Editor's Choice... And this time "In Absentia", "Porcupine Tree's" seventh studio album, released on September 24, 2002. "In Absentia" marked a significant turning point for "Porcupine Tree", not only as their first album featuring drummer Gavin Harrison, but also as the first to fully embrace a heavier, progressive metal direction. This shift introduced the band to a wider audience and showcased their ability to evolve musically while staying true to their progressive rock roots. The change of musical direction on "In Absentia" reflects Steven Wilson’s collaborations and inspirations at the time, notably with "Opeth’s" Mikael Akerfeldt. At that time, Wilson listened to quite a few extreme metal bands, especially the Swedish bands "Meshuggah" and "Opeth". He was particularly impressed by the music of "Opeth", and agreed to produce their album, " Blackwater Park ", a move that inspired him to move "Porcupine Tree" in a more metal direction. "In Absentia" shares a similar balance of progressive rock’s atmospheric beauty with metal’s intensity, mirroring the dynamics seen in " Blackwater Park ". Another main influence on Wilson was his collaboration with Aviv Geffen , a fan of Wilson's music, who invited "Porcupine Tree" to Israel during their 2000 tour, in support of the band's previous album, "Lightbulb Sun". Geffen, not being a fan of metal music, kept that project in more of a soft direction, as he and Wilson will do in their side project "Blackfield". Geffen’s influence is felt in the album's more introspective and emotional moments, adding a layer of melancholy to the heavy, progressive structure. The opening track, " Blackest Eyes ," highlights this new direction with a combination of heavy, metal-influenced guitar riffs and softer, melodic verse with Steven Wilson’s signature melancholic vocals. Harrison's addition to the lineup elevated the band’s sound, his complex yet fluid drumming style providing a solid foundation for the album’s heavier sections, particularly in tracks like " Wedding Nails " and " The Creator Has a Mastertape ." One of "In Absentia's" strongest aspects is its seamless blend of acoustic passages and powerful, metal-influenced riffs. Tracks like " Blackest Eyes ," illustrate the band’s ability to shift between delicate, melodic acoustic segments and heavy-riffing, more dissonant sections without losing emotional impact. " Trains " which comes right after is one of the album’s standout tracks where you can feel this dinamics, mixing acoustic guitar work with intricate fingerpicking and emotional, soaring vocals with powerful guitar bursts. The song starts gently but builds into a driving rhythm with subtle layers of banjo and mellotron, showcasing the band’s folk and progressive rock roots. " The Sound of Muzak " explore the complexity of rhythm, showing how the band’s progressive tendencies are enhanced by their embrace of heavier elements. It features a 7/4 time signature, adding a progressive touch, with Aviv Geffen  singing backing vocals. The clean guitar tones and rhythmic complexity are highlights of the track, with Gavin Harrison’s drumming providing a tight and complex foundation. " Gravity Eyelids " slowly unfolds from atmospheric, electronic-tinged soundscapes into heavier guitar sections. The shift from ambient to heavier passages exemplifies the album’s dual nature. " Wedding Nails " is an instrumental track that leans heavily into progressive metal territory, with Harrison’s intricate drumming driving the song’s rapid tempo shifts and odd time signatures. " Heartattack in a Layby ," for instance, captures a moment of quiet desperation. It is one of the more somber, emotional tracks, featuring minimal instrumentation, allowing Steven Wilson’s delicate vocals to take center stage. On the other hand, " Strip the Soul " delivers unsettling narratives underscored by raw, driving energy, with its down-tuned, menacing riffs and complex rhythm changes. It’s one of the heaviest tracks on the album, pushing the band further into progressive metal territory. As the first step into their progressive metal era, "In Absentia" stands as one of "Porcupine Tree's" most defining releases. It bridges the gap between their earlier, more psychedelic work and the darker, more aggressive direction that would follow in albums like "Deadwing" and "Fear of a Blank Planet". For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Well, this is not our first review on a "Megadeth" album, but it is probably the most exciting we wrote in relation to this amazing band. On September 24, 1990, "Megadeth" released their fourth album "Rust In Peace" and is no less than a "Master-Piece". Let's release it right here and now, if there's an Olympus of Metal, then this album is definitely there. Exemplary album, immortal, timeless, perfect, masterpiece, classic! And a lot of other superlatives that exist in the lexicon. And now, after we have released it and calmed down, let's say a few words about it. This is the band's first album that included the classic lineup with Dave Mustaine , Marty Friedman , David Ellefson and Nick Menza . If you ask any fan of the band what is the best "Megadeth"'s album, we are sure that the vast majority will point to "Rust In Peace" as an album that the best defines the whole band, its essence and roots, and its unique sound. So to understand how all this happened, we need to go back a bit and rummage through the circumstances that led to the creation of this wonderful album. In 1988, "Megadeth"'s performed at the Monsters of Rock Festival in Donnington in front of an audience of over 100,000 fans. Following the successful performance, the festival organizers wanted to add "Megadeth" to the list of bands that will continue their "Monsters of Rock" tour in Europe. But, the offer comes at a bad time for the band. Bassist David Ellefson drops out after just one show due to drug issues, guitarist Jeff Young doesn't get along with the rest of the band members and drummer Chuck Behler was too stoned to play an entire set, in a way that forced Dave Mustaine to fire them. It turned out that instead of taking advantage of the momentum and opportunity given to the band with Chuck Behler's tour, Dave Mustaine sees how his band crumbles before his eyes. But Mustaine does not give up. He offers Chuck Behler's drum technician the role of a drummer in the band. Nick Menza was well aware of the drum parts on the band's songs and there were times when he had already replaced Chuck Behler, when he was unable to play, so it was only natural that Mustaine would offer him the job. In the guitarist slot, things were not so simple. Mustaine turned every stone to find a guitarist who would fit the band's strict requirements. Among the various candidates was also a young guitarist named Diamond Darrell from the band "Pantera", who would later go by the name Dimebag Darrell . Dimebag agreed, but only on condition, that his brother, drummer Vinnie Paul Abbott , also join Megadeth. Mustaine did not agree, since he only recently hired Nick Menza 's services, so in the end, this collaboration did not happen. Mustaine later stated that he had to comply with Dimbag's request and then he had the best band in the world. Another candidate whose name came up in connection with the position of guitarist in the band was Jeff Waters from "Annihilator", but this did not happen either. Mustaine described the search for a replacement guitarist as exhausting and tedious. At one point Mustaine comes to the band director Ron Lafitte's office and sees a copy of Marty Friedman 's "Dragon's Kiss" album. He thought the album cover was a bit silly but got knocked down about Friedman's playing. He immediately invites Friedman to an audition and Friedman simply slaughters the guitar in front of Mustaine's eyes and immediately gets accepted as the fourth and final member of what will become the band's classic and most stable lineup. (Photo: Gene Kirkland) Reinforced by new forces and by a more sober Dave Ellefson, the band enters "Rumbo" studios in California and begins recording, but this is where the problems began. Original producer Dave Jurdin does not survive the intense process and is soon replaced by Mike Clink, largely thanks to his work on "Guns N 'Roses"' " Appetite for Destruction " album, and UFO's " Strangers in the Night ". At the same time, Mustaine revealed in later interviews that whoever had to finish the production work was ultimately himself, since Mike Clink was busy at the time, producing the "Guns N 'Roses"' double albums " U se Your Illusion I & II " that were recorded In the same studio. The idea for the album title came from a sticker that Mustaine saw on the back