On January 18, 1973, "Bad Company" - one of the most esteemed and interesting lineups in Classic Rock, was formed. (Photo: Jim Summaria) It's a supergroup that includes singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke who came from the band "Free", guitarist and singer Mick Ralphs from "Mott the Hoople" and bassist and singer Boz Burrell from "King Crimson". This amazing supergroup was a huge success throughout the 1970s. The band's first three albums, "Bad Company" (1974), "Straight Shooter" (1975) and "Run with the Pack" (1976), reached the top five in the album chart, both in the UK and US. The band has produced memorable anthems during its career such as "Bad Company", "Can't Get Enough", "Good Lovin' Gone Bad", "Feel Like Makin' Love", "Ready for Love", "Shooting Star" and "Rock 'n' Roll Fantasy". In the early '80s, the band took time-of during which Rodgers joined another supergroup - "The Firm" along with Jimmy Page . Paul Rodgers will later join "Queen" and release one studio album and several live albums. At the same time, the band continued to release 6 albums in different lineups without Paul Rodgers . In 1995 the four members of the original "Bad Company" met during the funeral of their manager Peter Grant, who was also "Led Zeppelin" manager. This meeting was the trigger for the band's original lineup reunion, which during the 2000s went on a number of successful tours and released live albums and videos. In honor of the event, we compiled a special playlist of the best songs from the band and of leading lineups of the band members: C lick Here . "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On January 18, 1991, a terrible tragedy occurred during the "AC/DC" performance at Salt Lake City . (Photo: Ultimate Classic Rock) In a performance held at the " Salt Palace ", three spectators were crushed to death when the roaring audience rushed forward toward the stage, right at the opening of the performance. A hall capable of accommodating 13,920 people sold 13,294 tickets, of which about 4,000 tickets were sold with no marked seats, all in the front stage area. At the first notes of the song " Thunderstruck " which opened the show, the audience rushed forward toward the stage, crushing three fans to death on their way: Jimmy Boyd and Curtis Child who were only 14 years old died immediately, while and a 19-year-old Elizabeth Glausi died few days after the incident when parents asked to cut her off from the breathing machine she was connected to after it was clarified that she was in a state of brain death. The band members were not at all aware of the tragedy that took place at the front of the stage. They only became aware of the incident after playing three more songs: " Shoot to Thrill ", " Back in Black " and " Fire Your Guns ". As soon as they learned of the tragedy, Brian Johnson turned to the audience and asked them to take a step back. In a completely unclear move, the band decided to continue playing an entire set of the show, after a short break during which the casualties were evacuated from the hall. The band later suffered harsh criticism. They explained their decision by saying that the security asked them to continue to play to avoid a major riot among the crowd resulting in further casualties. Unfortunately, tragedies like the one that happened in Salt Lake City happened in the past, but no lesson was learned. One of the first known tragedies happened during "The Rolling Stones" performance in California in 1969, where 4 people were dead. Another known tragedy occurred during a live performance of "The Who", held in Cincinnati in 1979, during which 11 fans were killed. Another one happened during the "Woodstock 1999" festival where 3 people were killed. The list of tragedies continues with the "Pearl Jam" show in Denmark in June 2000, where 9 people were crushed to death. And there is the "Korn" performance in Atlanta Georgia where one person lost his life and the "Motorhead" show held in 2010 where also one person was dead. Here in Israel, too, the lesson has not been learned and it's enough to mention the "Arad" tragedy that occurred during the "Mashina" show at the "Arad Festival" held on July 18, 1995, during which 3 young people were killed. Of course, the terrible tragedies that occurred during the "AC/DC" show led to many lawsuits against the band and the organizers, including a lawsuit by the parents of one of the lost children for 8 million Dollars. All claims ended in a settlement out of court. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

He was one of the founders of the "Eagles", one of the best-selling bands in the United States. He is a singer, guitarist, songwriter, producer, and even an actor. Let's read some interesting facts about Glenn Frey. (Photo: Filmmagic) Glenn Frey was born in Detroit on November 6, 1948. Already at the age of five, he began studying music initially on piano and later on guitar, but eventually, he taught himself to play additional instruments even drums. Frey was left-handed but he played guitar right-handed. In high school, he started playing in various bands. The first band he played in was "The Disciples" where he played guitar. Later he moved to another band - "The Subterraneans" where he played drums. In the late 1960s, he moved to Los Angeles, where he befriended other musicians Jackson Browne and J.D. Souther with whom he rented an apartment. Jackson Brown by the way lives on the floor below them. In 1970 he met Don Henley who also moved west from Texas with his band and lived in the apartment of his fellow Texan colleague Kenny Rogers. The two served alongside Randy Meisner and Bernie Leadon as a backing band to country singer Linda Ronstadt. In 1971 during a tour with Linda, the four decided to form the "Eagles". Until the disbandment of the Eagles in the early 1980s, the band released a long line of successful albums and hits and Frey wrote and sang in many of them. Among those associated with him are: "Take It Easy", "Peaceful Easy Feeling", "Tequila Sunrise", "Already Gone", "James Dean", "Lyin 'Eyes", "New Kid in Town" and "Heartache Tonight". In 73-74, Frey had an affair with Joni Mitchell, on which he wrote the songs "Help Me" and "Car on a Hill." After the breakup of The "Eagles" in 1980, Frey embarked on a successful solo career, releasing hits such as "The One You Love", "The Blues of Blues", "The Heat Is On" and "You Belong to the City". Glenn Frey has won 6 Grammy Awards and 5 American Music Awards. He was found dead on January 18, 2016, and is only 67 years old. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Sometimes he has a cute and even nerdy look but his voice is powerful, loud, and ripping. He was born on January 18, 1971, so let's get to know Jonathan Davis a little better, he has a pretty difficult past: (Photo: Ethan Miller) 1. His full name is Jonathan Howsmon Davis. 2. He is a descendant of parents of German, Scottish, English, and Welsh descent. His father was a keyboardist for Buck Owens and Frank Zappa, among others, and his mother was a professional dancer and actress. 3. His parents divorced when he was 3 years old due to his father's many absences to tour. 4. At that time his parents produced the musical "Jesus Christ Superstar". When he regularly visited the rehearsals he already realized then that his life is going to be around music. 5. He moved in with his mother and started developing Asthma, he suffered from the disease for 7 years when he went in and out of hospitals many times. At age of 5, he had a very severe seizure that almost resulted in his death. 6. In his youth he loved "Duran Duran" and later fell in love with New Wave and Hip Hop. (Photo: Unknown) 7. Davis experienced a lot of suffering in his youth, from his lyrics you can learn a lot about the difficult experiences he went through. There will be some hard points here so be prepared (even we had hard time writing). 8. As a child he was sexually abused by his babysitter who to this day has not been exposed, when he told his parents about it seeking help, they did not believe him and did nothing to stop the suffering. The song "Daddy" from Korn's first album is considered written about his father was actually written about these events. 9. Davis suffered a lot of harassment from his stepfather and at the age of 13 when his stepfather destroyed his drum kit he decided he was moving in with his biological father. 10. But there he did not know that the situation would get worse. His stepmother hated the fact that Davis entered their beloved and beautiful home with his gothic look and strange demeanor. She hated Davis and severely abused him both physically and verbally. One of the most memorable events Davis have is when he was sick she would make him tea and put hot pepper in it to "burn" the disease and he suffered from it badly. He said in several interviews that he did not believe how cruel she could be and how his father did nothing to help him. He wrote the song "Kill You" from the album "Life Is Peachy" about her. (Photo: Brian Ziff) 11. Davis not only suffered from abuse inside his home but also from the outside. In high school, he suffered bullying from other kids because of his outward appearance and shy demeanor. He used to put makeup on his face and wear skirts and long clothes. He said he did not understand why everyone called him gay so he asked for help from his teachers and instead of helping him, they sent him for "conversion" treatment. The song "Faget" from Korn's first album was created from those events. 12. Several times he was asked why he did not leave back to his mother or run away from home and he said he just could not, he could not do it. 13. In most of the years he lived with his father, his stepmother did not let him out of the house much, but as soon as he reached the age of 18, she threw him out of the house. 14. Since his father threw him out of the house and his mother was too far away he went to study at a burial college. Yes, you read that right. He entered this line of job because he thought that way he would get attention, but over time he stayed because it was of great interest to him. He gained a great deal of experience in removing corpses from all sorts of places and was always intrigued by the cause of death. 15. At that time he began to suffer from post-trauma following the preoccupation with death and found consolation in drinking, he began to develop an alcohol addiction that accompanied him for many years. 16. In 1991 he joined the band "SexArt", a punk metal band formed by Dennis Shinn. They recorded six songs but did not release any albums and Davis left the band in 1993. 17. In 1993 at the age of 22 Davis and another guitarist named Brian Welch known as "Head" joined three more friends. Drummer David Silveria, guitarist James Shaffer known as "Munky" and bassist Reginald Arvizu known as "Fieldy". The five formed together a band called "Korn". (Photo: Mick Hutson) 18. We will not review here the history of "Korn" because we will sail to other districts but we will mention a number of interesting things. 19. The name "Korn" started from the word "Corn" but then the friends thought they did not like the meaning and if the C is replaced by a K it will get a different and incomprehensible meaning. 20. You must also have wondered why the "R" in the band name is inverted, so it was created as a "tribute" to the fact that at the time of the band's formation, most of the band members worked on the "Toys R Us" toy store which has the R in the logo inverted. 21. The band began its breakthrough after the independent record company Immortal Records discovered the band at one of the shows and signed them to a contract. 22. The band's first album bearing the band's name was released in October 1994. It reached number one on the Heatseekers Albums charts and received enthusiastic reviews that stated that it had created the New Wave Metal genre and revived Nu-Metal. 23. This album is Davis' favorite album, it made him feel that he is not alone. On the one hand, he was happy that so many people liked and connected to the album but on the other hand, it hurt him that people connect to the pain and that they probably also experiencing difficult things like him. 24. The band's first tour to promote the album was not a great success but in the second round they were chosen together with "Deftones" to warm up Ozzy Osbourne and there they started to create a very large fan base and the album reached gold sales already in the middle of the tour. 25. The band has released 7 albums with the same lineup: Life Is Peachy (1996), Follow the Leader (1998), Issues (1999), Untouchables (2002), Take a Look in the Mirror (2003) and See You on the Other Side (2005). 