Hindu Love Gods came together in Athens, GA during 1984 as an underground-favorite supergroup. Its original lineup featured R.E.M.’s guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and drummer Bill Berry alongside pianist Warren Zevon—the dryly witty songwriter celebrated for “Werewolves of London”—and vocalist Bryan Cook, previously active with Athens bands Time Toy and Oh-OK. The group’s debut release, the IRS single “Narrator,” appeared in mid-1985.
The following year Buck, Mills, and Berry again joined Zevon, this time contributing to his solo album Sentimental Hygiene. Without Cook, the same four musicians then cut the Hindu Love Gods long-player in one alcohol-fueled, late-night session; Zevon handled the vocals on an informal set of electric-blues interpretations that closed with a version of Prince’s “Raspberry Beret.” Bill Berry later remarked, “It took us about as long to do as it takes to listen to.” The tapes stayed largely unknown until Giant finally issued the album in 1990; the band produced no further recordings.
