Written By: Moti Kupfer Release date - 27.02.1995 “I don’t loathe ideas, I’m just one of those people who can best express themselves through music.” One of the lowest moments in a musician’s career is the lack of appreciation from the audience that came to see them. At some point early in her career, when PJ Harvey was performing as part of a trio alongside Rob Ellis and Ian Oliver, the venue, which had been nearly empty to begin with, just fifty people in attendance, grew even emptier. From the crowd came a humiliating request: “We’ll pay you, just please stop playing.” It was the club owner who saw customers walking out and feared for his income. But the trio did not give up. They continued playing their next shows. During the tour for the trio’s second album, tensions began to surface, eventually leading to the band’s dissolution and to PJ Harvey’s recognition of her own strength as a solo creator. That realization led to the release of her breakthrough album "To Bring You My Love", which was released on February 27, 1995. Polly Jean Harvey was born in October 1969 in Bridport, Dorset, England. The daughter of a sculptor and a stonemason, she grew up on a small sheep farm. During her childhood she attended school in Beaminster, where she received guitar lessons from folk singer Steve Knightley. Her parents deeply influenced her musical taste through the blues performances they hosted in their home. In addition to guitar, she studied saxophone for eight years and sang backing vocals, gaining the versatility she would later need when she joined Automatic Dlamini. The band was founded by John Parish, whom Harvey calls “my soulmate” and with whom she would later release two albums, and Rob Ellis, who would continue to collaborate with her in the trio format. As mentioned, Harvey sang backing vocals in the band and played guitar and saxophone, gaining valuable ensemble experience. In January 1991 she formed the PJ Harvey Trio with her fellow Automatic Dlamini member Rob Ellis and Ian Oliver, who was later replaced by Steve Vaughan. In October 1991, Harvey released her debut single “Dress” , which received a significant boost from John Peel, the guest reviewer for Melody Maker, who selected it as Single of the Week. After two albums with the trio, the second produced by Steve Albini of Nirvana fame, and the release of an additional EP within a year and a half, Harvey took a break to rest. During that period she bought herself a rural house near her parents’ home. She wrote all the songs for "To Bring You My Love" within three months, and she credits much of the album’s bluesy tone, its dirty and noisy sound, and its vivid imagination to the atmosphere of the house she purchased. It was a quiet countryside home with no neighbors, surrounded by endless fields. The peaceful environment and the presence of nature brought her back to her childhood and gave her the silence she needed to fully focus on writing and shaping the album. For the album’s recording sessions, she recruited her musical soulmate John Parish, who co-produced the album with renowned producer Flood. Flood had previously produced albums for Depeche Mode, Nick Cave , "New Order", "Erasure", "U2" and "Nine Inch Nails", among others. Additional musicians included Mick Harvey on bass, (Nick Cave’s partner in "The Bad Seeds" and "The Birthday Party"), Joe Gore on guitar, and Jean-Marc Butty on drums. As Harvey herself testifies, she is a musician who deals with emotions, stories, and real-life situations. On this album she writes about love, femininity, violence, and even cinematic characters, as in the case of “Teclo” , which was inspired by a character from the 1968 French film "Guns for San Sebastian". There is no doubt that this is a more diverse album in terms of instrumentation. You can find bells, vibraphone, keyboards, organ, and a Yamaha keyboard throughout the record. The organ, in particular, is present across much of the album, its low and rumbling tones offering a powerful alternative to the traditional bass role. A classic example of the album’s musical diversity can be found in its first single, “Down by the Water” . The song opens with stark vocals and a heavy organ, but as it progresses it layers in additional elements such as percussion, drums, and a sweeping orchestral ensemble. The lyrics tell the story of a woman who drowns her daughter in the water. According to Harvey, the song’s narrative is not connected to events from her own life. The repetitive chorus draws from the traditional American folk song “Salty Dog Blues.” In the title track, “To Bring You My Love” , which opens the album, Polly Jean sings about a desire for love so intense that she is willing to sacrifice everything to attain it. “I’ve lain with the devil,” she declares, expressing just how far she is prepared to go. Ennio Morricone and Captain Beefheart are among the artists who influenced her during childhood. Beefheart’s fingerprints can be found in the album’s opening line, “I was born in the desert,” which mirrors the opening line of one of his own albums. His influence also surfaces in “Meet Ze Monsta” , where she borrows the line “Meet ze monsta tonight” from Beefheart’s “Tropical Hot Dog Night.” Harvey’s lyrics throughout the album range from serial killings in “Working for the Man” , perhaps inspired by her future partner Nick Cave, to gender reversal and sexual role inversion in “Long Snake Moan” , and a plea to her personal God to send her the lover she so desperately desires in “Send His Love to Me.” Although she grew up in a secular household, she was not baptized and did not pray in church, she frequently uses biblical imagery in her songs. She once explained that she looks at religion as a way of finding an answer to why we are here. Harvey’s constant motivation and creative force stem from her persistent attempt to understand human life, while contemplating the powerful divine realm that existed long before us. Before us stands a rock singer at the peak of her power, radiating danger and sensuality, a bold and uncompromising artist unafraid to reveal the darker side of her soul. For Listening : Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

He started his musical career in "Santana", when he was only 17 years old. He later formed "Journey" - one of the most successful Hard Rock bands in the US and also the band "Bad English". (Photo: Ethan Miller) Come read some interesting facts about the talented musician, guitarist, and songwriter Neal Schon. 1. He was born on February 27, 1954, in Oklahoma, USA. His name at birth was Neal Joseph Schon. 2. He came from a very musical family. His father was a player, producer, and composer in various "Big Bands". His mother was a singer. 3. He started playing the guitar at the age of 10 and was immediately discovered as a meteoric talent on the instrument. 4. In 1970 he received an offer to join "Derek and the Dominos" alongside Eric Clapton , but he preferred Carlos Santana . 4. In 1971, when he was only 17 years old, he joined "Santana" and recorded the excellent albums "Santana III" and "Caravanserai" with them. In 2016 he returned to the band again and recorded their 24th album "Santana IV". 5. After a brief foray into the Latin ensemble "Azteca", he formed "Journey" in 1973, together with keyboardist Gregg Rolie, whom he met in "Santana". 6. The band that started as a Rock band with Progressive influences, became one of the most prominent rock bands in the US, after the joining of singer Steve Perry . (Photo: Fanart.TV) Schon is considered the undisputed leader of the band and one of its only two regular members, alongside bassist Ross Valory. 