of a car that read, "Nuclear Weapons May They "Rust In Peace". Dave loved the punch and the protest against nuclear weapons. The album cover was designed by Ed Repka the same artist who designed the album cover for " Peace Sells... but Who's Buying ?" from 1986. The cover is influenced by a scene from the song " Hangar 18 " featuring Vic Rattlehead standing over an alien's body with the world leaders including Gorbachev and Bush watching from behind. And a bit about the content, the riffs Dave Mustaine wrote for every song on this album (except for "Dawn Patrol" which only includes bass, drums, and vocals), are the best he has ever written. Dave and Marty's solos are simply pure genius, and the combination of Ellefson and Menza is simply divine. Just listen to their oiled and well-synchronized rhythm section in the song "Take No Prisoners" and you will understand what it is all about. Every song on this album is a work of thought, a masterpiece, made by a master artist. Already in the opening song " Holy Wars ... The Punishment Due ", we receive two gifts in one box. The quick and edgy opening of "Holy Wars" with one of the most beautiful riffs ever written in Metal, and the transition section with Friedman's classical guitar, starting at 2:15 minutes, which is a bridge to the heavy and creepy section "The Punishment Due". The song continues to be built gradually with 2 melodic solos by Marty Friedman and then the turbo button is pushed, the rhythm rises and climbs towards Dave's third and final solo which simply burns the guitar before leading us to the last verse and end of the song. The lyrics of the song "Holy Wars" refer to the global conflict and in contrast to what many believe, to the situation in Northern Ireland and not the situation in Israel. Dave Mustaine said he wrote the song after discovering fake band t-shirts in Northern Ireland, which were used to raise funds for the Army of the Republic of Northern Ireland. In contrast, the lyrics of the song "The Punishment Due" are based on the comic book of "Marvel The Punisher". The second track " Hangar 18 " is influenced by alien theory and refers to "Hangar 18" located at the U.S. Air Force base in Dayton Ohio. Nick Menza wrote the lyrics after watching an 80s film of the same name and Dave Mustaine composed a variation on the track "The Call of Ktulu" which he wrote for "Metallica" and for which he also received credit on the " Ride The Lightning " album. The bass guitar in this song is tuned in full tone down, while the guitars are in standard tuning. It's one of the band's most complex songs with insane transitions and rhythm changes that have been influenced by the progressive genre. The sequence of solos starting at 2:35 is simply inconceivable. Ingenious, brilliant, and accurate. The opening of the third track " Take No Prisoners " just breaks down all the bones in our bodies over and over again, no matter how many times we have already listened to the song. What an amazing bass work by Ellefson, who proves time and time again that he is one of the great bassists in Thrash Metal. This song was written about the invasion of Normandy (D-Day) in World War II, the campaign defined here by Megadeth in the lyrics of the song as "the beginning of the end". And this song certainly puts you into the depths of the greatest naval landing operation in history, into the inferno that took place there, the shelling, the mines, the artillery, and the stubborn warfare that ultimately turned out to be the turning point in the campaign against Germany. In the fourth song " Five Magics " the narrator character lives under the rule of the Dark Lord from which he is interested in freeing himself. The heavy and dark opening with Ellefson's bass chords and threatening riffs really blends in with the content of the story, with the protagonist of the plot devoting his life to learning five magic tricks that will help him deal with the Dark Lord and overthrow him from his chair. But something just happens along the way and as the protagonist of the story becomes more and more specialized in learning the magic he sinks into the lust for power and slowly becomes the evil character he wants to overthrow. But it does not end here, because, in the end, the Dark Lord who already knows the secrets of witchcraft including the five spells defeats the hero. Dave manages to illustrate through his poetry, the changing rhythms and changing dynamics of the song, the story of the act. But what's special about this, is that we think it's the only Megadeth's song that deals with fantasy, correct us if we were wrong. The opening track on the other side of the vinyl " Poison Was the Cure " was written by Dave Mustaine about his heroin addiction and the fact that he thought the chemicals would be a "cure" for his problems. What mind-blowing drumming from Menza, especially starting with the short drumming part at 0:55 and the hell that erupts after it with the crazy solos of Marty and Dave. Immediately after that comes " Lucretia " with the scary laughter of the ghost that opens the song, telling of the ghost living in Dave's attic, which every now and then sneaks up on her at night, when everyone is asleep. " Tornado Of Souls " with the amazing opening riff that includes string clogging, was written by Ellefson and Mustaine and talks about ending a morbid relationship. Towards the end of the song, Mustaine tells how he gives the girl the "kiss of death" and all sorts of conspiracy theories have been raised about it. The song features one of the classic and beloved solos in metal, which no doubt earns the nickname "Tornado of Solo" and which even Marty Friedman himself has confirmed, is one of his greatest. Friedman said that when he finished playing the solo for Mustaine for the first time, Dave Mustaine simply kept quiet, got up from his chair, and without saying a word shook Friedman's hand. " Dawn Patrol " refers to global warming and the environment. It is led by Ellefson's amazing bass work and Dave's bizarre singing, which give the song a strange appeal and bizarre twist. The closing song " Rust in Peace ... Polaris " refers directly to the Cold War and nuclear armament, with an explicit mention of the UGM-27 Polaris ballistic missiles that carried a nuclear warhead. The song was originally called "Child Saint" and was originally composed in the early 1980s even before Mustaine joined "Metallica". "Rust in Peace" is a Metal classic, a masterpiece, it's "Megadeth" in its heyday with its classical lineup and amazing playing technique and it's probably also the band's best album. For Listening : Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

"The Boss" is celebrating his birthday today and we have 30 interesting facts to tell you about him: (Photo: Flickr) 1. He was born in New Jersey on September 23, 1949, as Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen. 2. He was the eldest of three children and grew up in a working-class Catholic Christian family. 3. The moment he realized he wanted to pursue music was when he was 7 and watched Elvis Presley on "The Ed Sullivan Show". 4. He started playing guitar shortly afterward when his mother Adele rented him a guitar for 6$ a week. He bought his first guitar when he was 13 for 18.95$. By the time he was 16, he had already received from his mother his first serious guitar. She had to take a loan to buy it. The story of the purchase is described in the song "The Wish", from the "Tracks" box released by Springsteen in 1998. 5. The first song he learned to play on the guitar was "Twist and Shout" by "the Beatles". 6. He was nicknamed "The Boss" in the late 1960s when he was part of the "Earth" band, since he managed the band's logistics and financial affairs. 7. From 1969 he was part of the band "Steel Mill" together with Danny Federici, Vini Lopez, and later also Steven Van Zandt and Robin Thompson. The band members, accompanied by saxophonist Clarence Clemons, will become the famous "E Street Band" in 1972 and will accompany Springsteen throughout his career. (Photo: Lynn Goldsmith) 8. his first album "Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J", was released in 1973. The one who was the recording technician on the album was producer Louis Lahav. 9. Lahav will continue to accompany Bruce until 1975 when he also serves as a soundman during his performances and also enlists his wife Tzruya (Suki) Lahav to play violin with Springsteen. 10. The Lahav couple also accompanied Springsteen on the masterpiece album "Born To Run" when Tzruya even played the violin in the song "Jungleland". It was also Springsteen's breakthrough album that made him the first musician to be featured on the cover of the two successful magazines "Time" and "Newsweek" in the same week in 1975. 