Art Alexakis and Everclear Photo: AFP
US band Everclear were huge in the 1990s with hits like 'Father of Mine', 'Santa Monica' and 'Wonderful', and this summer they're teaming up with some of Australia's top rockers on the Summer Concert Series.
Los Angeles-born frontman Art Alexakis was addicted to drugs and alcohol since his teens, before getting clean 37 years ago.
The band he then formed in 1992 went on to sell over 6 million records - four albums went gold or platinum.
Everclear are still here to rock you
Now Alexakis, 63, despite being diagnosed multiple sclerosis, still performs over 100 shows a year with his band.
And the shows don't just attract '90s rock nostalgics, he says.
"Twenty to 25 percent of our following - and it increases every year - are kids.
"They weren't even born when these songs were on the radio, right? Their parents probably didn't know each other when these songs were on the radio. I think there's just a classic thing to the rock of the 90s.
"We all grew up, all of us in the 90s making music grew up in the 70s, which is where classic rock came from. So, the fact that it has that classic rock feel to it only, a little bit more contemporary and a little bit more edgy, I think that it just really connects with a lot of people."
While the band was still working hard, MS has curtailed his jumping-off-speaker days, he says.
"I'll tell you how it affects me, pretty much, balance, physical balance, my right side is really affected because the lesions from the MS are on the left side of my brain.
"So, you know, it mirrors right? It goes to the other side, so I tell my right foot to go somewhere, and it wants to go somewhere else. I gotta be very precise about, moving around, especially when I start moving fast on stage, so I'm not jumping off speakers like I used to back in the days, but we still put on a pretty great show."
"Flat-out fatigue" is also a challenge, he says.
"Just fatigue, not really cognitive issues, I have some memory issues, but everyone I know in their 60s has, I don't think it's unique to me."
Health problems aside, he's still living the dream, he says.
"Are you kidding me? I mean, I wanted to do this since when I was four I saw the Beatles on TV in '65 when I was three, going on 4, I've never wanted to do anything else. This is it, and I still get to do it. I've been doing it for 30 some years for a living, and I'm just grateful, just full of grace."
Fans can expect to hear the hits at an Everclear show, he says.
"A lot of bands don't play their hits, and that kind of irritates me, because I think that they're really important, that's how people know you. That's how people know your music.
"And I'm very grateful for my hits. They've been really good friends to me. They've taken care of me and my family my whole life."