8. From the late'70ss the band reached insane commercial success and released a phenomenal sequence of hits like: "Any Way You Want It", "Faithfully", "Open Arms", "Separate Ways" and "Wheel in the Sky". 9. Just so you understand the magnitude of the band's success, on February 25, 2021, the song " Don't Stop Believin' " crossed the threshold of a billion listens on Spotify. More about that, read here . 10. Sean released 15 studio albums with "Journey", the latest is the comeback album "Freedom" released in 2022. (Photo: Fanart.TV) 11. With the hiatus of "Journey", Schon, together with his "Journey" friend - keyboardist Jonathan Cain, formed the band "Bad English". The band released two studio albums, the first eponymous in 1989. 12. In 1991, he formed "Hardline" together with brothers Johnny Gioeli and Joey Gioel. He was a part of the band's debut album "Double Eclipse", released in 1992. Two of the album's songs were co-written with keyboardist Jonathan Cain, Schon's friend from "Journey". 13. Schon has a glorious solo career, in which he released 10 studio albums, the first of which is "Late Nite" from 1989. 14. Neal has collaborated with many artists including singer Paul Rodgers with whom he has also released several albums. 15. His other interesting collaborations were with: Sammy Hagar , Joe Cocker , Beth Hart, and "The Allman Brothers Band". 16. In 1985 he was also part of the " Hear 'n Aid " charity project, alongside the best Heavy Metal artists. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

They came to work... On February 27, 1984 "Queen" came to "work" with the mini-comeback of the album "The Works", their 11th studio album. "Mini comeback" is it possible? After all, "Queen" did not break up... So yeah, we think that after "Hot Space" from 1982 - an album with Disco, Funk, Dance, and Pop influences, that did not sound like the classic "Queen", after Brian May joined Eddie Van Halen for the album and project "Star Fleet Project" and after Freddie Mercury and Roger Taylor Worked on their solo albums "Mr. Bad Guy" and "Strange Frontier", the fact that "Queen" came back with an album that more or less represents their root sound, is a musical miracle that deserves to be crowned as a "mini comeback". And what an amazing album this wonderful quartet has brewed for us. An album that each of its nine songs was released as a single or was a B-side. An album that brought them back to the center of the stage, that opened them up to a new audience, that gave them rotating playbacks on radio stations, and that the clips from it were shown non-stop on MTV. An album that turned them from stars to idols. So, after about a year of "Queen's" members working on personal projects, the band met in August 1983 in Los Angeles, to start the work on their next album. This was the band's first time recording in the US. The goal was to show the world that "Queen" was back in a big way. Roger Taylor was the one who set the goal, when he mentioned the phrase "Let's give them the works!", which influenced the album title. Mini comeback we said? So it is also expressed in the musical material that the band members brought with them to this album. As if "Queen" wanted to tell the fans, we indeed went on a little trip, but there's nothing like returning home, to the roots that characterize us. Sounds weird to you? Listen to the beat of the song " Tear It Up " and say if it's not meant to correspond with "We Will Rock You", listen to Mercury's piano and May's solo in " It's a Hard Life " and say if they do not mention " Bohemian Rhapsody " a bit, listen to " Man On the Prowl " and swear you're not thinking straight about "Crazy Little Thing Called Love". On your way you will pass " Is This the World We Created ...? " and we are sure that the guitar will resonate like the one in the live version of "Love Of My Life?" So maybe some of you will think it's a coincidence, nothing more. We think a little differently, and so does Roger Taylor . It was he who declared at the beginning of the recordings "Let's give them the works!". In other words, in our opinion the band members made an informed choice to open up to a new audience, to the sounds of the synthesizers and drum machines of the 1980s, with songs like " Radio Ga Ga " and " Machines (Or 'Back to Humans') ", but at the same time speak to the old and loyal audience and let them know that the band's DNA has not changed with tracks like " Hammer to Fall ". And how beautiful it is, that each of the band members contributed one big hit to this album. Roger Taylor brought the immortal anthem " Radio Ga Ga ", which he wrote and composed on keyboards with the help of a drum machine. Freddie Mercury wrote " It's a Hard Life " and even instructed Brian May how he wants his guitar solo to sound like. John Deacon concocted " I Want to Break Free " And insisted it would not have a guitar solo and Brian May compensated himself with the amazing riff of " Hammer to Fall ". Needless to say, this album was very commercially successful, as it topped the charts all over the world. But more importantly, the album brought "Queen" back to the top of the world rock map. The band returned to fill stadiums and perform in front of hundreds of thousands of people, with "The Works" being the trigger for their coronation process as one of the biggest bands in rock history, culminating in the " Live Aid " show, in July 1985. The image from that iconic show, of the huge crowd waving his hands in the air and clapping to the beat of " Radio Ga Ga ", will forever be engraved as the band's highlight and probably also the greatest moment in the history of rock shows of all time! For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music . "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Today it's guitarist Adrian Smith's turn. Let us tell you a little about him and his work: (Photo: Spencer Kaufman) 1. He was born on 27 February 1957, in London England, as Adrian Frederick "H" Smith. 2. The first record he ever purchased was "Machine Head" by "Deep Purple". he was then 15 years old. 3. He grew up just a few blocks from guitarist Dave Murray , his childhood friend. At the age of 16, he formed the trio "Stone Free" with him. Smith served only as a singer. 4. After Smith saw the attention Dave Murray was getting from the girls, he decided to learn to play the guitar. He started with a classical guitar that belonged to his brother and later purchased Dave Murray 's old guitar for 5 £. 5. The first influences on him were actually from the field of Blues Rock and especially Johnny Winter and Pat Travers. He noted that they influenced his playing, which is characterized by a very melodic style and relatively slow solos with an emphasis on each note, as opposed to a fast shredding melody. 6. In 1972 he co-founded the band "Evil Ways", with Dave Murray . Shortly after the band changed its name to "Urchin". 7. By this time he had already started writing music, including the song "22 Acacia Avenue" which would later be recorded by "Iron Maiden", as part of the 1982 album " The Number Of The Beast ". 8. After Dave Murray left the band and joined "Iron Maiden", Smith and "Urchin" released the single "Black Leather Fantasy", in 1977. 9. In 1979 Smith received an offer to join "Iron Maiden", but Urchin had just signed a recording contract with EMI and Smith rejected the offer, a decision he later regretted after "Urchin" disbanded in 1980. 10. In November 1980, after "Urchin" disbanded, Smith met Dave Murray and Steve Harris. They offered him to join "Iron Maiden" again. This time, after a successful audition he was accepted into the band. 11. His first appearance with the band was made for the German TV show "Pop And Rock TV Show" and the first song he played was "Running Free". 