Silverchair frontman Daniel Johns has taken to social media to explain why he hasn’t released any new music since his 2015 debut solo album, Talk.
“The world is in a very strange order at the moment,” Johns wrote in a lengthy open letter published to his Instagram account. “It’s very confronting and bemusing. The reason I’ve not released music is not because of that. Sometimes I need to feel like a human being and feel what other human beings feel without believing that I am important or creative. I am not.”
The letter continued, “I need to create. There is no need for people to see, hear or appreciate it. I have been learning that the longer I’m away from peoples opinions the stronger I become. Art is not a way to receive validation. I believe it’s a way to feel connected to whatever this is and not a way to make people feel something for you.
“I’m not sure what I’m doing? I am sure how I want to do it though. In a time when people need guidance I cannot help as I’m seeking it myself.”
Johns continued, “This is not a cry for help. This is a way to say to anyone who’s listening or reading [that] it’s ok to be confused, disillusioned, saddened. It’s also ok to be inspired, optimistic and brave.
“From the limited knowledge I have the only way to understand this distorted reality is to accept that we don’t know anything except that love is real, friendship is real and the ability to be open minded is vital. Be free to feel, free to heal, free to cry, laugh, be vulnerable, be sad, be furious etc.
Just try to know that the world wants you to be good and true. This is a mantra I will try to tell myself as well.” You can read the statement in full below.
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In 2017, Daniel Johns contributed vocals to What So Not’s single ‘Be Okay Again.’ In January 2020, studio photos of Daniel Johns and his band Boom Tish surfaced online. The band premiered back in 2017 and have only released one song, a cover of The Easybeats’ ‘Hello, How Are You.’
