Skyhooks

Watch A Rare Skyhooks Reunion With Bongo Singing ‘Balwyn Calling’ At Soundcheck

by Paul Cashmere

On 28 October 2004, Skyhooks reformed for a fairly secret 30th anniversary show at Pint on Punt in Melbourne.

Tagged as: 70s, Australia, Bob Bongo Starkie, rock, Skyhooks

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Bob ‘Bongo’ Starkie Sends Out a Heartfelt Message

by Paul Cashmere

Skyhooks’ guitarist Bob ‘Bongo’ Starkie has posted a video to his socials thanking everyone who has helped him with his leukemia battle.

Tagged as: 70s, Australia, Bob Bongo Starkie, rock, Skyhooks

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A Message from Bob ‘Bongo’ Starkie On His Recovery

by Paul Cashmere

Bob ‘Bongo’ Starkie has asked Noise11 to pass on an update about his health and ongoing treatment to his fans.

Tagged as: 70s, Australia, Bob Starkie, Bongo, rock, Skyhooks

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Peter Green Posts Rarely Performed Live Skyhooks Track ‘Straight In A Gay Gay World’

by Paul Cashmere

Skyhooks archivist Peter Green has uncovered a new rarity, a live version of ‘Straight In A Gay Gay World’.

Tagged as: 70s, Australia, Blue Jeans, Peter Green, rock, Skyhooks, Straight In A Gay Gay World

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Bob ‘Bongo’ Starkie Checks In From Hospital

by Paul Cashmere

Skyhooks legend Bob ‘Bongo’ Starkie has checked in from his hospital room to update fans on his condition after being diagnosed with Luekaemia.

Tagged as: 70s, Australia, Bob Starkie, Bongo, rock, Skyhooks

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Skyhooks Guitarist Bob ‘Bongo’ Starkie Diagnosed With Aggressive Leukemia

by Paul Cashmere

Bob ‘Bongo’ Starkie, the guitarist for Skyhooks, has been diagnosed with aggressive Leukemia and has cancelled all of his upcoming shows.

Tagged as: 70s, Australia, Bob Starkie, Bongo, rock, Skyhooks

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Greg Macainsh, Skyhooks. Photo by Ros O'Gorman

Did Mushroom Make Skyhooks or Skyhooks Make Mushroom? Noise11 Asks Greg Macainsh

by Paul Cashmere

Skyhooks’ debut album ‘Living In the 70s’ was a massive success, so much so that it Mushroom Records as the number one Australian record label, a title it arguably holds to this day. But do Mushroom make Skyhooks or Skyhooks make Mushroom.

Tagged as: 70s, Australia, Greg Macainsh, Living In The 70s, Michael Gudinski, Mushroom, rock, Skyhooks

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Greg Macainsh Created Skyhooks As A Band He’d Like To See

by Paul Cashmere

When Skyhooks started bubbling around 1974 co-founder and principal songwriter Greg Macainsh says he was creating the sort of band he would like to go and see live.

Tagged as: 70s, Australia, Greg Macainsh, Living In The 70s, rock, Skyhooks

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50th Anniversary Skyhooks ‘Living In The 70s’ Album Released

by Paul Cashmere

Skyhooks classic ‘Living In The 70s’ album has been remastered (again) by David Briggs to mark the 50th anniversary of the album.

Tagged as: 70s, Australia, David Briggs, Little River Band, Living In The 70s, rock, Skyhooks

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Songs From The First Countdown 8 November 1974

by Paul Cashmere

The very first Countdown aired in Australia on 8 November 1974, at 6:30pm on a Friday and its original duration was to fit inside a 30 minute slot.

Tagged as: 70s, Australia, Countdown, Ian Meldrum, John Farnham, Molly, pop, Sherbet, Skyhooks

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Skyhooks Demo for Living In the 70s Revealed

by Paul Cashmere

This week marked the 50th anniversary of Skyhooks iconic debut album ‘Living In The 70s’.

Tagged as: 70s, Australia, Living In The 70s, rock, Skyhooks

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Bongo Returns To The Rising Sun With a Whole Lot More Skyhooks

by Paul Cashmere

Skyhooks co-founder Bob ‘Bongo’ Starkie played a special St Patricks Day gig at his old haunt, the Rising Sun Hotel on Sunday afternoon and this time it was full in Skyhooks.

