A Breath of Fresh Air Mar 7
Written by BOMBSHELL RADIO on 03/07/2023
A Breath of Fresh Air With Sandy Kaye
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n the mid ’70s, 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.
Joining me this week is Skyhooks’ guitarist Bob 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 they’re maybe of a long awaited reunion.
I hope you’ll join me – this week on A Breath of Fresh Air