On November 10, 1998, "Rush" released their fourth live album "Different Stages". The album sums up the band's fourth era and especially the albums released during the 90s. As we mentioned in previous reviews, the band used to release a live album after every 4 studio albums. They did this with " All the World's a Stage " from 1976 which summed up the Hard Rock era and the first four albums up to " 2112 ". They did it again in 1981 with " Exit... Stage Left " which concluded the prog era and the four albums up to " Moving Pictures " And they did the same with " A Show of Hands " which came out in 1989 and summed up their four 80s synthesizer albums. And now, the album "Different Stages" is released right after the band's 16th studio album, " Test For Echo ", and sums up the band's albums from the 90s. The common denominator between them is the band's return to the roots based on "the Holy Trinity" - guitar-bass-drums. Naturally, the hard core of the songs on this album (about half of them if you don’t count the bonus disc), are out of the four said albums, that this live album is ostensibly meant to promote. But in this show there are also quite a few beautiful surprises, as we will describe later. This album is a little different and special from the previous three live albums in several ways: First, it is a triple album while its three predecessors were double albums that were truncated in the disc version to a single disc. Although one of the three albums on "Different Stages" is a kind of bonus disc that includes a performance by the band from 1978, it is still an initial precedent that will be perfected later for a triple album that was recorded entirely in one live performance with " Rush In Rio ". Second, drummer Neil Peart was not at all involved in the editing and mixing process of the album as he was dealing with the loss of his daughter and partner who died in 1997 and 1998 respectively. Following the two tragedies that befell him, Neil Peart informed his bandmates that he intended to retire from music. Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson were sure it was going to be the band's last album and they treated it accordingly while editing. Needless to say, this album was eventually dedicated to Neil Selena's daughter who was killed in a car accident in 1997 and his partner Jacqueline who died of cancer in 1998. Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson used the lyrics from the song "Afterimage" from the album " Grace Under Pressure " for the dedication to Selena and Jacqueline which read: "Suddenly. .. You were gone ... from all the lives you left your mark upon. In loving memory of Jackie and Selena". It is not clear if this is due to the lack of Peart involvement, but this album is characterized by a limited production with minimal intervention, compared to the previous two live albums, which gives the listener a feeling very close to reality taking place on stage, and thus it's greatness. Third, in this live album you can find a bit more improvisations of the band than those that exist on previous three live albums. The band, which by large did not deviate much from the versions of the studio albums, is having fun this time with nice little improvisations that on the one hand do not detract from the enjoyment of the listener who prefers the album versions and on the other give a little "twist in the plot". For example, already in the opening song " Dreamline " you can hear starting at 3:30 minutes a charming improvisation by Alex Lifeson 's during his amazing solo then connecting to the original version of the solo from the album. It also happens with Geddy Lee 's bass improvisation in "Driven" starting at 1:38, it happens again with Alex's solo in the song " Bravado " starting at 4:12 and it even happens in the masterpiece " 2112 " in the " Discovery " part that Alex gave "a facelift" that really flatters it. This live album is very special for a number of other reasons: This is the band's only live album featuring the entire masterpiece " 2112 ", from beginning to end, with all seven parts. The piece was performed and recorded during a live performance on June 3, 1997 at "the Great Woods Center for the Performing Arts" in Mansfield, Massachusetts. The band transcends itself here and simply reinvents the piece with additions and small touches that do kindness to the classics, even 20 years after its release. The band playing is so precise, perfect and meticulous that we now get goosebumps just from thinking about this while writing. There is no doubt that the three friends are at their peak, but the one who stands out most is Geddy Lee , who managed to sing perfectly even with the highest notes, for example in " Soliloquy ", where the protagonist can no longer come to terms with the world as controlled by the "priests" and puts an end to his life. Although the album was mostly recorded in 1997 at the "World Music Theater" near Illinois, during a tour to promote the album " Test For Echo ", it also includes three songs recorded during the tour of the album " Counterparts " and surprisingly it is not " Animate ", " Nobody's Hero " or " Stick It Out ". In addition to the 11 songs from the last four albums covered by this live album, we get some favorite songs that we did not hear in a live performance until this release, such as " Limelight ", " Analog Kid " and " Natural Science " which is the only one recorded live at the band's performances. This is a mini-piece that the band usually refrained from performing due to its great complexity, but this time the band responded to its own challenge and performed it perfectly. But the real gem of this album is actually in the bonus disc that includes part of a performance recorded in 1978 at the "Hammersmith Odeon" in London, during the tour to promote the album " A Farewell to Kings ". This is a recording that gives us a rare glimpse into how the band sounded in 1978, with songs that the band has refrained from performing since that tour , such as " Farewell to Kings ", " Cygnus X-1 ", and " Cinderella Man ". The quality of this recording is certainly not bad and it is not clear why the band only remembered to use it 20 years after releasing this treasure. By the way, if you are looking for this rare show in full, you can find it in the deluxe edition of the 40th anniversary press of " A Farewell to Kings ". The album "Different Stages" may not be considered a classic compared to the band's first two live albums, but it is definitely an excellent one with 33 songs that cover most of the important milestones in the history of "Rush" and beautifully illustrates how this great band sounds on stage. For Listening (but only if you have spare 202 minutes available) : Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Editor's Choice ... And this time ... "Thunder Seven", Triumph's seventh studio album released on November 10, 1984. We have a weakness for Power Trios, you probably already know that, and if they're Canadians then they deserve a bonus from us. Now add to that the fact that they have a Jewish bassist and keyboardist, and two great singers, one of whom is the drummer, and you will understand that with such opening figures there is no chance that we would not have fallen in love with this band. It is one of the band's biggest albums, which reached its peak of popularity in its wake, largely thanks to the two "hits", " Spellbound " and " Follow Your Heart ", both of which were rotated on the MTV channel at the time. At the same time, the other side of the album includes a kind of concept musical piece whose recurring theme is related to "time". This is also one of the reasons why this album is our particular favorite, as it showcases the added value of sophistication and complexity that this band has. This album was influenced by changes in the music market during the 1980s, so its sound and style were updated accordingly, relative to the band's previous albums. These effects can already be heard from the excellent opening track " Spellbound ", with the clean and polished production and the excess of keyboards. The lead singer in this song is drummer Gil Moore and guitarist Rik Emmett on background vocals during the chorus. We have always loved the fact that this band has two singers, each with a different voice color. They complement each other and allow the band a greater musical diversity. This diversity is already reflected in the second track of the album " Rock Out, Roll On " which opens with an interesting guitar riff by Rik Emmett , who also sings Lead Vocals. Emmett's voice is higher and more flexible, he has an extra wide range and he uses his voice as a musical instrument, with melodic vocals that travel above and below the riff. The third track " Cool Down " is one of the specials on the album. It starts with a classic blues that reminds us of "Bon Jovi" "Wanted Dead Or Alive" and from the beginning, it becomes a bluesy hard rock that is sure to remind you of "Led Zeppelin", even with Rik Emmett 's singing that really sounds like Robert Plant , at times. The excellent slide guitar solo of Emmett proves how talented guitarist he is. Emmett also plays keyboards on this album and shares this instrument with bassist Mike Levine. The track ending the vinyl's first side is the excellent " Follow Your Heart ", which is also probably the band's most successful single. The lead singer in the song is drummer Gil Moore who this time too receives an enriching and beautiful reinforcement from Emmet in the high notes of the chorus. From here we come to what we think is the highlight of the album. The other side of the vinyl, with the concept of "time" which runs as the second thread between the various tracks on this side. The song " Time Goes By " opens up this kind of concept piece. It's not a complex song but it's definitely one of the best on the album with a strong and slow riff in the verses, a bridge section that includes an amazing collaboration between Moore and Emmett's vocal harmonies, and such catchy and beautiful chorus that will not leave your head. Immediately after comes the classic instrumental track " Midsummer's Daydream ", which is a passage played by Emmett on acoustic guitar. This piece also proves what a versatile giant guitarist Rik Emmett is, both in terms of melody and performance. The short section " Time Canon " is a kind of a cappella by Emmett and Moore which serves as an intro to the charming song " Killing Time ", which is the culmination of this concept musical piece. Emmett and Moore collaborate in lead singing that sounds like a vocal dialogue between the two. We think this is the first time in the band's history that these two excellent singers have equally shared lead vocals in a song, and it's so special and beautiful. We're nearing the end of the piece with " Stranger in a Strange Land ", another amazing blues piece sung by Rik Emmett that ranges from soft and caressing during the verses to poignant and powerful in the chorus. The song features excellent bass work by Mike Levine who also plays the synthesizers. The album is sealed with another instrumental track " Little Boy Blues ", whose title reveals its musical style. Unlike the previous instrumental track, this time Emmett shows us his abilities in blues playing on an electric guitar, and it's hard for us not to compare his playing here to the legendary Gary Moore . Come on, we got carried away. We dug deep enough. Now Listen : Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

What should we do with all this jazz ??? On November 10, 1978, "Queen" released their seventh studio album, "Jazz". In contrary with the album's title the musical direction of the album has nothing to do with the mythological genre, except perhaps a minor mention in the song " Dreamer's Ball ". Even in the track " More of That Jazz " that seals the album, we did not get "More of That Jazz", but only more from Roger Taylor who plays on almost all instruments in the song and concludes the album with an excerpt of flashbacks from the songs " Bicycle Race ", " Mustapha ", " If You Can't Beat Them ", " Fun It " and " Fat Bottomed Girls ". So what is there any way in this album? There's a disco, funk, and drum machine in Roger Taylor 's song " Fun It " where he plays most of the instruments, a bit of John Deacon 's hard rock in " If You Can't Beat Them ", also a pinch of Brian May 's heavy metal with " Dead On Time " and even swing and ballroom music in " Dreamer's Ball " written by Brian May as a tribute to Elvis who passed away a year earlier. So how did all this musical diversity started? The year 1978 found "Queen" at the top of world music, after a series of masterful albums, a large collection of hits that have conquered the charts, and non-stop broadcasts on radio stations. The big money the band made and the big tax burden in the UK forced the band to fly out of the kingdom to record the album which was recorded in various destinations including Switzerland and France, which apparently influenced the diverse musical result existing on the album. Another thing that influenced the varied end result, was the fact that the band returned to work with Roy Thomas Baker who produced Queen's first four albums. This time Baker pulled the band toward other productions he did earlier that year, such as the debut album "The Cars" and the "Infinity" album of the "Journey", both American bands. Although this album does not maintain a uniform level, it still has some memorable moments, including the three first tracks which begin with the bold and cool " Mustapha " written by Freddie Mercury and include words in Arabic, Persian and gibberish, through Brian May 's " Fat Bottomed Girls" , which opens with a perfect a cappella and is played with the guitar and bass tuned down in the Drop-D tuning and " Jealousy " with the melancholic sitar sound (which Brian May created with a guitar). And there is " Leaving Home Ain't Easy " starring Brian May performing all the vocal parts without exception, and also " Let Me Entertain You ", a great song that we really like. A classic hard rock that exactly fits as an opening track of a show. Freddie Mercury 's vocals are so beautifully synchronized during the verses with Brian May 's guitar. Freddie wrote the song as a tribute to the fans and it includes some amusing mentions like: "we'll sing to you in Japanese" which corresponds with May's "Teo Torriatte" from the album " A Day at the Races " or "Hey! If you need a fix, if you want a high, Stickells will see to that" which refers to the band's tour manager Gerry Stickells. By the way, one of the riffs in this song will be used in the song "The Hitman" from the album " Innuendo ". The album also features one of Mercury's complex compositions with " Bicycle Race ", including a large