On September 11, 1979 "Foreigner" released their third studio album, "Head Games". This album saw the band refining their blend of hard rock and pop with a bit of grit, while still leaning on the arena rock sound that made them famous. Produced by Roy Thomas Baker, known for his work with "Queen", the album features tighter arrangements, a harder edge, and more introspective lyrics compared to the band's previous releases, and maybe this is the reason why the album did not succeed compared to the band's previous albums. It is the first album with new bass guitarist Rick Wills (formerly of "Roxy Music" and "Small Faces") who replaced Ed Gagliardi after he was fired from the band, and the last with founding members Ian McDonald and Al Greenwood, who would leave the band after the recording and leave "Foreigner" as a four piece band for the album " 4 ". The title track, " Head Games ," is a perfect representation of this shift. Mick Jones ' punchy guitar riffs wrapped in Al Greenwood and Ian McDonald 's keyboard carpet, the pulsing rhythm, and Lou Gramm ’s powerful vocals combine to create an anthem about emotional turmoil, fitting into the larger theme of romantic conflict and psychological struggles present throughout the album. The track became a radio staple, and the combination of its rough but sweet sound helped "Foreigner" solidify its position in the rock scene of the time. The album kicks off with " Dirty White Boy ," one of the band’s more aggressive songs writen about Elvis Presley. It features a swaggering riff and defiant lyrics, showcasing Mick Jones ' guitar work at its most prominent. The track is full of raw energy and captures the rebellious rock spirit of the late ‘70s. " Women " continues the rhythmic line and pulls it more towards rock and roll with piano playing that accompanies the guitars throughout the song. Tracks like " Love on the Telephone " and " Seventeen " reveal a slicker, more melodic side of "Foreigner", driven by a blend of keyboards and guitar hooks. These songs highlight the band's ability to write accessible rock tunes that were both radio-friendly and engaging. Meanwhile, " The Modern Day " feel more introspective, reflecting the band's ability to balance harder rock with pop and with more thoughtful lyrics and themes. This is the only song in the album with vocals by Mick Jones . While "Head Games" may not have the same instant classic appeal as "Foreigner's" debut album or " Double Vision ", it represents an important evolution for the band. The album shows "Foreigner" experimenting with sound and lyrical content, combining sweeping rock songs like the theme song and sweet ballads like " Blinded by Science ". This combination will lead her to the meteoric success of the next album " 4 ". Some fans and critics felt that "Head Games" lacked the immediate hooks and memorable hits of their earlier work, but it remains a vital part of 'Foreigner's" discography. The album helped the band transition into the '80s and paved the way for future successes. Overall, Head Games is a solid and often underrated album, balancing hard-edged rock with polished production and introspective lyrics. It shows "Foreigner "pushing their boundaries while still delivering the catchy, radio-friendly rock that fans loved. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On September 10, 1991, the song "Smells Like Teen Spirit" was released and in just four chords redefined the world of music and became the anthem of an entire generation, which would later be called Generation X. The song was written by Kurt Cobain in one moment of anger, after his girlfriend Tobi Vail, from the band "Bikini Kill" dumped him. The title of the song came from graffiti spray-painted by Kathleen Hanna - singer of the band "Bikini Kill", on the wall of Cobain's apartment. She intended to point out the fact that Kurt was "marked now" with the fragrance of his girlfriend's Tobi Vail favorite deodorant. The four chords that Kurt chose to wrap the lyrics of " Smells Like Teen Spirit " were not innovative, on the contrary, they were chewy chords used in countless rock songs. Cobain noted that he was trying to write a song that would sound like "The Pixies". Even in the rhythm and way of playing this immortal riff, Cobain tried to sound like "More Than A Feeling" by "Boston," which according to his admission was simply clichéd. The song did not even have a bridge. But the combination of simplicity, with the roughness, and the catchy melody created the "big bang" that changed the face of music forever. To accompany the song, the band filmed a clip whose idea is based on punk rock kids wreaking havoc in high school, a symbol of everything Cobain has despised since his high school days in Aberdeen. Constant broadcasts of the clip on MTV and repeated playbacks on various radio stations will launch "Nirvana," screaming and kicking, straight to the top of the Billboard 200 and into the heart of the mainstream. But it did not end there, this song would put an entire city on the world map, as from that day Seattle became synonymous with the Grunge revolution that took place there. Although this song made the band immortal overnight, most of all it was the trigger for a much bigger revolution than a musical one, a cultural revolution of the X generation. Needless to say, " Smells Like Teen Spirit " was ranked No. 9 on "Rolling Stone" magazine's "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" list, it was on the list of the 500 Greatest Songs That Shaped Rock by "Roll Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame" and was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2017. In 2000, the song entered the Guinness Book of Records as the most played song on MTV Europe. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On September 10, 2021 Steve Hackett released the album " Surrender of Silence ". Steve Hackett 's burst of creativity is simply amazing and inspiring. It is his 27th solo album and his second studio album of 2021 after the acoustic/instrumental "Under A Mediterranean Sky" released on January 22, 2021. Similar to "Under A Mediterranean Sea", "Surrender Of Silence" was recorded during theCovid-19 lockdowns and this time Hackett enlisted the help of friends from around the world to contribute to the album. Hackett is accompanied by his regular turig band that includes Roger King (keyboards, programming and orchestral arrangements), Rob Townsend (sax, clarinet), Jonas Reingold (bass), Nad Sylvan (vocals) and Craig Blundell (drums) In addition to the regular lineup Hackett is accompanied this time with Phil Ehart and Nick D'Virgilio (drums), the vocal talents of Amanda Lehmann, Durga and Lorelei McBroom, Christine Townsend (violin, viola), Malik Mansurov (tar) and Sodirkhon Ubaidulloev (dutar). "Surrender Of Silence" dives deep into intricate instrumentals, complex arrangements, and emotionally charged themes, blending rock with classical, world music, and symphonic elements. Opening with " The Obliterati ," a heavy, energetic track driven by Hackett’s fiery guitar, the album sets an intense tone. The use of orchestral textures throughout creates a grand cinematic feel, adding layers of depth to the music. Songs like " Natalia " blend rock with Russian folk influences, while " Wingbeats " incorporates African rhythms, showcasing Hackett's ability to seamlessly weave diverse global sounds into his compositions. Hackett's guitar work is, as always, impeccable, with soaring solos and delicate acoustic moments that display his technical mastery and emotional expressiveness. " Scorched Earth " stands out for its atmospheric mood, while " Fox's Tango " with the heavy riff and the short and erupting solos delivers biting commentary on modern politics. The album balances heavy, guitar-driven moments with more reflective pieces like " Esperanza ," creating a dynamic and engaging listening experience. There are quite a few gems here, like " Relaxation Music For Sharks (Featuring Feeding Frenzy) " which evolves from a progressive rock segment to a hard rock track, led by the aggressive drumming of Nick D'Virgilio, " Devil's Cathedral " whose opening reminded us of "ELP", the beautiful " Shanghai to Samarkand " which contains Chinese and Middle Estern influences and more. Vocally, Hackett is supported by a variety of singers, including his long-time collaborators Nad Sylvan and Amanda Lehmann, adding richness and diversity to the album’s sonic palette. Thematically, "Surrender of Silence" addresses issues of chaos, conflict, and resolution, reflecting on both personal and global challenges, with lyrics that are often introspective and thought-provoking. Overall, "Surrender