Written By: Moti Kupfer UK release date - 5.10.1987 - 5.10.1987 "I don't know no shame, I feel no pain, I can't see the flame, But I do know Man-din-ka" sings Sinead O'Connor in the album's second single "Mandinka", that best express the storms and contradictions that have been going on in her as a person since the dawn of her childhood. Already at the age of 20, the young Sinead sang about the Mandinka that she knows and knows, so then she knew no shame and pain, later we all saw the pain bursting from within, but at this moment she sang with confidence with "her hands on the wheel", when she produced her debut album "The Lion and the Cobra" (while pregnant), which was released in the UK on October 5, 1987. The releases notice in Record Mirror dated October 3, 1987 explicitly announced this date. The November 4 date found in other sources is not presented here as the UK release or as a verified US release. Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor was born in Glenageary, County Dublin. She was named Sinead after Sinead de Valera, the wife of Irish President Éamon de Valera, Mary after the mother of the doctor who helped deliver her, and Bernadette after Saint Bernadette of Lourdes, a saint of the Catholic Church. Her parents divorced when she was 8 years old, and she moved in with her mother along with her two older brothers. She later claimed that her mother drank a lot, and as a result, she also behaved violently towards little Sinead. Her life was led against the backdrop of a difficult custody battle between her mother and father, a battle that became famous in the conservative Ireland of those days. At the age of 15, following her absence from school and her arrest for shoplifting, Sinead was sent to the Magdalene Home, a shelter to which girls who had strayed from the right path were sent, sometimes against their will. Exactly There, Sinead found the peace of mind she needed, and she strengthened her writing and musical skills during the 18 months she lived there. One of the volunteers at the shelter was the sister of Paul Byrne, drummer for the Irish rock band "In Tua Nua", who had heard O'Connor perform Barbra Streisand's "Evergreen." O'Connor recorded a song with "Nua Nua", but at the age of 15 they felt she was not yet ready to join them. In the summer of 1984, Sinead placed an ad in a newspaper and joined several musicians to form the band "Ton Ton Macoute" (named after an Italian myth about zombies). The band played music influenced by mysticism, world music, and witchcraft. On 10 February 1985, Sinead's mother was killed in a car accident, and Sinead left the band, but she managed to leave an impression on the music industry as the singer of "Ton Ton Macoute" and was signed to Ensign Records, while at the same time she worked with an experienced manager who had previously worked with the band "U2". O'Connor began recording her debut album during 1986, but the recordings were delayed due to serious disagreements with her producer, and at the same time she became pregnant by drummer John Reynolds. The record company pressured her to have an abortion, but a strong-willed and opinionated woman like Sinead did not fold. With the approval of her manager, O'Connor began to produce her debut album herself. More than once, her big mouth got her into trouble, one of which was when she defended the IRA, the Irish Republican Army that tried to assassinate Margaret Thatcher during those years. She later retracted the comments she made, claiming that she was too young to properly understand the tense situation in Ireland. After taking sole responsibility for producing the album, O'Connor turned her voice into a Master Fader. She sang into her personal recording device, measuring when her voice is in the green color area, which is a good recording of her singing, when it is in the yellow color area, which is on the verge of distortion, and when it is in the red area, which means distortion. O'Connor's debut album demands continuous listening, and tries to connect the listener to her discomfort, to her desire to constantly create active relationships with the listener, ones that will make him listen attentively to every second of the album, and not fall into banality where song after song sounds the same, and with her mezzo-soprano voice she certainly manages to do so. The album combines rock and pop and takes the listener into Sinead's dark and quiet moments on the one hand, and on the other it soothes and puts the listener in a positive atmosphere like the state of the sky after a storm, in between you can hear artists who came to Sinead's aid, such as the Irish singer Enya, "Japan's" guitarist Rob Dean. MC Lyte appeared on a later remix of "I Want Your Hands on Me", rather than on the original album. One of the only songs on the album that Sinead admitted was autobiographical was "Troy," written about her abusive mother, and in general, Sinead on her debut album is a woman traveling the world between hope and despair while everyone around her doesn't understand her. "Mandinka", which became her biggest hit, actually refers to the Mandinka tribe, which is mainly found in West Africa, about which Sinead read in Alex Haley's book "Roots." "To know what the song is about, you have to read the book," Sinead noted. Many of Sinead O'Connor's songs are about her life, but "Jackie" is a story she made up about a ghost who is condemned to spend eternity searching for her husband. She explained this in her memoir, "Rememberings": "I had seen a play on TV about a very old lady in Scotland who was coming toward her own death. She would spend her days looking through her curtained window, waiting to see her long-gone husband return from a fishing trip he’d taken 40 years earlier and during which he’d drowned. They had been childless, and she never met anyone else. This inspired me, somehow, to write ‘Jackie,’ about a character who is wandering the beach waiting for the return of someone dead. In my song, the narrator is a ghost." On those days Sinead wrote a lot about sacred and spiritual themes. Her debut album contains biblical references throughout (the album's title itself is taken from a quote from the Old Testament, Psalm 91:13) and includes this funky song "Jerusalem" about Israel's capital. Eight years later, on June 13, 1995, O'Connor visited Israel, performed at the "Sultan's Pool", and was confronted by photographers who disturbed her while she was visiting the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City. The album cover shows O'Connor with her mouth open, her eyebrows arched, and her shoulders thrown back slightly in a look that seemed a bit angry and provocative at the time. O'Connor recalls that the photographer encouraged her to react naturally when the cameras were flashing, she looked like she was screaming, when in fact she was singing." For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Singer and writer Brian Johnson is celebrating his birthday today, so here are some interesting facts about this legendary performer. (Photo: Arrowlordsofmetal.nl) He was born on 5 October 1947 in "Gateshead" in the northeast of England, to a mother of Italian descent and a father of British descent. As a child, Johnson was a member of a local church choir and even a member of a youth movement band. As part of his membership in the youth movement band, he has appeared on stage and even on television. His first band was called "Gobi Desert Canoe Club" he was a member of it when he was 16, but he thought it was a bad band. In 1970 he was a member of the "Jasper Hart Band" which performed cover versions of pop and rock songs including songs from the "Hair" Musical. In 1971, together with some members of the "Jasper Hart Band", he formed the band "Geordie" with which he released four studio albums between 1973 and 1978. (Metal-jukebox.net) On 29/3/1980 he receives a phone call from "AC/DC" guitarist Malcolm Young, informing him that he has been accepted into the band as singer Bon Scott's replacement, after his death. The same day Johnson auditioned for "AC/DC", he contributed his voice to a commercial for a "Hoover" vacuum cleaner. One can only imagine what would have happened if Johnson had not flown to record the commercial. Maybe he wouldn't even consider auditioning at all. Brian was 32 at the time and thought he wouldn't succeed as a musician. He left the "Geordie", moved to live with his parents in Newcastle, and owned a vinyl roof repair shop for collectible cars. On July 25, 1980, Johnson and AC/DC released the band's first non-Bon Scott album -"Back In Black". It is the band's best-selling album during its more than 40 years of activity and ranks second among the best-selling albums of all time, with an incredible sales figure of over 50 million copies worldwide. An album that ranks 77th on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The first song Johnson wrote for the band is "You Shook Me All Night Long". He tried to impress his friends when he was inspired by girls and cars and wrote the eternal phrase: "She was a fast machine, she kept her motor clean". It was also the band's first single without Bon Scott. The last album for which he wrote lyrics for the band was "Blow Up Your Video" from 1988, from then on it was Angus Young and Malcolm Young who wrote the lyrics. When asked why he replied: "I ran out of words." Before his death, Bon Scott told Angus Young that he had seen Brian Johnson perform with his band and that Brian Johnson is an excellent rock and roll singer. Johnson wears the famous casket hat on his brother's advice to prevent sweat from entering his eyes during performances. Later it became his trademark. Johnson has a large collection of cars. He is very fond of cars and car racing. Bon Scott's first appearance with "AC/DC" was on October 5, 1974, Brian Johnson's birthday. The Highway To ACDC concert archive lists October 5, 1974 at Masonic Hall in Rockdale as the first show with Scott. He was already a band member in 1974, so the 1975 year in the previous text was incorrect. In 2014, he received an honorary doctorate in music from "Northumbria" University in Newcastle. Johnson appeared with "AC/DC" in Howard Stern's movie "Private Parts". In 2016, during a tour to promote the album "Rock or Bust", Brian Johnson stepped away from touring with the band due to severe hearing problems that risk him from becoming deaf. The one who replaced Johnson as a singer on the tour, was none other than Axl Rose. In August 2018, rumors began circulating about Johnson's return to the band. In September 2020, the band officially confirmed that Johnson had returned to "AC/DC" and in November 2020, "Power Up", his first album with the band since his retirement was released. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On October 5, 1992, "R.E.M." released their eighth studio album "Automatic for the People". The year 1991 was the best year yet in "R.E.M."'s career. The hit "Losing My Religion" was played non-stop on radio stations and its music video received crazy rotation on MTV. Their seventh album "Out of Time" gave them tremendous international success. It spent 183 weeks in the UK charts, sold 18 million copies worldwide, and earned the band no less than three Grammy Awards. The band members were faced with the question of how to overcome such success? The original intention was to distance as much as possible from the acoustic and folk atmosphere of "Out of Time" and produce a rhythmic rock album. In June 1991, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, and Bill Berry entered the studio to write the music for the album. To force themselves to create something different this time, they even decided to switch musical instruments. Buck would play mandolin, Mills played the piano or organ and Berry would play bass. Buck later explained that writing without drums was productive for them and pulled them in new directions. Intending to deliver an album of more up-tempo material after "Out of Time," the band made an effort to write faster rock songs during rehearsals, but when the tunes took shape, they somehow came out even slower and more melancholy than the last album. When Michael Stipe received the tunes his three friends had written in early 1992, he noticed the somber atmosphere. There were more acoustic instruments and organs and fewer drums. It turned out that the lyrics written by Michael Stipe also suited the melancholic atmosphere, they mainly centered around loss, grief, and death and expressed much darker themes than all the band's previous albums. This atmosphere is already reflected in the first notes of the album, with the song "Drive". We remember the initial shock upon hearing the sounds of Peter Buck acoustic, accompanied by the minimalist bass touches of Mike Mills. So clean, no effects, no drums. Who opens an album like that? Now add to that fact that this was the early 90s, in the heyday of Alternative and Grunge!! a total shock, which was immediately replaced by a big hug for this wonderful and exciting tune. And later when we found out from looking at the CD booklet that John Paul Jones is responsible for the orchestral arrangements, everything came together. This pure magic reminded in many ways of the acoustic "Led Zeppelin" from the '70s. This was the first single released from the album. Michael Stipe said it was the first song he wrote on a computer, when up to that point he used a typewriter. He wrote "Drive" as a kind of homage to the song "Rock On" by David Essex. And that's not the only influence here. Guitarist Peter Buck plays the electric solo at 2:05 using a "nickel" coin as a guitar pick, just like guitarist Brian May. It is interesting to note that the band used to play the song in concerts in a rhythmic rock version, simply because it was difficult for them to reproduce its atmosphere on stage. This excellent rhythmic version appears on the tribute album for "Greenpeace" called "Alternative NRG", released in 1994. The melancholic-acoustic atmosphere continues with "Try Not to Breathe". The song was written about Michael Stipe's grandmother, who was dying while writing the lyrics. Stipe sings from the point of view of a dying man who tells his family not to cry, because he has lived a full and good life and is ready to move on to the next world. In the lyrics Michael asks his grandmother "Why do you shiver?" He noted that at that time she was shaking a lot and it also affected his appearance on stage, with his odd moves. The next song "The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite" was the third single released from the album. It picks up the pace a bit and changes the melancholic atmosphere that accompanied us from the beginning. Peter Buck later commented on the decision to include this song in the album and noted that it was included to break the gloomy atmosphere a bit. Given that the album dealt with mortality, aging, and loss, the band felt that a little light was needed. John Paul Jones does an excellent job in the orchestral arrangements of this song, which adds so much to the final result. We return to the melancholic atmosphere with "Everybody Hurts" also conducted by John Paul Jones. Most of the song was written by drummer Bill Berry who wanted to reach people who felt they had no hope. It is an anti-suicide song and singer Michael Stipe stated that he made a special effort to sing clearly and fluently, because it was very important to him that the message in the song would not be lost. He added that it's one of the songs he's most proud of, because it's something the band did and affected other people's lives. A song that saved a life, literally. The music video for this song won no less than four MTV video awards. The melancholic atmosphere accompanies us until the end of the first side of the album, with the excellent instrumental piece "New Orleans Instrumental No. 1", which was written at 2 am in the recording studio in New Orleans, after the band had finished recording "Drive". Immediately after, comes the chilling cello sounds of "Sweetness Follows" which deals with the loss of a loved one. The second side of the album opens up with "Monty Got A Raw Deal" to the bouzouki sounds of Peter Buck, who composed it in a hotel room in New Orleans. The "Monty" in this song is the actor Montgomery Clift, who starred in the movies "The Misfits" and "From Here to Eternity" among others. Michael Stipe got the idea for the song after talking to the cameraman who shot Clift in the movie "The Misfits". Six of the 12 tracks on the album were released as successful official singles, but "Ignoreland" was not one of them. It was only released as a promo single, but despite that, it also went on the charts. The lyrical content of the song is completely political and it refers to the state of the United States during the presidencies of Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, and George Bush. Immediately after, comes the song "Star Me Kitten" which was originally called "Fuck Me Kitten". Luckily, actress Meg Ryan came to the famous "Bad Animals" studio in Seattle, during the filming of the movie "Sleepless In Seattle" and convinced the band members that the album would sell better if they changed the name of the song to "Star Me Kitten". The album ends with an amazing sequence of three songs, the first of which is the rhythmic hit "Man on the Moon", which was inspired by the late comedian Andy Kaufman, whom Stipe admired watching "Saturday Night Live". Interestingly, the title of the song was also used as the title of the 1999 film about Andy Kaufman, starring Jim Carrey. "R.E.M." even got to do the soundtrack, which also included this song. In an episode of the British TV show "Top Of The Pops 2", Michael Stipe claimed that this song was a tribute to Kurt Cobain's lyrics and writing, especially the repeated, "yeah yeah yeah yeah". He attempted to put more "yeahs" in the song than Cobain did. Then comes the beautiful "Nightswimming" with the haunting piano and immortal string arrangements of John Paul Jones. In Peter Buck's recollection, the lyrics came first and the idea had already surfaced around "Out of Time". Mike Mills remembered the process differently: he was playing a piano idea when Michael Stipe asked him to continue and began developing lyrics for it. These are differing band members' recollections, rather than a writing sequence that can be established with certainty. Mills composed the melody and associated the song with his circle of friends' late-night skinny-dipping in Athens, Georgia in the early 1980s, rather than the band's childhood. It was recorded at Criteria Studios in Miami on the piano also used for the coda of "Layla", with John Paul Jones's string arrangement. The album ends with "Find the River" to the sounds of the melodica played by drummer Bill Berry. This is one of the most beautiful and magical closing songs we know for any album, certainly for a "R.E.M." album. The band's fear that it would not be able to surpass "Out of Time" turned out to be unjustified. In some ways, "Automatic for the People" even surpassed its predecessor and the amazing result is even intensified in light of the fact that this acoustic-melancholy album came out at the peak of the Alternative and Grunge revolution, exactly at a time when all the bands try to sound as immature, loud and dirty as possible. Under these impossible conditions, the album managed to sell 18 million copies worldwide and win rave reviews. The album also entered the list of the 500 greatest albums of all time by "Rolling Stone" magazine, the list of the 100 greatest albums of the 90s by the same magazine, the list of "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" and much more... For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

The first half of the '90s brought us so many masterpiece albums, especially from the Grunge and Alternative Rock scene. In our opinion, one album remains a powerful, yet tragically underrated masterpiece: "The Afghan Whigs" "Gentlemen", released on October 5, 1993. This is the US release date documented by Rhino; Sub Pop lists October 1, 1993. This magnum opus, written by Greg Dulli during the tour for the band's 1992 "Congregation" album, isn't just an album; it's a haunting journey through the harrowing corridors of a doomed relationship. Greg Dulli, the enigmatic frontman, drew inspiration from Francis Ford Coppola's 1982 film "One from the Heart," finding kinship with its lead character, a flawed individual struggling with his own nature. Dulli sought to traverse the murky depths of the '90s male psyche, exploring the dark recesses often left unexamined. As an amateur filmmaker in his youth, Dulli's creative impulse finds manifestation in this sonic narrative. The album's thematic concept draws from Coppola's film, mirroring the lead character's internal conflict. Dulli's goal was aimed to dive headlong into the abyss, peeling back layers of emotional complexities with each track. Musically, "Gentlemen" is a revelation. It blends Alternative, Grunge, Post Punk and Hard Rock drawing influences from R&B and Soul music. Having previously covered Motown classics in the "Uptown Avondale" EP, Dulli introduces a softer approach by employing minor keys and deliberate slow-paced tunes. Even Van Morrison's seminal "Astral Weeks" serves as a touchstone for Dulli, providing inspiration for weaving recurring melodic motifs and lyrical imagery throughout the album. All over the album, you can feel how the buoyant melodies counterbalance raw, heart-wrenching lyrics. This venture into the shadows begs the question: how deep can one descend into the abyss of human emotion? The album kicks off with "If I Were Going" an eerie, melancholic tone. The haunting guitar work and Greg Dulli's soulful vocals set the stage for the emotional rollercoaster that follows. The lyrics are introspective, evoking a sense of longing and self-reflection. The title track "Gentlemen", which was released as a single from the album, bursts in with a frenetic energy. It's a relentless exploration of lust and desire, driven by a dynamic rhythm section. Dulli's vocals are impassioned, delivering lines that sear with intensity. Right after comes "Be Sweet" - a standout track that balances aggression with vulnerability. The jagged guitar riffs and Dulli's raspy voice delivery create a perfect juxtaposition. The chorus is infectious, and the lyrics oscillate between pleading and confrontational, sometimes even exposed as Dulli sings: "Ladies, let me tell you about myself, I got a dick for a brain, And my brain is gonna sell my ass to you..." Then comes the "hit" "Debonair" which was the first single released from the album. This track epitomizes the "Afghan Whigs'" ability to meld rock with soul influences. The instrumentation is dark and sultry, while Dulli's vocals exude confidence. The chorus is a hook that sinks its teeth in, leaving a lasting impression. "When We Two Parted" is a poignant ballad that showcases Dulli's lyrical prowess. The stripped-down arrangement allows the emotional weight of the lyrics to take center stage. It's a gut-wrenching reflection on heartbreak and regret. "Fountain and Fairfax" serves as the album's midpoint. It takes a slightly more subdued turn, but the intensity remains palpable. The brooding atmosphere and Dulli's evocative storytelling make this track a standout. Then comes "What Jail Is Like", a song about a twisted crazy love affair. This was the first song Dulli wrote for "Gentleman". A culmination of the album's themes, exploring the complexities of passion and pain. The instrumentation is textured, with layers of guitar and percussion creating a rich sonic landscape. "My Curse" is an encapsulation of the album's darker undertones. The music is brooding and intense. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a tumultuous relationship. This song is so intense that Greg Dulli decides not to sing it. He asked Marcy Mays of the band "Scrawl" to sing lead on this one, Some say because the song hit too close to home for Dulli. "Now You Know" has a mid-pace tempo and a more restrained musical arrangement. This track offers a moment of respite. Dulli's vocals are introspective, reflecting on the lessons learned from heartache. "I Keep Coming Back" is the only cover song in the album. Soul singer Tyrone Davis originally recorded the song in 1970. Greg Dulli listened to the slow ballad almost every night before he went to bed in the early '90s, and decided to put it in the album. He introduced it to his bandmates at the last-minute during recording sessions. They all swapped instruments, so everybody was playing a different instrument on it. It is a powerful testament to the cyclical nature of love and desire. The music is hypnotizing, leaving the listener with a sense of unresolved tension. Dulli referred to it in one of his interviews, saying: "It seemed like a good way to end it... and then we turned it into a strange instrumental at the end, which gave it the cinematic closing". This masterpiece album ends with the mentioned instrumental “Brother Woodrow/Closing Prayer”, playing out in the background, just like a film’s closing credits. Legacy-wise, "Gentlemen" is more than an album; it's a cultural touchstone. It finds itself in esteemed company, nestled within the pages of "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die." "Treble", recognizing its impact, placed "Gentlemen" at number 22 in its list of the 30 best grunge albums. "Spin" Magazine elevated it further, ranking it 141 in their list of "The 300 Best Albums of the Past 30 Years (1985-2014)". Not without a reason it is considered by critics to be "the Afghan Whigs'" greatest album, and among the best-written breakup albums of all time. "Gentlemen" is a masterwork of alternative rock, unflinchingly diving into the complexities of human relationships. Greg Dulli's lyrics are a raw, unvarnished reflection of passion, pain, and longing. The music, equally compelling, serves as the perfect backdrop, creating an emotional journey that resonates long after the final note fades away. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On October 5, 1970, "Led Zeppelin" released their third album "Led Zeppelin III". This is the US release date; the UK release followed on October 23, 1970. This album marks a fundamental change in the musical style of the band that has experimented with folk, acoustic pieces, blues rock, and psychedelia, in addition to the hard rock and blues that characterized it. After two albums in less than two years and intense touring, the band decides to take a break and rest before starting to work on their next album. Singer Robert Plant decides to retire to the "Bron-Yr-Aur" cottage in Wales where he used to spend time with his family as a child. He convinces guitarist Jimmy Page to join him at the cottage and write material for their next album. The cottage was very isolated and had no running water or electricity, which greatly influenced the writing process which focused mainly on acoustic songs. Another thing that characterized the songs written for this album, was the unusual guitar tuning. Page was influenced at the time by musicians Davey Graham and Bert Jansch who used to tune the guitar in an untraditional tuning and this undoubtedly influenced the sound of the album. Plant noted that after two blues and hard rock albums the band was interested in a change in musical direction, because they wanted to show that they could play other musical styles as well. Another characteristic that exists on this album, is the fact that all the band members were co-writing, compared to the previous albums where Page was the dominant one. Also notable on this album is bassist John Paul Jones who was revealed as a talented multi-instrumentalist who also plays a variety of instruments, including Hammond organ, Moog synthesizer, mandolin, and bass pedal, and was also responsible for the addition of strings in the song "Friends". The album opens with Bonham's galloping drumming and Plant's famous Tarzan-like chanting of the song "Immigrant Song". The song was written in Iceland where the band performed in 1970 on and it was influenced by the Viking invasion of England. "We come from the land of ice and snow" Plant sings and the words "The Hammer Of The God" and "Valhalla" leave no room for doubt that this is indeed a song about the Vikings. The song was performed at the "Bath" festival, just 6 days after the band left Reykjavik, but with slightly different lyrics. "Friends" is an acoustic song in a non-traditional guitar tuning by Jimmy Page and string arrangement by John Paul Jones. Page wanted to bring an Indian-style sound to this song and it was indeed re-recorded in 1972 with the Bombay Orchestra and this special performance appears in the extended version of the album "Coda" which was released in 2015. This song connects to the next song "Celebration Day" with a link section played by a Moog Synthesizer. This section was intended to cover a glitch in which an excerpt from the song was deleted at the beginning of the master tape. This glitch almost caused the song not to be included on the album. The song was written by Robert Plant as an expression of his experience of his stay in New York. Plant also used to present this song as "The New York Song" during the band's performances. The fourth track "Since I've Been Loving You" is without a doubt the best song on the album and one of the band's greatest songs. An immortal blues piece recorded live in the studio with the whole band playing simultaneously, and whoever listens well will be able to hear John Bonham's bass drum pedals creaking, which only adds to the authenticity of the recording. John Paul Jones plays the Hammond organ as he performs the bass roles using a bass pedal. Jimmy Page's solo is one of the most beautiful in his entire career and just to think that it was recorded live in one take sends chills down our spine. Plant's singing is among his most powerful, dating back to a time when his vocal range was infinite. The first side of the album closes up with "Out on the Tiles" a song co-written by Jimmy Page, Robert Plant and John Bonham. The intro to the song was played before the song "Black Dog" in performances. In the middle of the song Jimmy Page can be heard saying the word "Stop" apparently trying to stop the take but the band kept playing. The first song on the other side of the vinyl "Gallows Pole" is Zeppelin's version of the folk song "The Maid Freed from the Gallows". Jimmy Page plays here for the first time on a banjo that belonged to John Paul Jones, on electric and acoustic guitar while John Paul Jones plays mandolin and bass. The song "Tangerine" was written by Jimmy Page back in his "Yardbirds" days, then it was called "Knowing That I'm Losing You". The song is about lost love. Jimmy Page plays here on Steel Guitar and Acoustic. We continue with the acoustic line and the song "That's the Way", which was written in the "Bron-Yr-Aur" cottage about problems in couples' relationships. The song was originally called "The Boy Next Door" and was born as a result of Jimmy Page's improvisation playing the chords to Plant who improvised the lyrics. The song was first played by the band at the Bath Festival. It was also the band's first time playing an acoustic set. The band will continue on this line and incorporate acoustic sets during their performances in the years 71-73. From here we come to the song "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp" which is a kind of tribute to the cottage where some of the songs for the album were written. The song that talks about Plant's dog was originally called "Jennings Farm Blues" and was recorded back in 1969 in an electric version. In honor of the band's third album, the song received an acoustic arrangement and includes John Bonham's playing on spoons and John Paul Jones' playing on contrabass. The song that seals the album "Hats Off to (Roy) Harper" is based on a blues song by "Bukka White" which is called "Shake 'Em On Down" and is dedicated to their fellow singer and songwriter Roy Harper. In this song, Plant's voice goes through an amplifier with a vibrato effect. During the sessions for the album, the band recorded additional songs that did not find their way to the final version of the album. "Poor Tom" was released as part of the compilation album "Coda", the song "Bron-Yr-Aur" was included on the double album "Physical Graffiti", the song "Hey, Hey, What Can I Do" was first released as a b-side for the song "Immigrant Song", and the songs "Jennings Farm Blues" and "Key to the Highway / Trouble in Mind" appeared on the album's expanded 2014 release. After the album release, it drew quite a bit of criticism and some even claimed that the band was trying to sound like "Crosby, Stills & Nash". This criticism greatly hurt Jimmy Page and caused him to stop giving interviews to promote the album. This criticism also caused Page to insist that the band's fourth album will not bear the band's name on the cover. Page wanted the band to be judged based on the musical material and not because of its name. Despite the criticism the band received in real-time, this is an excellent album that proves the diversity and versatility of the band, an essential stage in its development that will only intensify in future albums. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Today we introduce A drummer, songwriter and producer Travis Barker. From the ska-punk of "The Aquabats" to his breakthrough with "blink-182", and on to collaborations with hip-hop artists and a new generation of pop-punk musicians. Here are 55 facts about a drummer who became one of the style's most recognizable figures. Photo: Remo PR 1. Barker was born on November 14, 1975, in Fontana, California. 