number of chords, rhythm breaks, and a transition from the traditional 4/4 rhythm to the unusual 6/8. This ingenious song (and there is no other word to describe it) also includes May's crazy guitar race and the famous ringing of the bicycle bells. And of course, it is impossible to mention this song without referring to the poster that was part of the original vinyl and features 65 nude models on bikes. The band filmed a clip for this song at Wimbledon Stadium, which included those models, who were hired by a model agency. They rode on the bikes during the clip. The bikes were rented from a bike company who were shocked to find out what use was done with them and refused to get the bike seats back, forcing the band to pay for them. And we can't finish the review without mentioning one of the band's beautiful songs " Don't Stop Me Now " which was also written by Freddie Mercury , and is mostly led by his piano, accompanied by John Deacon 's bass and Roger Taylor 's drums, with a Minor contribution by Brian May for his guitar solo and vocal harmonies. This song was chosen by the band's fans as the one with the most beautiful lyrics and it was featured in so many movies and TV series that it's simply impossible to count them. The album cover was designed by Roger Taylor , inspired by similar graffiti he saw on the Berlin Wall. It is interesting to note that in the list of thanks on the inner cover, there is a special thank you to Thunderbolt courtesy of God. This is a thunder recorded by Brian May during a lightning storm and appears in the song " Dead on Time ". For Listening : Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On November 9, 1979, "Iron Maiden" released their first EP, "The Soundhouse Tapes". The mini-album included only three songs, which were taken from the first demo tape the band recorded, as follows: 1. "Iron Maiden " 2." Invasion " 3. " Prowler ". The three songs were recorded in a single session held on 31 December 1978 at "Spaceward Studios" at a cost of 200 Pound. The band members chose to record the demo on the eve of the new year, in order to save expenses. On that historic night, a fourth song was also recorded - " Strange World ", but in the end only three reached the final version of the EP. The band members returned to the studio a week after the recordings to perform mixes and corrections, but were required to pay an additional 50 pound that they did not have. They tried to raise money, but it took several days. Finally, when they had enough money they returned to the studio only to find out that the owner of the studio had deleted the master. In these circumstances they had no choice but to take out the demo as it was, without corrections and mixes. The drummer in this mini-album is Doug Sampson who will later be replaced by the legendary Clive Burr ahead of the recording of the band's debut album. Also, alongside Dave Murray , another guitarist named Paul Cairns, who did not receive credit on the album cover. Anyone who listens to the different versions of the songs on this EP will find that they are immature, slow and less polished than those that appeared on the band's first album. The mini-album "The Soundhouse Tapes" will be remembered in the pages of history as the first piece of music that launched the glorious career of "Iron Maiden", but in a larger sense, this EP ignited a whole movement of British heavy rock known as "New Wave of British Heavy Metal". "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Editor's Choice... And this time ... "The Last Command", the second album of "W.A.S.P.", which was released on November 9, 1985. A year after the release of the hit debut album " W.A.S.P " the band settles into the second round with a slight lineup changes, with drummer Steve Riley strengthening the rhythm division in place of original drummer Tony Richards. The band comes to the recording of this album more cohesive, more experienced, even more mature, as far as such a description can be used in the context of a band whose it's genre name include the word “shock” . So true, "W.A.S.P." was one of the main bands of "Shock Metal" in the 1980s, but on this album they decided to replace "Shock" with "Heavy", producing one of the best albums of their entire career, who can stand proudly alongside albums like "The Headless Children" and "The Crimson Idol". Singer and bassist Blackie Lawless proves that his writing abilities can be much more mature, melodic and diverse than the previous album. He was involved in writing each of the ten songs, and with no doubt established his status as the leader of the band according to which he would speak. Also in terms of performance, Blackie noted that he played on this album on no less than 14 different instruments and promised that with each listening people would discover more and more things that were not noticed in the previous listening. The development and diversity in the writing ability and sound of the band can be heard from the opening song and the first single released from the album - " Wild Child ". An excellent song with an absorbing melody, and a bridge part rich with varied sounds. The guitar sounds here like "seagulls", the tambourine like Rattlesnake, the rustling cymbals, the bells and more prove that Blackie did not exaggerate when he claimed that he played on 14 different instruments on this album ... The album maintains a uniform level almost throughout, with songs like " Ballcrusher " still corresponding with the writing themes of "Shock" from the previous album, " Fistful of Diamonds " a song with a sweeping chorus that opens with the news report and all one big "greed" By Blackie, " Jack Action " with the all-too-beautiful riff influenced by "Judas Priest" and more. It is clear that the band was making an effort to get the approval stamp from the heavy metal community, when even the members of "ZZ Top" were asked to aid with a short appearance in the clip of the second single released from the album - " Blind in Texas ". This trend continues with the theme song featuring the recorded chorus made for making fifty thousand fans o roar with clenched fists raised in the air. And the album would not be complete without a ballad that stars in almost every heavy metal album of the period. " Cries in the Night " is well made and includes an amazing solo by the legendary Chris Holmes. This track is based on a 1976 song called "Mr. Cool" by one of Blackie Lawless ' early bands called "Killer Kane Band". For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On November 9, 1985 "Twisted Sister" released their fourth album "Come Out and Play". The album arrived on the heels of the massive success of "Stay Hungry". With high expectations from fans and pressure from the music industry, the band leaned into an ambitious and polished production approach, marking a departure from their raw, rebellious style to a more radio-friendly sound. Produced by Dieter Dierks ("Scorpions", "Accept"), the album incorporates big, booming production alongside "Twisted Sister’s" signature glam-metal attitude, creating a blend of polished rock anthems and defiant energy. The title track, " Come Out and Play ," (with the homage intro to the 1979 cult classic movie "The Warriors") kicks off the album with a gritty, intense vibe, complete with gang vocals and theatrical flair. The song captures the essence of "Twisted Sister's" message: embracing your true self and standing strong against societal pressures. But thenת "Twisted Sister" went far from their sound and style with the the album first single " Leader of the Pack " – a cover of the "Shangri-Las’" classic – that received mixed reactions from fans due to its playful, almost campy feel. “ Be Chrool to Your Scuel ,” is another track that aimed for commercial success. Featuring Alice Cooper , it is a fun, rebellious take on school life, amplified by Cooper's guest vocals, Brian Setzer on guitar solo, Clarence Clemons on saxophone and a notable cameo from Billy Joel on the piano. These collaborations add variety to the album but also signal a departure from the rawness that defined "Twisted Sister's" earlier work. The second single from the album, " You Want What We Got ", tries to hard to follow the band's 1984 hit single "We're Not Gonna Take It", but is lacking the rebellious charm that the band had on their previous album. Surprisingly, the album ballad “ I Believe in You ” is one of the best moments on this album, although its commercial appeal, maybe because they didn't went much far from their previous ballads. The band tried to stay true to their roots on tracks like " I Believe in Rock ‘n’ Roll ", " The Fire Still Burns " and speedy “ Kill or Be Killed ”, highlighting the raw guitars and Dee Snider ’s vocal intensity. However, despite of these high-energy moments, some fans felt the album’s polished sound and mainstream direction diluted the rawness that made "Twisted Sister" stand out. This shift in sound, while intended to reach a wider audience, ultimately fell short of the commercial success "Stay Hungry" had achieved. "Come Out and Play" was an ambitious attempt by the band to reach a wider audience. "Twisted Sister" made a change in style and sound towards a catchy and friendly direction in an attempt to reach a wider audience, but along the way lost its identity and did exactly the opposite. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

What would you be willing to give now to watch and listen to " Moving Pictures " played live from beginning to end by the legendary power trio "Rush"? So the double album / DVD / Blu-ray "Time Machine 2011: Live in Cleveland", which was released on November 8, 2011 will takes as close you can get to there. This entire album was recorded and filmed, from start to finish, at the "Quicken Loans Arena" in Cleveland, Ohio, on April 15, 2011, during the "Time Machine" tour. At the center of the crazy setlist played during the show that included 26 songs spanning over two and a half hours, you will find all the songs from " Moving Pictures " played in one sequence. As is well known, the year 2011 marked the 30th anniversary of " Moving Pictures ", which is considered by many to be the band's best album. In order to celebrate three decades of this great album, the band chose to go on a tour that will honor this classic album, from beginning to end. Anyone familiar with the band's history knows that the city of Cleveland played a very significant role in it. DJ Donna Halper from Cleveland's WMMS Radio was the first person to play "Rush" music in the United States, thus contributing greatly to the band's publicity. Under these circumstances it was only natural that the band would choose to record this mythical live performance in the city where it all started and in front of the fan base that accompanied them from the beginning. The band even notes this on the back cover of the album, in which they thank Donna Halper for being the first to believe in them. As befits the name of the album, it includes songs from all of the band different periods and is a kind of "time machine" that stops at all main "stations" in its career. The show opens with the iconic " The Spirit of Radio " to the applause of the enthusiastic audience, with a slightly slow version in which it is evident that Geddy Lee 's voice has aged a bit, but it still does not detract in any way from the incredible energies this band has. From there we jump ahead in time to the hit " Time Stand Still " from " Hold Your Fire " in which the band being aid by Aimee Mann's sampled voice. From there we continue over the years to " Presto " which is hardly found in the band's setlists and then we start a kind of a "ping-pong" game that the band plays between the albums " Counterparts " and " Snakes & Arrows " that accompany the following four songs: " Stick It Out " from the album " Counterparts " of the grunge period, " Workin 'Them Angels " from " Snakes & Arrows " and back again To " Counterparts " with the instrumental track " Leave That Thing Alone " and from there back to " Snakes & Arrows " with " Faithless " which bassist Geddy Lee declares to be one of his favorite songs. The journey through time continues throughout the album with hits like " Closer to the Heart " from " A Farewell to Kings " which gets an exciting acoustic opening called " O'Malley's Break " by Alex Lifeson and an interesting ending with different rhythm and tonation, " Freewill " with the groovy bass part in the middle which is even more bouncy than ever, " Subdivisions " from " Signals " with the mesmerizing keyboard sound and also songs like " Marathon " from " Power Windows " which the band does not often play in shows. "Rush"'s Time Machine "has proven on this album that it also knows how to fly forward in time and not just backwards, with the show's setlist including the two new songs " BU2B " and " Caravan " which will be included in the band's excellent concept album " Clockwork Angels ", which will be released only a year later and unfortunately will also turn out to be the last from the power trio. And one can of course not ignore the representation of the classical band era with " 2112 " which gets a tremendous performance and " La Villa Strangiato " which this time opens in a comic way in the style of "Polka". And of course it is impossible without Neil Peart 's traditional drum solo this time called " Love For Sale " and getting the subtitle " Moto Perpetuo ". Almost 9 minutes of terrifying and virtuoso drumming by one of the greatest drummers ever. The setlist of this excellent live album ends where it all started with the song " Working Man " from the debut album which gets a special reggae version. A song played by broadcaster Donna Halper in rotation, time after time, until "Mercury" record company decided to sign the band on a recording contract. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Led Zeppelin's fourth album was released on November 8, 1971. We have compiled for you 50 interesting facts about one of Rock's greatest albums: 1. The title "Led Zeppelin IV" by which we usually call the album is not the name of the album. The album does not actually have a name. 2. Not only does the album does not have a name, but its front cover does not even include the band name. 3. The original release of the album did not even include a serial number on the cover. 4. And if that's not enough, then even the record company's logo was not shown on the cover. 5. Guitarist Jimmy Page was the one who decided not to give the album a name. He was tired of the reviews the band received following the previous album Led Zeppelin III and the claim thatthe band's success stems from a trend of the "Led Zeppelin" brand and not necessarily from their talent. 