Blue Cheer

Blue Cheer

Track Listings

1. Fool

2. You're Gonna Need Someone

3. Hello L.A., Bye Bye Birmingham

4. Saturday Freedom

5. Ain't That the Way (Love's Supposed to Be)

6. Rock and Roll Queens

7. Better When We Try

8. Natural Man

9. Lovin' You's Easy

10. Same Old Story

Tracks:

Summertime Blues
Rock Me Baby
Doctor Please
Out Of Focus
Parchment Farm
Second Time Around

Customer Reviews:

loud.......2007-06-30

My dad describe Vincebus (pronounced Winky-bus) Eruptum by Bljue Cheer as early grunge.

I tend to agree. For an album that came out in 1968, it really sets the standard for hard rock. It's loud, dirty and full of feedback.

This is an essential.

Industrial Strength paint remover !.......2007-06-14

Saw these guys and the Wall O' Marshalls in the Racine Armory-GAWD! I swear the paint peeled off th wall
and Peterson's hands were reduced to bloody hamburger as he demolished drumsticks. Leigh Stephens
walked among the guitar gods. In a pinch I'd place Vincebus next to Deep Purple In Rock as the birthplace
of Metal. The album cover has a place of reverence on my wall.

The Beginning of the End or the End of the Beginning?.......2007-04-05

It was instructive to be a 17 year old boy when first encountering this artyfact in the time of its release. Free from pre-conception (save experiencing the AM Single "Summertime Blues"), I was quite astonished and happy to have found "something entirely different" in my musical life. Friends dismissed this hunk of tribal neolithic vinyl as imitative of the Who (themselves cover artists of Summertime Blues), Jimi Hendrix, Cream and others, but for myself - I heard none of that.

What I DID hear was the volcanic, anarchic chaos that I struggled to enunciate myself. Sure, I could tell that this wasn't "music the way its usually made". It wasn't "pretty" and it wasn't "artistic", but damn, it sure did blow the door off. And, it was music to be shouted and bludgeoned, rather than merely to be sang and played cleverly. In short, I could really "get into" this. And what I didn't know was these guys were approximately my age when they conceived and recorded these epic monstrosities. They were "relating" to me, to phrase it in the psycho-babble of a slightly later time.

What did I hear on this Philips Long Player? Unbridled lust for life and youth in the process of exploding in an extra-cultural fashion.

I have to say, a very few of my friends, other than the legions of Blue Cheer critics, came out where I did on this: "This **** is great!" And, to tell you the truth, I have never tired of Vincebus and its crazed, demented follow-up: Outsideinside. I bought and wore them out in vinyl, in cassette and CD. I still listen to them with a dazed look on my face.

And a word of caution, 99% of those who hear this say "This is terrible!" or just merely clear out of the area.

Electric Mud.......2007-03-28

On this their debut these guys played slower, louder and with more distortion than you ever did. They named themselves after a very particular form of Owsley's little helper, but you can pretend it was after the laundry detergent. They will definitely clean out your ears - - no question. What they'll do to the rest of your head is your problem.

1958 revisited and revised.......2006-11-22

Blue Cheer were a psychedelic-era power trio in the mold of the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream. Although they are often credited with pioneering the heavy metal genre, that honor would have to be reserved for Hendrix and Cream. The band did take decibel levels to unparalleled extremes, however, beating other power trio's such as Grand Funk Railroad and Mountain to the mega-punch by a year or so. Their reason for cranking up the volume, however, may have been as much to hide the still rather obvious musical limitations of the band members as it was to venture into uncharted seas. It is much more entertaining, after all, to hear Leslie West or Eric Clapton shred paint from rafters than the Cheer's Leigh Stephens.

While Blue Cheer was the name of a laundry detergent, it was also slang for a particular strain of LSD. It's about as likely that the band had phosphates rather than acid in mind as it is that 'Lucy In the Sky With Diamonds' wasn't a John Lennon acronym for LSD. Just look at their hair. But these boys weren't solid psychedelic rockers. Their bent was much more in the blues-rock tradition, as evidenced by bassist Dickie Peterson's compositions 'Out of Focus' (which features a tasty bridge as one of the few instrumental zeniths on the disc), 'Doctor Please' (a meandering 7:53 foray into grunge 'n' sludge, a fitting complement to lyrics which basically add up to beggin' for drugs), and 'Second Time Around', about an on-and-off again relationship, which tacks some psychedelic sound effects on the end, seemingly as an afterthought rather than a coherant extension of the piece.

