DANIEL JOHNS ANNOUNCES IMMERSIVE TIME-TRAVELLING ART EXHIBITION, BREAKS SILENCE ON REHAB STINT & SILVERCHAIR REUNION RUMOURS!

Tickets on-sale now for ‘Past, Present & FutureNever’ Exhibition at radiovelvet.com

Today Daniel Johns announces two new pillars in his ever-evolving ARIA #1 FutureNever multiverse – a ‘world first’ immersive event experience and a revealing new docuseries. Preview Here!

‘Past, Present & FutureNever’, a ground-breaking art experience, lands in Melbourne from 26 August – 9 October 2022. Exploring the height of ‘90s Australian grunge culture through to Johns’ history-making album ‘FutureNever’, the showcase is set to unlock the vault of personal memorabilia from the rockstar and introduce an array of experiential exhibits from the future.

“I can say without a hint of exaggeration that ‘Past, Present & FutureNever’ is the most ambitious project I’ve ever been a part of. For 45 minutes, people can physically time-travel back to my childhood and into the FutureNever in a way that provides a greater insight into my creative process and personal life than any live concert could ever hope to achieve. It’s literally a lifetime of work that has gone into it and I’m prouder of it than anything I’ve ever done.” – Daniel Johns

The announcement comes as episode one of ‘Inside the Mind of Daniel Johns,’ an intimate three-part docuseries premieres at 6pm AEST today on YouTube. Alongside announcing the arrival of ‘Past, Present & FutureNever,’ the revealing first episode sees Johns break his silence on his nervous breakdown, struggles with self-medication, rehab stint, his invitation to his former Silverchair bandmates to appear on album ‘FutureNever’ and his ultimate response to their rejection.

A quote from Daniel, about Ben Gillies and Chris Joannou declining to play on his latest FutureNever album, from this evening’s episode has been revealed today: “I asked them not out of necessity, I asked them because I wanted to make it clear that I don’t have an issue with them as people - I just didn’t want to play under the banner of Silverchair. Once I’d established myself as an artist outside of Silverchair.  I asked them to come again and then when they didn’t want to, I didn’t care. It was like, ‘I asked you, it’s cool, I’ll play the drums with spatulas’.”

Daniel’s new #1 ARIA album ‘FutureNever’ (BMG) has broken chart records, becoming the longest-reigning Top 2, Top 3, Top 5 and Top 10 Australian release of 2022, all while he has been conspicuously absent from any promotion. The album has captivated the hearts of fans and critics alike, becoming the most critically acclaimed album in the career of Daniel Johns, the most ARIA-awarded artist of all time and also a Grammy, Emmy and multi-APRA winning composer.

Speaking on his absence during the album’s success in today’s episode, Daniel says: “I haven’t been there at all to promote ‘FutureNever’, so for it to become the chart success it has is testament to the people who have been supporting me and I’m eternally grateful for the love. For probably the first time in my life, I’ve sacrificed the art for both my physical and mental health. I had a nervous breakdown, I really fucked up — I’ve been processing pain and guilt. I’m going on the record now to talk about the dark but also the light. This is a healing journey, but I also need to talk about the music because it’s the only thing that pulled me through.”

More about ‘Past, Present & FutureNever’:

Arriving at a multi-level standalone showcase in Melbourne from 26 August – 9 October 2022, ‘Past, Present & FutureNever’ sees Australia’s most innovative record label BMG and award-winning exhibition creators Radio Velvet join forces with pioneering artist Johns to deliver a new experience defying convention and boundaries.

A journey steeped in grunge nostalgia, the exhibition begins in the teenage bedroom of Johns, exploring intimate musings from the artist’s adolescent diary, school reports, an extensive throwback wardrobe and original handwritten lyrics of global hits including ‘Freak’ and ‘Tomorrow’, before being whisked away to tomorrow and beyond.

In a takeover of Melbourne’s landmark Rialto skyscraper, the exhibition brings the creative genius of Daniel Johns to life, as his enchanting, and often haunting, vision is explored and curated through not only a treasure trove of memorabilia, but multiple interactive instalments including a custom DeLorean (aka ‘DanieLorean’) transformed by a ‘FutureNever’ soundscape synchronised with projection mapping and an eery live pianola experience.

Angus Kingsmill, Founder and Managing Director of Radio Velvet, the team behind some of Disney’s most creative collaborations for iconic brands including Marvel, Mickey Mouse and Star Wars, explains: “As a fan of Daniel's musical genius for decades, I was stoked when he reached out personally to request that Radio Velvet bring his vision to life.”

“We have been privileged to work with the biggest entertainment properties on the planet in recent years, but this exhibition stands alone in terms of detail and storytelling. Our biggest, yet most personal, spectacular and immersive to-date."

Speaking on the ambitious feat, award-winning Curator and Radio Velvet Creative Director, Eddie Zammit adds: “A trip to Newcastle to spend time with the Johns family led us to discover the pristine chronicle they had lovingly preserved for 30 years. It’s truly the most extensive archive of Australian music memorabilia we have ever seen!”

“Pairing this historic narrative with the infectious creativity of Daniel, alongside ground-breaking technology and special effects, has enabled us to morph fantasy and reality to create something truly special.”

“If you’ve only listened to a Daniel Johns song or album, you’ve only scratched the surface. Any good exhibition uncovers something new — this is no exception!”

