Daniel Johns of Silverchair

Silver High-Chair:  Before silverchair became the biggest thing Down Under,
guitarist-vocalist Daniel Johns and drummer Ben Gillies had a band called
Short Elvis.  When they added Chris Joannou as bassist, they changed their
name to Innocent Criminals.  Before that, Daniel was writing rap songs.  Why
rap?  "I couldn't play an instrument," he admits.  It wasn't until he reached
the ripe old age of 12 that he took up guitar.

Radio Pirates:  Back in Newcastle, Australia, silverchair sent a demo to a
local radio station.  Sure enough, that early tape of "Tomorrow" won a contest
and got the band time in a recording studio.  Shortly thereafter, the trio was
selling tons of records and winning all sorts of awards-but they'd never even
been to a live concert.  The first show that Daniel, Ben, and Chris attended
was their own!

On a Short Leash:  Since they're still 17, Silverchair band members travel
with their parents.  Does it cramp their style? "They allow us to do pretty
much whatever we want, " Daniel says.  "It's not that bad.  But when we're 18,
they're gone!"  When not on tour or promoting their new record, Freak Show,
the Aussie boys attend school like anyone else.  "It's probably the most
comfortable part of out life," remarks Daniel.

Not Such Innocent Criminals:  During a recent visit to Southern California,
Daniel was hauled off to jail for driving without a license on the sands of a
Santa Monica beach.  Fortunately for Danny, the officer who booked him had a
huge silverchair fan for a daughter, who insisted that justice be served and
the teenage rock star be released.