Why Silverchair Is Important

Silverchair is an iconic Australian band, formed in 1992 by Ben Gillies, Daniel Johns, and Chris Joannou. Over the years, they released five albums, with a sixth one that never saw the light of day. If you're reading this, you likely already understand just how legendary Silverchair is. Each of their albums is a masterpiece in its own right, with its own unique sound and vibe. From the grunge-infused hard rock of Frogstomp to the eloquent pop music that evokes the spirit of The Beach Boys and ABBA on Young Modern, Silverchair’s discography offers a fresh experience with every listen. But it's not just their incredible music that makes Silverchair so important—this band has been a lifeline for so many people. They’ve comforted fans through both the darkest and happiest moments of life. Silverchair has been more than just a band; it's a source of connection and solace for millions.

What We Want To Happen

It’s incredibly frustrating and disheartening to see Silverchair’s legacy seemingly fade into obscurity. While fans know that a reunion is impossible, that doesn't mean the band’s presence can't still be felt in the world today. As it stands, Silverchair has no official merchandise, no active social media profiles, a disorganized Spotify page with incorrect album covers and missing tracks, and no way to purchase physical music in most countries. Perhaps most disappointing of all is that the iconic Silverchair website, chairpage.com, has been neglected and is now nearly unusable. The website, once a central hub for fans, hasn’t been updated since the early 2000s and is in a sad state of disrepair. This is not how the legacy of such an influential band should be preserved.

The Goal of This Petition

The goal of this petition is simple: to bring Silverchair into the modern era and ensure their legacy is respected. We want to see official social media accounts, a fully functional and updated chairpage.com, and the band’s music available in an accessible and organized way.

We also hope for a reissue of the band's music and the creation of official merchandise.

In addition to that, there’s a treasure trove of unreleased footage and audio that fans have been clamoring for over the years. Concerts like Homebake ‘99, Live at the Wireless 2002, Royal Easter Show, Big Day Out 2002, and Big Day Out 1995 are just a few examples of shows that fans would eagerly pay to see. Unfortunately, most of these shows have no available footage at all, and for the few that do, the recordings are often incomplete, with issues such as choppy audio, poor video quality, and distracting watermarks. These fan-uploaded videos, while appreciated, simply don’t do justice to the powerful performances Silverchair delivered on stage.

One of the most iconic performances, Rock in Rio 2001, has been released in full, but the only footage available online is of extremely low quality. The video is poorly compressed, with bad audio and visible watermarks throughout. Fans have been waiting for a proper, high-quality release of these historic performances.

It’s not just live performances—there are countless demos and unreleased songs that could be shared with the world. Notably, fans have long been wanting to hear the rest of the demos from Diorama, the Neon Ballroom demos, and the remaining Young Modern demos. These demos offer unique insights into the band's creative process and could provide a fresh perspective on these iconic albums. Notably bands like Queen and Radiohead have done releases like this, where they reissue their old music and release unheard tracks from the same sessions and demos in one big boxset. These releases are always met with critical aclaim and appreciation from fans. If it’s good enough for Queen, why isn’t good enough for Silverchair?

Why Should Silverchair Do This?

Silverchair is still one of the most beloved bands in the world. In fact, they could be even more popular if they simply had a modern digital presence. Many people have told me that they struggle to connect with the band because it’s so difficult to access their music or even learn more about them. If Silverchair had a stronger online presence, there’s no doubt they would gain a massive new fanbase. From a business perspective, this is a huge opportunity for record labels as well. Official Silverchair merchandise would sell like hotcakes, and it’s baffling to me that, despite the demand, no one has yet capitalized on this. Fans are already resorting to buying bootleg merchandise because there’s no official source available. It costs virtually nothing to create merchandise, yet the band’s potential revenue remains untapped. The record labels are missing out on an easy stream of income.

What Will Happen When This Petition Reaches Its Goal?

The goal of this petition is to send a clear message that Silverchair is still loved and still relevant today. We want to make sure this message reaches the people who have the power to make a difference—the band members, the record executives, the radio DJs, and anyone who can help bring Silverchair back into the spotlight. It's time for the legacy of Silverchair to be honoured and for the band to have a proper presence in the modern world.

Update 1: 02/04/25 I have updated this to give it clearly wording and also added a small bit to the second section. I have just sent an email to John Watson management about this petition. While he has not represented the band since 2021, if anyone's going to have the connections to make this goal happen, it will be John.