The band exists on a much higher plane when it comes to cover tracks, which claim one-half of the selections offered. All three of these numbers have been, or would be, covered by other, more competent performers, even when it comes to Blue Cheer's singular claim to fame, their number 14 cover of Eddie Cochran's 1958 scorcher, 'Summertime Blues'. Despite Cheer's commendable effort, The Who's 1970 version from 'Live At Leeds' blows their version away. Blowing away anything by Blue Cheer is no small accomplishment, but The Who did it in a big way. Blue Cheer returned to 1958 to pick up another widely covered rock track, B.B. King's 'Rock Me Baby', partially credited to Joe Josea (although King has claimed sole credit for the composition), and also covered by the likes of Deep Purple, Lee Michaels, Ike and Tina Turner, and Eric Clapton. It's one of the better tracks on the disc, but it comes up short to what performers like Clapton and even Lee Michaels did with it. Finally, we have a version of Mose Allison's 'Parchment Farm', about doing time on a prison farm in Mississippi. It contains the interesting sentiment that "all I did was shoot my wife... she wasn't any good", yet "I didn't do anything wrong". Not sure who can identify with that...

Blue Cheer is an interesting artifact in 1960's rock, and if you're into loud, distorted guitar music, you probably won't be offended by any of this, and may actually enjoy much of it. Unfortunately for most of us, better versions of the cover songs offered here are readily available, and Blue Cheer's own compositions are clearly second tier. Three stars, primarily for bravado. Worth a listen, but sure to gather a lot of dust on your shelf.

The History of Blue Cheer: Good Times are So Hard to Find

Average customer rating:

One of the best "greatest hits" compilations in all of rock.
Psychedelic Proto Metal Legends!
split down the middle
psychedelic band's finest
60s rock 'n' roll bombast at its finest

The History of Blue Cheer: Good Times are So Hard to Find
Blue Cheer
Manufacturer: Island / Mercury
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Light and Heavy: The Best of Iron Butterfly
Frijid Pink
Vincebus Eruptum
Psychedelic Sundae: The Best of Vanilla Fudge
Cactology: The Cactus Collection

ASIN: B000001FNQ
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Summertime Blues
Out Of Focus
Parchment Farm
Feathers From Your Tree
The Hunter
Babylon
Peace Of Mind
Fruit And Icebergs
Fool
Hello L.A., Bye Bye Birmingham
Saturday Freedom
Good Times Are So Hard To Find
Pilot
Preacher
Hiway Man
I'm The Light

Customer Reviews:

