| OutsideInside | ||
|---|---|---|
 The Whale as depicted on an early pressing. | ||
| Studio album by Blue Cheer | ||
| Released | August 1968 | |
| Recorded | 1968 at Various | |
| Genre | Hard Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Acid Rock, Blues Rock, Garage Rock | |
| Length | 32:44 | |
| Label | Phillips | |
| Producer | Abe "Voco" Kesh | |
| Blue Cheer chronology | ||
| Vincebus Eruptum (1968) |
OutsideInside (1968) |
New! Improved! (1968) |
Outsideinside is Blue Cheer's second LP, released by Philips Records in August 1968. Its tracks were recorded both outdoors and indoors—hence the title of the album. Outsideinside was produced by Abe "Voco" Kesh and partially engineered by Eddie Kramer, who had worked with The Jimi Hendrix Experience and The Rolling Stones and would later engineer releases by Led Zeppelin and Kiss, among others. The album's cover painting is by "Arab", and was designed by Gut Turk, a former Hells Angel. The album photographs were taken by famed rock photographer Jim Marshall. Outsideinside was the last record to feature the original Blue Cheer line-up, as Leigh Stephens left the band after the album was released.
Background[]
The full gatefold of OutsideInside.
After touring with the likes of the Grateful Dead, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown and The Jimi Hendrix Experience on the success of Vincebus Eruptum, Blue Cheer quickly got to work on a follow-up record in a host of different studios which spawned the title:
- Gate Five, Sausalito
- Muir Beach, California
- Pier 57, New York City
- A&R Studio, New York City
- Olmstead Studios, New York City
- Record Plant, New York City
- Pacific Recorders, California
The band would be forced to record some of the tracks at Pier 57 after getting kicked out of at least one studio for playing too loud. The band also had conflicts with engineer John MacQuarrie in the making of the record. The record's tracks feature contributions from all members, along with two covers: "Satisfaction" by The Rolling Stones and "The Hunter" by Albert King.
OutsideInside would peak at #90 on the Billboard charts with a single for "Just a Little Bit" peaking at #92 of the Top 100, thus not quite the Top 20 success the previous record attained. With time the album has gained just as significant a cult following as the first record and has been heavily praised by retrospective critics.
OutsideInside was re-released on CD in 1999 by Italian-based Akarma Records, and included an additional cut from the original sessions entitled "Fortunes" as a bonus track. In 2010 famed garage rock label Sundazed would fully remaster and reissue OutsideInside with extensive liner notes.
Blue Cheer "Outsideinside" Full Album 1968
Tracklist[]
NOTE: Track 10 is only on the Akarma Records re-issues.
- 1. Feathers From Your Tree (Dickie Peterson, Leigh Stephens, Peter Wagner) (3:29)
- 2. Sun Cycle (Peterson, Stephens, Wagner) (4:12)
- 3. Just a Little Bit (Peterson) (3:24)
- 4. Gypsy Ball (Peterson, Stephens) (2:57)
- 5. Come and Get It (Peterson, Stephens, Wagner) (3:13)
- 6. Satisfaction (Mick Jagger, Keith Richards) (5:05)
- 7. The Hunter (Booker T. Jones) (4:22)
- 8. Magnolia Caboose Babyfinger (Peterson, Stephens) (1:38)
- 9. Babylon (Peterson) (4:22)
- 10. Fortunes (Peterson) (2:20)
Personnel[]
- Dickie Peterson - Bass, Lead Vocals
- Leigh Stephens - Guitar, Backing Vocals
- Paul Whaley - Drums
- Eric Albronda - Backing Vocals
- Ralph Burns Kellogg - Keyboards
- Eddie Kramer - Engineer
- Hank McGill - Engineer
- Jay Snyder - Engineer
- Tony May - Engineer
- Gary Finroe aka Arab - Artwork
- Gut Terk aka Gut - Graphic Design
- Jim Marshall - Photography
- Steffens Leinwohl - Photography, Artwork
- Abe "Voco" Kesh - Producer
- Mark Brennan - Liner Notes
External Links[]
- OutsideInside on Discogs
- Rockasteria article on the album
- The Obelisk article on OutsideInside
- AminoApps review of OutsideInside
- Head Heritage article on OutsideInside
- Pitchfork review of OutsideInside