On October 31, 1988, "Soundgarden's" first album "Ultramega OK" was released. So here are some facts about the album that started this wonderful thing called "Soundgarden": 1. This is the band's first studio album released after two EPs, the first "Screaming Life" released in October 1987, and the second "Fopp" released in August 1988. 2. The first band members to form "Soundgarden" were Chris Cornell who sang and played drums, Hiro Yamamoto who played bass and Kim Thayil who played guitar. 3. Since Chris wanted to concentrate more on singing, they enlisted Scott Sundquist as the band's drummer but after less than a year he decided to leave and was replaced by Matt Cameron . 4. Kim moved with Yamamoto and Bruce Pavitt from Illinois to Seattle. Kim is one of the people responsible for founding the record label "Sub Pop" which was the engine of growth and the main person responsible for spreading the grunge scene that grew up in Seattle. (Photo: Roy Wilkinson) 5. At one of the band's shows Jonathan Poneman who was a broadcaster on a local radio station called KCMU, was very impressed with the band and offered to give them funding. Kim offered to hook him up with Bruce since he was involved in music that took place in Seattle and was Kim's friend. 6. Following the recommendation of Kim, Jonathan and Bruce teamed up and founded the record label Sub Pop. 7. "Soundgarden" signed to "Sub Pop" and released the two EPs we mentioned above under the label. 8. After the EPs the band looked for a way to release their first album under a larger but independent and non-commercial record company. Despite many courtships on the part of large record labels, the band decided to sign with an independent record company called SST Records. 9. Although the album was initially recorded in Seattle, it quickly moved to Newberg. The producer that the record company "assigned" for the band was Drew Canulette who was not at all familiar with the scene and sound in Seattle. Chris said they made a big mistake on this album when they left Seattle and worked with a producer who did not know what was going on at the time in the city. 10. The band members really liked the songs on this album, but they were very disappointed with the production and they thought the album could have been much better but it came out just "okay", which is actually why they gave it the name "Ultramega OK" which means according to the band members Absolutely, unbelievably not bad. 11. Despite the polished and disappointing production, the root characteristics of "Soundgarden" can be identified in this album. 12. The song "Flower" that opens the album was the first and only single released from it. It also came out with a video clip and got a rotation on MTV. 13. The song "Circle of Power" is the only one on the album that Chris did not sing on but bassist Yamamoto. 14. The song "Smokestack Lightning" is a cover of a song by blues singer/songwriter Chester Arthur Burnett known as Howlin's Wolf. 15. The song "Nazi Driver" is very descriptive and "disturbing" which refers to cutting Nazis and creating a dish that feeds the prisoners. 16. Songs "665" and "667" are a parody of devilish elements in rock music such as the number 666. 17. The song "One Minute of Silence" is a cover/tribute to John Lennon 's song "Two Minutes of Silence", which is actually an attempt by the band to "produce" silence for a minute, but despite this, the band can be easily heard in the background. 18. This album earned the band the 1990 Grammy Awards in the Best Metal Performance category. 19. To promote the album, the band went on tour in the United States in 1989 and for the first time in its history also toured in Europe. 20. In 2016 the band purchased the recordings of the album and together with the legendary producer Jack Endino who was one of the mainstays of the music scene in Seattle, they re-released the album with the mix mainly for guitars and Chris' voice expressing the sounds of "Soundgarden" as they should have been. 21. The reissue of the album also includes 6 additional tracks recorded in 1987 by Jack Andino with an 8-channel tape. And now that you're very curious, click play to listen to the reissue of the album on: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

The talented guitarist and songwriter Johnny Marr, who is best known for his membership in "The Smiths", is celebrating his birthday today. (Photo: Amy Harris) We have collected 20 interesting facts about him: 1. He was born on October 31, 1963, in Manchester, England, named John Martin Maher. 2. He formed his first band when he was only 13 years old. 3. He co-founded "The Smiths" with Morrissey in 1982. 4. Together with "The Smiths" he released four amazing studio albums, all of which are in "Rolling Stone" magazine's 500 greatest albums of all time. 5. He's a childhood friend of, Billy Duffy, "The Cult's" guitarist. They maintain a good relationship to this day. Here they perform together "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" tune by Ennio Morricone: 6. In 2016 he noted that his favorite "Smiths'" song is " Last Night I Dreamt Someone Loved Me ", from "Strangeways, Here We Come". 7. After leaving "The Smiths" in 1987, he was a member of "The Pretenders" for a short time and recorded with them, among other things, the single "Windows Of The World", as can also be seen in the video clip for the song, here: 8. In 1989 he formed the band "Electronic" together with Bernard Sumner known from the bands "Joy Division" and "New Order". As part of this lineup, Marr released three studio albums. 