From the Inside is the eleventh studio album by American singer-songwriter and musician Alice Cooper, released in November 1978 via Warner Bros. Records.
From The Inside is a concept album inspired by his stay in a New York sanatorium to recover from his alcohol addiction.
The singer – who once boasted he drank more than a case of beer a day to keep fit – had failed to overcome his drinking problem through private treatment and therefore felt it necessary to undergo a hospital program of treatment.
The characters in the songs on the LP were all based on actual people Cooper met in the sanatorium, while the album’s cover image is a close-up of Alice Cooper’s face printed on two doors that actually open up and lead into a hospital waiting room.
The printed inner sleeve features an image of Cooper and the other ‘inmates’ running out of the sanatorium once they were released.
The album shows Alice Cooper at his most vulnerable, most notably in the record’s hit single “How You Gonna See Me Now”, a power ballad even before the term was invented. The song reached #12 in the US’ Hot 100 chart.
If this album proves one thing, it’s that Alice Cooper is one of the most underrated songwriters out there.
The album’s lyrics were written with Bernie Taupin, Elton John’s long-time songwriting partner.
Guest musicians include Toto’s Steve Lukather and Cheap Trick’s Rick Nielsen. Members of the Elton John band also played on the album – guitarist Davey Johnstone and bassists Dee Murray and Kenny Passarelli. Kiki Dee also provided backing vocals, together with Bobby Kimball from Toto and Bill Champlin.
The album was produced by David Foster.
