Here are some interesting facts about Mikkey Dee, known as the drummer for King Diamond , "Motörhead", "Scorpions" and more: (Photo: Mikkey Dee's Facebook page) = Mikkey Dee was born as Micael Kiriakos Delaoglou on October 31, 1963 in Gothenburg, Sweden, to a Greek father and a Swedish mother. = His main influences include Neil Peart , Brian Downey, Buddy Rich , Steve Smith and especially Ian Paice . = He began his musical career with local bands "Nadir" and "Geisha". = In 1985 Dee Joined King Diamond ’s band as a drummer. = In 1986 he played drums on King Diamond 's debut album, " Fatal Portrait ". = In 1987 he played in King Diamond ’s second solo album - "Abigail". = In 1988 he played on King Diamond's third album "Them", the first of two fictional concept albums about King and his mentally ill grandmother. = Dee Left King Diamond after the "Them tour" in 1989, feeling his role became more secondary. = However, Dee has been re-hired as a session drummer for King Diamond ’s "Conspiracy" album released the same year. = In 1990 Dee joined Don Dokken for his solo album "Up from the Ashes" and continued touring with him. Dee had earlier been asked to join "Motörhead" but chose to join Dokken instead. = The same year he briefly filled in for the band "World War Three" (WWIII). = In 1992 Dee joined "Motörhead" at the request of Lemmy , replacing Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor. = He played his first show with "Motörhead" on August 30, 1990 at Saratoga Performing Arts Center, New York. = His first recording with "Motörhead" was the song "Hellraiser" from the "March ör Die" album, released in 1992. = His first full album with "Motörhead", was "Bastards", released in 1993. = Since then until Lemmy 's death in December 2015, Dee was a member of "Motörhead" playing on all 12 studio albums and touring with the band. = In fact it was Dee who announced that "Motörhead" had disbanded after Lemmy 's death. In 2003 Dee played drums on select tracks for "Helloween's" "Rabbit Don't Come Easy" album. = The same year Dee played drums for Martin "E-Type" Eriksson on the Swedish pre-qualification for "Eurovision" 2004. = Dee reunited with King Diamond in 2006 for a sold-out show in Gothenburg, Sweden. = In 2009 he participated in the Swedish TV show "Kändisdjungeln" and was replaced on "Motörhead’s" tour by Matt Sorum during filming. = In 2016 Dee joined "Thin Lizzy" for anniversary shows but left before performances began. = The same year he joined the "Scorpions" to fill in for James Kottak on North American tour dates, later becoming a permanent member. = In 2017 he recorded the 3 new tracks on the "Scorpions'" "Born to Touch Your Feelings: Best of Rock Ballads". = In 2022 he recorded with the "Scorpions" on their " Rock Believer " album. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On October 30, 1983 "Mercyful Fate" released their debut album, "Melissa". The album stands as a landmark in metal, introducing the world to their unique mix of traditional heavy metal, dark themes, and King Diamond 's signature falsetto vocal style. Although the band released the "Mercyful Fate (Nuns Have No Fun) EP" in 1982, "Mellisa" is widely regarded as a seminal release that shaped the evolution of extreme metal. Known for its raw, intense sound and occult-driven themes, "Melissa" is both a sonic and thematic precursor to genres like black metal and death metal while carrying unmistakable elements of thrash and progressive metal. The album dark lyrics, prominent guitar solos, relentless double bass drumming, and satanic imagery would inspire metal legends like "Metallica", "Slayer", and "Exodus". These bands drew upon "Melissa’s" dark atmosphere and aggression, shaping metal's direction through the ‘80s and beyond. The album opens with “ Evil ,” a track that captures the essence of "Mercyful Fate’s" style—Shermann and Denner’s dueling guitars lay down intricate, yet thunderous, riffs while Timi Hansen’s bass rumbles ominously underneath. This approach, combined with Kim Ruzz’s percussive intensity, provides the perfect foundation for King Diamond ’s operatic vocals and theatricality. Diamond’s shrieking falsettos and lower growls convey a sense of supernatural dread, as he delivers tales of betrayal, witchcraft, and occult rituals that feel as evocative as they are chilling. Tracks like “ Curse of the Pharaohs ” and “ Into the Coven ” expand the album’s dark allure with complex and dynamics, fast-paced riffing and blistering solos, while also offering a small glimpses of the nascent thrash metal sound that would come to dominate the scene. In “ At the Sound of the Demon Bell ,” progressive elements shine through, with shifting tempos and narrative-driven lyrics that showcase the band’s compositional skill and flair for storytelling. These elements also exist in the 11 minute " Satan's Fall " which was written by Hank Shermann during many sleepless nights and according to Michael Denner contains about sixteen different riffs. “ Black Funeral ,” epitomizes "Mercyful Fate’s" venture into dark and theatrical territory. The song encapsulate black metal's darkness. King Diamond’s lyrics describe a ritualistic Black Mass, as his shrieking falsetto and low growls evoke an atmosphere of malevolent celebration. The title track, “ Melissa ,” stands out as a haunting and emotional close to the album. With a slower, melancholic melody, the song tells the tragic story of a lost love named Melissa, creating a rare moment of vulnerability that adds depth and poignancy to the album’s otherwise unrelenting darkness. The impact of "Melissa" on the metal genre was recognized by "Rolling Stone" in 2017, placing it at #17 on their list of “The 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time.” Its legacy remains undeniable; "Melissa" was among the first records to bridge heavy metal’s traditional sound with an “extreme” aesthetic, setting new standards in musicianship and lyrical exploration. For metal enthusiasts, "Melissa" is more than an album—it is a historical milestone that continues to inspire, shock, and captivate with each listen. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On October 30, 1985, "Anthrax" released their second studio album "Spreading the Disease". We have collected for you some interesting facts about it: 1. This is the band's first album with singer Joey Belladonna. 