As you may know, Daniel Johns' Spotify podcast series is called, Who is Daniel Johns? Could he be the new Doctor Who?
Reader Sue Leask reckons the photo released of Johns to promote his FutureNever album suggests so. "The photo of Daniel Johns shows golden light streaming from his face. This is how the regeneration of Doctor Who happens," Sue said.
She noted that the release of the photo coincided with the end of the latest series of Doctor Who and the last appearance of the female doctor Jodie Whittaker.
"What a brilliant choice Daniel would be. He has a great look with intelligence, a dash of mystery and otherworldliness," Sue said.
"It would fit well with the announcement of his new album FutureNever."
Sue admits to being "a dedicated Whovian, old enough to have watched from the first episode, with a 40-something son, whose early vocabulary included exterminate!"
He'd call out "exterminate" from inside an upturned clothes basket.
Plus, she has a granddaughter who accompanied her to Melbourne for "a Doctor Who extravaganza".
So could Daniel Johns be Doctor Who? Who knows? We'd never say never.
The frog in the washing machine
In a message on social media, Daniel Johns said: "It's no secret that I've struggled with mental health. I mentioned on the podcast that nobody talked about it in the '90s. It's been a journey for me and sometimes a struggle, but I have many more good days than bad nowadays and that's a massive win.
"I see the messages, I read your comments and amongst the support I'm receiving (which I appreciate more than you know) I know that many of you guys have been fighting your own demons, too. Depression, illness, addiction etc. but guess what? You are still here too! I'm proud of you."
While making the podcast, Johns "admitted something to myself".
"I was a 'recovering child star' and in some people's minds I'm still an angsty teenager playing grunge music and that's OK". He said his chat with Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan on the podcast was "actually one of the best therapy sessions I've ever had". "He helped me further separate that from this, then from now."
"To hear one of your heroes relate to your struggle is powerful."
He also revealed the meaning behind the back cover art for FutureNever, by artist Matt Ryan. "The frog in the washing machine represents the thought cycle as you process the demons (or frogs) from your past. Make a conscious effort to acknowledge the past. Do you want your thought cycle to be cleansing or vicious? We have the weakness in us to make it the latter, but more importantly the power in us to make it the former.
"While the world may be a vampire, your mind is a washing machine. One day it'll turn off, but for now it's on. Look after it and recognise its ability to refresh and renew. Take that superpower with you into the FutureNever."