11. By the way, the song "Born To Run" is the most played in Springsteen's performances. To date, it has been played 1,745 times. 12. Believe it or not but following the success of the album Springsteen bought his first car - the "1950 Corvette". The car is on display today at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (Photo: Frank Stefanko) 13. In 1976, the Lahav couple and Bruce Springsteen parted ways. Rumor has it that the reason was an affair that developed between Tzruya Lahav and Bruce Springsteen, for which Tzruya asked Louis Lahav to return to Israel to save their marriage. 14. In 1976 after a performance in Memphis, Bruce, who so admired Elvis Presley, tried to sneak into his Graceland estate and was caught. Later, in 1977, he wrote the song "Fire" for Elvis. He sent him a demo tape of the song in the hope he will perform it, but Elvis died shortly afterward and Bruce never found out if he liked the song or not. Bruce eventually gave the song to Robert Gordon, and the "Pointer Sisters" would make it a hit in 1979. 15. This was the third consecutive song that Springsteen wrote and became a hit by other artists. The first was "Blinded by the Light" performed by "Manfred Mann's Earth Band" in 1977 and the second was "Because the Night" performed by Patti Smith in 1978. Of course, Manfred Mann performed cover versions of two other Bruce songs: "Spirit in the Night "and" For You ". 16. Another sign that illustrates Bruce's appreciation for Elvis is the fact that on the cover of the 1975 album "Born to Run", he was photographed with a button of Elvis fan club in New York attached to his guitar strap. 17. He originally wrote the song "Hungry Heart" from the album " The River " for the "Ramones". In 1979 he met Joey Ramone who asked him to write a song for his band. Bruce wrote, "Hungry Heart" intending to give it to Ramones, but eventually stayed with it on the recommendation of his manager. 18. His most successful album was " Born in the U.S.A ", which was released in 1984. It produced 7 hits that entered the top 10 and sold 30 million copies, 15 million of them in the US alone. 19. Actress Courtney Cox from the TV series "Friends", appears in Springsteen's music video for the song "Dancing in the Dark", he took her on stage and danced with her. 20. In 1989 he disbanded the "E Street Band" and gave each member 2$ million. In March 1992 he released two solo albums on the same day "Lucky Town" and "Human Touch". 21. In 1993 he won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for writing and performing the song "Streets of Philadelphia", which was included in the movie "Philadelphia" starring Tom Hanks. 22. In 1999 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The one who gave the induction speech was none other than Bono from U2. Springsteen returned the favor 6 years later, when in 2005 he gave the U2 induction speech to the Hall of Fame. 23. In 1999 an asteroid in the solar system was named after him - "23990 Springsteen". That same year the astronauts on the space shuttle "Discovery" chose to wake up every morning with his song "Rendezvous". 24. There is a radio channel called "E Street Radio" that plays Springsteen's songs 24/7. 25. Springsteen is an avid Harry Potter admirer. He even wrote a song for one of the movies, but due to JK Rowling's tough policy of not putting commercial songs in Harry Potter movies, Springsteen's song was rejected. 26. In 2008, Springsteen was named one of the "100 Most Influential People in the World" by Time Magazine. 27. In 2009 he again won the Golden Globe Award for the song "The Wrestler" which was included in the soundtrack of the film of the same name. 28. On August 31, 2006, Springsteen broke the record for the longest rock performance ever in the United States. The show was held in New Jersey and lasted 4 hours and one minute. By the way, his long performance outside the US was held in Helsinki in 2012 and lasted 4 hours and 6 minutes. 29. Bruce has released to date 21 studio albums, 23 live albums, and 7 EPs, of which 71 different singles have been released, an unimaginable amount by all means. 30. During his long career, Bruce has collaborated with dozens of different artists, including Tom Morello , Lou Reed , Eddie Vedder , Roy Orbison, Graham Parker, Donna Summer, Emmylou Harris, and more and more... * In April 2023, the governor of New Jersey declared 9/23 as "Bruce Springsteen Day". "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

In honor of Nick Cave's birthday, we've gathered some interesting facts about him: (Photo: Wallpaperflare.com) 1. Nick Cave was born on September 22, 1957 in Warracknabeal, Victoria, Australia. His name at birth was Nicholas Edward Cave. 2. His father worked as a teacher of English and mathematics at the local technical high school, and his mother was a librarian. It was his father who exposed him to literature and poetry. 3. When he was 9 years old he joined the Holy Trinity Cathedral Choir in Wangaratta. 4. The musical influences on Nick Cave as a child came from his older brother. He listened to progressive rock and loved bands like "King Crimson", "Pink Floyd" and "Jethro Tull". later his girlfriend introduced him to Leonard Cohen whom Cave defined as the greatest songwriter of all time. (Photo: Tom Sheehan) 5. Nick Cave was 19 when his father was killed in a car accident. 6. He started his musical career in 1973 when he met guitarist Mick Harvey. In 1977 they formed the post-punk band "The Boys Next Door" which released their debut album "Door, Door" in 1977. Later the band moved to London and changed its name to "The Birthday Party", releasing four albums before it disbanded. (Photo: Michel Lawrence) 7. Shortly after the breakup of "The Birthday Party", Cave formed "the Bad Seeds" with guitarist (who has since become a multi-instrumentalist) Mick Harvey. 8. Nick Cave became the most prominent and main writer of "The Bad Seeds". He writes his poems on a typewriter. 9. His lyrics usually revolve around issues of religion, death, love, and violence. 10. In 1984 he released his debut album "From Her to Eternity" along with "The Bad Seeds" as his backing band. 11. In 1987, after four albums, "Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds" appeared in the mythical film "Wings of Desire" directed by Wim Wenders. 12. Later on, Cave will also appear in the 1988 film "Ghosts ... of the Civil Dead" and will also write the soundtrack for the film. 13. In 1990 Cave moved to Sao Paulo, Brazil, to escape the gothic and punk scenes that claimed him to be their idol. He found love there, went through a rehab process and wrote material there that would become his masterpiece album " The Good Son ". 14. In 1996 he was nominated for "Best Male Artist" at the MTV Europe Music Awards, for the album "Murder Ballads". Surprisingly Cave sought to withdraw his candidacy, fearing that competitiveness would hurt his work. And so he wrote as an explanation for the removal of the candidacy: "My muse is not a horse and I am in no horse race and if indeed she was, still I would not harness her to this tumbrel--this bloody cart of severed heads and glittering prizes. My muse may spook! May bolt! May abandon me completely!" 5. He briefly dated PJ Harvey in the mid-1990s, who also recorded a duet with her on the 1996 album "Murder Ballads". 16. In the same year Cave became the godfather of Michael Hutchence 's daughter. (Photo: Eventworld.co) 17. Nick Cave has always expressed his love for Johnny Cash. In 2000, Cash covered Cave's "The Mercy Seat" in thanks for Cave's cover version of Cash's song "The Singer" on his album "Kicking Against the Pricks". Later Cave will fulfill his dream and meet Cash when they both perform a duet to Hank Williams' song "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry", which will be included in Cash's last album "American IV: The Man Comes Around" from 2002. 18. In 2001, Cave recorded a cover version of the Beatles' song "Let It Be", for the soundtrack of the movie "I Am Sam". 19. Nick Cave is also a screenwriter. He wrote the screenplay for the 2005 film "The Proposition." Later Cave wrote a screenplay called "The Wettest County in the World" which became the film "Lawless" from 2012. 20. The influence of Cave crosses borders. Even members of "Metallica" cited him as an inspiration and recorded a cover version of his song "Loverman" from the album " Let Love In ", which was included on their album " Garage Inc. " 21. In 2007, Nick Cave and some of his bandmates formed "Grinderman", a punk band in which Nick Cave returns to the style that characterized him at the beginning of his career. He plays electric guitar for the first time. The band has so far released two studio albums. 