Editing Skyhooks (band) (section)

===1977–1981: Later years to break-up===
{{Main|Greg Macainsh|Red Symons|Graeme Strachan|Bob Spencer}}
[[File:Rose Tattoo - Werner Rennen 2018 28.jpg|thumb|Symons' replacement [[Bob Spencer]] joined in early 1977 (1977–1980, pictured in 2018)]]

In February 1977, Symons left the band and was replaced on guitar by [[Bob Spencer]] from the band [[Finch (Australian band)|Finch]].<ref name="McF"/><ref name="ARDb"/> With Symons' departure the band dropped the glam rock look and used a more straight forward [[hard rock]] approach.<ref name="McF"/><ref name="Howl"/> During that year Skyhooks toured nationally three times, while their first single with Spencer, "[[Party to End All Parties]]", entered the top 30 in May.<ref name="McF"/><ref name="Kent"/><ref name="SpencerSkyhooks"/> Strachan released his second solo single, a cover of [[Smokey Robinson]]'s "[[Tracks of My Tears]]", which reached the top 20 in July.<ref name="McF"/><ref name="Kent"/> Meanwhile, Mushroom released a [[compilation album|singles anthology]], ''[[The Skyhooks Tapes]]'', which entered the top 50 in September.<ref name="McF"/><ref name="Kent"/><ref name="SpencerSkyhooks"/> The band's mass popularity had declined although they still kept their live performances exciting and irreverent.<ref name="McF"/><ref name="Howl"/>

In January 1978 they toured New Zealand and performed at the [[Nambassa]] festival. In February their next single, "[[Women in Uniform]]",<ref name="SpencerSkyhooks"/> was issued and peaked at No. 8, while its album ''[[Guilty Until Proven Insane]]'' followed in March and reached No. 7.<ref name="McF"/><ref name="Kent"/><ref name="SpencerSkyhooks"/> The album was produced by Americans Eddie Leonetti and [[Jack Douglas (record producer)|Jack Douglas]].<ref name="ARDb"/> The second single from the album, "Meglomania" released in May,<ref name="SpencerSkyhooks"/> peaked at number 93.<ref name="Kent"/> Strachan told band members he intended to leave—but it was not officially announced for six months—he continued regular shows until his final gig with Skyhooks on 29 July 1978.<ref name="Howl"/> Strachan released further solo singles, "Mr Summer" in October and "Nothing but the Best" in January 1979,<ref name="McF"/> but neither charted in the top 50.<ref name="Kent"/> Strachan's replacement in Skyhooks, on lead vocals, was Tony Williams (ex-Reuben Tice with Macainsh).<ref name="McF"/><ref name="ARDb"/><ref name="Jeff"/><ref name="SpencerSkyhooks"/>

Williams' first single for Skyhooks, "Over the Border", a political song about the state of the [[Queensland Police Force]] at the time, reached the top 40 in April 1979,<ref name="Kent"/><ref name="SpencerSkyhooks"/> and their fifth studio album, ''[[Hot for the Orient]]'', was released in May 1980,<ref name="SpencerSkyhooks"/> but failed to enter the top 50.<ref name="Kent"/>

From 1975 to 1977, Skyhooks were—alongside [[Sherbet (band)|Sherbet]]—the most commercially successful group in Australia, but over the next few years, Skyhooks rapidly faded from the public eye with the departure of key members, and in 1980 the band announced its break-up in controversial circumstances. [[Ian Meldrum|Ian "Molly" Meldrum]], usually a supporter of Skyhooks, savaged ''Hot for the Orient'' on his "Humdrum" segment of ''Countdown''—viewers demanded that the band appear on a following show to defend it.<ref name="Jeff"/> Poor reception of the album both by the public and reviewers led the band to take out a page-sized ad in the local music press declaring "Why Don't You All Get Fu**ed" (title of one of their songs) and they played their last performance on 8 June, not in their hometown of Melbourne, but in the mining town of [[Kalgoorlie]] in [[Western Australia]].<ref name="McF"/><ref name="Howl"/>