On March 1, 1994, "Nirvana" took the stage for the last time and played the last chord of their short career. (Photo: YouTube) The performance took place at "Terminal 1 Flughafen München" in Munich Germany in front of 3,050 people. Many believe that the band's last performance was on November 18, 1993, a performance during which the album MTV Unplugged was recorded, but this is not the case. The band went on a short tour in the United States and then continued it in Europe, with the last performance on March 1, 1994 in Munich, amid the European tour. As the European tour progressed Kurt Cobain seemed increasingly pale and sickly, and his voice could not withstand the intensity of the performances. The Doctors diagnosed him with bronchitis and sore throat and asked him to take a break, but he ignored them. The acoustics of the place was terrible, it was not a place adapted for performances of this kind. Kurt Cobain did not know this until the show started as he did not show up for the sound check. Regardless of the poor acoustics, it was clear to everyone in the audience that Cobain's voice was betraying him. The band was accompanied by guitarist Pat Smear who in this part of the tour also took on the role of background vocals from Dave Grohl as well as cellist Melora Creager. The last song Kurt ever played in front of an audience was "Heart-Shaped Box". It just hurts to hear him struggle to get to the chorus's higher notes; later, he even gave up and performs it at a lower octave. This historic moment was immortalized and recorded, and it is Kurt's last musical testimony in a public performance. It was clear to everyone that Cobain could not continue to perform in this way and the rest of the scheduled tour in the round was canceled. Kurt passed away a month later on April 5, 1994. The setlist of that historic evening: My Best Friend's Girl Radio-Friendly Unit Shifter Drain You Breed Serve the Servants Come as You Are Sliver Dumb In Bloom About a Girl Lithium Pennyroyal Tea School Polly (Acoustic) Very Ape Lounge Act Rape Me Territorial Pissings The Man Who Sold the World All Apologies On a Plain Blew Heart-Shaped Box "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On March 1, 1974, "Rush" released its eponymous debut album. The story of this album begins a few years earlier, in 1968, in the "Willowdale" neighborhood of Toronto Canada, when a young guitarist named Alexandar Zivojinovich, a drummer named John Rutsey who lives on the same street, and a bassist-singer named Jeff Jones formed the band 'Projection". The same Jeff Jones will be replaced after about a month, before the band's second show, by Gary Lee Weinrib. He was Alexandar Zivojinovich's neighbor, who also attended the same school with him. Alexander Zivojinovich chooses the stage name, Alex Lifeson . The last name chosen is actually a translation of his original last name Zivojinovich, which means "Son of Life". Gary Lee Weinrib chooses his stage name, Geddy Lee . Geddy was Gary's nickname, since his mother could not pronounce the letter R, and in her accent, it sounded like D (Geddy instead of Gerry). The three immediately change the band's name to "Rush", following the advice of drummer John Rutsey 's brother. They made their first appearance in September 1968, in the basement of a church in the suburbs of Toronto. Geddy and Alex were then only 15 years old. But slowly the band started to gain confidence and manage to perform in local pubs, events, and school parties. (Photo: therushforum.com) In 1971, the band signed a recording contract with Ray Daniels, who will serve as the band's manager until its last day. That same year they got lucky, when the alcohol law in Toronto was changed and the drinking age was lowered to 18, allowing them to perform in pubs without a problem. The Hard-Blues Rock style that the band adopts catches well and soon they found themselves performing six days a week, which helped them a lot become professional. In between, Alex, Geddy, and John also manage to write original material. At the same time, the band's manager - Ray Daniels - is trying to get them a recording contract. He fails and eventually decides to set up a private label called "Moon Records", through which the band will be able to release their debut album. To save money, the band started recording late at night, when the studios were empty and the rates were cheaper. The band gathers at "Eastern Sound Studios" in Toronto, in March 1973 and records four songs, with the help of producer Dave Stock. Two of them, a cover version of Buddy Holly's song " Not Fade Away " and an original song written by Geddy and John called: " You Can't Fight It ", will be released as the band's first single, back in 1973, with the original song being released as b-side. The two songs were not included on the debut album, which would be released a year later, but the other two songs recorded in the same session " In the Mood " and " Take a Friend " will eventually find their way to the album. It is interesting to note that " In the Mood " is the only song on the album written solely by Geddy Lee . Lee would later point out that this is the first song written for the band that he and Alex really liked. Alex added that Gaddy came to his house one day and said, I want to play you a song and he just played it from beginning to end. He claims it was about two years even three before they started recording the album. The single and B-Side released in 1973 were not a success. The band was also not happy with the results in terms of sound and production, so they decided to move to "Toronto Sound Studios", leave producer Dave Stock and produce the album themselves. Although the recordings in both studios were made with outdated 8-channel equipment, the band managed to improve the production on songs recorded in the second session to their satisfaction, especially " Finding My Way ", " Need Some Love " and " Here Again ". This album gives us a one-of-a-time glimpse of "Rush" as it will no longer be heard on future albums. Rough, immature, wild. The musical material on the album ranges from energetic Hard Rock reminiscent of "Zeppelin" - as in the song " What You're Doing ", through "Cream's" Blues Rock in " Take A Friend " to Heavy Metallic riffs reminiscent of " Black Sabbath " as in the song " Working Man ". There are some amazing tracks on this album, that are just rare in their beauty and innocence. Tracks you will not hear in any other album of the band, which will continue to evolve and change its musical style through the years. The album was initially released in a meager amount of 3,500 copies, through the band's private label, but was only a local success. Although the band received good reviews it failed to get the record companies' attention, until the following thing happened: Radio broadcaster Donna Halper of the "WMMS" radio station in Cleveland Ohio, began playing the song " Working Man " regularly on her show. Every time Donna would play the song the station would receive many calls from people who wanted to know details about the band and where they can purchase the album. As a result, copies of the album were transferred from Canada to the United States, for sale in Cleveland, Ohio. It was at this point that the band recruited - Terry Brown, who will serve as their permanent producer until 1982. He received $ 9,000 from director Ray Daniels for editing a remix album for the "Mercury Records" reissue. Following the success in the US, the band was scheduled for many performances outside of Canada, as well. Shortly after releasing the album Geddy and Alex will audition a skinny, tall guy with shorts and a short haircut that seems unrelated to the Rock style they played. The guy named Neil Peart got out of an old, battered car and pulled out a tiny set of drums that looked to Geddy and Alex like a toy system. But, when Neil Peart started playing, the jaws of the two musicians opened wide and they immediately accepted him into the band. The exact date that Neil Peart joined the band was 29/7/1974. Peart was then 21. It was exactly two weeks before the band's tour in the US. His first performance with them was in Pittsburgh on August 14, 1974, where they served as a warm-up for "Uriah Heep", in front of 11,000 people. Read more about Neil's joining here: The Day Neil Peart Joined Rush Accepting Peart to the band brought not only an excellent drummer but an intelligent and sharp guy who also knew how to write unconventional lyrics. Therefore, it was decided that Peart would also be responsible for the lyrics, with Geddy and Alex being responsible for the music. The rest is history .... For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