26. The stand of the Davis microphone, which is shaped like an alien woman and created by the artist Atelier HR Giger, is considered the sixth member of the band and has been with them since 2000. (Photo: Clay Patrick McBride) 27. In the early years of the band they lived like in the "Motley Crue" movie, with a lot of drugs, alcohol, and one big madness. Davis, who consumed a lot of drugs and alcohol, went into a complete frenzy and began to behave in an extreme way when he suffered from symptoms of nervous breakdowns and anxiety attacks. 28. Immediately after their appearance on MTV Unplugged in 2006, which by the way is one of the musical moments that Davis is most proud of. Drummer David Silveria decided to leave the band indefinitely. In 2007 he was replaced by Ray Luzier who is a member of the band to this day. 29. Together they have released 6 more albums: Untitled album (2007), Korn III: Remember Who You Are (2010), The Path of Totality (2011), The Paradigm Shift (2013), The Serenity of Suffering (2016) and "The Nothing" (2019). 30. The album "The Nothing" was very difficult for Davis who had lost his ex-wife and mother a year earlier. These events mentally broke Davis and the album is simply his outlet and therapy with the whole band supporting him and helping him create out of the difficulty, out of "The Nothing". 31. Davis began working on a solo album back in 2007 when he formed the band "Jonathan Davis and the SFA". Although they did not release a studio album, they released two live albums: "Alone I Play" (2007) and "Live at the Union Chapel" (2011). The band disbanded in 2014. 32. Davis also had a small DJ career in which he used the stage name "JDevil" and we even have an Israeli connection... In 2011 he made a media comeback to the DJ stand when he came up as an opening act for "Infected Mushroom's" main show, after also appearing on their song "Smashing the Opponent", from 2009. 33. He would also DJ as an opening act for Korn, Rob Zombie, and Marilyn Manson. 34. Since 1998 Davis has been clean of alcohol (do not ask about drugs because we do not know) and he has not touched a drink since. 35. In the early 2000s Davis began to amass a collection of souvenirs of serial killers, in 2005 he wanted to open a museum with these items but the initiative did not materialize. 36. In 2004 Davis began developing a video game called "Pop Scars" in which musician celebrities fight each other, but the game did not see the light of day. 37. Davis played small roles in two films: "Queen of the Damned" (2002) and "Seeing Other People" (2004). 38. In 2006 he developed Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura as a result of antibiotics he was taking. This is a disease in which the blood in the body loses its clots. He was forced to stop Korn's tour but he recovered a year later. The songs "Starting Over" and "Hold On" are about the experiences he went through during that time. 39. In May 2018, Davis' first solo album, "Black Labyrinth" was released. 40. Davis married twice, in 1998 to Renee Perez and they had a son Nathan and in 2004 to Deven Davis and they had sons Pirate and Zeppelin. 41. In February 2022, the band released their 14th album "Requiem", you perceive the power and survival, 14 albums. This is one of the biggest bands in the Nu-Metal world that continue with all their power and releases albums and go on big tours!! Listen to Korn's last album "Requiem" on: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Written By: Moti Kupfer Release date - 17.01.1974 The year is 1973, and after five consecutive years in which Joni Mitchell made a point of releasing one album per year, she suddenly found herself with breathing space and time to experience life from a shared, intimate perspective, following her meeting that same year with one of the founding members of the "Eagles", Glenn Frey . Mitchell, whose sixth album "Court and Spark" was released on January 17, 1974, was blessed with a wide range of talents. From a young age, she learned to play the ukulele and piano, to compose and perform her own songs, and she also proved herself as a gifted visual artist. However, as her relationship with Glenn Frey grew closer, it became clear that Mitchell had yet another hidden talent in her arsenal. "In 1974, I moved to a place at the corner of Ridpath and Kirkwood in Laurel Canyon, and we had poker games every Monday night during football season,” Frey recalled. “Joni Mitchell got wind of those card games, and she always was a good hang, so she started coming every Monday night and playing cards with us. We’d watch football from six to nine and then play cards until the wee hours” Frey recalled. He said that she amazed everyone in how good she was and then it turned out she was also a poker champion. Beyond the captivating Monday Night Football poker games, Mitchell wrote two songs inspired by her romance with Glenn Frey . One of them, "Help Me" , became one of the biggest hits in her catalog, and together with "Car on a Hill" , it found its place on her sixth album "Court and Spark". Mitchell was born Roberta Joan Anderson in November 1943 in Fort Macleod , Alberta , Canada. At the age of seven, she began playing piano and drawing, and two years later she contracted polio. During her hospitalization, she was told she would not be released before Christmas. As a result, she began singing Christmas carols to herself, and it was there that her first real interest in singing took shape. During her teenage years, Joni taught herself to play the ukulele and guitar and began performing at parties and coffeehouses around her hometown. After finishing high school, she enrolled at the Alberta College of Art and Design, but left after one year and moved to Toronto. In Toronto, she discovered she was pregnant by a former partner, and in February 1965, at the age of twenty-two, she gave birth to a daughter. Several weeks later, she married folk artist Chuck Mitchell. Despite his promise to help raise the child, Joni decided to give her daughter, Kelly Dale Anderson, up for adoption. This decision was kept secret for many years, but it deeply affected Mitchell and later surfaced in several of her songs, most notably "Little Green" , which tells the story of the pregnancy and the adoption. The marriage ended after a year and a half, but she kept the surname Mitchell from that union. It was on a cold night in November 1966 that Joni Mitchell’s career truly began to