of Silence" is a testament to Steve Hackett's continued creativity and relevance in the world of progressive rock. It’s an album that both longtime fans and newcomers will appreciate, full of complex compositions, virtuosic playing, and a wide range of emotional and musical textures. Hackett proves once again that he is not content to rest on his laurels, continuing to explore new musical territories with passion and precision. For listening: Spotify , Apple Music Song List: “Surrender of Silence” track listing: 1. The Obliterati (02:17) 2. Natalia (06:17) 3. Relaxation Music For Sharks (Featuring Feeding Frenzy) (04:36) 4. Wingbeats (05:20) 5. The Devil’s Cathedral (06:31) 6. Held In The Shadows (06:20) 7. Shanghai To Samarkand (08:27) 8. Fox’s Tango (04:21) 9. Day Of The Dead (06:25) 10. Scorched Earth (06:03) 11. Esperanza (01:04) "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On September 10, 1996, "Rush" released their 16th studio album "Test For Echo". This is the band's last album to be released before the long hiatus imposed on it, due to the two tragedies that befell Neil Peart , his daughter's death in a car accident and his partner's death from cancer, ten months apart. This is also the band's last album with producer Peter Collins who was also the co-producer on the band's three other albums - " Power Windows " from 1985, " Hold Your Fire " from 1987, and " Counterparts " from 1993. The story of the recording of "Test For Echo" begins in May 1994, when the band members finished their tour to promote the album " Counterparts " from 1993. Geddy, Alex, and Neil agreed on a methodical break before starting work on their next album. However, this break extended beyond expectation when Geddy Lee asked his friends to take a year off to hang out with his little daughter who was born at that time. Alex and Neil agreed of course, and devoted their free time to personal projects, Alex Lifeson working on his solo album called " Victor ", and Neil Peart on the tribute album to the legendary jazz drummer Buddy Rich - "Burning for Buddy". Neil also took advantage of the break and started specializing in jazz-style playing, taking lessons from renowned drummer Freddie Gruber. Not that we think Neil Peart needed any jazz reinforcement, he was amazing in this challenging genre even before. By the way, the jazz lessons taken by Neil Peart made him change his whole perception of playing on the album "Test For Echo", when he played most of the songs on it with a different stick grip than usual, known mainly from jazz musicians and called "traditional grip". Maybe that's why the drum sound on this album is so heavy and different. In October 1995, the band members gathered at their regular studio in Claremont, Ontario to begin rehearsing and writing material for the new album. The band members discovered that for the first time the methodical break they took had negative effects. During the long break, Alex Lifeson thought a lot about the future of the band and he was not sure about continuing with the band. He thought that after 20 years of intensity it was going to be his last album with "Rush" and he didn't even know if he wanted to go on a tour to promote it. He said that the first sessions of writing the material for the album were especially difficult for him, he thought a lot about the creative freedom he had as part of the solo project "Victor" whose recordings he had finished just a few months earlier. Alex Lifeson said he worked a lot on himself mostly because he felt a commitment to his friends. To help Alex, the band members hung signs in the studio, with slogans such as: "Individually We Are an Ass, Together We Are a Genius". Geddy and Neil supported Alex Lifeson 's and the hard work with him paid off. In the end, Alex said he managed to "drive out the demons" he had in his mind, and from that moment on, everything suddenly changed for the better. During one week he co-wrote five new songs with the band. And so it was, that what began perhaps in a negative atmosphere ended in a crazy idyll. The band members said that after solving the little crisis, everything flowed in an amazing way and such a good atmosphere that they finished writing all the material for the album 3 weeks before the date allotted to them in the studio. The musical material continued in a line that began on " Presto " from 1989 and included moving away from the band's synthesizer era and focusing on guitar-based songs. The production and mix work that Peter Collins did here also continued the same line that was in the previous album "Counterparts", which was also produced by him, and which included, among other things, bringing the guitars forward in the mix. The band members gave the demos to all the songs written for the album to producer Peter Collins and planned to start recording as early as November 1995, but a severe snowstorm in the northern US and Canada delayed everything. By the way, this blizzard inspired the album cover. The members eventually entered the recording studio only in January 1996. The band chose Clif Norrell as a recording technician. He was a fan of the band and was even part of the cover band of "Rush". This was the first time the band had worked with American technicians. And now a little about the content. "Test for Eches" is not one of the band's best albums. To be honest, it is one of their least good and in every rating list of the band's albums (even of the band members themselves) it "wins" one of the last places, in some of them, he is even in the last one. Moreover, the vast majority of the album's songs did not survive the band's tough setlists and it was even completely ignored on the last tour " R40 ". As you may recall, the setlist of "R40" included songs from all periods of the band. When the band returns in reverse chronologically in time playing songs from all their albums, from " Clockwork Angels " backward to the first album (" Rush "), but for some reason, the band chose to skip on this album. Nevertheless and perhaps despite all this, there are some amazing moments in this album, about four of which we will tell you right away. And if this album is one of "Rush"'s least good albums and perhaps the weakest of them all, it just proves how big and meteoric this band is. The first is the theme song " Test for Echo " which opens the album and also gives credit to Pye Dubois, the lyricist who worked with the band Max Webster and helped Neil Peart write the lyrics to the song " Tom Sawyer " and others. The song opens with Alex Lifeson 's Gibson Les Paul guitar chords, and immediately erupts powerfully with power chords and trimmed riffs transitions joined by Geddy Lee 's dominant bass line. This roller coaster continues to accompany us for almost the entire six minutes of the song. This is the first single released from the album and it reached number one on the US Billboard charts, giving the band its most successful single in a decade. The second song, is " Driven " which is perhaps the best song on the album. The music for this song was written entirely on Geddy Lee 's bass guitar, and accordingly, the song opens with an edgy distortion riff that features three different layers of Geddy Lee 's bass playing recorded separately and merged into one channel, but later cut with the clean chords from Alex Lifeson 's acoustic guitar and creates a beautiful contrast. The third song " Half the World " is a philosophical song by Neil Peart that was also released as a single and even won a nice clip. Geddy Lee gives his best bass work on the album and Alex Lifeson adorns it with layers of electric and acoustic guitars and even with a 10-string mandala that he wonderfully played a little solo with. Undoubtedly, this is the album's catchiest song. The fourth and final recommended track from this album is the ballad " Resist ", the ninth track on the album. Alex Lifeson considers this song one of his favorites from the album and even in the entire "Rush" catalog. This song is one of the specials from "Rush", if only because it is the only song of the band that won an Unplugged performance as part of the 'R30" tour. Of course, there are other good songs on this album, " Virtuality " that Neil Peart wrote about interpersonal relationships via the internet, " Time and Motion " written years before, but the band did not use them until now and reappeared while working on the album, " Color Of Right " Amazing and underappreciated in our opinion," Dog Years " which includes the line "One sniff at the hydrant" which refers to the " Signals " album cover that we reviewed yesterday and includes a picture of a dog smelling a hydrant, the charming ending " Carve Away the Stone " and even the instrumental track " Limbo " Which consisted of several musical ideas that the band had. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On September 10, 1975 "Kiss" released its first live album "Alive!". This double live album is often regarded as one of the greatest live albums in rock history, capturing the raw energy and charisma that the band was known for in their live performances. The album marked a turning point in "Kiss" career, solidifying their status as rock icons and igniting their rise to mainstream success. One of the standout aspects of "Alive!" is its ability to convey the electric atmosphere of a "Kiss" concert. The band's stage presence and larger-than-life personas are brought to life on this record that was recorded across four different shows during their "Dressed to Kill" tour in Detroit, Cleveland, Wildwood, and Davenport. The double album features live versions of songs from their first three studio albums — " Kiss " (1974), "Hotter Than Hell" (1974), and "Dressed to Kill" (1975)—capturing the explosive energy that had not been fully realized in their earlier studio recordings. The album’s title itself pays homage to "Slade Alive!", a 1972 live album by the British glam rockers "Slade", a band that heavily influenced "Kiss". The influence is clear, as "Alive!" delivers a similarly visceral experience, merging hard rock with theatrical flair, during performances like " 100,000 Years ," where pyrotechnics engulfed the stage in a ring of fire, and Peter Criss’ drum kit rose above the stage during his drum solo, adding to the spectacle. The album opens with " Deuce ," a fast, gritty rocker that sets the tone for what's to come: a relentless barrage of high-energy performances. Gene Simmons ' growling bass lines, Paul Stanley 's powerful vocals, Ace Frehley 's explosive guitar work, and Peter Criss' thunderous drumming are in top form throughout the album. " Strutter " and " Got to Choose " showcase the band's knack for catchy, bluesy rock riffs, while the fan favorite " Cold Gin " amps up the intensity. However, the heart of the album lies in its anthemic tracks—songs like " Black Diamond " and " Rock and Roll All Nite ," which became iconic live staples. The infectious energy of " Rock and Roll All Nite " is a perfect example of how "Alive!" captures "Kiss'" ability to get the crowd going. While the album is lauded for its live authenticity, there’s been a long-standing debate over the number of studio overdubs used to clean up the performances. However, this does little to detract from the album’s overall impact, as "Alive!" still delivers a visceral and exhilarating listening experience. "Alive!" isn't just a live album—it's a snapshot of a band on the verge of stardom, capturing the raw, unfiltered essence of "Kiss" at a pivotal moment in their career. The album encapsulates their larger-than-life showmanship, and the electric atmosphere of a live rock show, earning its place as a cornerstone of rock history. Not for nothing this album was ranked No. 159 on "Rolling Stone magazine's" list of the "500 greatest albums of all time". More than that, in 2006 the album was placed at No. 26 on "Guitar World" magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitar Albums of All Time", while in 2009 the same magazine placed it at No. 3 on their list of "Top 10 Live Albums". "Kiss" would go on and ride this album success and release 3 more albums in the series "Alive II" in 1977, "Alive III" in 1993 and " Kiss Symphony: Alive IV " in 2003. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

"Incubus'" second album consisting of the acronym "S.C.I.E.N.C.E." released on September 9, 1997, so let's tell you a few things about it: 1. This is the first album out of a 7 albums contract that the band signed with Sony after the release of their first album . 2. The initials of the album name represent a joke of the band members and not a real meaning: Sailing Catamarans Is Every Nautical Captain's Ecstasy 3. This is the first and only album on which DJ Lyfe participated and besides being a DJ he is also a famous graffiti artist. 4. This is one of the most diverse albums of the band that was then at the beginning of their journey and was looking for the musical direction, it includes sections of heavy metal, electro, jazz, hip-hop, and more... 5. After the release of the album they joined "Korn's" well-known tour called "Family Values" and the "Ozzfest" which gave them a huge boost towards meteoric success. 6. This album was a big part of the band's setlist performing for 15 years. 7. This is the band's first album to receive a gold album from the RIAA. 8. From the album came three singles, the first and most famous is "A Certain Shade of Green", the second "Redefine (Promo)" and the third "New Skin" 9. In 1998 the album sold 100,000 copies without any support or exposure from radio and television. 10. The band members have given themselves nicknames and do not appear in their real names on the album: Cornelius ( Brandon Boyd ), Jawa ( Mike Einziger ), Dirk Lance (Alex Katunich), DJ Lyfe (Gavin Koppel), Badmammajamma (José Pasillas) If you want to get into some cool and interesting Kebab mix, click to listen to the album on: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On September 9, 1982, "Rush" released its 9th studio album - "Signals". This album broke down the perfect chemistry within the band, that up until then felt like a small family. It caused the band members to part ways with long-time producer Terry Brown who has worked with "Rush" since 1974 and was responsible for producing the masterpieces albums " 2112 " and " Moving Pictures " among others. It all happened because of one song, want to find out which song it is and what caused the disagreement that led to Terry Brown's dismissal? Stay with us and you will find out. Let's start with the fact that "Rush" was at the height of its success after the release of " Moving Pictures ", a perfect album in every way that brought the band a dizzying worldwide success and won them rave reviews. For those who forgot, we will mention that this album reached third place in the list of the best Prog albums of all time by "Rolling Stone" magazine, after Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side Of The Moon" and King Crimson's " In The Court Of The Crimson King ". But the dizzying success did not mess with the band members' minds and already during the tour to promote the " Moving Pictures " album, they start working on new and much different material for their next album. And as you already know, with "Rush" nothing can be simple, because instead of riding the wave of success of " Moving Pictures ", the members consciously decided to look for new musical directions. Geddy Lee e noted in an interview that although it was the safest move to write a sequel to " Moving Pictures ", they deliberately chose to experiment with new genres. He added that the band always loved to challenge itself. Indeed, the musical material on the album has drifted in various directions most of which "Rush" was first experiencing, such as Ska, Reggae, Funk, Electronic music, and New Wave. To this end, the band made increased use of synthesizers, sequencers, and electronic equipment, at the expense of reduced use of guitars. It was the first time that the synthesizers, which "Rush" began using in the late 1970s, had moved from an accompaniment instrument to a main and leading one that affected the band's sound. This trend will only intensify in the band's next three albums which culminated in the 1987 album " Hold Your Fire " which we reviewed yesterday on the occasion of his "birthday". While performing the mixes for the excellent double live album " Exit... Stage Left ", released in 1981, the band found a lot of free time and increased the pace of writing. Neil Peart said he was so bored during the mixes that he sought employment in repairing an old drum set that was in the studio. To break the boredom Neil Peart applied to work with two members of the sound team in the studio on a song one of them wrote. It was Tony Geranios known as Jack Secret who was Geddy Lee 's keyboard technician. They were joined by the band's soundman Skip Gildersleeve and started working on a song called "Tough Break". After several jams, they even recorded the song in the same studio, with Jack Secret on vocals and bass Skip Gildersleeve on guitar, and Neil Peart on drums. Boredom also did not miss Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson who joined on guitar and keyboards. This rare recording of "Rush" with the two sound crew members can be found here: This jam session