Wednesday marked five years since Silverchair officially went on hiatus.
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The band, who have offered no signs of reforming since despite Daniel Johns’ celebrated solo album Aerial Love, remain one of the region’s best-known musical exports years after their origins as the Innocent Criminals.
The Newcastle Herald reported at the time the band posted a statement to their website citing a lack of creative spark as the reason “Silverchair won’t be making music or playing shows any time soon”.
‘‘Today we stand by the same rules as we did back then ... if the band stops being fun and if it’s no longer fulfilling creatively, then we need to stop,’’ the 2011 statement read.
‘‘Despite our best efforts over the last year or so, it’s become increasingly clear that the spark simply isn’t there between the three of us at the moment.’’
The band were recording a new album, with work postponed for frontman Daniel Johns to work on short musical drama My Mind’s Own Melody, which he co-wrote.
‘‘Over the months that followed in the studio it became clear to us that we were moving in different directions,’’ the statement said.
‘‘We assure you that this decision has not been taken lightly. In fact we’ve been struggling with it for quite a while now.’’
Formed in Merewether as the Innocent Criminals in 1992, Silverchair found success with the single Tomorrow and their first album while still in high school.
They won a record 21 ARIAs and sold more than six million albums.
But while the last five years have offered little indication a Silverchair resurrection could be close, drummer Ben Gillies corrected fans saying the band had split up the night their hiatus was announced.
‘‘It’s NOT a split up I repeat N.O.T a split up Gotta read the fine print :),’’ he said.
Among their last shows was a Maitland Groovin’ the Moo performance, which acted as a de facto hometown farewell and featured unreleased songs that linger online in amateur footage.
Here’s how Herald reporter Amy Edwards covered the Hunter’s reaction in May 2011:
SILVERCHAIR'S "indefinite hibernation" has saddened and shocked the Newcastle band's fans and friends.
Members Daniel Johns, Ben Gillies and Chris Joannou made the sudden announcement on their website on Wednesday claiming they would pursue separate interests for the foreseeable future.
The band formed about 20 years ago in Newcastle when they were just 12 years old.
The group's high school music teacher, Philip Sketchley, said he remembered Johns as a particularly enthusiastic music student at Newcastle High School.
"Daniel started writing songs and he was very creative and experimental with music," Mr Sketchley said.
"It's a sad thing. I've followed their entire career."
Luke Price was just 19 when his upcoming Newcastle band Light Noise supported Silverchair at Queens Wharf Brewery for New Year's Eve (2006-07).
"It was a massive thing. I grew up listening to Silverchair and playing their covers," he said yesterday.
The announcement, which followed reports that Silverchair were working on a new album, has confused some fans.
Silverchair's facebook page was bombarded with messages yesterday.
A spokeswoman from Silverchair's management said the band would not be making any further comment.