6. At first Page thought of creating one symbol to be stamped on the cover replacing the band's name. 7. Eventually Page decided that each of the four members would design a symbol representing him, which would be shown on the inner sleave of the album. 8. Jimmy Page 's logo was "Zoso". Page did not provide an explanation for it. One hypothesis is that it is a symbol based on the writings of Aleister Crowley whom Page admired. 9. Another hypothesis is that the symbol was taken from an ancient book by the mathematician Jerome Cardan, from 1557. Cardan was also interested in astrology and used the symbol in the context of Saturn, which controls Capricorn, the astrological sign of Jimmy Page . 10. The symbol Robert Plant chose consists of a feather, sign of the Egyptian goddess of justice Ma’at. The symbol represents truth, justice, fairness and also writing, which is attributed to the planet as a lyricist. The feather is surrounded by a circle that symbolizes life. 11. According to another version provided by Robert Plant himself, his symbol was influenced by the vanishing civilization "Mu" that existed 15,000 years ago. 12. Bassist John Paul Jones and drummer John Bonham chose their symbols from a book of symbols. 13. John Bonham 's symbol consists of three cross-linked rings respectively and it represents the connection between a man, a woman and a child. 14. The symbol of John Paul Jones , was taken from Rudolf's Koch's "the book of signs" and represents a competitive person, with abilities and self-confidence. 15. The album's credits include a fifth icon belonging to singer Sandy Denny who is a guest on the song "The Battle Of Evermore". Its symbol consists of three triangles that form the shape of an asterisk, so that all triangles have a common vertex. 16. The idea for the symbols was not the only marketing prank associated with the album. During the recordings, the band's manager Peter Grant spread a rumor that the band had disbanded. He was not satisfied with that and also made sure to hide the band members from the public eye. they did not give interviews and were not observed together. 17. As part of fueling that false rumor, the band even turned down an offer to perform live via satellite broadcast, for a fee of $ 1 million. 18. The picture on the album cover is a 19th century painting purchased by Robert Plant at an antique shop. 19. On the back cover of the album you can see the "Salisbury" tower in Birmingham. 20. The painting on the inside cover with the man holding a night lantern is called "The Hermit" and is based on a tarot card of the same name. 21. The fonts in which the song " Stairway to Heave n" is written on the inner cover, were specially designed at the request of Jimmy Page after seeing an ancient inscription from the 19th century. 22. The recordings for the album were made in several studios. The band began recording at the "Basing Street" studio in London. At the same time, "Jethro Tull" recorded her masterful album " Aqualung ". 23. On the advice of members of the band "Fleetwood Mac", the recordings continued at the "Headley Grange" mansion in a Victorian-era building in Hampshire. The relaxed and pleasant atmosphere at "Headley Grange" helped a lot in the creation of the band which completed the writing of most of the songs on the album. 24. The song " Black Dog " was influenced by a black Labrador Retriever who walked around "Headley Grange" during the recordings. 25. Singer Robert Plant recorded the vocals for the song in just two takes. 26. Bassist John Paul Jones , got the idea for the song's composition after listening to Muddy Waters' 1968 album "Electric Mud". 27. The a-chapel excerpts at the beginning and end of the song are influenced by the song "Oh Well" by "Fleetwood Mac". 28. The sound of the guitar at the beginning of the song is a recording of Jimmy Page 's "warm-up" exercise in playing the guitar. He called it "Waking up the army of guitars." 29. " Rock and Roll " was born during a jam session of the band members during the writing of the song "Four Sticks". The title of the song during the recordings was "It's Been a Long Time". 30. The iconic John Bonham drum intro to the song was inspired by the drum intro for the song " Keep a Knocking " and the guitar intro to the song " Johnny B. Goode ", both by Chuck Berry. Sound interesting? Well... Click on the links and start counting... four bars of 4/4 and one bar of 3/8. 31. " The Battle of Evermore " was written after Jimmy Page took the mandolin from John Paul Jones , an instrument he had never played before, and began to play with it. The song was barely performed in the band's performances and even when it was performed John Paul Jones sang Sandy Denny's singing roles. 32. Although J. R. R. Tolkien fans see the song as influenced by the "Lord of the Rings" book "Return Of The King", especially in the part on "Battle of Pelennor", Planet claimed to have written "The Battle of Evermore" after reading a book on Scottish history. 33. Planet noted that the song " Stairway to Heaven " was written about a woman who always gets what she wants, but never returns. 34. Although the song was never released as a single in the countries of the world, except for the Philippines, it became the most successful song on the album and even the most successful of the band. Counting over 8 minutes, it has also become one of the most played songs on radio stations in the world. 35. It was played so much that Robert Plant even donated $ 10,000 to the KBOO radio station in Oregon so that it would never be played again. 36. There are rumors that the song includes satanic and dark messages if played backwards. It's not! 37. "Led Zeppelin" were not the first to give the title "Stairway to Heaven" to a song. Singer Neil Sedaka did it first in 1960. 38. This song was the basis for an ongoing lawsuit by representatives of the band "Spirit" who claimed that the song was influenced by the instrumental section "Taurus", which they released back in 1968. Listen to it, because despite the similarity the courts thought otherwise. 39. It is possible that the conclusion the court reached lies, among other things, in the fact that the resemblance to the famous guitar strumming existed also in an instrumental section from 1959 called "Cry Me A River" by guitarist Davy Graham. 40. The title of the song " Misty Mountain Hop " is probably influenced by the "Misty Mountain" from the book "The Hobbit". As is well known Robert Plant has been influenced in the past by this book in his writing. The song opens with an electric piano playing by John Paul Jones . 41. The lyrics refer to a rally held in favor of legalizing cannabis in 1968, in which protesters were arrested for possession of marijuana. 42. " Four Sticks " got its name since John Bonham actually use four sticks in it. John Bonham did not like the way the song sounded and in his frustration just hit the drums with 4 sticks. 43. " Going to California " was apparently written by Robert Plant about Joni Mitchell, with whom he was in love with. A hint of this can be found in the words "To find a queen without a king, they say she plays guitar and cries and sings" which correspond well with the song "I Had a King" by Mitchell. 44. The idea for the song began following an earthquake that Jimmy Page experienced in Los Angeles during the mixes for the album. 45. " When the Levee Breaks " is actually a cover version of a song recorded by Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie in 1929. 