Ytv Interview

 Freak Show Interview Starring: Daniel Johns, Chris Joannou 
& Ben Gillies 

EXAN: I'm hanging with SILVERCHAIR once again... thanks for hangin' out with us on YTV and just because
 you're here again I brought gifts... 
BEN: Thank You! 
DANIEL: Thanks! 
CHRIS: Thanks! 
EXAN: There you go, you get YTV T-shirts cuz "YOU RULE"! 
DANIEL: Thanks, "YOU RULE" too! 
EXAN: Aw, thank you Daniel! 
EXAN: So you called the record "FREAKSHOW" because it describes 
how you feel about being in a successful rock band. Do you guys really feel 
like total Freaks?...Are you guys total Freaks? 
CHRIS: Not necessarily Freaks, y'know like FREAKSHOWS, you just travel around,
 people used to come in & watch... 
DANIEL: There's similarities between the early freakshows & a travelling band so 
it's a good theme for an album as well. 
EXAN: But how are you dealing with the FAME thing...all this hysteria thats happening. 
Does it make you guys feel like FREAKS of nature? 
BEN (answers sleepily): Not really. We're the same people. We haven't really changed. 
We don't really think about all the stuff that's gone on. We just go about everything
 like we usually would. 
EXAN: Alright, so what can I do to wake you guys up? Pinch you? 
CHRIS: Send us to bed & wake us up in 10 hours! 
DANIEL: Yeah, wake us up in 25 hours! 
BEN: Or we'll just have a quick nap here... 
EXAN: (playfully pinches all 3 of them) Alright are we energized now???!!!!! 
BEN, CHRIS & DANIEL: YES!!!!!!!! 
EXAN: So, do you feel any different from the days when you were jamming in Ben's garage? 
DANIEL: Yeah because we're 5 years older...so we feel 5 years older. (chuckles from Ben & Chris) 
EXAN: Just when "Frogstomp" was becoming huge it must've felt like you were about to live your dream,
 the dream was coming true. Then you went on tour all over the world & lived the dream. So now, what's 
silverchair's state of mind after going through all that? 
CHRIS: It was kind of good in the end because we'd done what we all had in mind. We had time off & now it's all starting again. 
BEN: You've caught us on a bad day, We've had a lack of sleep in the last 4 days. 
DANIEL: ...but it's alright! 
EXAN: You can sleep on the plane! (After this interview, they're off to NYC for LETTERMAN) 
BEN: We really needed a good kip. 
EXAN: What on earth is that? 
BEN: A kip? 
DANIEL: It's a nap! 
EXAN: Oh! I'm learning AUSSIE terms from these guys again.  My favorite song on this record is "SLAVE", 
it's the 1st song on this record & the oldest one on FREAKSHOW...(Ben) Yep (Exan)...I think if there's a 
tribute to HELMET that's the song on the record so you must be thrilled that in MARCH, "HANDSOME" will be 
opening for you guys. 
DANIEL: yeah that's really good. They're a really good band. We've met Peter Mengede once and he seemed pretty cool. 
We weren't particularly in a frame of mind where we wanted to speak to anyone 'cause we were really tired.  
EXAN: But 'Helmet' 's like a band you worship, right? So that's a pretty big deal if it's half "Quicksand" and half "Helmet",
 and they're going to be opening for you... 
DANIEL: Not "worship", we just think they're really good. 
BEN: We like Quicksand as well. 
DANIEL: Who do we worship? 
EXAN: Korn? 
DANIEL: No, we don't worship them either, we just like them. 
BEN: I worship Jon Bonham. But he's kind of dead. 
DANIEL: (looks at the YTV shirt) What's this picture of anyway? What's it say? 
BEN: You rule! 
DANIEL: You rule! Yeah! 
EXAN: Daniel & Ben, the last time I saw the two of you was in New York, like,
 last summer. You were in the midst of mixing (Freakshow). You were telling me to 
expect a heavier record a la New York hardcore. So is it close to your original vision? 
