As the lead singer of the award winning, Australian rock band, SilverChair, Daniel Johns has been entertaining audiences worldwide since the mid 1990s. Their first album, Frogstomp, was released in 1995 when they were only 15 years old. Since then, this rock trio has gone on to be the first Australian band since INXS to have a top 10 selling album in the U.S. and, more recently, the recipients of the Best Group and Best Rock Album (Diorama) awards at the Australian Recording Industry Awards (ARIA) in Sydney on Oct. 15, 2002. Their albums include Freak Show (1997), Neon Ballroom (1999), and the award-winning 2002 release, Diorama.

Sadly, their recent tour has been postponed due to Daniel Johns ongoing battle with reactive arthritis; an inflammation (heat, pain and swelling) in the joints that can develop after a bacterial or viral infection somewhere else in the body. Some of the symptoms include, but are not limited to joint pain and swelling, conjunctivitis, skin rashes, and ulcers. (Reactive Arthritis; an information booklet, Arthritis Research Campaign).

According to chairpage.com, Johns' condition is improving significantly. "He has 90% functioning in his joints and is able to play guitar for up to 15 minutes at a time before he begins to lose mobility in his hands. Johns will return to Los Angeles this week for further treatment, and he is optimistic that he will be fully recovered and able to begin rehearsing for full concert performances to take place in early 2003."

Despite his struggle with this debilitating condition, Johns was kind enough to grant VegetarianTeen.com an interview.

Why are you vegan? What was the motivating factor?

Basically, the reason I'm vegan is because when I was about 16 or 17 years old, I began to understand that we don't need to contribute to the killing and exploitation of animals to feed our bodies correctly.

What's been the hardest part of becoming vegan?

The hardest part of being a vegan is constantly having to check ingredients and being perceived as "fussy."

Have you experienced any conflict with your family, friends, and/or the general public about your choice to live a cruelty-free lifestyle? If so, how do you deal with the criticism? How do you handle social activities with non-vegans?

I have not really experienced any significant conflict with anyone in regard to my choice to be vegan, although going out to eat is hard sometimes.

Have you done any activism? If so, what organizations and why?

I'm always active in trying to educate people when it comes to eating animal products, testing on animals, and the health benefits of being vegan, although I'm probably not the best person to be talking about the latter at the moment.

Do you feel society has become more aware of and accepting of vegetarians, vegans and animal rights activists over the years? If so, how? How would you like to see it progress from where it stands now?

I just believe that the more knowledge and understanding people accumulate the more accepted a vegan/vegetarian lifestyle becomes.

Do you think government should get involved in the Animal Liberation Movement?

The government should become involved in animal liberation but I don't believe this will happen due to the money involved in the meat trade. Money tends to come before compassion for a lot of "powerful people." They could maybe have a lot more to say about animal experimentation.

Do you have any thoughts on the recent findings of the "terrorist tapes" exposing raw, sick and inhumane treatment of animals by testing chemicals for an attack on the US?

My thoughts on the "terrorist tapes" are that with people that f***ed in the head performing these acts of cruelty it is almost less disturbing than seeing "normal, everyday people" doing similar (although less publicized) things in laboratories, slaughter houses and battery cages every day of our lives.

What are your normal eating habits? How does it differ when you are on the road?

My eating habits differ when I'm on the road purely because the right food isn't as accessible as when I'm home, so I do the best I can and take loads of supplements and protein powder.

How do you get by in life making sure even the little things are cruelty-free? Are there specific cruelty-free companies you prefer?

I get by knowing that I'm doing the best I can with the information I have, for example, finding shaving razors that are not tested on animals.

Would you mind telling us how you found your precious friend, Sweep?

I found Sweep in an animal shelter when she was about 2 weeks old and felt an immediate connection with her although she was extremely timid and shy. She's now 6 1/2 years old and not much bigger.

Would you mind addressing your battle with Reactive Arthritis; the condition, how long you've been dealing with this, the struggles and how you're staying positive?

Reactive arthritis is something I've been dealing with for nearly a year. It's hard going to bed at night not knowing whether I'll be able to walk or even get out of bed the next morning. I try to stay positive by focusing on how much I'll appreciate my health if I get better.

Is your diet affecting your recovery? Are your doctors supportive of your diet?

I've been told that animal protein would make my recovery quicker by my doctors are understanding of my moral dilemma with this so they're pretty supportive.

Do you have any advice for your fans? What would you like to tell our readers?

My advice for readers would be to look into B12 supplements as it is vital for human health and can be hard to get, especially if you're a vegan.

For more information on Silverchair, the band members and their music, please check out chairpage.com. For more information about Reactive Arthritis, please visit this page.