US Edition‘I Love You’: Skyhooks Guitarist Bob Starkie Dies Aged 73
Bob Starkie, Skyhooks guitarist, died at 73 after a year-long battle with acute myeloid leukemia, which forced him to cancel shows in September, the band announced.
- On November 29, 2025, Skyhooks announced guitarist Bob 'Bongo' Starkie had died aged 73, posting the news early this morning on Skyhooks' official Facebook page.
- Diagnosed earlier this year with acute myeloid leukaemia, Bob 'Bongo' Starkie fought the illness for the past year and cancelled solo shows in September due to his health.
- His daughter Indiana Starkie said, `Our Dearest Grand-Daddy-Bop has peacefully departed listening to Chuck Berry,` surrounded by friends and family and snuggling with his pet Bonnie.
- Skyhooks' commercial reach was significant because Living in the 70s included hits like 'Horror Movie,' Ego is Not a Dirty Word spent 11 weeks at No., and they entered the ARIA Hall of Fame in 1992.
- Starkie joined Skyhooks in August 1973, replacing his older brother and embracing striking make-up and unique costumes, while the group split in 1980 but performed sporadically thereafter.
14 Articles
14 Articles
Bob “Bongo” Starkie, guitarist for Australian rock band Skyhooks, died on Saturday at the age of 73. The news was announced by the band’s archivist, Peter Green, in a post on the band’s official Facebook page. Starkie was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia a year ago and succumbed to the disease.
Skyhooks' Bob “Bongo” Starkie Passes Away, Aged 73
He was in the biggest band Australia had ever seen. He befriended the Great Train Robber Ronnie Biggs. And he ran one of Melbourne’s most prominent music venues.No one led a life quite like Bob “Bongo” Starkie, who has died of leukemia at the age of 73.Bongo died this morning, listening to his favourite artist, Chuck Berry.“For the past year, he has fought the brave fight against leukemia, hoping to get back on the road to perform more shows,” S…
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