One of the best "greatest hits" compilations in all of rock........2004-10-03

...From a band that only had one hit!!
First of all, this album is aptly titled: "The History of Blue Cheer". For a band who was only around for 4 years the first time, I don't think there is another group in rock history who went through more changes in such a short period. Listening to this CD in chronological order, as all compilation CD's "should" be, from "Summertime Blues" back in early '68, all the way through to "I'm the Light" in '71, you would have thought this band had been around for 10 years, as much as their music had changed during that short amount of time.
The most interesting thing about Blue Cheer is that every album they made was like a different era, with slight personnel changes each time contributing something, and making a difference in the sound of the band each time. From the grunge of "Vincebus Eruptum", to the psychedelic/metal and playful atmosphere on "Outside/Inside", the un-togetherness with some guitar-driven bright spots on "New Improved", the hippie-fun and re-invention on "Blue Cheer", right down to the relaxed feeling of the last two albums, "The Original Human Being" and "Oh, Pleasant Hope", this compilation takes the best and most well-represented 2 or 3 songs from all those albums--again, in chronolgical order, and brilliantly profiles those changes in their best light. This is exactly the way all greatest hits compilations should be put together.
Of course, the "average" Blue Cheer fan is most familiar with, and usually prefers, the first two albums, when the band was a "heavy metal" power trio with Leigh Stephens on guitar, and the first six songs here represent that era. But little is known by many about the rest of their output, and this set does a nice job of presenting "the best of the rest".
Being a mostly-guitar driven band, each new guitar player that stepped in to the group, brought not only his own guitar style, but also his own songwriting, and even singing, to the mix--pretty much reducing Bassist Dickie Petersen's role to back-up singer, if that--the last song he even takes a 'lead' on is "Hello L.A/Bye-Bye Birmingham" from the 4th album. If you were divide them up into eras, you might say, "The Leigh Stephens era"(1968), "The Randy Holden era"(1969), "The Bruce Stephens era"(1969), and "The Gary Yoder era"(1969-1971).
To me, the best songs here are from the "Randy Holden era"--"Peace of Mind" and "Fruit&Icebergs". Even though he only lasted through one side of probably their worst and most fragmented album, "New Improved Blue Cheer", Holden probably brought to the group, not only their best guitar playing, but also their best songwriting and singing--from a man in Randy Holden who never had to sing lead in a group before, perhaps because Dickie Petersen ahd pretty much given up trying to sing. But "Peace of Mind" and "Fruit&Icebergs" were both very well-written, probably two of the best songs of 1969 that no one had ever heard of, from one of the greatest guitarists of the 1960s, Randy Holden, who no one had ever heard of. Holden was a guitarist who spent much of his musical career on a quest for the "ultimate" guitar sounds, and both "Peace of Mind" and "Fruit&Icebergs" not only feature excellent guitar solos from Mr. Holden, but also some of the "fattest" guitar tone of that era, outside of people like Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page. Worlds removed from the aimless, whammy-bar wanderings of his predecessor Leigh Stephens, and the Garcia-like folkiness of the men who would replace him, Bruce Stephens and Gary Yoder, Randy Holden was a man poised to take Blue Cheer to the next level, and make the name of the album, "New Improved Blue Cheer" mean something. If only he had band members like Dickie Petersen agree to go in the same direction he was going. But because he couldn't, Holden had to quit, and Blue Cheer began to meander-off into quiet, drug-induced mediocrity for the rest of their career, and that's pretty much what the reaminder of this album is, after "Fruit&Icebergs". But "Peace of Mind" and "Fruit&Icebergs" are definitely the high points for me on this collection, from the Jimmy Page-like rock visionary, Randy Holden--who, unlike his English counterpart, could actually sing with great character in his voice, as he did on those two songs. That's not to say that after Holden left, Blue Cheer didn't have some great moments--the Bruce Stephens/Gary Yoder-led group had a great song, "Saturday Freedom"--a nice up-beat hippie anthem for the summer of '69 that should have been a hit, as well as the song, "Good Times, are So Hard to Find". But the rest of the stuff from the Yoder-era on is pretty much bland, generic--Pink Floyd/Doors/Eagles/Grateful Dead/Stones-type, countrified, folkified, tripped-out, mellow, out-of-it-ness. If the goal at that point was to make the band more "mainstream", and fit-in more with the times, rather than be ahead of their times, as they were with Leigh Stephens and Randy Holden, they fell flat on their face--and then they broke up.
I suppose the best I could say is that this album has something for everyone, and probably captures the best examples of the latter music, that you probably wouldn't want to waste your time looking for, or your money buying, say, "The Original Human Being" or "Oh, Pleasant Hope", because their isn't much else redeemable about those two albums, anyway. And if you were to buy this disc strictly on an "objective" level, rather than a "subjective" level, it's a great buy--if nothing else, but for a history lesson about a group like a "hot rod", speeding down the highway, passing all the other cars, before finally running out of gas at the end. Again, I consider this a "model" compilation, in spite of the fact that it is not a "greatest hits"-set. (Many of the songs here are probably "would've been" hits, perhaps if the group had been marketed better at the time.) But this is the story of a band who had so many people come-and-go, each time trying to hold the group together and re-make it in their own style, before the group finally fell apart for good. And if a rock music collection could ever be called, "an audio history book", this is probably the best one I could think of.

Psychedelic Proto Metal Legends!.......2003-02-23

Blue Cheer were a legendary 1960's California band renowned for being one of the loudest live bands ever. They even open for Jimi Hendrix a few times and were favorites of the Hell's Angles. However, this tag is not really representative as the band had so much turnover that their sound mellowed after the bombastic sludgefests of the first two albums. Bassist/vocalist Dickie Peterson was the only continuous member until the band called it quits the first time. The original band featured on the first two albums feature Leigh Stephens on guitar and Paul Whaley ex-Oxford Circle on drums. This incarnation of the band recorded their biggest hit, a bludgeoning cover of Eddie Cochran's "Summertime Blues". Other notable cuts from this incarnation of the band include a cover of Mose Allison's "Parchment Farm", the great "Out Of Focus" and "Babylon". Stephens quit at this point and their next album featured two guitarists. The legendary Randy Holden ex-Other Half was featured on the great cuts included here "Piece of Mind" and "Fruit and Icebergs" which were more jam oriented and psychedelic. Holden quit halfway through the album sessions and was replaced by Bruce Stephens. With the next album drummer Whaley threw in the towel and was replaced by Norman Mayell and Ralph Burns Kellogg was added on keyboards. "Saturday Freedom" and a laid back cover of "Hello LA Bye Bye Birmingham" date from this period. Bruce Stephens then quit and was replaced by ex-drummer Whaley's friend from Oxford Circle Gary L. Yoder on guitar and harmonica. The music at this point had become more mellow and blues oriented. Two albums followed by this line up before they called it quits. The catchy "Good Times Are So Hard To Find" and "Pilot" are two of the better cuts by this version of the band.

