Daniel Johns tears into his Silverchair ‘colleagues’ for not supporting him

Daniel Johns tears into his Silverchair ‘colleagues’ for not supporting him at the height of his fame when he was suffering from arthritis and anorexia

Daniel Johns has slammed his Silverchair ‘colleagues’ for allegedly not supporting him when he was gravely ill in 2002.

The singer and guitarist, 42, revealed in a Facebook post last week he’d been diagnosed with reactive arthritis, an inflammation of the joints that left him in crippling pain, when the band was launching their fourth album Diorama.

Johns, who also suffered from anxiety and anorexia at the time, claimed he did not receive the help he needed, and felt his band was ‘more of a business than family’.

‘It was a business’: Daniel Johns (pictured) has slammed his Silverchair ‘colleagues’ for allegedly not supporting him when he was gravely ill in 2002

‘I felt personally responsible for people in our crew who couldn’t work because of my illness,’ he wrote.

‘While I was undergoing exhaustive treatment both here and abroad, I learned very quickly who loved me as a human being and who needed me a performer.

‘I really needed a friend back then, instead I had disgruntled colleagues. When my phone did ring it was usually someone asking if I was ready to tour again.’

He also recalled how one member of the Silverchair team even questioned if he was sick at all.

Suffering: The singer and guitarist, 42, said he'd been diagnosed with reactive arthritis, an inflammation of the joints that left him in crippling pain, when the band was launching their fourth album Diorama. Johns, who also suffered from anxiety and anorexia at the time, claimed he did not receive the help he needed, and felt his band was 'more of a business than family'

Suffering: The singer and guitarist, 42, said he’d been diagnosed with reactive arthritis, an inflammation of the joints that left him in crippling pain, when the band was launching their fourth album Diorama. Johns, who also suffered from anxiety and anorexia at the time, claimed he did not receive the help he needed, and felt his band was ‘more of a business than family’

‘Someone in the team even questioned whether I was sick at all and that maybe I just didn’t want to promote the album… Who the f**k wanted Diorama to be more successful than I did?’ he said.

Johns added: ‘I’m not resentful. I understand everyone was under pressure and the band was putting food on many tables but this was too much to put on me. I was 22.’

It’s unclear if Johns was referring to his bandmates Ben Gillies and Chris Joannou when he spoke of his ‘colleagues’ and members of Silverchair’s ‘team’.

Diorama became Silverchair’s fastest-selling album, and went on to be certified triple platinum. Johns has also made a full recovery from his various health issues.

Unhelpful: 'I needed a friend back then, instead I had disgruntled colleagues,' said Johns. Pictured: Johns with his Silverchair bandmates Ben Gillies and Chris Joannou in October 2002

Unhelpful: ‘I needed a friend back then, instead I had disgruntled colleagues,’ said Johns. Pictured: Johns with his Silverchair bandmates Ben Gillies and Chris Joannou in October 2002

It comes after Johns revealed why he’d decided to distance himself from the band that catapulted him to fame.

In October, he confirmed the group would never reform with him as frontman because he’d struggled for years with the dark side of fame.

Johns – who was just 15 when Silverchair’s first single was released – said on his Spotify podcast Who Is Daniel Johns? he had even thrown out all of his memorabilia, awards and mementos.

‘It’s not that I am not proud of it, but for some reason I don’t want it around,’ he said.

He bluntly added: ‘I wouldn’t even get Silverchair back together for a million dollars with a gun to my head.’

Never going back: It comes after Johns revealed why he'd decided to distance himself from the band that catapulted him to fame, grunge rockers Silverchair (pictured)

Never going back: It comes after Johns revealed why he’d decided to distance himself from the band that catapulted him to fame, grunge rockers Silverchair (pictured)

The podcast referenced a series of dangerous incidents involving die-hard fans who took frightening steps to get closer to the frontman.

Silverchair’s former manager John Watson told the story of how an older French woman stalked Johns across two continents, stole his mother’s wallet and tried to get to him backstage at concerts using her driver’s license.

Others fans acquired Johns’ home phone number – long before the age of mobile phones – and would call his house all hours of the day.

Another incident occurred happened when a fan with an American accent threatened to shoot themselves if Watson didn’t put Johns on the phone.

'I don't want to be around it': Johns said on his Spotify podcast Who Is Daniel Johns? he had even thrown out all of his memorabilia, awards and mementos

‘I don’t want to be around it’: Johns said on his Spotify podcast Who Is Daniel Johns? he had even thrown out all of his memorabilia, awards and mementos 

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