DANIEL: Some songs are. It's kind of branched out a lot from the last album. There's 
quieter songs as well. And there's louder songs, and rock songs, and death metal songs, 
and a few love ballads. Black metal. 
EXAN: I definately like this album better than "Frogstomp". 
BEN: So do we. 
EXAN: I know you do. "Frogstomp" in comparison is more monotone, ("Freakshow") is very diverse.
 What were your intentions behind that? 
DANIEL: We just set out to make a better, more diverse record, something that 
people could listen to that still sounded fresh and they could hear it and see the
 step we've taken up from the last album. We think it's a lot more mature musically. And lyrically. Yeah. 
EXAN: It's more aggressive and melodic than "Frogstomp"... 
DANIEL: Yeah. 
EXAN: Do you attribute that to growing up as musician and as a songwriter? 
DANIEL: I think so. I think it's just natural progression. I don't think it's anything in particular, 
'cause we've grown up since the last album a lot. 
EXAN: Are you guys weirded out about having to grow up in the public eye? 
DANIEL: It's weird sometimes but I don't care really. 
EXAN: Do you realize every 3 seconds there's one of you yawning?!!!(Laughs uncontrollably) 
BEN: You don't realize the lack of sleep we've had ! 
EXAN: Oh, I'm sorry! Let me talk to your record company, these boys need some sleep. You're working them too hard! 
BEN: We've got a day off tomorrow. 
DANIEL: Tomorrow we're going to LETTERMAN, dude. 
BEN: Oh, okay. Well, we'll get to sleep in tomorrow, basically. 
CHRIS: hopefully... 
EXAN: I have to ask you about the makeup. You started to wear makeup now, what prompted that? 
DANIEL: Mascara. What's it called? 
BEN: "Max Factor" 
DANIEL: Yeah, MAX FACTOR, It increases our eyelashes 200% .
 Don't use it but we're gonna soon cuz it's cool. 
EXAN: What inspired it & are the rest of you going to start wearing make-up? 
DANIEL: Ben wears lipstick. 
EXAN: Oh, you do Ben. 
BEN: Yeah. 
DANIEL: Chris wears ... 
EXAN: Rouge? 
DANIEL: Yeah whatever that is. He wears it. 
BEN: Actually, I wear a little blush. "Max Factor" just came out with the new...
I think it's something to do with your eyebrows -- yeah I'm growing them too... some eyeliner... 
DANIEL (giggles): Start waxing our eyebrows ...
EXAN: Yeah, I can just see it now..."SILVERCHAIR sponsored by ...MAX FACTOR"! 
BEN: Yes... we love "Max Factor", they rule. 
EXAN: Now the last time I saw you Daniel, you had just gotten your brow pierced...
 now you have two or do you just have two in one hole? 
DANIEL: I have two. 
EXAN: When did you get the second one? 
DANIEL: A while ago. I think that was just after we got back from mixing I think. 
BEN: I was there for the second one. I got to see it. It was so funny. There was no anesthetic... 
EXAN: Was he squirming? 
BEN: He was like crying... 
DANIEL: I cried, fell down. I was on the ground then the people that pierced me started kicking me 
BEN: Just kidding. But they didn't use anesthetic, it was so funny. I was giving him moral support. 
EXAN: Was it done in the States or Australia? 
DANIEL: Australia 
EXAN: And are you going to be getting more piercings? 
DANIEL: Yeah, I'm going to get the whole way across my left eyebrow pierced. 
EXAN: Yeah, right. 
DANIEL: Ok, not really. 
EXAN: Are you guys going to surprise us next time with some fresh (tattoos)? 
DANIEL: Probably, yeah...with "mum" written on our chest. 
EXAN: You wouldn't really get tats, would ya? 
DANIEL: No. 
BEN: I've got a tat... 
EXAN: You do? Can you show it on TV? 
BEN: No... 
EXAN: Okay... 
BEN: No, I'm just kidding 
EXAN: Oh...ha, ha , ha you're a funny guy, Ben! 
BEN: Ha ha funny joke! 
EXAN: It seems to me you guys take pains to avoid becoming teen idols -- teen pinups --
 we get a lot of mail from girls asking whether you have girlfriends or not... 