22. That same year Nick was inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association Hall of Fame. 23. Nick Cave is also a writer. He's the author of the books "And The Ass Saw The Angel", "The Death Of Bunny Munro" and "King Ink". 24. In 2009 Cave narrated the animated film "The Cat Piano". 25. In July 2015 his son Arthur, then only 15 years old, was killed by falling from a cliff. Cave sank into depression and turned to write, the result can be listened to in his excellent album "Skeleton Tree". 26. Nick Cave is known as a supporter of Israel and he has visited it several times even on private visits. In addition, he performed in Israel 4 times, when the fifth performance that was supposed to take place in 2020 at Bloomfield Stadium was canceled due to Covid-19. During his last show in Israel in 2017, he stated at a press conference that he came here in response to BDS. 27. Inbal Perlmutter from the band "The Witches" approached Cave and asked him to record a cover version of the song "Shivers" of "The Boys Next Door". Cave accepted the invitation and the song was included on the 1996 mini-album "The Witches Cover". 28. Nick Cave was elected an officer of the Order of Australia in 2017. 29. During his extensive career Cave has released no less than 24 studio albums, 4 with The Boys Next Door/the Birthday Party, 17 with "Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds", two more with "Grinderman" and one with his friend Warren Ellis released in 2021. 30. In addition Cave released 5 more live albums and co-wrote no less than 24 different soundtracks. 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On September 22, 1983 "Kiss" released their 11th studio album "Lick It Up". The album marks a significant turning point for "Kiss", as it's the first album where the band fully embraced their unmasked identity. Before its 1983 release, the band members appeared on MTV without their trademark make-up. It was the first public appearance without make-up by the band. It was also the first album not to feature Ace Frehley as a band member nor on the album cover. As well known, Ace Frehley had appeared on the "Creatures of the Night" cover, despite having already left the band and not being involved in the recording of the album, While Vinnie Vincent contributed lead guitar to six songs from it. This album was a bold move following the commercial and critical decline of their previous records. The shedding of their iconic makeup signified a rebirth, and "Lick It Up" played a major role in reviving their career. Musically, the album fits squarely within the glam metal and hard rock aesthetic of the early '80s, featuring powerful riffs, thundering drums (the heavy reverb on Carr's drums was a unique sound not previously heard on a "Kiss" albums), and anthemic choruses. It's a continuation of the sound developed on "Creatures of the Night", but with a cleaner, more polished production. Vinnie Vincent, who co-wrote many of the songs and played lead guitar, brought fresh energy to the band's sound, particularly in his explosive guitar solos. The title track, " Lick It Up ," is the undisputed highlight, with its catchy, singalong chorus and straightforward rock groove. It's one of the few tracks from the non-makeup era that became a "Kiss" classic, regularly featured in their live shows to this day. It is a staple of the band's live performances. "Kiss" has performed the song over 1,500 times as of June 2023, making it one of the group's top ten most-played pieces. Songs like the opening track " Exciter " (featuring a guitar solo from Rick Derringer), " Young and Wasted " and " Fits Like A Glove ", showcase "Kiss’s" heavier side, with Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons delivering some of their best vocal performances. " All Hell's Breakin' Loose " (which all four members wrote) adds a slightly quirky, rap-influenced vocal delivery from Stanley, making it one of the more unique tracks on the album. Vinnie Vincent's contributions are also evident in " A Million to One ," which brings a more melodic and emotional side to "Kiss's" sound, balancing the heavier moments with its heartfelt lyrics. The album’s overall vibe is unapologetically raw, embodying the hard rock excess of the time. While "Lick It Up" might not reach the critical heights of their '70s classics like "Destroyer" or "Love Gun", it succeeded in re-establishing "Kiss" as relevant players in the rock scene, especially during the rise of glam metal. The record is fun, riff-heavy, and full of attitude—just what "Kiss" needed to break out of their slump. Ultimately, "Lick It Up" helped "Kiss" transition into their next phase while maintaining the rebellious spirit that fans love. it introduced "Kiss" to a new generation of fans, as well as marking the beginning of the "unmasked" era. It was certified gold, being the first "Kiss" album to achieve that since 1980's "Unmasked". For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On September 23, 1991 "Primal Scream" Released their third studio album "Screamadelica", another album from the "Class of 91'" album series that had been praise as one of the best albums of the 1990s. The album marked a significant departure from the band's early indie rock sound. It is more than just an album—it's a cultural time capsule that captures the spirit of an era where musical boundaries were breaking down. The early 90s were a seismic time in music, with genres blending and new sounds emerging from the underground. The year saw the rise of alternative rock like with "Nirvana’s" "Nevermind" on one hand, and with the explosion of electronic music driven by the rave culture across the UK, on the other. Against this backdrop, "Screamadelica" landed as a bold and innovative fusion of rock, psychedelia, house, dub, and acid house, serving as the ultimate genre-defying record of its time. It fused acid house, rock, and gospel in a way that captured the spirit of rave culture while embracing the rebellious energy of rock 'n' roll. One of the most remarkable aspects of "Screamadelica" is its ability to reflect the musical ethos of 1991, a year where scenes collided and new hybrid genres took shape. "Primal Scream", led by Bobby Gillespie, took advantage of the vibrant club scene, particularly the rise of the Madchester movement and the rave culture that was transforming the UK. They teamed up with producers like Andrew Weatherall, whose touch was instrumental in weaving the drug-fueled euphoria of the dance floor into the rock foundation of the band. The result was something that felt both entirely of its moment and radically forward-looking. From the opening track "Movin' on Up," the album signals its expansive vision. The gospel-infused, "Rolling Stones"-esque rock anthem sets a spiritual, uplifting tone, contrasting the dance-heavy electronic textures that dominate later tracks like "Don't Fight It, Feel It" and "Loaded." These latter songs, steeped in house beats and dub basslines, were emblematic of the cross-pollination happening in the music world at the time. Tracks like "Come Together" which is over 10 min song, showcase "Primal Scream's" ability to bring together blissed-out electronic soundscapes with rock sensibilities in a way that feels natural and euphoric. The year 1991 was also significant for its role in pushing the boundaries of what rock could sound like. Albums such as the shoegaze masterpiece "Loveless" by "My Bloody Valentine" and "U2’s" "Achtung Baby" explored new sonic landscapes, and "Screamadelica" fits neatly into this trend, redefining the possibilities for guitar-based bands by embracing modern production techniques. "Primal Scream" succeeded where many rock bands failed at the time—they didn't simply incorporate dance elements; they immersed themselves in it. "Screamadelica" isn’t just an album that nods to the club—it’s one that lives in it, an album as comfortable in a sweaty rave as in a rock concert. Thematically, the album’s freewheeling hedonism is reflective of the early 90s rave scene’s embrace of ecstasy and collective euphoria. Tracks like "Don't Fight It, Feel It" and "Higher Than the Sun" perfectly capture that otherworldly, transcendental feeling that defined both rave culture and the early days of electronic music’s mainstream infiltration. Yet, the album' is not only dance and rave. Tracks like "Damaged", which sound like the "Rolling Stones" give it a depth that prevents it from feeling like a mindless party soundtrack. As the 90s progressed, "Screamadelica" stood as a blueprint for how bands could blend genres in an increasingly fragmented musical landscape. The way it bridged the gap between rock and electronic music laid the groundwork for future acts, foreshadowing the hybrid sound of later electronic rock bands and artists like "The Chemical Brothers" and "Radiohead". In essence, "Screamadelica" was a product of its time, yet it transcended it. It captured the energy of 1991, a year when the lines between rock, pop, and dance music were more blurred than ever before, and showed that these worlds didn’t just coexist—they could flourish together. In doing so, "Primal Scream, created a landmark record that not only defined their career but also marked a turning point in the trajectory of modern music. It will take "Primal Scream" three years to reinvent themselves again with "Give Out but Don't Give Up" which marked a massive departure from the psychedelic sound of "Screamadelica" into an album influenced by classic rock and blues music. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

