Out of Our Heads

Out of Our Heads
source
Name	Out of Our Heads
Type	Studio album
Artist	The Rolling Stones
Released	1965
Recorded	1964–1965
Studio	RCA Studios, Chess Studios, Phillips Studios
Genre	Rock, Rhythm and Blues
Length	30:44
Label	Decca, London, ABKCO
Producer	Andrew Loog Oldham

Out of Our Heads

Out of Our Heads is a 1965 studio album by the English rock group The Rolling Stones. The album marked a transitional moment between rhythm and blues covers and original songwriting, consolidating the band's commercial breakthrough alongside contemporaries such as The Beatles and The Who. Drawing on influences ranging from Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry to Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye, the record juxtaposed American R&B covers with early compositions by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, produced by Andrew Loog Oldham and recorded with session musicians associated with Chess Records and London Records.

Background and Recording

Recording sessions for the album overlapped with tours and singles, taking place at studios including RCA Studios (Chicago), Chess Records house facilities, and Phillips Recording rooms in Memphis, Tennessee. Personnel beyond core members Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Charlie Watts, and Bill Wyman included session players who had worked with Ike Turner, Howlin' Wolf, and Bo Diddley. The production environment was influenced by managers and impresarios such as Andrew Loog Oldham and industry executives at Decca Records and London Records. The sessions drew on repertoire associated with labels like Chess Records, Motown Records, and Atlantic Records, and invoked the repertoires of artists including Otis Redding, Little Walter, Etta James, and Wilson Pickett.

Recording techniques reflected contemporary advances pioneered at facilities used by Phil Spector and Sam Phillips, employing close-miking and rudimentary overdubbing similar to practices at Sun Studio and Capitol Records studios. Engineers who had worked with Les Paul-era innovations and mixer styles associated with George Martin contributed to achieving a raw sound that contrasted with polished productions by George Harrison-era contemporaries. The tight schedule mirrored touring commitments through venues such as Royal Albert Hall, Carnegie Hall, and circuits promoted by Brian Epstein and Don Arden.

Composition and Musical Style

The album's compositions combine original songs by performers associated with Nanker Phelge pseudonymous credits and compositions by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards with covers of songs popularized by Chuck Berry, Little Richard, James Brown, and Solomon Burke. Stylistically the record synthesizes elements of Chicago blues, Memphis soul, and early rock and roll, referencing rhythmic approaches of Bo Diddley and harmonic moves used by Buddy Holly and Carl Perkins. Instrumentation highlights Brian Jones's multi-instrumental experimentation with slide and harmonica techniques reminiscent of Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker, while Charlie Watts's drumming draws on patterns heard in Sam Cooke recordings and jazz-influenced backbeats popularized by Ginger Baker.

Lyrically, songs reflect themes explored in works by Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, and Jerry Lee Lewis—romantic pursuit, urban nightlife, and rebellion—rendered through vocal phrasing that echoed Mick Jagger's study of Howlin' Wolf and Etta James. Guitar interplay between Keith Richards and guest players recalls twin-guitar textures developed later by acts like The Allman Brothers Band and Thin Lizzy, while certain tracks foreshadow the baroque touches that would be embraced by The Beatles on mid-1960s albums.

Release and Commercial Performance

The album was released in multiple regional variants, with the United Kingdom and United States editions differing in track listings, following a common practice used by Capitol Records and Decca Records for transatlantic releases. Singles from the sessions achieved high chart placements on lists compiled by entities such as Billboard and the Official Charts Company, competing with releases from The Kinks, The Animals, and Herman's Hermits. The record reached strong positions on charts influenced by sales in major markets including United Kingdom, United States, Canada, and Australia, aided by distribution networks tied to London Records and regional promoters like NEMS Enterprises.

Sales milestones were reported during a period when the music industry tracked shipments through organizations such as the Recording Industry Association of America and the British Phonographic Industry, and the album contributed to the Stones' certification trajectory alongside later catalog items handled by ABKCO Records and reissue programs coordinated with archival labels.

Critical Reception

Contemporary reviews compared the album to works by The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and The Byrds, with critics in outlets sympathetic to Melody Maker, New Musical Express, and Rolling Stone (magazine) noting both commercial appeal and a grittier aesthetic. Some reviewers praised the band's interpretation of R&B standards originally recorded by Sam Cooke and Marvin Gaye, while others critiqued the unevenness of mixing original compositions with covers, referencing editorial standards set by producers like George Martin and Phil Spector.

Retrospective assessments in publications such as Mojo (magazine), Uncut, and academic surveys of popular music history have highlighted the album's role in establishing the Stones' identity vis-à-vis contemporaries including The Beatles, The Kinks, and The Who, situating it within broader narratives about the British Invasion and 1960s popular culture.

Promotional Activities and Tours

Promotion for the album involved appearances on television programs and touring schedules that placed the group on bills alongside acts promoted by Brian Epstein and venues booked by agents such as Arthur Howes and Harold Davison. Television spots included shows produced in collaboration with networks similar to BBC and CBS, and radio play was driven by DJs influenced by stations like Radio Caroline and WABC (AM). The band's touring itinerary took them to arenas and stadiums in cities including London, New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Sydney, with support from backing acts such as The Yardbirds and The Animals on shared bills.

Legacy and Influence

The album influenced subsequent rock artists and scenes, informing the development of garage rock bands like The Stooges, proto-punk acts such as The MC5, and later hard rock and blues-rock outfits including Led Zeppelin and The Black Crowes. It also played a role in the canonization of R&B-derived rock within collections curated by institutions like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and academic curricula at universities such as University of Oxford and University of Cambridge that study popular music. Musicians from generations represented by Bruce Springsteen, Eric Clapton, Keith Moon, Pete Townshend, and Neil Young have cited the Rolling Stones' early records as formative, and the album's tracks continue to appear on compilations issued by labels such as ABKCO Records and in licensing for film soundtracks overseen by companies like MCA Records.

Category:1965 albums Category:The Rolling Stones albums