2. The band members were not initially enthusiastic about Belladonna's addition as he did not come from a thrash metal background, but after being very impressed with his performance they accepted him for the role. 3. Before joining Anthrax, Belladonna was in a cover band. He was singing songs of "Journey", "Foreigner" and "Deep Purple" during the audition. 4. Before Anthrax accepted him as their singer, the band members just sat down and taught Belladonna what Thrash Metal is and played him all their recordings as well as material from Thrash bands. 5. Even then it was not perfect and Scott I an had to work with Belladonna and literally explain to him how to sing and how to combine the syllables with the riffs. 6. Belladonna was not the first to fill the role of singer for "Anthrax". The band had already entered the studio with singer Matt Fallon, after most of the songs were ready, but he did not deliver the goods and the band quickly fired him. 7. Following the brief and unsuccessful "affair" with Matt Fallon, the band members have already considered splitting the singing roles between guitarist Scott Ian and bassist Frank Bello. Ian said they were thinking of the band "Kiss" which has two lead vocalists when the idea came up. Frank was supposed to sing the cleaner songs like Paul Stanley , and Scott the hardcore tracks. 8. A few months before the release of the album, the band released a mini-album (EP) featuring the first recordings with Belladonna. The mini-album is called "Armed and Dangerous", it includes a different version of the songs that will also be included in the album, as well as recordings of two songs from the band's first album, re-recorded with Belladonna. 9. This is also the band's first album with bassist Frank Bello. 10. Although leaving the band, the album features songs written by singer Neil Turbin. 11. The fired bassist Dan Lilker also received credit for writing some of the album's songs. 12. The clip for the hit single "Madhouse" was banned on MTV because the station believed its content humiliating the mentally ill. 13. This is the band's first album with the label "Megaforce". 14. The person who produced the album is Jon Zazula, the owner of "Megaforce". 15. Jon Zazula received credit for writing the song "Medusa". 16. After the recording of the album, guitarist Scott Ian , drummer Charlie Benante, and bassist Dan Lilker who left the bend, formed the band "Stormtroopers of Death" known for its crossover thrash style. 17. The only song from the album written after Belladonna took the role of the singer was "A.I.R.". 18. The one who wrote the riff for this song was drummer Charlie Benante. 19. The abbreviations of "A.I.R." Are "Adolescence in Red" and it was influenced by the name of Gershwin's famous composition "Rhapsody in Blue". 20. The song "The Enemy" was written about Adolf Hitler, the genocide he committed, and his responsibility for the results of the Holocaust. For Listening : Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

One note... Ping... A tiny sound wave sent from "Pink Floyd's" active sonar in the depths of the ocean returned as a huge and terrifying "echo" in the form of a 23:31 minute musical piece - "Echoes". On October 30, 1971, the album "Meddle" was released, the sixth studio album by "Pink Floyd", whose main opus "Echoes" became synonymous with it. It can be said that this little ping is responsible for the rebirth of the band. A small flash of light, a lighthouse in the dark that directs the "Pink Floyd" rocking ship to a safe shore. One note that is actually a compass that helped the band find its musical direction, break away from the psychedelia, overcome Syd Barrett , and spring forward to the top of the music world and become one of the greatest bands in history. It is amazing to think that this single note originated by mistake. A random click on a high B key on Richard Wright 's piano which went through the Leslie speaker and produced the famous "ping" that developed the masterpiece called "Echoes". When the band entered Abbey Road Studios in London in January 1971, it was empty of ideas. Each member of the band grabbed a corner in the studio and began musical attempts and experiments. The band members even called them "Nothing, Parts 1-24" and later "The Son of Nothing" and "The Return of the Son of Nothing". These musical ideas served as the basis for this crazy work that is the fruit of a joint effort from all four members. During the development of the piece, the lyrics referred to the encounter between two celestial bodies, but due to Roger Waters' concern about the band's being cataloged as a "Space Rock" band, the lyrics were altered to contain "underwater" images that correspond well with the "ping", with the water drops on the album cover and even with the "seagulls" sounds created by David Gilmour 's guitar during the "Echoes" musical piece. And for those who wonder what that album cover represents. So this is a photo of a human ear filmed underwater. Yes, this is what the band asked the legendary cover designer Storm Thorgerson to decorate the album cover. By the way, Thorgerson wanted it to be a close-up of Baboon's anus, but the band objected and Storm later claimed it was his least favorite cover than all the ones he designed in the "Pink Floyd" catalog. Here is the place to point out that in our humble opinion this is the album where David Gilmour was re-born. It's not that he did not exist before, God forbid! But on this album he began to shine, developing his all-too-unique sound, the little touches, the melodic solos, the effects so identified with him, the "feel" and the immortal slide. Not only that, but on this album, he also gained confidence in singing as he served as the lead singer in all but one of the album's songs. And if that was not enough, then he was also prominent in the creative process and was a part of writing all the songs on this album except one. The musical piece " Echoes " was the first song the band recorded for the album. If we continue with the "watery" line, then this is undoubtedly the "anchor" of the album, as well as of the film "Live at Pompeii", where it was divided into two parts that open and end the film. But "Meddle" is definitely not just "Echoes". There’s the amazing and “almost” instrumental opening track “ One of These Days ”. Nearly 6 minutes of a nervous and sweeping groove led by Waters and Gilmour's pulsing bass. Yes, yes beyond David Gilmour 's crazy playing on