"Camel" may have entered the progressive scene with a slight delay, but they certainly quickly bridged over that with "Mirage" - their second studio album, released on March 1, 1974. Such an amazing album. Undoubtedly one of the greatest progressive albums of all time. An album that deserves to be in line with the masterpiece albums - the pillars of the genre. The band, which started in 1971, got its first chance in August 1972, after being signed by MCA Records, which also produced the band's debut album - "Camel", released a year earlier on February 28, 1973. Although the first album showcased the amazing abilities of the band members, it did not manage to show a significant breakthrough, even though it included one of the band's greatest songs - "Never Let Go". This album sold a few thousand individual copies and the record company decided to dump "Camel". The band had to hire a management team which, after efforts, managed to obtain a contract with "Gama Records" - a subsidiary of "Decca". The band came to the recording of this album with two significant reinforcements: first, producer David Hitchcock who is in charge of producing big Prog albums like: "Foxtrot" by "Genesis" as well as "In the Land of Gray and Pink" and "Waterloo Lily" by "Caravan". The second, is the flute playing of Andrew Latimer who was absent from the debut album and will be a very important factor in the band's subsequent albums, as he contributes, diversifies, and enriches its sound. Latimer was probably more influenced by Tijs van Leer from "Focus" or Peter Gabriel from "Genesis" and their melodic flute playing, than by Ian Anderson from "Jethro Tull" and his bursting flute playing, but what does it matter? The result was wonderful and magical and became an integral part of the band's DNA in all of her subsequent albums. In November 1973, the band entered the "Air" studios of George Martin, the Beatles' producer, in London, to record the album. "Camel" arrives at the studio polished and experienced, with finished materials that have already been played at the band's performances. The album opens with "Freefall" and what sounds like a wind effect that mimics a "Freefall". The effect blends in with Peter Bardens' organ sound, which simply collides powerfully on the solid ground of Doug Ferguson's beating bass, synchronized like a Swiss clock with Andy Ward's bass drum. And how beautiful the syncopation in this song - the rhythm breaks, which are undoubtedly among the best in Progressive Rock. They lead us to Andrew Latimer's solo only to meet again with the beating bass and the syncopations. At 2:07 we are picking up the rhythm towards Latimer's crazy solo that proves what a great guitarist he is. Amazing opening to a perfect Prog Rock album, breaks, rhythm changes, virtuosity, melody, and dynamism are here all the staples of the genre. This song was written by Peter Bradens who also sang it in his slightly cheerful and robotic style, which for sure, you hear in his voice that the band members had a lot of fun there in the studio. "Supertwister" is a short instrumental section in which Latimer demonstrates, for the first time, his amazing playing abilities on the flute, which he learned to play on his own. While the flute playing here was influenced by the Dutch band "Focus", the name of the song abounds from another Dutch band from the Prog genre - "Supersister". And how delicate and beautiful Latimar's playing is here. It blends so nicely with Bradens' keyboards and the soft but yet powerful drumming of Andy Ward. A musical piece that is a kind of "tropical storm", just like its name, for a moment we whirl to the sound of the flute in the eye of the storm and at another moment we hover over it, Watching it unharmed from a distance. Then we stop for a short break to the sounds of English tea pouring into the glass and move on to the epic medley - "Nimrodel /The Procession/The White Rider" written by Latimer, inspired by Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" books, whose words are reminiscent of the magician Gandalf and his friends. An epic track of over 9 minutes, that opens with the sounds of Latimer's arpeggio chords and Bardans' synthesizer solo, which after about a minute leads us to the sounds of the noisy crowd for a kind of medieval carnival with Latimer's cheerful flute sound. Then in 1:50 minute, as if we are moving in a time tunnel to another place and time, a soft and melodic guitar playing and singing by Latimer then a short flute solo in 3:10 minutes, that merges into the melodic guitar solo, just melting!!! no other words to describe it. Then again, the song takes a turn at 3:45 and reaches its first climax with Bardens' keyboard solo on Latimer's Funky chords, and then, boom!!! The sudden pull of the "handbrake" at 5:36 is just genius!!! How clever Ferguson's bass work is in the segment that comes right after. And if you thought for a moment that this is it and it's not going to change again, then you are wrong. Because "Camel" has arranged a psychedelic ending, with vague to the heavy bass sounds, Bardens space effects, and Latimer's wild and scattered solo. "Camel" proves to us without a shadow of a doubt that even though they arrived on the Prog scene a little late, they do not in any way fall short of the founding bands of the genre and deserve every superlative. The other side of the vinyl opens up with another instrumental piece - "Earthrise", which really makes us "shine". A "live", rhythmic, and "happy" track, with lots of groove and funk with frequent rhythm changes and alternating solo sections of Latimer and Bardens and even a short one by Ward at about 1:50, which demonstrate their virtuosic playing abilities. How sweeping the entry at about 2:20 and Latimer's bouncing chords that serve as a fertile basis for Bardans' solo. Then we come to the highlight of the album - the three-part epic track "Lady Fantasy" written by all the band members and considered by many to be its best track. Just one big "fantasy" lasting almost 13 minutes. The piece opens to the sounds of Bardens' keyboards in a kind of "build-up" led by Latimer's guitar solo and Ward's amazing drumming. A simple and perfect intro for an immortal track. Then we move on to a melodic section and Latimer's delicate singing that reminds us that this is a kind of love song after all. The song moves smoothly between the slow ballad parts to the Funk, tough, and fast Hard Rock. The sharp breaks somehow manage to blend in just perfectly and delight the listener, despite the frequent changes. Minutes of galloping at a fast pace change completely abruptly, and again the pace slows down without any warning. Apart from the frequent and dynamic change of rhythm, every part of this epic is written fluently and accurately and connects to a whole fabric of perfect creation. The solos are played with great passion and virtuosity and manage to sweep us, listeners, into this wonderful world of Camel's "fantasy" woman. And so, towards the end, the acoustic and beautiful melody that was played at the beginning of the song, returns at the end to close a circle and create a whole and perfect story with