It’s come to my attention that there’s been some chatter online, particularly on a Dr Hook tribute page, about why Doctor Hook Band called it quits – again. One popular theory floating around suggests that the split happened because some members started to think they were better off solo, that their individual talents outweighed the collective “magic” of the band. Let’s address that directly.
First, let’s talk about the dynamic between the two frontmen of Doctor Hook. Ray Sawyer’s decision to leave the band in 1981 wasn’t a snap judgment. It was something he’d been considering for a while. Ray was in his early 40s and simply felt he’d had enough of the demanding lifestyle that came with being in Doctor Hook. This isn’t speculation; we were close friends, and we discussed his feelings at length before his departure. Ray wasn’t leaving because he thought he was a bigger star on his own. After years of relentless touring and performing, that wasn’t even a consideration. He wanted to explore life beyond Doctor Hook, to discover who Ray Sawyer was outside of the band’s persona. He had absolutely earned that right, and there was no animosity when he decided to leave.
Around the same time, between 1981 and 1982, Doctor Hook also severed all ties with our management and producer. This was a significant shift for the band.
Despite these changes, the band and I continued for another 3 to 4 years, culminating in our farewell tour in 1985. Doctor Hook was still a successful touring act, and we kept going until it felt like everyone was ready to move on. Again, this isn’t guesswork; I was there, living it. After Doctor Hook, I didn’t pursue a solo record deal, even though many advised me against it, warning it was a mistake. But the last thing I wanted was to be tied to another manager, producer, publisher, or record label. I was 36 and, frankly, I’d also had enough of that side of the music business.
So, this idea that Doctor Hook broke up because of inflated egos, because we couldn’t appreciate what we had together, is simply untrue. It’s nonsense. Doctor Hook ended because it ran its course. First for Ray, and eventually for me and the rest of the guys. I remember someone once offering condolences after one of my divorces, saying, “Sorry to hear your marriage failed.” My response was, “Failed? It lasted 18 years… and then it ended.” I don’t understand why some people insist on viewing Doctor Hook calling it quits as a “failure.” We clearly gave our fans something they deeply loved, so much so that some still seem unable to accept us going our separate ways.
In a strange way, it’s flattering that so many years later – it’s been over 36 years since the breakup – the reasons behind it are still being debated.
Doctor Hook was not a failure. Not then, and not now. The individual members aren’t failures because we haven’t all achieved number-one hits and sold-out world tours since. We’re all doing our own thing, likely doing what we would have been doing in some capacity even if “Hookworld” hadn’t intervened in our lives.
Now, about that “magic” people talk about. If the band, collectively, was indeed responsible for that magic, don’t you think we would have been the first to realize if it was gone? Let’s celebrate the music. Remember how it made you feel and appreciate that it still holds that power today. But please, let’s stop turning the story of Doctor Hook into a sad tale, mourning something that isn’t lost.
We’re all doing just fine.
You?!? ~
January 6th 2012 ~
