Bongo Starkie, Skyhooks guitarist, died at 73 after battling leukemia, remembered for his iconic role in the band’s 1970s rise.

Bob “Bongo” Starkie, the iconic guitarist of Australian rock band Skyhooks, has died at 73 after a year-long battle with leukemia. A member since 1973, he helped shape the band’s 1970s rise, known for flamboyant stage outfits and guitar duels with Red Symons. Even after Skyhooks stopped touring following lead singer Shirley Strachan’s 2001 death, Starkie performed their music with select musicians, honoring Strachan’s legacy with a female vocalist. He recently canceled 50th-anniversary shows for their landmark album Living in the 70s due to health. Starkie passed peacefully at home, listening to Chuck Berry, surrounded by family and his dog. Skyhooks, ARIA Hall of Fame inductees in 1992, were celebrated for humorous, locally themed songs and controversial lyrics, with Living in the 70s selling over 300,000 copies despite radio bans.