with two sound crew members gave the band the boost it needed to run forward and complete the writing of the new material for the album "Signals". Peart noted that he began writing the lyrics to the song "Subdivisions" in the exact same session with the two sound team members. Neil Peart thought about the background from which the band members come from and also a large part of its fans. "Outsiders", "socially rejected nerds", who since school days were "cataloged" and marked as exceptions only because of "judgment" and "prejudice". Peart said that Geddy and Alex came to his house with the demo tape in which they recorded the music for the song. They prepared him for an unusual and strange sound, just like the idea behind the lyrics to the song. Peart listened to the demo and when finished he was quiet, then asked Geddy and Alex to play it again. At the end of the second round, he told his friends it was just perfect and Geddy and Alex looked at each other and smiled. Thus, Over and done! "Rush" was ready for its big change. It entered their synthesizer era which will accompany them throughout 4 albums during the 80s. And what a song " Subdivisions " came to be. The album's great opening song is also the band's statement of intent that this album was not going to be the sequel to its predecessor. Already at the opening of the song, you can hear the electronic sound that the band has adopted. The whole rhythm of the song is based on keyboards and the guitar in the background adapts itself to the keyboard roles that took over. And in the chorus, as if everything is turning upside down, Geddy Lee e's bass takes control with incredible dominance, as if it comes to fill the gaps left during the verses, bold, edgy, forward, and how it blends nicely with Alex Lifeson 's guitar, as they both leave the keyboards behind as if it was another song, another genre, another time, and then again the mini-mog takes over again in the instrumental transition segment and back all over again. Apparently while writing the music for the song Gaddy and Alex thought about how c Lee would have to perform it live so they divided the song into sections that would allow Geddy Lee to switch between bass playing and the keyboards smoothly. From there we move on to the second track " The Analog Kid " which is simply the negative of its previous. In this song, the bass and guitar are dominant throughout the verses, with the keyboards taking control during the choruses. Again, Alex and Geddy were probably thinking about how this song will be performed live. It's an amazing rock song at a very fast pace, so do yourself a favor #1 , you must, just must !!! Listen to Geddy Lee 's bass during this song, especially during the intro. The man has just an amazing technique and perfect playing!!! This is without a doubt one of the highlights of Geddy Lee 's tremendous career and we mean it. Do yourself a favor # 2 and also listen to Alex Lifeson 's wild solo at 3:23. The lyrics to the song were written by Neil Peart right after he wrote the song "Digital Man", the fourth song on the album. Neil Peart thought the two songs would complement each other (analog-digital). Geddy and Peart thought that the music should be contrary to the idea that the lyrics are trying to convey and so the song came out with verses at a particularly fast pace. The third track " Chemistry " is the band's only song in which credit for writing the lyrics is given to the three members: Geddy, Alex, and Peart. It's also actually the last song the band has ever written, in which Geddy or Alex get credit for writing lyrics. Another thing that is special about this song is that its writing was done simultaneously by the three members, unlike most of the band's songs in which Neil Peart writes lyrics and gives them to Geddy and Alex to write the music or vice versa. Also here the band continues with a clear separation between verses and choruses, in terms of the use of instruments, to make it easier for Geddy Lee to play the song live. Verses and bridges with the dominance of bass, and choruses with the dominance of synthesizers. We promised to tell you what was the song that caused the "great conflict" between Terry Brown and the band members? So this song seals the first side of the vinyl and is called " Digital Man ". Let’s start with the fact that the new musical directions the band chose to pursue were not to the liking of their then-regular producer Terry Brown. Brown wanted the band to ride the dizzying wave of success of " Moving Pictures " and continue on the same musical line. The band members thought otherwise. The song "Digital Man" was the red line, "the last straw" for Brown. The song included Ska and Reggae pieces that were not to the liking of the legendary producer. "Rush" insisted on recording it and Brown objected. The band of course won, but this point of contention made the band realize that if they were interested in experimenting with new musical directions they must dismiss Brown, and indeed this was his last album with "Rush". Listen to the song and you will immediately understand what it's all about. The transition section is strongly influenced by Ska and Alex Lifeson 's guitar fragility can easily be compared to the Reggae of "Police" in the song "Walking on the Moon". From here we move on to tell you about one of the special songs on this album and in general, the track that opens the second side of the vinyl - " The Weapon " also called "Part II of Fear". This is the second part of the "fear series", which initially consisted of 3 tracks that appeared in a reverse chronology over 3 consecutive albums of the band. The first song is "Witch Hunt" from " Moving Pictures " also called "Part III Of Fear" and deals with the way fear can be used to control people. The second is "The Weapon" from "Signals" also called "Part II of Fear" and deals with external fears such as weapons. The third track is "The Enemy Within" from " Grace Under Pressure " also called "Part I Of Fear" and deals with the inner fears of people who influence their decisions. 18 years later the band added a fourth part to the fear trilogy (yes, yes you read that right, "fourth" part to the trilogy), as part of the album " Vapor Trails ". This is a track that deals with paranoia and fear of the unknown and is called "Freeze - Part IV of Fear". And now back to this masterful song " The Weapon ". Anyone who has seen this song played live must have noticed that this is the only song in which Neil Peart puts on headphones, and concentrates... occasionally throwing the stick in the air and catching it in full sync with the drumming (see in the video below). Has anyone ever wondered why ??? So here's the reason. This song is based on keyboards. When Geddy wrote the music he used a drum machine and when he played the demo to Peart he asked him to emulate the role of the drum machine. The rhythm of the drum machine was so strange and unusual that Neil Peart told Geddy Lee that he do not know how he was even supposed to learn to play this bizarre pattern. But as you know Neil Peart loves challenges and he found a way to emulate the drum machine. He bent his hands in a certain way and hit the cymbals and drums in the opposite way from what he was used to aligning with the playing pattern of the drum machine. The legendary Neil Peart learns from a drum machine how to play, how hallucinatory does it sound to you??? Neil Peart of course later admitted that there was no way he would have thought of such drumming himself. But the entanglement did not end there, because Peart had to play the roles of these drums in full sync with Geddy Lee 's drum machine. Geddy had a Roland 808 drum machine that also served as a trigger for the Arpeggiator jp-8 (a kind of sequencer) and at the same time sent "clicks" to Neil Peart 's headphones so he could play his drum roles in full sync with the keyboards and drum machine. So do yourself a favor # 3 and listen (and then watch too) Neil Peart 's special drumming in this song, especially in the instrumental section coming from Alex Lifeson 's amazing solo starting at 3:25 (in the album version) and ending after the crazy drumming at around 5:25. Seemingly, there is no uniform rhythm or pattern here. A sense of random drum beats and cymbals that somehow eventually manage to get along and sync perfectly with the song. The song " New World Man " is the last written for the album after the band already had seven finished songs and they found out they had room for one more within the 4:00 minute limits to complete the LP. Neil Peart said that's how "Project 3:57" was born. Not a simple project for "Rush" whose songs on recent albums