New! Improved! Blue Cheer by Blue Cheer

New! Improved! is the third album by Blue Cheer, first released in March 1969 on Philips Records. It was re-released in 1994 by Repertoire with two bonus tracks, in 1999 by Italian indie label Akarma Records and in 2007 in Japan within a mini-LP sleeve. The album features Randy Holden on guitar on side B (tracks 7-9). This is the only studio recording of Holden with Blue Cheer. After the 1968 release of their second album Outsideinside guitarist Leigh Stephens left the band due to musical differences or, as some report, deafness. He was replaced by Randy Holden, formerly of Los Angeles garage rock band The Other Half. There are different guitarists on side 1 and side 2 of the album (Bruce Stephens and Randy Holden, respectively) due to Holden's unanticipated departure from the band. Following Holden's departure the band's lineup initially consisted of Dickie Peterson (bass), Tom Weisser (guitar), and Mitch Mitchell (drums), before Whaley returned and Stephens joined the band. Later, Ralph Burns Kellogg also joined the band on keyboards. Both Stephens and Kellogg had previously worked together in The Emeralds, a well-known northern California backing band in the 1960s. Side One of the album contains the band's first recordings as a quartet, with a new more commercial sound that would carry over to their next three albums. Side Two features their last recordings as a "heavier" power trio until reforming in the 1970s.