The Latest and Greatest is a greatest hits compilation album by Australian rock band Skyhooks. It was released by Mushroom Records in November 1990 in Australia and peaked at number 4 on the chart and was certified platinum.[1]
Skyhooks formed in inner Melbourne in 1974 and sold well across Australia with their first two albums, Living in the 70's and Ego Is Not a Dirty Word, both peaking at number 1 in 1975. It was novel to hear Australian songs about buying dope in the inner city, sex in the suburbs, the local gay scene and songs with place-specific themes such as 'Toorak Cowboy' and 'Balwyn Calling'. The group's popularity has been particularly attributed to their socially-aware lyrics and timely style.[2]
The band had been on hiatus since 1984, but in 1988 Greg Macainsh began working on new material. This led to two new songs: "Jukebox in Siberia" and "Tall Timber". "Jukebox in Siberia" was released as a single in October 1990 and peaked at number 1 on the ARIA singles chart and opened the band to a whole new audience. As a result, their record label decided to release a new "best of" album in the November, titled The Latest and Greatest.[3]
