Silverchair’s Bassist Has Opened A Record Store

Daniel Johns is busying himself with his blooming solo career and reworking the music of The Beatles for a children’s TV show and Ben Gillies is the force behind Australia’s favourite alco-pop range. But what of Silverchair’s bassist, Chris Joannou?

Well, in addition to serving as co-founder and co-owner of beer company Lovells Lager and launching a mental health scholarship, Joannou is about to put the finishing touches on The Edwards, a one-stop entertainment avenue in Newcastle.

As the Newcastle Herald reports, Joannou opened The Edwards with business partner Chris Johnston just over two years ago as a cafe, restaurant, and bar, but it’s since expanded to include a coin laundry, motorcycle workshop, and best of all, a record store.

Joannou and Johnston are now slotting in the final pieces of The Edwards, which includes a beer garden and intimate front bar, with space for functions and community events, turning The Edwards into a multi-tiered entertainment venue.

“We’ve always tried to look beyond offering just a cold beer and a burger, and really tried to create something where you could come three times in the same week and not have the same experience,” Joannou says.

“There are so many great makers of things in this town, from music to art to bikes and leather goods.” Indeed, you can spend one day browsing through records and another checking out custom motorcycles courtesy of local craftsman Liam Butler.

The Edwards was recently the host of the annual Hunter Record Fair, bringing together stallholders from around the country who put out a wide selection of new and second-hand vinyl records and CDs that ran the entire genre and style gamut.

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