lyrics have also been compared to those of Nirvana front man Kurt Cobain.

Who Wrote The Songs Of Silverchair?

The songs of Silverchair were written by the band’s frontman, Daniel Johns. He is the primary songwriter for the group, and has written the majority of their hits. Some of the band’s other popular songs were co-written with guitarist Chris Joannou or drummer Ben Gillies.

Most Searched For Silverchair Songs

TomorrowSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Israel’s sonSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
FreakSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Suicidal DreamSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Straight LinesSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
ShadeSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
The DoorSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
SlaveSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon
Pure MassacreSpotifyAppleYouTubeAmazon