P: Did you guys ever imagine you'd achieve any level of international success with the release of Frogstomp?

B:We thought we'd just play Australia and that would be it. Then it ened up doing what it did and we were pleased...It's nothing like Pearl Jam or Mariah [Carey, labelmates at Sony], but it's good!

P:You really didn't have the opportunity to tour extensively for the album, did you?

C:Our biggest tour was the Chili Peppers, and that was three weeks long. That got us out in front of the most people.

B:Because we were so young, our parents were like, "They've gotta go to school!" Now that we're a bit older...

C:...Instead of four, we can stay out for seven or eight weeks.

P:What was the whole experience of the first album like for you guys?

C:(deadpan)It was pretty exciting...(laughs)

B:A real f.cking joke, actually! We were like 14 when we recorded it!

P: Did it require a real tough adjustment on your parts, getting used to being "rock stars"? B: Not really, our home life was kept pretty normal. All of our friends didn't give a flying f.ck, they couldn't give a shiit if we sold hundreds of millions of albums all around the world, and because we kept going to school, we were still handing in assignments and getting yelled at by teachers.

C:Yeah, we still got that!

B:We did everything to stay normal--except when we were on tour, then we went pretty crazy.

C:It's a different world...

B:...Like leading two different lives.

P:How did it feel making more money than your parents?

C:I don't know how much money my parents make!

B:Neither do I, I wouldn't have a clue!

C:But you can say we're doing better than your average teen today. It's good that you can go out and get things that you've always liked,like cars.

P: So you both bought cars?

C: I have a Holden, from the '60s. It's an Australian car, like a Chevy over here, but not as big.

B: Mine's a Holden as well, an '87.

P: What are you hoping to achieve with this album?

C: To have more fun with it than the last one.

B:We're older now, we enjoyed the last one, but now that we've...

C:...Experienced life a little more...

B: Yeah, now we can go out and people won't worry about us because we're so young.

P: Were you surprised to tour so extensively around the world?

C: We thought it would be great to just play in a few pubs.

B: Our biggest audience was like ten or something until we won the contest [the unsigned band search that led to their breakthrough sucdess in Australia, and then worldwide success that followed].

P: How old were you when you started playing?

B:I was about 12 when the band started.

C:Dad always had a guitar around the house, but there was never a mission to play it. Then, when I was about 12, Ben and Daniel had a band and somebody told them their band would be better if they had a bass player in it.

B: At that point, we were a three-piece, we had another guitarist. When you're 12 years old, it's f.cking impossible to find a bass player. I started playing drums when I was seven or eight, I took lessons.

C: I had a friend who was like 20, and he taught me a few things, but I never took lessons.

P:Who were your big influences?

C:'70s rock.

B:Helmet, Quicksand, Tool.

C:That was like at the end of Frogstomp, but we were still really influenced by the Black Sabbath and Led Zepplin stuff.

P: It sounds like there's more quality songwriting on this album, it's less formulaic.

C:I think we've just grown up a bit.

B:It's just the age again. Also, we hadn't heard a lot of bands because we always listened to a certain group of bands. But as we toured around, we got into more really heavy stuff, and even some real quiet stuff.

P: What bands are you listening to now?

B: I'm listening to Tool, Korn, Sepultura, Slint--they're really quiet, a soft, mellow band. We've been listening to a lot of punk stuff, like Minor Threat.

P: Where do you see yourselves fitting into everything today?

C:Somewhere, I hope!

B:Actually, after the last album, we thought we knew we wanted to do this as a living, so we kind of thought we had to write songs that were radio friendly to sell records. But then we put some heavy songs--the stuff we love to play live--on there. We thought that if you want to do this for the rest of you life, you need songs that sell records, and "Abuse Me" and "Cemetery" are those songs. "Slave" is too, but that's heavier. If you hear the rest of the album, that's what it's like. There are so many different styles of music on this new album--there's the commercial stuff that everyone can get into, then there's your harder-edged stuff like "Slave and "Freak," so hopefully there will be a wide range of people that will listen to it.

