MTV NEWS: In news from down under, the Australian trio "Silverchair" is back with a new album, their second, called "Freakshow." The boys are older and wiser now than when we first met them, they've all turned 17, and they no longer scoff at string sections, or even sitars. They've also made a major decision, to ban their parents from the recording studio. Here's the story.

BEN GILLIES, drums: I think the second album's always the worst one. It's the one that says if you're a one-hit wonder or if you're a band that's gonna be here for a long time

MTV: Australian teen grunge trio, Silverchair, have followed up their double-platinum debut album, Frogstomp, with their own brand of freak show.

DANIEL JOHNS, Guitar and Vocals: Kinda like old freak shows of the 40s. Just traveling around and doing your show and going to the next town and doing it again. We saw there's a similarity there, and thought it'd be a good theme.

JOHNS: The songs are darker and heavier than the on the first album and the mellow songs are quieter than the quiet songs on the first album, but not as, happy.

MTV: Are the gloomy songs a reflection of gloomy songwriters?

JOHNS: We're not less happy, it's just that's how they turned out. We only really write when, when we're, like in a good mood or something, we're usually out going to the beach or walking the dog and doing that kind of stuff we don't want to write songs. It's just when we're bored and tired and got nothing to do and not in a good mood and pissed off, then we decide to write songs cause there's nothing else to do. So, that's just how the songs turn out.

MTV: These newest tunes made their international debut in a December concert on the web. With at least 30 web sites, Silverchair fans are among the more vocal and cyber-literate. Now the band is taking their live show to small clubs in the states for a few weeks, maintaining a laid-back vibe regarding the future.

JOHNS: It doesn't bother us if we're successful or not. As soon as we don't like it any more and it's starting to annoy us and we can't write anymore songs then we'll just stop and go back to the beach.

MTV NEWS: A transcript of that complete Silverchair interview can be found online at "mtv.com". The band will be gabbing live on "MTV Online" on Monday night, at 8 PM eastern time. Access it through "America Online," using the keyword "MTV" or "MTVArena."