One of the ugliest divisions in Australian rock is laid bare in the revealing memoir of Silverchair members Ben Gillies and Chris Joannou.
Aside from any mention of lead singer Daniel Johns, early promos of the book Love & Pain were posted on social media with teasers revealing that the story will be told solely from Gillies and Joannou’s perspective.
The book release follows a series of snide comments Johns made about his former bandmates in Who Is Daniel Johns? magazine last year. Podcast and YouTube series Inside The Mind Of Daniel Johns.
Without any mention of lead singer Daniel Johns, early promos of the book “Love & Pain” were released on social media
Fans have reacted to the stunning news about Ben Gillies and Chris Joannou’s upcoming big memoir
Johns also lashed out at the couple during an appearance on “Project” in September 2022, where he described his estranged friends as “bitter, jealous, angry.”
Neither Gillies nor Joannou responded at the time; However, it looks like the pair will have their say when their volume Love & Pain hits shelves later this year.
“Love & Pain is the story of two teenagers who grew up in Silverchair,” reads a blurb posted to Gillies’ Instagram late Wednesday.
“This story is told deep inside the machine.”
“It’s told from the fringes of the limelight, from the seedy backstage hallways, and from the beginning.”
“It’s a story only we can tell, and we tell it with brutal honesty.”
“Parts of this book we tell together, but some stories need to be told alone.” Silverchair is an important part of our stories, but there’s more to tell.
“This is our story.”
“This is our story,” teases the book, which chronicles Silverchair’s heyday. (The band is seen here in happier times)
Unsurprisingly, fans of the Novacastrian rockers were quick to voice their opinions on the reveal, as many were divided over the decision to omit Johns from the early teasers.
“Shots were fired,” wrote one.
“Why couldn’t you do a book with the whole band? “Really sad,” wrote another.
“It feels a bit like your parents are fighting.” “You want to know what’s going on, but on the other hand you want to ignore it and live a perfect life where everything is fine.”
Fellow musician Jonathan Guthrie also spoke up, posting, “Hard to say what the intent is.” But I’ll reserve full judgment until I read it.’
A spokesman for publisher Hachette told Chron Australia that neither Gillies nor Joannou would speak publicly about the book until it was published.
The forthcoming memoir is sure to reignite the bitter feud between the former bandmates, who took the world by storm when they were 15 with their debut album Frogstomp.
The band sold more than 10 million albums and won the most ARIA Awards in their history.
However, cracks have started to appear in recent years as Johns – who has openly battled drug and alcohol issues – embarked on a series of solo projects, while Joannou and Gillies went in completely different directions.
Joannou, who now lives in Coffs Harbor with his wife Karissa and their two children, confirmed the release of the forthcoming memoir in a statement, saying it was an opportunity to reflect on the band’s ups and downs.
Joannou says the book is an opportunity to reflect on the band’s ups and downs
Ben Gillies with his wife and Real Housewives star Jackie Gillies
“When Ben and I first discussed the idea of writing a book, I realized that this would be an opportunity to celebrate some of the great times we both shared and lived together, while also reflecting on some of the to think about hard times — in the band and in our lives,” Joannou said in an announcement.
“This book is a keepsake for both of us and a reminder that there is a beauty in speaking to the truth of things and showing respect for all aspects – good, bad and indifferent – of our history.”
Gillies has since moved to Perth with his wife Jackie and twin sons and is still heavily involved in the music industry as a session drummer.
“Basically, our story is great. An extraordinary one. Some of it may seem unbelievable, but we lived it. We have been there. It’s all happened. “I want to document it for my sons to read when they’re old enough – and we owe it to our incredibly loyal fans,” Gillies said in an announcement from Hachette Publishers.
Meanwhile, recent years have been a roller coaster for Johns, who escaped jail time in 2022 after exceeding the legal limit three times when his car crashed on the wrong side of the road, seriously injuring two people.
Johns was spared jail time in 2022 after causing an accident while under the influence of alcohol
Johns later faced charges in local court, Raymond Terrace, after pleading guilty to drink driving in the NSW region of Hunter on March 23.
Judge Ian Cheetham said the charges were serious but that Johns’ background and circumstances were exceptional; He presented the musician with a 10-month intensive correction order.
Johns subsequently spent time in rehab but has since largely retired from public life after receiving muted response to his recent solo release FutureNever.