the slide guitar console, he reinforces Roger Waters playing bass guitar, while Nick Mason is in charge of the immortal sentence: "One of these days, I'm going to cut you into little pieces". The second track " A Pillow of Winds " evokes in us one association - "tranquility". The song details the stages of sleep, going to bed, dreaming, and waking up in the morning. David Gilmour composed the magical and simple chord passages and participated with Roger Waters in writing the lyrics. Beyond the acoustic guitars, Gilmour melts our hearts with electric touches and Slide guitar while Roger Waters plays fretless bass. Immediately after that comes " Fearless " - another collaboration between Roger Waters (who also plays acoustic guitar) and David Gilmour . It was also the only single released from the album that ends with the amazing crowd of Liverpool football team fans, singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" - a song by the Rodgers and Hammerstein duo, which became the band's anthem. The fourth track " San Tropez " is the only one on the album written and sung by Roger Waters solely. While writing the song Waters was influenced by a vacation the band took in St. Tropez and he plays an acoustic in addition to bass. The ending Track of the first side " Seamus " is named after singer Steve Marriott's ("Small Faces" and "Humble Pie") Border Collie dog. Gilmore was babysitting the dog for Marriott and brought it with him to the studio one day. The dog used to bark and howl at the sound of David Gilmour playing, which got the idea to create this very special duet between a guitar and a dog. By the way, the gatefold of the album included a picture of the four members of the band. This was "Pink Floyd's" last photo on an album. None of "Pink Floyd's" albums up to the 1987 album " A Momentary Lapse of Reason " will not include a picture of the band members and even on " A Momentary Lapse of Reason " the picture is of David Gilmour and Nick Mason , while on later releases the picture of Richard Wright was added. This album was a very important step in the development of the band and its transition from the psychedelic era to the more progressive period. Roger Waters noted that the lyrics of "Echoes" were an attempt to explain the potential that each human being has to know and respect each other - or in his words "empathy rather than antipathy". Waters will later develop the ideological idea of this work and begin to focus on the people and problems of humanity. Before the rain of effects of " The Dark Side Of The Moon " and before the criticism of " Animals ", this album gives us a one-time glimpse into the pure and optimistic musical innocence of a cohesive band that has found the sound that will define it. 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On October 29, 2005, we witnessed one of the biggest metal concerts ever held in Israel. The legendary Ronnie James Dio took the stage of Pavilion 1 at the Tel Aviv Exhibition Grounds, with his band, and gave a tremendous and unforgettable performance. (Photo: Scanpix Norway) The performance was the last of the "Holy Diver Live" tour, which would later also be released as a live album and DVD. This was Ronnie James Dio 's first visit to the Holy Land. Before the show, he stated that he had no idea about the musical culture in Israel and he didn't think it was a place where metal bands come to play, but after talking with the members of "Scorpions" who visited Israel he was very enthusiastic. The band that accompanied him included drummer Simon Wright , guitarist Doug Aldrich, bassist Rudy Sarzo, and keyboardist Scott Warren. During the concert, the entire masterpiece album " Holy Diver " was played from start to finish, as well as a collection of songs from Ronnie James Dio 's era in the bands "Rainbow" and "Black Sabbath". Dio stated during the show that it's a shame that such great songs don't get to be played live. Since Ozzy Osbourne returned to "Black Sabbath" they haven't played songs from the Dio era and "Rainbow" is long gone, so "Dio" is the only band that keeps these excellent songs alive in concert. As part of his visit, Dio made a short tour of the country that included a visit to the Western Wall and the holy places for Christianity, in the Old City of Jerusalem. Believe it or not, there is full video documentation of this historic performance: Part I: Part II: The Concert Setlist: 1. Tarot Woman 2. The Sign of the Southern Cross 3. One Night in the City Holy Diver Live: 4. Stand Up and Shout 5. Holy Diver 6. Gypsy - Drum Solo 7. Caught in the Middle 8. Don't Talk to Strangers 9. Straight Through the Heart 10. Invisible 11. Rainbow in the Dark 12. Shame on the Night - Guitar Solo 13. Gates of Babylon 14. Heaven and Hell Encore : 15. Man on the Silver Mountain 16. Long Live Rock 'n' Roll 17. The Last in Line 18. We Rock 19. The Mob Rules For the live album released following the tour: Spotify "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On October 29, 1984 "Deep Purple" released their eleventh studio album "Perfect Strangers". The album marked one of rock's most exhilarating reunions—the return of "Deep Purple’s" iconic MK II lineup after an 11-year hiatus. This classic lineup, featuring Ritchie Blackmore , Ian Gillan , Roger Glover , Jon Lord , and Ian Paice , hadn’t recorded together since " Who Do We Think We Are " in 1973. Not only that, it was "Deep Purple's" first studio album in nine years. The album saw each band member bringing fresh fire from major projects: Blackmore and Glover had made waves with "Rainbow", Gillan who had formed "Ian Gillan Band" and later a separate group named “Gillan” had just wrapped up a stint with "Black Sabbath", Lord and Paice had been with "Whitesnake", and Paice had been performing with Gary Moore ’s band. With "Perfect Strangers", they didn’t just pick up where they left off—they created a modern rock masterpiece that embraced their past and pushed it forward. The album title may have hinted on the writing process, since when the five members of the classic MK II lineup met on Rural Stowe, Vermont, USA, they probably felt like "Perfect Strangers". The band had written and recorded 10 tracks, with eight of them making it to the original record, and two more, “ Not Responsible ” and the extended instrumental “ Son of Alerik ”, appearing on later versions of the album. The album kicks off with “ Knocking at Your Back Door ,” an electrifying seven minute opener that demonstrates the band's enduring chemistry. Jon Lord ’s dramatic keyboard intro build the tension while Roger Glover bass joining in to add to the atmosphere as if taken from a horror movie. Ian Paice 's snare drum come as an off-beat blast. Ritchie Blackmore 's plays his powerful riffs and signature guitar solos. Jon Lord 's signature keyboards set an unstoppable pace, with Ian Gillan ’s vocals—full of grit and flair—adding a fresh intensity. The song written by Gillan about anal sex, carries a refined, slicker production style that reflects the ’80s without sacrificing the raw style and energy of this classic lineup. Right after comes “ Under the Gun ” with it's thundering rhythm by Glover and Paice and an excellent catchy keyboard riff by Lord. The song pick up the tempo with a more aggressive, punchy sound that channels the energetic, rebellious spirit of classic "Deep Purple". The short instrumental bridge on 2:25 min. will surely remind you of "Rainbow", with Blackmore taking the lead in two mind blowing guitar solos. The hard-hitting “ Nobody’s Home ,” is the only song credited to all five members, perfectly balances technical skill with a sense of joy and spontaneity, making it one of the album’s standout moments. Here, the band strove to restore the collaborative spirit of the MK II era, and the track’s energy shows it. The first side of the vinyl ends up with “ Mean Streak ” - maybe the weaker song on the first side, but still a great one which will remind you the classic "Purple" of the earlt 70's. The Second side of the vinyl opens up with the title track, " Perfect Strangers ". It's haunting and mesmerizing, driven by Blackmore’s dark, resonant riffs and Lord’s atmospheric keyboard touches, which create a sweeping, almost cinematic soundscape. Gillan's reflective lyrics are inspired by the Elric books by Michael Moorcock, delve into themes of identity, change, and reunion, offering listeners a glimpse into the band’s own journey. The track encapsulates everything that made "Deep Purple" legendary, combining bluesy roots with hard-rock grandeur in a way that felt both timeless and modern. It's one of the few "Deep Purple" songs without a guitar solo, yet founding guitarist Ritchie Blackmore has named it his favorite. The next track " A Gypsy’s Kiss " is a "Rainbow" style song which is one of the catchiest in the album, with a masterful keyboard playing by Jon Lord . Although, the song come close to the classic "Deep Purples" style during the multi-part instrumental, with Blackmore and Lord changing leads and harmonizing with each other. The album is nearing the end with the beautiful ballad " Wasted Sunsets " showcasing "Deep Purple's" softer, more introspective side. It’s one of the few tracks that highlights Ritchie Blackmore's guitar work in a restrained, emotive manner rather than through a blazing solo, adding a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere with it's blusy guitar notes. " Hungry Daze ," the album closes on a nostalgic note, reflecting on the band’s early days with a touch of humor and introspection. Gillan’s lyrics take listeners on a walk down memory lane, while the music, powerful and polished, is a celebration of the band's roots. In conclusion, after almost a decade apart and with each member arriving from diverse musical experiences, "Deep Purple" emerged more refined, versatile, and driven. This wasn’t a mere nostalgia act but rather a recharged lineup that could still surprise and innovate. Fans and newcomers alike could see that the MK II lineup still had magic left, and "Perfect Strangers" was a thunderous return to form, solidifying "Deep Purple's" status as rock legends. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Today we will tell you about blues guitarist Peter Green who passed away at the age of 73. (Photo: W.W.Thaler - H. Weber, Hildesheim) Green (Greenbaum) - An English Jew was born in London as Peter Allen Greenbaum on October 29, 1946. From a very young age, his brother Michael began to teach him to play the guitar, and at 11, Peter already began to teach himself. At the age of 15, he played professionally, while at the same time working for a courier company. He first played bass guitar in a band called "Bobby Dennis and the Dominoes" which played pop and rock n' roll hits, including "the Shadows" which Peter admired. He would later point out that guitarist Hank Marvin is his guitar hero. In 1965 he played lead guitar in "Peter B's Looners", where he also met the drummer Mick Fleetwood. Yes, the band of Peter Bardens who would later join "Camel". In October 1965 he served as Eric Clapton's replacement for four shows on John Mayall's Bluesbreakers. About a year later he became his regular replacement and among other things will record with the band the album "A Hard Road" from 1967. Green will later rise to prominence as part of his band "Fleetwood Mac," which he co-founded with blues breakers bassist John McVie and drummer Mick Fleetwood. Together with the band Green will release three albums. Green has signed on for some of the band's greatest works including "Albatross", "Black Magic Woman", "Oh Well", "The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown)" and "Man of the World". Green's great success brought with it mental problems after he became addicted to LSD, which caused him schizophrenia. Green eventually left Fleetwood Mac in the early 1970s as the band continued to exist under the direction of John McVeigh and Mick Fleetwood. At one point, Green came to Israel and even volunteered at the kibbutz, but he was unable to overcome his mental problems and when he returned to England he deteriorated, was arrested, and became homeless. In the late 1970s, he recovered with his family's help and returned to perform and record. On December 25, 1980, during Green's visit to Israel, he joined an impromptu recording session at Eshel Studios in Tel Aviv, together with Israeli musicians, including drummer Yossi Bozin, guitarist Shimon Holly, keyboardist Pima Schuster (Stella Maris), guitarist and singer Amir Ben David (AvTipus). Also present at the studio were Ofer Ackerling, Yoav Kutner, and sound technician Yoram Lev. In June 1996, he was ranked third on the list of "the best guitarists of all time" in Mojo magazine. In 1998, he was inducted into the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" as the founder