Terpene

"Pure Massacre"
Single by Silverchair
from the album Frogstomp
B-side
  • "Faultline" (live)
  • "Stoned" (live)
Released16 January 1995 (1995-01-16)
Length4:34
LabelMurmur
Songwriter(s)Daniel Johns, Ben Gillies
Producer(s)Kevin Shirley
Silverchair singles chronology
"Tomorrow"
(1994)
"Pure Massacre"
(1995)
"Israel's Son"
(1995)

"Pure Massacre" is a song by Australian rock band Silverchair, released in January 1995 as the second single from their debut album, Frogstomp (1995). It was a successful follow-up to the band's debut number-one single, "Tomorrow", peaking at number two in both Australia and New Zealand. It also reached number 17 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and number 12 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart. The song was performed on Saturday Night Live.[1]

Lyrics[edit]

According to interviews with lead singer and guitarist Daniel Johns, the song and its lyrics are inspired by the Bosnian War:[2]

"It's pretty stupid, war, like that. So, it seemed the right thing to write a song about, rather than about the usual--girls or whatever. It took about a half an hour; it came straight to my head."[3][4]

Music video[edit]

The Australian music video was directed by Robert Hambling and filmed at a real Silverchair concert in Sydney.[5][6] The American music video was directed by Peter Christopherson.[7]

Track listing[edit]

Australian CD and cassette single (MATTCD005; MATTC005)

  1. "Pure Massacre"
  2. "Faultline" (live in Newcastle, 21 October 1994)
  3. "Stoned" (live in Newcastle, 21 October 1994)

European CD single (6612872)

  1. "Pure Massacre"
  2. "Acid Rain"
  3. "Blind"
  4. "Stoned"

UK CD single (6622642)

  1. "Pure Massacre"
  2. "Acid Rain"
  3. "Blind"

UK 12-inch single (0166226420)

  1. "Pure Massacre"
  2. "Acid Rain"
  3. "Stoned"
  4. "Blind"

Charts[edit]

Certifications[edit]

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[18] Platinum 70,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history[edit]

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
Australia 16 January 1995
  • CD
  • cassette
Murmur [19][failed verification]
United Kingdom 17 July 1995
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
[20]

References[edit]

External links[edit]

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