While this set is representative by featuring cuts from all the albums, a number of my favorites are not included. The disk is about 74 minutes so another song or two could have been added. Their second album "Outsideinside" is has come excellent cuts not included here like "Just A Little Bit", "Come And Get It", the interestingly titled instrumental "Magnolia Caboose Babyfinger" and a sledgehammer version of the Rolling Stones "Satisfaction". Some of these cuts were included on the old vinyl Blue Cheer compilation I used to have called "Louder Than God". This is the reason I am only rating this four stars instead of five. The sound is also thin in some places and a remastered anthology featuring my suggestions would be a welcome idea. However, since this is the only compact disk studio anthology of Blue Cheer available it is a worthwhile purchase. Fans of early hard rock and the California psychedelic scene will enjoy this release.

split down the middle.......2000-05-06

I must admit the fast & loud stuff they do was the reason I bought this cd.I wasn't willing to sit through the "lighter" second half of the disc.But listening to it now (particularly "Saturday Freedom") I can hear that the second half may contain their better work.The last two cuts move dangerously close to Eagles territory.Interesting stuff for collectors of the famous-yet-obscure.

psychedelic band's finest.......2000-05-03

Perhaps the only rock and roll band to have a type of lsd named in their honor, Blue Cheer were obviously never the most talented bunch, but they certainly helped pave the way for many psychedelic and heavy metal bands who followed. The band went through several incarnations from the earliest, heaviest phase with Leigh Stephens on lead recording their best known track a cover of Eddie Cochran's "Summertime Blues" a thudding 3:45 slab of proto-metal, thru the Randy Holden and Bruce Stephens years, ending with Gary Yoder and Norman Mayell sharing guitar/sitar duties. As the band's recording career progressed their sound became more melodic and accessible, which, unfortunately alienated them from their original audience while failing to create a new audience of adequate size, resulting in consistently falling record sales. While later tracks such as "I'm the Light" "Pilot" and "Good Times Are So Hard To Find" have aged much more gracefully than the early better selling "Parchment Farm" "Summertime Blues" and the like, they were almost completely ignored by the record buying public. This 74 minute, 16 track anthology, released in 1988, is the definitive statement regarding one of the definitive heavy pseudo-psychedelic proto-metal bands of the late 60s which evolved into a much tastier psychedelic band in the early 70s, but lost its original audience and never acquired a new one. Bottom line, this anthology is as uneven as the band's sound was inconsistent, but it is a seminal work in the body of heavy metal's development, and is essential to the collection of fans of 1960s rock and roll. 5 Stars for historical significance, not for musical talent.

60s rock 'n' roll bombast at its finest.......2000-03-16

I hazily remember my parents coming home one day in the late 60's and telling me about this record a friend of their's daughter had played for them. The word that stands out in my mind from their review is "bombastic." As I turn more and more into my parents, I find that word ringing more and more in my head as I listen to the first 6 tracks on this 16 track (*74* minute) compilation.

These first 6 tracks, taken from Blue Cheer's first two LP's ("Vincebus Eruptum" and "Outsideinside") are lacking in subtlety and dynamics (unless you consider "LOUD" to be dynamic), and mostly entertaining only as a novelty (and then only for a few minutes).

Once past these initial two LP's, and with the departure of guitarist/vocalist Leigh Stephens, and the arrival of Randy Holden (and later Gary Yoder), Blue Cheer began to show a lot more range and taste. The single joke act of their first two LP's gave way to a slightly more polished sound, arranged with a nice electric blues edge. Unlike the earlier aural assaults, the later tracks actually have some dynamic range, and feature a more varied instrumental approach (including harmonica, organ, piano, etc.).

It's really hard to see this as one band, since the shift in sound is so radical after Stephens' departure. By the last three albums, only one of the three original members remained. The later tracks, feature some nice stretched out guitar solos and instrumental passages.

