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Daniel Johns Profile |
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Birth Date: April 22, 1979
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Birth Place: Merewether, Newcastle, New South Wales,
Australia
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Birth Name: Daniel Paul Johns
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Height: 5'11"
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Biography |
Daniel Johns is an Australian vocalist, composer, guitarist,
and pianist, best known as frontman of the rock band
Silverchair. He is also part of The Dissociatives. In 2007,
he was ranked at number 18 on Rolling Stone's list of The
Twenty-Five Most Underrated Guitarists.
Johns moved out of his family home when he was 18. He has
two younger siblings, brother Heath and sister Chelsea.
In mid to late 1997, during the Freak Show tour, Johns began
to show the physical signs of his internal struggle with
fame and clinical depression. He appeared thinner and
thinner, and on advice from his therapist, moved out of the
family home into a unit to try to take a break and recover
from the stress of touring. However, for the first half of
1998, he spent little time outside the house, and became
more and more withdrawn with his imposed seclusion having
the opposite effect as was intended.
When the band's next album, Neon Ballroom, was released in
early 1999, it was obvious to the public and the press that
Johns was dangerously thin. After rumors that he was
suffering from a drug addiction, Johns decided to clear the
air and gave an interview with Rolling Stone Australia to
finally explain that he had developed anorexia nervosa. At
his thinnest, Johns claims that he weighed less than 50
kilos, or 110 pounds. With Neon Ballroom came the single
"Ana's Song (Open Fire)" about Johns' battle and inner
feelings struggling with the condition. Further confirmation
came in 2004, when Johns spoke at length to ABC interviewer
Andrew Denton and revealed that at one point he had
considered suicide.
By 2002, Johns appeared to have recovered from his internal
trauma, However, just as his album was due for release Johns
was struck down by a severe and rare case of reactive
arthritis. His joints became inflamed and locked up, with
any movement being painful, so that he could no longer play
guitar or do everyday things. He spent most of 2002 unable
to perform. It was feared that he may not be able to perform
for years, if at all, as the disease takes many months to
recover from, and sometimes returns after many years. Still
unable to play for extended periods, he performed again in
October 2002 at the ARIA awards ceremony. His recovery
proceeded apace, allowing Silverchair to perform an extended
Australian, European and North American concert tour.
In July 2007, Johns unwittingly created a scandal after he
claimed, on national youth station Triple J, that he had
shared a joint with his then-wife Natalie Imbruglia,
Australian Federal MP and ex Midnight Oil frontman Peter
Garrett and Bono of U2 in November 2006, while listening to
a demo tape of Silverchair's new album Young Modern. Anna
Wood's father Tony Wood suggested that Garrett submit to a
drug test, despite Garrett's assertions that he had not
touched marijuana since his 20s and Johns countering the
claim by claiming it was a joke. He also said that he
thought it would be obvious that it was, seeing as both
Peter Garret and Bono were publicly against drugs.
Johns once dated singer Fiona Apple. He announced his
engagement to long-time girlfriend, actress, singer and
model Natalie Imbruglia in late 2002, and they married on
New Year's Eve 2003. However, on 4 January 2008 it was
announced they were divorcing, stating, "We have simply
grown apart through not being able to spend enough time
together."
His profound love for animals motivated his becoming a vegan
when he was younger. He is currently a vegetarian. |
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Other Information |
Singer/Songwriter of hugely popular Australian rock/grunge
band Silverchair.
Suffering from a rare case of arthritis, which has prevented
him from touring his new album, Diorama.
Has suffered from anorexia, and vividly laments his battle
with it in his beautiful song 'Ana's song' (Open Fire)
He came up with the name Silverchair, from two songs from
his biggest musical influences - 'silver' is a spin on
'sliver' from Nirvana and the 'chair' comes from You am I's
'Berlin Chair'.
Almost fully recovered from his terrible illness, Johns has
announced the tour dates for Silverchair's Diorama. 'Across
the night tour' will go throughout Australia in April 2003 -
Johns proved how popular he still is when all the tickets to
every single show sold out on the first day! [December 2002]
Refuses to use pitch correction software on his music. While
this technology corrects notes that are sung or played out
of tune, it is Johns' personal belief that such artificial
perfection diminishes music.
Announced engagement to Natalie Imbruglia. [January 2003]
Is a vegan
Had seven top 10 singles in the Aria charts between
1995-2001, which is more than any other Australian act in
the 1990s.
Has a dog named Sweep.
In an AT&T Blue Room interview in 2007 Silverchair discussed
the actual origin of their band's name. They took the name
from the C.S. Lewis book entitled, "The Silver Chair". They
admitted in the interview that they came up with what they
thought was a good story, but realize now that it would have
been much easier to just say it was from a book.
Late Australian actor Heath Ledger said that Silverchair was
one of his favorite Australian bands. |
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since January 27, 2009