Neon Ballroom

Neon Ballroom
Studio album by Silverchair
Released 8 March 1999
Recorded 9 May – 7 October 1998
Studio Festival Studio, Pyrmont, New South Wales, Australia
Genre Post-grunge, alternative rock, art rock
Length 49:36
Label
Producer Nick Launay
Silverchair chronology
Freak Show
(1997)		 Neon Ballroom
(1999)		 The Best Of: Volume 1
(2000)
Singles from Neon Ballroom
  1. "Anthem for the Year 2000"
    Released: February 1999
  2. "Ana's Song (Open Fire)"
    Released: May 1999
  3. "Miss You Love"
    Released: September 1999
  4. "Paint Pastel Princess"
    Released: December 1999

Neon Ballroom is the third studio album by Australian alternative rock band Silverchair, released in 1999 by record labels Murmur and Epic.

Background, writing and recording

From May 1998, Silverchair worked on their third studio album, Neon Ballroom, with Nick Launay (The Birthday Party, Models, Midnight Oil) producing again.[1][2] The band had originally intended to take a 12-month-break after the release of 1997's Freak Show, but in the end they decided to devote their time to making new music.[3]

In 1999, Johns announced that he had developed the eating disorder, anorexia nervosa, due to anxiety.[4] Johns noted that the lyrics to "Ana's Song (Open Fire)" dealt with his disorder, where he would "eat what he needed [...] to stay awake."[5] He revealed that his eating problems developed from the time of Freak Show and when Neon Ballroom was written he "hated music, really everything about it", but felt that he "couldn't stop doing it; I felt like a slave to it."[6] Johns sought therapy and medication but felt "It's easier for me to express it through music and lyrics".[4]

Content

Neon Ballroom was an overhaul of the band's musical style found on its first two albums, Frogstomp and Freak Show. "Anthem for the Year 2000", for example, retained much of the band's youthful rock energy but featured a new rock song structure and various electronic effects. Eight years after the album's release, Silverchair frontman Daniel Johns said: "To me, I honestly feel like our first record was Neon Ballroom. I've never felt any different. I don't feel like our first two albums were Silverchair: that's our teenage high school band. I don't like them at all. I listen to them and go, 'That's cute', especially the first one, because Frogstomp we were 14. But the second one we're like 16, I'm like 'You're getting older. You're running out of chances'".[7]

"Spawn Again" dates back to 1996, originally considered for the band's Freak Show album. It was recorded under the original title "Spawn" when demoing tracks for Neon Ballroom and included, in remixed form (by hip-hop group Vitro, on the 1997 soundtrack to the film Spawn, adding various electronic elements to the track. A "Pre-Vitro" mix of the same recording was also released on the Neon Ballroom Limited Edition bonus disc, Volume 1 in 2000, and the Rarities 1994–1999 compilation in 2002.

The Neon Ballroom album version is a complete re-recording of the song, re-titled "Spawn Again", featuring additional lyrics, specifically an entire verse pertaining to animal liberation. The album recording of "Anthem for the Year 2000" is a different mix on the Australian release than the one found on other releases (including singles). "Satin Sheets" was originally called "Punk Song #3" (and was a contender for Freak Show) and "Paint Pastel Princess" was "All the Same to Me".

Johns wrote all the songs on the album except for "Spawn Again" (Johns/Gillies).

Release

Neon Ballroom was released on 8 March 1999 on Sony Records imprint Murmur. The album debuted at number 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart,[8] and was certified 4× platinum by ARIA. It was also certified Platinum in the United States. Neon Ballroom outsold Freak Show in North America and throughout the world. As of 2016, Neon Ballroom has sold more than 2 million albums worldwide. The album charted in Canada, where it peaked at No. 5.[9] It reached the top 40 on the United Kingdom Albums Chart.[10]

The album has also been issued in gatefold cover vinyl, limited edition cassette and 180 gram vinyl in 2010, as well as in a double pack with Freak Show. On initial release in the UK, Neon Ballroom was issued as a limited edition with a bonus enhanced CD (see track listing).

Neon Ballroom provided three Australian top 20 singles: "Anthem for the Year 2000", "Ana's Song (Open Fire)" and "Miss You Love"; a fourth single, "Paint Pastel Princess", did not reach the top 50.[8] "Ana's Song (Open Fire)" peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks.[11] A vinyl version of the album was limited to 5,000 copies worldwide. In Europe and South America it became the group's most successful album to date. Rolling Stone's Neva Chonin attributed their chart success to the album's more "mature" sound.[12]

After the release of Neon Ballroom, Silverchair's three album contract with Sony Music had ended. The group eventually signed with Atlantic Records for North and South America, and formed their own label, Eleven: A Music Company (distributed by EMI), with their manager, John Watson for Australia and Asia.[13][14]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[15]
Entertainment WeeklyB[16]
Rolling Stone[17]

Australian rock music historian, Ian McFarlane said, "As well as being the band's best album to date, it was universally acknowledged as one of the best albums of the year."[1]

In October 2010, the album was listed at number 25 in the book 100 Best Australian Albums.[4]

Touring

Silverchair added an auxiliary keyboardist, Sam Holloway (ex-Cordrazine), for the Neon Ballroom Tour.[1] The US leg had the group playing with The Offspring and Red Hot Chili Peppers, while Silverchair's tour of UK and the rest of Europe had The Living End as the support act.[1] The group appeared at festivals in Reading and Edgefest, amongst others.[18]

Following the tour, the band announced that they would be taking a 12-month-break.[19] Their only live performance in 2000 was at the Falls Festival on New Year's Eve.[3][20] On 21 January 2001, the band played to 250,000 people at Rock in Rio, a show they described as the highlight of their career.[19]

Track listing

All tracks written by Daniel Johns, except "Spawn Again", written by Johns and Ben Gillies. 