of Fleetwood Mac. In 1997 he formed the band "Peter Green Splinter Group" in which he played, among others, drummer Cozy Powell. Green will release several albums with the band until 2003. Green, ranked 58th on "Rolling Stone" magazine's 100 greatest guitarists of all time, will be remembered as a musical genius who greatly influenced musicians and bands in the blues field but certainly not only, but even hard rock (Aerosmith) and metal (Judas Priest) artists performed his songs. Green has released 6 albums as part of his solo career and has had a significant number of collaborations and guest appearances with artists such as: John Mayall, Eddie Boyd, B. B. King, Peter Gabriel , and more. In 2016 Kirk Hammett from "Metallica" purchased Green's 1959 Les Paul guitar for a fantastic figure of $ 2 million. It was the same guitar that Gary Moore purchased from Green in the 1960s. On July 25, 2020, Green died under natural circumstances at the age of 73. His family reported that he passed away peacefully in his sleep. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On October 29, 2021 "The War On Drug" released "I Don’t Live Here Anymore". Four years after the amazing "A Deeper Understanding", Adam Granduciel & Co. brings us "I Don't Live Here Anymore", the fifth studio album of "The War On Drugs", the perfect album for a fall morning ... In huge contrast to the album title, Adam Granduciel which is actually "The War On Drugs", definitely "lives here" and he is not going anywhere, on the contrary! He holds the burning torch of classical rock and makes sure it does not go out, all in the name of the younger generation. Adam Granduciel, who actually does everything in the band (singer, writer, and multi-instrumentalist), continues to produce "boutique" albums, ones that are almost non-existent today. An amazing combination of classic rock, with a mix of folk, rock, indie, Americana, and psychedelia. Listening to "The War On Drugs" new album will put you in Dr. Brown and Marty McFly's Delorean car and play with your timeline. On the one hand, the rhythm is quite uniform and monotonous, it sounds like one long song and will make you feel like time has stopped as if you are caught in an endless loop. On the other hand, it is simply magical and mesmerizing and you can not stop listening to it. It will bounce you back and forth on the timeline of the 70s, 80s of the last century and even into the current millennium and then back. It will replace the images in your head and you will feel like you are moving between cities, states and continents. It will change the sound when Granduciel's faded and rough voice is sometimes sound like Jacob Dylan and just like a chameleon will alternate between Peter Gabriel , Mark Knopfler , Rod Stewart, and Tom Petty . It will replace the record for you each time with a different artist. A little Bruce Springsteen with " I Don't Wanna Wait " and " Wasted ", a little "Fleetwood Mac" with " Harmonia Dream ", a little Peter Gabriel with " Victim " and trust us you will also hear "U2", "REM", Brian Adams, "The Waterboys", "Dire Straits" and more. This album would have come out earlier, had it not been for two events that influenced its work. The band just finished the world tour to promote the album "A Deeper Understanding" from 2017, which also picked up the Grammy Award as the best rock album, and just then Covid-19 changed everything. The lockdowns pushed Granduciel to continue and create. He also just became a father during this period and the combination of these two events only reinforced the fact that the material in "I Don't Live Here Anymore" is even more "spiritual" than ever, full of reflections on change, emotion, and destiny. There is no doubt that "I Don't Live Here Anymore" continues the line of its predecessors, both in music and sound. True, it may be a little more commercial-oriented, but the production is fuller and richer and Adam plays here on a wider range of instruments (guitar, bass, percussion, piano, Hammond, mellotron, vertebral avalanche, synthesizer, drum machine, and more), but "The War On Drugs "are not really trying to innovate or change. This is exactly what characterizes the music of Adam Granduciel and his friends. They just made a career out of trying to sound like so many great artists, but still somehow still manage to sound like anything else in music, and it's amazing and it's, great and it's beautiful !!! For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On October 29, 2021, Jerry Cantrell released "Brighten". While most of the albums released this year are the work of the Covid-19 crisis, this album was created in March 2019, before Covid-19 broke out. This is Jerry Cantrell 's third album, released almost 20 years after his second and double solo album. Jerry finished most of the writing of the album towards the end of Alice In Chain's "Rainier Fog" tour, which ended in September 2019, a few months before the plague broke out. He managed to record most of the material for the album and even managed to hold several shows with the materials of the album and with musicians who would later appear on the album before the shutdown. But following the lockdowns, the production and mix of the album became longer and more complex. But Jerry took the challenge he faced and turned it into an opportunity. He recruited the recording technician Paul Figueroa and film composer Tyler Bates who is a known producer who among other things produced the soundtrack for the "300" and "John Wick" films. Jerry used the time he was forced to spend, in recruiting various friends and artists to play with him on the album. (Photo: frontview-magazine) Of course, most of the guitars are performed by Cantrell, most of the bass roles are performed by Duff McKagan and most of the drum roles are performed by Gil Sharone ("The Dillinger Escape Plan" and Marilyn Manson ). But in addition to this excellent lineup, there are quite a few other stars like: Greg Puciato ("The Dillinger Escape Plan", "Killer Be Killed"), Abe Loriel Jnr., Eric Clapton , Sting, Avril Lavigne , and several others. The album consists of 8 original songs that reflect Cantrell's DNA and flow between the country style he absorbed in his youth, the blues that influenced him so much when he grew up, the heavy riffs that were expressed in Alice and all of which are led by his all-too-familiar and delightful singing. Cantrell is without a