Editing Skyhooks (band) (section)

===1966–1974: Early years and formation===
[[Greg Macainsh]] and Imants "Freddie" Strauks both attended [[Norwood Secondary College|Norwood High School]] in the Melbourne suburb of [[Ringwood, Victoria|Ringwood]] and formed Spare Parts in 1966 with Macainsh on bass guitar and Strauks on lead vocals.<ref name="ARDb">{{cite web |last1=Holmgren |first1=Magnus |last2=Notling |first2=Fredrik |last3=Brown |first3=Jenny |title=Skyhooks |url=http://hem2.passagen.se/honga/database/s/skyhooks.html |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040319145753/http://hem2.passagen.se/honga/database/s/skyhooks.html |archive-date=19 March 2004 |access-date=11 April 2024 |publisher=[[Australian Rock Database]]. Passagen.se (Magnus Holmgren)}}</ref><ref name="Jeff">{{cite book |last=Jenkins |first=Jeff |url=http://nla.gov.au/anbd.bib-an41896781 |title=Molly Meldrum presents 50 years of rock in Australia |author2=Ian Meldrum |author2-link=Ian Meldrum |publisher=Wilkinson Publishing |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-921332-11-1 |location=[[Melbourne, Victoria|Melbourne, Vic]] |pages=84, 89, 90, 104–128, 145, 266–267 |access-date=22 November 2009}}</ref><ref name="SpencerSpare">Spencer et al, (2007) [http://www.whiteroom.com.au/howlspace/whoswho/PHPTracks.php?Band_ID=198810 Spare Parts]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} entry.</ref> Spare Parts was followed by Sound Pump in 1968,<ref name="SpencerSound">Spencer et al, (2007) [http://www.whiteroom.com.au/howlspace/whoswho/PHPTracks.php?Band_ID=197870 Sound Pump]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} entry.</ref> Macainsh formed Reuben Tice in [[Eltham, Victoria|Eltham]], with Tony Williams on vocals.<ref name="ARDb"/><ref name="SpencerReuben">Spencer et al, (2007) [http://www.whiteroom.com.au/howlspace/whoswho/PHPTracks.php?Band_ID=174920 Reuben Tice]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} entry.</ref> By 1970 Macainsh was back with Strauks, now on drums, first in Claptrap<ref name="SpencerClaptrap">Spencer et al, (2007) [http://www.whiteroom.com.au/howlspace/whoswho/PHPTracks.php?Band_ID=40585 Claptrap]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} entry.</ref> and by 1971 in Frame which had [[Graeme Strachan|Graeme "Shirley" Strachan]] as lead vocalist.<ref name="ARDb"/><ref name="Jeff"/><ref name="SpencerFrame">Spencer et al, (2007) [http://www.whiteroom.com.au/howlspace/whoswho/PHPTracks.php?Band_ID=78015 Frame]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} entry.</ref> Frame also included Pat O'Brien on guitar and Cynthio Ooms on guitar.<ref name="SpencerFrame"/> Strachan had befriended Strauks earlier—he sang with Strauks on the way to parties—and was asked to join Claptrap which was renamed as Frame.<ref name="JenB">{{cite web|url=http://www.milesago.com/Obits/shirl.htm|title=We just liked him 'cos he was Shirl|last=Brown|first=Jen Jewel|work=MILESAGO: Australasian Music and Popular Culture 1964–1975|editor=Duncan Kimball|publisher=ICE Productions|date=31 August 2001|access-date=24 November 2009}}</ref> Strachan stayed in Frame for about 18 months but left for a career in [[carpenter|carpentry]] and a hobby of [[surfing]] in [[Phillip Island (Victoria)|Phillip Island]].<ref name="JenB"/>

[[File:Red Symons.jpg|thumb|Skyhooks guitarist [[Red Symons]], who replaced founder Peter Inglis in August 1973. (1973–1977, 1983, 1984, 1990, 1994, pictured in 2011)]]
Skyhooks formed in March 1973 in Melbourne with Steve Hill on vocals (ex-Lillee), Peter Inglis<ref name="APRA Does">{{cite web | publisher = [[APRA AMCOS]] (Australasian Performing Right Association, Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society) | title = 'Does Work' at APRA search engine | url = http://apraamcos.com.au/search?searchtype=works&keywords=does+work | access-date = 17 September 2020 }} Note: For additional work user may have to select 'Search again' and then 'Enter a title:' &/or 'Performer:'</ref> on guitar ([[The Captain Matchbox Whoopee Band]]), Macainsh on bass guitar and backing vocals, [[Peter Starkie]] on guitar and backing vocals (Lipp & the Double Dekker Brothers) and Strauks on drums and backing vocals.<ref name="McF"/><ref name="ARDb"/> The name, Skyhooks, came from a fictional organisation in the 1956 film ''[[Earth vs. the Flying Saucers]]''. Their first gig was on 16 April 1973 at [[St Jude's Church, Carlton|St Jude's Church]] hall in [[Carlton, Victoria|Carlton]].<ref name="Jeff"/> At a later gig, former [[Daddy Cool (band)|Daddy Cool]] frontman, [[Ross Wilson (musician)|Ross Wilson]] was playing in his group [[Mighty Kong (band)|Mighty Kong]] with Skyhooks as a support act. Wilson was impressed with the fledgling band and signed Macainsh to a publishing deal.<ref name="McF"/> In August, Bob "Bongo" Starkie (Mary Jane Union) on guitar replaced his older brother Peter (later in [[Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons]]) and Inglis was replaced by Red Symons on guitar, vocals and keyboards.<ref name="McF"/><ref name="ARDb"/> The two new members added a touch of theatre and humour to the band's visual presence.<ref name="McF"/> By late 1973, Wilson had convinced [[Michael Gudinski]] to sign the band to his booking agency, Australian Entertainment Exchange, and eventually to Gudinski's label, [[Mushroom Records]].<ref name="McF"/><ref name="Jeff"/>

Skyhooks gained a cult following around Melbourne including university [[intelligentsia]] and [[Pub rock (Australia)|pub rockers]],<ref name="Jeff"/> but a poorly received show at the January 1974 [[Sunbury Pop Festival]] saw the group booed off stage.<ref name="McF"/><ref name="Jeff"/> Two tracks from their live set, "Hey What's the Matter?" and "Love on the Radio" appeared on Mushroom's ''Highlights of Sunbury '74''.<ref name="McF"/> After seeing his performance on TV, Hill phoned Macainsh and resigned.<ref name="Jeff"/> To replace Hill, in March, Macainsh recruited occasional singer, surfer and carpenter Strachan from his Frame era.<ref name="McF"/><ref name="Jeff"/><ref name="JenB"/> Strachan had been dubbed "Shirley" by fellow surfers due to his curly blond hair ''a la'' [[Shirley Temple]].<ref name="JenB"/>