Skyhooks guitarist forced to cancel gigs after shock cancer diagnosis as band soars back into the charts

Skyhooks guitarist Bob “Bongo” Starkie shared sad news with fans as he announced cancellation of sold-out gigs.

Legendary Skyhooks guitarist Bob “Bongo” Starkie has been tragically diagnosed with aggressive leukaemia just as the beloved band blasted back into the charts with their iconic Living in the 70s album.

Starkie has been forced to cancel his upcoming shows, receiving the shock diagnosis after he went to hospital last Thursday.

Just a day after he received the diagnosis, Skyhooks soared back into the ARIA chart with the 50th anniversary reissue of the revered Living in the 70s album.

The album re-entered the ARIA Australian artist chart at No.6.

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Skyhooks guitarist Bongo Starkie has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukaemia. Picture: Supplied.

“This has come as a shock to me and my family. Life has been generous to me up until now, but sometimes you draw the short straw,” Starkie said.

“I apologise for any inconvenience; it stresses me to cancel the shows. I’ve been feeling on top of the world but the situation makes it impossible for the shows to continue at this time.”

Among the Bob Starkie Skyhooks Shows now cancelled is a sold-out Rock The Harbour gig scheduled for February 15.

Starkie has been keeping the Skyhooks flame burning on the live stage for the past decade with his band, playing their hits including Living in the 70s and Ego Is Not A Dirty Word.

He joined band members Shirley Strahan, Red Symons, Greg Macainsh and “Freddie” Strauks not long after they formed Skyhooks in 1973, replacing his brother Peter as guitarist.

Skyhooks was one of Australia’s first big commercial rock successes in the 70s. Picture: Supplied.

Skyhooks inspired a cult following on Melbourne’s seminal pub circuit with their outlandish, glam rock costumes and outrageous live act, which featured a giant prop penis on stage which was regularly confiscated by police.

They exploded onto the pop charts with the debut album Living in the 70s, produced by Daddy Cool frontman Ross Wilson, in October 1974.

The record shocked the conservative members of polite Australian society, with six of the album’s 10 songs infamously banned from radio because of their overt lyrics about sex and drugs, including the legendary You Just Like Me Cos I’m Good in Bed.

That song was the first track aired on the youth station Double J, which became national network Triple J, when it debuted on January 19, 1975.

Skyhooks prevailed against the establishment’s attempts to censor them courtesy of the arrival of Countdown and became national superstars on the show, with Strahan regularly co-hosting episodes with Molly Meldrum.

When Skyhooks disbanded in 1980 - they reformed for one-off reunions and tours over the decades, Strahan went on to become a hugely popular television presenter, hosting the children’s show Shirl’s Neighbourhood. He died in a helicopter crash in 2001.

The band’s archivist Peter Green spoke for friends and fans of Bongo Starkie when he posted his shock at the news of the guitarist’s illness.

“We are all shocked and saddened by this news,” he said.

“I’ve known Bob since I was 15 and know what a fighter he is. The band and those close to Bongo stand by him during these tough times.”

Originally published as Skyhooks guitarist forced to cancel gigs after shock cancer diagnosis as band soars back into the charts