46. John Bonham 's drumming in this song follows the guitar riff and not John Paul Jones ' bass rhythm. By the way Bonham's formidable drumming in this song was sampled by the "Beastie Boys" in the song "Rhymin & Stealin", which opens their 1986 album "Licensed to Ill". 47. Robert Plant plays harmonica in this song with a "backward echo" effect in which the echo is heard first and then the note being played. Robert Plant 's voice is the only one heard in the song at the righr speed of the original recording. All the other instruments were slowed down a bit to make the song sound heavier. 48. During the recordings, the band recorded three more songs that did not enter the album. " Down by the Seaside ", " Night Flight ", and " Boogie With Stu ". These songs appeared four years later on the album " Physical Graffiti ". 49. " Boogie with Stu " features the keyboardist Ian Stewart who accompanied the "Rolling Stones". He also plays in the song "Rock and Roll". 50. Needless to say, that this album is on the list of the 500 greatest albums of all time by rolling stone magazine. It is the band's best-selling album. With sales of over 40 million copies, it has become one of the best-selling albums of all times. For Listening : Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

"Skin and Bones" is "Foo Fighters'" acoustic live album released on November 7, 2006. So here are 10 facts about the album that stripped the band to its skin and bones: 1. This is the band's first live album. This move was perceived as odd for a stadium band like the Foos that chooses to release their first live album as an acoustic performance. 2. The album contains performances from three different shows that took place from August 29 to 31, 2006. 3. The shows took place at the "Pantages Theater" in Los Angeles. 4. The shows were part of the "In Your Honor" album tour which contained one acoustic side and one electric side. 5. The ensemble of musicians apart from the band included 5 other musicians: Petra Haden who played the violin, mandolin and also sang. Drew Hester who played percussion, Rami Jaffee who played keyboards, and today is a permanent member of the band. The guitarist Pat Smear who left and returned to the band and today is also a permanent member and Danny Clinch who played the harmonica but his real role was the show director. 6. A month after the album was released, the band released a DVD of the show. Although the album contains only 15 songs, the DVD contains 21 songs. 7. At that time, Dave Grohl did not like to talk during the shows (today he does not shut up) and he tells the audience at the show that it was actually nice in this set and he liked to talk. Maybe this is where it all began... 8. Although most of the tracks in the show were based on "In Your Honor", there were also very interesting and rare performances such as: "DOA" which came out only as a sidekick, "Friend of a Friend" that Dave wrote in 1990 and "Marigold" that Dave wrote with Nirvana and came out as B-Side for the single "Heart Shaped Box". 9. Dave said that for those shows he had to borrow an acoustic guitar from a friend since he did not have an acoustic guitar until then. 10. Apart from the fact that there is no significant change in the performance of the acoustic songs, there are a number of songs whose performance is simply mesmerizing and moving, such as: "Razor" that opens the show, the beautiful "Big Me", the different but still exciting "Everlong" and of course the special "Marigold". Now have a cup of coffee or even a cold beer, sit in a comfortable chair and press play: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

We do not really know how to start talking about this album, it's a sad story, it's the end of an era. The album with the three-legged dog was released on November 7, 1995 !! And we have no other way to open this than with a quote from Jerry Cantrell : “There's a sadness to that record... it's the sound of a band falling apart. It was our last studio record. It's a beautiful record, but it's sad, too. It's a little more exploratory, a little bit more meandering. It's not as crafted as the rest of our records were ” After the release of the amazing EP "Jar Of Flies" , "Alice" were supposed to go on a big world tour together with "Metallica", "Suicidal Tendencies", "Danzig" and "Fight". While preparing for the tour, Layne Staley 's condition began to deteriorate significantly due to drug use, forcing the band to cancel their participation in the tour. The fact that it happened at the last minute and the fact that the band which replaced them was "Candlebox" created a big media noise that put tremendous pressure on the band. To impact Layne and motivate him to quit the drugs, the members decided to break up the band. Indeed, in July 1994 an official announcement was made about the temporary dissolution of"Alice In Chains". The dramatic announcement did its job and Layne re-entered a rehab facility. Immediately after the process ended, he even joined a new, super-ensemble called "Mad Season" , which was composed by guitarist Mike McCready from "Pearl Jam" with several other friends who had in common the fact that they also returned from rehab. McCready thought it would be good for Layne to be and create with people who share the feeling and experiences he went through. It was wonderful and an exemplary album came out, but it didn't really help... (Photo: Chris Carroll) In January 1995, the members of "Alice" invited Layne to record their next album, which is reviewed here. Layne was in good condition and it appeared that the drugs were already behind him. But the situation took a turn in April 1995, when they went in to record the album at the "Bad" Animals Studios in Seattle. Layne's condition was bad again, even worse than before. Cantrell said it was a nerve-wracking nightmare to hold the recordings. Layne was absent from the studio a lot and even when he was already there, his condition would change from end to end. It got to the point where he was asleep while recording or unable to communicate with the environment at all. The three used to make demo tapes and send them to Layne to write the lyrics, but they did not always get a response. The band's manager, Susan Silver, said it was heartbreaking to see Layne in this situation. When he was conscious he was charming, special, and talented but when he was drugged he was like a broken vessel, a ghost without presence. Everyone felt it was the end and it provoked severe emotional turmoil among the band members. On the one hand, they had a very hard time working with Layne due to his conduct, but on the other hand, they saw their friend crumble and fall to pieces in front of their eyes. Despite all of this, and despite Layne's difficult condition, this is the only "Alice" album where the vast majority of the lyrics were written by Layne, who also composed one of the songs himself and played guitar on two more. His lyrics were very harsh and speaks of depression, drug addiction, death, loneliness, and anger. Although there were similar lyrics on the previous two albums, this time they had a much stronger echo. Feel it in music too. Cantrell adapted his sound to the lyrics. The guitars were tuned to a lower tone and gave a gloomy atmosphere that was even reminiscent of genres like Doom and Death Metal. Aside from the songs "Grind", "Heaven Beside You", and "Over Now", written by Cantrell who also sang them, all the other songs were written by Layne. Layne said the lyrics reflected what he was feeling at the time, to the point that he did not even remember what he had written the previous song about when he started writing a new song. He did not let the past or the future influence him, he simply wrote what came out of him at that moment. (Photo: Marty Temme) Prior to the release of the album, the record company asked the band to create a "kit" for the media in order to promote the album. This usually means interviews, stories behind the songs, recordings, and more. The request really pissed off the band members, so they took the money and created a collection of videos called "The Nona Tapes". A "commentary" film that is actually a comedy film in a documentary form. Cantrell played the character of a young reporter named Nona Weisbaum, who is looking for her breakout story in Seattle and is interested in catching rock stars and making a name for herself. The film consists of recordings that combine interviews that "Nona" allegedly holds with the band members and staged scenes, but also real excerpts from the lives of the four. The record company was furious at the band's "stunt", but the VHS tape quickly gained popularity and became a cult hit among the band's fans. When you think about it, it's inconceivable that this is only the band's third album. True, they released two amazing EPs, but it still feels like this band is one of the most prolific to come out of the Seattle scene. This is the band's first album with bassist Mike Inez , but it's also the last album they recorded with Layne (if you don't consider the MTV Unplugged album ). This album holds a special place in the hearts of the band members, and it will always remain their last memory of Layne, the last time they created together and recorded an album together. Although it was a very difficult album to make because of Layne's condition, they were all glad they did not give up and stuck to the end to complete it. After the release of the album, Layne's condition did not improve but even worsened, which prevented the band members from going on tour to promote the album. They did not give up and waited for his condition to improve. They held one of the biggest unplugged shows in 1996 and even recorded two new songs in 1998 but that was the end. The end of Layne Staley with his band "Alice In Chains". The album of course reached number one on the US charts, but was not as successful as its previous masterpiece, "Dirt" . Out of the album came three great singles, including the song "Heaven Beside You" which won an unforgettable version in the band's iconic unplugged performance. And if you were wondering why there is a three-legged dog on the cover, then it's because of the band's drummer, Sean Kinney . When Kinney was young a three-legged dog was used to chase him around the block, he was afraid every day he would pass through the neighborhood and the dog was the inspiration for the album cover. It was hard but we survived until the end, now you are welcome to listen to the album on: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Here are some interesting facts about Leonard Cohen, a Jewish Canadian singer-songwriter, poet, a novelist and a painter: (Photo: Fanart.TV) = Leonard Cohen was born on September 21, 1934, to a Jewish family of Polish and Lithuanian origin, in Westmount, Quebec, Canada. His full name was Leonard Norman Cohen, and his Jewish name was Eliezer Ben Nisan HaCohen. = His Lithuanian Jewish mother, Marsha ("Masha") Klonitsky emigrated to Canada in 1927 and was the daughter of Talmudic writer and rabbi Solomon Klonitsky-Kline. = His father, Natan, was an engineer tailor and owner of a clothing store, and died when Leonard was 9 years old, and his maternal grandfather, Rabbi Shlomo Zalman Klonitsky, was entrusted with his upbringing. = Cohen's grandfather helped found many institutions that shaped Jewish life in Canada. = Cohen completed grades seven through nine at "Herzliah High School", where his literary mentor Irving Layton taught. = During high school he taught himself to play the acoustic guitar and formed a country–folk group that he called the "Buckskin Boys". = In 1951, Cohen attended McGill University, where he became president of the McGill Debating Union. = He published his first poetry collection, "Let Us Compare Mythologies", in 1956. = In 1961, Cohen released his second poetry book, "The Spice-Box of Earth", gaining critical recognition. = Cohen moved to Hydra, Greece, in 1960, where he lived on less than a thousand dollars a year and wrote "The Favourite Game", his first novel released in 1963. = In 1964 he published a songbook named "Flowers for Hitler". = In 1966, he published his second novel, "Beautiful Losers". = In 1967 Cohen moved to the US and transitioned into music, releasing his debut album, "Songs of Leonard Cohen" the same year. = His song "Suzanne" from the debut album became one of his most famous tracks. = In 1969, Cohen released his second album, "Songs from a Room", featuring the hit "Bird on the Wire." = Cohen's "Songs of Love and Hate" album was released in 1971, further cementing his musical reputation. = He contributed to the soundtrack of the 1971 film "McCabe & Mrs. Miller" with several songs. = He spent almost two years living in a cabin in Tennessee, formerly the home of Boudleaux Bryant, author of “Bye Bye Love.” = In 1971 Cohen released the album "Songs of Love and Hate", from which the song "Famous Blue Raincoat" became famous. = In 1972 Cohen went on a European tour. The last performance of this tour was held in Jerusalem. The performance as well as the audience's participation caused great excitement among Cohen and his band. = In 1973 during the "Yom Kippur War", Cohen spent few months in Israel appearing before soldiers at the outposts in the Sinai Peninsula with the "trio of twins", Mati Caspi and Ilana Rubina. (Photo: The National Library Of Israel) = In 1974, Cohen released "New Skin for the Old Ceremony" which was influenced by his experiences during and after the "Yom Kippur War". This influence can be seen in the songs "Who by Fire", which is based on a section from "Venatna Tokef", one of the poems of Yom Kippur, as well as in the songs "There Is a War" and "Lover Lover Lover" which was written during his shows with Mati Caspi at the front. = One of the most famous songs on "New Skin for the Old Ceremony" - "Chelsea Hotel #2" was written following the death of the singer Janis Joplin . In the song, Cohen describes a meeting with Joplin at the Chelsea Hotel, a well-known meeting place for artists at the time. = Leonard Cohen invented a cocktail called "Red Needle" in Needles, California, in Summer of 1975. = He released "Death of a Ladies' Man" in 1977, a collaboration with producer Phil Spector . The production was grandiose and did not match Cohen's minimalist style, and immediately became the target of harsh criticism. = In 1979, he released "Recent Songs", returning to a more acoustic sound and using various musical instruments like the oud, mandolin and gypsy violin. = Cohen went to Cuba just before the Bay of Pigs invasion as a self-proclaimed “foot soldier.” = He named his daughter Lorca after the Spanish poet Federico García Lorca. = In 1984, Cohen released "Various Positions", which