Queensland band Hillbilly Goats were going "hell for leather" performing high-energy shows all over Australia until a sudden, life-threatening brain injury stopped the music.
Ahead of a string of headlining shows and festivals, the Maryborough-based group won the prestigious 2022 People's Choice Australian Folk Music Award in October last year.
But the high of being recognised for their quirky combination of banjo, harmonies and upright bass was short-lived for the folk and bluegrass outfit.
"We flew to New Zealand for a show, and I started getting a pain in my arm," frontman Bryce "Goat Boy" Mr Wearne said.
"Everything tensed up and my face started dropping.
"I thought I was having a mini stroke."
Once the band rushed back to Australia, Wearne learnt that he had not suffered a stroke, but would need life-saving surgery.
"I actually had something wrong with a disk in my neck, but while they were there, they found an aneurysm on my brain," he said.
"We stopped work immediately."
'Thunderclap headache'
Mr Wearne's great-grandfather, grandfather, and father died of brain aneurysms.
His dad was 32 when he passed away.
"A brain aneurysm is a bulge within the artery on the brain — if it leaks or bursts it can cause bleeding on the brain," Wide Bay general practitioner Shanna Bailey said.
"Sometimes they're genetic — they're congenital, which means you're born with them.
"But sometimes they're caused by high blood pressure, a stirring up of arteries if you have high cholesterol, or you can have them from head injuries."
Dr Bailey said aside from not smoking and taking part in regular exercise, people should seek professional advice if they had a family history of brain aneurysms.
"There may be investigations or scans that could be done," she said.
"The symptoms are quite non-specific, double vision, light sensitivity, nausea, and vomiting.
"It can be very sudden, and the main symptom when the aneurysm bursts is a very sudden, very severe headache.
"It's what we call a thunderclap headache — the worst headache of your life.
"I think if anyone were to get a very sudden, very severe headache then they should seek medical attention.
What's next for the band?
Mr Wearne's partner Mahney Wearne – otherwise known as "Goat Girl" – said it had been difficult keeping her husband off the stage before and after surgery.
"Everybody was saying, 'Oh my gosh, grab the baling twine — how will you keep Goat Boy still?'" she said.
"It is still a challenge post-surgery — we had to cancel at least six months' worth of gigs, and thankfully he had a very successful operation a few weeks ago.
"It's now rest and recovery and working towards the next lot of events that we can do come April."
Mr Wearne said he felt lucky the doctors caught the problem in time.
"The aneurysm was found accidentally, so I was very lucky with that," he said.
"It can turn very fatal very quickly, especially when you go a million miles an hour on stage like I do."
The couple praised supporters for keeping them afloat during their time off the stage.
"We have been double income down, but thankfully through the support of our fans and through our merchandise call-out we sold hundreds of T-shirts and CDs," Mrs Wearne said.
