D.R. Hooker Forge Your Own Chains (1972)
Most people will have heard of IBM, but hardly anyone knows what exactly the US-American company does and has done in its more than 100 years of existence. IBM's first big thing was punched-card technology: before the advent of electronic computers, punched-card systems were a form of mechanical computing. The company experienced significant growth after this invention—perhaps also because it wasn't picky when it came to its customers: During World War II, the technology played a role in organizing census data for the Nazi regime, contributing to the logistical apparatus of the Holocaust. After the war, in 1964, IBM introduced System/360, the first family of mainframe computers. Mainframes are powerful, high-performance computers that are known for their reliability, security, and ability to handle large-scale workloads. These Big Irons are used by public administrations, banks, and other large organizations. The people ensuring the proper operation of the IBM mainframes are called IBM systems programmers and work at IBM itself or at third-party consulting agencies. One of these programmers was Donald Hooker. He worked in the profession for 30 years. IBM systems were his life. Or rather: His second life. In his first life he wore a beard, long hair, dressed in white robes, and released psychedelic folk music, later peppered with Christian mysticism. His debut album The Truth (1972), pressed privately in an edition of only 99 copies, stands as one of the most exceptionally rare releases in music history. The album's highlight is the groove-laden and percussive track “Forge Your Own Chains” that addresses the challenges Hooker faced in dealing with drug and alcohol addiction.
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