D.R. Hooker, 1972 LP: The Truth - A5 This Thing

D.R. Hooker
LP: The Truth
Label: On Records
Released: 1972
Genre: Rock
Style: Psychedelic Rock

A1 The Sea
A2 Fall In Love
A3 A Stranger's Smile
A4 Weather Girl, Lead Guitar – Vincent de Paul Linus Pasternak
A5 This Thing
B1 Forge Your Own Chains
B2 I'm Leaving You
B3 The Truth
B4 The Bible
B5 Falling Asleep

D. R. Hooker: Composer, Producer, Vocals, Lead Guitar, Rhythm Guitar
George Sheck : Bass Guitar
Art Ryerson : Horns Arrangements, Electric Piano
Nick Oliva: Organ, Piano
Rick Sanders : Synthesizer, Other [Special Assistance]
Tom Kobela: Dobro
Haywood Sheck: Drums
Ken Lovelett: Percussion, Vibraphone
Backing Vocals – Art Ryerson, Buddy Santori, D. R. Hooker, Dave Masson
Engineer – Paul Saffioti, Samot Arikos
Recorded at Dynamic Recording Studios, New Haven, Conn.
Arranged By – The D.R. Hooker Band

Donald Hooker was a weird guy from New Haven, CT, that’s him on the cover dressed as Jesus in what was apparently his everyday getup. In 1972 he brought together a temporary group of local musicians to record this psychedelic garage rock/sometimes lounge album, “The Truth”. Highlights include opener “The Sea” with ripping fuzzed out guitar, the groovy percussive “Forge Your Own Chains” and the incredible guitar anthem “The Bible” where D.R. Hooker lays it out straight to ya - “If they are knocking the bible, be sure that they are bent. Just see and you will understand, the book is heaven-sent.” This is an incredible private press LP and if the whole Christian thing is hard to get over, “The Truth” might be the album to convince you otherwise. Not much is known about D.R. personally. His albums are rich with lyrics heavy in Christian mysticism and fuzzed out guitar. His music was some of the last vestiges of the mid to late 60s psychedelic era which was quickly giving way to hard rock and heavy metal styles. Hooker was known for his extremely thin body which he adorned with robes. His long hair and bushy beard gave his first album a hippie Messianic flavor that matched many of the lyrics in the music. D.R. fronted the D.R. Hooker Band but the players on record are reported to be ten local Connecticut musicians he rehearsed a couple of times and then took into the studio. In tripped-out Beatles fashion, ‘the Truth’ concludes with a recorded message played backwards: “Life is a mystery, of course it’s true. Look for the answer, recorded clues.” One can only assume that he’s yet again urging his listeners to turn to the bible, his holy source for “life’s recorded clues.” Donald R. "D.R." Hooker passed away January 24, 2009. He was 60.