Friday Freak-Out: D.R. Hooker's "Forge Your Own Chains" (1972)

David Pescovitz 9:09 am Fri Aug 19, 2011

Friday Freak-Out: D.R. Hooker's "Forge Your Own Chains" from his 1972 private press album The Truth. This lounge-psych gem can also be heard on the essential compilation Forge Your Own Chains, Vol. 1: Psychedelic Ballads And Dirges 1968-1974. Subliminal Sounds also reissued The Truth on CD, digital download, and LP. From the label site:

The Truth deserves every plaudit that comes its way, making it astonishing that there was no real band to speak of. Instead ten musicians are credited alongside the mysterious Donald Hooker, who wrote, sang and played lead on the album. Culled from the local music scene, they rehearsed only briefly before entering the studio. Tom Kobela, who plays dobro on The Truth, remembers that Hooker ‘was a very likable, long-haired fellow’ with a most unusual appearance. Heavily bearded and very thin, he looks nothing short of messianic on the front cover. Kobela recalls that ‘D.R. wore robes, which was pushing the dress code conventions even then.’

Forge Your Own Chains, Vol. 1: Psychedelic Ballads And Dirges 1968-1974 (Amazon)

D.R. Hooker's "The Truth" reissue (Subliminal Sounds)

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