P:But you prefer the heavier songs?

B: Yeah, sure do. They've got the energy when we play live. But the quiet songs are alright.

P: Are you putting them on the album more out of necessity for radio, or do you really like them?

B: Some of them are alright, but the heavier, louder ones are always more fun to play.

C: Yeah.

P: Did you change the way you wrote on this album?

B:Yeah, it was changed a lot, actually. On the last one, me and Daniel would get together and work out the music then he would go off by himself and go figure out lyrics. On this one, it was like we'd come up with the riffs or something, then come to practice and jam to it, and just work it out in practice, the three of us. The Daniel would go off and write the lyrics.

P: Do you feel better about Freak Show than Frogstomp?

B:Yeah, way better!

C: We played a lot better, and are tighter as a band.

About a month later, a few hours before performing a fan club only show December 3, at the Trubadour in Los Angeles, Daniel Johns was just as amenable in an hour-long phone interview from his hotel room.

P:Ben said he's been listening to heavier music lately, like Korn and Tool. You too?

D: Yeah, that as well as a lot of Steve Albini stuff. Big Black, Shellac, stuff like that. I've been listening to a lot of a band called Slint-- Steve Albini produced their first album, that's how I got into them. And there are a lot of Australian band I listen to, like Midget.

P: How did you get into Steve Albini? It's not often that you hear someone say they listen to the work of a certain producer.

D:A lot of our friends listen to really strange kinds of music. They're really into the straight-edge, hard-core punk kind of thing, like Minor Threat, D.R.I. and stuff like that. They just had Shellac sitting around and I heard it one day and said "F.ck, that rules, I want to get it." So I've got a lot of old 7" vinyl stuff and crap.

P:This album is a lot more musically diverse than Frogstomp, what do you credit that growth with?

D:I think it's just expericence, really. On the first album we wanted to keep it really simple because we were kind of young and we didn't want people to think we were a studio band and went in there and did a lot of overdubs and made it sound perfect. We just wanted it to sound live, so when we played live people weren't dissappointed. On this album, we wanted to prove to people that we can play, so we had more freedom to do what we wanted. We could experiment with different instruments and stuff like that.

P: The last album had an amazing reception. Was it hard for you guys to stay in love with the music with everyone breathing down your neck? Did the way you were handled as a band affect the material on this album?

D: :Yeah, a lot of it. The album is called Freak Show because [the music industry] is so similar to being in a freak show in the '40s-- How everyone just perceives you as being really different because you're in a band. But that's totally wrong. You're just like everyone else except you play in a rock band. And that's the kind of theme for the album.

P: At 17, the music is still fun for you guys, it's more than a business. Is it difficult to stay rooted in the mindset that it's supposed to be fun, not a job?

D: Most of the time it is fun, otherwise we wouldn't be doing it. The only reason we do it is because we enjoy playing music. We don't do it so we can be in magazines and on the telly and crap like that. That doesn't really bother us, we just do it because we like playing music and we like playing to people who appreciate our music. It's not hard to keep it not feeling like a job, because we've been doing it for so long--we've been together for five years--and it's like we're getting better because we're playing to more and more people and more people are appreciating our music.

P: What about signing autographs, people asking to have pictures taken with you, and stuff like that, does that get a bit unbelievable at times?

D: Yeah, that's kind of weird, but I guess they're the ones that buy your albums and they're the ones that come to your shows, so you kind of want to make them happy. But at the same time, sometimes it gets bad because you're sitting in a hotel just eating a sandwich or something, and it's like "Can't you wait till I finish?" You don't want to be rude, but in your head you're really like "F.ck, I just want to eat my sandwich."

P: Have things changed a lot for the since your debut?

D:Yeah. It's like any other job. There are disadvantages and advantages to every job, and being in a rock band is just the same. We're not going to complain about what we do, and about how we really can't go out as much as we used to, because there are also advantages. We get to travel around, see places, play music and all that crap... And I got a car!