a beginning and an end. Before we finish, just a few words about the album cover, that must have seemed familiar to you. So, the cover was inspired by the cigarette pack of the "Camel" brand. During the band's tour of the United States, the American branch of the cigarette company threatened to sue the band for copyright infringement. Under these circumstances, the U.S. album distribution company began selling the album in an alternative wrapper to avoid a lawsuit. As for overseas sales, the band agreed to the cigarette company's European branch requirement, that the album cover and song list will be printed on a special edition of the brand's pack of cigarettes and that the band distributes these packs of cigarettes with 5 cigarettes in each pack, during their live performances. "Mirage" is a masterpiece that has placed "Camel" at the forefront of Progressive Rock. This album received good reviews and even sold well. After its release, the band went on tour in Europe and the US. The idea of ​​developing an entire concept album, around one overall story already, was beginning to form in the minds of the band members .... For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Written By: Moti Kupfer Release date - 01.03.1994 Sometimes we long for the moment when we could read the thoughts of the people around us, just for a second, just briefly, otherwise it would probably exhaust us. Sometimes I feel that way about Beck . I would love to step inside his mind during his breakthrough year, 1994, the year he released three albums. In real time, only a handful of people bothered to truly listen to the creative explosion of Beck Hansen. One of those albums, Mellow Gold, was released on March 1, 1994. In an interview, Beck  said: “I chose the material that went onto the album randomly. Some of the recordings are embarrassing and some are better than I thought. Some of them I should have just burned.” Beck compared the songs that did not make the record to airplanes on a runway, some of them waiting to take off and others that would never take off at all. He marveled at the many interesting territories his muse could have led him to. Beck David Hansen was born on July 8, 1970, to a Christian father and a Jewish mother. He is better known by his stage name, Beck . Both of his parents came from musical backgrounds. His mother, Bibbe Hansen, worked as a musical director, singer, and actress, and in her youth appeared in several films by Andy Warhol. Beck ’s father, David Campbell, is a composer, arranger, and conductor. Beck noted that while growing up he “celebrated Jewish holidays” and that he considers himself Jewish. His father worked with artists such as Carole King, "Green Day", and "Aerosmith", and also collaborated with Beck on several of his songs. Beck’s grandfather was Al Hansen, a visual collage artist. After his parents divorced, Beck adopted his mother’s surname. As a teenager, he was heavily influenced by the music around him and began playing acoustic guitar at a very young age. At 16, he dropped out of high school and moved to New York City. There, in his early twenties, he became active in the anti-folk movement, a scene that blended the sound of 1960s American folk with punk aesthetics. “The whole idea was to eliminate all the old cliches, and invent some new ones,” Beck said about his years in New York. “Everybody knew each other. You could get up on stage and say anything, there was no pressure, and nobody made anybody feel weird.” Inspired by that freedom, Beck began writing freely associative, surreal songs about pizza, MTV, and working at McDonald’s. He started performing on city buses, often creating covers of blues artist Mississippi John Hurt alongside original compositions, sometimes simply improvising. In the early 1990s, Beck decided to return to Los Angeles. He worked a variety of odd jobs while trying to perform in clubs around the city. Sometimes he would sneak onto the stage and play a few songs while the scheduled band was still setting up their equipment. Eventually, Beck caught the attention of Margaret Mittleman from "BMG Music", as well as the partners behind the independent label Bong Load Custom Records: Tom Rothrock, Rob Schnapf, and Brad Lambert. Rothrock introduced him to Carl Stephenson, a record producer for Rap-A-Lot Records. In 1992, Beck visited Stephenson’s home to collaborate. The result of that meeting was the hip hop song Loser, released as a single in 1993. The single became an unexpected hit on American radio. As a result, major record labels began chasing Beck , who eventually decided to sign with Geffen Records. His contract with Geffen was unique in that it allowed him to continue recording and releasing albums through other labels as well. The song is built around a sampled drum break, a looped sample of Beck playing guitar, and live sitar performed by Carl Stephenson. Beck delivers deliberately laid back rap verses and a chorus that would soon become iconic. He later explained: “I wanted to emphasize how weak I was at rapping, and that’s where the next line came from, ‘I’m a loser baby, so why don’t you kill me.’” The track evolved into a kind of ethos for 1990s music, closely associated with what became known as slacker culture, a term used to describe young people perceived as apathetic, cynical, unambitious, or detached from traditional expectations of work and commitment. "Mellow Gold" is a glorious hybrid of rock, lo fi country, hip hop, folk, blues, and psychedelia, wrapped in surreal lyrics. That combination created a fascinating mix of sounds, samples, and textures, all held together by truly remarkable songwriting. It is such a diverse and ambitious album that it could be considered a pop record you can play to lo fi fans, a hip hop album you can play to country fans, and an avant garde noise experiment you can play to hip hop heads. At its core, this is a work of art about jobs: working them, losing them, the cyclical ruin that comes from failing to get one, and the capitalist pressure placed on those who cling to their jobs with everything they have. Even when work is not directly in the picture, poverty defines the frame. The stories of "Mellow Gold" unfold in trailer parks, surviving on credit and cases of cheap beer. The music sounds like trash because trash is what he sees outside his window. And that is really the punchline of " Loser ." He did not lose. He simply never had a chance to begin with. The robot on the cover of "Mellow Gold" was created by artist Eddie Lopez, who also made a brief appearance in the video for " Loser ." The sculpture was titled “Nuclear Bomb Survivor.” The photograph was originally taken in Lopez’s garage studio by Beck ’s friend Ross Harris. The album was initially intended to be called “Cold Ass Fashion,” sharing its name with an earlier Beck song, but was ultimately titled "Mellow Gold", after a potent strain of California marijuana. For Listening : Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On March 1, 1973, the album "The Dark Side Of The Moon" , "Pink Floyd's" eighth studio album, was released. This is one of the best-selling albums in the world... It was the band's breakthrough album, which turned it from a psychedelic-progressive rock band revered by students and freaks, into one of the leading bands in the world of rock... This is an album that has become a milestone in the development of many music artists... The "Dark Side of the Moon" by "Pink Floyd" is without a doubt and unequivocally an immortal album. An album that will never grow old. An album that whenever you play it will feel like it has just been released! This is the band's first full concept album, in which all members agreed to align with the idea of ​​Roger Waters, who also wrote all the lyrics in the album. The lyrics refer to many aspects of pressure on the person and musicians in particular. Topics like wealth in " Money ", military conflicts in " Us and Them ", madness in " Brain Damage ", existential questions in " Time " and death in " The Great Gig in the Sky ". So much has been said and written about it, that it will surely be difficult to renew anything about this exemplary album, so this time we chose to focus on a few less common facts: 1. "Pink Floyd" performed with all the songs from the album a year before its release, even in the same song order on the album. This gave them the opportunity to experiment and improve the songs at each performance, the song " On the Run " is the only one that went an extreme transformation compared to the original versions vs. the rest of the songs. 