Silverchair drummer Ben Gillies is back in love with making music
Silverchair drummer Ben Gillies is getting back into making music, fronting his own project and says the band “lost it” trying to be popular.
Confidential
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After losing his passion for making music during his time with Silverchair, Ben Gillies is ready to get back into it.
The 39-year-old reached dizzying heights of success drumming for the rock band, with all five of their albums reaching No. 1 studio albums 1995 and 2007 and winning 21 ARIA Awards.
As iconic as they were, they disbanded “indefinitely” in 2011.
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This was followed by a string of controversies by troubled lead singer Daniel Johns.
Gillies said he felt the band focused too heavily on making hits and being successful rather than just making music.
“The music became about how many albums we sell and that can influence your music … you forget about why you’re doing it,” he told Confidential.
“Silverchair lost it being about the music a bit.”
Gillies said he will have new music ready “really soon”, which he is fronting as the lead singer.
“It’s good to just get in the studio and do what I f**king love,” he said. “I’ve finished an album but I’m going to start drip-feeding tracks soon.”
While Gillies isn’t precious about his past with one of Australia’s greatest rock bands, saying he’d be stupid to reject that connection, he said he’s not in any hurry to get the band back together.
“If I never make music with Silverchair ever again, that’s fine,” he said. “If something happens and we do end up making music again, that’s fine too.”
Johns has also continued with music after a period of messy behaviour in Sydney.
He has teamed up with Empire of the Sun’s Luke Steele, electronic artist What So Not and producer duo Slumberjack.
Originally published as Silverchair drummer Ben Gillies is back in love with making music
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