P: You too? What kind?

D: It's not an expensive, fast car, it's just a '66 Ford. It sits out in front of the house, unless I'm out driving it.

P: Was it tough to comprehend the success that you achieved so quickly?

D: Yeah, it was weird. Before we go signed to a record company we were playing, at the most, for 10 people a night. And if we got 10 people we were like. "f.ck yeah!" Usually it was just two or three people. There was one gig in Newcastle before we got signed, and the radio station gave away 40 free double passes, and only seven people showed up!(laughing) It was like, "uh,oh!" Then all of a sudden, we were playing for 20,000 people with the Red Hot Chili Peppers. We were like, "what the f.ck is this crap!?"(laughing)

P: So it was really tough to fathom?

D: It wasn't like we were really dissappointed that we got to play to that many people, we were happy about it, it was just weird!

P:What about this new album? It struck me as a lot heavier than Frogstomp. "Lie to Me" is as good a punk song as I've heard in a long time.

D:Most of our songs are kind of mid-tempo, heavy, grooving kinds of songs, and we also have kind of mellow songs, but we didn't have anything really fast and very aggressive that we could play really quickly. One day I was just sitting at home and came up with that really short riff. I took it to Gillies and said, "Here's a little song I wrote." He said "alright," played along, and we finished it. We just wanted something fast and heavy on the album.

P: Are a lot of the songs about how you perceive the music industry? Looking at "Slave," "Freak," "Abuse Me," "Learn to Hate," you get that idea!

D: Yeah, that's because music and traveling around and being in the music industry have kind of been my life for the last two years. Just seeing all the crap that goes on behind bands' backs, and all the publicity that is wrong, that's what most of the lyrics are about.

P: What about "Cemetery"?

D:That's kind fo weird. It's a positive and a negative, and a sad and a happy song all at once. It's just all different feelings. It's mainly just about life.

P:Is it supposed to be a positive look at life, or a more negative, down look?

D: You can't really listen to it and go, " Yeah, it's a happy song," (laughs) it's just about life!

P: How about "Petrol and Chlorine"?

D:That's about death.

P: So we've got life, and death...

D: Yeah! It's about seeing people that are wasting their lives not doing anything and will eventually rot away, and get to 70 and go, "F.ck, my life was a waste of time."

P: And "Nobody Came"?

D: That song's about an abused child.

P: From what perspective? Do you know an abuse child?

D: No, but when we get letters from people, there are a lot that wrote about the last album and said they related to "Suicidal Dream" and "Shade." They say they could relate to those, and say things like, "Yeah, I want to die as well," and I was like, "f.ck!" That's what that's about.

P: At the age of 17, do you feel like your fans are putting too much responsibility on you? Do they take what you say too seriously?

D: Umm, it's supposed to be taken seriously, that's the reason I write the lyrics with that kind of meaning. But that stuff with "Isreal's Son," where the guy killed his parents and shiit, that's taking things too far. They're supposed to be taken seriously, but not acted upon. You're not supposed to listen to "Abuse Me" and then get someone to hit you.

P: What happened with "Isreal's Son"?

D: A lawyer came up with the excuse that a guy killed his parents, and I think killed his sister,too, because he was inspired by "Isreal's Son" and was listening to silverchair before he did it. He said, "It was silverchair's fault, and Daniel's lyrics are wrong, and rock 'n' roll shouldn't be allowed." We were like, "f.ck that wanker!" What a load of crap! No song, no matter how deep it is, can inspire you to kill you parents.

P: They've said the same thing about hundreds of bands before you, so you're in good company! What are your tour plans? Will you hit America more extensively than last time? You missed most of the secondary markets last year.

D:On the first album we could only do the main cities because we had school and other commitments. On this album, our parents and school kind of realized that this is a really important time of our career, and they've given us a bit more slack on how we can tour. We haven't got a whole year, like most bands, but we've got more time than the first, so we'll be going to a lot more cities and doing a lot more shows.

