Hindu Love Gods formed in Athens, Georgia, United States in 1984. The original lineup was Peter Buck (guitar), Mike Mills (bass), Bill Berry (drums), Warren Zevon (piano) and Bryan Cook (vocals). This lineup released one single, "Narrator", without much success. Buck, Mills and Berry joined Zevon on his album Sentimental Hygiene. During an all night (and supposedly drunken) studio session, the four recorded the album Hindu Love Gods, without Cook and featuring Zevon on lead vocals.