doubt a talented musician who can express all the elements of music, just like a one-man band. In our opinion, even when other artists are hosted here, the perceived musical stamp is still that of Cantrell, it is not felt that the same artist has taken the focus in his direction. The album is signed by the song "Goodbye" by Elton John , the client from his album "Madman Across the Water" which is one of the favorite albums in the shoot on Jerry. As a reminder, Elton John was a guest on piano playing the song "Black Gives Way to Blue" by "Alice In Chains" written by Cantrell in memory of Layne Staley . Out of respect for Elton, Cantrell approached him and asked him if it was okay to include the cover version on the album. Elton listened to the performance and gave Jerry the stamp Jerry needed. Listen to the album on: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On October 29, 1981 "Rush" released their second double live album - "Exit ... Stage Left". So, as we mentioned in the review of the band's first live album " All the World's a Stage " from 1976, the band made it a habit to release a live album after every four studio albums. This tradition continues here as well with an album that sums up the band's four studio albums from " A Farewell to Kings " from 1977 to "Moving Pictures" from 1981, when all the songs on this double album, except two "Beneath, Between & Behind" and "A Passage to Bangkok", were taken from the above four albums. This album represents, in some sense, the complete opposite of the first live album " All the World's a Stage ". If the first live album brought us "Rush" as it sounds on stage without filters, immature, spontaneous, bold, and rough, then this album is much more calculated, clean, and filtered, sometimes even to excessive. The studio work and early editing allow us to listen to all the instruments in better quality, while filtering audience and background noise, but it detracts a bit from the feeling that this is still a live performance. Particularly noticeable is the fact that almost every track on this album is separated from each other by a silence gap, just like a studio album. In this way, almost every song ends with a fade out of the audience cheers while the song that follows starts with a fade in. This fact interferes with the natural flow of the album and detracts from the feeling that this is a live show. But make no mistake, despite our little criticism of the editing, this live album is one of the band's greatest. It captures "Rush" at its peak after a series of masterful albums released between 1976-1981. The selection of songs is excellent, the performance is amazing and sometimes even surpasses the original. The playing is incredibly tight and synchronized and the sound is rich, varied and so full that it is simply inconceivable that all the instruments heard here are played solely by three people, with no effects and no intervention of any added players. The songs on the album were recorded in two different sessions during the years 1980-1981. The second side of the vinyl was recorded at the Apollo Hall in Glasgow, Scotland at the band's performances on June 10-11, 1980. The rest of the album's songs were recorded at the Forum Hall in Montreal, Canada on March 27, 1981. This live album has some memorable moments that add value to the original versions or even surpass it. The ultimate opening song " The Spirit of Radio " illustrates the power and accuracy that this band has. The performance of the song " Red Barchetta " manages to convey the feeling and adrenaline flowing in the arteries during the fast ride on the "Red Barchetta". The instrumental " YYZ " stretches from 4:24 minutes in the album version to 7:45 in the live version and allows "the professor" to delight us with his amazing drum solo, which even more than forty years later makes us miss a heartbeat on every drum beat. Neil Peart 's flirtations with the percussion in the song " A Passage to Bangkok ", especially with the cowbell. The thrilling rendition of the song " Closer to the Heart " receives other strengths coming from the audience, which joins in the singing. The version of the song " Jacob's Ladder " gets an extra special and charming intro from Robert Maxwell's Ebb Tide, from 1953. The short and classic piece " Broon's Bane " is an intro for the masterpiece song " The Trees ", and which you can find exclusively in this show. How short, exciting and beautiful. Alex Lifeson wrote it as a tribute to the band's renowned producer Terry Brown who was nicknamed by the band members Broon. The performance of the piece " Xanadu " is without a doubt surpasses the original and gives us a rare glimpse into the enormous variety of instruments, on which the trio is capable of playing. Geddy Lee plays on bass, keyboards, guitar, bass pedal, Lifeson on bass pedal, electric guitar, 12-string guitar, and the legendary Neil Peart plays almost anything that you can hit with a drumstick or a hammer. Listen and be amazed at how all these sounds are produced by only three people. And of course the immortal rendition of the instrumental section "La Villa Strangiato" which proves the virtuoso playing abilities of each and every member of the band and also includes a short bass solo and the addition of some amusing Geddy Lee words towards the end, which did not appear in the album version. A year after the release of the album, the band released a video version of VHS which was filmed during the band's performance on March 27 at a forum in Montreal. As you may recall, most of the album's songs were recorded during this show, but the VHS version includes a different order of songs and additions, such as " Limelight ", " By-Tor and the Snow Dog " and the mini medley at the end of the show, that includes the songs " In the End ", "In the Mood" and " 2112: Grand Finale ". The album cover gives us a look at the stage that is filmed from its exit left angle, just like the name of the album. The cover is also a kind of retrospective of the band's albums and includes one detail from each of the first eight albums. For example: the logo of the first album, the owl of " Fly By Night ", the clown of " A Farewell to Kings ", the naked man from the album " Hemispheres ", the model from the album " Permanent Waves ", the workers from the album " Moving Pictures " hold a painting of the album " Caress Of Steel ", the logo of " 2112 "and more ... And now in a slightly personal tone, this album is very special to us. This is the live album that is the most played by us of all the band's live albums. Countless hours of listening, and even more so hours of watching the VHS edition of the show, that was released a year later in 1982. This album accompanied us for more than four decades and in every listening or watching evokes in us very many good memories and feelings. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music And this time you must also watch the VHS show, it's just an amazing show that will give you a chance to take a closer look at the amazing abilities of the band members Here: "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

