Silverchair [Innocent Criminals]

   'The Chair' are such a Newcastle story... a group of school mates form a band, exuding the musical influences of dad's record collection and passionate musical education. Called 'Innocent Criminals' they take on 'battle of the bands' and other opportunities and launch a huge album that takes them around the world several times. The world wide fame happens after one band member leaves for an OS Rotary Exchange for 12 months. Sons of a plumber, fruiterer & local laundry operator... 'Silverchair' left the 'Nirvana in pyjamas' tag in their wake and produced a couple of the most amazing rock albums I've heard. The band is currently hibernating!!
   Daniel Johns lyrics are not rocket science but his musical imagination is stunning. When he still lived locally I used to see him barefoot and walking his dog near the Prince of Wales Hotel at Merewether. This was prior to his degenerative arthritis like illness.
   It was my job to drop off the Wanderers 4th grade rugby jerseys weekly all winter to Chris Joannou's dads laundromat too!! I asked him about that when [having seen the band live the night before] we waited fro the same Launceston-Sydney flight home in January 1997. This led to an animated discussion about Wanderers Rugby and several of their mates I knew to be playing Juniors with the club. They seemed genuinely excited to have bumped into someone from Wanderers. I took the obligatory photo and attempted to keep my composure, nervous at having chatted with a bunch of 17 year old rock stars.
   I saw the band again at their secret Luna Park competition winners gig, then in Sydney, at Homebake and at Newc Ent Cent [barn] with 'The Offspring'... I wasn't able to get to the Civic Theatre double shows but the DVD of that gig is amazing!!