[8][11] The band's career began when the three members were 15 years old when a demo recording of their song "Tomorrow" won a competition that was run by the SBS TV programme Nomad.

[8] The group, now named Silverchair, subsequently accepted a three-album deal from Sony Music in 1994, and the label hurriedly released their first album Frogstomp in 1995 after "Tomorrow" remained in the No.

In May 2011, Silverchair announced on their website that the band was going into "indefinite hibernation" and explained that "it's become increasingly clear that the spark simply isn't there between the three of us at the moment".

[17][18] Later that month, Johns and filmmaker Josh Wakely presented a talk at TEDx Sydney in which they discussed a film that they were working on that was tentatively titled My Mind's Own Melody.

Their debut album The Dissociatives (2004) was initially recorded in London, United Kingdom, and a few months later, the two regrouped in Sydney and Newcastle to finish off the project.

The Dissociatives toured with musicians Kim Moyes on drums, Julian Hamilton on keys, and James Haselwood on bass.

On 13 June 2008, it was reported on Silverchair's website that Johns was working on a new side project with Luke Steele (The Sleepy Jackson, Empire of the Sun), but a release date was not confirmed for the collaboration.

[22] In 2012, Johns collaborated with the Australian Chamber Orchestra to create the soundtrack Atlas for a Qantas Airlines commercial that began airing a week before the 2012 Olympics.

[23] Johns explained: When Qantas first approached me, I agreed to the project as I was really into the idea of creating a piece of music that represented Australia.

"[24] As of January 2013, Johns was scheduled to appear in a live performance with Van Dyke Parks as part of the Adelaide Festival on 8 March 2013 and was also rumoured to be working on a debut solo album.

However, band members Beau Golden and Dave Jenkins Jnr both posted new photos of Boom Tish in the studio in January 2020.

[34] Johns teamed up with Luke Steele from Empire of the Sun to form Dreams, releasing the single "No One Defeats Us" in March 2018.

"[37] For the 40th birthday of the Triple J radio station, Beat the Drum, held at The Domain, Sydney, on 16 January 2015, Johns performed a piano version of Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit".

Titled "Aerial Love", Peter Vincent, National Music Editor of The Sydney Morning Herald, described the song as "sexy" and "soulful".

The five-part podcast, produced by Kaitlyn Sawrey, Amelia Chappelow and Frank Lopez, features interviews with key figures in Johns' life, including ex-wife Natalie Imbruglia, Paul Mac, Van Dyke Parks and Billy Corgan.

[42] In an October 2021 interview on Network 10's The Project to promote the podcast, Johns said that while he still plans to work on new music, he may never play live again.

The judge said the charge was serious, but Johns' background and circumstances were exceptional, and gave him a relatively light punishment by disqualifying him from driving for seven months and a 10-month intensive corrections order.

[51] On 11 August 2019, The Sunday Telegraph and the Daily Mail published a false story about Johns, alleging that he had been spending his time at a notorious Sydney S&M brothel and bondage club called The Kastle.

[53] The Daily Mail issued a retraction and apology on 8 August 2020:[54] In late 1997, during the Freak Show tour, Johns experienced depression.

[55] In 2004, Johns spoke at length to ABC interviewer Andrew Denton about his battle with anorexia nervosa at that time, saying that he weighed less than 50 kg (110 lb) at his thinnest.

He kept company with his shar-pei–whippet crossbred dog named Gia, watched movies with the blinds closed, and ordered online grocery deliveries.

[61] In 1999, Johns met Australian actress, singer, and model Natalie Imbruglia backstage at a Silverchair concert in London.