No. Title Length
1. "Emotion Sickness"   6:01
2. "Anthem for the Year 2000"   4:08
3. "Ana's Song (Open Fire)"   3:42
4. "Spawn Again"   3:31
5. "Miss You Love"   4:01
6. "Dearest Helpless"   3:35
7. "Do You Feel the Same"   4:18
8. "Black Tangled Heart"   4:34
9. "Point of View"   3:35
10. "Satin Sheets"   2:24
11. "Paint Pastel Princess"   4:33
12. "Steam Will Rise"   5:18

Release history

Charts

Chart (1999) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[21] 1
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[22] 13
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[23] 5
Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)[24] 65
French Albums (SNEP)[25] 23
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[26] 13
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[27] 8
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[28] 26
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[29] 40
UK Albums (OCC)[30] 29
US Billboard 200[31] 50

Personnel

Silverchair
Additional personnel
Technical
Preceded by
Come on Over by Shania Twain		 Australian ARIA Albums Chart number-one album
15–21 March 1999 		Succeeded by
One Night Only by Bee Gees

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 McFarlane, 'silverchair' entry. Archived from the original on 19 April 2004. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
  2. ↑ Spencer, et al.
  3. 1 2 Richard, Kingsmill (29 November 2000). "Daniel Johns of silverchair speaks to Richard Kingsmill". Triple J. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Archived from the original on 29 January 2009. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 O'Donnell, John; Creswell, Toby; Mathieson, Craig (October 2010). "25: Silverchair – Neon Ballroom". 100 Best Australian Albums. Prahran, Vic: Hardie Grant Books. pp. 90–91. ISBN 978-1-74066-955-9.
  5. ↑ Fisher, Blair R (11 July 1999). "Silverchair Frontman Reveals Battle with Anorexia". Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner. Archived from the original on 30 January 2009. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
  6. ↑ Sams, Christine (6 June 2004). "Anorexia almost killed me: Daniel Johns". Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 14 October 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  7. ↑ "Silverchair: Skeletons in the Closet". FasterLouder. 27 March 2007. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  8. 1 2 Hung, Steffen. "Silverchair Discography". Australian Charts Portal. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on 13 October 2011. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
  9. ↑ "Silverchair > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on 14 October 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  10. ↑ Roberts, David, ed. (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). HIT Entertainment. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  11. ↑ "Silverchair > Charts & Awards > Billboard Singles". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Archived from the original on 14 October 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  12. ↑ Chonin, Neva (18 March 1999). "Silverchair: Neon Ballroom". Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner. Archived from the original on 6 July 2007. Retrieved 5 February 2008.
  13. ↑ Carr, Matt (26 May 2011). "Silverchair take "indefinite" Break". The Newcastle Herald. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 12 October 2011. Retrieved 12 October 2011.
  14. ↑ "Silverchair Signs with Eleven: Eleven signs with EMI". Silverchair. Archived from the original on 14 October 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  15. ↑ Anderson, Jason. "Neon Ballroom – Silverchair | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  16. ↑ Lanham, Tom (16 March 1999). "My Three Sons: Silverchair Grows Up on "Neon Ballroom"". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  17. ↑ Chonin, Neva (18 March 1999). "[Neon Ballroom review]". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
  18. ↑ Young, Daniel (29 August 1999). "Reading Festival – Reading, UK". Silverchair. Archived from the original on 14 October 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  19. 1 2 "Band: silverchair – Stories and Highlights". Long Way to the Top. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). 2001. Archived from the original on 14 October 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  20. ↑ Thomas, Les. "Silverchair, The Falls Festival, Lorne, Victoria, 31/12/00". Massive Magazine. Silverchair. Archived from the original on 14 October 2011. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  21. ↑ "Australiancharts.com – Silverchair – Neon Ballroom". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  22. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Silverchair – Neon Ballroom" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  23. ↑ "Silverchair – Chart history" Billboard Canadian Albums Chart for Silverchair. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  24. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Silverchair – Neon Ballroom" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  25. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Silverchair – Neon Ballroom". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  26. ↑ "Officialcharts.de – Silverchair – Neon Ballroom". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  27. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Silverchair – Neon Ballroom". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  28. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Silverchair – Neon Ballroom". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  29. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Silverchair – Neon Ballroom". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  30. ↑ "Silverchair | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  31. ↑ "Silverchair – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Silverchair. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
Sources
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