{{Infobox album | name = Strange Hobby | type = studio | artist = Arjen Anthony Lucassen | cover = Strange Hobby.jpg | alt = | released = 1996 | recorded = | venue = | studio = | genre = Psychedelic rock, rock, folk rock | length = | label = Transmission, Cherry Red Records (Re-Release) | producer = | prev_title = | prev_year = | next_title = | next_year = | misc = {{Extra chronology | artist = Arjen Anthony Lucassen | type = Studio album | prev_title = Actual Fantasy | prev_year = 1996 | title = Strange Hobby | year = 1996 | next_title = Into the Electric Castle | next_year = 1998 }} }}
'''Strange Hobby''' is an uncredited cover album by Arjen Anthony Lucassen, released in 1996. The album and the booklet contained no information about Lucassen and did not explain who was responsible for the recordings, to make the album even more "strange".<ref name="officialpage" />
The album features covers of songs that have influenced Lucassen's musical development, mainly from the 1960s.<ref name="officialpage">{{cite web|author=|url=http://www.arjenlucassen.com/content/strange-hobby/ |title=Strange Hobby – Strange Hobby |publisher=ArjenLucassen.com |date=2010-12-12 |accessdate=2011-09-01}}</ref> As he did in his solo album ''Pools of Sorrow, Waves of Joy'', Lucassen performed all the vocals and all the instruments (except drums and synthesizer) and arranged all the songs himself.
The album was re-released on 8 July 2016 with four previously unreleased bonus tracks; this time, Lucassen was officially credited as the artist.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cherryred.co.uk/product/strange-hobby/|title=Strange Hobby|website=Cheeryred.co.uk|accessdate=February 3, 2020}}</ref>
== Track listing == {{track listing | extra_column = Original artist (date) | title1 = Arnold Layne | writer1 = Syd Barrett | extra1 = Pink Floyd (1967) | length1 = 2:59<ref name="length2">{{cite web|url=http://www.amarokprog.net/albums_25720.html |title=Ayreon - strange hobby - chroniques, informations (1996)|publisher=Amarokprog.net |date= |accessdate=2011-09-01}}</ref> | title2 = Norwegian Wood | writer2 = John Lennon, Paul McCartney | extra2 = The Beatles (1965) | length2 = 2:07 | title3 = Pictures of Matchstick Men | writer3 = Francis Rossi | extra3 = Status Quo (1968) | length3 = 3:10 | title4 = I Am a Rock | writer4 = Paul Simon | extra4 = Paul Simon (1965) | length4 = 2:35 | title5 = Boris the Spider | writer5 = John Entwistle | extra5 = The Who (1966) | length5 = 2:10 | title6 = (Further Reflections) In the Room of Percussion | writer6 = Eddy Pumer, Peter Daltrey | extra6 = Kaleidoscope (1967) | length6 = 3:11 | title7 = Sunny Afternoon | writer7 = Ray Davies | extra7 = The Kinks (1966) | length7 = 3:29 | title8 = See Emily Play | writer8 = Syd Barrett | extra8 = Pink Floyd (1967) | length8 = 2:41 | title9 = For No One | writer9 = John Lennon, Paul McCartney | extra9 = The Beatles (1966) | length9 = 2:02 | title10 = I Want You | writer10 = Bob Dylan | extra10 = Bob Dylan (1966) | length10 = 2:38 | title11 = Bus Stop | writer11 = Graham Gouldman | extra11 = The Hollies (1966) | length11 = 3:05 | title12 = Flowers in the Rain | writer12 = Roy Wood | extra12 = The Move (1967) | length12 = 2:11 | title13 = The Letter | writer13 = Wayne Carson Thompson | extra13 = The Box Tops (1967) | length13 = 2:08 | title14 = Ride a White Swan | writer14 = Marc Bolan | extra14 = T. Rex (1970) | length14 = 2:18 | title15 = Sloop John B | writer15 = Traditional West Indies (Bahamas) folk song, The Kingston Trio, Brian Wilson | extra15 = The Beach Boys (1966) | length15 = 2:55 | title16 = Daydream Believer | writer16 = John Stewart | extra16 = The Monkees (1967) | length16 = 2:42 | title17 = Catch the Wind | writer17 = Donovan | extra17 = Donovan (1965) | length17 = 1:58 | title18 = Ice in the Sun | writer18 = Marty Wilde, Ronnie Scott | extra18 = Status Quo (1968) | length18 = 2:26 }}
{{Track listing | headline = 2016 reissue and Itunes bonus tracks | extra_column = Original artist (date) | title19 = Pretty Girls | writer19 = Arjen Anthony Lucassen | extra19 = ''original song'' | length19 = 2:41<ref name="length">{{cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/tj/artist/arjen-lucassens-strange-hobby/881291247 |title=Arjen Lucassen's Strange Hobby, Itunes|publisher=iTunes |date= |access-date=2016-03-15}}</ref> | title20 = In the Room of Percussion | writer20 = Eddy Pumer, Peter Daltrey | extra20 = Kaleidoscope (1967) | length20 = 2:26 | title21 = Last Train to Clarksville | writer21 = Tommy Boyce, Bobby Hart | extra21 = The Monkees (1966) | length21 = 2:27 | title22 = Ruby Tuesday | writer22 = Mick Jagger, Keith Richards | extra22 = The Rolling Stones (1967) | length22 = 2:48 }}
== Commercial reception == The album was a commercial loss, partially because Lucassen was not well known at that time (his success really started with ''Into the Electric Castle''). Years later, Arjen stated: "[I]t may not be smart from a commercial point of view, but it was fun".<ref name="officialpage" />
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{Ayreon}}
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Category:Arjen Lucassen albums Category:1993 albums Category:Psychedelic rock albums by Dutch artists Category:1990s covers albums