2. His mother, Gloria Marie Barker, gave him his first drum kit when he was four, and he began taking lessons with Michael Mai at five. She was the driving force behind his perseverance. Even when he would rather have gone skateboarding or ridden bikes with friends, she made sure he attended his lessons and kept practicing. She loved music and introduced him to drummers such as Buddy Rich, Gene Krupa and Louis Bellson. 3. As a child, he also studied trumpet and piano and tried singing. He was interested in surfing and skateboarding, but the drums remained the instrument he returned to time and again. 4. One of his childhood heroes was Animal from "The Muppets". He was later influenced by Buddy Rich and Tommy Lee, two very different drummers who helped shape his approach to the instrument. 5. His mother died the day before he started high school. The loss left him without the person who had supported his dream most strongly, and playing became a way to cope with his grief. He recalled that after her death, he began taking drumming seriously, determined to fulfill that dream for her as well. His mother had kept a scrapbook in which he recorded his friends and ambitions each year. Returning to it, he discovered that he had repeatedly written about wanting to become a professional drummer in a band as early as first grade. 6. In high school, he played in a jazz ensemble and a marching band. The precision of snare drumming and the exercises he learned there later became a defining part of his playing, even when the music around him was punk or hip-hop. 7. After graduating from high school, he worked as a trash collector in Laguna Beach and played in the punk band "Feeble". There he met Chad Larson, who later connected him with "The Aquabats". 8. In 1996, he joined "The Aquabats", a ska-punk band whose members performed in superhero costumes. He was given his own stage character, "The Baron von Tito". 9. In 1997, he played on "The Aquabats"' second studio album, "The Fury of The Aquabats!". It remains the band's only studio album featuring him on drums. 10. In 1998, during a joint tour by "The Aquabats" and "blink-182", "blink-182" needed a drummer to replace Scott Raynor. Barker already knew some of their songs from watching their performances, but had almost no time to prepare. In a later interview, he recalled learning 21 songs in roughly 45 minutes before a show. He fitted in immediately, and his playing impressed Mark Hoppus and Tom DeLonge... 11. In 1998, he became "blink-182"'s permanent drummer alongside bassist and vocalist Mark Hoppus and guitarist and vocalist Tom DeLonge. He left "The Aquabats" to focus on his new band. Photo: Kmazur 12. His drumming combined punk's speed with marching-band snare work and a sense of rhythm influenced by hip-hop. He brought fills and accents to "blink-182"'s sound that went well beyond simply accompanying the guitars. 13. "Enema of the State", "blink-182"'s third studio album and their first with Barker, was released on June 1, 1999. Produced by Jerry Finn, it reached No. 9 on the Billboard 200 and was certified five-times platinum in the United States. 14. The singles "What's My Age Again?", "All the Small Things" and "Adam's Song" made the band an international success. "All the Small Things" reached No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. 15. In 1999, he founded the clothing brand "Famous Stars and Straps". Its designs grew out of the worlds he belonged to, including punk, hip-hop, skateboarding and tattoo culture. 16. Throughout his career, he has been associated with "Orange County Drum & Percussion" kits and "Zildjian" cymbals. The latter company also released signature drumsticks bearing his name. 17. The live album "The Mark, Tom and Travis Show (The Enema Strikes Back!)" was released in 2000. It captured the band performing in California and also included the studio track "Man Overboard". 18. "Take Off Your Pants and Jacket", "blink-182"'s fourth studio album, was released on June 12, 2001. It became their first album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, featuring the singles "The Rock Show", "First Date" and "Stay Together for the Kids". 19. In late 2001, Tom DeLonge formed "Box Car Racer", with Barker joining on drums alongside guitarist David Kennedy. Bassist Anthony Celestino was added later. The project grew out of DeLonge's desire to explore heavier, darker ideas influenced by post-hardcore that he felt did not fit "blink-182" at the time. The band's only studio album, "Box Car Racer", was released in 2002 and reached No. 12 on the Billboard 200. The project created tension within "blink-182": Mark felt left out and later explained how deeply it had hurt him, leaving him feeling excluded and disconnected. It exposed a rift between the bandmates that would only widen over the years. 20. That same year, he appeared on the debut album "Transplants", alongside Tim Armstrong of "Rancid" and Rob Aston, known as Skinhead Rob. The group combined punk, rap, samples and electronic rhythms. 21. "blink-182", the band's fifth studio album, also known as their untitled album, was released on November 18, 2003. It reached No. 3 in the United States and included "Feeling This" and "I Miss You", as well as Robert Smith's guest appearance on "All of This". 22. In 2004, he founded "LaSalle Records". The name came from a car brand he loved, and "The Kinison" were among his first signings. 23. He married Shanna Moakler in October 2004. Their son Landon Barker was born in 2003, followed by daughter Alabama Barker in 2005. Their family life was documented in the reality series "Meet the Barkers", which aired on "MTV" in 2005 and 2006. 24. In February 2005, "blink-182" announced an indefinite hiatus. Behind that wording lay a deepening crisis. Hoppus's hurt over "Box Car Racer" was compounded by disagreements over musical direction, years of touring and questions about how much time each member was willing to commit to the band. During their 2004 European tour, the members grew further apart, and discussions about continuing became a struggle over priorities. DeLonge wanted to slow down and spend more time with his family. Hoppus and Barker wanted to keep working, but they were struggling to reach an agreement with him about future recording sessions and shows. The parties later gave differing accounts of how events unfolded, including how and when the decision to leave was communicated. 25. A major chapter in Barker's professional life had ended, but his bond with Hoppus remained intact. The two formed "+44", later joined by guitarists Shane Gallagher and Craig Fairbaugh. Working on the new band gave them a way to keep creating together and process the feelings left by the split. DeLonge turned to "Angels & Airwaves", and the members of "blink-182" followed separate paths until their 2009 reunion. The band "+44". Source: Kerrang! 25. "Haunted Cities", "Transplants"' second studio album, was released in 2005. Around the same time, Barker also formed the hip-hop group "Expensive Taste" with Paul Wall and Rob. The group "Expensive Taste". Source: Last.fm 26. "When Your Heart Stops Beating", "+44"'s only studio album, was released on November 14, 2006, Barker's 31st birthday. It debuted at No. 10 on the Billboard 200, selling approximately 66,000 copies in its first week. 27. During his time with "+44", he injured his arm while filming a music video. Despite the injury, he continued performing with one hand for a while before he was forced to stop and recover. 28. In 2007 and 2008, videos of him adding live drumming to hip-hop and pop tracks, including "Crank That (Soulja Boy)" and "Low", became popular. They introduced another audience to his playing outside the band. 29. In 2008, he performed with Adam Goldstein, known as DJ AM, in the duo "TRV$DJAM". Goldstein mixed tracks in real time while Barker added live drums, a combination that also took them to the MTV awards stage that year. Beyond their musical partnership, Adam was one of Barker's closest friends. 30. On the night of September 19-20, 2008, after a performance in Columbia, South Carolina, Barker boarded a private plane with Adam and their crew to return to California. The takeoff ended in disaster. The aircraft ran off the runway, crashed and caught fire. Four of the six people on board were killed, including his assistant Chris Baker and security guard Charles Still, who were also close friends. Barker and Adam escaped and were the only survivors. 31. Barker nearly lost his life that night. He survived with severe burns and faced surgery, a long recovery and the loss of his friends. The memories and anxiety stayed with him for years after his physical injuries had healed. He avoided flying until 2021, and boarding a plane again marked an important step in confronting the trauma. The crash changed his relationship with life, family and health, becoming a defining rupture that also features in his book and the documentary about his life. 32. The crash brought the members of "blink-182" back into contact. In February 2009, the three announced their reunion and return to activity at the Grammy Awards. 33. Adam died in August 2009, less than a year after the crash. Losing his friend and musical partner was another blow Barker had to face as he returned to performing. 34. His first solo album, "Give the Drummer Some", was released on March 15, 2011. It reached No. 9 on the Billboard 200 and featured collaborations with Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg, RZA, Tom Morello, Corey Taylor and other artists. 35. "Neighborhoods", "blink-182"'s sixth studio album and their first since reuniting, was released in September 2011. It debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. 36. On November 13, 2012, he released the EP "Psycho White" with Yelawolf. Its five tracks combined rap, punk and reggae influences, with guests including Tim Armstrong and Rob. 37. "In a Warzone", "Transplants"' third studio album, was released in June 2013. That same year, his fear of flying prevented him from joining "blink-182"'s Australian tour, and Brooks Wackerman filled in for him. 38. In 2015, Tom DeLonge and "blink-182" parted ways again. The crisis developed around difficulties arranging recording sessions and shows and securing a commitment to the band's future. Hoppus and Barker said DeLonge had delayed work on a new album and that his representatives had told them he would not be involved with the band during that period. DeLonge initially denied that he had quit, describing a damaged working relationship and disagreements over working conditions and their shared future. The gap between Hoppus and Barker's desire to continue and his own priorities led to his replacement by Matt Skiba of "Alkaline Trio". It was a second split following a reunion that had already raised fans' hopes. 39. On October 20, 2015, he published the autobiography "Can I Say: Living Large, Cheating Death, and Drums, Drums, Drums", written with Gavin Edwards. The book covered his childhood, the bands he had played in, addiction, the crash and family life. 40. In 2015, he also joined live performances by "Antemasque", the group led by Cedric Bixler-Zavala and Omar Rodríguez-López. He replaced Dave Elitch on drums. 