2. The album's original name was "Dark Side of the Moon", but since an English blues rock band called "Medicine Head" used that name for their 1972 album, "Pink Floyd" initially changed the album's name to " Eclipse ". After "Medicine Head's" album failed commercially, "Pink Floyd" members decided to go back to the original name. 3. Each side of the album consists of one track that is divided into five parts but with continuous playback. 4. The album was recorded on a 16-channel tape and not 8 as before, with a Quadraphonic mix, for four speakers and not for two as in Stereo. This gave the band the flexibility and ability to use many different effects, synthesizers, samples, and sounds to create the atmosphere that Roger Waters was so looking for. The one who managed all this was Alan Parsons who served as the technician for the album and from there broke into success, both as a producer and as an artist in his own right. 5. In terms of the lyrics of the songs, we mentioned above. This is the first album where the band prints the lyrics on the record sleeve. Until that album, it did not happen, maybe because they were not confident in themselves. But this time they felt they wanted the listeners to understand and read the poignant texts. This is also the band's first album Roger is the sole writer of the lyrics. 6. On 27 February 1973, a press conference was held at the London Planetarium to unveil the album, during which the album was played to journalists and other celebrities. The band boycotted the "play party" as the auditorium in the hall supported Stereo rather than Quadraphonic. Instead of the band members' presence, the members' characters made of cardboard were placed on stage, this of course did not adversely affect the party and the critics were thrilled with the new album. 7. The song opens with the rustling of coins and the sounds of the cash register, " Money ". Is of course the most successful song from the album. It is so special musically that it is a song with an asymmetrical weight of 7/4 when in a guitar solo it becomes 4/4 and at the end of the solo it returns to 7/4. (Photo: Kim Gottlieb Walker) 8. Roger wanted to have a connection between the songs in the album, so in addition to the music, he added people speaking voices. He took the band's stage staff, the Abbey Roads studio staff where the album was recorded, and recorded interviews with them, asking simple questions as well as hard and deep questions about death and insanity. Paul McCartney was one of those interviewees, but his recording did not enter the album because Roger claimed he was "trying too hard" and trying to be funny instead of being real. 9. Aside from being a dizzyingly successful album, this album is also responsible for the masterpiece "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" movie, sounds weird ?? The band members who used to watch the TV series "Monty Python's Flying Circus" during breaks during the recordings of the album, heard that Python's members were trying to make a full-length film but the production ran out of money. They took some (very small) of the money they received for the album and invested it in producing the film when they helped it to be finished and released. 10. The song " Us And Them " was originally written in 1969 for the soundtrack of the film "Zabriskie Point", but the director of the film thought it was inappropriate and chose three other songs that the band wrote for the soundtrack. 11. Keyboardist Richard Wright wrote the piece " The Great Gig in The Sky " as an instrumental piece that describes how life slowly fades, through the exit of the soul to death. In the first part, the man did not succumb to death and struggle with it and in the second quieter part he has already come to terms with the death and liberates. In the middle of the section in the transition between the first and second part, there is a whisper in which the following words are heard: "If you hear the whisper you are dying" 12. The band did not want there to be words in this segment. Alan Parsons brought in singer Clare Torry who improvised the entire piece using her voice like a musical instrument. She sued the band in 2004, demanded royalties for the writing, and won. 13. The opening track " Speak to Me " is the only "Pink Floyd" track in which the writing credit is given to Nick Mason exclusively. 14. The one who laughs at the crazy laughter in this segment is Peter Watts, the director of the "Pink Floyd" tour at the time and the father of actress Naomi Watts. 15. The section " On the Run " was written inspired by the fears and pressures that flights and travel brought with them. The whole section is performed by a synthesizer. Only 5 notes are played in it that are played in a loop and at high speed. 16. Each of the clocks heard in the song "Time" were recorded separately in an antique shop, with Alan Parsons then putting them all together. Parsons recorded the clocks to serve as a model for testing a Quadrophonic system, but eventually, the recordings were used for the purpose of the album. 17. In honor of the 50th anniversary of the album, the band released a special edition called "The Dark Side Of The Moon' 50th-anniversary reissue". The special edition includes remastered versions on CD and Vinyl and also includes Blu-Ray with 5.1 channel, Atmos, and stereo sound. A live performance at Wembley in 1974 and a book of the same name with never before seen photos and material. 18. The one who obviously had to interrupt the celebration is Roger Waters who claimed that this album was his alone and not "the band's" and he decided to re-record the whole album in "The Dark Side of the Moon Redux" released in 2023. This album broke sales records and time in the charts when in 2011 he made a re-entry into the American Billboard which caused it to cross the 1,000-week mark in the charts . Listen to the album on: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Snare, massacre, muted strings, insane!, "seconds", calm down, no! - Nuclear armament, honeymoon, Jamaica, underground, Poland, protest song, madness!, "drowning man", violin, "Waterboys", prostitution, trumpet, "red light", this is it, "surrender", Psalms, Falkland, Lebanon, Boy, Michael Jackson - "War"! What is this? 37 words that describe and sum up one of the most important and influential albums of the 1980s - "War" - "U2's" third studio album, released on February 28, 1983. This album was recorded between September and November 1982 and was meant to reflect the feelings of the band members concerning the main events in the world that year. Britain and the Falkland Islands, South Africa, and the apartheid, the war in Lebanon, and more. Everywhere the band members looked, they saw "war". Bono stated that the intention was to get out of the pleasant and nice image they had and give people a wake-up call, a slap in the face. The boy who appears on the cover is Peter Rowan, Guggi's brother - Bono 's childhood friend from "Virgin Prunes". Bono thought that an innocent kid's face would do the job better than tanks and rifles. By the way, the boy has already appeared on the cover of the album "Boy". He has also appeared on the single of " Sunday Bloody Sunday " and later will also decorate the cover of the band's