have been significantly longer. The band thought they would write a song anyway and if it came out longer, they would save it for the next album. In the end, "Rush" was up to the task. The song was written in one day and recorded spontaneously in the next. This is the fastest song the band finished recording since "The Twilight Zone" from " 2112 " which was written and recorded in one day. The third track on the second side is one of the band's most moving and touching in its entire catalog. " Losing It " is a song about artists who "lose it" and are no longer at their peak, talented people who were at the pinnacle of success and are now at the bottom. The lyrics of the song are some of the most beautiful that Neil Peart has written in all of his mighty repertoires. This is the first time that "Rush" brings another player to the studio, the violinist Ben Mink who accompanies the song and plays the amazing and vibrating violin solo that blends like a glove with Alex Lifeson 's guitar. This song has never been performed live in all of its 40 years of career. During the talks about the setlist for Rush's last tour "R40", the band members decided to perform it for the first time. It was also a sort of a hint of Neil Peart to his condition and to the fact that he was interested in retiring at the peak and not reaching the condition of the artists mentioned in the song. This song has been played only 5 times throughout the band's career, all during the last "R40" tour. We were present in one of them and it is impossible to describe the intensity of the feelings we went through, the level of excitement and the magnitude of the experience, feelings that were strengthened then due to the knowledge of Neil Peart 's condition and today even more so, in the face of his death. The specific performance from that specific live show was included in the film - "Cinema Strangiato" which was screened on 21/8/19 in theaters around the world. So do yourself a favor # 4 and listen to this song. Must, must, must with the lyrics !!! " Countdown ", the song that closes the album was inspired by the band's visit to Cape Canaveral - the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on April 12, 1981. The band members were present during the first launch of the space shuttle "Columbia" on mission STS-1, which they watched from the VIP area called "Red Sector A" (familiar to us from the title of the famous song from the album " Grace Under Pressure "). The communication sounds heard during the song were recorded from the communication system between astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen and to the control center. The band also dedicated the song to the two astronauts and all NASA personnel for the inspiration they gave them during the visit. This song served as the astronauts' alarm clock during the penultimate mission of the "Columbia" shuttle - mission STS-109 from 2002. ". The same "Columbia" shuttle which the song was written, crashed on February 1, 2003, during mission STS-107, in which the first Israeli astronaut - Ilan Ramon was also a part of. Also in this song, there is a clear division between the dominance of synthesizers during the verses and Geddy Lee 's Rickenbacker 4001 bass guitar during the choruses, all in the band's meticulous planning designed to allow the song to be performed live without the help of additional artists. And now you have to click play and listen to this masterful album : Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On September 2, 2003, "Dance of Death", the 13th studio album by "Iron Maiden" was released in Japan (and then on 8 September 2003 in the rest of the world). We want to tell you 17 interesting facts about it: 1. This is the band's second studio album after the comeback of Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith to the band. 2. The album was recorded entirely on analog reel tape. 3. The album features the band's only song which is entirely acoustic - " Journeyman ". 4. The song was "electric" originally, but the band members thought that after more than an hour of loud music, it would not hurt the listener to enjoy something acoustic. 5. The electric version of the song can be found on the EP released by the band in March 2004 and is called "No More Lies". Link to listen to the electric version: 6. The album includes the song " New Frontier ", which is the band's only song written by drummer Nicko McBrain . McBrain, who was "reborn" as a Christian, wrote the song as a protest against the cloning of animals and the fear that they would eventually reach humans. 7. It's also Iron Maiden's only album in which all six members of the band received writing credit. 8. The theme song from the album was written by Janick Gers inspired by a scene from Ingrid Bergman's "The Seventh Seal" movie, in which characters were seen performing the "Dance of Death". He wrote the music and told the subject to Steve Harris who wrote the lyrics and melody. During the tour that accompanied the album, Bruce Dickinson performed the song in a very theatrical way, changing several costumes. See here: 9. " Montségur " was written about the fall of the Cathares religious order on a Crusade in 1244. Bruce Dickinson noted that when he wrote the poem he thought that history was repeating itself and the story of the Cathares religious order reminds in one way or another similar cases in human history. 10. The epic piece " Paschendale " was written by Adrian Smith שbout the terrible battle of the same name from World War I. In a battle that lasted about four months, the Allied powers managed to advance only about ten kilometers into the German lines, at the cost of over half a million wounded, captured, or killed on both sides. Smith noted that this time he tried to write a complex song with progressive influences and many rhythm changes, in contrast to most of his songs, which are shorter and more catchy. 11. " Face in the Sand " was written by Bruce Dickinson under the influence of media coverage of the Second Gulf War that broke out in Iraq when the album was recorded. 12. This is the only song from "Iron Maiden" in which Nicko McBrain uses a double bass pedal. 13. Two singles have been released from the album, the first, " Wildest Dreams ", is the opening song of the album which was written by Adrian Smith and Steve Harris . The song reminds us how short life is and how to make the most of it. Smith noted that the song for him is a kind of combination of "Number of the Beast" and "Run to the Hills". 14. The clip for the song is a 3D computer animation that shows the band on an abandoned star fighting the character of Eddie. See here: 15. The second single " Rainmaker " was written by Dave Murray , Steve Harris , and Bruce Dickinson . Bruce noted the guitar riff sounded to him like drops of rain hence the name. 16. The B-side of the single included the song " More Tea Vicar " - a kind of Dickinson parody in the style of "rap", which completes a kind of parody sequence of b-sides, after "Pass the Jam", which was the b-side of "Wildest Dreams". 17. The album cover was created by David Patchett who asked for his name to be deleted from the credits, after the band chose (that is what he claimed) an unfinished version of the painting. Dickinson was later quoted as saying that the album cover was "embarrassing". For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On September 9, 1971, "Imagine", John Lennon 's second studio album, was released. This is not just another randomly selected date for the album release. The number "9" has a very big meaning for John Lennon , it can be said that it is even his lucky number so he chose 9.9 as the release date of the album. To illustrate how significant and repetitive the number "9" in John's life is, we note that he was born on October 9, his son Sean was born that day, the first house he lived in was at 9 Newcastle Street, the Beatles' first appearance at The Cavern club was held on February 9, 1961, and the day Brian Epstein discovered them was on November 9, 1961. Even a few songs he wrote included the number "9", such as: "Revolution 9", "One After 909", "Dream # 9" And there are more and more examples. On one hand, this album is a direct continuation of the roughness of the debut album "John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band", which was released a year earlier. Quite a few songs, especially on the second side of the vinyl, bring up the bitterness, anger, and criticism that dominated the previous album. On the other hand, this album features some more optimistic songs that feature the soft and serene Lennon. Unlike the previous album, in which Lennon chose