take shape. Israeli singer Malka Marom Cohen, born in Hungary and Poland and later immigrating to Canada, was driving home from the CBC studios in Toronto, where she had been filming her musical television program with her creative partner Joso Spralja. Exhausted after more than twelve hours of singing, Marom did not drive home as usual. Instead, she drove in circles and eventually stopped at a small club called "Riverboat", There, she watched a young woman of about seventeen standing on stage, repeatedly tuning her guitar strings for long minutes. When the young woman finally began to sing,“I can’t go back there anymore / you know my keys won’t fit the door / you know my thoughts don’t fit the man / they never can,” Marom saw the past, the present, and the impossible future that awaited her. That moment changed her life, eventually leading Marom to divorce her partner. After the show, Marom approached the young woman and said, “what an enormous talent you are! Immense! And what a range, your voice, four octaves, even five - huge range! And the poetry! What a poet you are, as wonderful as Dylan and Leonard Cohen!.. Really, really. You're going to be acclaimed the world over". She asked her name. “Joni Mitchell,” the girl replied. “I’m Malkah,” Marom answered. True to her nature as a woman of action, Marom did not settle for compliments. She brought a record company representative to hear Mitchell at the same damp club, though he lost patience while Mitchell tuned her guitar. Years later, Marom stated she was the first to tell her she would be great. That she had enormous talent. Twenty years later, when Mitchell had already become a legend, a young violinist named Mika Karni happened upon Mitchell’s album " Blue ". Mitchell’s associative writing style and distinctive voice were among the influences that later helped shape Karni’s own musical career. Returning to Marom, legend has it that folk singer Judy Collins was the first to record Mitchell’s songs and turn them into hits. In reality, Marom, then one of the most prominent singers in Canada and a key figure in promoting ethnic and world music alongside Yosso, was the first to perform Mitchell’s songs publicly and repeatedly, determined to sing them until they were known. When Collins eventually took on that role, Marom stepped aside. Soon after, many leading artists began recording Mitchell’s material, including Buffy Sainte-Marie, Dave Van Ronk, and Judy Collins. Mitchell’s luck continued when David Crosby  attended a club performance in Florida and was deeply impressed by her work. He took her to Los Angeles, introduced her to the folk community, and persuaded a record label to work with her on a debut album consisting entirely of acoustic music, without studio arrangements. The result was "Song to a Seagull" , released on "Reprise Records", marking Mitchell’s first album as a folk artist. In August 1969, the Woodstock  festival took place. Mitchell did not attend due to prior commitments, but she was captivated by the stories told to her by her partner at the time, Graham Nash . Inspired by those accounts, she wrote "Woodstock" , a song that received numerous cover versions and reached the top of the UK charts in 1970 in a rendition by "Matthews Southern Comfort". Mitchell’s stature rose even further with the release of her fourth album " Blue " in 1971. After releasing her fifth album "For the Roses" in 1972, she decided to change direction and explore new sounds. She devoted an entire year to writing and recording her next album, "Court and Spark" , which blended folk, pop, and jazz elements. The album explores the roles of honesty and trust within relationships, with one notable exception. The third track, "Free Man in Paris" , focuses on Mitchell’s agent and manager David Geffen. Mitchell and Geffen rose together in the late 1960s. He was establishing himself as a talent agent, while she was building her reputation through her music. They became close friends, and when Geffen founded "Asylum Records", Mitchell recorded her album "For the Roses" for the label. Geffen often spoke with Mitchell about the extraordinary pressures of the music industry, and she wrote the song based on his reflections. The place where Geffen felt most alive and unrestrained was Paris, where no one could reach him with favors or demands. David Crosby  and Graham Nash , close friends of Mitchell and also Geffen’s clients, provided backing vocals on the track. Puerto Rican guitarist and singer José Feliciano, who was recording in a nearby studio, also joined in on guitar. Mitchell, who was part of a wide bohemian social circle in Los Angeles, often found herself witnessing questionable social scenes. One such moment inspired "People’s Parties" , written after she observed a nervous breakdown suffered by Dutch model Apollonia van Ravenstein in the middle of a dinner party, seemingly without reason. It later emerged that Jack Nicholson had been involved with her behind the back of his partner at the time, Anjelica Huston. Extending that idea, Mitchell wrote "The Same Situation" , a song about a reckless Hollywood bachelor who ensnares women hungry for love, unaware that they are falling into the trap of a modern-day Don Juan. The album closes with "Twisted" , the first non-original song to appear on a Joni Mitchell studio album. "Twisted"  is a sung psychoanalysis first recorded by Annie Ross  in 1952. Mitchell underwent major surgery in 1973, an experience that stirred intense emotions and created a personal connection between her and the song. In the year of its release, the album was named Album of the Year by The Village Voice in its annual Pazz & Jop critics’ poll. In 2000, it was ranked at number 116 on Colin Larkin’s "All Time Top 1000 Albums" list. In 2020, it placed at number 110 on "Rolling Stone" magazine’s list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". As further recognition of its lasting impact, the album was inducted into the "Grammy Hall of Fame" in 2004. For Listening : Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

