IT ALL began in 2001 when five students from the University of Newcastle came together - from locations across the globe and the country - to form The Hauntingly Beautiful Mousemoon.
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Now, 18 years later, they will reform to perform just two shows, this month, at the Lass O'Gowrie Hotel and the Gum Ball.
"Our first gig was the 11th of August, 2001, at The Star Hotel," lead singer and guitarist Zackari Watt said.
The band enjoyed the highs and lows of rock'n'roll until 2006 when an inferno that razed the Morrow Park Bowling Club, where some band members were living, signalled the end.
"We were emotionally exhausted, "Watt said.
The band had spent years on the road touring, living and performing together. There was a stage when the entire band was virtually homeless and living out of their touring van.
Other scenarios saw them all living in a squat in Newcastle, and then a cabin in Goonengerry on the Far North Coast.
"That was the best part, but also the demise of the band," Gronhaug said. "We lived like a family. Like a family on the road in a band."
Things got "intense".
"Every experience we were having as burgeoning young adults, we were having within the context of this band, with everyone else," Watt said.
"Every decision every one of us made instantly and intrinsically affected everyone else.
"That was beautiful, but in the end it was just really hard."
Sound wise, the band drew on an eclectic array of influences but loosely fell into the progressive rock genre.
"That's hard to nail, which is why we could never really capture and record it," Gronhaug said.
"We had three main songwriters ... with extremely different backgrounds, which is probably what made the songs interesting."
Mousemoon did make a few recordings: a demo titled Four Early Songs; an EP recorded by Grant Walmsley, titled The Hauntingly Beautiful Mousemoon Presents, and an epic recording, which includes a live performance and studio tracks, titled Cry Baby Cry.
The latter is available on Spotify
Mousemoon expects to record its Gum Ball performance in the hope of finally capturing the spirit of the band.
The rest of the line up sees D.A Calf on guitar, Esther is on keys and sounds, and F.K.Bangs on bass.
Mousemoon will perform, supported by a secret-special guest, at the Lass O'Gowrie Hotel on April 24, and the Gum Ball on the 26th.
Tickets to the Lass gig are available at eventbrite.com.au
