"Outside" (stylised as 1. Outside) is the 20th studio album by David Bowie, released on September 25, 1995. This album marked a significant reunion with Brian Eno, who had collaborated with Bowie on the acclaimed Berlin Trilogy in the late 1970s. Inspired by themes "outside" the mainstream, including various outsider and performance artists, Bowie conceived a dark, experimental narrative that revolves around "art crimes" in a fictional world.
The album's concept follows detective Nathan Adler as he investigates the murder of a 14-year-old girl in the fictional Oxford Town, New Jersey. Its nonlinear storytelling and character perspectives are conveyed through both the songs and spoken word segments between tracks, with Bowie's diary entries included in the CD booklet. Musically, Outside blends art rock, industrial rock, jazz, electronica, and ambient influences.
Despite mixed reviews at the time of its release, with some critics finding the concept pretentious, many praised the music and considered it one of Bowie's best works since Scary Monsters. It peaked at number 8 in the UK and 21 in the US, with singles like "Strangers When We Meet" and a remix of "Hallo Spaceboy" featuring Pet Shop Boys gaining more success than the lead single, "The Hearts Filthy Lesson."
Bowie supported the album with the Outside Tour, although he faced criticism for not performing older hits. Despite plans for sequels, these never materialized, but elements from the album influenced his subsequent work on Earthling (1997). In later years, Outside has been reevaluated positively, especially for its music, though critiques of the story and its length remain. The album was reissued in 2003 and remastered in 2021 as part of the Brilliant Adventure box set.
David Bowie formalized his marriage to model Iman in a star-studded ceremony in June 1992, attended by notable figures including Brian Eno, with whom Bowie had collaborated on the Berlin Trilogy in the late 1970s. By the early '90s, Eno had established himself as a respected producer, working with bands like U2 on Achtung Baby. At the wedding, Eno expressed interest in working with Bowie again after hearing a tape that hinted at the styles Bowie would explore on his upcoming album Black Tie White Noise.
In 1995, Bowie reflected on their reunion, noting that both he and Eno were interested in pushing the boundaries of mainstream music. They decided to enter the studio without a fixed idea, allowing for true experimentation. Their collaboration began taking shape in late 1993, fueled by their shared ideas, which included abstract concepts that recalled Bowie’s early musical explorations.
Seeking inspiration, the pair visited the Gugging psychiatric hospital in Austria, known for its "outsider art." Bowie found the experience profound, remarking that some patients created art as an intrinsic part of themselves rather than as self-expression, which influenced the title and themes of their forthcoming album, Outside.
During this period, Bowie also became fascinated with the Minotaur from classical mythology, incorporating it as a motif for Outside. His growing interest in contemporary art led him to join the editorial board of Modern Painters magazine, while performance artists like Rudolf Schwarzkogler and Damien Hirst inspired the album's concept. Bowie explored themes of death as art and expressed a fascination with contemporary rituals and the resurgence of paganism, suggesting that modern culture's fascination with body modifications and extreme expressions might reflect a spiritual yearning.
