Fronted by singer-songwriter/guitarist Jeremy Oxley, the band began performing on the city's pub circuit – where, according to music historian Ian Mc Farlane, they "breathed some freshness and vitality into the divergent Sydney scene".
In 2012, the original line-up reunited for a surprise show in Sydney as part of the Dig It Up concert series, billed as "Kids in Dust".
The original line-up of Sunnyboys later played sporadic shows in 2013 and continued to tour periodically for the rest of the decade.
Brothers Jeremy and Peter Oxley and Bil Bilson came from the northern New South Wales town of Kingscliff where they played in a garage band called Wooden Horse.
Peter Oxley, Bil Bilson and Richard Burgman met in Sydney in 1979 and formed a band with Penny Ward, Shy Imposters, which broke up in early 1980.
These tracks, "Love to Rule", "The Seeker", "What You Need" and "Alone With You", appeared on the band's self-titled and independently released EP on Phantom Records in December 1980.
Sunnyboys' eponymous debut album was recorded at Alberts Studio in Sydney between May and July 1981 with producer/mentor Lobby Loyde.
Internal dissent plagued the band; Jeremy Oxley was battling mental illness and drinking heavily as a result.
Their farewell tour produced the album Sunnyboys Real Live, recorded over two nights in Sydney (29 and 30 June), which was released in November 1984.
The new band signed a deal with RCA and released an album entitled Wildcat (produced by ex-Sherbet keyboard player, Garth Porter).
In July 1991, Mushroom released the compilation album Play the Best and the original line-up reunited for a national tour.
[8] In April 2012, the original line-up of the band played as part of the Dig It Up concert series organised by the Hoodoo Gurus, at the Enmore Theatre in Sydney, Australia.
The album brought together the first ever re-release of the band's 1980 eponymous debut 7" (featuring the original version of "Alone with You") alongside four new recordings from the archives of chief songwriter Jeremy Oxley.