If you were a kid in the 1980s you probably ate a Sunnyboy or two.
The original 'Sunnyboy' was a pyramid-shaped ice cream that came in a brightly-coloured tetra-pack. One side would be a hard, solid rock of ice, the other side soft and syrupy. Kids would guzzle down their favourite half and tear open the tetra-pack to see if they'd won a free ice cream, before being scolded by their parents for spraying fragments of Sunnyboy over everyone around them. It's this simple feel-good summer memory that led power-pop pioneers Sunnyboys to name themselves after this summer treat; they wanted to encapsulate that feeling of being young, happy and free.
It followed that when the band took the stage in the early 1980s it was their style of syrup-laden sunshine-pop that propelled them to the top of playlists everywhere. Yet amidst the glory-run of Sunnyboys' first few years, behind their well-groomed Countdown appearances, the band's leader was plagued by personal demons. No one saw the demise of the band coming and, in 1984, no one really understood.
"We were pretty surprised at the time. We didn't actually recognise it as mental illness."
Bill Bilson, Sunnyboys drummer and original member, reflects on the original life of his band with the patience and wisdom that comes with age and hindsight. Emotions have waned with time, and the reflection is objective, fair and unflinching.
"Jeremy wasn't actually diagnosed with schizophrenia until much later on. At the time we sort of felt that he was going through a lot of emotional changes due to things happening in his personal life — pressures of touring, exhaustion. I mean, we were worked to the bone there for a while. We toured a lot and it took its toll. I think he probably felt some pressure to come up with the goods as well, you know, to write. It was difficult to recognise that he had mental health issues at the time... he was still basically Jeremy, he just seemed to not be in a happy place."
In the end, the decision to call it quits wasn't dramatic or fuelled by ill-will. It was a mutual one, borne out of necessity and of an understanding that, for lead singer Jeremy Oxley's sake, a change was needed.
"It was something that needed to happen at the time because of Jeremy's health. I'm not sure if 'regret' is the word I'd use for myself... I was probably more disappointed. I thought we had a few good albums left in us. It took a little time for it to sink in, after a whirlwind couple of years. There was no ill feeling. everyone in the band still communicated and got along very well."
For many years Sunnyboys fans have been teased and tantalised with the prospect of a fully-fledged reunion. Partial incarnations of the band persisted throughout the late 1980s, and in 1998 a near-complete revival occurred when Sunnyboys performed for Mushroom Records' 25th anniversary. Many were left wondering why the band didn't persist after that performance — surely enough time had passed by then, surely reformation was on the cards? It was not to be. Fans would have to wait another decade yet.
"(In 1998) Jeremy was not in one of his better periods. At the Mushroom concert we basically just did two songs, so it was relatively easy. At that particular time putting the band back together would not have been a wise decision. If you'd asked me in 2000 I still would have thought that it would be very unlikely that we'd ever get back together and play again. But in the last couple of years it's all really fallen together and become really quite good."
It was under a pseudonym that Sunnyboys finally re-emerged, tentatively venturing into the spotlight once more at a Hoodoo Gurus gig. Bill can't remember where exactly they'd performed under the name "Kids In Dust" before, but he assures me it has been many, many years since the moniker was last used.
"The Gurus had talked about the Sunnyboys playing; there was talk of Pete and Jay doing an acoustic set. Jay thought it was a little daunting because it was something he'd never done before and said that he'd feel more comfortable playing electrically with the full band. It was exhilarating, exciting. With such a long time in between gigs it felt fresh again. It was really quite enjoyable."
Finally then, it seems like Sunnyboys are back... for a while, anyway. Their drummer, at least, seems filled with optimism, even if age does bring with it new challenges.
"Jeremy's in a great place at the moment, he's feeling very comfortable within himself. The main challenge for me though is probably the physical requirements. Being the age I am now it requires me to work a little harder on my fitness levels!"
Sunnyboys play the following shows:
Fri May 24 — Coolangatta Hotel (w/ Not OK)Sat May 25 — Coolangatta Hotel (w/ RedGlo)
Sun Jun 02 — Vivid Sydney @ Sydney Opera House Concert Hall
The world premiere of The Sunnyboy, a documentary following Jeremy Oxley's breakthrough success and subsequent 30-year battle with schizophrenia, will screen at Sydney Opera House preceding their performance on June 2. The premiere will be presented in association with Sydney Film Festival.