ב- 17 לינואר 1981 הוקמה בלוס אנג'לס להקת Mötley Crüe. (Photo: Neal Preston) The band's foundation story begins on the day bassist Nikki Sixx left his band "London". His band had great potential, it included Slash and Izzy Stradlin , who would later form "Guns N' Roses" and Blackie Lawless would form "W.A.S.P.", but Sixx no longer wanted to be subject to the dictates of his bandmates and decided he wants to start his own band in which he would control all matters. In fact, one of the "London" band members was the one who recommended Sixx to contact drummer Tommy Lee and guitarist Greg Leon, both from the band "Suite 19". But, Greg Leon did not last long leaving Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee to look for a new guitarist for their band. The two saw an ad in the newspaper that said: "Loud, rude, aggressive guitar player available". The person who posted the ad was guitarist Bob Deal, known by the stage name of Mick Mars. Mars came from the band "White Horse" and was immediately invited to audition by Tommy Lee and Nikki Sixx , which of course he passed. This was not the end, since any good band requires a charismatic frontman. After a short "affair" and one demo with singer O'Dean, the band recruited singer Vince Neil, whom Tommy Lee had known since high school. Vince was then with "Rock Candy" and after the three members saw him perform, they knew right away that he should be the one to lead them. Vince initially refused, but relented and joined "Mötley Crüe" on April 1, 1981, after his previous band began to crumble. The band's name was given to it by guitarist Mick Mars, who recalled a sentence of one of the members of his previous band "White Horse", calling the band members "a motley-looking crew". Mars spelled the name as "Mottley Cru". The band members played with it, dropped the "T" and added "E" and the "Mötley Crüe" brand was born. Over the next three decades, "Mötley Crüe" will become one of the greatest bands in the world, with sales of over 100 million copies, 10 top-ten albums on the Billboard charts, 7 of them platinum or multi-platinum albums. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On January 17, 2001, bassist Jason Newsted left Metallica. (Photo: Nigel Wright) Newsted joined "Metallica" in the fall of 1986 following the tragic death of legendary bassist Cliff Burton . He came from "Flotsam and Jetsam" and was recommended to "Metallica" by "Metal Blade" President Brian Slagel. Newsted helped "Metallica" in its greatest moments of crisis and he was undoubtedly a key player whose talent and professionalism helped the band get back to business and later achieve meteoric global success. He joined the band in 1987 after the death of Cliff Burton and was thrown straight into the fire with work on the mini album "The $ 5.98 Garage Days Re-Revisited" . During his 14 years with "Metallica", Newsted has played on six albums of the band, Justice For All... , Metallica , Load , Re-Load , Garage Inc , and S&M and he has performed with it more than 1,000 shows around the world. Very sadly, Metallica members who were left angry and hurt by Burton's tragic death, often vented their frustration on Newsted, which was an easy target for them. In the retirement announcement, Newsted was very diplomatic and only stated that this was the hardest decision he had to make in his life. However, behind the scenes, Newsted said he left "Metallica" because they did not allow him to develop his creativity and that "Metallica" spends too much time fighting Napster instead of working on new music. At that time, Newsted sought to release new music as part of the Echobrain band outside of "Metallica", but for James Hatfield , "Metallica" was a fortified fortress that none of the band members were allowed to leave as long as he was a member, which forced Newsted to eventually announce his retirement. Jason also noted that he needed time to recover from the neck and back injuries he suffered as a result of the excess headbanging he has performed in the band shows over the years. Newsted's last appearance with "Metallica" took place about two months before the official announcement of his departure, on November 30, 2000, during a performance at the VH1 Music Awards. The last song played by Newsted with "Metallica" was "Fade To Black" - a song that Newsted has repeatedly stated that has a very high emotional value for him (even though he was not a co-writer). Newsted, who already knew then that this was going to be his last appearance with the band, released during the song a thick hint of what would happen about two months later. As James Hetfield sang the lyrics: "Now I Will Just Say Goodbye", - towards the end of the song, Jason waved goodbye to the camera hovering over him, just during the word "Goodbye", as if saying goodbye to "Metallica" and fans. You can see the wave in the video in the attached link at exactly 4:47 of the song: "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Written By: Moti Kupfer Release date - 17.01.1966 Dr. Michael Mosley, considered a health and science guru in Britain, recommends singing out loud for at least five minutes a day. Singing stimulates the nervous system responsible for the strength of a wide range of bodily functions, from our mood and appetite to the way we cope with pain. Previous studies have shown that nearly 50% of young people in Israel aged 18–24 sing in the shower. That was exactly how a young Paul Simon worked on improving his vocal technique. To the echo created by the bathroom tiles, Simon added a gentle trickle of water, turned off the light, and connected with his singing in the most complete and intimate way. That was when the words began to flow out of him: "Hello darkness, my old friend" . Simon began the writing process of a song in the shower that was destined to be a beginning that felt like an ending, only to start all over again. A song that opens the second album by the duo Simon & Garfunkel, "Sounds of Silence", released on January 17, 1966. Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel grew up together in the Queens neighborhood of the United States, with Simon being three weeks older than Garfunkel. They attended the same schools and bonded early on through their shared love of music, already during elementary school. By junior high they were performing together, and at the age of fifteen they signed a recording contract with the small label "Big Records" under the name "Tom & Jerry". After several years working as a songwriter and producer in the Brill Building scene, at the age of twenty one Paul Simon approached Art Garfunkel with what he felt was the best completed song he had written up to that point, and suggested they sing it together. The duo began singing together again, and they immediately felt that their connection through "The Sound of Silence"  was stronger than ever. Convinced they were on the verge of a major breakthrough, they signed with Columbia Records  on the way to recording a debut album, and along the way changed their name from Tom & Jerry to Simon & Garfunkel , fitting musicians who now saw themselves as serious artists. The duo’s debut album "Wednesday Morning 3 AM", which included "The Sound of Silence" , was released in September 1964, but reality hit hard. The album failed commercially, selling only about 3,000 copies. Simon and Garfunkel decided to dissolve their partnership, each going his own way. Was this the end? Meanwhile, jazz musician and producer Tom Wilson, who had produced the album and was one of the key figures behind Bob Dylan ’s transition from folk to rock, saw unrealized potential in Simon’s song. Wilson decided to inject new life into "The Sound of Silence"  by bringing in session musicians to record electric guitar, drums, and keyboards over the existing track through overdubbing. He released the new rock oriented version to radio without Simon and Garfunkel’s knowledge. The song became a massive success and climbed to number one. A surprised Simon and Garfunkel reunited to work on a second album, already carrying with them several songs they had written together before their split, such as "We've Got a Groovy Thing Goin'"  and "Somewhere They Can't Find Me" . Added to these was a blues based instrumental titled "Anji" , originally written by guitarist Davy Graham. From this point on, Simon fully revealed the unique melodies and lyrics that the world would come to recognize as his signature. He also succeeded in delivering an impressive adaptation of works that were not his own, as in the case of "Richard Cory" , a poem by Edwin Arlington Robinson that tells the story of a young man who seems to have everything, yet ultimately takes his own life. In the 1970s, teachers even used this song as a motivational tool for students. The closing track on the album, "I Am a Rock" , despite its relatively energetic and driving feel, deals with the desire for isolation and emotional withdrawal, born from the understanding that love inevitably brings pain as well. The album cover shows Simon & Garfunkel looking back toward the camera at Franklin Canyon Park in Los Angeles. They are wearing scarves that originally belonged to members of the Brentwood family, with whom Paul Simon stayed during his time in Britain. For Listening : Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

He was a member of "John Mayall's Bluesbreakers" and later of "The Rolling Stones". He has collaborated with great artists such as: Bob Dylan , Mike Oldfield , Jack Bruce, and with the psychedelic-progressive band "Gong". Even Slash noted that he was greatly influenced by him. (Photo: Larry Rogers) Here are some interesting facts about guitarist and musician Mick Taylor: 1. He was born in England on January 17, 1949, and named Michael Kevin Taylor. 2. He started playing the guitar at the age of 9. The one who taught him at the beginning of his career was his uncle - his mother's brother. 3. He formed his first band "The Juniors" when he was in high school, they managed to appear on TV and release a single. 4. In 1965 when he was only 16 years old, he formed the band "The Gods" together with keyboardist Ken Hensley. 5. In April 1966 he went to a performance of "John Mayall's Bluesbreakers", which was held at the "Hop Community Center" in the town of Welwyn Garden City . It was a fateful moment for him. For no apparent reason, guitarist Eric Clapton, who was part of John Mayall's band, did not take the stage. The first set was played without him when Mick Taylor jumped at the chance after the intermission and asked Mayall to come up and replace Clapton. John agreed after a brief deliberation. 6. John Mayall did not forget the 16-year-old boy who stepped into Eric Clapton's big shoes, and a year later after Peter Green left the band to form "Fleetwood Mac", Mick Taylor was chosen as the band's guitarist. 7. Taylor, joined the band in 1966 and was a member until 1969, releasing four studio albums with the band, from "Crusade" in 1967 to "Blues from Laurel Canyon" in 1968. 8. During his time in John Mayall's band, Jones developed his playing technique and even began playing the slide guitar. 9. After guitarist Brian Jones left "The Rolling Stones" in June 1969, John Mayall recommended Mick Taylor as a guitarist to replace him. Taylor was asked by Keith Richards , and Mick Jagger to come to the studio He was pretty sure he was going to record with the "Stones" as a session guitarist. However, the very next day the members informed him that he had been accepted into the band, and he recorded with them 4 songs intended for the band's next album, including "Honky Tonk Women" and "Let It Bleed". 10. Taylor's first appearance with "The Rolling Stones" was at their famous free concert in Hyde Park , held on July 5, 1969, in front of an audience of 250,000 people, just one month after Brian Jones was left out of The band, in June 1969 John Mayall was the one who recommended Mick Taylor to "The Rolling Stones". Taylor was then only 20 years old !!! 11. Taylor was a member of the band until 1974 and took part in its masterful albums such as: "Let It Bleed", " Sticky Fingers ", "Goats Head Soup" and "Exile on Main St". 12. During the recordings of "It's Only Rock' n Roll" album, disagreements arose between Taylor, Jagger, and Richard. But "the final straw" was the fact that Taylor found out from reviewing the album cover, that he did not receive any credit for the Songs he wrote. 13. In December 1974 Taylor announced that he was leaving the band His successor was Ronnie Wood, who co-recorded the theme song of the album "It's Only Rock 'n Roll" along with David Bowie , who performed background vocals. 14. Before leaving "The Rolling Stones" and before Ronny Wood joined the band, Taylor played guitar, bass, and keyboards on Ronnie Wood's solo album, which was released in September 1974 and was titled: "I've Got My Own Album to Do". 15. Taylor will also play guitar on Wood's second solo album - "Now Look", which was released in July 1975. 