SILVERCHAIR frontman Daniel Johns said he was denied an opportunity to read the forthcoming memoir written by his former bandmates Ben Gillies and Chris Joannou.
Love & Pain will be released on Wednesday and focuses on Gillies and Joannou's experience inside the legendary Newcastle rock band and their lives outside.
However, even before the book hits shelves it's exposed the ever-widening fracture at the heart of the Tomorrow, Freak and Straight Lines three-piece, who first met at primary school.
Last Monday ABC's Australian Story aired part one of A Silver Lining about Gillies and Joannou, but the episode was subsequently pulled from ABC's streaming channel iView due to "licensing issues."
Part two of A Silver Lining, which airs tonight, is also unlikely to be added to iView.
After several days of speculation, Johns took to social media on Sunday night to explain why he choose not to give approval for seven Silverchair songs to be used on the Australian Story episodes.
"I was asked at the end of filming to be interviewed about their [Gillies and Joannou's] contribution to the band, and although I wished them all the best, I respectfully declined for one reason," Johns said.
"I haven't been involved in the book nor am I aware of the contents. I've asked on many occasions to read the book but haven't been sent a copy, consequently I was uncomfortable being interviewed to help promote it."
Johns said he was particularly concerned with the use of his composition, Ana's Song (Open Fire), during a discussion about his battle with anorexia.
"I said to [Silverchair's record label] Sony and ABC that I would be open to approving all songs provided I received a copy of the book to ensure I wasn't having my songs used to promote something I had no visibility on.
"I was told again that Ben and Chris would not give me a copy to read."
Johns also said he was forced to re-record versions of Silverchair songs for use on his podcast series Who is Daniel Johns? in 2021 after "another band member" denied the use of the original recordings.
"As always, I wish Ben and Chris nothing but success and happiness," Johns said. "I have never sought to block their book, I merely asked to receive a copy in advance to fact check it.
"I was concerned about my personal health records being discussed, I don't think that's unreasonable."
Publishers of Love & Pain, Hachette Australia, gave "no comment" when asked on Monday why Johns was not given a pre-published copy of the memoir.
In a recent interview with the Newcastle Herald to promote Love & Pain, Gillies and Joannou were asked if Johns had read the memoir.
"Our information is he hasn't read the book," Joannou said.
Silverchair broke up by going on "indefinite hiatus" in 2011, but not before selling more than 10 million records and winning a record 21 ARIA Awards, to become the most decorated Australian band of the past 30 years.
After initially steering away from his Silverchair roots, in recent years Johns has seemingly embraced his past with the release of his podcast in 2021, followed by the Past, Present and FutureNever art exhibition in Melbourne last year.
However, revisiting the past has exposed lingering wounds. In a TV interview promoting the exhibition last year, Johns accused Gillies of "jealousy" and "bitterness".
Last week on Australian Story Gillies gave his thoughts on the current situation with his one-time best friend.
"Daniel and I have communicated a few times over 14 years," Gillies said. "Yeah, we don't really have a relationship."