12. As you can see from the video above, already in Adrian's first appearance with "Maiden", he took on the role of background vocals, along with Steve Harris. 13. The only song of "Iron Maiden" in which Smith sings solo is "Reach Out", which came out as a b-side to the song "Wasted Years", from 1986. In the same song, Bruce Dickinson sang background vocals. 14. The combination of the guitar duet between Smith and Murray, during the golden age of "Iron Maiden" in the 1980s, is among the most amazing in Metal. The two just phenomenally complemented each other. 15. The first album Smith recorded with "Iron Maiden" was " Killers ", but he did not co-write any of the songs there. 16. The first songs he wrote for "Maiden", were for the album " The Number Of The Beast ". As mentioned he brought the song "22 Acacia Avenue", which he had written years earlier, and also co-wrote "Gangland" and "The Prisoner". 17. Smith will also take part in the next four albums that are considered part of the band's Golden Age - " Piece of Mind ", " Powerslave ", Somewhere in Time " and " Seventh Son of a Seventh Son " and the excellent live album " Live After Death ". 18. In 1985, Smith participated in the " Hear 'n Aid " fundraising project for Africa and was one of 14 guitarists playing alongside his friend Dave Murray . 19. While "Maiden" took time off in 1989, Adrian was busy with his solo project "ASAP", which is an acronym for "Adrian Smith And Project". That same year they already released the album "Silver and Gold", which can be listened to here: 20. Smith left "Iron Maiden" in 1990, in light of disagreements over the musical direction the band decided to go. He thought he could not contribute to the band in the new direction chosen. 21. Smith's departure was during the production stage of the album " No Prayer for the Dying " and he managed to write one of its, songs - "Hooks" in You. 22. After leaving "Maiden" he took some time for himself and meanwhile married to the choice of his heart, the Canadian Nathalie Dufresne. 23. Adrian stopped playing the guitar after leaving "Maiden" and until 1992, when he was a guest on stage at "Iron Maiden's" performance in Donington, on the song "Running Free". (Photo: Gonzales Photo) 24. After hearing the music of "King's X", he decided he was interested in setting up a band that would make similar music. He founded the "Untouchables", which later changed their name to "Psycho Motel". 25. The band released two albums "State of Mind" in 1996 and "Welcome to the World" in 1997. 26. It is interesting to note that Smith and "Psycho Motel" warmed up "Iron Maiden" during the tour of the album " The X Factor ", in England. 27. In 1996, Smith participated in the album "Instant Clarity", Michael Kiske's first solo album, known among others from the band "Helloween". 28. In 1997, Smith joined his friend Bruce Dickinson and took part in playing and writing his solo album "Accident of Birth". 29. Later, Smith will become a regular member of Bruce Dickinson 's band, touring with him and even taking part in his next album "The Chemical Wedding" from 1998. 30. In 1999, Dickinson and Smith returned to "Iron Maiden", reuniting the band's classic 80s Golden Age lineup, with the addition of guitarist Janick Gers , making the band a three-guitar lineup. 31. Smith is the only one of the three Iron Maiden guitarists, who does not use the Fender guitar regularly. 32. In 2000, the band released their reunion album with Dickinson and Smith - " Brave New World ". Smith will take part in writing some of the songs for the album, including the excellent opening song "The Wicker Man". 33. Smith has continued to be part of "Maiden" to this day, and since the reunion with the classic lineup he has released five more albums: " Dance of Death ", " A Matter of Life and Death ", " The Final Frontier ", " The Book of Souls " and " Senjutsu ". 34. In 2012 Smith will release the album "Awoken Broken" under the band "Primal Rock Rebellion". Smith will play guitar, and bass and sing background vocals. 35. During his career Smith has been a part of 12 studio albums of "Iron Maiden" in addition to another 8 albums as part of the various lineups. 36. Smith wrote or took part in writing some of "Maiden's" great songs including: "Wasted Years", "2 Minutes To Midnight", "The Evil That Men Do," "Stranger In A Stranger Land", "Can I Play With Madness?", "Moonchild", "Flight of Icarus" and more and more ... 37. In December 2020, Smith released the first single from his new project - " Smith/Kotzen ", in which he collaborates with guitarist Richie Kotzen, known for his work with "Poison", "Mr. Big" and "The Winery Dogs". The duo's album called "Smith/Kotzen" was released on March 26, 2021, and on March 7, 2025 the due release their second album "Black Light/White Noise". 38. Smith is ranked as one of the ten best guitarists of all time in Metal, on the Gibson guitar list, and in 11th place on "Guitar World" magazine's list of the 100 greatest guitarists in Heavy Metal. 39. Adrian is a fishing enthusiast. He discovered the hobby through his dad. It was their way of spending time together when he was a child. 40. In 2020 he released the book “Monsters of River & Rock”, which describes, among other things, his love for fishing. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Written By: Moti Kupfer Release date - 25.02.1973 The date is September 13, 1969. During a performance at the "Toronto Rock and Roll Revival" festival, a chicken was thrown onto the stage while the members of "Alice Cooper" were playing. Cooper, or by his real name Vincent Damon Furnier, a fairly nice guy all in all, did what seemed logical and tossed the chicken back toward the audience, assuming it would fly upward. Instead, it landed in the front rows, where the crowd promptly tore it apart. The next day, newspapers screamed: “Alice Cooper grabbed a live chicken, bit its head off with his teeth, and proceeded to drink its blood before a stunned and frenzied Canadian audience.” That same day, Alice Cooper received a phone call from his manager at the time, none other than Frank Zappa . Zappa asked him whether what had been written in the papers was true. Once he understood that it was not, he offered Cooper golden advice: “Whatever you do, don't tell anyone you didn't do it!” Thus, a legend was born. A myth that served the band "Alice Cooper" and also the musician who carried the stage name with him long after the band itself dissolved. In just four and a half years, the band released no fewer than seven albums. Their sixth album, and perhaps their most successful of all, "Billion Dollar Babies", was released on February 25, 1973. The godfather of Shock Rock, Vincent Furnier, was born on February 4, 1948, to a father who was a preacher in the Christian Evangelical Church. Young Vincent was active in church between the ages of 11 and 12. Later, due to a series of childhood illnesses, the family relocated to Phoenix, Arizona, where he attended Cortez High School. In his senior yearbook it was written about him: “Aspires to be an artist who sells millions of albums.” He made it happen. At 16, he formed his first band, "The Earwigs", which later changed its name to "The Spiders", a group inspired by "The Beatles". In order to record their first song, "Why Don’t You Love Me", Vincent taught himself to play the harmonica in 1965. In 1967, the band changed its name for the third time to "The Nazz". However, after discovering that Todd Rundgren had a band