BEN: Ahhh, is that supposed to be a question? 
EXAN: Yes, is that something that you consciously avoid?
 Becoming teen idols? Being on the cover of SIXTEEN magazine or something like that? 
BEN: Yeah, the interviews that we do,
 we usually try & do with music press y'know like GUITAR magazine or ROLLINGSTONE or magazines like that. 
CHRIS: No glossy photos! 
EXAN: That's something you definately want to stay away from? 
BEN: Yeah, we're not about trying to be pin-ups, trying to be in all the teenage kind of magazines. 
EXAN: (Daniel is wearing yellow sunglasses...) What are those yellow glasses for? 
Is that supposed to keep you up Daniel? 
DANIEL: Yep. It's supposed to keep everything brighter to keep my eyes open. 
It doesn't work. Well, it kinda does, actually. 

EXAN: You were in some serious trouble...you even made the headlines in ROLLINGSTONE Magazine... 
DANIEL: yeah 
EXAN: What happened? You got caught for being naughty...driving on the beach with Dave Navarro... 
DANIEL: Yep (keeps reading) ah... yep (passes the magazine around) 
EXAN: It makes for a good story. What happened? 
BEN & DANIEL: Makes for a good story! 
EXAN: Were you sitting in the back, Ben? 
BEN: Yeah, you can't see me I don't think. 
EXAN: You can see Chris, you can see Daniel & cop No. 55! 
DANIEL: No, it's Cop no. 57! 
EXAN: So yeah, I heard that they rounded the 3 of you up, 
took you back to headquarters & you ended up signing autographs? 
CHRIS: Daniel went solo there. 
EXAN: Oh, Daniel went solo there? 
CHRIS: Yeah. 
EXAN: Oh because Daniel was the one that was driving -- the culprit! 
DANIEL: Yeah. 
EXAN: Did you feel more in control recording this time because you had 
the luxury of 3 weeks as opposed to 9 days with "Frogstomp"? 
CHRIS: Yeah, we did feel a lot better in a way cuz we got all the 
pre-production done before we went in... that's one of the things we 
like to do is get everything ready before we go in so we can just play the songs. 
There's no time wasting... then we can spend a lot more time on getting sounds & 
all that sort of stuff so that helped out a lot. 
EXAN: I read that "Cemetery", was originally a song, Daniel, that you originally 
wrote on your acoustic guitar. You hadn't intended it to be a "Silverchair" song... 
DANIEL: Nope. It was totally different from anything we'd done. 
It just didn't seem right... the kind of song that we wanted on this album. 
We found different ways to incorporate different instruments into it & we 
got them in & it sounded good so we kept it. 
EXAN: But I heard you actually held it ("Cemetery") back pretty much until
 4 days before going into the recording? 
DANIEL: Yeah, we just wanted to have as many songs as possible so we just showed Nick( the producer). 
Then we did the pre-production & I thought it would be one of the songs... because we wanted to have
 more songs that we needed so we could drop a few. I just assumed it would be one of the songs we'd 
drop & we didn't, so it's on the album. 
EXAN: It caught me by surprise, let's just say that when I heard it, 
I wasn't expecting strings...What prompted the violins? 
DANIEL: That was just a way to make it more like there's more instruments.
 It was originally a song with just an acoustic guitar & vocals but it sounded 
a bit too out of place on the album so... 
EXAN: Was it your idea to throw in the violins? 
DANIEL: It just seemed like that kind of song so we just put strings on it. 
Ben played timpani drums & we did it & that was it. 
EXAN (directed at Chris): You got your haircut which means, no more BEDHEAD!!!! 
CHRIS: That's right, Bedhead was a horrible thing. 
EXAN: Are you ever going to get your haircut, Daniel? 
DANIEL: Yeah, tomorrow... 
EXAN: You're lying... I can smell a lie... your nose is growing... 
DANIEL: Yeah well, I am. 
EXAN: (directed at BEN): And you're going to get a mohawk? 
BEN: Mine's cut. 
EXAN: No it's not. 
