If I could call any album from 1978, my favourite for that year, it would have to be this one. "From the Inside" by the legendary Alice Cooper was one of the first albums that I can say that had me rocking to the rafters. Me and this album went through a lot of things together and I can identify with many of the songs on it personally. It got me through my military days, although I was more fortunate than the topic in the song "Jackknife Johnny." Living among the gambling scene of Atlantic City, I could definitely identify with "Wish I Was Born in Beverly Hills" and for the three years between my discharge from the military and going to England, I really did feel I was on the inside looking out. "From the Inside" and I rode many miles together and no one could have done it better than Alice Cooper.
It's not uncommon knowledge that Alice Cooper got the inspiration for the album when he was admitted to a sanitarium for his alcoholism. Every song is based on people he knew there, so insanity is the running theme of the entire album. However, Alice being the genius that he is, was able to put those feelings down to some good music and make it all come alive. I know he had great help from Elton John's song writer Bernie Taupin and I give him the credit he deserves here, but it was Alice who performed and lived these songs.
Track Listing:
1. From the Inside
2. Wish I was Born in Beverly Hills
3. The Quiet Room
4. Nurse Rosetta
5. Millie and Billie
6. Serious
7. How You Gonna See Me Now
8. For Veronica's Sake
9. Jackknife Johnny
10. Inmates (We're All Crazy)
- Alice Cooper - vocals
- Dick Wagner - guitar
- Steve Lukather - guitar
- Rick Nielsen - guitar
- Davey Johnstone - guitar
- Jefferson Kewley - guitar
- Jay Graydon - guitar, synthesizer programming
- Kenny Passarelli - bass
- David Hungate - bass
- John Pierce - bass
- Dee Murray - bass
- Lee Sklar - bass
- Rick Schlosser - drums
- Dennis Conway - drums
- Michael Ricciardella - drums
- Jim Keltner - percussion
- David Foster - keyboards
- Fred Mandel - keyboards
- Robbie King - keyboards
- Steve Porcaro - synthesizer programming
- Marcy Levy - vocals
When I first introduced 1978, I said that in that year, the gods of rock were busy at their anvils forging a genre called heavy metal. I still believe this to be the case and I further believe that when they were doing this, they had a copy of this album on their home entertainment centres to give them their inspiration. One song they would have definitely taken note of from this album was the single "How You Gonna See Me Now." This was the first true power ballad in the very sense of the word. The other tracks make this a true rocking bang your head album, great with a few beers.
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