first compilation album. The Edge noted that they were aware of the risk involved with taking a position, but wanted to do it and "fly closer to the sun". This is the band's first political statement and it resonates with the same sharpness and intensity even today, almost 40 years later! The album opens with " Sunday Bloody Sunday ", to the war march drums, with the metallic and precise snare sounds of Larry Mullen, Jr., which was recorded in the stairwell of the studio in Dublin. This incredible accuracy of Larry was achieved through the "Click Track" technique - where clicks are sent to his headphones during the recording and help him synchronize with the rhythm. Larry was initially against the technique proposed by producer Steve Lillywhite, but after meeting drummer Andy Newmark who was a member of "Sly and the Family Stone" and worked with artists such as John Lennon , David Bowie , and "Roxy Music", he was convinced. This simple but accurate drumming by Larry, serves as the solid foundation on which this entire album is founded. The metallic sound of the snare and the ruff bass drum sound, served as a fertile ground for the guitar of The Edge , with the bass of Adam Clayton being the glue that sticks it all together. It is a protest song influenced by an incident that took place on Sunday, January 30, 1972, in which soldiers from the British Paratroopers Unit shot and killed 13 unarmed Irish Catholic boys, who took part in a human rights protest march in the town of Derry in Northern Ireland. For more information on the tragic incident called "Bloody Sunday" click here : Although all the songs on the album appear to have been written by all the members of the band, this song evolved from a guitar riff and lyrics that were originally written by The Edge , while Bono only reworked the lyrics. What an amazing guitar work of The Edge . The arpeggio chords, the famous palm-muted strings that play ping pong in our guts, and the melodic solo. Here is the conclusive proof that sometimes the genius is in the simplicity and the virtuosity comes from minimalism. The violin that accompanies the song and gives it an Irish scent is played by Steve Wickham who will later be part of "the Waterboys". Wickham met The Edge by chance at a bus stop and asked him if "U2" were interested in enriching their sound with violin for their next album. The Edge got excited and finally, Wickham contributed his playing electric violin on two songs from the album. In 2005 The Edge would admit that without "the Clash" this song would not have sounded the way it did. The bass drum beat puts us at the right pace for " Seconds ", another protest song against nuclear armament. The Edge is the lead singer in this song, and this is his first time doing so. At about 2:00 there is a break, during which an excerpt from the 1981 film "Soldier Girls" is played. It is a documentary describing girls' training for the US Army. " New Year's Day " was written by Bono during his honeymoon with his wife in Jamaica. The song was originally planned as a love song, but later it was influenced by the general theme of the album and became a protest song, about the Polish Solidarity movement led by Lech Walesa. This song was the band's first to chart in America and its first to enter the top ten. It's also on tRolling Stone" magazine's 500 greatest songs list. A beautiful and chilling song that has not lost its charm to this day. The piano in the song is played by The Edge which also provides beautiful background vocals. This is one of the band's most played songs live, with The Edge constantly switching between guitar and piano. Clayton's dominant and mesmerizing bass part was written by chance, when he tried to figure out how to play the bass of the "Visage" song "Fade to Gray". " Like a Song… " is meant to sound rough and "biting", to convey the message that the band's roots are still in Punk music. The track that ends the first side of the vinyl - " Drowning Man " is based on a play that Bono tried to write at the time. It includes a sentence from the book of "Isaiah" 40:31, with the words: "They will run on wings like eagles They will run and not grow weary". This is the second song in which Wickham plays the violin and the quiet atmosphere in it is influenced by the English band "The Comsat Angels". The song that opens the second side of the album " The Refugee " is the only one on the album that was produced by Irish composer and producer Bill Whelan. The song is meant to show the resemblance between Irish and African immigrants in America. It is one of the band's weakest and least-known songs and to the best of our knowledge, it has never been played live. " Two Hearts Beat as One " is led by Clayton's fantastic bass playing. It is a classic love song and is the second single released from the album. Bono also wrote this song during his honeymoon with his new wife Alison Stewart in Jamaica. You guessed it right. " Red Light " is influenced by the Red Light Street in Amsterdam, which the band visited during one of their shows in Amsterdam. What they saw on this street created a dissonance and a great contrast to the Catholic conservatism from which they came from. This song features members of the band "Kid Creole and the Coconuts", who visited Dublin while recording the album - trumpet player Kenny Fradley and three background singers. Rumor has it that during the recording of the song, the red light was turned on in the studio and one of the featured girls took off her shirt and was left with only a bra. "Coconut" band members were also featured on two more songs from the album " Like a Song… " and " Surrender ". The final song " 40 " was the last recorded for the album, during the last hours of the recording session. Tired Clayton had already left the studio leaving the three band members, who thought they needed a good song to close the album with. Bono opened the Bible and began reading from Psalm 40. The Edge and Mulan joined in the playing, thus creating this wonderful and moving song. The Edge plays both bass and guitar here. During live shows, The Edge plays bass and Clayton on guitar. For a long time, the band used to end their performances with this song, with the band members slowly leaving the instruments and descending from the stage, leaving the audience to sing: "How long, to sing this song ....." Upon its release, the album received mixed reviews, but its impact on the alternative sound of the 1980s was tremendous. "War" was a huge commercial success and became U2's first album to reach number one on the UK Albums Chart, kicking off "Michael Jackson's" "Thriller" from the top. The album is ranked 223rd on "Rolling Stone" magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. For listening: Spotify , Apple Music . "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On February 29, 2000, Jimmy Page & The Black Crowes released the double album “Live at the Greek". The album documenting the explosive 1999 collaboration between Jimmy Page  and “The Black Crowes”, performing material from the "Led Zeppelin" and "The Black Crowes" catalogues, at the "Greek Theatre" in Los Angeles, on 18/19 October 1999. By the end of the 90s, Jimmy Page had nothing left to prove. As the creative force behind “Led Zeppelin”, he had already written the blueprint for heavy blues based rock. Meanwhile, “The Black Crowes” had established themselves as one of the most authentic torchbearers of classic rock spirit in the modern era, with albums like “Shake Your Money Maker” and “ The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion ” cementing their reputation. Recorded during two nights at the "Greek Theatre" in Los Angeles and later at Jones Beach, the album captures a band that sounds alive, dangerous and fully committed. The opening punch of “Celebration Day”  immediately sets the tone. This is not a polished recreation, it is raw and muscular. “Custard Pie”  