P:Has school gotten any easier for you, or do the teachers give you a hard time?

D: Well, teachers aren't really happy with the way music comes first for us, and all of our friends--a group of about 20 guys that are all in punk bands and rock bands--music is all of first priorities and school next. They're not happy with the way we see things, but we've only got one more year of school left, and we're not going to jepardize our music career just to finish school, which we can do when we're 25.

P: What would you be doing after graduation [all three members or the band are scheduled to graduate in December] if silverchair didn't happen?

D: I'd be trying to get in bands, writing songs. I knew since I was eight years old that I wanted to do music. When I was nine years old, me and Gillies were already writing rap songs and shiit like that. I've always wanted to do music, so I didn't have any doubt in my mind that I would be.

P: You and Ben have been best friends for awhile, how is it being in a band with your best friend?

D: It's good. One of the reasons we're such good friends is because we've got so much in common. We're both--all three of us--are just total music fans. When we're on the road we just look for new shit to listen to, it's rad.

P:Is it tough to have fun, and do typical high school stuff, with media and fans following you all the time?

D: That's one of the kind of negative things that you get with being in a band, but we really don't care. It was really bad when the album came out and was at its peak. Everyone wanted a piece of us and shit, but it's died down for a while and we did heaps of shit in Newcastle with our friends. I'm sure when the next album comes out it will be annoying again, but we're prepared for it this time.

P: We got a letter at Metal Edge for a girl that wanted us to ask," What does [Daniel] think about being compared to a young Kurt Cobain?"

D: I hate it. I can't really see any similarity. I can, but musically, there aren't really any between us and Nirvana. Maybe lyrically there's a similarity because both of our lyrics are dark, but there are millions of songwriters that write dark lyrics besides Kurt Cobain. The only reason I think I get compared to Kurt Cobain is because I've got blonde hair. And I'm not going to dye my hair or cut my hair because I get compared to someone. I don't give a f.ck.(laughs)

P: We were hysterical over this letter in the studio. This girl asks, "Why are they so hot, and how did they get so hot?" She left a phone number, but Ben wanted a picture!

D:(laughing) I don't know! I can't answer those questions...We're not hot, it's all the make-up!

P: So as far as being a bunch of teenagers is concerned, have things raelly changed for you? Do you view life differently?

D: I view things differently, but it's because of what we've done as a band. I used to trust too many people and really thought that no one would take advantage of me. But now I've realized that there are a lot of f.cking knobs in the world and you can't trust as many people. That's not just because of the music, though, I think it's something that you just realize as you get older.

P: The music just made it happen faster.

D: Yeah (laughs), we just realized it a lot quicker!

P: Are you parents still going to tour with you?

D: Only until April. April 22 I turn 18 and I'm touring by myself.

P: Do they know that yet!?

D: Yeah! My dad doesn't care, he's like, "Do what you want." My mom's kind of like, "You're not getting vodka in your rider!" (laughs) I'm like, "Sure, ok!"

P: Who's the youngest in the band?

D: Chris, by a few days. He turns 18 in November.

P:That'll be the time to be around you guys!

D: Yeah!(laughing) That will be the first tour without our parents. All of us will be apeshit, it will be so fun!

P: Is it going to be full time music after finishing school in December?

D: If the band is still going well, but you never know. The next album could come out and everyone could go, "Oh, that's f.cked!" and no one will buy it, and that could be the end. But if the next album goes well and people are still interested in our music and into what we do, we'll really concentrate on music.

P:What country are you biggest in now?

D: I don't know, Ben seems to be the one that knows how many albums we've sold. It's weird, America's got the biggest population, so you'll basically always get bigger crowds in America, but the biggest crowd we've ever played with us headlining was in Sydney, Australia. I think it was 25,000 people. I was at the end of the first album's tour, at the Sydney Showgrounds. It was the biggest we've done so far.

P:What has the highlight been so far?

D: Just playing. Just playing music has been the best.