Tagged as: 70s, Australia, Bob Strakie, Bongo, Laura Davidson, Rising Sum, rock, Skyhooks

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Alex Lahey Covers Skyhooks ‘Ego Is Not A Dirty Word’ For Mushroom 50th

by Paul Cashmere

Alex Lahey has recorded the 11th Mushroom 50th Anniversary tribute song with her cover of Skyhooks ‘Ego Is Not A Dirty Word’.

Tagged as: 10s, 20s, Alex Lahey, Australia, Ego Is Not A Dirty Word, folk, rock, Skyhooks

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Peter Green Uploads More Rare Skyhooks To The Archives

by Paul Cashmere

Skyhooks archivist Peter Green has shared another rare live Skyhooks performance, this time from 1975.

Tagged as: 70s, Australia, Ego Is Not A Dirty Word, Love On The Radio, pop, rock, Skyhooks

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More Rare Skyhooks Goes Online

by Paul Cashmere

Never before audio from Skyhooks 1976 American tour has been revealed by Skyhooks archivist Peter Green.

Tagged as: 1976, 70s, Australia, rock, Skyhooks

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Tony Williams of Reuben Tice and Skyhooks photo from the Tony Williams collection supplied by Peter Green

Pre-Skyhooks Band Reuben Tice Played A Sneaky Show In Melbourne

by Paul Cashmere

Reuben Tice, the precursor to Skyhooks, played for the first time in years in Melbourne over the weekend.

Tagged as: 60s, 70s, Australia, Greg Macainsh, Reuben Tice, rock, Skyhooks, Tony Williams

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Skyhooks very first show poster (image from Peter Green)

Skyhooks First Ever Show Was 50 Years Ago Today (16 April 1973)

by Paul Cashmere

It’s a big day in Skyhooks history. Skyhooks performed for the very first time ever at St Judes Hall in Lygon St, Carlton on 16 April 1973. The ticket price was $1.20.

Tagged as: 70s, Australia, Calton, first show, rock, Skyhooks, St Judes Hall

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Rare Skyhooks Footage With Tony Williams Surfaces

by Paul Cashmere

A previously unpublished video of Skyhooks performing in 2004 with onetime singer Tony Williams has been put online by Skyhooks archivist Peter Green.

Tagged as: 70s, 80s, Australia, rock, Skyhooks, Tony Williams

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Australian Artist Ian McCausland Has Passed Away

by Paul Cashmere

Australian graphic artist Ian McCausland, who created artwork for Little River Band, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Skyhooks, Daddy Cool and Spectrum, has died in Melbourne.

Tagged as: art, Australia, Ian McCausland, Little River Band, Mushroom, Rolling Stones, Skyhooks

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Original Skyhooks Guitarist Peter Starkie Has Died Aged 72

by Paul Cashmere

Peter Starkie, the original guitarist for Skyhooks, has died at age 72.

Tagged as: 70s, Australia, Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons, Peter Starkie, rock, Skyhooks

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Red Symons Pays Tribute To Son Samuel On 3AW

by Paul Cashmere

Red Symons has paid tribute to his son Samuel on Neil Mitchell’s program on 3AW.

Tagged as: 70s, Australia, radio, Red Symons, rock, Samuel Symons, Skyhooks, television

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Red Symons Son Samuel Has Died From Cancer Aged 27

by Paul Cashmere

Samuel Symons, the 27 year old son of Skyhooks guitarist, television star and radio broadcaster, Red Symons, has lost his battle with brain cancer at age 27.

Tagged as: 70s, Australia, radio, Red Symons, rock, Samuel Symons, Skyhooks, television

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Palace Of The King Join Upcoming Rose Tattoo Tour

by Paul Cashmere

Palace of the King will open for Rose Tattoo for their limited run of Australian shows for the remainder of 2018.

Tagged as: 70s, AC/DC, Australia, Heavy Rock, metal, Palace of the King, rock, Rose Tattoo, Skyhooks, The Screaming Jets

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Red Symons’ Fitzroy House Sets Sales Record For The Suburb

by Paul Cashmere

89 Alfred Cresent, Fitzroy North was the home of Red Symons 1998, has sold for the record price of $5,000,000 for the Melbourne suburb.

Tagged as: 70s, Australia, Red Symons, rock, Skyhooks

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Rose Tattoo Angry Anderson and Mark Evans. Photo by Ros O'Gorman

Rose Tattoo To Reissue Blood Brothers

by Paul Cashmere

Rose Tattoo will re-reissue an expanded edition of the 2007 album Blood Brothers ahead of their Australian tour.