with a similar name, they adopted the name "Alice Cooper", perhaps to create a sharp contrast between the innocent sounding name reminiscent of "Alice in Wonderland" and the wild, uninhibited image the band projected. One night, after an unsuccessful performance at the Cheetah Club in Los Angeles, producer and music manager Shep Gordon approached them. He envisioned a way to channel the band’s negativity into powerful positive energy and arranged an audition with Frank Zappa . At the time, Zappa was looking to sign unconventional artists to his new label, "Straight Records". The audition was set for 7 o’clock. The band mistakenly assumed it meant 7 a.m., not 7 p.m. as Zappa had intended. The mere act of a band showing up at 7 in the morning to play psychedelic rock in his house impressed Zappa enough that he signed them to a three-album deal. Part of Alice Cooper’s image as a performer was built around his extraordinary stage outfits: long black hair, heavy eye makeup, a black top hat, black leather clothing, and a whip in hand, all completing his threatening theatrical persona. Offstage, however, Vincent Furnier is one of the nicest and least outrageous people you could meet, married to the same woman for decades. Over the years he has also appeared in films, including "Wayne’s World", and even on "The Muppet Show". His striking look was inspired by characters from two films: "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?" starring Bette Davis, whose character wore caked-on makeup with heavy dark eyeliner beneath her eyes, and "Barbarella", featuring Anita Pallenberg, dressed in long, shiny black leather gloves. "Billion Dollar Babies" was initially recorded at an estate called "Galecie Estate", purchased by the band in Greenwich, Connecticut. Producer Bob Ezrin used unusual recording techniques, including tracking in a greenhouse with a marble floor. Later, sessions moved to Morgan Studios in London, which became something of a party hub, attracting musicians such as Harry Nilsson, Marc Bolan , and Keith Moon , However, they were reportedly too intoxicated to contribute musically to the album. The core concept behind "Billion Dollar Babies" is that people possess countless strange and diverse perversions. The album’s title was inspired by the band’s meteoric rise with their previous releases, especially "School’s Out", which transformed them from a very poor band living in a basement into a group that people were literally throwing money at everywhere they went. The album was composed almost entirely by guitarist and keyboardist Michael Bruce, with the exception of the opening track "Hello Hooray" , written by Rolf Kempf and originally recorded by Judy Collins. It is a beautiful rock anthem, filled with impressive vocal melodies and theatrical flair that perfectly sets the tone for the spectacle that follows. "Elected"  is based on an earlier song by the band titled "Reflected" , which appeared on their debut album. The title track "Billion Dollar Babies"  features guest appearances by musician Reggie Vinson, who had already collaborated with them on "School’s Out", and by singer Donovan, who contributes backing vocals. The closing track "I Love the Dead"  deals with necrophilia, while the hard rocking "Raped and Freezin’"  confronts themes of sexual assault. "Unfinished Sweet"  takes the listener on an unsettling visit to the dentist, complete with sound effects that convincingly place us right in the middle of a dental procedure. But the album’s biggest hit is undoubtedly "No More Mr. Nice Guy" . The song was written about the reaction of Alice Cooper’s devout mother to her son’s outrageous onstage performances. Shocked by the controversy surrounding him, she reportedly asked how he could do such things, to which he essentially replied through the song’s defiant message. The track became a major success, reaching the Top 10 in the UK and climbing to No. 25 on the US charts, cementing its place as one of "Alice Cooper"’s signature songs and one of the defining moments of the "Billion Dollar Babies" era. For Listening : Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On February 26, 1981, "Judas Priest" released their seventh studio album, "Point Of Entry". This album is the "sandwich album" between " British Steel " - the 1980 commercial breakthrough album, and " Screaming for Vengeance " - a milestone album in Heavy Metal that came out in 1982. This is why there is sometimes a tendency to skip this album and we are here to try and change that. While not as conspicuous as the other two "giants", "Point Of Entry" does not have hits like "Breaking the Law" on the one hand or "You've Got Another Thing Comin" on the other, but it is still an album that came out during the band's heyday so it was important for us to mention it. Following the commercial success of " British Steel ", the band decided to continue in the more music-friendly direction, intending to complete their break into the mainstream and various radio stations. After finishing the tour of the album " British Steel ", the band started working on their next project, only that unlike previous albums this work was done in the studio, without any prior preparation and without any materials or ideas ahead of time. The idea was to be as spontaneous as possible, while trying to recreate what was happening on stage, with free "live" music. Reinforced by the "British Steel's" commercial success, the band was able to afford to record in an advanced studio with state-of-the-art equipment, so it was decided to fly the equipment and the recording team to the studios in Ibiza, Spain. It turns out that the recording studio and the state-of-the-art equipment, had a big impact on the final product, as the sound on this album is more alive, clean, and tight than the previous albums. In terms of musical material, the song structures are less complex, the riffs have become simpler, and the musical style span around friendlier "Metal-Pop". The rhythms are slower, the playing of K. K. and Tipton is more restrained and the solos are shorter and minimalist, compared to previous albums. Rob Halford also limits himself and is less rampant with his insane range of vocals. Three singles were released from this album. The excellent opening track " Heading Out to the Highway " that tries to follow the success of "Living After Midnight". The slow and catchy " Don't Go " with the New Wave influences especially during the verses, with the broken riff, the guitar sound, and the loose bass playing. " Hot Rockin '" that the band continues to include in their setlists even 4 decades later. These three songs were also accompanied by video clips, with the goal of commercial breakthrough. The album also features the excellent " Desert Plains " with the melodic-power combination, which is one of the greatest songs in Priest's entire repertoire, and " Solar Angels ", which begins with the chorus/flange guitar effect and abounds with fighter jets sounds. These two tracks are without a doubt the highlights of this album and of "Judas Priest" in general. But from here on this album fails to produce songs at the same level as the ones we already mentioned, and maybe that's also why it's pretty much disappeared between the two big albums that came before and after it. " Troubleshooter , " You Say Yes, All The Way " and " On The Run " did not survive the test of time and became forgotten tracks from the heyday of one of the pioneers of Heavy Metal. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music . "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On February 26, 2021, Alice Cooper released the album "Detroit Stories", his 21st albumת which is a "back to the roots" album of the veteran singer, who was born in the city of Detroit and grew out of it, musically. From the first listen it seems that this is one of the best Alice Cooper albums in recent years. If you like Alice from the classic era, this album will surely do you good. Cooper recruited the legendary Bob Ezrin, who started working with him back in the 70s, as a producer, and now returns to help him recreate the legendary sound of the 70s. Ellis also surrounded himself with guests from the veterans of the Detroit scene, including guitarist Wayne Kramer from the band "MC5", and guitarist Mark Farner from the band "Grand Funk Railroad". In addition, members of the Alice Cooper band from the 1970s such as Michael Bruce, Dennis Dunaway, and Neal Smith, as well as drummer Larry Mullen from the "U2" band, are also staying here. Cooper stated that the album will explore how the city of cars and industry helped the development of what he defines as "angry hard rock" and later became known as the shock rock genre. He said that the city of Detroit was the only place that accepted the "angry" and different hard rock sound that he brought at the beginning of his career and therefore this album will be a kind of homage to the city. Said and done! Those who listened to the singles already released by him knew to say that they definitely remind the sound and the vibe that existed in Detroit almost five decades ago. The album opens up with " Rock 'n' Roll ", the first single released from the album which is actually a cover version of "The Velvet Underground" song written and recorded by Lou Reed in Detroit. The second track " Go Man Go " is a rough and dirty classic punk-rock piece, and right after it comes " Our Love Will Change The World " with the "Beatles" flavor which, in stark contrast to the previous track, is full of optimism. The fourth track " Social Debris " returns us to the metallic and dirty sound that so beautifully represents the music that came out of the iron city and the cars, an angry and protesting track that really makes us feel like "human waste". The fifth track " $1000 High Heel Shoes " is one of the most surprising ones on the album. Ellis recruits trumpets, wind instruments, Cooper's, and a backing choir and sets out to roam the realms of "gospel", "doo-wop" and the blues. The seventh track " Detroit City 2021 " best sums up the essence of this album and the return to the roots. It is an anthem for the city of Detroit which takes us back 18 years to the original song taken from the album "The Eyes Of Alice Cooper". Even the eyes on that album from 2003 correspond with Alice Cooper 's made-up eyes on the cover of the current album looking down on the dark city of Detroit. The song mentions among others the veterans of the scene Iggy Pop , David Bowie , "The MC5", Bob Seger and Suzi Quatro, and the "Shock Rock" that was born in the city. The list of songs on the album: 1. Rock ‘n’ Roll 2. Go Man Go 3. Our Love Will Change The World 4. Social Debris 5. $1000 High Heel Shoes 6. Hail Mary 7. Detroit City 2021 8. Drunk And In Love 9. Independence Dave 10. I Hate You 11. Wonderful World 12. Sister Anne 13. Hanging On By A Thread (Don’t Give Up) 14. Shut Up And Rock 15. East Side Story For Listening click: Here . "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On February 16, 2021, just five months after the death of drummer Lee Kerslake after a battle with cancer and he is 73 years old, his first solo album "Eleventeen" is released. Lee was a special drummer with a tremendous emotional playing technique. He was also a songwriter with supreme grace and not a bad singer at all. He started playing drums at the age of 11 and began his musical career at the age of 21 with the band "The Gods" where he also met keyboardist Ken Hensley . Later the two will also form the band "Toe Fat" and in 1972 Lee will join Hensley's band "Uriah Heep". In 1980 Lee joined Ozzy Osbourne 's first lineup in his solo career and became one of his lead writers mostly on his second album. In 1986 he even sued Ozzy along with Bob Daisley for non-payment of royalties for their part in writing the songs. Due to health issues, it took Kerslake three years to complete the album, and the result serves as a historical photo collection that reminds us how talented he was. The album features eight tracks showcasing its wide-ranging influences, from the moving opening song " Celia Sienna " on the one hand to " Take Nothing For Granted " reminiscent of the '80s "Uriah Heep" on the other. It looks like Kerslake knew this would be his last work and this is reflected both in the choice of the songs like " You've Got A Friend " and also in the melancholy instrumental section he chose to call " Mom ". List of songs: 01. Celia Sienna 02. Take Nothing For Granted 03. Where Do We Go From Here 04. You May Be By Yourself (But You're Never Alone) 05. Port And A Brandy 06. You've Got A Friend 07. Home Is Where The Heart Is 08. Mom (Instrumental) For Listening: Spotify "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

He is part of the rhythm section due of "Rage Against The Machine" and he holds even more extreme views than the other members of the band, he is a powerful bassist and a wonderful musician!! (Photo: Kevin Winter) 1. His full name is Timothy Robert Commerford and he was born on February 26, 1968. 2. He grew up in Irvine California to an aerospace engineer father and a math teacher mother. 3. The bassists who influenced him a lot are mainly Gene Simmons (KISS), Sid Vicious (Sex Pistols), Steve Harris (Iron Maiden), and Geddy Lee (Rush). 4. When he was in the 5th grade his parents divorced and he stayed to live with his father when his mother left for " Sacramento ". At that time his relationship with his father began to deteriorate as his father abused him in every way possible. 5. At that time, his classmate Zack De La Rocha introduced him to the bass guitar, in which he found refuge from everything that happened to him. 6. The two formed their first band "Juvenile Expression". 7. In 1991, an anonymous guitarist named Tom Morello decided to form a new band, he added Zack whom he was impressed by after seeing him perform in one of the clubs as a singer. They added drummer Brad Wilk whom Tom Morello knew and was looking for a bassist. Zack De La Rocha suggested his childhood friend Tim and thus the band was formed. 8. The quartet gave themselves the name "Rage Against The Machine". Photo: Gie Knaeps 8. The group whom we name the "Rage quartet", recorded 12 songs on a tape that bore the band's name, and tried to get a contract with a major record company. By the way, not all the songs from the tape will appear on the band's debut album - " Rage Against The Machine ". 9. After the tape toured several offices and the group performed many shows in various clubs in Los Angeles for a year, the quartet signed a record contract with "Epic Records" which was the only one that agreed to all of the band's terms. 10. In 1992, the "Rage Quartet" released their debut album " Rage Against The Machine ". The album received a lot of airplay on the radio stations with the first single released from the album "Killing in the Name" tearing up the airwaves. The album reached number one on the Billboard charts and number 45 on the Billboard 200. Just like the photo that captured a shocking moment and covers the album, the quartet shocked the music world and shook the world. 