For the fans, it was their first time to see Silverchair tour in seven years. With the exception of this summers’ single performance at Lollapalooza, Silverchair hasn’t had a full tour in America since 1999. After touring under 1999’s “Neon Ballroom,” the band took a twelve-month break and played only one show in 2000, at Australia’s Falls Festival on New Years Eve. Then after 2002’s tour for “Diorama,” the band went on hiatus until 2005.
On January 29, 2005, Silverchair performed at the “Waveaid” benefit concert at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The show, a benefit for the victims of the Asian tsunami, raised over 2 million dollars and convinced the band to regroup and create a new album.
This time around, the group decided to fund the album themselves. After writing and recording the new album during the late part of 2005 and early 2006, “Young Modern” was released in March of 2007. While the album has peaked at a 6 on Billboard’s Independent Chart, it has enjoyed tremendous success in Australia. The album debuted at # 1 on the Australian album charts and has won four ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) awards including album of the year.
Although Silverchair enjoyed funding the album themselves, they aren’t too sure if they will do it again. “Yeah, well I don’t know if I want to be in debt again. I mean it is definitely gratifying without having any sort of record company. There is really some great benefits, and we don’t regret it. Maybe next time though we won’t do something quite as expensive (laughs),” Johns says.
As with all previous releases from Silverchair, “Young Modern” explores new musical direction and experimentation. “With Young Modern I was just really trying to have an eclectic, psychedelic pop record. It’s really hectic in a lot of places. I wanted Young Modern to have the same amount if not more ambition then “Diorama.” Classic, and crazy and psychedelic and with some cinematic moments,” Johns says.
Some fans may be turned off by Silverchair’s constantly changing sound, Johns explains the reason why the albums change from one to another. “It’s probably my short attention span, my curiosity I guess of exploring new things. I’m always trying to learn how to do other things…and at the same time trying to make a journey, a development as opposed to just going off on a whim and making something completely non-sensible,” Johns says.
In addition to contributions from composer Van Dyke Parks, musicians Luke Steele and Julian Hamilton, Australian producer Paul Mac joins Silverchair on keyboards on “Young Modern.” Mac has worked with Silverchair since “Freak Show” and formed “The Dissociatives” with Johns in 2003. “I feel I have a good connection with Paul, he seems to really understand me. He was the first person I showed my demos to, and you know, it was really weird and a lot of people quite telling me to go to therapy (laughs). He has always been really supportive,” he says.
Silverchairs’s smash-single, “Straight Lines,” debuted at number 1 on the ARIA charts, won the ARIA award for “Best Selling Australian Single” and has enjoyed moderate success on the Billboard charts. The song’s positive energy and the lyrics’ focus on moving on through challenges has certain meaning to Johns. “It’s something like re-evaluating your priorities, trying to feel past with joy rather than anger. Although some people seem to think it’s like a drug metaphor and all that, but I just like to keep that vague (laughs),” he said.
While “Straight Lines” seems to be one of the most demanded songs during Silverchair’s tour, Johns enjoys playing the eccentric “If You Keep Losing Sleep.” “Well, I just tend to be drawn to things that are unappealing, when I wrote that song a lot of people kind of freak out, and now they come back and say, ‘I fucking love that song man,’ It’s just a good feeling that you weren’t entirely incorrect all the time,” he said.
Silverchair will soon finish up performing in the U.S. before heading home for the holidays, Johns reflects on what he has enjoyed most during the tour. “(I enjoy) Traveling around and seeing people respond to the music and the people that follow you around all over the country and seeing new faces,” he says. “Seeing how different crowds respond in different areas…and hanging out with the band and playing with the band every night.”
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