According to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, "Macainsh's biting, provocative songs were the perfect expression of adolescent obsessions and frustrations.
"[4] In 1966, with Macainsh on bass guitar and school mate, Imants "Freddie" Strauks on lead vocals, he formed a group, Spare Parts.
[8] Late in that year they were signed to Michael Gudinski's booking agency, Australian Entertainment Exchange, and eventually to his label, Mushroom Records.
[8] In June 1974, three months after Strachan had replaced Hill, Skyhooks recorded their debut album, Living in the 70's (October 1974), with nine of its ten tracks written by Macainsh.
[8][12] According to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, "Macainsh's biting, provocative songs were the perfect expression of adolescent obsessions and frustrations.
[15] Ego Is Not a Dirty Word (July 1975), Skyhooks' second album, spent 11 weeks at the number-one spot and shipped 180,000 copies.
Nimmervoll opined, "With two of the biggest selling Australian albums of all time to their credit, the band put everything into the most elaborated stage settings Australia had ever seen.
"[10] Macainsh's then girlfriend, Jenny Brown,[12] wrote a book about the band in 1975, entitled Skyhooks : Million Dollar Riff.
I called in Derryn and Jacki, some of the guys from Pseudo Echo (James and Vince Leigh) and Greg Macainsh from Skyhooks are in the band, it was pretty much anyone who'd do me a favour.