WHEN The Jezabels return to the stage in September, they will be greeted by an almighty roar.

For the Australian band’s keyboardist Heather Shannon, the reception is bound to be overwhelming.

The indie rock quartet had to cancel their world tour in January, just a few weeks before the release of their third record Synthia, when Shannon was advised she needed chemotherapy for ovarian cancer.

She discovered she had the disease three years ago but her prognosis changed earlier this year, just as she finished work on Peter Garrett’s solo album A Version Of Now and began tour rehearsals.

“It was such a kick in the gut. We were rehearsing, I had a new keyboard set-up and I was really getting into it,” she says.

“They had previously told me chemotherapy wasn’t an option for the type of cancer I had and then the prognosis changed; it was definitely a big shock.”

media_camera Heather Shannon (left) paid tribute to her carers at the Royal Hospital For Women. Picture: Cybele Malinowski / Supplied

Her band mates, frontwoman Hayley Mary, guitarist Sam Lockwood and drummer Nik Kaloper, were equally shocked.

Mary has been living in London since the band went on hiatus as Shannon had treatment, working on side projects and new songs.

“It is something you just don’t think about, being able to get up and go to work in the morning. Obviously that was even harder for Heather, who was thinking about every other part of life. We all appreciate that even more now,” she says.

Shannon was able to be creative during her treatment, writing when she could and binge-watching television when she didn’t feel up to it.

She pays tribute to the staff at the Royal Hospital For Women in Sydney who cared for her during chemo.

“They were so incredible and the whole experience was actually OK,” she says.

“A couple of weeks after each treatment I felt pretty s--- but actually going to the hospital and hanging out and having a chat was quite nice. I kinda miss going in to see them.”

media_camera The break while Shannon was treated gave all the members time to work on new songs and solo projects. Picture Daniel Aarons.

When the chemo was done, she began building up her fitness in preparation for getting back on the road.

Hill walks are still tough, yet she feels positive about enduring the rigours of touring when the band start again at the Rottofest in Perth on September 17 and then the Yours and Owls festival in Wollongong on October 1 before kicking off their headlining tour in Brisbane on October and then heading overseas.

“For me it’s about managing my stress levels and not getting run down. It’s very easy to drink too much, have late nights and not get enough sleep and I have to be careful with that,” she says.

“I am really looking forward to starting rehearsals and getting to know the songs again, playing around with them. I think it will be super fun and that’s one thing I have learned through this is trying to have more fun and not take things so seriously.”

While she was concentrating on getting well, her bandmate Mary was admittedly misbehaving in London and working on a solo side project.

“It’s never too late to be irresponsible: I was very much a prude in my young 20s and regret it,” she says, unapologetically.

Mary is the face of The Jezabels thus far for this record, featuring in the video for first single Pleasure Drive and the recent Smile.

The Jezabels frontwoman Hayley Mary reclaims the Walk of Shame

Nicknamed the “walk of shame” video, it was directed by her friend, Love My Way actor and filmmaker Brendan Cowell.

He has been a long time friend and fan of the band who Mary first met about eight years ago when she served drinks at his local watering hole, the Courthouse Hotel in Newtown.

They often talked about him one day making a video for the band and with Cowell and Mary in London at the same time, the planets aligned for Smile.

“The rest of the band weren’t in the same place and Heather was unwell so we decided to make a classic ‘singer walking down the street’ video but put on a twist on it, making it a walk of shame,” Mary says.

Synthia and the second album The Brink both explored Mary’s perspectives on male and female sexuality and taboos.

She laughs when she admits the Smile video is “totally me”, having had some experience of sneaking out after a liaison to wander around for the rest of the day contemplating her actions.

“I still think people are very conservative with their attitudes towards sex, even in rock’n’roll,” she says.

“People do feel a bit dubious about a single woman who is perfectly happy to be open-minded about who she goes home with.”

As she prepares to head home to reunite with her band mates, Mary says the time out has made her realise how much she loves her life as a touring musician.

“I think we can’t believe how lucky we have been to tour for the last six or seven years and how much I love touring,” she says.

“I really missed being on stage and I can’t wait to tour the album because there is a magic to it.

“We’ve done the beginning of the spell by releasing it and now we have to finish the incantation.”

Shannon says making such a personal challenge public was daunting but her spirits were buoyed by all the “beautiful messages” she received from fans and fellow musicians.

“It’s going to be very overwhelming walking out on the stage for the first time. Once the first note is played, it will be fine,” she says.

SEE: The Jezabels, The Triffid, Brisbane, October 6; Enmore Theatre, Sydney, October 8; The Croxton Bandroom, Melbourne, October 14; The Gov., Adelaide, October 19; ANU Bar, Canberra, October 21 and Bar on the Hill, Newcastle, October 22.

Originally published as The Jezabels are ready to rock