The formidable and huge monster named Metallica was born on October 28, 1981, the day James Hetfield responded to an ad in the LA Recycler newspaper published by a guy named Lars Ulrich . The two began playing together, recruiting James friend and roommate Ron McGovney to play bass and guitarist Dave Mustaine . Ron Quintana, a friend of the band from the metal scene was the one who came up with the name. They started playing in clubs around Los Angeles as they were opening act for other metal bands like "Saxon". After a few months, they recorded their first demo "No Life'Till Leather" which gained momentum like fire in a field of thorns in Los Angeles but mostly exploded in San Francisco, where the band moved immediately after its release. Not before they made bassist Cliff Burton leave his band "Trauma" and join "Metallica". Cliff Burton 1st Show with the band was on March 5, 1983. About a month later on April 11, 1983, Dave Mustaine was Fired From Metallica and was replaced by Kirk Hammet who Audition By Phone Call while sitting on the toilet. In 1986, after three masterful albums, Cliff died and was replaced by Jason Newsted who left the band after "Metallica's" meteoric breakthrough into the mainstream, and was replaced by Robert Trujillo in 2004. "Metallica" has become one of the biggest bands in metal, if not the greatest !! Which to this day holds huge world tours, releases new albums, and maintains a huge marketing and logistics system. "Metallica" holds a Guinness World Record as the only band in the world to play a concert on all seven of Earth's continents. Feel free to click on any of the links above to read more facts about the band's history !! "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

He is known as the singer and bassist of the band "Eifo HaYeled?" But he has an impressive career of his own and he is also very active behind the scenes in Israeli music. (Photo: Eldad Rafaeli - Photoactive) = His full name is Haim (Hemi) Rudner and he was born on October 28, 1964, and grew up in Kibbutz Givat Brenner = His father is Amos, an editor, writer, architect, and secretary of the kibbutz, and his mother is Tamar, a literature teacher and linguistics editor, the younger sister of the Israel Prize-winning poet Aryeh Sion. Rudner has six brothers and sisters, among them the content creator Ruthie Rudner and Iris Hood, founder of the children's channel and the documentary Channel 8. = Already at the age of 15 he started a band with his two friends and together they performed in the kibbutz. He continued to practice music even during his military service. = After his military service in 1985, Rudner joined the band "Mondo" and was also a member of the band "Desirtif" with whom he began his musical career = In 1986, the band "Eifo HaYeled?" in Kibbutz Givat Brenner by Rudner and Asaf Sarig, born in Kibbutz Beit Hashiteh, and the son of Yosef Sarig. The two have known each other since childhood when Sarig, who is four years younger than Rudner, studied in class with Ruthi, his sister. The two joined guitarist Yuval Tzemach and drummer Omer Degani and started their journey as a cover band. = The lateness of the 16-year-old Degani to the band's rehearsals was the reason for the band's name when the question "Where is the boy?" was asked every time. This story was previously denied by the band but eventually confirmed. (Photo: Miri Davidovitz) = In order to try to succeed in the Israeli music world, Rudner and Sarig moved to Tel Aviv. They added the guitarist Ofir Bar Ami from Kibbutz Hanita and the drummer from Haifa, Assaf Maroz (who played in the band "Killer the Hot" and the prototype). What became the final composition of the band? = In 1990, the band released its first single "One God" under the label "Nana Disk" but did not hurry to release an album and held concerts throughout the country for two years. At that time, the Israeli rock of the 90s began to develop. = In 1993, after they were signed to the "Hed Artzi" company by Haim Shemesh (one of the prominent figures of music and especially of rock in the '90s), they released "Where's the Child?", their debut album "Sugar Time". = The album written entirely by Rudner (apart from "Aliza's Tea Party" and "Kenpaim, You Don't Hear") and produced by Yuval Shafrir was a great success, and many singles such as: "Where is the Spirit", "What's going through me", "The Sadness" Her", "The Sky the Boundary", "Fallen Strong", and "One God" were played on the radio stations and some of the songs were also made into music videos that were broadcast on television. The album reached platinum album status. = That same year the band warmed up Bob Dylan who performed in Israel at the Culture Hall in Tel Aviv = In 1994, the band released their second album "Shadim", also produced by Yuval Shafrir, in which an attempt was made to continue the successful line of the first album. But this time, in order not to create the impression that Rudner is the main tone setter and all the other members are less important, the involvement of the other band members was emphasized in the album. Sharig's involvement in writing and composing increased greatly (he composed seven songs, among them the hits "White in a Black Dream", "In the Underpants" and "Someone Hears Me") and Ofir Bar Ami also wrote and composed two songs (among them "The Devil Enters You"). Rudner himself also wrote and composed many parts of the album. The sharing effort went well and also paid off and the album was an even bigger success than its predecessor. = In the same year, Rudner produced the debut album of his girlfriend Iggy Waxman, "Red", and composed the songs "Forced Woman" and "The End of the Trip" (to Waxman's words) and "Kill