Great Australian Albums: Silverchair - Diorama

Silverchair's Diorama is, according to Rolling Stone magazine "one of the boldest musical statements ever made by an Australian rock band". For lead singer and songwriter Daniel Johns, Diorama was an artistic odyssey, written and recorded amidst the emotional and health issues that had plagued Johns since his teenage years when Silverchair first shot to stardom in a nationwide demo competition.The pressures of fame at such an early age presented problems for the gifted and introspective teenager, and eventually resulted in Johns developing anorexia. Johns rose to the occasion as an artist and began writing a range of personal and imaginative songs that would form their fourth album, Diorama. He envisaged Diorama to be a hard rock album that sounded unlike any that had come before, working with dance music artist Paul Mac and incorporating a string section inspired by the Beach Boys' Pet Sounds. Johns battled the advice of the record company and the conventional wisdom of the music industry, as well as a debilitating attack of arthritis.He continued to follow his instincts and Diorama was released to critical acclaim and commercial success. In this candid and revealing documentary, Daniel Johns tells us in his own words the journey of Silverchair and Diorama. Aided by fellow band members Ben Gillies and Chris Joannau, and interviewees Paul Mac, Matt Lovell, John Watson and Melissa Chenery among others, we discover the music of Diorama and the making of this deeply personal record that documents a journey through fame and depression, illness and creativity.