BEN: It is. 
EXAN: It's hiding under the TOOL toque 
BEN: It's not. 
EXAN: How do you say toque again in AUSSIE speak? 
CHRIS: Beenie!!!!! 
EXAN: It's hiding under your TOOL Beenie!!!!! 
BEN : I haven't got any hair. It's all cut off. 
DANIEL: I don't think she believes you. 
EXAN: Of course I don't. 
EXAN: You guys are graduating this year from highschool aren't you? 
DANIEL: Yep. 
EXAN: All 3 of you? 
BEN, CHRIS, & DANIEL: Yep. 
EXAN: So are you going to focus full-time on music then? This is it? 
DANIEL: Yep. I think once we graduate we're gonna focus on music & probably do a 
proper tour because we've never actually done a real tour of the States or Canada. 
We've just played for about 4 weeks & then gone back home so we'll probably go & 
do a real tour when we graduate & then go home & have some time off & probably 
make another record... 
EXAN: ... and hang out with your dog? 
DANIEL: Yep. 
EXAN: What's your dogs name? 
DANIEL: SWEEP! 
CHRIS: I have a dog as well! 
EXAN: Oh, what's his name? 
CHRIS: Khan!!
EXAN: And Ben, you look like you'd have a pet turtle... 
BEN: I don't have any pets. 
DANIEL: You have 2 birds. 
BEN: Yeah 2 birds but they're not mine. They're my sisters'. 
EXAN: So this is it then. This is now officially your career 
because "Frogstomp" sold 4 million & this record I'm sure will 
go straight to the top... 
BEN: It sold 3 million. 
EXAN: I read 4...maybe it escalated an extra million since 
the last time you checked. 
BEN: We'll take the extra million. But no, it's only 3 million...
I'm pretty positive. Do you want to make a bet? 
EXAN: Alright, how much do you want to bet? 
BEN: A hundred bucks says it's closer to 3 million. 
EXAN: No we're not going to bet money. How about your pet ROCK MELON, Daniel? 
(Daniel arrived at the interview with a cantaloupe melon in tow which he has affectionately named his "Rock Melon".) 
DANIEL: No. He's not for sale. 
EXAN: Yeah but we can bet you see cuz if I win, I get to keep it... 
DANIEL: Nope, he's mine. 
EXAN: Our viewers -- your fans, have some questions for you. The 
first question is from JOHNATHAN SPINK of RICHMOND HILL, Ontario. 
He wants to know: "How does it feel to be in a very popular band 
at such a young age & how are you guys with the girls...is it easy 
to get a girlfriend because you're in a band? 
CHRIS: I've had the same girlfriend now for a while so... 
I suppose that's a half made answer. 
BEN: What was the first half again please? 
EXAN: Oh, so you're trying to avoid the last half.
 No, the first half is "What is it like being in such
 a popular band at such a young age"? 
BEN: I guess being in a band at our age is exactly like being in any 
band at any age. It doesn't really matter. All you're doing is playing 
& having fun. 
EXAN: And the other half is: "How are you guys with the girls, is it easier
 to get a girlfriend because you're in a band?" -- Daniel your turn! 
DANIEL: Nope. 
BEN: That's it? Nope? 
DANIEL: That's a silly question. I'm not even going to bother. I'm just going to say "nope". 
I have a rock melon anyway. I don't need a girlfriend. 
EXAN: ...and he is who he is so love him for who he is...
not because he's in a famous rock band, right? 
DANIEL: Yeah. 
EXAN: Question no. 2 comes from BRIAN McLACHLAN, he's from LONDON, Ontario. 
He wants to know: "If you guys had the chance to go out on a date with 
anyone in the world who would it be?" 
CHRIS: Gillies should answer that one. 
DANIEL: Yeah I think Ben would be the... 
BEN: Oh, give me a break! I don't know... um... 
I'd say Pamela... Pamela Anderson (burst of laughter from Daniel) but she's got a husband.
 What about... ah... ALICIA SILVERSTONE? 
EXAN: Oh really? 