11. Despite many rumors about the dissolution of the "Rage Quartet", the quartet released their second album " Evil Empire ". The album was very successful and took the first place on the "Billboard 200". The band performed with the song "Bulls on Parade" - the second single from the album on the TV series "SNL" and caused a great provocation and was subsequently banned from performing on the program due to the so-called " SNL Flags Incident ". 12. In 1993 Tim adopted his greatest hobby Mountain Biking. He is a professional rider and very famous in the mountain bike industry. On one occasion it even affected his career when "Rage" had to cancel shows in 1995 after he broke his arm in a cycling accident. 13. In 1998 the band released their first live album "Live & Rare". A year later, the band participated in the famous "Woodstock '99" festival. 14. In 1999, the "Rage Quartet" released their third album " The Battle of Los Angeles ". Here too, the album takes first place on the "Billboard 200", but in addition to that, it also gives the band a nomination for the Grammy Award in the "Best Rock Album" category. The album also entered "Rolling Stone's" list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, at number 426. This is the band's last album. 15. In 2000, the band filmed the famous music video for the song "Sleep Now in the Fire" which was filmed on the sidewalk at the entrance to the "New York Stock Exchange". The music video was directed by the famous director Michael Moore who gave them the only instruction, "no matter what happens don't stop playing". The quartet and Moore were arrested during the filming of the music video after they also tried to break into the stock market, they managed to stop the stock market from operating for several hours, a rare event! 16. Although the band announced their official breakup in October 2000 after Zack decided he was leaving the band, they released their covers album " Renegade " two months later. On the album, they pay tribute to: Bruce Springsteen , Bob Dylan , Minor Threat, Eric B. & Rakim, EPMD, "MC5", "The Rolling Stones", Cypress Hil,l and "Devo". 17. After the disbandment of the "Rage Quartet", the trio decided to try to form a new band and find a replacement singer for Zack. Tim called him a "crossroads angel", Rick Rubin recognized that the trio had huge potential (not really hard to spot), supported them, and pushed them to go to group therapy. Rubin is also the one who invited Chris Cornell to the studio when the trio played there, because he was sure that it would be a pairing from heaven, and indeed it was!! 18. In 2002, the new quartet supergroup, which was called "Audioslave" released its debut album, called " Audioslave ". The combination between Chris and the "Rage Trio" was simply huge, a deadly combination of talented and rough musicians with a singer with a tremendous, exciting and rough voice. The singles "Cochise", "Show Me How to Live", "What You Are", "Like a Stone" and "I Am the Highway" were released from the album. 19. In 2005, the supergroup "Audioslave" released its second album " Out of Exile ". It is the band's only album to reach number one on the "Billboard 200" and also earned the band their second "Grammy Award" nomination. The singles "Be Yourself", "Your Time Has Come", "Doesn't Remind Me" and "Out of Exile" were released from the album. 20. On May 6, 2005, the band made its historic appearance in "Cuba," the supergroup became the first American rock band in history to receive permission to perform live in "Cuba". The event was filmed and released on DVD in October 2005 and later also on the " Live In Cuba " album. 21. In 2006, the supergroup's third and final album titled " Revelations " was released, the album reached number 2 on the Billboard 200. The supergroup officially disbanded as a result of artistic differences it had with the "Rage Trio". 22. In 2007, the "Rage Quartet" (which included Zack) returned for a "one-off" performance at the "Coachella Music Festival". Fortunately, the performance was not a one-off and the band continued its performances at major festivals over the years to this day!! We are still praying that they will come to Israel because not all of us experienced the historic and crazy event that happened at the "Cinerama" club in the 90s. 23. In the same year Tim participated together with Brad Wilk in the album "V" Is for Vagina", of the band "Puscifer", led by Maynard James Keenan . 24. In 2013, Tim founded the band "Future User" together with Jordan Tarlow and Jon Knox. A progressive rock band that combined electronic elements and released one album in 2015 "SteroidsOrHeroin". The music video for the band's song "Voodoo Juju" is a kind of satirical criticism of the healthcare industry in the US, in which he plays a patient who is about to undergo spine surgery. Geddy Lee , Alex Lifeson and Tom Morello participated in the music video, among others. 25. In the same year Tim participated together with Brad Wilk in the recording of the song "Time Slowing Down" as part of the project " Sound City " led by Dave Grohl . 26. Another band that Tim started was "Wakrat". A punk-rock band consisting of Mathias Wakrat and Laurent Grangeon as they release one album bearing the band's name. 27. In 2016 the "Rage Trio" joined another "Rage Trio", rapper B-Real from Cypress Hill, rapper Chuck D from "Public Enemy" and DJ Lord and they became the "Prophets of Rage". 28. In the same year "the prophets" released the mini-album "The Party's Over" and in 2017 they released their debut and only album bearing the group's name. 29. It can be said that Tim has the most extreme views among the "Rage Quartet", he is a devout believer in "conspiracy theory". He believes that there is a conspiracy or fake news in many events such as the landing on the moon or the existence of "ISIS" organization. 30. In 2022, Tim shared that he was battling prostate cancer and had his prostate removed two months before he went on tour with Rage. 31. On July 9, 2022, Rage Against the Machine played their first concert in 11 years at Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin. The show was supposed to be followed by a worldwide tour but it was canceled due to a leg injury de la Rocha sustained during a performance. 32. On January the band published a statement on social media, that they are done touring and playing live shows. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Today we would like to tell you about the shy talented and humble George Harrison, and at the same time invite you to click on the link at the end of this review and listen to the playlist we prepared for you, with songs George wrote throughout his career. (Photo: courtesy of the Harrison family) 1. George Harrison was born in Liverpool on February 25, 1943, he was the youngest of four children. 2. Among his first musical influences were Chuck Berry, Carl Perkins, and Chet Atkins. 3. His first band was called "the Rebels". He co-founded it with his brother Peter and friend Arthur Kelly. 4. He first met Paul McCartney on a bus on his way to school. 5. George was only 15 years old when John Lennon auditioned him to "The Quarrymen", which later became "The Beatles". It was on the second floor of a double-decker bus, after Paul told John Lennon that he knew someone who played the guitar perfectly. (Photo: Music History Twitter) 6. He left school as early as age 16 and started working at a local department store. 7. The first song he co-wrote with Paul McCartney was "Despite All The Danger", it was back in 1958 as part of "the Quarrymen". 8. Although he has not written songs for the Beatles' first album, he sings in two songs from it, one of which is "Do You Want to Know a Secret?". 9. The first song he wrote for "the Beatles" was "Don't Bother Me", from the band's second album. 