16. Although he was no longer part of "The Rolling Stones", Mick received credit for two of the band's songs from the excellent album "Tattoo You", released in 1981. Recordings of "Tops" and "Waiting on a Friend" began in 1973, during the sessions for the album "Goats Head Soup" and Mick Taylor was a part of the band while recording them. (Photo: popexpresso.com) 17. Despite leaving "the Stones", the friendships between Taylor and the band members were maintained, and he was occasionally invited to be a guest guitarist on their live performances. 18. Further proof that the membership was preserved, can be found in the fact that Taylor was invited to play on the album "Talk Is Cheap". Keith Richards' first solo album, from 1988. 19. While he was a member of "The Rolling Stones", Taylor collaborated with Mike Oldfield during a tour to promote the album " Tubular Bells ", in 1973. 20. In 1983 Taylor played alongside Mark Knopfler on Bob Dylan 's album "Infidels". Taylor also played on Dylan's 23rd album from 1985 - "Empire Burlesque". 21. Taylor collaborated with many more artists, including Jack Bruce, Joan Jett, "Little Feat", "Gong" on the album "Expresso II" and later with "Pierre Moerlen's Gong" on the album "Downwind" and more. 22. In addition, Taylor released 2 solo albums, the first named after him in 1979 and the second - "A Stone's Throw" from 1998. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Here are some interesting facts about Kai Hansen, best known as the founder, lead guitarist and vocalist of power metal band "Gamma Ray" and the co-founders of "Helloween": (Photo: traveljapanblog.com) = He was born Kai Michael Hansen on January 17, 1963 in Hamburg, West Germany. = At age ten, Kai began playing wash-drums, but his parents bought him an acoustic guitar to reduce noise. = He took a six-month classical guitar course and formed his first band with classmates after purchasing an electric guitar. = He began his musical career with the band "Gentry" in 1978, co-founded with Piet Sielck (later of "Iron Savior"). = He co-founded "Helloween" in 1984, taking on roles as guitarist and vocalist. = In 1985 "Helloween" released their self-titled EP and debut album, "Walls of Jericho", with Hansen on lead vocals and guitar. = In 1987 he played guitar on "Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I"' the first with Michael Kiske as the lead vocalist. = Kiske was brought in as a singer, originally because Hansen had trouble singing and playing the guitar simultaneously, though later in his career he seems to have overcome these problems. = In 1988 he contributed to " Keeper of the Seven Keys : Part II ", cementing "Helloween's" influence in power metal. = In 1989 Kai left "Helloween" due to creative differences and touring fatigue. = The same year he already founded "Gamma Ray", initially featuring Ralf Scheepers as the lead vocalist. = "Gamma Ray" released their debut album, "Heading for Tomorrow" in 1990. = In the years 1989-1990 Hansen contributed as a guest Guitarist and vocalist to "Blind Guardian’s" albums "Follow the Blind" and "Tales from the Twilight World". = In 1993 Hansen appeared on "Angra's" "Angels Cry" album, playing guitar solos on the track "Never Understand." = In 1995 Hansen took over as lead vocalist in "Gamma Ray", debuting his vocal work on "Land of the Free" album. Since then, Hansen has provided the vocals for "Gamma Ray". = During that time Hansen transitioned to a more melodic and clear vocal style compared to his earlier raspy approach. = Up until 2014 Hansen Released 11 studio albums with "Gamma Ray". = In 1997 Hansen joined "Iron Savior" as guitarist, releasing three albums with the band before leaving to focus on "Gamma Ray". In 2001-2002 Hansen played the role of Regrin the dwarf in "Avantasia's" "Metal Opera" albums. = In 2004 Hansen provided vocals for "Angra's" "Temple of Shadows" on the track "The Temple of Hate." = Later, in 2008, he was featured in "Angra's" "The Scarecrow" album playing guitar in the song "Shelter from the Rain". = In 2005 he toured with the German power/Viking metal "Stormwarrior", performing material from "Helloween’s" "Walls of Jericho". = In 2011 he joined "Unisonic" as second guitarist, collaborating again with Michael Kiske. = In 2012 "Unisonic" released their debut album and embarked on a world tour. = In 2014 "Unisonic" released their second album "Light of Dawn". = "Unisonic" also released 2 EP's and a live album. = In 2016 Hansen released his solo album "XXX – Three Decades in Metal", marking 30 years in the industry. = In the years 2017-2019 Hansen reunited with "Helloween" for the "Pumpkins United" World Tour, performing with Michael Kiske and the current lineup. = In 2021 Hansen contributed to "Helloween’s" self-titled album " Helloween ", his first studio work with the band since 1988. = In 2023 "Gamma Ray" released the live album 30 Years Live Anniversary, celebrating Hansen’s legacy. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Written By: Moti Kupfer Release date - 16.01.1981 “ A disastrous day is a day of change, and a day of change is a disastrous day ,” sang Eran Tzur as a paraphrase of Rabbi Shlomo Ibn Gabirol’s poem “My throat trembles when I call out.” About a decade and a half before “B’Kislev”  was written, the American rock band Styx had already embodied that very idea. Formed in 1972 in Chicago, Illinois by Dennis DeYoung, Steve Young, John Curulewski, and brothers Chuck and John Panozzo, "Styx" began as a hard rock and progressive rock band. However, the hit “Babe” , written by singer and keyboardist Dennis DeYoung toward the end of the decade, completely changed the band’s trajectory. DeYoung, who enjoyed the chart success, decided to shift direction and lead "Styx" toward a more melodic sound, ignoring the wishes of guitarist and songwriter Tommy Shaw (who joined the band in 1975), and guitarist and vocalist James "JY" Young, both of whom wanted to remain faithful to the band’s original style. As if that were not enough, “Boat on the River” , written by Shaw, also became another hit from the album "Cornerstone". The disputes between the parties led to DeYoung’s temporary dismissal, but upon his return, Styx proved they still had a few tricks up their sleeve, just before heading toward the sunset, with the release of the concept album "Paradise Theatre" on January 16, 1981. The album presents a fictional portrayal of the “Paradise Theatre” in Chicago, from its opening in 1928 to its closure in 1956 (it was later demolished), serving as a metaphor