swings with swagger, while “Sick Again”  feels heavier than its original studio incarnation. Chris Robinson wisely avoids imitation. Instead of chasing Robert Plant ’s phrasing, he injects his own southern grit into the material. On “In My Time of Dying” , the performance becomes a slow burning blues ritual, stretching past the ten minute mark with tension and weight. Page responds with playing that is thick, expressive and at times gloriously imperfect. His bends stretch and cry, especially during the extended improvisational sections that give the song its dramatic backbone. Beyond the "Zeppelin" catalog, the blues roots are fully exposed. “Woke Up This Morning”  and “Sloppy Drunk”  are not filler additions. They are reminders of the soil from which all this music grew. The chemistry between Page and Rich Robinson feels natural, almost effortless, as riffs pass back and forth without ego. The original 2000 release notably excluded “The Black Crowes” songs due to contractual restrictions. The 2020 expanded edition finally restored those performances, presenting a fuller and more honest picture of the collaboration. It revealed how seamlessly the "Crowes’" own material stood alongside the "Zeppelin" classics. Songs like “Remedy” , “Hard to Handle” , “Wiser Time”, " No Speak No Slave " and “She Talks to Angels”  demonstrate that this was not Page with a backing band, but a genuine musical partnership. What ultimately makes “Live at the Greek” remain relevant even today is the way it captures a rare fusion between two generations on stage. It was a meeting between one of the founding architects of hard rock and a band that grew up on those very same roots, absorbed them, and then reshaped them in their own distinctive way. The classic, timeless songs are not presented here in an imitative manner. They feel renewed. Charged. Alive and more relevant than ever. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On February 28, 1981, "Rush" released the single that would become their most successful and famous "Tom Sawyer". It's amazing to think that the band did not really like the song at the time of the recordings. In one of his interviews, Geddy Lee noted: "I remember being disappointed in the studio, thinking we really didn't capture the spirit of the song. We thought it was the worst song on the record at the time – but it all came together in the mix. Sometimes you don't have the objectivity to know when you're doing your best work." In another interview, Geddy Lee noted that the band did not anticipate the song's great success at all: "The one song that we have to play for the rest of our lives. When we wrote it, we had no idea that it would touch such a nerve with people. In many ways, it's the quintessential Rush song." It is interesting to note that the band selected "Tom Sawyer" as the opening track on the 2002 " Vapor Trails " album tour, something the band had never done before. After all the trauma and tragedy that drummer Neil Peart went through with the death of his daughter and partner within 10 months, the band members felt that "Tom Sawyer" would prove best that "Rush" is back and their here to stay. Another interesting statistic is that the band usually start the song with a count of 1 to 4, but in the " Vapor Trails " tour there was no such count, at least not in the usual way. Peart gave the signal to start and play the song by simply closing the Hi-Hat cymbal with his foot and this was the sign to start counting quietly from 1 to 4. This can be seen on " Rush In Rio " DVD- Before the show starts you can hear the cymbal sound that started the show. See here exactly at 1:45. For more interesting details about the song and the immortal album from which it is taken, read our review on " Moving Pictures ". "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

A Sneak Peek... And this time a once-in-four-year review! On February 29, 1988, a unique date that only recurs once every four years, Robert Plant chose to release his fourth studio album "Now And Zen". Robert Plant comes with a new lineup of musicians, after a relatively weak album from 1985 and after an equally weak reunion show with "Led Zeppelin" that year on " Live Aid ". Plant returns more or less to the sound that characterized "Led Zeppelin", with guitar-based songs, Hard Rock, Blues and a few oriental motifs, all combined with 1980s Pop, full of keyboards and programming. Guitarist Jimmy Page is featured on two songs from the album, the opening song " Heaven Knows ", which was also the first and most successful single to reach number one on the Billboard chart and " Tall Cool One ", which was the third single from it. " Tall Cool One " was Plant and Page's response to unapproved sampling from "Led Zeppelin's" songs, by "Beastie Boys" on their 1986 album "Licensed to Ill". the song features sampling from "Whole Lotta Love", "Dazed and Confused", "Black Dog", "Custard Pie", "The Ocean, plus lyrics from the song "When the Levee Breaks". The album also includes the excellent ballad " Ship of Fools ", which was released as the second single and reached number three on Billboard. This is without a doubt one of the greatest songs in Plant's solo career. "Now And Zen" was commercially successful and topped the album charts on both sides of the ocean, reviving Plant's solo career, which was at its low point at the time. The problem with this album is the eighties production that is full of keyboards and programming. Overall there are no bad songs that with another production could have made this album much better. For listening: Spotify , Apple Music . "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On Febuary 29, 2000 "The Smashing Pumpkins" released their fifth studio album " Machina/The Machines of God". By the time "Machina/The Machines of God" was released in February 2000, "The Smashing Pumpkins" were already standing at a crossroads. The alternative rock landscape they had helped shape in the early ‘90s had shifted dramatically, their previous album " Adore " from 1998 had polarized fans, and internal conflicts were mounting. The album marked the return of drummer Jimmy Chamberlin , Billed as a return to the band’s heavier, guitar-driven sound, "Machina" also ended up being the last studio album of their original era, as the band disbanded at the end of the year. Originally envisioned as a double concept album, the story "Machina" was conceived revolving around a rock star named Zero (based on the public persona of Corgan) hearing the voice of God, renaming himself Glass, and renaming his band "The Machines of God". Fans of the band were referred to as the "Ghost Children". "Machina" tells the cryptic story of "Glass" and his journey through fame and spirituality. However, due to " Adore 's " disappointing sells, "Virgin Records" refused to release the full project, leading to "Machina II/The Friends & Enemies of Modern Music" being independently distributed by the band later in 2000. This disjointed rollout left "Machina" feeling incomplete, though fans have since pieced together the larger narrative through bootlegs and online discussions. Unlike the subdued electronic textures of " Adore ", "Machina" attempts to recapture the grandeur of " Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness " as a concept album, while incorporating a dense, processed, and sometimes claustrophobic sound. According to Corgan, the album was structured so that the first eight tracks would be "more poppy", and the last seven "more arty". In general, the album leans heavily on layered guitars, yet with a colder, more industrial aesthetic compared to their earlier work. Songs like "The Everlasting Gaze"  and "Heavy Metal Machine"  showcase Billy Corgan ’s love for distortion, while tracks like "Raindrops + Sunshowers"  and "Stand Inside Your Love"  retain the band’s signature melodic sensibility amid the sonic haze. One of "Machina’s" strongest moments is "Stand Inside Your Love,"  a soaring, cinematic love song that harks back to the "Pumpkins’" golden era. "Try, Try, Try"  is another standout, blending pop melodies reminiscent of "The Cure" with melancholic lyricism, while "This Time"  feels like a poignant farewell to the band’s classic lineup and indeed Corgan described it as: "my love song to the band". Tracks like "Glass and the Ghost Children"  and "Blue Skies Bring Tears"  meander into lengthy, abstract, almost psychedelic, passages that weigh down the momentum. The production, handled by Corgan and Flood, also contributes to the album’s divisiveness, as the dense layering can make the music feel overwhelming rather than immersive. Flood later remembered that he and the band decided to make a very different kind of record. Though it lacks the cultural impact of "Siamese Dream" or "Mellon Collie", "Machina" remains an ambitious and often misunderstood album. Some fans see it as a flawed masterpiece, while others view it as a bloated attempt to reclaim past glory. In retrospect, it serves as an intriguing swan song for the band’s original run—a mix of artistic ambition, record label frustration, and creative excess. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On February 28, 1973, "Camel" released her self-titled debut album. This is an album that did not enjoy the love of the audience nor did it win the rave of the critics, in real-time. An album that failed commercially and even ended the band's short affair with MCA Record Company. Despite this, it is an excellent album that brings to light the amazing abilities of each member of the band. An album where the very unique sound and style of the wonderful group began to take shape, forging a style that would be perfected and reach its peak in the second half of the seventies with a sequence of wonderful albums. The roots of this album are planted somewhere in the early 1960s, when a young guitarist named Andrew Latimer founded a blues band called "The Phantom Four" together with his brother Ian Latimer. Later the band will change its name to "Strange Brew" and in 1968 this name will be shortened to "Brew", at the same time as bassist Doug Ferguson joined it. A year later, Ferguson managed to attract a drummer, who was only 17 at the time, named Andy Ward to the band. The last to join in 1971 was keyboardist Peter Bardens, who completed the classic line-up of the band. At that time, Bardens was already an experienced keyboardist, having played, among others, alongside Rod Stewart in the band "Shotgun Express" and with Van Morrison in the band "Them". He even managed to release two solo albums. After the addition of Bardens, "Brew" changed its name to "Camel" and the young group began to find its way up the music scene in various shows around the UK. The initial material with which the band played live were those written by Latimer during the "Strange Brew" era, as well as excerpts from Bardens' solo albums. But little by little, the two began to write new material for the new band that gradually took shape. The opportunity came in 1972, when "MCA records" signed the band on a recording contract. During this time, the band was looking for a singer to take on all the vocal duties, as Bardens and Latimer did not feel they were good enough to serve as lead singers. The searches were unsuccessful, as none of the candidates impressed the band members, which led the band to continue as a quartet. This decision will be extremely significant for "Camel", as it will greatly influence its musical direction, materials and style, which will be based mostly on instrumental pieces. Unbelievable, but the band's excellent debut album was recorded in just 11 days, between August 15 and 26, 1972. It combines musical styles such as jazz-rock, progressive and Canterbury, with influences from a variety of bands such as: Santana, "Caravan" Pink Floyd", "Gentle Giant", "Deep Purple" and more. Already at the beginning of its journey, it was evident that "Camel" was a uniqe band in the progressive landscape of that time. What made it stand out and shine among the "progressive rock" bands of the classic era, was their style of playing and composing. Bardens' keyboard playing, that at times reminds Jon Lord 's, Latimer's unique guitar sound that prefers feel over technique and sometimes corresponds with David Gilmour 's playing and of course the melodic tunes that manage to convey an entire story through the music, without releasing even a single sound of vocals. Despite the complex and dynamic music, "Camel" was never as ambitious as "Yes", sophisticated as "Gentle Giant", theatrical as "Genesis" or avant-garde as "King Crimson". Still, they managed to maintain all the basics of "progressive rock" over the years, in their own unique way. The very special style of the band started to take shape already in its debut album. It consists mostly of individual material written by the band's two brilliant minds Peter Bardens and Andrew Latimer, with only one section co-written by the two. This is the piece that opens up the album " Slow Yourself Down ". This excellent song presents the various musical influences brought by each member of the band, especially Bardens and Latimer, when these different musical directions are consolidated into a unique style of the band. Already here, the elements so characteristic of this amazing group can be identified. The soft and catchy melodies, the changing dynamics, the frequent transitions, the sounds of Bardens' Hammond organ and Latimer's melodic solos, which he sometimes accompanies with vocal harmonies that imitate the melody. It is impossible to ignore Bardens' excellent keyboard playing, Latimer's amazing solos, Ferguson's dominant bass lines and Andy Ward's versatile drumming, especially the percussion that are so reminiscent of "Santana". (Photo: Michael Putland) If we mentioned the discomfort that the band members felt as singers earlier, then it is clearly visible on this album, when Bardens, Latimer and Ferguson divide the roles of singing and vocals, between them. The second piece " Mystic Queen " was written by Bardens while Doug Ferguson takes over the singing role. A calm and quiet piece that opens up to the sounds of Latimer's acoustic guitar, but is based on the amazing keyboard work of Bardens. Later, the song continues to develop against while Bardens and Latimer's exchanges melodic solo between them, which are well supported by the excellent rhythm section of Ward and Ferguson. Immediately after that comes " Six Ate " written by Latimer, which is the first instrumental piece on the album. The name of the piece hints at the unconventional time signature in which it is played - 6/8. Befitting a progressive piece (although the style here is mostly funky and bouncy) "Six Ate" is very dynamic and includes quite a few transitions and solo exchanges between Bardens and Latimer. The first side of the vinyl ends up with another piece written by Latimer, called " Separation ", which he also sings in. A relatively fast piece compared to its predecessors, with excellent drumming by Andy Ward and excellent guitar work by Latimer who presents different playing techniques. The second side of the vinyl opens up with what probably deserves the title of the best track on the Album, " Never Let Go ". The song was written by Latimer and sung by Peter Bardens and is simply a classic that defines all the good that this band has to offer. Starting with the arpeggio chords on Latimer's acoustic guitar (which the band "Opeth" will adopt for "Benighted"), the electric guitar that holds the entire melody during the verses on 3 string notes (!!), through the sounds of Bardens' Mellotron that alternate with the Hammond organ and vise versa, and ending with Ferguson's pulsing bass and Ward's dynamic and so special drumming. This is an incredible display of purpose by this wonderful quartet, which already in its first