Hindu Love Gods (band)
| Company type | Musical group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1984 |
| Founder | Bryan Cook, Bill Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills |
| Headquarters | Athens, Georgia , United States |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Number of employees | 5 (members) |
Hindu Love Gods was a blues rock ensemble from the United States, established as a side endeavor involving members of R.E.M. along with collaborators Warren Zevon and Bryan Cook.
History
The band made its initial appearance in 1984 with three performances in Athens, Georgia, where their setlist mainly consisted of cover songs complemented by some original pieces that had not been officially released. The founding members were Bryan Cook (vocals, organ) alongside R.E.M. musicians Bill Berry (drums), Peter Buck (guitar), and Mike Mills (bass). By the time of their second show, Michael Stipe (lead vocalist of R.E.M.) and Warren Zevon (vocals, keyboards, guitar) had joined the group. Zevon's connection to the R.E.M. members stretched back to mutual acquaintances from Buck's college days. Their repertoire included Zevon's well-known track "Werewolves of London" as well as unreleased songs such as "Boom Boom Mancini" and "Trouble Waiting to Happen." The final 1984 concert featured the original lineup of Cook, Berry, Buck, and Mills without Stipe or Zevon.
On February 28, 1984, this five-member formation recorded two songs intended for a single that was eventually issued in 1986: the A-side was "Gonna Have a Good Time Tonight," a cover of an Easybeats tune, while the B-side was "Narrator," an original composition by Bill Berry credited to Berry/Buck/Mills/Stipe. Bryan Cook provided lead vocals on both tracks.
After a break in activity, Hindu Love Gods reconvened in 1986 for a benefit performance in Athens dedicated to supporting the family of the late musician D. Boon. This reunion featured Berry, Buck, Cook, Mills, and Stipe.
Subsequently, Buck, Mills, and Berry collaborated with Zevon on his 1987 solo album Sentimental Hygiene. During these sessions, they recorded ten blues covers in a single evening. Despite rumors suggesting intoxication during these recordings, Peter Buck clarified that no alcohol was present out of respect for Zevon's commitment to sobriety. These tracks were eventually released by Giant Records in 1990 under the band name Hindu Love Gods. Zevon accepted an advance from management for this album to address financial obligations such as his children's college tuition; while the other members supported him personally, they expressed frustration over management’s insistence on releasing the material.
The album’s standout song was a rock interpretation of Prince’s "Raspberry Beret," which achieved a peak position of No. 23 on the Modern Rock charts. Overall, the album reached No. 168 on Billboard’s Top Album Charts.
Following the release, Zevon and Buck maintained a friendship based on common interests; however, relationships between Zevon and the other R.E.M. members gradually cooled amid reported disagreements related to management matters.
When Zevon’s cancer diagnosis became public knowledge in 2002, efforts by his former bandmates to reconnect were limited to communications through his management team. A vinyl reissue of Hindu Love Gods was scheduled for Record Store Day 2025, with Buck expressing enthusiasm about renewed attention toward the group.
Albums
| Title | Album information | Highest chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US |
AUS | ||
| Hindu Love Gods |
|
168 | 81 |
Singles
- Gonna Have a Good Time Tonight / Narrator (7" single)
- Raspberry Beret