Amanda Hocking

Amanda's Blog Post

Why aren’t you listening to Young Modern?

February 14th, 2011 by
This post currently has 17 comments

I wrote a whole blog and just deleted it. It was a bit of an industry post, but you know what? I don’t want to write an industry post.

My shoulder is feeling better (thanks everybody for your well wishes). I do think I’m going to see about getting a massage or something this week, because it’s still sore and weird. I also ordered one of those back support things that pulls your shoulders back. I think I slouch too much when I write.

Anyway, my back was feeling good enough so I could some of the writing done that I needed to get done. So yay to that!

But mostly what I want to talk about is how neat Daniel Johns is. Every few months, I remember how much I enjoy Daniel Johns and Silverchair, and I start getting really antsy for a new album. If you caught my Top Ten Albums of 2000 Through 2010 list, then you saw that Silverchair’s Young Modern is #1 album on my list.

Look, America, I get it. It’s confusing at first. Frogstomp was all grungy, and it was these three pretty kids that look like a cross between Hanson and Nirvana. And then they had Freak Show, which musically was along the same lines, but when Neon Ballroom came out, it started changing. But expect these pretty grunge boys, and Young Modern comes out, it’s on a completely different level.

When I downloaded Young Modern, I instantly thought it was a mistake. That did not sound like Silverchair. But it was. Once you get past that it’s Silverchair, and you get past that’s it not completely what you expected it to be, you realize that it’s something even better.

After I got it, I had to set Young Modern away for awhile. I was like, “No. I don’t enjoy this.” But I was wrong. For some reason, I listened to the album again a few months later, and I’ve been in love ever since. I just think it’s totally and completely brilliant, and the most underrated album in America in the last decade.

Sometimes, when I listen to it, and realize that most people in the US don’t listen to it or haven’t even heard of it, I think I really need to move to Australia. And that’s not drastic at all. The album is so good I would be completely justified in moving across the world to live where the album is appreciated.

According to what Wikipedia told me that Daniel Johns said, they were working on their next album in late 2009. Now, I don’t want to rush the process (not that I think I am, because I sincerely doubt Daniel Johns reads my blog), but I am ready for a new album. Beyond ready. 

Also, I am a massive fan of Daniel Johns, but my fandom is very complicated. I can’t even explain it. But all my feelings about him are positive, even if I don’t understand them. They feel all tied up in other emotions and nostalgia for something that I don’t even know what it is.

Anyway – the moral is: Silverchair should come out with a new album. You should all go buy and listen to Young Modern. Daniel Johns is really pretty.

(I unexpectedly find his new scruffed up black-eyed look more attractive than his effeminate pretty look.)

Here’s “Straight Lines” by Silverchair for your listening/viewing pleasure (hey, if my mom is reading this, this is the song that’s been your ringtone on my phone for the past four years.)

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  • sk says:

    I adore silverchair, I grew up listening to them and I’ve been listening to them non stop the past couple of days as I am suffering severe nostalgia…I really wish I had gotten tixs to the Young Modern tour
    And I agree, Daniel Johns is a hottie! He has the best smile I think…

  • Anonymous says:

    wow. Just listened to the Think Positive solo album by Daniel Johns. Cried listening to the song “One day at a Time”. Very emotional music. Obviously this guy has deep feelings. Good on Daniel Johns.

  • Anonymous says:

    Hi Amanda have you listened to the new solo albums of Daniel Johns on itunes. The Think Positive Album and the Australian Album. I think this is Daniel’s best work so far and shows great maturity. Every song has something special and the lyrics are really full of inspiration as well as being musically gifted. What do you think? I think the Think Positive Album by Daniel Johns is amazing.

  • Fitz says:

    I love “Young Modern”, too – but “Diorama” (which You seem to have forgotten to mention) is, in my opinion, THE greatest album of all time. I keep coming back to it and even after 9 years, it’s still a magical experience 🙂

  • Rebecca says:

    Thanks for plugging a great Australian band!

  • Tyhitia says:

    Hi Amanda,

    I’ve always liked Silverchair and I love “Tomorrow”. 😀

  • Rane says:

    Yeah, he’s Daniel is pretty hot.

  • cme says:

    I know exactly what you mean about Young Modern being difficult. I listen to it, then get kind of angry with the sound but later find myself trying to hum the tune. Weird. I really love your writing. Thanks for taking the leap.x

  • I googled you after your name came up in a discussion on Absolute Write (a writer’s board). The discussion came about after someone posted about “augmenting” his own sales on Amazon by buying copies of his own book to make it seem like he was a best seller.

    The person in question seems to think this is how your books rose in the ranks and that it’s the normal operating procedure for self-published authors.

    I’m not suggesting argument, but maybe some facts from someone who’s actually had success with legitimate self-publishing could help him out.

    Here’s the link, if you’re interested.
    http://absolutewrite.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=47

  • Ser_San says:

    Hello from Spain,
    -Canary Islands to be exact

    I sympathize with your backache. I used to have terrible higher back and neckache, went to orthopedist and took physiotherapy sessions for over two months. I could only get temporary relief.

    Then one day I decided to google and read everything I could find about backache. I found out that abdominal muscles are very important for a healthy spinal cord. Sound wierd right? But in my case, it makes so much sense because I have probably the world loosiest abdominal muscles. I didn’t even think they existed 🙂 Then I started trying to do the exercises in this video everyday or every other day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNqrkGnkUWc

    Already after 1 week I could feel the difference. I could walk straight and the pain started decreasing.

    Now, I am angry with the orthopedist. He should have given me this info and saved me a lot of time and pain!

    Hope this helps.

    P.S.: By the way I found your blog while googling independent publishing. I am impressed by your success! I hope it gets even better.