the first time I saw Skyhooks. went to all all day concert at Blacktown showground, Billy Thorpe headlined, but also on the bill was Stevie Wright. unfortunately Stevie was too scagged out to turn up, the MC announced this and we were very disappointed, then he said a new band from Melbourne would be playing instead. well the mention of Melbourne just made us even more mad, this was Sydney remember! . When skyhooks came on stage all dressed up we fell about laughing. But OMG half way through the first song they had us, just unbelievably together. love at first sight, and still up there as the most original band this country ever produced. And yes, we did dance, and screamed and loved every minute of it

My teenage years were this album, in Melbourne 74/75. Wagging school, drinking and hanging out at the Nunawading pool. Oh so many great memories and know all the words still, at 58. Saw them live more than once, loved them so much!! RIP Shirl.

"Shirley" had such a good voice and so much charisma... can't imagine the '70's minus this band..

For someone like me who never saw the Skyhooks play, and only could enjoy their music through their two US compilation albums and expensive import LPs from 12,000 miles away, this is like being in a very cool time machine. Thanks for posting this gem.

I remember going to this show, I was only 13 and got grounded for a week for sneaking out to go.!!!

We grew up with these guys playing at our local pub !

Amazing! Red and the others were very underrated. The bassist that’s synonymous with the white cowboy style suit is super eccentric. Skyhooks forever !

This is Classic Gold!! Tell me Freddy Strauks isn't one of the best drummers Australia has ever produced.

This must be the earliest known recording of Skyhooks performing live... Killer version of “Smut”, Red and Shirl are clearly “enjoying themselves”... Lol. Thanks for sharing!👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

My God! Only 6 months later we were rocking to them at the Hordern Pavillion headlining, in fact, the date was 27/3/1975. The other acts were Renee Geyer (she was mercilessly booed off and started crying, broke my heart), and Buster Brown who performed before her were great and later on became Rose Tattoo and the drummer from that band (Phil Rudd) went on to join AC/DC, and the rest is history...…………..but they were great days. Yeah!

Such a brilliant band. Such an important band. Thank you sooo much for posting this piece of Australian rock'n'roll history.

There's no other song like Smut. Skyhooks plays it with such care and attention to detail to every note and word. The fact it's played at the Sydney Opera House makes me LOL

Red and Bongo did some really good twin guitar arrangements in these songs. very tasty!

My band was on the same bill at the Beaumaris Civic Centre earlier that year not long after Shirley had joined. I remember sitting outside in the carpark afterwards, listening to them and thinking that they were a band on the brink of greatness.

WOW!!! As a long long time 'hooks fan this is just freakin' brilliant! So great to see such clear early footage, brilliant musicianship, love everything about it … thanks so much! In "Whatever Happened To The Revolution" the band is totally going OFF but it's hilarious looking at the seated audience just frozen there! Red's rhythm & lead are just off the planet & Freddie's drumming is second to none. RIP Shirl.

This is Classic Gold!! Fantastic! We grew up with these guys playing at our local pub !

love this Melbourne bands still rock today

Lived in the 70's, the hooks, split enz, bowie, queen, thorpe, cooper, kiss, zeppelin, floyd, and acadacca what can I say? Can't beat that line up of great artists. EVER!

That riff on horror movie which appears to be a bass and lead riff combined is otherworldly. Australia as usual produced a unique creation with these guys.

Fantastic band I was there on this night because sherbet were the main draw card Alan sandows drums are in the background Sydney was a little hesitate about Skyhooks but that change soon after these guys could play well and write great songs r.i.p Shirl my boy,

Pure gold! Saw Skyhooks at the old Stadium in Sydney twice - we were MUCH livelier than this Opera House crowd. Anyone remember the large "mushroom" prop that climaxed confetti over the stage and the front few rows? Great memories. Thanks for posting 👍👍👍

"Shirley" had such a good voice and so much charisma... can't imagine the '70's minus this band.. How young is Shirl here ? he's a baby ! Twisties plain or chicken ? So gloriously camp! Excellent ! I was there !!!