And this time we start with the question. How many albums do you know whose opening song is a rock ballad? The album "Third Stage" - the third by "Boston" which was released on September 23, 1986, is one such. This album came out 8 years after the band's second album " Don't Look Back " released in 1978. The band started working on the album in 1980 and in fact, most of the album was ready for release by 1982. But then came the disagreements with the record company "Epic Records", and later also a lawsuit that delayed its release, when in the middle of everything the original band that accompanied the first two albums crumbled and the whole project was Archived. Schultz became obsessed during this period and similar to what happened with the band's debut album " Boston ", here too he sat in the studio for hours trying to reach the ultimate sound. For coverage of the creation process of the band's debut album, read here : In fact, at this point, all that was left of the original lineup were Tom Scholz himself and singer Brad Delp . Schultz claimed that during those years he pressed the record button over a million times and that he managed to fill over 100 recording reels during the recording of the album. In 1984, after the lawsuit against the record company ended, Tom Scholz signed with "MCA" and began working on the last mixes before releasing the album. But just then an amazing thing happened, someone leaked the opening song and rock ballad " Amanda " to small radio stations across the US. It should be understood, these were not Internet and YouTube days, so the leak was supposed to be done with a hard copy that was physically given to the radio stations. The broadcasters, even at those little radio stations, who realized they had a golden egg in hand, did not want to share it with others so they would talk during the beginning and end of the song so that other radio stations could not copy it and broadcast the song themselves. (Photo: Tim Chapman) Nevertheless, this song managed to reach number one even when it was officially released two years after it was leaked, in September 1986. The Success was even more overwhelming due to the fact the song did not have a video clip promoting it as was customary at the time. The band's sound from the first two albums is more or less preserved here, with the addition of the Rockman effect/guitar amplifier invented by the well-known MIT graduate Schultz himself. To this day we are not certain of why Schultz chose to open the album with the ballad " Amanda ", when in our opinion it would have been more appropriate to open with the song " The Launch " divided into three parts and with " Cool the Engines " that connects to it, or alternatively with the excellent " We're Ready ". Either way, this is a good album that most of its first side is arranged like a concept album with songs that connect and with the closing track " My Destination " which has the same melody as the opening song " Amanda ". For listening : Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On September 23, 1991, "Pixies" released their fourth album, "Trompe le Monde". Yes, it also belongs to the "Class of 91'" album series. The literal translation of the album's name from French means "Fool the World", but the Pixies did not really mean to fool their fans. After a change of direction and the relative softness of "Bossanova", the Pixies returned to their roots with a heavier album that corresponded quite a bit with "Surfer Rosa", but at the same time "Doolittle's" catchy melody can also be found in it. A winning combination that even managed to overcome its inconsistency and allow this formidable band to take one last bow and clear the stage, respectfully, to bands that were influenced by them and conquered the music market during the 1990s. This is the "swan song" of the Pixies. The band's last album in the classic lineup, with bassist and singer Kim Deal. The friction between her and Black Francis did not allow the band to continue to exist in its current format and not long after that it would be disbanded by Black Francis, some say via fax. Why are we telling you this? Because Kim Deal's presence on this album is barely noticeable. The trend that began with the previous album "Bossanova", in which Black Francis takes over the entire creative process, exists here as well, only this time Kim Deal's "voice" is barely heard, literally, and her vocal harmony with Francis is almost unnoticeable, to the point that some have called this album "the first solo album of Black Francis. " Undoubtedly, Francis' takeover and especially the absence of Kim Deal's accompaniment voices have undermined the foundations on which the Pixies' so unique sound is based on. This is probably also the reason why despite the rave reviews of "Trompe le Monde" at the time of its release, for years this album has failed to arouse the respect it deserves, among some of the band's fans. However, as the years go by the consensus around it grows and it proves itself as an excellent album that has passed the test of time very nicely. An album which, although lacks big "hits" like "Gigantic", "Here Comes Your Man" or "Where Is My Mind", manages to remain in the consciousness as one of the masterpieces of this influential band. (Photo: vinylchapters.com) The album features a streak of mighty songs, especially in its first half, which is closer in the atmosphere to "Surfer Rosa". It may start quietly and mysteriously, with Joey Santiago's arpeggios wrapped with his flanger effect, that opens up the theme song "Trompe le Monde", but after 8 drum beats by David Lovering, it just explodes on us mercilessly. "Planet of Sound" which was the first single from it with Kim Deal's dominant bass and Joey Santiago's howling guitars slowly becoming angry and powerful. "Alec Eiffel" with the Punk rhythm, released as the third single from the album and was written about the French engineer Alexander Eiffel. "The Sad Punk" which even further increases the tempo on the verge of Hardcore-Punk, but then breaks in the middle into a sort of ballad, as if it were two different songs. The amazing "Head On" which is a cover of "The Jesus and Mary Chain" song and even manages to surpass the original. "U-Mass" with the cruel riff that although very reminiscent of "The Kingsmen" "Louie Louie" or "Wild Thing" which was known thanks to "The Troggs", we have no problem with it. The song was written about the University of Massachusetts where Francis and Santiago met. Francis noted that the riff was written while still studying there. Notice the Cow-Bell and Kim Deal's amazing bass work and do not miss the segment that begins at 1:13 which will surely remind you, in structure and rhythm, of the song that will open another masterpiece album that will be released one day later. "Palace of the Brine" does slow down a bit, but manages to excite and sweep away. "Letter to Memphis" which really sounds like a sequel to "Palace of the Brine" and is a kind of homage to Francis to Chuck Berry's "Memphis, Tennessee". Then, comes the second half of the album and it seems like we replaced the toughness "Surfer Rosa" with the melody of "Doolittle". The track "Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons" opens with bass and keyboards, without Santiago's sawing guitars but develops into a song with a magical and sweeping melody. It is followed by "Space (I Believe In)", the weirdest song on the album, perhaps the most bizarre of the Pixies, which continues "Bossanova's" experimentalism and even more. There's even a guest player named Jef Feldman, playing the tabla. It is followed by "Subbacultcha" which goes back to the band's early days of the "Purple Tape" from 1987. We are back on track with "Distance Equals Rate Times Time", but immediately return to experimentation with "Lovely Day" which also features Jeff Feldman playing the tabla. We're nearing the end with "Motorway to Roswell" which is without a doubt one of the most beautiful songs on the album and sealing it with "The Navajo Know" which sounds to us like a Surf-Rock song with a New Wave beat from the Eighties. "Trompe le Monde" is the fourth and final part (until the reunion) of a glorious series of albums, which left a heavy mark on the music world of the 90s. It was released in an unimaginable year, just one day before a90ss like "Nevermind" and "Blood Sex Sugar Magik". In a year when masterpieces albums like "Ten", "Use Your Illusion I & II", "Metallica (The Black Album)", "Badmotorfinger" and more was released, so it didn’t really stand a chance. At the same time, it cannot be ignored that at midnight on September 23-24, 1991, the Pixies proudly transferred the burning torch it lit in 1987, to a band that was very influenced by them and was quite anonymous then, but just a few hours later would change the history of music as we knew it. Until that day. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Want to know what happens when you mix a rock opera like "Tommy" by "The Who" with protest Punk-Rock in the style of "London Calling" by "the Clash"? So Green Day's "American Idiot" album released on September 21, 2004 manages to combine the two and produce the first Punk-Rock opera in history, well maybe the second if you count "Hüsker Dü's" Zen Arcade". You could call it the "Green Day" comeback album, after almost a decade of irrelevance, but we prefer to call it the band's "Maturity" album. The group of disturbed youngsters who broke into the world consciousness a decade earlier with the album "Dookie" , as an angry three chords Punk-Rock band, became a band that takes itself seriously and writes a full concept album with a plot story, to express the disillusionment and protest of the September 11 and the Iraq War generation. The protagonists of the story are " Jesus of Suburbia " - A middle-class American teenage an anti-hero, from Manitown USA, whose parents are not getting along and turn to drugs and alcohol to survive. "Jimmy" - a Punk-rock artist, rebellious freedom fighter" and "Whatsername" - rival of "St. Jimmy”, which focuses on the fulfillment of her beliefs and ethics. The plot story begins with the theme song "American Idiot" - a nervous and furious punk-rock track, a distinct protest song designed to put us in the place and time where the plot takes place. Reflect on the atmosphere that prevailed in the United States after the events of September 11 and the Iraq war. The sobriety and understanding, the decline of patriotism and public protest that was also expressed in the media, such as the critical film "Fahrenheit 911" by Michael Moore. The "American Idiot" are perhaps a combination of George W. Bush and the American media, which Billie Joe Armstrong believes sowed paranoia and idiocy among the American public. The song was written by Billie Joe Armstrong after watching news coverage of the Iraq war, with journalists in tanks escorting soldiers to the battlefield. He felt the American news had crossed the line from journalism to a reality series, showing violent footage combined with commercials. Billy also mentioned another event that influenced the writing of the song, in which he listened in his car to the song "That's How I Like It" by "Lynyrd Skynyrd" and thought to himself who is this idiot who prides himself on being a "Redneck"? The story continues with the presentation of the protagonist of the plot " Jesus of Suburbia ". A five-part epic piece, spanning more than 9 minutes, that is completely uncharacteristic of a Punk-Rock band. The track introduces us to the world of the lower-middle-class American suburban boy "Jesus," who grew up on a "soda pop and Ritalin" diet. "Jesus" hates his town ("City of the Damned") and those close to him, so he leaves for the big city and thus begins his journey. Billie Joe Armstrong noted that it took him a long time to write the song and that he wanted to write the "Bohemian Rhapsody" of the future. Interestingly, despite its length (it is a bit shortened on the radio version), this song was released as the fifth and final single from the album. The story continues with " Holiday " one of the album's hits released as the third single from it. It's another protest song aimed at the Bush administration, urging potential protesters to go out to the streets and demonstrate. He goes against the indifference of the average American who does not do enough to change the reality in which he lives. This powerful song is an introduction to one of the album's beautiful moments, when at 3:50 min its final chord becomes the opening chord of " Boulevard of Broken Dreams ", the biggest hit from the album. The song was written during one of the breaks the band took. Hoping to clear his head and develop new ideas for songs, Billie Joe Armstrong travels alone to New York, rents a small loft in East Village and for a few weeks focuses on writing. Much of this time was spent by Billy on long walks through the streets of New York. He wrote the song about "feeling alone" about "the dream" and the disappointment. He felt that the song fit well with the plot line of the album, which is about escaping from your hometown and embarking on a journey during which you fight your inner demons. The music changes as the plot progresses, with the melancholy atmosphere of " Are We the Waiting " being replaced by angry Punk-Rock in the 2:45 minute of the song with " St. Jimmy ". "Jesus" arrives in the big city (" Are We the Waiting ") but he finds it much colder and more alienated than he expected. In his loneliness, he meets " St. Jimmy " - the rebellious master of freedom who turns out as an alter ego of "Jesus" himself, which was created as a result of his loneliness. "Jesus" creates the image of "St. Jimmy" in his mind to make himself less vulnerable to the world. When "Jimmy" is actually the "angry" equivalent of "Jesus". The drumming that reminded us of "U2's" "Bullet The Blue Sky" opens up the track " Give Me Novacaine ". A song about the character of "St. Jimmy" created by "Jesus". He talks about all the pain Jimmy felt. He wants his life problems to go away, the demons to go away from his dreams and he needs something strong to ease the pain, so he turns to "Novacaine". When Jimmy is already on the verge of suicide, at 3:28 to the song, "Whatsername" enters the picture with the bouncy " She's a Rebel ". She is the relief that "Jimmy" ("Jesus") seeks. A fun and free girl who helps him forget his problems. She is a rebel, she is an angel, she is the salt of the earth and she holds the heart of "Jesus" like a grenade just like on the album cover. The bongo drums accompany us to the " Extraordinary Girl " section which of course talks about "Whatsername" and her relationship with "Jesus"/"Jimmy", when during the song we discover that "Whatsername" is not really perfect and she has her own issues. The song connects in 3:30 min with " Letterbomb ". A rhythmic song that describes how "Jimmy"/ "Jesus" is dumped out by "Whatsername" because she does not like the person he has become. The breakup from of "Whatsername" leaves "Jesus" hurt. His depression is like a long sleep from which he does not want to wake up. " Wake Me Up When September Ends " was written by Billie Joe Armstrong about his father, who died of cancer on September 1, 1982. Billy cried at his father's funeral, he ran home and locked himself in a room. When his mother knocked on the door Billy replied, "Wake me up when September ends," hence the title of this wonderful song. We are approaching the climax of the plot with " Homecoming " the longest track the band has ever written. A five-part, 9:18-minute song in which the departure of "Whatsername" causes "Jesus" to kill his alter ego, "St. Jimmy," and return to the way life was before he left home and got into drugs. In the first part - " The Death of St. Jimmy ", "Jesus" leaves the streets, he leaves Jimmy behind and returns home. He realizes that running away from home was not the answer and he did not gain anything from it. He expected a lot but got nothing in return. "St. Jimmy" commits suicide, it was "Jesus" who just drove him out of his mind. In the second part - " East 12th St " "Jesus" succumbs to conformity, he finds a job and a routine life, this again leads him to a bad place. He feels trapped. He prefers to be outside and vulnerable and he must escape... (Photo: