Silverchair’s history making debut album Frogstomp today celebrates 30 years since release on Friday March 27th, 1995.
To celebrate this momentous occasion, Sony Music held a sold-out event at the Metro Social in Sydney, where Ben Gillies & Chris Joannou joined Richard Kingsmill on stage to discuss the album, The Buoys played ‘Pure Massacre’ and ‘Tomorrow’, and the album was played in full.
On the night, fans were able to purchase the Frogstomp black vinyl, the remastered CD, Green Marbled coloured vinyl, as well as the ‘Tomorrow’, ‘Shade’ and ‘Israel’s Son’ limited edition singles. There were also 13 prints by acclaimed photographer Tony Mott signed and limited to 20 of each image available to purchase from the Frogstomp era. For those unable to attend on the night, you can head to https://www.onrepeat.com.au/collections/silverchair to purchase.
Formed in the industrial town of Newcastle at the age of just 14, Silverchair (Daniel Johns, guitars and vocals; Ben Gillies, drums; Chris Joannou, bass) saw their debut single ‘Tomorrow’ become the nation’s number one song on October 24th 1994. The track went on to remain at the top of the ARIA Singles Chart for the next 6 weeks.
Then in April 1995, Frogstomp became the first debut album by an Australian artist to enter the national ARIA Album Chart at number one – the first of five #1 albums for the band. Within a week of release Frogstomp was certified platinum and remained in the top position on the ARIA album charts for the next three weeks. During this time the album was certified double platinum. By the end of 1995 the album was certified triple platinum and to date has sold over 420,000 units (6 x platinum) in Australia alone.
The album Frogstomp was not only embraced by their ever-growing fan base, but also by the Australian music industry and their peers and earned the band their first 5 ARIA Awards. They received a total of 21 ARIA Awards throughout their career, equalling with John Farnham for the most of any Australian artist in ARIA history.
The massive success story continued internationally when Frogstomp was released in the United States on June 20th, 1995. This was just one day before the band’s North American live debut at the Roxy Theatre in Atlanta, GA. ‘Tomorrow’ went on to top the Billboard Alternative and Rock Airplay charts and with heavy MTV airplay for the song’s video, directed by Mark Pellington, Frogstomp was certified Gold within two months of its US release. The second radio single, ‘Pure Massacre’, and its accompanying video clip by Peter Christopherson, combined with Silverchair’s extensive touring, took the album to 2x Platinum sales by November (over 2 Million recorded US sales). Frogstomp peaked at No. 9 on the US Billboard Top 200 Albums and remained on the chart for 49 consecutive weeks. The album has since gone double platinum in America selling over 2 million units.
“These young Aussies are masters of sonic sculpture” wrote Musician magazine at the time, “deftly using feedback and distortion to build vast cathedrals of sound of their bar-chord riffs and lean, catchy choruses”.
Frogstomp remains a stunning debut album, having to date sold over ten million copies worldwide, and remains an early indication of the even greater success yet to come for these fine young Australian musicians.
Track Listing:
CD1 / Vinyl / Digital /Deluxe Edition
Original remastered album
Israel’s Son
Tomorrow
Faultline
Pure Massacre
Shade
Leave Me Out
Suicidal Dream
Madman
Undecided
Cicada
Findaway
CD2 (Deluxe Edition only)
Tomorrow from Tomorrow EP
Acid Rain from Tomorrow EP
Blind from Tomorrow EP
Stoned from Tomorrow EP
Madman vocal version
Madman Live At The Cambridge
Blind Live At The Cambridge
Tomorrow Live At The Cambridge
Faultline Live At The Cambridge
Pure Massacre Live At The Cambridge
DVD (Deluxe Edition only)
Live At The Cambridge:
Madman
Blind
Tomorrow
Faultline
Pure Massacre
Israel’s Son – performed live on ABC’s ‘Recovery’, Royal Easter Show 1996
Tomorrow – official American music video
Pure Massacre – official music video
Israel’s Son – official music video