41. "California", "blink-182"'s seventh studio album and their first with Matt Skiba, was released in July 2016. It reached No. 1 in the United States and later earned a Grammy nomination for Best Rock Album. 42. In 2017, he played on "The Knife", "Goldfinger"'s seventh studio album. Working with bandleader and producer John Feldmann continued a relationship that had also developed through "blink-182"'s recording sessions. 43. In 2018, he co-produced "Fever 333"'s EP "Made an America", and in 2019 he helped produce their debut studio album, "Strength in Numb333rs", alongside John Feldmann. 44. "Nine", "blink-182"'s eighth studio album, was released in September 2019 and reached No. 3 in the United States. That December, Barker launched "DTA Records" in partnership with "Elektra Music Group". 45. In 2020, he produced and played on Machine Gun Kelly's fifth studio album, "Tickets to My Downfall". The artist's move from rap to pop-punk brought him a No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200, with 126,000 album-equivalent units in its first week. 46. In 2021, he played on Willow Smith's "Transparent Soul" and produced Jaden Hossler's (jxdn) debut album, "Tell Me About Tomorrow", released through "DTA Records". These collaborations made him a central figure in a younger generation's pop-punk wave. 47. In August 2021, he boarded a plane for the first time since the crash, almost 13 years later. He credited his partner Kourtney Kardashian with providing crucial support that helped him fly again. 48. In 2022, he co-produced Avril Lavigne's seventh studio album, "Love Sux", released on his label. It reached No. 9 in the United States. That same year, he continued working with Machine Gun Kelly on "Mainstream Sellout", the artist's sixth album, which also reached No. 1. 49. He married Kourtney in May 2022. Their son Rocky Thirteen Barker was born in November 2023. 50. In October 2022, "blink-182" announced Tom DeLonge's return, making the reunion of their best-known lineup one of the most widely discussed comebacks of the period. A renewed personal connection also lay behind the announcement. Mark Hoppus's cancer diagnosis in 2021 brought the three back into conversation and put their old disagreements into perspective. After years of DeLonge and the band working separately, they found room for friendship and making music together again. 51. The announcement came with a new single and news of a world tour. In April 2023, the three performed together at Coachella for the first time since 2014, attracting widespread attention. Their ninth studio album, "One More Time...", was released on October 20, 2023. Produced by Barker, it reached No. 1 on the Billboard 200. For him, it was an opportunity to bring the three friends back into the studio and take a central creative role as producer, with their shared personal history running through the songs. 52. Barker's voice can also be heard alongside those of his two bandmates on "One More Time". The lyrics refer to his crash, Mark Hoppus's cancer and the question of why it took such crises to bring the three closer again. 53. The expanded edition "One More Time... Part-2" was released on September 6, 2024. It added eight new songs to the reunion album, alongside tracks already included on previous editions. 54. In 2025, he produced three new songs by "Alkaline Trio", including "Bleeding Out". It reunited him with Matt Skiba, this time as producer for Skiba's longtime band. 55. The documentary "Travis Barker: Louder Than Fear", directed by Justin Krook and Michael Dwyer, premiered on "Hulu" and "Disney+" on August 13, 2026. It follows his career, his struggle after the crash and the way he rebuilt his life. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog You are welcome to follow us on Facebook / Instagram and/or subscribe to the website

Written by: Moti Kupfer Release date - 04.10.1980 "The word will come out of Coventry," Terry Hall seemed to proclaim at full volume. And sure enough, in late-1970s Britain, a band emerged that brought together Jamaican ska, developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s, the sharp mod fashions of the Sixties, and the bruising punk rock sweeping through Britain at the time. "The Specials" were among the bands that brought different styles and subcultures together to create Two Tone. And when I talk about Two Tone, I am talking about Jerry Dammers, the man who founded "The Specials", whose second album, "More Specials", was released on October 4, 1980. As Britain moved beyond the middle of the 1970s, punk culture began spreading across the country. Leather clothing, ripped jeans, military boots and piercings in unexpected places were all part of a rebellion against everything considered respectable and conventional. A decade and a half before punk took over Britain, mod culture had ruled the roost. The name came from "modernist", and the mods had a distinctive style of their own, favouring tailored suits and a musical diet of soul, rhythm and blues, jazz and ska. By the mid-Sixties, British rock bands such as "The Who", "The Kinks" and "Small Faces" had come to represent mod culture. Around this time, clashes between mods and rockers began breaking out across Britain, spreading to seaside towns including Brighton, Margate and Clacton. The fighting reached its peak during the May 1964 bank holiday weekend in Brighton and Margate. These disturbances spiralled out of control, fuelling a wave of public alarm that reached the British government itself. Back to Jerry Dammers, who was born in southern India in 1955. His family moved to Britain when he was a child, and he grew up in Coventry. Young Jerry developed a taste for jazz and embraced the mod subculture spreading across Britain. Later, he would gravitate towards another subculture that grew out of mod roots and Jamaican rude-boy culture: the skinheads. After leaving school, Dammers studied art at Coventry's Lanchester Polytechnic, an institution that later became part of Coventry University. There he met an amiable fellow named Horace Panter, and together they planned to form a band. The pair recruited singer Tim Strickland, guitarist Lynval Golding and drummer Silverton Hutchinson, setting out as "The Automatics". Strickland was soon replaced by a young man they knew from Coventry's punk scene, Terry Hall. Back to Dammers again. In 1979, about two years after the band formed, he established 2 Tone Records, which became one of the focal points of Britain's ska revival. Bands such as "Madness", "The Beat" and "The Selecter" owe some of their earliest steps on record to Dammers and his label. Dammers connected the music he was creating with the protest culture that had always been part of his outlook, becoming an anti-apartheid activist. He later wrote the celebrated "Free Nelson Mandela", released in 1984 by "The Special AKA". As mentioned, "The Specials" began life in 1977 as "The Automatics", before becoming "The Coventry Automatics". On the road to their breakthrough, the band toured with "The Clash" and worked with that band's manager, Bernie Rhodes. The breakthrough itself came with the launch of 2 Tone Records and "The Specials"' debut single, "Gangsters", which drew on "Al Capone" by Jamaican ska pioneer Prince Buster. The band's self-titled debut album arrived in October 1979, produced by Elvis Costello. "The Specials" combined punk, ska and Jamaican rocksteady with protest songs. The combination worked beautifully, and the album sold well. Exhausted by the tour for their first album, and under pressure from Chrysalis Records, 2 Tone's bigger sibling, "The Specials" returned to the studio to record their second album, "More Specials", released roughly a year after its predecessor. On this album, "The Specials" sound more diverse, both musically and lyrically. Elvis Costello had given the debut a raw, direct production, but this time Dammers took control of the producer's chair, bringing Dave Jordan alongside him. He wanted to expand on the lean sound of the first album by exploring the recording studio's possibilities, particularly the addition of instrumental and vocal layers to existing recordings: overdubbing. Central to Dammers' approach was the idea that music need not be divided into good and bad. He approached every style with an open mind, believing that repeated listening could turn unfamiliar sounds into something he would eventually grow to love. Some members saw this direction as an attempt to make the band more international, and not everyone was happy with Dammers' vision or the course he was setting. Once again, "The Specials" addressed the problems facing Britain's younger generation and wider political issues, calling for racial solidarity. The album combines energetic ska with lyrics that reveal the band's fear of a world sliding towards nuclear war. "Man at C&A" invokes doomsday, placing an ordinary man at the mercy of the war games played by those in power. There is also "Do Nothing", a song about apathy and the feeling that life has lost its purpose. Behind it all lies the band's simmering frustration with the state of the country. The album's second half sounds as though "The Specials" have been whisked away to a different destination with every track. They leap from cha-cha and bossa nova to dub and psychedelia, before letting us unwind with a little elevator music and jazz. The album cover shows an out-of-focus colour photograph of the band in the bar of the Regent Hotel in Leamington Spa. Dammers asked photographer Chalkie Davies to deliberately take a poor-quality picture, recalling the sleeves of Jamaican records. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or subscribe to our website