YouTube) In the third part - " Nobody Likes You ", "Jesus" is still depressed about the loss of "Whatsername", he is waiting for her to come back, but it does not happen. All his dreams are shattered when in his mind he hears the words "No one loves you, everyone has left you ..." In the fourth part - " Rock and Roll Girlfriend ", "Jesus" receives a postcard from a guy named "Tunny" probably another guy that he met while wandering the streets of the big city. "Tunny" tells him about the rock and roll star life he lives, and it further intensifies the depression of "Jesus “Who feels stuck in a miserable life and boring job. The song was written and sung by drummer Tré Cool. In the fifth and final part - " We're Coming Home Again ", "Jesus" comes to an understanding. He comes to terms with the situation and just accepts it. He's coming home. He's not sure if he's happy or sad, but he's at least at home, alive ... The ending track of the rock opera " Whatsername " takes place after "Jesus" returned home, he lived a normal routine life but still regrets losing "Whatsername". It's been so long that he doesn't even remember her name ("Whatsername"). He wonders what happened to her. All he has is his memories of her. The album ends with him trying to forget her. He does not regret his life on the streets, he uses them as a learning experience, but still tries to forget the pain that "Whatsername" caused him, and vice versa. (Photo: 4ever.eu) "American Idiot" became one of the biggest albums of 2004. It marked the comeback of "Green Day", which flew straight to number one on the Billboard 200 and 18 other countries. It has sold over 16 million copies worldwide, making it the band's second best-selling album and one of the best-selling albums of the decade. "American Idiot" received rave reviews. It was nominated for Album of the Year and won Best Rock Album at the 2005 Grammy Awards. It was also nominated for Best Album at European Music Awards and Billboard Music Awards, and won first place. Its success has inspired Broadway musicals, documentaries and feature film adaptations. The "Rolling Stone" magazine ranked it 225th on the list of "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" (248th on the updated list from 2020). 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 September 12, 1980, Ozzy Osbourne released his first solo album "Blizzard Of Ozz". Let's tell you some interesting facts about the debut album of the "Prince of Darkness" 1. The album was released about a year after Ozzy was fired from "Black Sabbath". 2. Ozzy was very hurt following his dismissal from the band, especially after seeing his band move on and have great success with the album " Heaven And Hell " with lead singer Ronnie James Dio . 3. The first song Ozzy Osbourne wrote for the album was " Goodbye to Romance ", this was his way of saying goodbye to his mother band. 4. Ozzy knew that if he wanted to pursue a solo career he must first and foremost find a gifted guitarist to step into Tony Iommi 's shoes and know how to play "Black Sabbath" style riffs. 5. He auditioned for Randy Rhodes in his room at a hotel where he was staying. Randy Rhoads came in with Gibson for a spool and a guitar amp and started playing, and Ozzy just dropped his jaw from Rhodes' sound and playing technique, which of course got the role on the spot. 6. As bassist for an emerging band, Ozzy Osbourne recruited Bob Daisley who had previously played in "Rainbow". 7. Also Don Airey - the keyboardist who played on the album played with "Rainbow". He also played on the album " Never Say Die! " Of the mother band "Black Sabbath". 8. Ozzy, Randy Rhoads , and Bob Daisley wrote most of the material for the album. 9. Drummer Lee Kerslake from "Uriah Heep" was the last to join the band, after most of the songs for the album had already been written. He was a special drummer who was both a writer of supreme grace and a not bad singer at all. (Photo: Fin Costello) 10. The song " No Bone Movies " was the last song written for the album. Lee Kerslake also contributed to its writing. The intention was to release the song as a b-side, but in the end, it was decided that it would enter the album to give Lee Kerslake credit for writing at least one song. 11. Another song was written In the same sessions - " You Said It All ". But this song was not recorded and wasn't included in the album either. You can hear a live recorded version of the song in the "Ozzy Osbourne Live EP" here: 12. The lineup was to be incorporated as an independent band and not as a solo project of Ozzy Osborne. Randy Rhoads and friends were very disappointed with the fact that the album was eventually released as Ozzy Osbourne 's solo album, especially given the fact that they were full partners in writing the vast majority of the material. 13. In 1986, Bob Daisley and Lee Kerslake sued Ozzy for non-payment of royalties for their part in writing the songs on his first two albums. In response, Ozzy Osbourne re-recorded the bass and drum parts on these albums, along with drummer Mike Bordin from "Faith No More" and bassist Robert Trujillo of "Metallica". 14. The intro to the song " Mr. Crowley " and excerpts from the song " Revelation (Mother Earth) " was written by keyboardist Don Airey . Airey did not receive credit for his writing, too. 15. The song " Mr. Crowley " was written about Aleister Crowley the English mystic and founder of the religious philosophy Thelma whom Ozzy Osbourne adored. 16. The first single released from the album was " Crazy Train " with the legendary riff and amazing guitar work of Randy Rhoads . The song immediately became the anthem and soundtrack of Randy Rhoads and Ozzy. The song was performed as part of the 2005 Randy Rhodes Tribute Album by a one-time "supergroup" that included Serj Tankian , Tom Morello , Rudy Sarzo, and Vinny Appice. 17. " Crazy Train " was chosen as the 9th place in the VH1 list of the greatest metal songs of all time and is also the "entrance" song of the baseball team "Atlanta Braves". 18. The song " Suicide Solution " was the cause for the 1984 lawsuit against Ozzy. A family of a teenager who allegedly committed suicide while listening to the album "Blizzard Of Ozz", filed a lawsuit against him. The unfortunate parents claimed that the boy "pulled the trigger" after being persuaded by the lyrics of "Suicide Solution" to do so. In 1986 another lawsuit was filed against Ozzy Osbourne for a similar case. Both lawsuits were dismissed in favor of Ozzy's freedom of expression. 19. " Suicide Solution " was written by Ozzy and Bob Daisley about the death of Ozzy Osbourne 's friend and AC/DC's singer - Bon Scott , who died after drinking alcohol in February 1980. 20. In the end, Ozzy Osbourne 's hand was on top in the competition with his previous band. The album "Blizzard Of Ozz" sold more copies than the successful album of the mother band " Paranoid " which we reviewed the day before yesterday. For Listening : Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On September 21, 1999, Chris Cornell 's first solo album, "Euphoria Morning", was released. This is an album that captures Chris Cornell during a downturn, one of many he had. Cornell, who was "in the eye storm" of the Grunge scene and was one of its mainstays for over a decade, decides in 1997 to disband "Soundgarden" - the band that was a home for him for over 10 years. This happens at the end of the tour of the album " Down On the Upside " after Cornell and his friends came to the conclusion that they had reached the point of exhaustion. Cornell said that in the post-breakup period he sank into a deep depression and he thought that working on a solo album would do him good. The content of the album certainly reflects the difficult period that Cornell went through, both in terms of lyrics and music. Cornell said in an interview he made immediately after the release of the album, that the melancholy music actually helped him feel less depressed, when he was down. Cornell intended to call this album "Euphoria Mourning" in a way that best expresses its content, but then-director Jim Guerinot advised him to drop the "U". Eventually "Poetic Justice" was done, when in the reissue from 2015 the album got its original name, in a way that made this such a moving piece more complete and perfect. Indeed, this album features some of the most exciting moments in Cornell's extensive career. Mainly driven by the depression and alcoholism, in which he sank after the breakup of "Soundgarden", Cornell takes us on a shaky journey of emotions and time stations, which take us just like on a roller coaster between the various moods Cornell was in, when writing the album. Although on