Me Slowly" (to words he wrote). In the recordings, Rudner played bass with his bandmates: Asaf Maroz on drums, Asaf Sharing on guitar (on one song), and Ofir Bar Ami even received a thank you on the cover. A year later the two got married (but divorced 4 years later). (Photo: Vardi Kahana) = In 1995, the band released their third album, "My Journeys with Self". Similar to the first album, the writing returned to Rudner's hands, who wrote 10 of the 11 songs on the album, but Schrig was a full partner in the composition and arrangement, and they created the standout songs on the album together: "Bring Autumn", "The Prophet of Boredom", "This is Sodom" and "My travels with myself" ". The album was produced by the vocalist of the Mashina band Yuval Banai, and his bandmate Shlomi Bracha who also guested on keyboards in the song "This is Sodom". The album, unlike its predecessors, failed in the stores, and its songs were played less than the hits of the previous albums. = The failure had a negative effect on the relationship between the members and the band went through a crisis, especially because the band ended its contract with the Helicon company and it was not interested in renewing the contract with the band. Bar Ami left the band in order to devote time to his band "M'a'sho'i Has'e'ah", Sharig musically produced the debut album of the band "Algiers" and then went to London to record some of his songs in English, and Rudner began working on songs for his first solo album, and it seemed that the band had arrived to the end of her path. = Despite the crisis, in 1996 "Eifo HaYeled?" to activity, and Rudner's solo album became the band's fourth album. The band recorded the album "Eifo HaYeled?" With a new guitarist, Schiff (Shafrir) Arad, and with Schrig who returned from London. Most of the songs were, of course, Rudner's, including the duet "Just to Get a Hug" with Iggy Waxman, "Now I'm not giving up", "Walking", "Lan Lan", and "Roll the Dream". The album was produced by the band members with the help of Shai Lahav from "Dr. Kasper's Rabbit Show", who also played keyboards on various songs. The album was dedicated to the memory of Yitzhak Rabin. = Like its predecessor, this album was also a failure and the band decided to break up with a farewell show and a compilation album. In honor of the breakup, the band recorded a cover version of David Bowie's "Moonage Daydream" and three new songs: "Venus in Training", "She Can't Drink" and "Everybody Wants a Friend". Almost ten years of activity ended with a celebratory show at the "Allenby 58" club in Tel Aviv, where the band hosted Aviv Gefen, Yermi Kaplan, Yuval Banai, Ofir Bar Ami, and Iggy Waxman, and in the concluding compilation album, "Somebody Hears Me" which contained the band's hits and a bonus CD with the songs The new ones and live versions of the hits. = In 1997 Rudner produced Waxman's second album, "No More Waiting for the Postman". Also in this album, he composed one of the songs and played the guitars. = In the same year, Rudner wrote the lyrics to the songs "A Simple Small Story" and "At the Disco" for the debut album of the band "High Five" (the first boy band in Israel), under the pen name "Nina Sde". = In 1998 Rudner produced Nimrod Lev's debut album, "There is no other dream", he participated in the arrangements of the album, and played bass on its recording. = In 2000 Rudner's debut album "Redemption" was released. In the album, he collaborated with the band "Blues Envoys". Rudner wrote and composed the songs, arranged them with Ido Agmon, and musically produced them with Agmon and Eyal Dafna. Among the album's hits were "Let's break up", "What Was" and "Gaula". = In 2001, the band reunited in full (with Ofir Bar Ami and Shif Arad) for several more performances, including a joint show with Monica Sex and the Roquefort band. The band also recorded a new song in honor of the union: "Peace with Myself". = Still in the same year he produced albums for Sharon Moldavi and Asaf Erlich and released his second solo album "My Beloved Melancholy", among his songs: "The Secret of the Simple Things", "My Beloved Melancholy", "Rooms in the Heart" (duet with Yehudit Ravitz) and "Much more I like it up close." = In May 2003, Rudner released his third album "Compassion", from which the song "The Alliance that Needs to be Renewed" was successful. = In 2006, Rudner began hosting a nightly interview TV program called "Feeling at Home", on Channel 2. In the program, he interviewed various singers and accompanied them for a day in their lives. The show aired for 2 seasons. = In 2007 Rudner released his fourth album "The Great Song Machine", produced by Kobi Oz and arranged by Eran Weitz and Shlomi Lavi. From the album came the singles "The Great Song Machine", composed by Rudner to the words of Leah Ini, "It's the same Summer" and "You left me with the Wind". Except for "The Great Song Machine" Rudner wrote and composed all the songs on the album. = Since 2011 Rudner has been teaching at the Mazmor music school in Givat Washington, as well as an accompanist for ensembles and graduates from among the school's students. = In 2012, the band's fifth album "20th Century Boys" was released after three years of work. The singles "I'm in a Situation", "We Will Be Fine" and "Australia Blues" were released from the album. = In 2013 his fifth album "Zeman Asif" was released. The album, the work which took three years in which guitarist Eran Weitz took part as a partner, includes 10 songs, all of which were written by Rudner, except for one written by his brother Roni Jacobi. Some of the songs on the album like "Israel Blues" are of a protest and political nature. = Back in the same year Rudner musically produced the show "Indy Yild" - a rock'n'roll show for the whole family. = In 2017, the band's sixth album "Sweet in the Dark" was released, produced by Ofer Meiri. = In 2019 Rudner released his sixth album "Yehuma". Two years later, in 2021, Rudner jointly released with Eran Weitz the album "Hai Shirim" consisting of 18 acoustic and minimalist performances of Israeli classics. = In 2024, "Eifo HaYeled" released three new singles: "Nachgog u'Magog", "Shalom Im Atzmi", and "Acharei HaMilchama", the latter written by fallen soldier Or Blumovitz, who lost his life in the war. = As of today, *Eifo HaYeled* are on a nationwide tour, performing across Israel. 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