Tracks:

Cheek To Cheek
Isn't This A Lovely Day?
The Piccolino
Change Partners
Top Hat
I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
Heat Wave
The Way You Look Tonight
Pick Yourself Up
A Fine Romance
All The Things You Are
Why Do I Love You?
I Get A Kick Out Of You
Night And Day
Looking At You
Just One Of Those Things
My Funny Valentine
Thou Swell
The Lady Is A Tramp
Blue Room

Customer Reviews:

A really Fine Romance.......2007-07-05

It doesn't get any better than these two playing these guys! Some of it was recorded at Abbey Road Studios. Use your imagination... It's all just swell.

A Musical Treat.......2006-01-08

"The true mission of the violin is to imitate the accents of the human voice, a noble mission that has earned for the violin the glory of being called the king of instruments." ~ Charles-Auguste De Bériot ~

Yehudi Menuhin and Stéphane Grapelli together had made some of the most beautiful music ever-recorded. And I believe that this is one of the many successful albums they recorded together. In this recording, both violinists have showed their excellent musicianship and interpretative eloquence as well, making it one of my most cherished CDs from my collection.

These are the main ingredients of a perfectly-made CD for your listening pleasure: mix violins, piano, bass and drums together, combine two terrific violinists, season with the best melodies in the 20s, 30s and 40s from Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Cole Porter and Rodgers & Hart. Add the musical talents of Nelson Riddle, Max Harris, Martin Taylor, Eddie Tripp, Alan Clare and the rest of the studio musicians. Now all you have to do is to sit back, relax and savor these stunning melodies coming from your CD player. Listen to it in full-volume and fill your music room with the sheer beauty of these classics.

One of my favorite musical instruments is violin. With its four strings, it gives a whole wide range of musical versatility and I simply love the fascinating sound it produces.

My personal highlights are the best tunes from Jerome Kern - "The Way You Look Tonight" (Nelson Riddle arranged this particular track and conducted the Woodwind and Brass section), "A Fine Romance," "Pick Yourself Up," "Why Do I Love You?" and "All The Things You Are."

My choices from Irving Berlin's gems are - "Isn't It A Lovely Day?" featuring the great artistry of Nelson Riddle in arranging and conducting, "Cheek To Cheek" and "I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm."

The Cole Porter repertoire represented his musical sophistication in "Night And Day," "I Get A Kick Out Of You" and "Just One Of Those Things."

The choice cuts from the talented and creative team of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart are "My Funny Valentine" and "Thou Swell."

Listening to this CD is so delectable and equivalent to having my favorite dessert - be it Tiramisu, New York Cheesecake, Black Forest Cake, Chocolate Soufflé, Créme Brulee, Chocolate Mousse or Chocolate-Coated Strawberries! ;)

A musical treat.

Average customer rating:

Most beautiful music

Menuhin & Grappelli Play...

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Menuhin & Grappelli Play Berlin, Kern, Porter & Rodgers & Hart
The Very Best of Grappelli and Menuhin
Menuhin and Grappelli Play "Jealousy" and Other Great Standards
Anything Goes, With Yo Yo Ma
Afternoon in Paris

ASIN: B0002Z83LG
Release Date: 2005-02-15

Tracks:

Fascinatin' Rhythm
Soon
Summertime
Embraceable You
Liza
A Foggy Day
'S Wonderful
The Man I Love
I Got Rhythm
He Loves And She Loves
They Can't Take That Away From Me
They All Laughed
Funny Face
Our Love Is Here To Stay
Lady Be Good
These Foolish Things
Laura
April In Paris
Autumn Leaves
Autumn In New York

Tracks:

Cheek To Cheek
Isn't This A Lovely Day?
Change Partners
Top Hat, White Tie And Tails
I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm
Heat Wave
The Way You Look Tonight
Pick Yourself Up
A Fine Romance
All The Things You Are
Why Do I Love You?
I Get A Kick Out Of You
Night And Day
Looking At You
Just One Of Those Things
My Funny Valentine
Thou Swell
The Lady Is A Tramp
Blue Room
Jealousy
Skylark

Customer Reviews:

Most beautiful music.......2005-08-17

This is happy music.
Just plain happy, instrumental music.
Highly recommend to everyone.

