The Greek power trio Socrates Drank The Conium, also known simply as Socrates, was formed in Athens in the late 1960s. During the Greek military dictatorship (April 1967 to July 1974), there were hardly any opportunities to perform. However, they were something of a house band at the Kitarro Club in Athens, where this Jimi Hendrix-style blues-rock band played numerous successful concerts. The line-up consisted of guitarist Yannis Spathas, bassist and singer Antonis Tourkoyorgis, and Elias Boukouvalas on drums. Around 1970–71 they released a series of singles on Polydor. Then in mid-1971 they recorded their self-titled debut album in a single three-hour live session.

It was released by Polydor later that same year and, unfortunately, is not particularly successful sonically due to poor mixing and inadequate mastering, but it shows the amazing talents of all three musicians. They played an excellent, guitar-driven, heavy psychedelic hard rock with English lyrics. Particularly remarkable was the unique guitar playing of Spathas, the „Greek Hendrix“. However, the first LP, which was released only in Greece at the time, attracted hardly any attention and was even banned for a time. This gem of Greek rock history is now a very rare and sought-after collector’s item.