first play this album sounds seemingly different from the musical direction of the mother band "Soundgarden", it still meets Cornell in his comfort zone. The musical seeds of the works on this album can be found in some of Cornell's works as part of "Temple Of The Dog" , in his solo song "Seasons" taken from the soundtrack of the movie "Singles" and also in "Soundgarden". Indeed, even Cornell himself noted in an interview with MTV immediately after the album's release that whoever researches the music of "Soundgarden" will find that the roots of the song "Can't Change Me" are in songs like "Blow Up the Outside World" and "Fell on Black Days ". The album opens "Can't Change Me" with a relatively optimistic melody and with the oriental and mesmerizing guitar line, which will later also fit in with Chris Cornell's harmonica. But do not let the "cover" fool you. The song tells the story of a woman with the ability to help people, a woman who can make everything positive, but how not, unfortunately her abilities do not work on Cornell. Cornell also recorded this song in French. The song "Flutter Girl" is a song that Cornell wrote during the making of the soundtrack of the movie "Singles" and later was an outtake from "Soundgarden"'s "Superunknown" album. The person who gave the name to the song was none other than Jeff Ament bassist of "Pearl Jam" and Cornell wrote the song and the music in a way that he thought would fit the title of the song. Here already Chris Cornell goes from hurt to hurtful, informing the protagonist of the song that his mental state is so bad that it is better for her to flutter her wings home, because it is better for her to be alone than with him. And so in the songs lyrics: "Tonight my tears might stain your wings So flutter home 'Cause you're better off alone than with me" The song "Preaching the End of the World" hints at Cornell's loneliness on the inside in the face of the success and publicity seen from the outside, and when Cornell shouts that "this is just the end of the world" it is impossible not to identify with him. The song "Moonchild" was written about Cornell's wife, Susan Silver, at the time and tells the story of how she behaves on full moon nights. The song "Wave Goodbye" was written by Cornell about his friend singer Jeff Buckley who died in 1997, and again here the musical style does not fully teach about the verbal content. Cornell noted that during the writing of the album he was greatly influenced by Buckley's style. We continue to move between stations and emotions of Cornell's broken voice in the songs "When I'm Down" and "Disappearing One", through the shaky "Pillow of Your Bones" until we come to an end with "Steel Rain" and Cornell's heartbreaking cries are just slicing our souls. (Photo: YouTube) Here is the place to note the contribution of the duo "Eleven" members, guitarist and singer Alain Johannes and keyboardist and singer Natasha Shneider, who helped Cornell a lot in writing the songs. More of that, the two played a wide variety of instruments during recordings, guitar, bass keyboards, mandolin clarinet and more, they co-produced the album with Cornell and even donated their private studio in Los Angeles to record it. After Natasha Shneider's death in 2008, Cornell used to pay homage to her in his solo performances, playing her piano track through a turntable. It is interesting to note that the Japanese version of the album includes a bonus track called "Sunshower" which was part of the soundtrack of the movie "Great Expectations". Also, an adaptation of the song "Mission" was part of the soundtrack of the movie "Mission Impossible 2". Before we send you to listen to the album, we invite you to watch the last performance from the tour that accompanied the album and was held at the "House Of Blues" in Las Vegas on March 7, 2000. Watch here: And now take 50 minutes of silence and listen to this amazing piece : Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

The second bad Brit pop star, Liam Gallagher, is celebrating his birthday today so we've gathered 20 interesting facts about him: (Photo: mijasinternational.com) 1. He is the younger brother of Noel Gallagher . He was born on 21 September 1972 in Manchester, as William John Paul Gallagher. 2. When he was 10 his mother divorced his father since he physically abused all of his children. 3. It may sound strange and we do not have conclusive evidence for this, but there is a story that Liam did not relate to music when he was in high school. It was only after a big fight he had with another school where he received a hammer blow to the head, that he began to relate to music. 4. Before he and his brother Noel formed "Oasis" he co-wrote songs with Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs in a band called "Rain". They met for rehearsals only once a week and Liam was often quoted as saying that the band's material was just "crappy". (Photo: Steve Double) 5. Since he became famous, Liam has created for himself a reputation of a blunt guy who is not afraid to say what is on his mind, even if it is dirty or offensive to other people, he has not really maintained verbal and physical restraint. 6. In 1998 he was part of a fistfight during a flight to Australia by "Cathay Pacific". He was banned from flying with the company in the future. 7. In 1993, "Oasis" played four songs at a bar called "King Tut's Wah Wah Hut" in Glasgow, Scotland. At the same time, an agent named Alan McGee discovered them and signed them to a six-album contract. 8. The band's first album " Definitely Maybe ", released in 1994, became the fastest-selling British debut album of all time. 9. The band's second album "(What's the Story) Morning Glory?" Released in 1995 it was even more successful and became the third best-selling album in British history. 10. About an hour before the band's show on "MTV Unplugged" in 1996, the band announced that Liam would not be able to perform due to a "Sore Throat". Noel performed all the singing roles in his place, with Liam watching the show from a balcony overlooking the stage. 11. Later on, the band went on a tour without Liam. This time too, Noel was performing all the singing roles. This created a rumor about why Liam did not take the stage and did not join the tour. 12. The first song written by Liam for "Oasis" is "Little James" which appears on the band's fourth album "Standing on the Shoulder of Giants", released in 2000. He wrote the song for his son James. 13. On the band's next three albums, Liam wrote 3 songs in each album, which was significant progress. 14. The band was an insane success in the UK and brought Brit-pop to the headlines all over the world. All seven of the band's albums broke records in British charts. 15. In 2010 Liam was named "Greatest Frontman" of all time according to a poll conducted by Q Magazine. 16. The friction between Liam and Noel culminated in August 2009 before the band's performance at the "Rock en Seine Festival". The quarrel between them became physical as Liam smashed Noel's guitar. The show of course did not take place and Noel later announced that he was leaving the band. 17. In 2009 Liam formed a new band called "Beady Eye" and in 2010 they released their debut album "Different Gear, Still Speeding". Three years later they released their second and final album "BE". 18. Liam has released three solo albums, “As You Were” in 2017, “Why Me? Why Not” released in 2019, and "C'mon You Know" released in 2022. 19. Liam has a thick file in police branches around the world, he tends to a fist fight in bars, with fans, or just because someone annoyed him. At one of the events, he and "Oasis" drummer were involved in a brawl at a bar in Munich, Liam ended up with broken teeth and minor physical injuries. In light of the event, the band was forced to cancel further performances in Germany. 20. On the other hand, Liam has participated in several charity events and special performances, some of which he has even initiated himself, in order to donate to victims of terrorism. 21. In September 2024, after 15 years, the unbelievable happened and the two feuding brothers officially announced the reunion of the band "Oasis". By now you must have heard about it because it appeared on every second post, on every possible social media, the reunion of the decade!! The two announced that in 2025 they will tour the UK and Ireland. There are currently no known future plans beyond that. (Photo: Simon Emmett) In August 2019 Liam performed an MTV Unplugged show at Hull City Hall in England, in April 2020 the show was released as an album. Listen to the album on Spotify "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website