Bob “Bongo” Starkie, the guitarist whose flair, humor, and unmistakable energy helped shape Skyhooks’ theatrical identity, has died at 73 after a year-long battle with acute myeloid leukemia. The band confirmed his death on Tuesday on their official Facebook page.
Skyhooks archivist Peter Green announced the news, sharing that Starkie “passed away early this morning” after a year of treatment and a determined hope to return to the stage.
Green remembered him as the youngest member of the group, a musician who “embraced the theatrics” that defined Skyhooks’ personality, from bold makeup and elaborate costumes to the playful swagger fans came to love.
“The music always came first,” Green wrote. He added that performing live “was his absolute joy” and that “music was in his blood till the very end.”
A Guitarist Who Helped Shape Skyhooks’ Breakthrough Era
Starkie joined Skyhooks in August 1973, stepping in for his older brother Peter Starkie. Peter, who helped establish the group’s first lineup, died in 2020 at age 72 following complications from a fall.
Bob became a defining part of the band’s classic era, helping steer Skyhooks through its most successful years as it rose to national prominence in the mid-1970s.
Family Shares Emotional Farewell: ‘He Felt the Love Till the Very End’
In a tribute posted through Skyhooks’ page, Starkie’s daughter, Indiana, said her father “peacefully departed, listening to Chuck Berry, snuggling with his fur baby Bonnie, surrounded by friends and family.”
She said he was loved deeply by daughters Indiana and Arabella, grandchildren Phoenix and Lucia, partner Chrissy, close friend Ian, and son-in-laws Simon and Chris. “He felt the love till the very end,” she wrote.
A Legacy That Redefined Australian Rock
Formed in Melbourne in 1973, Skyhooks quickly became one of Australia’s most influential acts. Their glam-inspired style, provocative lyrics, and theatrical live shows helped reshape the country’s pop and rock landscape.
The band also delivered the first major commercial breakthrough for Michael Gudinski’s Mushroom Records. Their debut album, Living in the ’70s, spent 16 weeks at No. 1 in 1975 and remains a landmark in Australian music history, as per Billboard.
Skyhooks made broadcasting history in January 1975 when “You Just Like Me ’Cos I’m Good in Bed” became the first song ever played on 2JJ, later known as triple j.
The band experienced tragedy in earlier years when frontman Graeme “Shirley” Strachan died on August 29, 2001, at age 49, in a helicopter crash near Mount Archer in Queensland.
Skyhooks officially disbanded in 1980 but reunited for special performances. Starkie remained one of the group’s most devoted ambassadors. In 1992, the band was inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame, securing their place as one of Australia’s defining rock institutions.
Starkie’s death marks the loss of a musician whose energy, talent, and spirit helped shape an entire era of Australian music.