a handful of musicians who accompanied him on recordings, including Ringo Starr and Klaus Voormann, the range of artists featured on this album, as well as the range of instruments they play is particularly wider, including George Harrison , Nicky Hopkins, Klaus Foreman, Alan White , Ted Turner, Mike Pinder and more. However, similar to the previous album "Imagine" was produced by John Yoko and Phil Spector . The album opens with the utopian manifesto and theme song " Imagine ". It is Lennon's greatest song, and also the most successful single of his entire career, which over the years has become an international anthem for brotherhood and peace, depicting a utopian world without borders, without religion, without property, and without wars. The list of crowns and titles awarded to the song is very long and among them, third place in the list of the 500 greatest songs of all time by "Rolling Stone" magazine, second place in the "Guinness Book of Records" survey, being part of the prestigious list of "Hall of Fame" list of "500 songs that shaped rock and roll" and more. The foundations for the song were first laid during the sessions for the Beatles' " Let It Be " album but Lennon completed his writing only in 1971 on the Steinway piano which was located in his and Yoko Ono's bedroom at their estate in Ascot, England. Lennon was influenced in writing the song by Several poems from Yoko Ono's book "Grapefruit" from 1963, which includes several sentences beginning with the word "Imagine". Years later Lennon will admit he was a bit selfish when he did not give Yoko Ono the credit she deserves for her influence and concept, but this was corrected in 2017 when Yoko's name was added to the credits list. The second track " Crippled Inside " is a "cheerful" country track featuring George Harrison playing slide and guitarist Ted Turner from "Wishbone Ash" on acoustic guitar. In an interview with Ted from December 2012, Ted noted that his band was just during the recording of the album "Pilgrimage" when he received a phone call inviting him to be a guest on John Lennon 's album. Ted immediately agreed, but bandmate guitarist Andy Powell who received a similar call, refused. Ted said he was put in a Rolls-Royce car sitting beside keyboardist Nicky Hopkins. When he arrived at the studio he saw George Harrison and Ringo Starr who did not play on the album. It was the last song recorded and right after that Ted got to hear the whole album for the first time in the studio. The third song " Jealous Guy " is one of Lennon's most beautiful. He began writing the song in 1968, during his stay with the other members of the Beatles in Rishikesh, India. The song, originally called "Child of Nature", was performed during the sessions for the band's " White Album ", but was eventually abandoned and rewritten for the current album. Yoko said during an interview with her that it was a spiritual not sexual jealousy. The fact that she knows another language (Japanese) and John can not share her thoughts in a language he does not understand, made him write this song. It is interesting to note that Yoko helped John write the lyrics, but this time too she did not receive credit for it, because of the public's negative attitude towards her. Joey Molland and Tom Evans from the band "Badfinger" play acoustic guitar here. The track " It's So Hard " is a classic blues piece released as a b-side for the theme song "Imagine". Lennon describes in the song the difficulties in life, which all have one solution - "love". The song features saxophonist King Curtis whom Lennon admired, in his latest recording. Curtis was murdered just one month before the album was released in America. The first side of the vinyl ends with " I Don't Want to Be a Soldier Mama " which brings us to the protest of John Lennon . A monotonous and mesmerizing blues-rock piece that features George Harrison 's slide work. The song was recorded during the same sessions as the previous song "It's So Hard" so here too the saxophonist King Curtis is hosted. During those February 1971 sessions, the song "Power to the People" was also recorded and released as a single. Another interesting artist featured here is Mike Pinder from the band Moody Blues. The song won an interesting cover version of the supergroup "Mad Season", which appears among other things on their live album Live at The Moore . The second side of the vinyl opens with another protest song - " Gimme Some Truth ", which similar to the song " Jealous Guy " was also written during Lennon's and the Beatle's stay in Rishikesh, India in 1968. What influenced Lennon to write the song is, among others, "The Mỹ Lai massacre" In the Vietnam War and the cover-up attempts by the U.S. government, led by President Richard Nixon. Lennon explicitly refers to Nixon as 'trick-dicky,' a nickname for Nixon that became popular during the Watergate affair. (Photo: Johnlennon.com) Immediately after that comes one of Lennon's beautiful and melting songs " Oh My Love ". The first demo for the song was released in 1968, after the sessions for the Beatles' White Album. The lyrics were written by Yoko Ono, who this time received credit for writing together with Lennon, after a miscarriage in the sixth month of her pregnancy. Also in this song, George Harrison participates in playing the electric guitar. We get to one of the powerful songs from the album " How Do You Sleep? ", In which Lennon spares no words against his Beatles bandmate Paul McCartney . Contrary to McCartney's hidden messages against Lennon on the cover of the album "Ram", Lennon goes head-on for the attack and does not spare the arrows of criticism against McCartney, in words like: "The only thing you done was yesterday And since you've gone you're just another day How do you sleep? How do you sleep at night?" It is interesting to note that the person who helped Lennon write the lyrics to the song was Lennon's director Allen Klein, who at the time did one hand with the other three "Beatles" members in a lawsuit against Paul McCartney . Also in terms of music, the opening of the song with the instrument tuning was meant to be a sting aimed at McCartney who opened the " Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band " album similarly. The stings towards McCartney also emerge from the album cover, which includes a picture of Lennon holding a pig's ears, in response to a picture of McCartney on the album "Ram". Lennon receives reinforcement from his Beatles friend George Harrison , who is simply amazing here at playing slide. We're nearing the end with " How? " A magical and beautiful song that contrasts with the previous song and presents the insecure side of John Lennon with words like: "How can I go forward when I do not know which way I'm facing?". Lennon's touching lyrics and his fragile singing ride perfectly over the orchestral arrangements and minimalist drumming of Alan White who is really reminiscent of Ringo Starr in his playing. The album ends with an optimistic and happy country-style tone with " Oh Yoko! ". Lennon began writing the song in 1968 during his visit to Rishikesh, India. This Love Song melody was influenced by the song "Lost John" by Lonnie Donegan and John Lennon plays here. for the first and last time in his solo career, a harmonica. The person who sings background vocals here is producer Phil Spector. Interestingly, the EMI company wanted to release the song as a single, but Lennon refused. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On September 9, 2022, Ozzy Osbourne released his 13th studio album "Patient Number 9". The album marks a triumphant return for the "Prince of Darkness", blending the iconic elements of his well-known sound, with fresh collaborations and modern production. This album is a testament to Osbourne’s enduring legacy, proving that even after decades in the industry and many health issues, he still has much to offer. It's so sad and unfortunate that this excellent album turned out to be the last album of his career... The list of artist collaborating with Ozzy on this album is just insane. Andrew Watt, Zakk Wylde , Jeff Beck , Tony Iommi , Mike McCready , Eric Clapton and Josh Homme on guitars, Robert Trujillo, Duff McKagan and Chris Chaney on bass, and Chad Smith and Taylor Hawkins on drums. The album kicks off with the title track, " Patient Number 9 ," a haunting yet melodic journey featuring guitar legend Jeff Beck . Ozzy, Watt, Trujillo, and Chad Smith wrote the song with Ali Tamposi - a Florida songwriter who also co-penned eight tracks on Ozzy's last album " Ordinary Man ". The song immediately sets the tone for the album with a dark vibe, with lyrics about Ozzy Osbourne being held against his will in a mental institution, with no hope of getting out alive. Beck’s searing 2 guitar solos add depth and drama to one of the album's catchiest songs which was released as the first single. The clip for the song incorporates Osbourne's hand-drawn artwork which can be seen during beck's solo. Right after comes " Immortal " - another striking addition to the album that features the blistering guitar work of "Pearl Jam’s" Mike McCready . The track is a fast-paced, high-energy rocker that harks back to Osbourne’s early solo work. The song's fierce energy, combines classic metal intensity with a fresh, contemporary edge. McCready’s sharp, electrifying solos add a sense of urgency to the song, while Osbourne’s lyrics explore themes of legacy and the desire for eternal recognition. Osbourne enlists the help of heavy-hitting Zakk Wylde , his long-time musical partner to bring his signature blistering riffs and solos, notably on tracks like " Parasite ", " Nothing Feels Right " and " Mr. Darkness ." Wylde's guitar work provides the familiar, heavy foundation that fans of Osbourne's solo work will recognize and love. the fifth track - " One of Those Days " is a standout moment on the album, which features guitar legend Eric Clapton . The track blends bluesy guitar licks with a melancholic, mid-tempo rock ballad, where Osbourne contemplates existential frustration and resignation and reflects on the weariness of life, while Clapton’s emotive guitar lines add a perfect touch of depth and emotion to the track and his guitar solo will remind you his glorious days in "Cream". Guitarist Jeff Beck returns on the 6th song on the album - " A Thousand Shades ". A beautiful ballad with a soulful and melodic guitar work. The song is a deeply emotional and introspective piece, with Beck ’s fluid, bluesy playing perfectly complementing Osbourne’s vulnerable vocal delivery. One of the album's highlights is " Degradation Rules ," which reunites Osbourne with Tony Iommi , his former "Black Sabbath" bandmate. Although not credited for writing the song, Iommi told "Rolling Stone" that he wrote the track, which he sent to Osbourne, who added the vocals. Osbourne told Kerrang! that "Foo Fighters" drummer Taylor Hawkins gave him the idea for the lyrics (who also co-wrote three of the album songs). The track is a riff-heavy, doom-laden anthem that hearkens back to the "Sabbath" days while maintaining a modern edge. Osbourne’s voice, and harmonica (who immediately reminded us of " The Wizard " from " Black Sabbath "), still retain the haunting quality that made him a metal icon. Another highlight and collaboration with Tony Iommi is " No Escape from Now ". This track perfectly captures the dark, atmospheric intensity that made "Black Sabbath" legendary. Iommi's iconic, heavy guitar riffing is at the forefront, setting a brooding tone as the song slowly builds into an ominous, doom-laden journey. Osbourne’s vocals are drenched in eerie melancholy, as he sings about inescapable fate, despair, and being trapped in one’s own mind. The mid-song shift into a powerful, almost cathartic riff, showcases both Osbourne and Iommi in top form, making this one of the album’s most epic and Sabbath-esque tracks. The production, helmed by Andrew Watt (who also co-produced " Ordinary Man " and plays guitars, bass, keyboards, drums and sings backing vocals on the album), is polished and balanced, giving each instrument space to breathe while keeping Osbourne's vocals front and center. Watt’s modern touch adds a slick sheen to the album without diluting its raw, heavy essence. Overall, "Patient Number 9" is an impressive work. The (black) "Swan Song" that showcased Osbourne's ability to evolve while staying true to his roots. It's was a celebration of his storied career, with a nod to the past but an eye on the future, and that's why it's so painful that this became the last work he released in his lifetime. Fans of classic Ozzy will find plenty to love, while new listeners will appreciate the diverse collaborations. Osbourne was reflecting on his own mortality on this album, but with "Patient Number 9", he showed that his musical legacy will last forever. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Editor's Choice... And this time... the album "Starkers in Tokyo" by "Whitesnake", which was released on 9/9/1997 in Japan only. Technically, it's not really a "Whitesnake" album. This is a sort of an "Unplugged" album, in which singer David Coverdale and guitarist Adrian Vandenberg are performing as a due. Adrian Vandenberg had just joined the band during the work on the album "Slip of the Tongue" from 1989, and even co-wrote all the songs on the album with Coverdale, except for one. The intention was to promote the album "Restless Heart" which the band released in March of that year. During the band's tour, Coverdale and Vandenberg also held several unplugged concerts, including the one in question that was held in Japan. The two gathered at the EMI studios in Japan for a show, in front of a very limited local audience, and although the show was acoustic, the result was nothing less than "electrifying", especially because this is a minimalist show of guitar and singer only. Coverdale and Vandenberg perform some classics from the band's blues-rock era, such as " Here I Go Again ", " Love Ain't No Stranger ", alongside songs from the glam era such as " Sailing Ships ", " Give Me All Your Lov e", " Is This Love " and two new songs from the album "Restless Heart" as well as a version of the timeless song of "Deep Purple" - " Soldier of Fortune ", that Coverdale had resisted performing for years. Think how lucky were those few who got to see this show, a true "living room" show by one of the greatest singers in rock, accompanied by Vandenberg's moving guitar playing. You have probably heard most of the songs on this album many times, but never in the way they are performed here, naked as on the day they were born, stripped down to the bone. You have also listened to unplugged shows many times, but few of them have been recorded in such a brave way with only guitar accompaniment. Such shows are reserved exclusively for huge singers like Coverdale who are not afraid to give free rein to their voice with minimalistic accompaniment. We tried to find the album on various streaming platforms, but unfortunately, it is not available. So, we have prepared for you a "YouTube" playlist of all the album's songs and another bonus piece that was not included in the album, but was performed at that same special performance. See here: YouTube It is interesting to note, that the songs on this album can also be found on the "Unzipped" album that the band released in 2018, and it also includes excerpts from another unplugged show held in 2008. We have also put together a playlist of songs from the "Unzipped" album, here: Spotify "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome Jay Weinberg, the (EX)drummer of "Slipknot" and current drummer of "Suicidal Tendencies"!! Photo: Drummer's Review = He was born on September 8, 1990, in New Jersey to Max and Rebekah and has a sister named Ali. = His father is Max Weinberg , the famous drummer of the "E Street Band" Bruce Springsteen 's backing band, and also the drummer of the TV shows "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" and "The Tonight Show". = He was the one who exposed Jay to different styles of music and introduced him to different bands from the rock world, in a cosmic way he knew his future. When Jay was 9 years old his father took him to the Ozzfest festival and there he saw and even met the band "Slipknot" backstage, Even then he knew what he wanted to be when he grew up! Over the years Jay kept in touch with the band's manager and with some of the band members. Photo: Facebook = As a child, Jay was a talented ice hockey player as a goalkeeper. = Although his father is a talented and famous drummer, the first instrument that Jay learned to play was the guitar, at the age of 9. At the age of 13, he learned to play the bass guitar, and only at the age of 14 did he start playing the drums. He received a few basic lessons from his father and learned everything else on his own. = Apparently his first band was a local metal band called "Chaosis". = After that he played in a punk rock band called "Sadie Mae" and even performed several times with the punk rock band "The Used". = In 2008 after graduating from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School he moved to New York and joined the punk rock band "The Reveling". They released one album and an EP. = That same year, when he was only 18 years old, Jay got to replace