A warm and funny interview with '70s band SKYHOOKS' BOB 'Bongo' STARKIE about the band and the music
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- Опубліковано 11 жов 2024
- In the mid '70s, Australian band, the SKYHOOKS shook and shaped Australian rock almost as much as The Beatles and Elvis Presley. They basically gave the Australian music industry the enema it had been needing. For too long many Australian bands had spent hours copying their American and English cousins and songs about local culture were unheard of.
When Skyhooks burst onto the scene, they were cheeky, brash, colourful and wore makeup and costumes (many years before Kiss were even conceived). Their irreverence and catchy tunes spoke cynically of local people and places, and they lit the fuse that put Australian bands back on the front covers of newspapers and Australian music on the shelves of record shops. They appeared on Australian TV on the first day of colour transmission, shocking the parents and becoming the pin up heroes for a generation.
With a lead singer named Shirley, guitarist Red Symons who wore red satin and flicked his tongue at the masses and bassist and songwriter, Greg Macainsh sporting silver hair and long drop earrings, theatrics were a key feature that added another level to the electricity of the music.
When it comes to classic Aussie rock acts, none is more revered than legendary Melbourne ensemble SKYHOOKS. The glam rockers combined melodic guitar riffs and a pub rock sensibility with relatable lyrics addressing drugs, sex and everyday life in a changing Australia throughout the ‘70s. The band boasts a delectable cocktail of chart-topping singles. These guys did more in seven years than most rock acts achieve in a lifetime.
SKYHOOKS helped change the face of rock’n’roll in the 1970s with a string of Number One and Top 10 singles to their credit, as well as two of Australia’s biggest selling albums, ‘Living in the 70s’, and ‘Ego is Not A Dirty Word’.
Joining me this week on A Breath of Fresh Air (radio, podcast and website) is Skyhooks’ guitarist BOB 'Bongo' STARKIE- a long time member of the band who still performs their songs today. He tells us about those heady days, what it felt like to be idolised by millions of teenagers and what possibility there maybe of a long awaited comeback.
I hope you’ll join me - this week on A Breath of Fresh Air.
To learn more about SKYHOOKS head for www.skyhooks-m...
To find out where you can catch Bongo and the Skyhooks show skyhooksshow.c...
And to reach out to me with a request, feedback or a comment, head to my website abreathoffresh...
This was a great interview. I saw Bob last night in Geelong with his Skyhooks tribute band. He still has a lot of energy. Plus, he took time for all fans with autographs and selfies. He is a true champ.
Great interview with Bongo... i used to like Skyhooks living in the 70s
Used to?
I remember when L.I.T.S was released all my mates and myself started to work out the riff's of Horror Movies and Carlton within day's of hearing them they were just great songs and we would go to Skyhooks concerts almost every week in all the local halls around the Melbourne suburbs just fantastic memories as a 14 year old learning to play guitar and jamming with our mates to songs from a huge Australian band.
Love the Hooks! Great interview! Go Bob! Bongo Starr Forever!!
loved the interview and great to know he's active and hope to see the band some time soon!
Remember Reefer cabaret in Prahran great shows - excellent interview
Fantastic interview! Being a teenager in the 70s, absolutely enjoyed this and thrilled that I found it.
so glad you enjoyed it! maybe check out some of my other interviews too?
@@sandykayepresents-abreatho9146 will do. Thank you,
Fantastic interview with an Oz music legend from the quintessential Melbourne (Australian) band. Thank you.
So glad you enjoyed it!!!
Great interview ,funny to hear Bob mention This is my City as a hard song to play . Along with Party's to end all are a couple of my Favs. I've said it before, Bongo is the most theatrical guitars ever , as far as costumes go.
Bong bring the band to W.A
Pre Covid, A few years ago Bob had a band called the Purple Gang that played at the Rising Sun Hotel in South Melb on a Sunday arvo - Gary Young on Drums, Steve Williams, Katie on vocals plus plenty of known ring-ins playing as well (Including Ross Wilson).. How good was that 🙂
Amazing! Wish I’d known!
“The Skyhooks” 😂
They were never ever called "The Skyhooks". They were always known as "Skyhooks".
Great interview Sandy thank you
so pleased you liked it. I really enjoyed it too!
Awesome interview.
Oh my god…. after having spoken to Bob for the best part of 30 minutes and his excitedly reminiscing about Freddy’s amazing “DRUMMING” in Women in Uniform…. this incredibly well researched interviewer thought HE was the drummer..? Now that really knocked the interview sideways. There’s no recovering from that. If I was Bob… I’d have cut it off right there.
Even incredibly well researched interviewers sometimes slip up. I had the choice to edit my mistake out but decided to leave it in to show that I’m human. I’m so sorry it offended you.
@@sandykayepresents-abreatho9146 I respect that you left it in… (in fact, I can’t believe you’d do that). I strongly advise that you re-edit the video and leave that part out. In total it was a good interview….. that part really derails it. It's not good for you, and it's not that great for Bob either.
Who cares
Did you ask bongo about changing the lost album 💿 to happy hippy hut or happy hippy hut days album after the song 🎵 title because skyhooks named it the lost album and I thought 💭 maybe they can change the lost album 💿 title to one of their songs called happy hippy hut?
You never asked him how he got named Bongo.
Oh no! I didn't! Sorry!!
A bad blue calling a guitarist a drummer Sandy
This woman is atrocious and you can see him being uncomfortable with her. If anyone is watching an interview with a guitarist of 40 years ago, they don't need Countdown explained 🤣
It always makes me sad that Graham died on his own.