Daniel Johns Biography 

Australian musician Daniel Johns is a vocalist, guitarist, and composer best known as the frontman of popular rock band Silverchair. He gained additional exposure through his marriage to and subsequent divorce from another noted figure in the music world.

Daniel Paul Johns was born April 22, 1979 in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.

From as early as eight years old, Johns knew he wanted to dedicate his life to music. By the time he was twelve, Johns formed his first band with the help of Chris Joannou and Ben Gillies. They called themselves the Innocent Criminals.

Not like the everyday garage band of teenagers, the band submitted their single “Tomorrow” to a SBS TV competition and took the top prize. They were subsequently recognized by Murmur Records and ended up signing a record deal with the label.

Shortly after, they earned airtime on the Triple J radio station. And by 1995, they had recorded and released their debut album, Frogstomp.

Finding success and a loyal following, the band eventually became known as Silverchair. 1997 brought their second album, Freak Show, and two years later, Neon Ballroom hit the shelves.

Despite three well-received albums, Johns was still not wholly satisfied with the band’s work. But that changed in 2002 when they released Diorama. Johns has described this work as the “masterpiece” of the band’s discography.

By 2003, Johns was suffering from personal health issues and was ready to take a break from the band. Amid rampant rumors of a band split, Johns and Silverchair reunited in 2005.

They immediately set to work on Young Modern. After two years of working on the album and marketing its much anticipated release, it was made available March 31, 2007.

On the touring front, they participated in “Across the Great Divide” in 2007 along with Powderfinger.

Notable side projects for Johns include a stint with The Dissociatives.

Earning a great deal of attention for his individual musical efforts, Johns earned the number eighteen slot in Rolling Stone’s “Twenty-Five Most Underrated Guitarists.”

In his personal life, Johns has repeatedly struggled with the increasing pressures of fame. Diagnosed with clinical depression, he suffered particularly bad bouts in 1997 and 1998. His rapidly decreasing weight spurred rumors of a drug addiction, causing Johns to publicly admit that he was actually anorexic. Widely praised for his admission, Johns also revealed in an interview with Andrew Denton that he considered suicide for a time.

On December 31, 2003, he married longtime girlfriend and fellow musician Natalie Imbruglia. Shortly after, they filed for divorce, claiming they grew apart after spending too little time together.