his father in Springsteen's performance of the song "Born To Run" in one of the shows on the Magic Tour. It turns out that this was the starting point because less than a year later, due to the busy schedule of "The Tonight Show", Max had to be absent from the Springsteen tour. = And so it happens that in 2009 Jay got to fill the role of drummer for more than half of Springsteen's "Working on a Dream Tour" and this, of course, only after he received the approval of the other members of the band and Steve Van Zandt in particular. Jay gets love and support not only from the band but also from the audience, he gets the nickname "Spark Plug" because his young look with long hair and his playing style very reminiscent of Dave Grohl brought a youthful spirit to the adult stage. Photo: Durmeo.com = In addition to the aforementioned tour, Jay continues to fill in when his father could not perform and at the same time he continues with his band "The Reveling". Jay said that this duality was very exciting, on the one hand playing in stadiums with Springsteen and on the other hand playing in small clubs with his band. = In 2010 Jay joined the old punk rock band "Madball". He recorded with them their seventh album "Empire" which was released that year and was part of the tour to promote the album. After less than a year in the band, Jay left due to "incompatibility in lifestyle". = At the end of 2010, Jay joined the punk rock band "Against Me!" When he fills in for drummer George Rebelo. After a few months with the band, Jay became a permanent drummer and began participating in the recordings of the band's next album. The romance didn't last long and at the end of 2012 Jay left the band when he informed them of his departure through Twitter, the band members did not stay obliging and published a picture of a drum machine!! = After several years on the road performing with various bands around the US, Jay decides to go back to school and begins studying at the Stevens Institute of Technology. In his final year, during the final exams, Jay receives a call from his manager who asks him to come to Los Angeles for auditions. Jay who didn't know what it was about but never said no to the chance to play, takes a flight and arrives in Los Angeles. = Jay arrives in Los Angeles and enters a rehearsal room, the venue manager brings him to the drum set and then tells him: "Alright, there's a drum set. We'll bring in Slipknot in, like, 20 minutes. That cool?" Needless to say, Jay answered in the affirmative and the adrenaline levels in his blood jumped to unimaginable values!! = Jay said that Shawn "Clown" Crahan asked him if he knew any of the band's songs and he answered yes and they started playing 'Before I Forget' and 'Duality', these were the first two songs that Jay played with "Slipknot". When they played the songs Jay said the whole vibe in the room took a turn and electrifying energies began to envelop all the people in the room. The band members were shocked not only by Jay's abilities and talent but also by the musical connection that, like a lightning strike, happened powerfully and in one moment with the other members. = They continued to play, another song and another song and another, in that session they played 20 songs, all of which he played from memory. Jay said that the last time he played "Slipknot" songs was in 2014 and everything he played in that audition he played from memory, his muscles remembered the notes to the songs!! Needless to say, after the session, the band members gave him the OK. Photo: altpress.com = Jay entered "Slipknot" in a difficult period of crisis after they lost their bassist Paul Gray who died in 2010 and fired their phenomenal drummer Joey Jordison in 2013. Shawn decided that he was giving him a baptism of fire, after all, "Slipknot" is not a normal band, it is a collection of talented psychopaths. He flew with him to Paul's grave in IOWA and brought him to stand in front of the grave for many minutes in order to pay respects and recognize Paul's value and contribution to the band, In addition, he also explained to him what the band's plans are and how he sees him fitting in (really an entry interview for the position). = From there they flew together to the recording studio in Los Angeles and for several weeks in a row, Shawn and Chris Fehn (Shawn's percussionist friend) gave Jay a "Sylphnote Course", tough mentors. They stood in front of him and screamed at him for hours every day, trying to challenge him, make him scramble, get him out of his comfort zone,and hone his talent and abilities. = At the end of the "apprenticeships" the rest of the group entered the studio but did not immediately start working, it was very difficult for them to let go and feel normal in the studio. The same group of people who were unbridled without traces and barriers suddenly looked like a group of yeshiva students waiting for the rabbi to arrive. Corey Taylor said it took a while for them to feel free enough to create in light of Paul's loss. Shawn decided that in order to be inspired but also to pay homage, he places Paul's Ibanez guitar in the recording studio with his mask hanging over it as if he is co-creating and present in the studio. Photo: knotfest.com = Jay said that as a fan of the band, he really liked Joey and admired his musical talent, but he does not intend to try and step into his huge shoes, but instead take the music to his place and express himself in the band's composition. Photo: rare-gallery.com = In October 2014, the band "Slipknot" released its fifth album "5: The Gray Chapter" , Jay's debut album with the band. = Despite the attempt to maintain anonymity, "Slipknot" does not publish the name of the new band members until it officially announces them, Jay's name leaked out. Quite surprisingly, since Joey's departure was not pleasant, Jay was received with love by fans and critics alike. He immediately becomes one of the most famous drummers in the world!! = In 2019 "Slipknot" released their sixth album "We Are Not Your Kind" . One of the most intriguing talked about and biggest albums in 2019. The album of course snatched first place on the Billboard chart, was a crazy global success, and launched a tour of the biggest concerts in the world. = In 2022 the band released their seventh album "The End, So Far". This was the band's final album to be released through Roadrunner, whom the band signed with in 1998. It is the first studio album to feature percussionist Michael Pfaff, who joined the band in 2019 and is their final studio album to feature sampler and keyboardist Craig Jones before his departure in 2023. = In November 2023 surprisingly, or rather shockingly, the band announced Jay's departure from the band. The news were posted on the band's social media and mysteriously deleted shortly after. The move greatly surprised the fans but especially Jay who received the message in a phone call from one of the band members the night before it was published. In a statement published by the band, it is stated that since "Slipknot" intends to continue to develop, the band decided to make a creation based decision and say goodbye to Jay. In a message to his fans, Jay expressed his surprise at the announcement without providing further details. He conveyed his gratitude for his time with the band, acknowledging that being the drummer of "Slipknot" has garnered him a significant fan base and followers. Jay also mentioned that he is currently undergoing therapy to deal with his departure. = In March 2024 Jay joined the veteran metal band "Suicidal Tendencies". The drummers among us will notice a very lethal chain reaction... Jay who departed from "Slipknot", replaced drummer Greyson Nekrutman who left "Suicidal Tendencies" and moved to play in the band "Sepultura". The one who left "Sepultura" is the drummer Eloy Casagrande who became the new drummer of "Slipknot". = Jay won many titles including "Best Metal Drummer" by MusicRadar magazine in 2019, And Modern Drummer magazine, he won the title "Metal Drummer of the Year" in 2020 and 2022 And Drumeo won the title "Metal Drummer of the Year" in 2021. = He plays on a set made by SJC company with which he does many collaborations, the most prominent of which is the snare drum named after him, he has drumsticks named after him with VATER company and he is a presenter for the electronic drum company Roland. = He finds his peace of mind in painting, he said that with the painting he balances himself against the intensity and aggressiveness of "Slipknot". In 2022 he created his first exhibition as a painter called "A Hollow Realm". "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website