WOW what memories come flashing weren't the 70's great i seen them a couple times they were awesome live had every album's they did now i have them all on cd's putting my headphones on close my eyes & go back intime i knew each songs & were i was & off course had a bit of you know what i mean those were magic the young ones today have got no idea what we had you can't beat the 70's they were great years we had fun we had it all wayne

Went to every skyhooks performance/concert in Melbourne. I went to school in Fitzroy, and Red lived around the corner. He was so generous giving us his autographs. We were there almost every day. He was kind so kind and patient. Great memories.

So gloriously camp! Excellent ! I was there !!! Tell me Freddy Strauks isn't one of the best drummers Australia has ever produced. We grew up with these guys playing at our local pub !

Came across them in Perth after an overland trip from UK in 74. Saw them at least a couple of times in the Sandgropper Hotel . Great memories.

i cant believe no one has made mention of how tightly fitting his outfit is...

I once met Shirl when I was a 13 year old. He was so friendly and not full of himself at all. Just a really cool guy

Way ahead of their time. I was a Hooks fan at 8 years old ! And a fan of the Sweet . And AC / DC Loved hooks track Million dollar riff !

I Genuinely miss Shiirl.....

Excellent ! I was there !!!

Missing it that much. Nobody performs like that these days.

So gloriously camp! Excellent ! I was there !!!

Julie Mac sent me here. Fantastic!

I saw them at the Jam disco at Leppington one of about 20 people thanks for the upload this is good stuff

Way ahead of their time.... sooo good.

"Smut" is such a brilliantly crafted number - never that enamoured of the lyrics, but the chord changes are superb, as are the guitar arrangements between Bongo and Red, as well as Greg's bass-work.

We scored them to play at our Architecture Students fancy Dress Ball 1973, Newcastle Town Hall...scheduled 3 weeks after they hit big.... what an outrageous night that was :) nothing like that opera house scene ....

The best thing to come out of Melbourne... Excellent ! I was there !!! How young is Shirl here ? he's a baby ! Twisties plain or chicken ?

Fantastic!

This is Classic Gold!!

Love how he got the audience involved! !

Probably the first band in the 70s of Cross Dressers to come out of the Closet and Parade with Glory. The Music was fun and very original for the Time . My pub scene to see Skyhooks AC/DC Hush Radiators Cold Chisel Rose Tattoo and more with a Redback and got me through all night. Those were the Days. Wonder what it takes to do the same in this Time of Inflation and Greed. Love how the Music would compromise the Words and then have the highs and lows of the Instruments. Someone should do a Documentary on Skyhooks Music and Song Writing as the Words were very clear and the music was very original. You can hear every instrument clearly unlike some Bands of the 70s and 80s. I think the album Living in the 70s was a Hit but the next Albums flopped for some reason. Anyway they were Fun and Enjoyable.✌️🫶🇦🇺

Love from Canada

"Now today everyone's a bit older. We're getting richer but we're gettin colder" Wise words Shirl.

I know you uploaded this 5 years ago, but if you're still around, thank you.

Tell me Freddy Strauks isn't one of the best drummers Australia has ever produced. Red and Bongo did some really good twin guitar arrangements in these songs. very tasty! Red and Bongo did some really good twin guitar arrangements in these songs. very tasty!

I loved them when I was young

LOVED SKYHOOKS - My sister and I were at this show and thus began a love affair that prevails today. .

What a voice. Shirl is missed.

Crazy that the audience is just sitting there! Wouldn’t you want to be up and dancing along?

Living in the Seventies was actually pretty good in New Zealand. I imagine it was pretty good in Australia too

Absolute treasure. SKYHOOKS made me the half a man i am today

WOW LOVE SHERBETS DRUM KIT IN THE BACKGROUND FOR THE NEXT SET !!!!

I had dinner with Red Symonds at a media group gathering in Sydney circa 2004. I sat next to him and he was totally polite although a bit uptight. I made sure not to talk about Skyhooks as he was probably over it, but we talked about American Blues and he told me his favourite artist was Doctor John. So you got that from me. American southern jazz - why not, It's brilliant and thanks Red for telling me that.