included his signature song "Hallelujah." Columbia Records deemed the album not good enough for U.S. release. "Hallelujah" has been performed by almost 200 artists in various languages, including John Cale and Jeff Buckley . = A tribute album called "Famous Blue Raincoat", released in 1987 by singer Jennifer Warrens (who had served as background vocals for Cohen on previous tours), resulted in an immediate rise in Cohen's popularity. = He released "I'm Your Man" in 1988. The album marked a shift toward synth-based arrangements and became one of Cohen's most successful albums, featuring the hit "First We Take Manhattan". = The song "Everybody Knows" from this album, was included in the movie "Pump Up the Volume" and brought exposure to a younger audience. = In 1992, Cohen released "The Future", exploring dark political and social themes. Three songs from the album were played in the successful movie "Natural Born Killers". = Cohen entered a Zen Buddhist monastery in 1994, spending 5 years in seclusion. = In 2001, Cohen returned with the album "Ten New Songs", reflecting his spiritual journey. It is considered the most melancholic of his albums. = His 2004 album "Dear Heather" was released for his 70th birthday and featured a mix of spoken word and singing. In this album, Cohen collaborated with the jazz singer Anjani Thomas. In 2006, Thomas released an album co-written with Cohen. = In October 2005, Cohen sued his previous music manager, Kelly Lynch, and claimed that she was embezzling his money in an amount of over 5 million dollars. In March 2006, Cohen won the lawsuit and it was determined that Lynch should compensate him with 9 million dollars. = In 2006 Cohen published a book of poetry and paintings called "Book of Longing", which immediately became a bestseller in Canada upon its publication. = The same year, a film was released in Cohen's collaboration called "I'm Your Man" featuring many artists such as "U2", Nick Cave and more, who perform Cohen's songs. The Film soundtrack was a huge success and exposed Cohen to a wider audience. = In 2008, Cohen began touring again, embarking on a highly successful world tour. = He released "Old Ideas" in 2012, which became his highest-charting album at the time. = His album "Popular Problems" was released in 2014, receiving critical acclaim for its lyrical depth. = In 2016, Cohen released his final album, "You Want It Darker", shortly before his death. In the title song Cohen face his creator and sings in Hebrew "Hinneni" (I'm here) as if he is ready to face his death. = Leonard Cohen died on November 7, 2016, in Los Angeles, California. = He was inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. = Leonard Cohen was invested as a Companion of the Order of Canada, the nation's highest civilian honour. In 2011, he received one of the Prince of Asturias Awards for literature and the ninth Glenn Gould Prize. 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Here are some key facts about Paul Gilbert best known as e the co-founder of the band "Mr. Big", and a member of "Racer X": (Photo: Fanart.TV) = He was born as Paul Brandon Gilbert on November 6, 1966, in Carbondale, Illinois, USA. = He began playing guitar at the age of 6, but initially only practiced a few chords. = At 12, Gilbert started taking guitar seriously, influenced by bands like "Led Zeppelin", "Aerosmith", and "Kiss". = He claimed that he was influence by guitaristt such as: Randy Rhoads , Kim Mitchell , Eddie Van Halen , Yngwie Malmsteen , Tony Iommi , Alex Lifeson , Jimmy Page , Ritchie Blackmore , Gary Moore , Michael Schenker , Akira Takasaki and more. = by age 15, he was playing local clubs with his band "Tau Zero", and had been featured in Guitar Player magazine. = In 1982, Gilbert attended a guitar seminar hosted by Randy Rhoads . = At 17, he moved to Los Angeles to attend the Guitar Institute of Technology (GIT). = In 1985 he joined the band "Racer X", known for their speed metal and technical guitar work. = In 1986 he released "Street Lethal", "Racer X’s" debut album, featuring his fast and intricate guitar solos. = In 1988 he released "Second Heat" with "Racer X", further showcasing his technical guitar skills. = He left "Racer X" in 1988 to pursue other musical ventures and to focus on his teaching at GIT. = Gilbert co-founded "Mr. Big" in 1989 with bassist Billy Sheehan, known for their virtuosity and musicianship. = He released "Mr. Big's" debut self-titled album in 1989, gaining commercial success and recognition. = In 1991 "Mr. Big" released "Lean into It", featuring the hit single "To Be with You," which topped the charts in several countries. = In 1993 Gilbert released "Bump Ahead" with "Mr. Big", which included a cover of Cat Stevens's "Wild World." = In 1996 he released "Hey Man" with "Mr. Big" before leaving the band due to creative differences. = He began his solo career in 1998 releasing his debut solo album "King of Clubs". Gilbert sang vocals and played guitars, piano, organ, bass guitar, tambourine and drums on the album. = The same year Gilbert released "Flying Dog" showcasing a more experimental and personal style in his guitar playing. = In 1999 he reunited with "Racer X" and released "Technical Difficulties", combining classic "Racer X" energy with new sound. = Gilbert wiil continue and release 2 more albums with "Racer X", their 4th album "Superheroes" in 2000 and "Getting Heavier" in 2002. = In the years 2000-2006 Gilbert continued his solo career releasing "Alligator Farm" (2000), "Raw Blues Power" (2002), "Burning Organ" (2002), "Gilbert Hotel" (2003), "Space Ship One" (2005), "Get Out of My Yard" (2006) the latter was his first all-instrumental solo album. = Gilbert is a member of  "the Beatles'" tribute band - "Yellow Matter Custard" which also includes Neal Morse, Matt Bissonette and Mike Portnoy , and released the album "One Night in New York City". = In 2007 Gilbert joined G3 Tour with Joe Satriani and John Petrucci , bringing his technical skill to a broader audience. = In 2010 Gilbert released "Fuzz Universe", another instrumental album exploring a variety of guitar tones and techniques. = The same year "Mr. Big" reunited with its original lineup and released "What If..." in 2011. = The band will continue and release "...The Stories We Could Tell" in 2014 and "Defying Gravity" in 2017. = In 2014 he released "Stone Pushing Uphill Man", an album of covers where he explored his vocal abilities more deeply. = In 2016 he released "I Can Destroy", an album blending rock, blues, and humor. = In 2019 Gilbert released "Behold Electric Guitar", which received praise for its technical skill and musicality. = In 2021 Gilbert released "Werewolves of Portland", recorded entirely by him playing all instruments during the pandemic. = In 2023 he released his 18th solo album - "The Dio Album" - A tribute to Ronnie James Dio , consiststing of instrumental covers of various "Rainbow", "Black Sabbath", and "Dio" songs. = Paul Gilbert has contributed extensively to guitar education through various platforms. For example, he wrote a section in Total Guitar magazine, demonstrating techniques for 31 issues until November 2006. = Gilbert was voted fourth-best on "GuitarOne" magazine's 2007 "Top 10 Greatest Guitar Shredders of All Time". = He was also ranked in "Guitar World's" 2008 list, "50 Fastest Guitarists of All Time". "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website