And for almost 30 years it appeared like Sunnyboys would be forever bracketed as one of those bands that shone brightly, but all too briefly.

In the annuals of Australian music they have always been remembered for classics like Alone With You and Happy Man and for standing out in the beer-fuelled macho pub-rock scene with their summery brand of power-pop, laced with troubled frontman Jeremy Oxley's introspective lyrics.

But with just three albums - released between 1981 and 1984 - recorded by the original line-up of Jeremy Oxley (vocals, guitar), his older brother Peter (bass), Richard Burgman (guitar) and Bil Bilson (drums), Sunnyboys were seen as never fulfilling their potential.

Jeremy was often painted as a flawed genius due to his battle with schizophrenia.

Despite their short lifespan their influence endured. Powderfinger guitarist Ian Haug famously befriended bassist Jon Collins because he was wearing a Sunnyboys t-shirt.

But then in 2012 a second coming arrived unexpectedly for Sunnyboys. With Jeremy freshly married to nurse, Mary Griffiths, and finally receiving the correct medication for his schizophrenia, Sunnyboys accepted an invitation to support The Hoodoo Gurus at the Enmore Theatre.

Burgman flew out from his home in Canada especially for the rehearsals and gig.

The show was a triumph. More appearances followed at Meredith Music Festival, a headline show in Melbourne and supports gigs with Elvis Costello. Suddenly Sunnyboys were back.

"To restart back in 2012 has been this massive bonus, it's a really huge thing for us," Burgman says.

"We decided why not? We didn't know if Jeremy could do it because he'd been lost in the wilderness for ages.

"When it came together it came together really well. We looked at each other and thought this is really good."

For the past decade Sunnyboys have performed regularly and repackaged releases of their old material and hit albums Sunnyboys (1981) and Individuals (1982), but have strayed away from new material.

However, with all four members in their 60s, Sunnyboys are preparing to farewell their fans once more. Unlike their tortured 1984 demise where Jeremy's mental health and drinking was spiralling out of control, this farewell is on their own terms. It's a celebration of second chances.

"It's always fun and a blast to do the shows, it always has been, especially in the last 10 years," Burgman says.

"To have this last run happening is a bit weird. It's bittersweet, you might say. I don't know how we'll feel at the end. I guess we'll see."

The dynamics in Sunnyboys have also completely changed during their second coming.

Burgman says he has taken a bigger role in the band than previously.

"Jeremy is one who was the centre of the whole thing back then with us behind him and the band was actually pretty good," he says.

"To get back together the dynamics had to change because we can't rely on Jeremy so much to be the frontman.

"While he still does the singing and lead guitar work, I'm the one who does all the talking these days.

"Backstage has become more of a consensus and more collaborative. We now attempt to agree on what we'll do rather than be told. Back then it was the management who told you what to do next."

Unlike many of their contemporaries from Australia's famed-pub rock scene, Sunnyboys' music hasn't aged as dramatically.

Burgman says there's a timelessness to Jeremy's songwriting about being a teenager, with his own aspirations and insecurities, that continues to resonate.

"There were a lot of bands from that era which were four-to-the-floor rock'n'roll and they all wanted to be like AC/DC," he says.

"They'd talk about girls, drugs, cars. It's all surface stuff and macho and bravado, and that's fine and it definitely has its place.

"What we were doing was Jeremy's songs and Jeremy is an intelligent and introspective person. He's a cheerful, lovely human being.

"He likes to talk about the way he's actually feeling and that shows in the songs he wrote and his singing."

Sunnyboys' farewell tour visits Dee Why RSL (Friday); Anita's, Thirroul (Saturday); Newcastle NEX (February 4); Drifter's Wharf, Gosford (February 16) and Enmore Theatre, Sydney (February 18).