Those lyrics omg. No wonder my parents hated these guys, I was 10 😂

Tell me Freddy Strauks isn't one of the best drummers Australia has ever produced.

Just legends Ehha i rember going to the curly dance wow so good heard this album before it was released

Aussie Legends. I hear a strong Frank Zappa influence in the humorous lyrics..

Fucking incredible

The wonderful soundtrack of my wonderful youth!! Ahh, if only there was a time machine .

Last song the 3 guitar onslaught is superb!

a good band in the days, saw them at the Jam Hotel or something, Leppington about 77/78 one of about 20 people there you could talk to the band what a weird bunch but loved the music

If Shirl were still alive, im sure theyde be performing again.💜

RECORD DEAL 🥰 AND VINTAGE DRUM KIT LUV IT SOOO COOL 🥰

The Sherbert audience who I believe Hooks were supporting, wouldn't have a clue. Teenybopper Sherbert fans :(

i cant believe no one has made mention of how tightly fitting his outfit is... Tell me Freddy Strauks isn't one of the best drummers Australia has ever produced.

They were a Melbourne group performing in Sydney in the 70's .....it was a hard gig..... nothin much has changed.

Red and Bongo did some really good twin guitar arrangements in these songs. very tasty! I Genuinely miss Shiirl..... Awesome upload! Is the crowd stoned or something? Get up and dance eh!

Skyhooks were one of the wacky, super-talented bands doing the traps at that time like Split Enz, Mother Goose and Jimmy & the Boys. Sydney's live music scene was at its best at the time.

Awesome!

Did Skyhooks ever make a mistake when playing live? Fuck they are good musicians.

The best thing to come out of Melbourne...

Excellent ! I was there !!! Fantastic! How young is Shirl here ? he's a baby ! Twisties plain or chicken ?

Awesome upload! Is the crowd stoned or something? Get up and dance eh!

Red and Bongo did some really good twin guitar arrangements in these songs. very tasty! Awesome upload! Is the crowd stoned or something? Get up and dance eh!

Skyhooks should reform with Leo Sayer i reckon he could pull it off and also lives in Australia .

MY KINDA OF MUSIC, L♡VE❤

Love the makeshift drum riser...obviously the main act wasn't sharing the full stage!! Sherbet by the looks of the stage set up?

So gloriously camp!

Melbourne audiences were so much more appreciative!! Melbourne rocks 🤘🏻💗

Thumbs up just on Shirleys Tom Thumb and two veg

How young is Shirl here ? he's a baby ! Twisties plain or chicken ? "Shirley" had such a good voice and so much charisma... can't imagine the '70's minus this band..

The Hooks had the balls to be rock-stars before the audience had the brains to enjoy it.

Awesome upload! Is the crowd stoned or something? Get up and dance eh! Red and Bongo did some really good twin guitar arrangements in these songs. very tasty!

classic cheers mate

What would Shirl think of this Stone Age 2019s edited out lyrics of his hits played now days

The opera house crowd seem a tad shocked

Hooks were great in '74, as a 10 year old i was allowed to buy the album (yeah i wasn't allowed, but i bought it anyway), a real eye opener... *edit, just spotted the date, was still 9 when this gig happened, 10 days before my 10th.

Fucken love skyhooks, saw them live on countdown I think 1975/76…

LUV DA DRUM KIT BEHIND FOR SHERBET (PEARL) LOL

Great band.

I've never seen a guy with a camel toe before. Great singer tho. Great band. Awesome upload! Is the crowd stoned or something? Get up and dance eh!

I've never seen a less enthusiastic crowd than this at ANY rock concert. It's hard for the band to be any good with this kind of lethargy from the audience.

such a difference from 8 months earlier being boo'd off stage at sunbury with steve hill.

who owned the bigger drum kit behind?

i cant believe no one has made mention of how tightly fitting his outfit is... I Genuinely miss Shiirl.....

Thems were tha dayz☮️❤️🙂

I wonder who the other band was that was playing on this night! Anybody know?

Good opening Act for SHERBET LOL