The phoenix-like rise of eighties alternative-rock group Sunnyboys (1980 - 1984) continues with the announcement of a brand new best-of collection and a headline tour, the band's first since their one-off reformation in 1991.
Sunnyboys 'Our Best Of' is comprised of 16 tracks all remastered and hand-picked by the band and features the hits; fan faves and previously unreleased material including a pre-debut album demo; recently unearthed alternative mixes from their 1982 album, Individuals, and a bonus live-track taken from Sunnyboys recent Vivid Live performance.
'Our Best Of' will be released digitally and to CD via Warners reissue imprint Festival Records on December 6th 2013 with the CD package also including a 14 page booklet detailing the band's rise, mysterious disappearance, and eventual return plus, for the first time, Jeremy Oxley explains the meaning behind those songs.
"Contrary to popular belief, the song was not written as a "clue" to my mental health state at the time" - Jeremy re 'Trouble In My Brain'
The tour comes after 12 months years of sporadic live activity for Sunnyboys initiated in April 2012 by the Hoodoo Gurus and their Dig It Up! Invitational and culminating in a triumphant sold-out performance in June 2013 at the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House.
"Many acts make comebacks, more now than ever in fact, but I can't remember feeling so much love in a room for an Australian band that, like its audience, was reliving its glorious youth. It was a fantastic experience." - Iain Sheddon / The Australian re Sunnyboys at Dig It Up! in April 2012.
More recently a documentary about the turbulent life of Sunnyboys singer / guitarist / songwriter Jeremy Oxley and his 30 year battle with schizophrenia toured around the country appearing at Palace Cinemas and airing nationally on ABC TV to a hugely emotional response. Entitled The Sunnyboy, the documentary tells a remarkable story of survival and the healing power of love as Jeremy finds his way out of the darkness (post-Sunnyboys) to reclaim his place with family and friends and ultimately the Sunnyboys.
But all that is now behind them now. For Jeremy and the Sunnyboys the future holds so much more.
"Of the hundreds of bands, and thousand of people that we knew at the time, we're one of the few that can stand up and say "We were really good at what we did, and we're really proud of what we did" and we're lucky enough to still be able to get up and say to people 'We're really proud to be able to present this to you now'". Richard Burgman, Sunnyboys.
The 2014 tour will take in shows in Byron Bay, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide and will feature support spots from Perth power-pop icons The Stems (heirs to the Sunnyboys crown in the 80's), ex-Died Pretty frontman Ron S.Peno & The Superstitions, Geelong garage-punks The Frowning Clouds and local natives The V-Rays and The Windy Hills.
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