On October 4, 1968, "This Was", the debut album by "Jethro Tull", was released in the UK. It is rather amusing that "Jethro Tull" chose a title in the past tense for their very first album. While most bands are still trying to introduce themselves, "Jethro Tull" are telling us to hurry up, because they will be somewhere else before long. Yet "This Was" is far from a dress rehearsal for the real thing. It is a spirited, rough-edged blues album full of character, made by a band playing with a healthy appetite and beginning to realize that there is more than one way to satisfy it. Anyone arriving here by way of "Aqualung" or "Thick as a Brick" may need a moment to adjust. The guitar occupies much more space, the flute shares the spotlight with it, and there is no ambitious composition stretching across an entire side of the record. Yet that very distance from the famous albums lets us hear something fascinating. Before Ian Anderson became the band's undisputed leader, he faced a guitarist with a sound, experience and a will of his own. The meeting between them is the heart of this album. The story begins before the name "Jethro Tull" ever appeared on a poster. Singer and flautist Anderson and bassist Glenn Cornick came from John Evan's bands in Blackpool, while guitarist Mick Abrahams and drummer Clive Bunker played in "McGregor's Engine". By late 1967, the four had come together as a new band in the London area. After several name changes, the name of an eighteenth-century English agricultural pioneer stuck. By February 1968, they were already appearing under that name at the "Marquee" club, and over the course of the year they built an audience through frequent performances and a stage presence that was hard to ignore. London at the time had no shortage of guitarists who knew how to play the blues. Anderson's flute gave the band a clear advantage, and Abrahams made sure they had plenty of electric weight as well. Alongside them, Cornick and Bunker were much more than backing musicians. The bass moves freely between the guitar and flute phrases, while the drums know how to hold down a groove and how to push forward. You can hear that this music took shape in front of an audience, over nights of playing, rather than solely at a writing desk. The album was recorded in the summer of 1968 at "Sound Techniques" in Chelsea, with the band and Terry Ellis producing and Victor Gamm handling the recording. The budget was around £1,200, and the sound retains the directness of a small band playing together. There is space between the instruments, the guitar is not buried beneath unnecessary layers, and even when the arrangements expand, you can follow what each musician is doing. Anderson wrote most of the material, but Abrahams' presence is felt well beyond the songs on which he has a writing credit. The opening track, "My Sunday Feeling", makes it clear why. This is the morning after, with the head still trying to recover and the body wanting to crawl back into bed, yet the band sounds remarkably wide awake. Abrahams' guitar is sharp and loose, Cornick and Bunker drive the rhythm, and Anderson sings with a rasp that suits the unease in the lyrics. The flute slips into the commotion with surprising ease. Instead of softening the blues, it adds restlessness and cheek. The tension between the two musical voices becomes especially interesting on "Beggar's Farm", which Anderson and Abrahams wrote together. Behind the seemingly relaxed rhythm lies a bitter settling of romantic accounts, with a narrator already imagining the day when the woman who hurt him will need him again. The guitar stretches out its phrases, the flute answers them, and the singing stays restrained enough to let the sting do its work. This is one of the moments when the band gives a familiar blues structure a personality of its own. On the other hand, "Move on Alone" reveals how much Abrahams had to offer beyond his role as guitarist. He wrote it and sings it too, taking the spotlight on an album where most of the vocals belong to Anderson. The horn arrangement by Dee Palmer, credited at the time as David Palmer, gives the track a warm rhythm and blues swing, and in less than two minutes it offers a different possibility for this band. You can hear just how significant a partner Abrahams was in those early days. Then comes "Serenade to a Cuckoo", and the atmosphere in the room changes. Roland Kirk's composition allows Anderson to step away from his tussle with the guitar for a moment and develop a different conversation, one that is jazzier and more relaxed. The melody is simple enough to catch the ear, but the playing lingers over it, wanders away and returns with pleasure. The vocal sounds Anderson weaves into his blowing and the unpolished tone of the flute give the performance a very human touch. Almost six minutes pass without any need for a chorus or lyrics, making this one of the album's finest achievements. Here you can understand why the flute would grow from an outward trademark into a central instrument in the band's musical language. Still, not every instrumental excursion on the album is equally convincing. On "Dharma for One", written by Anderson and Bunker, the drums are given plenty of room, and the energy of the stage spills onto the record. The enthusiasm is infectious, but there are also moments when the musical idea gives way to a display of technique. That quality is also apparent in "Cat's Squirrel", arranged by Abrahams, which lets his guitar gallop. Anyone who loves the electric blues of the period will find plenty to enjoy here. The most successful connection between the roots and what was still to come arrives on "A Song for Jeffrey". The bass opens, the flute creeps in, and then the slide guitar, harmonica and distorted vocals turn the whole thing into strange, catchy psychedelic blues. The Jeffrey of the title is Jeffrey Hammond, Anderson's friend and the band's future bassist, and the lyrics touch on a sense of being directionless and the need to move on. The song sounds like "Jethro Tull" before the band had quite decided how it wanted to sound. The album was released in the UK by "Island" and reached number ten on the British album chart. It was a successful start, supported by the reputation the band had built onstage. Success, however, did not resolve the disagreements within the group. Abrahams wanted to continue along the blues path, while Anderson sought to broaden the band's range of influences. After the album's release, they parted ways. Abrahams formed "Blodwyn Pig", and after a brief spell with Tony Iommi, Martin Barre joined the band. By the second album, "Stand Up", the change would be unmistakable. In retrospect, it is easy to turn "This Was" into a footnote in the story of the development of "Jethro Tull", but that does a disservice to both the album and Abrahams. Even Anderson, in his tribute following the guitarist's death in December 2025, emphasized his importance to the early band and the mutual respect that remained between them. The anniversary edition released in November 2018, featuring a new mix by Steven Wilson, BBC recordings and original mixes, offered a chance to revisit this period and hear it afresh. Beyond its historical value, there is playing here worth savoring even without knowing what happened next. The cover joins in the joke at the heart of the album. Four young musicians dress up as old men surrounded by dogs, as though they have already reached the stage when they are entitled to reminisce about the past. Beside a title like "This Was", the picture adds another knowing wink. Inside the record, though, nobody sounds tired. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog You are welcome to follow us on Facebook / Instagram and/or subscribe to the website

On October 4, 1996, "Angry Machines", Dio's seventh studio album, was released in Japan (and 11 days later also in the US). This is perhaps the most "different" album in Dio's marvelous catalog, and probably the title of this album best describes what makes it so. This album is dark, heavy, gloomy but mostly "angry", of all Dio's albums. It has almost no melody, certainly no catchy tunes and it combines elements of Doom Metal, Groove Metal, and Industrial Metal, so the words "Angry Machines" definitely characterize what happens inside. Despite the difference from the rest of the albums and although Dio is definitely not in his comfort zone, we think it is a good album that matched the spirit of the era and was simply underrated. The album continues the line that started in "Strange Highways", released in Europe in 1993 and in the United States in 1994, and if we stretch it a bit further, it could even be the little nephew of Dehumanizer who Ronnie James Dio released along with "Black Sabbath" in 1992. It should be remembered that at the time, the slogan "Less Is More" was written on the wall. The nineties were the years of grunge, alternative, groove metal, and industrial, none of these styles connected with melody, sweet singing, or virtuoso solos, so you can say this album was an experiment of Dio to adapt to the musical spirit of that period. Indeed, beyond the heavy sound and dark style, even Ronnie James Dio himself sounds on this album as angry and vicious as he has ever sounded. The one who is essentially responsible for the heavy sound of the album is guitarist Tracy G who joined the band on the previous album and even then started pulling the band towards groove metal. Years later Tracy G was interviewed and noted that no attempt by him to change the band's style could have passed without the approval of Ronnie James Dio, and even if he did try to pull in a certain direction, then Dio could veto it if he was not interested. The heaviness and change can be heard from the first note of the album, straight on the opening track "Institutional Man". The slow and cruel drum beats of Vinny Appice, on his last studio album with the band, lead us to one of the heaviest riffs, chainsaws, and crunches we heard on any "Dio" album, light years away from Vivian Campbell's catchy and melodic riffs from the early 1980s. But the change in sound does not only come from the direction of heavy guitars. There's also Dio's vicious vocals like in the song "Big Sister", and there are the crazy drums in the opening of "Don't Tell the Kids". Listen to Jeff Pilson's terrifying bass sound in the opening of "Hunter of the Heart", listen to the dark keyboards of Scott Warren who just seemed to be taken from a horror movie in the middle of the song "Stay Out of My Mind" and understand what we're talking about. Despite the heaviness of this album and the fact that it does not have a single song that can be said to be melodic and catchy, it is a strong metal album that has some great tracks. The syncopations and breaks of "Black" do it for us in a big way. The opening riff of "Double Monday" throws us straight to Seattle in good vibes and when the song suddenly breaks with the short acoustic section the contrast feels to us like mixing coffee with alcohol. Increasing the rhythm after the opening of "Don't Tell the Kids" that explodes on us suddenly like a sprint run, or the "Black Sabbath" heaviness with the arpeggio riff of "Stay Out of my Mind" takes us back to Birmingham England, 20 years earlier. Ahhh .. and this album ends in great dissonance with the song which is a huge contrast to all the chaos that took place earlier "This Is Your Life". A piano piece with moving vocals by Ronnie James Dio, originally written by Tracy G on guitar, was stripped down and rebuilt with a string piano accompaniment. The song conveys an important message that we should value and make the most of our time on earth, because life is too short and life does not last forever. Unfortunately, the song became famous and became highly relevant following the death of Ronnie James Dio. So anyone looking for "Holy Diver" or "Sacred Heart" here will not find them here. The band has made the necessary adjustments here in the style and style of songwriting that have made this album exceptional and different from the rest of the band's albums, but it's not necessarily bad. Ronnie James Dio has undergone a process of change that began on the previous album and brings with him something different that we have not heard in his entire career. We must say that today we are listening to this album with much more openness than it was 20 years ago and we invite you to do the same and give it another chance, because it is definitely not a bad album and completely underrated. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Editor's Choice... On October 4, 2010, "Bring Me The Horizon's" third album was released with the name so long that it did not fit the headline: "There Is a Hell Believe Me I've Seen It. There Is a Heaven Let's Keep It a Secret." Anyone who is familiar with the band probably knows that in recent years there has been a lot of talk about the transformation it has undergone and still continues to do. From complete frenzy made up of roars/screams, nervous riffs, crazy rhythms, and gloomy lyrics, the band switched to using electronics, experiments in the realms of pop, trance, chillout, and many others, even today it continues to change, innovate and we really love it. So this album ladies and gentlemen is the midway album, the 45th minute. A minute before they change their musical style on an album that will be released later and called "Sempiternal". Those who know the previous albums will surely feel the process here. This is a completely experimental album. It has a bit of everything! And only by looking at the guest musicians, you can get the idea, like the famous Dubstep DJ "Skrillex" is here, Josh Franceschi from "You Me At Six", the Canadian singer Lights and more. So if you would like to go crazy a bit click on: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On October 4, 1991, "Streets: A Rock Opera", the sixth studio album by "Savatage", was released in Europe. Anyone who has read our review of "Tommy" already knows that it was one of the first albums to combine the theatrical world of opera, built around a complex narrative, with the simplicity and directness of rock and roll. Since the "Rock Opera" genre emerged in the late 1960s, relatively few bands have taken on the demanding task of creating a rock album with a continuous story and a central character, structured much like an opera. For that reason alone, "Savatage" deserves considerable credit. "Streets" explores the heavy price of fame, addiction, and the collapse that follows. There is nothing new about the premise, but "Savatage" makes us feel a real connection to the person going through it all. We follow DT Jesus, a gifted musician who became a star and lost almost everything, as he tries to recover and find a reason to keep going. "Savatage" tells his story through furious riffs, delicate piano passages, and vocals that move between anger and despair, until we find ourselves hoping he will make it. The road to this album began long before 1991. Brothers Jon Oliva and Criss Oliva emerged from Florida's metal scene, building the early "Savatage" albums around Jon's rough voice and Criss's sharp guitar playing. Meeting producer and songwriter Paul O'Neill ahead of 1987's "Hall of the Mountain King" opened up new possibilities. O'Neill heard things in the band that its members had not yet dared to bring out themselves, and by "Gutter Ballet", piano and drama had already taken a central place alongside the guitars. The story behind "Streets", however, was much older than that partnership. O'Neill wrote a musical called "Gutter Ballet" in 1979, and the manuscript stayed in a drawer until Criss discovered it. The idea of adapting it into an album came up while the band was working on "Gutter Ballet", but the members felt they were not quite ready to take that step. Eventually, the musical's song "When the Crowds Are Gone" found its way onto that earlier album. This time, they found the courage to see the idea through. Preparations began in October 1990, with recording starting in early 1991 at "321 Studios" in New York. O'Neill produced the album; the Oliva brothers and O'Neill are credited with the music, and O'Neill and Jon with the lyrics. The lineup also included bassist Johnny Lee Middleton and drummer Steve "Doc" Wacholz. Jon handled vocals and piano, and Criss played guitar. Their individual roles are clearly audible, but so is each musician's ability to make room for the others. On "Jesus Saves" and "Can You Hear Me Now", the brothers also took over the rhythm section, with Jon on drums and Criss on bass. The original plan was more ambitious: a double album with narration connecting the different stages of the story. Ultimately, the narrative was compressed into a single album and most of the narration was cut. That is the album's fundamental difficulty. Without reading the accompanying story in the booklet, it is not always clear who is speaking or what has happened between songs. The music conveys the crisis even when the plot is not entirely clear, but getting to know the story is certainly worthwhile. The protagonist is DT Jesus, a drug dealer from New York's Lower East Side whose true love is music. He starts playing in bars, gets discovered, and becomes a star, before addiction destroys his career and sends him back to the streets. An encounter with an aging blues guitarist shows him where he might end up. With the help of his friend and tour manager Tex, he gets clean and begins returning to the stage, until drug dealer Sammy arrives to collect an old debt. The confrontation ends with Tex's murder, leaving DT with guilt he cannot silence. Returning to music does not make DT's life better, and deciding to change does not erase his past. After the murder, he searches for answers in church and on the streets, among people the city has learned to ignore. Later, holding the hand of a dying homeless man so that he will not die alone allows DT to see himself differently, too. This is a story of redemption, but it begins with a simple act of human kindness. The opening track, "Streets", gradually draws us into this world. Children's voices and a dark atmosphere give way to a heavy riff, while Jon's singing shifts almost imperceptibly from menace to vulnerability. The street offers temptation and shelter at the same time. It welcomes people who have lost their way, but also allows them to keep losing it. This opening gives the city a tangible presence before we even meet the story's protagonist. Then comes "Jesus Saves", one of the moments when the band reminds us how much power it can pack into a straightforward metal song. After the spoken introduction, Criss's guitar charges in, and Jon recounts DT's rise and fall at a pace that captures the whirlwind. The chorus is remarkably catchy, and the irony of the title becomes clear when we realize that this is a man the audience worshipped as a savior, yet who could not save himself. In a later interview, Jon explained that the song had gone through several versions, and that he and his brother reworked it to sound like their band. With "Tonight He Grins Again" and "Strange Reality", we are already deep inside the addiction and loneliness. The first relies on piano and an ominous atmosphere, with Jon's voice sounding as though he is trapped in a conversation with no way out. The second brings back the bite of the guitars. The contrast works because the tenderness offers little reassurance and the heaviness offers little release. Both portray a man who cannot escape himself. "A Little Too Far", with its piano and direct delivery, is one of the album's most powerful moments. It takes no elaborate solo to make us feel the regret. Jon sings about years when life seemed like a game, bridges burned, and the realization that a line has already been crossed. The bitter humor in the cultural references only deepens the pain. Hope briefly returns in "You're Alive", a short, energetic piece that brings the protagonist back to the stage. But "Sammy and Tex" cuts it short with violence. The rhythm and guitars follow the confrontation, while Jon switches characters and vocal shades like an actor carrying an entire scene on his own. It is one of the clearest examples of why the word "opera" belongs in the album's title. After the storm comes "St. Patrick's", in which Jon confronts God with uncomfortable questions. Why does a good man die just as his friend is trying to put his life right? Who takes responsibility for the pain? The piano and arrangement let us hear every doubt in his voice. Even listeners who do not connect with the story's religious dimension can understand that anger and the need for someone to explain why things happened as they did. Further on, "Can You Hear Me Now" deepens the sense of distance, while "New York City Don't Mean Nothing" begins with acoustic intimacy and grows into rough-edged rock. "Ghost in the Ruins" brings Criss's riffs and solos back at full strength. The album's gaze widens to include the people around DT, those who sell their dreams to survive another night. Criss plays with precision and passion, reminding us that the band's embrace of drama has cost it none of its power. "If I Go Away" asks the album's simplest and most frightening question: what remains of a person after they disappear? The melody keeps that question with us long after the song ends. Facing it is "Agony and Ecstasy", where the temptation to return to drugs finds a voice of its own. The heaviness serves the threat well, and after all the attempts to change, we can hear how close the protagonist is to falling again. The final three tracks prove that, even after such a long journey, it is hard to want the album to end. "Heal My Soul", based on the traditional Welsh lullaby "Suo Gân", brings an innocence into the story that had almost disappeared. "Somewhere in Time" then gathers its thoughts on time, missed opportunities, and forgiveness, leading into "Believe". The transition never feels like a ballad added merely to give the album a beautiful ending. Everything we have heard so far prepares us for it. In "Believe", Jon begins with an intimate piano accompaniment, and when the band joins in, it feels like someone finally managing to lift his head. Criss gives the melody power through his guitar, while Jon's delivery lays bare the fracture in his voice. We can debate the plot's spiritual resolution, but it is hard to argue with this performance. This is a song that offers comfort without ignoring the journey it took to get there, and it is undoubtedly one of the peaks of the brothers' work together. We have to admit that "Streets" demands patience. The succession of ballads, shifts in the story, and serious tone will not suit every listener, and sometimes the drama comes at the expense of flow. On the other hand, anyone expecting a continuation of the early metal albums may miss what the band achieved here. The piano changes the approach to songwriting, and Jon expands his delivery far beyond his signature scream. Criss, for his part, knows when to surge forward and when to leave room for the vocals. Unfortunately, the album arrived as the musical landscape was beginning to change direction, and it did not give the band the commercial breakthrough it had hoped for. The "Jesus Saves" video received exposure on MTV, but that did little to help. "Streets" had to build its reputation over time. In the United States, it reached No. 31 on "Billboard"'s "Heatseekers Albums" chart, intended for artists who had yet to reach the upper ranks of the main albums chart. It was also the classic lineup's final album with Jon as lead vocalist. For "Edge of Thorns", he handed the role to Zachary Stevens while remaining involved in the songwriting. On September 27, 2013, "earMUSIC" released "Streets: A Rock Opera - Narrated Version", restoring the narration, including the original version of "Jesus Saves", and adding "Larry Elbows", which had been left off the original album. It certainly helps clarify the connections in the plot and reveals just how deeply the theatrical ambition was embedded in the original plan. That approach later found a broader home in "Trans-Siberian Orchestra", which also re-recorded "Believe" for its 2009 album "Night Castle". For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram and/or subscribe to the website

