From the Inside (Alice Cooper album)


From the Inside is the fourth solo album by Alice Cooper, released in 1978. It is a concept album about Cooper’s stay in a New York asylum due to his alcoholism. Each of the characters in the songs were based on actual people Cooper met in the asylum. Among other collaborators, the album features three longtime Elton John associates: lyricist Bernie Taupin, guitarist Davey Johnstone and bassist Dee Murray.
The lead single from the album was the power ballad “How You Gonna See Me Now”, which reached number 12 in the US Hot 100 chart. A music video was also created for it. The ‘Madhouse Rocks Tour’ in support of From the Inside lasted from February to April 1979 and saw all songs from the album as regular parts of the setlist except “Millie and Billie”, “For Veronica’s Sake” and “Jackknife Johnny”. Since 1979, however, songs from From the Inside have rarely been performed live, with the only cases being “Serious” on the 2003 ‘Bare Bones’ tour and his 2018 One Night With Alice Cooper tour. “Wish I Were Born in Beverly Hills” on the 2005–2006 Dirty Diamonds Tour, “Nurse Rozetta” on the ‘Descent into Dragontown’ and ‘Theatre of Death’ tours, and “From the Inside” between 1997 and 1999 and on the late 2000s ‘Theatre of Death’ tour.
The album was adapted into a comic book, Marvel Premiere #50.

Artwork and packaging

The album cover is a centre parting gatefold with Alice Cooper's face on the front. It opens up into a triple page image of a mental asylum. In the top left corner is a door with a sign above that reads "the quiet room"; this is a hidden flap that opens to reveal Cooper, sitting in a padded cell with a straitjacket by his feet. On the inside of the flap there is a message that reads "Inmates! In memory of Moonie", a nod to Cooper's old drinking buddy Keith Moon. The picture of Cooper in the cell is printed on the inner sleeve along with the song lyrics. On the rear of the album is a picture of the back of an asylum building with the track listing on the double doors, which open to show all the inmates stampeding down the corridor, waving papers in the air stating their release. Both the images hidden by flaps were printed on the inner sleeve.

Reception

Tom Carson of Rolling Stone, while stating that "the songs are full of good ideas", held that the songwriters and performers approached the concept too seriously, and that the album should have been done in a parody vein. He also criticized that the session band are too talented and precise, arguing that audiences had become enamored of Alice Cooper as a musician who does not strive for competence, and they would not accept such a fundamental change to his sound.
In a retrospective review for Allmusic, Alex Henderson found the album lacks the immediate appeal of Cooper's most popular albums, and at points "is too self-indulgent and intellectual for its own good, but at its best as on 'How You Gonna See Me Now', From the Inside is as riveting as it is inspiring."

Track listing

This was one of three Alice Cooper albums to be reissued in 1990 by Metal Blade Records on CD and cassette. The other two were Muscle of Love and Lace and Whiskey.

Personnel

Album – Billboard
Singles – Billboard
YearSingleChartPosition
1978"How You Gonna See Me Now"Pop Singles12
1979"From The Inside"Pop Singles-

"How You Gonna See Me Now" was released as a single worldwide in late-1978 with a B-side titled "No Tricks", a non-album track featuring Betty Wright on co-vocals, which was later included in the 1999 box set The Life and Crimes of Alice Cooper. Some releases of the single incorrectly credited "No Tricks" as from the LP "From The Inside".
"From the Inside" was released as a single in the US in early-1979 as a remixed edited version, with "Nurse Rozetta" as its B-side. The remix is also included in The Life and Crimes of Alice Cooper.