Average customer rating:

Highs of the Sixties
Electric Prunes , Count Five , Blue Cheer , Shadows of Knight , Left Banke , The Knickerbockers , Swingin' Medallions , The Standells , The Marketts , and Sam the Sham & The Pharaohs
Manufacturer: Warner Bros / Wea
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Pop | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

1960s | By Decade | Pop | Styles | Music

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Too Much to Dream - Original Group Recordings: Reprise 1966-1967
Groovin'
One Hit Wonders
The Beatles - Help
Forever Changes

ASIN: B000002LV5
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

I Had Too Much to Dream (Last Night) - The Electric Prunes
Seven & Seven Is - Love
Psychotic Reaction - The Count Five
Summertime Blues - Blue Cheer
Gloria - Shadows of Knight
I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore - The Young Rascals
Out of Limits - The Marketts
Walk Away Renee - The Left Banke
Wooly Bully - Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs
Pushin' Too Hard - The Seeds
You Keep Me Hangin' On - Vanilla Fudge
Lies - The Knickerbockers
Six Man Band - The Association
Double Shot (Of My Baby's Love) - The Swingin' Medallions
Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White - The Standells
Laugh, Laugh - The Beau Brummels
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida - Iron Butterfly
I Fought the Law - Bobby Fuller Four
I'm a Man - The Yardbirds
Louie, Louie - The Kingsmen

Average customer rating:

Doesn't work for me.

Sing Irving Berlin

Manufacturer: Import [Generic]
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Movie Scores | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

Movie Soundtracks | Soundtracks | Styles | Music

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Mood Swings
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1812

ASIN: B00008YGWJ
Release Date: 2003-07-28

Tracks:

Top Hat, White Tie and Tails
How Deep Is the Ocean?
It's a Lovely Day/Isn't It a Lovely Day
Blue Skies
Always
They Say It's Wonderful
No Strings
Song Is Ended
Stepping Out With My Baby
Let Yourself Go
Cheek to Cheek/Let's Face the Music and Dance
Marrying for Love/The Girl That I Marry
What'll I Do
Puttin' on the Ritz
Abraham
Change Partners
Heatwave
I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
Count Your Blessings
White Christmas

Album Description

Quality music at a great price, this collection features 20 tracks including 'How Deep Is The Ocean', 'No Strings', 'Puttin' On The Ritz' & 'Heatwave'. The Swingles have, unusually, incorporated electric keyboards, horns and drums into their usually acappella approach, resulting in some thoroughly modern interpretations of Berlin's classics. Castle Pulse. 2003.

Customer Reviews:

Doesn't work for me........2006-05-04

I LOVE the Swingle Singers. The first time I heard them sing Bach back in the 60's I was driving a car and I was so blown away that I had to pull off the road. And I LOVE Irving Berlin's music; his message is simple and direct and tuneful. And therein lies the rub. To me, the jazz vocal styles, the contemporary harmonies and the whimsical utterances of the Swingle Singers go together with Irving Berlin's music like oil and water; they just don't mix. The words and melodies are those of Irving Berlin but the end result isn't Irving Berlin. Admittedly this is one man's opinion, and others might take great pleasure in the Swingle Singers' unfailing virtuosity and inventiveness. But if you anticipate the straighforward tunes and emotional directness in Berlin's music, you are apt to be disappointed.

Average customer rating:

Blue Cheer - 'Outsideinside' (Mercury) 4 1/2 stars
One of Blue Cheers very best efforts!
Essentual LP from influentual innovator of Heavy Metal
VINCEBUS... AND THEN SOME!!!!!!
Gotta Love the Origins of Heavy Metal

Outsideinside
Blue Cheer
Manufacturer: Island / Mercury
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Vincebus Eruptum
New! Improved! Blue Cheer
Blue Cheer
The Original Human Being
The History of Blue Cheer: Good Times are So Hard to Find

ASIN: B000001DY9
Release Date: 1994-06-14

Tracks:

Feathers From Your Tree
Sun Cycle
Just A LIttle Bit
Gypsy Ball
Come And Get It
(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
The Hunter
Magnolia Caboose Babyfinger
Babylon

Customer Reviews:

Blue Cheer - 'Outsideinside' (Mercury) 4 1/2 stars.......2006-08-25

Originally released in late 1968, this was their follow-up to their debut,'Vincebus Eruptum' record(see my review). It was also the second and FINAL album with their original guitarist,Leigh Stephens. Tracks here that I thought more than carried their own were their semi-Hendrix like "Sun Cycle","Just A Little Bit","Gypsy Ball",their so-so Stones cover "Satisfaction" and "Babylon". My only regret is that I guess I should've purchased that 2-lp's on-1 CD pressing of these two titles I've seen recently. A good classic late '60's hard rock title to own just the same.Recommended.