On October 4, 1994, "Dream Theater" released "Awake", their third studio album. After the success of "Images and Words", it was easy to expect another "Dream Theater" album that would bring dazzling musicianship together with soaring choruses. Yet within the opening minutes of "Awake", it becomes clear that the band arrived in a different frame of mind. The guitars are heavier, the vocals rougher, and even when the melodies take flight, something beneath them remains unsettling. This album demands a little more patience than its predecessor, but once it draws you in, it is hard to leave. For us, the strength of "Awake" lies in the tension between its five musicians. Everyone is at the top of their game, and everyone has something to say, though they are not always saying the same thing. John Petrucci pulls the music toward heavier metal, Kevin Moore gives it a melancholy depth, James LaBrie reveals a more forceful side to his voice, and Mike Portnoy and John Myung keep the whole thing moving. Behind the impressive performances, we can also hear a band approaching a painful change. Two years earlier, "Images and Words" had taken the band from a well-kept secret among progressive rock and metal fans to a name heard on the radio and MTV. "Pull Me Under" gave them an unexpected breakthrough, while touring allowed the members to find their footing together onstage. Now they needed to prove that their success had been no accident. Their record label, "East West", wanted another hit, and at a time when metal was becoming heavier and more groove-driven, it also encouraged a tougher direction. Work on the new material began in February 1994 at "Prince Studios" in New York. The lineup still consisted of the same five musicians who had recorded the previous album, but rehearsals were tense. The players scrutinized every detail, and arguments over the arrangements dragged on. Moore, who had been part of the journey since the "Majesty" days, already had different musical ambitions. His importance to the finished "Awake" only makes the departure that followed its completion more painful. The album was recorded at "One on One" and "Devonshire" studios in Los Angeles, with John Purdell and Duane Baron producing, the same duo who had worked on Ozzy Osbourne's "No More Tears". This time, the musicians had more room to shape their own sound. Petrucci introduced a seven-string guitar for the first time, and its lower register gave the riffs a weight they had not possessed before. Meanwhile, LaBrie expanded his approach, bringing grit and anger into his singing without sacrificing his upper range. The change is immediately audible in "6:00". Portnoy opens with sharp, restless drumming, the keyboards add an almost funky rhythm, and the guitar enters with a dry, aggressive tone. Samples from the film "The Dead" interrupt the flow, suggesting thoughts that keep returning. Moore wrote the lyrics, and their concerns with routine, frustration and the desire to find a way out take on added meaning when we consider his position within the band. Even so, this is no song weighed down by its own heaviness. It has a wonderful bounce and a chorus that catches on more quickly than the opening might suggest. "Caught in a Web" gives the seven-string guitar room to do its work. The riff is low and oppressive, yet there is an almost "danceable" movement within that heaviness. LaBrie sounds determined, at times downright furious, as the lyrics he wrote with Petrucci describe someone tired of other people's expectations and determined to live according to their own feelings. It is interesting to hear "Innocence Faded" follow it, briefly recalling the melodies of the previous album. The guitar rings out, LaBrie's voice climbs high and the chorus opens up, but the lyrics deal with disillusionment and changing relationships. Petrucci has said that the growing distance between him and his friend Moore was one of his inspirations. As the track progresses, the playing becomes denser and more complex, and the band closes it with a magnificent instrumental passage. At the heart of the album sits the three-part suite "A Mind Beside Itself". "Erotomania", its opening instrumental, is a feast for anyone who enjoys hearing the band play with different musical ideas. Angular riffs, playful keyboards, quiet passages and rapid solos follow one another without the music losing its way. The technique offers real pleasure, but the structure has been carefully considered too. Ideas introduced in one passage continue to echo through the later sections, holding the whole suite together. "Voices" is, for us, one of the high points of "Awake". Myung's bass and the restrained opening create a sense of anticipation before the track unfolds into a grand drama of eruptions, pauses and an emotionally charged guitar solo. Petrucci wrote about a troubled inner world, drawing on religious imagery to convey its confusion. LaBrie moves between quiet singing and cries, and the changes in intensity matter as much as the notes themselves. Almost ten minutes pass, and we remain absorbed in the struggle of someone trying to decide which of the voices around him he can trust. After the storm comes "The Silent Man", a short acoustic song written and composed by Petrucci. The guitar and vocal harmonies finally give us a little breathing room, though the silence in its title should not be mistaken for complete peace. The lyrics raise questions about communication, the things we cannot bring ourselves to say and the distance that can develop even between people close to one another. Its place at the end of the suite is perfect. After the inner struggle of "Voices", this modest song feels like exactly the right thing in exactly the right place. Then "The Mirror" brings us crashing back to earth. Petrucci plays a seemingly simple riff, while Portnoy shifts the accents beneath it so that the same guitar phrase sounds slightly different each time. This also marked the first time the drummer had written all the lyrics to a song on one of the band's studio albums by himself, addressing his struggle with alcohol and the difficulty of admitting the truth while facing yourself in the mirror. The heaviness suits that confession, and the keyboards add sadness beneath the anger. Portnoy would return to addiction in later works, but it already finds a powerful personal expression here. The transition into "Lie" barely gives us a moment to catch our breath. The two tracks grew out of shared material, and their kinship remains audible even after they were separated. This time, Moore wrote about lies and broken trust, LaBrie bites into every line, and the groove gives the riff tremendous momentum. Petrucci settles the score with a fast, incisive solo, one of his most memorable on the album. This was the single that led "Awake", and it is easy to understand why. It is relatively concise and direct, while still allowing the band to retain its identity. The contrast offered by "Lifting Shadows Off a Dream" is essential as the album continues. Myung wrote the lyrics, and his bass gives the track a delicate, melodic foundation. The effects-laden guitar and keyboards gradually build an open space, while the vocals soften. The imagery of water and light allows us to read the lyrics as a story of love helping someone change. After the mistrust of "Lie", there is a willingness to believe in someone again. It is a wonderful ballad, and the restraint shown by every member is a large part of its beauty. At almost eleven minutes, "Scarred" offers one of the album's most fully realized arrangements. It begins with relaxed bass and blues-tinged guitar, then gradually expands into metal, broad melodies and exchanges between guitar and keyboards. Petrucci's lyrics describe pain, doubt and the desire to break free of them, while the playing gives each feeling time to develop. We particularly love the way this band builds its climaxes. Nothing has to happen immediately, so when the music finally erupts, it truly moves us. But Moore gets the final word. "Space-Dye Vest", for which he wrote both the lyrics and music, opens with somber piano and singing free of grand gestures. Its inspiration came from a photograph of a model in a clothing catalog, following a breakup. He realized that he was projecting feelings that had not yet found another home onto someone he did not know, and turned that realization into a song about loneliness and the fear of opening up again. The spoken samples sound like voices from the outside world, while the piano keeps returning to the same pain. When the band joins in force toward the end, it does not change the song's character. The feeling remains exposed, almost uncomfortable, until the piano returns to close the album. It is difficult to imagine a more fitting ending to the final album with Moore. He did not write it as a resignation notice, but in hindsight we also hear the distance that had opened between him and the band. After all the brilliant playing we have heard, it is these simple phrases that stay with us. Larry Freemantle's cover art also invites us to return to the songs. The clock showing six, the mirror and the spider's web weave clues to the album's content into its strange landscape. As in the music, the image has a clear sense of order alongside the feeling that something is out of place. Upon release, "Awake" reached No. 32 on the US album chart, though its singles did not repeat the success of "Pull Me Under". Ahead of the "Waking Up the World" tour, Derek Sherinian stepped in for Moore and later became a permanent member. The album therefore marked both the band's continued establishment and the end of the lineup that had brought them their breakthrough. Over the years, "Awake" has become one of the most beloved albums in the "Dream Theater" catalog. Its demos were also released in 2022 as part of "Lost Not Forgotten Archives", offering another look at the material before the production was completed. For us, the original album remains a fascinating document of a band expanding its sound as the partnership within it began to change. It is easy to understand why "Images and Words" is the natural entry point into "Dream Theater", but "Awake" holds a special place of its own. Its heaviness, melancholy and the tension between the musicians give it a character that is difficult to recreate, while the virtuosity serves songs with far more to offer than a display of ability. It is an album we can admire on the first listen and grow much more attached to with every return. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website