Silverchair spat hits rocky low in Johns' TV interview

Daniel Johns says he has experienced bitterness and jealousy. Picture Supplied

THE fractures within Silverchair have never been wider after frontman Daniel Johns used a TV interview to accuse drummer Ben Gillies of bitterness and jealousy.

The Newcastle star gave a rare interview to The Project's Carrie Bickmore on Wednesday to promote his Past, Present & FutureNever Exhibition, which opened in Melbourne last week.

The exhibition features memorabilia from Johns' entire career, covering his breakthrough as a high school rock star with Silverchair as a 15-year-old to his recent solo No.1 album FutureNever, released in April on his 43^rd birthday.

Asked by Bickmore if his former Silverchair bandmates Gillies and Chris Joannou would visit the exhibition, Johns replied: "They would never come see it."

Pressed further by Bickmore, Johns said: "Bitterness, jealousy, anger, like anything.

"I don't have any bad feelings, but I know bitterness and jealousy when I see it because I've seen it my whole life. That's what it is."

Former Silverchair drummer Ben Gillies released his EP The Relative Relatives in 2021. Picture by Marina Neil

Johns' comments were predominantly aimed at Gillies. Johns said he had "a very passive relationship" with Joannou and "there's no issue as far as I know".

Johns and Gillies first became friends at primary school in grade three. In 2010 Johns served as Gillies' best man when the drummer married psychic and The Real Housewives of Melbourne star, Jackie Gillies.

Silverchair became Newcastle and Australia's biggest rock band in the '90s. File picture

"Ben for some reason has a real issue with me being successful without him and that's sad because I wish him all the best honestly," Johns said. "Unfortunately he doesn't want me to branch out."

Gillies did not respond to requests for comment.

Johns revealed earlier this week that Gillies and Joannou had declined his offer to play on his solo album FutureNever.

"I was alright," Johns said of their refusal. "I kind of expected it. I was just extending, that we can still play together."

During the emotional 15-minute interview on the The Project, Johns also spoke about his conviction in July for high-range drink-driving, following a two-car accident on the Pacific Highway at North Arm Cove in March.

Johns spent three months in rehab after the crash and is serving a 10-month intensive corrections order.

"If I'd been hurt I could live with that," he said. "I'd take it on the chin, but if I hurt somebody else I wouldn't have been able to live with myself."