for America’s changing times from the late 1970s into the 1980s. Dennis DeYoung, who envisioned and developed the entire concept, explained that the album’s theme is a theme of hope and renewal in the spirit of the American people, to understand the problems facing the world and this country, and to find solutions to those problems on their own. Do not rely on others to do things for you, but do them yourself. If you hate your job but have a dream, chase it. Just do not sit around and complain. The songs on the album deal with people who are out of sync with themselves and with their surroundings. The idea connects rapid decline with a lament for a bygone golden age, symbolized by the theatre that was built on the eve of the Great Depression in 1928 and died in the mid-1950s. This concept resonated strongly with America’s economic struggles of the late seventies and early eighties. Musically, the album blends rock tracks with more melodic songs, and the tension between DeYoung’s approach and that of Shaw and Young is clearly felt. The album opens with “A.D. 1928” , which serves as an intro to “Rockin’ the Paradise” , a song in which DeYoung urges the American people to return to the hard work that once made America great. That line of thought continues with “Too Much Time on My Hands” , which tells the story of an unemployed man who spends all his time at the local bar, complaining about everything happening in the world without the ability to look at himself in the mirror, pick up the pieces, and leave the bar to earn his living again. The song was written by Tommy Shaw, inspired by his experiences at a local bar in Niles, Michigan. The album continues with a song filled with hard-earned wisdom, “Nothing Ever Goes as Planned” , or as it is often paraphrased in a faith-based Hebrew version, “Man plans, and God laughs.” The song was inspired by the 1979 novel " Good As Gold"  by Joseph Heller and reflects Murphy’s Law in musical form. Dennis DeYoung explained: “The song is about three characters who make plans, and then something unexpected happens that completely derails those plans.” The next stage is the realization that the world is changing, and not for the better, and that the way to endure is through love, as DeYoung sings in “The Best of Times” , which was the album’s first single and became a massive success on the American charts, peaking at number three. With “Snowblind” , "Styx" faced condemnation from fundamentalist Christian groups who failed to understand that the song was a warning sign about cocaine addiction. Instead, they believed the track supposedly contained a satanic message and encouraged drug use, completely missing its cautionary intent. The song “Half Penny, Two Penny”  deals with themes of financial corruption that led America to its troubled economic state at the time. Beyond the concept itself and the internal tug-of-war between the band’s dominant creative forces, "Styx" also demonstrated clear forward thinking. The band produced three music videos for three singles from the album, a move that proved highly effective. When MTV went on air in August 1981, the channel aired those three singles frequently, a factor that helped "Styx" gain a large new audience of young fans during that period. In the end, Paradise Theatre  marked the end of an era, not only for the theatre or for America of the seventies, but also the approaching end of "Styx" themselves. "Justice for money what can you say, we all know it's the American way" For Listening : Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On January 16, 1972, the debut eponymous album of the "Blue Öyster Cult" was released. The band established in 1967 as "Soft White Underbelly", was founded by guitarist Donald Roeser and drummer Albert Bouchard. The band's initial name came from the nickname Winston Churchill gave to Italy during World War II, when he defined it as the "soft underbelly" of the Germany-Italy-Japan axis of evil. Music critic Sandy Pearlman heard them play at Stony Brook University in Long Island, where the band was formed and offered to be their manager and promote them. The band agreed and Perlman became much more than that. He produced the band's albums and even helped write some of its songs, until 1995. In 1971 and after several lineup and name changes, the band changed its name to "Blue Öyster Cult", a name given to it by Perlman ("The Oyster Man") under the influence of a song he wrote. Perlman saw the American answer to "Black Sabbath" before his eyes (hence the title of the band's name also includes the color "blue"). The lineup that recorded the band's debut album was also its most successful one, creating and releasing its major albums including: "Tyranny and Mutation", "Secret Treaties" and "Agents of Fortune". The band members were: Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser on lead guitar and vocals, Eric Bloom on guitar and vocals, Allen Lanier on keyboards, guitar and vocals, Joe Bouchard on bass and vocals and Albert Bouchard on drums and percussion. (Photo: Fanart.TV) This album was critically acclaimed and included some of the band's greatest songs that were played in its performances throughout the band's 50 year career. The opening song " Transmaniacon MC ", was influenced by the "Altamont" festival held in 1969, with the letters "MC" representing the acronym "Motorcycle Club". The track " Then Came the Last Days of May " is based on a true story that happened to two of Buck Dharma's friends, who were murdered during a drug deal. The song " Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll " was written by Perlman, Roger and Albert Bouchard who also serves here as the lead singer. The riff of the song reminds us of "The Wizard" riff by "Black Sabbath". The riff of the song " Stairway to the Stars " reminds us a bit of that of the song "La Grange" which "ZZ Top" will release a year later. This album was a great opening shot for a band that will only get better on their next albums, with songs like "Godzilla" and " Astronomy " that "Metallica" will cover and of course its two greatest hits " Don't Fear (The Reaper) " and " Burnin' For You ". And how gratifying is it when on October 9, 2020 this excellent band was back with a new and excellent album after a break of two decades " The Symbol Remains ". For Listening: Spotify "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website