One of Blue Cheers very best efforts!.......2006-05-17

I have burned up two copies thus far of the albums I owned of this particular work. Growing up in the 60s there were lots of great bands, but Blue Cheer was one of my very favorite bands. Yes they are the grandfathers of heavy metal music, without a doubt. But on this album (cd ) they reach out 'where the bus's dont run" totally trippy music. Great stuff....I ought to know, old hippy. My favorite tunes off from this are "feathers from your tree' and babylon, but there are no 'dogs' on this cd...great tunes. Takes me back to the summer of 1970, I think that was when it came out.....Great music, buy it!

Essentual LP from influentual innovator of Heavy Metal.......2006-01-06

Blue Cheer. Outsideinside.

Most of the mallrat types who buy thier Nirvana and Green Day CDs never take the time to delve into true influental and important stuff. To understand heavy power trios early Blue Cheer is essentual to all that came after them.

Outsideinside is BC's second album. It built on the power and amperage of thier first album Vincebus Eruptum. Outsideinside is an improvement in everyway from VE. Not only in songwriting prowess, but in mix and growth as an artist.

So its fair to say this is BC's zenith. This is the last album with guitarist Leigh Stevens before he called it a day. The band then devolved into a rotating door of members.

What makes this an essentual purchase you ask? Several things. BC was revolutionary for thier loudness. They cranked it up, caused near riots. Keep in mind this was the late 60s - peace and love man. They got the hippies doing crazy stuff. They also laid down the prototype for metal which was to come later. Listen to Magnolia Caboose Babyfinger, you'll see what I mean. Paul Whaley's liberal use of the double kick drum and tasteful fills was also new. Leigh Steven's guitar work at times seared across the meat of the music. They did all this heaviness and kept melodies in thier songs. In short, thier style, attitude and playing chops were completely at odds with most of thier contemporaries.

Which led to many potshots being taken at them, with Jimi Hendrix's dissing of them perhaps being the most famous.

Often an artist that flies against whats trendy or popular at the time - will get savaged and disrespected only later to be appreciated. Blue Cheer's early works are such the case.

A whole lot of loudness, some psychedelic touches along with a style that laid the foundation for metal. Anyone wanting expand thier knowledge of where amped up insane White Blues (aka Metal) came from need to look no further.

Also recommended for fans of this album:
Vincebus Eruptum
Beast is Back (1985 reunion LP)

VINCEBUS... AND THEN SOME!!!!!!.......2005-10-13

This record is even better than the debut. From the get go the progression in the song writing department is obvious. If you liked Vincebus Eruptum, I think you will like this album even more. On Outsideinside, Blue Cheer evolved from the standard blues formula to a more progressive original sound. The cover of the Rolling Stone's classic Cant get no Satisfaction is just as potent as the Eddie Cochran "Summertime Blues" cover on the debut. The final song "Babylon" has to be one of the greatest rock songs ever written with its psychedelic intro of swirling wah wah guitars. then the RIFF kicks in. That RIFF the main one in "Babylon" is HEAVY like Sabbath's Into the Void. Sounds like a ton of bricks crashing against a concrete floor. If you enjoyed Vincebus Eruptum and have not heard Outsideinside, what are waiting for??!! Do youself a huge favor and buy it now!

Gotta Love the Origins of Heavy Metal.......2004-08-06

When I saw this available on Amazon, I had to have it. Not to seem to be too old, I bought Vincibus Eruptus when it came out in the mid-late 60's, followed by Outsideinside. Two great albums of their time. After getting this Outsideinside, I have to admit my tastes have changed through the years, but this was totally refreshing to hear after 30 years. The cover tunes are good reditions, but the originals are excellent. Although not a raw as Vincibus Eruptus, still it's gutsy, ballsy, and edgy. You can hear the influences of Hendrix and Cream in Gypsy Ball and Just a little Bit. Although I didn't care too much for the guitar work, the bass and drums rock! The guitarist manages to shine hear and there. Definitely acid heavy rock, begging you to 'Come and get it'. Oh, I gotta hear that one again...

Average customer rating:

Randy Holden!!!

New! Improved! Blue Cheer
Blue Cheer
Manufacturer: Akarma Italy
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

General | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Hard Rock | Hard Rock & Metal | Styles | Music

Psychedelic Rock | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00005LQO5
Release Date: 2003-05-13

Tracks:

When It All Gets Old
West Coast Child of Sunshine
I Want My Baby Back
Aces 'N' Eights
As Long as I Live
It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry
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Customer Reviews:

Randy Holden!!!.......2006-11-22

This release was the 1st Blue Cheer album that I fell in love with, (it actually belonged to my younger brother when it came out) and it's still a favorite from this era. The reason for this is the Randy Holden fueled tracks on what was side two of the LP, a bass/ drums/ guitar work-out with Dickie Peterson and Paul Whaley. The two tracks #7) Piece of Mind and #8) Fruit & Iceburgs (sic) total over 13 minutes. The passion of the guitar playing and heart felt vocal delivery are chilling, especially F & I. This is among the best hard psych recordings ever made. The rest of the album is a lot more pedestrian; it's ok, but not anywhere in league with the Holden material. If you love psychedelic music and early 70's rock, this deserves a place in your collection, if it's not there already.

Average customer rating:

What Doesn't Kill You
Blue Cheer
Manufacturer: Rainman
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000TE8BQ2
Release Date: 2007-08-21

Average customer rating:

Sunk at Sunken Gardens
One of the weirdest albums ever
Blue Cheer - self-titled (Akarma)

Blue Cheer
Blue Cheer
Manufacturer: Akarma Italy
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Rock | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00005LQO4
Release Date: 2004-08-16

Tracks:

Fool
You're Gonna Need Someone
Hello L.A., Bye Bye Birmingham
Saturday Freedom
Ain't That the Way (Love's Supposed to Be)
Rock and Roll Queens
Better When We Try
Natural Man
Lovin' You's Easy
Same Old Story

Customer Reviews:

Sunk at Sunken Gardens.......2007-01-11

Summer, 1970...I was bassist in a San Antonio group at the time Blue Cheer (or what remained of them) staggered into town to do a Sunday gig at the Sunken Gardens ampitheater. We (groupname was Touchstone) were surprisingly on the bill, along with another San Antonio group (Homer).

About the only tune the (extremely "smacked out")Bloo Cheer did that had any meat on it at all was "Hello LA, Bye Bye Birmingham", following which Dickie P threw his axe on the stage floor (which was hard concrete ) and slid sobbing into the wings.

No Owsley Stanley "They Turn the Air Around them Into Cottage Cheese"..No thumping "Summertime Blues" No Big Brother-esque hard edged LA Marshall amp with strangled vocals sound. Just the visible and physical result of sudden FAME and all the nasty stuff that came with it back then. The side effects of Hillbillies given a Blank Check to write on their own.

I am sure, once they cleaned up their act and stepped into the Studio, their music would stand on it's own, but this particular personnel lineup, this junkie performance at Sunken Gardens was a sad commentary on a band that had so much "Vincebus Eruptum", hyped on them.

One of the weirdest albums ever.......2006-12-22

Not because it's bad or unusual, far from it, this is pure mainstream rock, including a Delaney & Bonnie cover! Someone like Leon Russell would have been perfectly comfortable with this set of music, blues and country tinged straight rock. It's very competent, the songs are all good, the only real demerit being Dickie Peterson's completely fried vocal chords in places.

No, the album is totally weird because of what preceded it. Blue Cheer, for the young, started off as a completely inept power trio that relied on a wall of noise to build their rep, pioneering a kind of aggressive acid rock on their first and second albums that hinted at what heavy metal groups would later do. The third album was kind of a mess, not sure what it wanted to be, in transition between guitarists and styles. By the time of this album the old group was completely gone except for Peterson, and he really doesn't lead the style here. Essentially this collection of journeyman San Francisco musicians isn't Blue Cheer at all, in terms of its sound, except it was fair for Peterson to use the name.

In spite of the general excellence of the album (one of our regulars on the playlist when I was young), the reputation of the name probably prevented anyone from taking it seriously. The group messed around for a few albums that weren't near as good, and currently one or two of them travels the retro circuit. But pick this up, you'll be amazed something this good isn't better known.

Blue Cheer - self-titled (Akarma).......2006-11-24

Originally released in late 1969,this was Blue Cheer's fourth 'actual' album.Not bad,considering that Dickie Peterson is the sole original member.Cuts here that I thought were decent are "Fool","Saturday Freedom"(penned by guitarist Bruce Stephens),a possible anthem(?)"Better When We Try" and "The Same Old Story".Line-up:Dickie Peterson-bass&vocals,Bruce Stephens-guitar&vocals,Ralph Kellogg-keyboards and Norman Mayell-drums.Not 'quite' as good as their first three efforts,but still worth checking out.Old school heavy blues rock.

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