BEN: Yeah... I wouldn't mind!  (more fits of laughter) 
CHRIS: I have a girlfriend, so...(grabs the rock melon from Daniel)
 ...the rock melon! 
DANIEL: The rock melon is mine, Chris!!!!! Give it here! It's mine!  (a small battle ensues) 
CHRIS: It's the two-timing rock melon! 
(Daniel wins & retrieves his beloved Rock Melon) 
DANIEL: It's mine & no one elses! 
EXAN: Daniel's happy with his rock melon so nobody's 
getting a date with him! 
DANIEL: That's right! 
EXAN: Question no.3. This is a good one. Actually, 
I hear you guys like "SLINT". They're one of my favorite
 bands. Okay this is from ANDREA NEEDHAM of ARTHUR, Ontario 
& she would like to know: "If you were stranded on a desert 
island & you had a CD player what 5 CDs would you bring?" 
BEN: Does a double cd count as one CD? 
EXAN: Oh, well, I don't know! 
DANIEL: It counts as 2 CDS. 
EXAN: Let's narrow it down to 3. Name 3 
CD's you would have to have with you if you were on a deserted Island. 
DANIEL: I would take SHELLAC (Steve Albini's band)... (Led)ZEPPELIN... 
EXAN: Which ZEPPELIN? 
DANIEL: ...I'd have to get a compilation one. I'd probably take #2 off the remasters... 
& I'd take "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" -- the album & y'know try & 
slide SLINT underneath it so that no one saw so that they'd think it was 3. 
EXAN: I couldn't live without my SLINT -- Ben? 
BEN: LED ZEPPELIN remasters...that's two obviously. Probably at the moment TOOL... 
EXAN: I'll be nice & count the LED ZEPPELIN as one CD. What's the 3rd? 
BEN: I don't know...KORN, "Life is Peachy"... 
CHRIS: QUICKSAND, "Slip"....LED ZEPPELIN III & BIG BLACK (Steve Albini's 1st band) 
EXAN: Wow, there's going to be a lot of LED ZEPPELIN going on on your island!
BEN: Yeah we're kinda LED ZEPPELIN fans, y'know... 
EXAN: Question No. 4: DELLA STAMP from TREPASSY, NFLD wrote in to say that she would really
 like it if you could wish her a "Happy Birthday" because your record came out on her date of 
birth which is February 4th...her name is DELLA. 
DANIEL, BEN & CHRIS: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DELLA!!!!!! 
EXAN: And her question is for CHRIS... "Chris seems very shy 
& he doesn't talk as much as Daniel in interviews. I would like 
to know why he doesn't talk as much as Daniel?" 
CHRIS: You see... my vocal chords only allow me 2 hours of 
talking a day so I kind of have to limit it. 
EXAN: Yeah but today you're actually talking more than Daniel... 
he's preoccupied with that... pet... ROCK... thing... 
EXAN: One final question. This comes from STEFANIE NARDAY of BRAMPTON, 
Ontario & her question is directed at BEN GILLIES. She would like to 
know "What do you like about Canadian girls?" (bursts of laughter from Chris & Daniel) 
BEN: ahhhhhhhhh... (he covers his face)... I don't know.... 
EXAN: You've stumped him! 
BEN: That's kind of putting me on the spot... I'm embarrassed now... 
EXAN: He's turning RED!!!!!! 
BEN: I'm embarrassed, yeah. 
EXAN: You stumped him, STEFANIE!!!!!! 
BEN: Now, I'm embarrassed. I'm not saying anything! 
EXAN: He doesn't know yet... He hasn't had a chance to go out with a Canadian girl yet... 
DANIEL: Yeah, he has!  (Chris giggles) 
EXAN: OHHHHHH!!!!! Thank you, Daniel!!!!!!!!!!!! 
BEN: No, I haven't. 
DANIEL: I was only kidding... (more fits of laughter)... it was rainy one day... one night... 
BEN: Sorry, there's no hot gossip! Next time I come to Canada, I'll be on the look out... I'll try & get a girl.

Go Back To Gena Marie's Article File:
Go Back To Main Page: