Silverchair frontman Daniel Johns reveals he was devastated when two teenagers committed a triple homicide after being “influenced by his song”.
Former Silverchair frontman Daniel Johns has opened up about an infamous triple homicide in America said to have been inspired by his music.
In 1995, a 16-year-old Washington, DC boy and his friend killed his parents and brother in a crime that shocked the capital.
When police arrived to arrest the teenagers, the couple were said to be playing the song Israel’s Son from Silverchair’s debut album Frogstomp, which reads, ‘Hate is what I feel for you/I want you to know that I want you dead. ‘
Former Silverchair frontman Daniel Johns (pictured in Sydney in March 2015) has opened up about an infamous triple homicide in America said to have been inspired by his music
Johns, 43, said during an episode of his documentary series In The Mind of Daniel Johns: “It’s pretty devastating to write a song as a teenager and then take someone’s life because it seems to have made people want to murder someone. “
The singer/guitarist admitted he “don’t like people turning to me about the songs.”
“I don’t even know where this ship is going. I know where it’s been and I write about it and then I make predictions. Most of the time they happen, but I don’t know if I’m making a prediction,” he said.
In 1995, a 16-year-old Washington, DC boy and his friend killed his parents and brother in a crime that shocked the capital. When police arrived to arrest the teenagers, the couple were said to be playing the song Israel’s Son from Silverchair’s debut album Frogstomp, which reads, ‘Hate is what I feel for you/I want you to know that I want you dead. ‘ (Pictured: Johns on stage in Sydney on August 5, 2015)
“I didn’t realize that at the time. At the time I was still, I think … it affected me, but I had to pretend it wasn’t,” Johns said.
“I couldn’t acknowledge it. I guess that was part of the pattern.”
It comes after Johns claimed his former band members refused to appear on his new album.
Johns (pictured in 2008) said during an episode of his documentary series In The Mind of Daniel Johns: “It’s pretty devastating to write a song as a teenager and then take someone’s life because it seems to have made people want someone to murder.”
In a preview of his new docuseries, Johns revealed he asked Ben Gillies and Chris Joannou to play on his recent chart-topping solo album FutureNever.
“I didn’t ask them out of necessity, I asked them because I wanted to make it clear that I have no problem with them as people,” he said.
“I just didn’t want to play under the Silverchair banner.”
It comes after Johns claimed his former band members refused to appear on his new album. (Pictured: Chris Joannou, Daniel Johns and Ben Gillies in New York on July 25, 2007)