album manages to produce a wonderful classic that is "on demand" at the band's live concerts, even more than fifty years after it was written. This wonderful album nearing the end with " Curiosity " written by Bardens and sung by Ferguson, in a way that reminds us so much of "Gentle Giant", especially given the bass and piano playing that accompany the vocals. It is impossible to ignore Bardens' keyboard playing, Latimer's explosive solos and his short guitar phrases, which sometimes repeat the melody in Ferguson's vocals, and of course Ward's jazzy drumming style. The closing piece of the album " Arubaluba " is a powerful and rhythmic instrumental piece written by Bardens. It presents the more rockier side of the band and the amazing abilities of each of its members, especially Latimer and Bardens who sometimes play the same melody together and sometimes exchange virtuoso solos. An excellent way to end the album with one of the best tracks on it and one of the most beautiful of the band. The "Camel" debut album is an excellent opening for a wonderful career of a great band, which will continue to produce masterpiece albums during the seventies, which deserves to be included in any ranking list of classic prog albums. Here is a playlist of the album's songs that we prepared for you: YouTube "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On February 28, 2000, "AC/DC" released their 14th album "Stiff Upper Lip". This is what Elad Winberg has to say about it. Five years have passed since the excellent album "Ballbreaker" and "AC/DC" returned with another successful album called "Stiff Upper Lip". The album continues the line of its predecessor with the raw and simpler sound and with a return to the roots and especially to the bluesy sound that characterized Bon Scott 's era In the band, during the 70s and especially on albums like "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" and "TNT", which came out in the middle of that decade. It is important to note that unlike "Ballbreaker", it seems that "Stiff Upper Lip" has caused quite a bit of controversy among audiences and critics alike. To this day, many do not really like this album and claim that it is one of the weakest points of "AC/DC" and that it was really uninspired compared to its predecessors. In this case, I need to say that I do not agree with these opinions. Yes, I know this is not a perfect album and there are also some really weak songs here, but at this stage of their career, the very fact is that "AC/DC" is still able to release commercially successful albums, with new and really fun songs. This is not trivial at all. Even if this album is not the highlight of their careers, there are still some really good moments here, that adds quite a bit of interest. For example, the album opens up with the song " Stiff Upper Lip " which features a catchy and addictive riff by Malcolm Young and a great guitar solo by Angus Young. Beyond the successful guitar playing and the usual bombastic drumming of Phil Rudd, it's really important to note Cliff Williams' steady and dominant bass playing. The cool clip that came out supporting this song, shows the band members playing in the middle of the street during a really big traffic jam ... no doubt a fun and successful song, and this great video clip just adds a lot of charm to it and makes it one of my favorite "AC/DC" tracks. While " Meltdown " that comes after that is a bit boring, on the third track we have the excellent " House of Jazz " that despite its title, is not a jazz song. It's just a powerful and especially fun Hard Rock song. With some of Malcolm Young 's best riffs and Brian Johnson 's beautiful singing, there's really no room for mistakes and it's one of the most powerful and interesting songs in this whole album. And so, the instability continues with the uninspiring " Hold Me Back ," but again, after that comes to an excellent song, this time it's " Safe In New York City " which holds a unique text, including a very interesting story behind it. This is a humorous song written by Angus Young. He refers to the fact, that contrary to the common thought that New York is a safe and secure city, so many unexpected things can still happen in it and one should be very careful when one is there. Quite sadly, the song became relevant again a year later as a result of the events of September 11, when it was included in a list of songs banned from playing on the radio, as a result of the severe tragedy, due to its cynical message on New York City. Regardless of the controversy, this is still one of the best songs of "AC/DC" in the modern era, with sweeping and very focused riffs. Brian Johnson 's singing in the chorus is very catchy and Angus Young's solo is bombastic as usual. For me, this is the best song on this album by far, probably thanks to the bluesy style and funny lyrics reminiscent of the masterpiece album "Powerage", released in 1978 and also included cynical writing as in this genius song. (Photo: Newsmakers) The next song " Can't Stand Still " is not bad at all and right after we get a nice dose of Hard Rock kicking and bouncing songs, that maintain a stable and uniformly high level until the end of the album and manage to turn it from a reasonable album to a good and fun album, as a result of its diversity. In song 7 we have " Can't Stop Rock 'N' Roll ", a pretty kicking and catchy song, that apart from the similarity in its title, has nothing to do with the hit "You Can't Stop Rock 'N' Roll" by "Twisted Sister ". In this case, it is a basic and raw Hard Rock piece and Brian Johnson 's singing leads it forward with all his might and in such an impressive way. Then comes " Satellite Blues ", and this trend continues. There are sharpened and powerful riffs by Malcolm Young , another insane solo of the legendary Angus Young, and another purposeful display by Brian Johnson , who gives everything he has and presents versatility and really impressive vocal control. True, the song " Damned " slows down a bit, but it's still not a bad song at all and the same can be said about " Come and Get It ", which brings us back to the well-known and well-remembered vocal harmonies of "AC/DC", and whose interesting chorus manages to carry it, even though it's a bit of a generic song that doesn't go anywhere special, except maybe a few good riffs here and there. The album ends with all the power, and in song 11 comes " All Screwed Up ", which will not renew almost anything for you, but still this is a bouncy and sweeping Hard Rock song and there is an amazing drumming by Phil Rudd, and another purposeful display by Cliff Williams, that stands out very much on this album and helps to keep the rhythm with so much experience and skill. Simply inconceivable given the long career of this band. Amazing how Cliff has always been able to maintain such a good fitness over the years, well done to him! Finally, in song 12 comes the great piece " Give It Up ", with a very fast playing and a technical and so crazy solo by Angus Young. There is no better way to close this album than with another Hard Rock staple, just as "AC/DC" knows how to do so well and for so many years. Also interesting to mention the endearing song " Cyberspace ", which came out in some of the extended versions of the album. It may not be a great song, but it has good riffs, and a really good solo while its lyrics are written really well. In conclusion, even if "Stiff Upper Lip" does not renew much, and even if not all the songs here maintain a high and uniform level, this is still a good and quite enjoyable album. It will provide a lot of interest to anyone who loves "AC/DC" and is curious to hear some music they recorded in the modern age. I highly recommend it to all fans of the band, although other people will also enjoy it if you like rock music. Score: 8.1 / 10 (Good) Wrote: Elad Winberg For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website