10. He is the one who led "the Beatles" members to experiment with Indian music and the use of Indian musical instruments. One of the first and most famous uses was the Sitar in the song "Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)". (Photo: Rex Features) 11. The first song he wrote for "the Beatles" and appeared on a single was "The Inner Light" from 1968. It was the b-side of "Lady Madonna". 12. He invented the concept of fundraising shows. He was the first to organize such a show in 1971 with " Concert for Bangladesh ", which also came out as a double album and as a movie. 13. He was greatly influenced by Bob Dylan and the members of "The Band". After the release of " The White Album " in 1968, Harrison flew to the United States and spent time at Bob Dylan's home in Woodstock, where "The Band" worked on their first album. 14. He co-wrote the song "Badge" for the band "Cream", with Eric Clapton , which was released on the band's fourth and final album - "Goodbye" from 1968. 15. He also wrote several songs for Ringo Starr 's solo career, the best known of which is "Photograph". 16. He played on John Lennon 's solo album " Imagine ". 17. He produced and played the sitar on the hit "Day After Day" by the band "Badfinger". 18. He was the first of "the Beatles" members to release a solo album, even while the band was active. These were two experimental albums, "Wonderwall Music", and "Electronic Sound" which used synthesizers in their earlier version. 19. He was also the first of "the Beatles" members to go on tour after they broke up. It was in 1974 in a tour called the "Dark Horse tour". 20. Harrison is also the only member of "the Beatles" to release a triangular solo album " All Things Must Pass ". 21. He also "donated" the theme song from the album " All Things Must Pass " to his keyboardist friend Billy Preston who released the song even before Harrison released it. It was part of Preston's "Encouraging Words" album, which came out about three months before Harrison's album. 22. Beyond his guitar and singing skills, Harrison knew how to play on 26 other different instruments. 23. For example, he played the violin in the song "All You Need is Love". 24. He lost his virginity to the cheers of the rest of "the Beatles" members. This was in the band's early years when the members shared one room in Germany. 25. As an avid fan of Monty Python members he founded a production company and produced the film "Life of Brian". He did this by taking out a mortgage on his home. As a token of appreciation, the members of Monty Python gave him a guest appearance in the mythological film. 26. In 1974 he also founded his own record company - "Dark Horse Records". 27. He also became a producer and among other things produced that year the album "The Place I Love" by the duo "Splinter". 28. As part of his spiritual search in India he became a vegetarian in the 1960s. 29. The most famous song of his solo career "My Sweet Lord" was the basis for a copyright lawsuit in connection with a song called "He's So Fine", by the female band "The Chiffons" from 1963. Harrison was forced to pay a fantastic sum for those times, in the amount of $ 1.5 million, To dismiss the lawsuit against him. 30. He wrote a song about this event called "This Song". It came out as part of his 1976 album called "33 and 1/3". 31. Lennon and McCartney did not want his song "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" on " The White Album ". Harrison brought his friend Eric Clapton to the studio, he played the solo in the song and suddenly Paul and John relented. 32. He was the youngest "Beatle" and only 27 years old when "the Beatles" broke up. 33. An asteroid discovered on March 9, 1984, is named after him. 34. He wrote the song "Wah-Wah" when he left the Beatles shortly after a quarrel between him and McCartney, during the recordings of the " Let it Be " album. He left the studio and went home to write the song and claimed that the argument with Paul McCartney caused him a big headache like "Wah-Wah". 35. In 1988 he formed the supergroup "Traveling Wilburys" together with Jeff Lynne , Roy Orbison, Tom Petty , and Bob Dylan . He wrote and sang, among other things, the hit "Handle With Care". 6. He was ranked 11th on "Rolling Stone magazine's" list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. 37. His first marriage to model Pattie Boyd, whom he married in 1966, ended in divorce in 1977. 38. One of the songs he wrote about her is "Something". It was the first song Harrison wrote for "the Beatles" which was released as the first side of a single. All "the Beatles" members and George Martin thought it was the best song on the " Abbey Road " album. Even Frank Sinatra defined the song as the most beautiful love song written in the last 50 years. 39. The clip for the song includes all "the Beatles" members along with their wives. At the same time, the photos of each couple were taken separately, in light of the tension that prevailed between the band members. 40. Patty was courted by his friend Eric Clapton , who also wrote the song "Layla" about her. Clapton married Patty after her divorce from Harrison. That did not stop Clapton and Harrison from remaining friends. 41. In 1997 Harrison was diagnosed with throat cancer. Later in 2001, he discovered that cancer had returned, this time in his lungs. 42. He recorded his last album "BRAINWASHED" in the shadow of the chemotherapy he underwent to treat his illness. 43. The last song he wrote was "A Horse To Water". His writing partner was his son Dhani. The song was performed by "Jools Holland's Rhythm and Blues Orchestra", as part of their 2001 album "Small World, Big Band" and Harrison was a guest on it. 44. On November 12, 2001, about two weeks before his death, he met with his Beatles friends Ringo and Paul, for the last time. They ate a meal in New York where he was receiving treatment for his illness. The meeting was happy and humorous as the friends reminisced about their distant past. Ringo flew straight from Boston, where he accompanied his daughter who had undergone head tumor treatments and was forced to leave immediately at the end of the meal, to return to her. Paul stayed and spent more time with Harrison and his wife. (Photo: Eric Alper Twitter) 45. Harrison passed away on November 29, 2001. Just one year after his death, an amazing and moving performance was held in his memory called "Concert for George". The show was recorded and released on audio and video and featured Paul McCartney , Ringo Starr , Eric Clapton , Tom Petty , and Jeff Lynne . For listening to the playlist we have prepared for you, click on the following link : Here . "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On February 24, 2022 "Scorpions" released its 19th album "Rock Believer". The album was released 50 years after the band's debut album " Lonesome Crow " and exactly 43 years after " Lovedrive ", which was released today only in 1979, and it's probably not really a coincidence. This is the Scorpions' first studio album since "Return to Forever"ת released in 2015. It is also their first with drummer Mikkey Dee (formerly King Diamond and "Motorhead"), who joined the band in 2016, following Lemmy Kilmister 's death and the breakup of his band. After the release of "Return to Forever", the band went on a long tour that was also meant to mark the band's 50th-anniversary celebrations. About three months before the tour ended, in December 2016, drummer James Kottak was fired from the band and Mikkey Dee was officially announced as his replacement. After the addition of Mikkey Dee , the tour continued for another three years, which delayed any plans to record a new album. The writing of the material for the album began in the middle of 2019, but then came Covid-19. Amid the Covid-19 lockdowns, in February 2020, the band manages to release the single " Sign Of Hope ", a ballad that works on it has been completed especially to bring a message of hope due to the world crises (and is not included in the album). However, following the Covid-19 lockdowns, the band was unable to return to the studio and continue work on the new album. They already had quite a few finished songs just waiting to be recorded, but the situation did not allow them to get to Los Angeles, where they began working with producer Greg Fidelman, or alternatively the producer's arrival in Germany, to finish work on the album. Eventually, the band decided to "go back to roots" and recorded the album at the "Peppermint Park" studios, in their hometown of Hanover, Germany. They gave up on producer Greg Fidelman, who was supposed to produce the album in Los Angeles, and chose to produce it close to home along with Hans-Martin Buff. The opening song " Gas in the Tank " written by Klaus Meine and Rudolf Schenker , is a statement of intent by the band, with words that leave no room for doubt, "King of the Riffs is back in town" and "Scorpions" is back to "sting" you: "Pour hammer riffs all over me A little dirty, a little cheap Move your fingers up and down the fret The V is flyin' without a net Black me in and black me out The king of riffs is back in town Who is up for a deadly sting? Black me out and black me in" The "fuel in the tank" of "Scorpions" from the opening track, manages to keep the album on the highway throughout. There are moments when the band, and especially Mikkey Dee , "press the pedal to the metal", like with " Roots in My Boots ", " Knock 'em Dead ", " When I Lay My Bones to Rest " or " Hot and Cold ". There are times they shift down the gear and go into cruise mode, like with the theme song " Rock Believer " or " Seventh Sun " or even sliding through traffic jams like with the ending ballad " When You Know (Where You Come From) ". There are also moments when they get off the highway looking for scenic views, as with " Shining of Your Soul ", which corresponds with the reggae of "Is There Anybody There" from the album " Lovedrive ", which was released just today in 1979. Four singles have been released from the album so far, the first of which " Peacemaker ", which was released on November 4, 2021. A track that is full of the classic "Scorpions", as we know it. Hot riffs by Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs, a groovy and catchy chorus, and powerful Klaus Meine vocals whose voice simply refuses to age. The lyrics were written by Klaus Meine and are steeped in, among other things, the Covid-19 events that made him think that so many people were dying around, whether from the virus, whether from destructive wars, or other illogical crimes and it made him feel like the "undertaker" had to work overtime To "deliver the goods" and that it was time for the "peacemaker" to rule. The 11-song album was also released in a limited deluxe edition, with five more songs, including an acoustic rendition of the song " When You Know (Where You Come From) " and the excellent track " Crossing Borders ". For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On February 25, 1979, "Scorpions" released its sixth studio album, "Lovedrive". This album marked a fundamental change in the sound and style of the band. It was the first to set the familiar formula of "Scorpions", which includes a combination of Hard Rock songs with melodic and sweet ballads. It is also the album that some critics consider to be the pinnacle of the band's work. The story of "Lovedrive" begins in 1977, with the end of the recordings of the album "Taken By Force", which marked the end of the psychedelic era of "Scorpions". The change in the musical line led to friction between Rudolf Schenker and Klaus Meine on the one hand, who wanted to push the band's style towards Hard Rock/Melodic Metal, and Uli Jon Roth on the other. These musical disagreements led Uli Jon Roth to decide he wanted to leave the band, but Klaus Meine 's persuasions led him to stay for the tour during which the " Tokyo Tapes " live album was recorded. At the end of the tour, Uli Jon Roth left the band and founded "Electric Sun". In his place, "Scorpions" hired the services of guitarist Matthias Jabs, who was chosen from 150 guitarists who auditioned, thus completing the band's classic line-up. But the story was not so simple, because after Matthias joined the band, a new actor, a "Superstar", came into the picture, in the form of Michael Schenker , the brother of Rudolf Schenker who just left "UFO", after the release of the live album " Strangers in the Night " from 1979. Michael was a guest on the recording of "Lovedrive" and even provided solos and background vocals, for 6 of the album's eight songs. Later Michael will also replace Jabs during the band's tour, but will leave again in April 1979, to set up his own project "Michael Schenker Group". This will lead Matthias back into the band's arms. Why are we telling you all of this? Because the addition of Jabs and the change of musical direction by Rudolf Schenker and Klaus Meine , will bring "Scorpions" to meteoric success that will only intensify from the early 1980s, while "Lovedrive" marks the exact turning point. Rudolf Schenker said that after the departure of Uli Jon Roth , he and Meine were determined to prove they could continue without him. The recruitment of Jabs helped them hone their sound. The songs became shorter and denser and they relied less on guitar solos and more on stadium-oriented catchy riffs. The fact that the meteor Michael Schenker joined the recordings, only added to the confidence and helped the musical change, while giving the band exactly the boost it needed. For example, Michael Schenker 's additions in songs like the energetic and fast-paced " Another Piece of Meat ", the instrumental " Coast to Coast " or the theme song " Lovedrive " is well felt, especially in the last one, where the riff and rhythm, sound like they were borrowed from Michael's previous band, "UFO". Another significant change that took place on this album, was the dominance of "power ballads" like " Holiday ", which will become a regular part of the band's albums, as a matter of deliberate policy. It's not that the band did not have quiet and melodic songs before, but on this album, they came up with the winning formula, which not only will skyrocket their careers, but will serve as a role model for any Hard Rock or Heavy Metal band in the 1980s and beyond. You will hardly find a classic Heavy Metal album during the 80s, without a ballad that tries to emulate the winning recipe that "Scorpions" started on this album. Listen, for example, to "Always Somewhere" (whose chord progression itself was influenced by "Simple Man" by "Lynyrd Skynyrd") https://en.faceoffrockshow.com/post/scorpions-taken-by-force and then to "Don't Cry" by "Guns N 'Roses" and understand what we're talking about. This balanced between "fast and furious" and "slow and melodic", will become an ultimate irresistible combination. This recipe will be incorporated into the band's next albums such as "Blackout" and "Love at First Sting", which will spawn stadium rock anthems alongside timeless ballads. So if you want to know where the so familiar "Scorpions" sound started to crystallize, listen here: Spotify , Apple Music . "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website