A host of creative collaborators join Johns and Zammit on this journey, including mega mural artist Adnate with an emotional portrait of Johns looking to the future, yet reflecting on the ‘Frogstomp’ era through his eyes, and in-demand street artist Claire Foxton with a portrayal of a youthful Dan brimming with teen angst as he climbs the ladder in the music industry, along with work from Celeste Mountjoy, George Rose, Travis Price and more.

“Daniel’s creativity is limitless, his vision is simultaneously vast and laser focussed. This era is Daniel Johns at the peak of his powers and ‘Past, Present & FutureNever’ is a spectacularly ambitious statement from an artist who has broken every shackle the industry has dared place upon him. In a world where artists are being asked to truncate their vision to create social media soundbites, Daniel has dared to build a multi-level sensory experience that is equal part art exhibition and theme park. The team at BMG is beyond proud to partner with our pioneering friends at Radio Velvet to bring Dan’s technicolour vision to life — I promise you will leave with your jaw on the floor” said Heath Johns, BMG Managing Director (Australia and New Zealand).

‘Past, Present & FutureNever’ lands at Rialto Melbourne (525 Collins Street) from 26 August – 9 October 2022, with tickets on-sale now. To find out more and to purchase tickets, head to radiovelvet.com. $5 from every ticket sale will go towards the FutureNeverFund, a charitable fund from Johns to help raise money to create better futures for people and animals in need. FutureNeverFund recently announced a partnership with Animals Asia where Daniel became a ‘bear guardian’ funding for the rescue and rehabilitation of a moon bear named Sweep in Vietnam.

More about ‘Inside the Mind of Daniel Johns’:

Offering a rare and fascinating glimpse into the inner-workings of Daniel Johns, the three-part docuseries begins with him confiding in long-term friend, Los Angeles based KROQ Drive Announcer, Megan Holiday from his home in Newcastle.

Following the global smash Spotify original podcast ‘Who Is Daniel Johns?’, which quickly became the biggest Australian podcast of 2022 and a chart hit in the US, Canada, UK and New Zealand, ‘Inside The Mind of Daniel Johns’ goes even deeper with Daniel answering many of the questions that people were still asking following the podcast.

Episodes will be released weekly on YouTube from Monday 22nd August:

Act I – Reclaim Your Art, Monday 22nd August at 6pm AEST

Act II – The Silver Chair, Monday 29th August at 6pm AEST

Act III– FutureNever (forever), Monday 5th September at 6pm AEST

PRESS PICS AVAILABLE HERE

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Colette Cordes | colette.cordes@organic-publicity.com | 0415 251 917

Annabelle Gigliotti | annabelle.gigliotti@organic-publicity.com | 0424 562 685

For Music Media Daniel Johns enquiries contact:

Trent Titmarsh Media & PR Services | publicity@trenttitmarsh.com.au | 0411 484 619

Notes to editors:

‘FutureNever’

Daniel Johns’ critically-acclaimed, #1 ARIA album FutureNever (released April 2022 via BMG) is Johns’ most stupefying and arresting full-length statement to date. FutureNever is the longest-reigning Australian album in the ARIA Top 20 in 2022, spending six weeks in the top 15. The record features artists including Peking Duk, What So Not, Moxie Raia, Van Dyke Parks and newcomer purplegirl, and has achieved radio support with adds across Nova, Triple M, Double J and Triple J, with ‘I Feel Electric’ recently cracking the Top 10 most played on the youth broadcaster.

FutureNever has received the most favourable reviews of Johns’ career, with 4-star ratings from NME Australia and The Guardian, and The Australian labelling Johns as “Australia’s greatest living rockstar”.

FutureNeverFund

FutureNeverFund is Daniel’s newly-created charitable fund to help raise money to create better futures for people and animals in need, with a focus on mental health, racial inequality, diversity in the arts and animal welfare. From every ticket sale of the ‘Past, Present & FutureNever’ exhibition, $5 will go towards the FutureNeverFund.

‘What if the Future Never Happened’

From the mind of Daniel Johns, ‘What If The Future Never Happened?’ is a genre-bending, semi-autobiographical featurette that puts reality and fantasy in a hyper-speed spin cycle.

It’s 1994, mere months before a teenage rockstar called Daniel (Rasmus King) would conquer the global music world in ways never-before-seen. On this ordinary day in regional Australia, while escaping the routine torment of three local bullies (led by newcomer Lockie Ranson), a chance interaction with a mysterious figure from the future will change Daniel’s Tomorrow forever.

The featurette blurs the line between film and music video, shatters the boundary between biopic and sci-fi fantasy and further cements Daniel Johns as a pioneering creator making art that defies convention and boundaries.

Watch the haunting trailer for ‘What If The Future Never Happened?’ here with the featurette coming soon

‘Who Is Daniel Johns?’ Podcast

In 2021, Daniel Johns released the internationally-acclaimed Spotify Original podcast ‘Who Is Daniel Johns?’ an in-depth, documentary-style podcast that shares (for the first time ever) an unfiltered version of John’s life and career. Narrated by Golden Globe nominee and close friend of Dan’s, Guy Pearce, the podcast features a myriad of A-list celebrities and musicians that have all played crucial roles in Dan’s life, including: Billy Corgan (Smashing Pumpkins); Tom DeLonge (Blink 182, Angels & Airwaves); Kevin Parker (Tame Impala); long-time collaborator Van Dyke Parks; and his ex-wife and close friend Natalie Imbruglia. The podcast was an instant success, charting at #1 in Australia for five consecutive weeks, peaking at #3 in Canada, #11 in the UK, #23 in US, #47 in Ireland and #58 in Brazil.