Tagged as: 70s, 80s, AC/DC, Australia, blues, Heavy Rock, metal, rock, Rose Tattoo, Skyhooks, The Angels

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Bob Spencer Reveals He Underwent Therapy To Create His Solo Album In An All-New Noise11 iHeartRadio Show

by Noise11.com

At age 60 former Finch, Skyhooks and The Angels guitarist Bob Spencer has released his first ever solo album ‘Saints and Murderers’. He tells Noise11.com that to make the record he first had to undergo therapy for overcome his fear of singing.

Tagged as: 70s, 80s, 90s, Australia, Bob Spencer, Finch, iHeartRadio, rock, Rose Tattoo, Skyhooks, The Angels

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Bob Starkie Best of Skyhooks Gold record

Bob Starkie Is Selling His Skyhooks Gold Record

by Paul Cashmere

Skyhooks guitarist Bob ‘Bongo’ Starkie has put his gold record for Best of Skyhooks up for auction on eBay.

Tagged as: 70s, Australia, Bob Bongo Starkie, rock, Skyhooks

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Red Symons Is Suffering Significant Brain Injury After Fall

by Paul Cashmere

Former Skyhooks guitarist, now presenter for ABC Radio Melbourne Red Symons, has suffered “a significant injury to his brain” according to the ABC.

Tagged as: 70s, Australia, Red Symons, rock, Skyhooks

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Red Symons Taken To Hospital Following Fall

by Paul Cashmere

Former Skyhooks guitarist, now ABC Melbourne breakfast announcer Red Symons, has been rushed to hospital after being injured in a fall.

Tagged as: 70s, Australia, Red Symons, rock, Skyhooks

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Bob ‘Bongo’ Starkie Hooks Up At Julie Cavanagh’s New Union Club

by Paul Cashmere

Former Skyhooks’ guitarist Bob ‘Bongo’ Starkie took his Rock and Roll Band to The Union Club in Richmond on Saturday night (29 April) for a three-hour trip through the rock and roll songbook.

Tagged as: 70s, Australia, Bob Bongo Starkie, rock, Skyhooks, Union Club

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← Previous Entries

Angus Young AC/DC Etihad Stadium, Rock Or Bust World Tour. Photo by Ros O'Gorman

Piecing Together The AC/DC Aussie Tour Rumours

Over the last 36 hours there has been a lot of talk about an imminent AC/DC Australian tour announcement for 2025. It is looking like we will be hearing a confirmation of the tour, maybe next Monday.

3 hours ago

Buster Brown Something to Say 2025 edition

Angry Anderson and Phil Rudd Re-Record 1974 ‘Something To Say’ Album

Before AC/DC, before Rose Tattoo, there was Buster Brown.

3 hours ago

John Lydon Starts Work On A Novel

Former Sex Pistols singer John Lydon is writing a novel.

2 days ago

Roger Waters This Is Not A Drill Live From Prague Concert To Screen In Cinemas Worldwide

‘Roger Waters This Is Not A Drill: Live From Prague - The Movie’ will screen over two nights in cinemas worldwide in July before its DVD/Blu-Ray/CD and LP release on 1 August 2025.

3 days ago

Motörhead Premiere ‘Leavin’ Here’ Video

Motörhead have a new video for their 1976 previously unreleased song ‘Leavin’ Here’, from the upcoming album ‘The Manticore Tapes’.

4 days ago

David Bowie Mick Jagger Dancing In The Streets

David Bowie and Mick Jagger ‘Dancing In the Street’ Is Getting A 40th Anniversary Release

David Bowie and Mick Jagger’s ‘Dancing In The Street’ was released on August 27, 1985. The song was recorded to raise funds for Live Aid. It was originally intended to be a live performance at Live Aid on 13 July 1985 with Bowie live from London and Jagger live from Philadelphia but due to technical issues on the day, it didn’t happen.

6 days ago

Leo Sayer Shares His Thoughts on The Passing of Sly Stone

There really is a riot going on right now, so what a poignant moment it seems to be to lose a hero I never met, yet a man I often imagined as my soul brother. I worked with many of his alumni (including the man who helped invent him, fellow San Fran disk jockey Tom Donahue), and to say they and he inspired me would be a useless understatement.

June 10, 2025