Outsideinside

Outsideinside is the second album by American power trio Blue Cheer. Philips Records released the album in August 1968, only seven months after their debut LP, Vincebus Eruptum.[1]

Outsideinside
Studio album by Blue Cheer
Released	August 1968
Recorded	California & New York, 1968
Genre	Hard rock psychedelic rock acid rock heavy metal
Length	32:44
Label	Philips
Producer	Abe "Voco" Kesh
Blue Cheer chronology
Vincebus Eruptum (1968) Outsideinside (1968) New! Improved! (1969)
Singles from Outsideinside
"Just a Little Bit" Released: August 1968

The album was recorded both outdoors and indoors—hence the title of the album.[1] The songs include contributions from all members, along with two covers: "Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones and "The Hunter" by Albert King.[2] The album was re-released on CD in 1999 by Italian-based Akarma Records. It includes an additional song from the original sessions, titled "Fortunes", as a bonus track.

Outsideinside reached number 90 on the Billboard 200 album chart. "Just a Little Bit" was the first single from the album; it peaked at number 92 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

Background

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 later engineered releases by Led Zeppelin, Kiss, and others). Some songs were recorded outdoors as well as in the studio.

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; guitarist Leigh Stephens left the band after the album was released.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal	8/10[3]
Pitchfork	9.6/10[2]

In a retrospective review for AllMusic, Mark Deming commented:

[Outsideinside] captures the psychedelic side of their musical personality with greater clarity than the blunt approach of the debut; Outsideinside doesn't sound trippy so much as righteously buzzed, and the speedy roar of this the music is big enough that the legend that parts of this were so loud they had to be recorded outside seems not just plausible, but perfectly reasonable.[1]

In a review of the two-for-one reissue of the album (coupled with Vincebus Eruptum), Pitchfork's Alexander Lloyd Linhardt noted, "Outsideinside converts their [Blue Cheer's] stylistic enthusiasm and leathery attitude into structured song. If it doesn't sound as influential as Vincebus's cataclysmic insanity, it's because it defines 'classic' rock."[2] Canadian journalist Martin Popoff praised the album where the band "pre-dispose of Purple, thwack the face of Hendrix, and generally pound psychedelia into the dirt" and concluded that "by most definitions this ain't heavy metal, but by most measures Blue Cheer stomp over Zep I and II".[3]

Track listing

Details taken from the original Philips LP liner notes; other releases may show different information.

Side one

No.	Title	Writer	Length
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

Side two

No.	Title	Writer	Length
1.	"Satisfaction"	Jagger/Richards	5:07
2.	"The Hunter"	Booker T. Jones	4:22
3.	"Magnolia Caboose Babyfinger"	Peterson, Stephens	1:38
4.	"Babylon"	Peterson	4:22
Total length:			32:44

Bonus track (Akarma CD version 2003)

No.	Title	Writer	Length
1.	"Fortunes"	Peterson	2:20

Recording locations

"Outside sessions"

• Gate Five, Sausalito, California
• Muir Beach, California
• Pier 57, New York City

"Inside sessions"

• A&R Studio, New York City
• Olmstead Studios, New York City
• Record Plant, New York City
• Pacific Recorders, San Mateo, California

Personnel

Blue Cheer

• Leigh Stephens – guitar
• Dickie Peterson – bass guitar, vocals
• Paul Whaley – drums

Guest musician

• Ralph Burns Kellogg – keyboards, organ, reeds

Production

• Abe "Voco" Kesh – producer
• Hank McGill, Jay Snyder, Tony May, Eddie Kramer – engineers

References

1. Deming, Mark. "Blue Cheer: Outsideinside – Review". AllMusic. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
2. Linhardt, Alexander Lloyd (October 7, 2003). "Blue Cheer: Vincebus Eruptum / Outsideinside". pitchfork.com. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
3. Popoff, Martin (October 2003). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 1: The Seventies. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. p. 52. ISBN 978-1894959025.