9. Later, Mar joined the band "The The" and recorded two albums with them, including the amazing " Dusk " from 1993, which includes the hits "Dogs of Lust" and "Love Is Stronger than Death": 10. At the same time, Johnny served as a sought-after session player. He wrote and performed songs with many good artists, including: "Pet Shop Boys", Bryan Ferry, "Talking Heads" and Beck. 11. In 2000 he formed the band "Johnny Marr and the Healers" together with Zak Starkey, the son of Ringo Starr and with Alonza Bevan the - "Kula Shaker's" bass player. Marr wrote and sang all but one of the songs on the album. 12. In 2001 he was part of a supergroup called "7 Worlds Collide", which includes members from "Pearl Jam", "Radiohead" and "Crowded House". They released their charity album "The Sun Came Out" in 2009. 13. In 2007 he collaborated with the American indie rock band "Modest Mouse" and released the album "We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank" with them. 14. From 2008 to 2011 he was a member of the indie rock band "The Cribs". He released the 2009 album "Ignore the Ignorant" with them. 15. He released his first solo album "The Messenger" in 2003 and since then he has released three more albums. 16. Johnny attended one of Oasis' first shows. Noel Gallagher approached him after the show and asked how it was. Marr replied that it takes him too long to tune his guitar between songs and Noel said it was because he has no money for a normal guitar. It touched Marr very much so he decided to give Noel Gallagher a 1960 Gibson Les Paul guitar he had received as a gift from Pete Townshend . 17. Unfortunately Noel managed to break the guitar when he struggled with a fan who took the stage. When Johnny Marr heard it he quickly gave Noel another guitar and not just another guitar, but the one he wrote the song " Big Mouth Strike Again " from the album " The Queen Is Dead " on. 18. In the late 90s Johnny received an offer from Noel Gallagher to join the "Oasis", but at the same time, he was working on other projects, so he kindly refused. 19. In the years 1992-1993 Johnny recorded enough songs to fill an entire album, together with Ian McCulloch known as the singer of "Echo & the Bunnymen". The masters of the recordings disappeared along with the van stolen during their transfer from Johnny's Manchester home to Ian's house in Liverpool. 20. Johnny Marr's parents thought the name of The Smith's " The Queen Is Dead " album was disrespectful to the Queen of England institution, so he asked Morrissey to change the name to "Bigmouth Strikes Again", but Morrissey refused. Johnny Marr's unique style of playing known as "Jungle Pop" has influenced many guitarists, including John Squire from "The Stone Roses" and of course Noel Gallagher from "Oasis" "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On October 31, 1975, "Queen" released one of the greatest songs in the history of music - "Bohemian Rhapsody". (Photo: Still From 'Bohemian Rhapsody' Music Video) Here are some interesting facts about the iconic song: 1. Freddie Mercury began writing The song in the late 60's. The name he gave it during the writing process was - "The Cowboy Song". 2. He also wrote all the roles of the various instruments for the song. The piano, bass, drums, and even the guitar. 3. The recordings lasted about three weeks and were held in August and September 1975. During the recordings, the band used no less than four different studios. 4. The vocal harmonies were the hardest to record, the band members testified that they would sometimes repeat the vocal parts for 10-12 hours a day. 5. The recording of musical instruments also took a long time and included a large number of channel uploads. The song had layers upon layers of musical and vocal channels, some say there were about 180 different overdubs to create the wonderful harmonies and rich sound. 6. The piano that Freddie Mercury played on during the recording is the same piano that Paul McCartney played during the recording of the song "Hey Jude". 7. Despite the length of the song (about 6 minutes) and despite the record company's opposition to its release as a single, the song was very successful on radio stations and reached number one on various charts around the world. 8. Very ironically, the song with the title "Mama Mia" by "ABBA", managed to knock "Bohemian Rhapsody" from the top of the British chart. 9. The word "Scaramouche" in the song, refers to a clown in Italian literature. 10. The word "Beelzebub" in the poem, is attributed in Christian literature to the devil. 11. The word "Galileo" Mercury used in the song was a tribute to guitarist Brian May who is a doctor of astrophysics. 12. The name "Figaro" appeared in Rossini's opera "The Barber of Seville". 13. The word "Bismillah" is the first word in the Qur'an. 14. The famous video for the song was the band's first ever. It was created because the band did not want to appear on the British TV show "Top Of The Pops" live, since the song was too complex to perform live. 15. The video clip for the song was based on the "Queen II" album cover. 16. The "Queen II" album cover was based on the famous photograph of Marlene Dietrich. 17. The director of the clip was Bruce Gowers, it took him 3 hours to film it for 3,500 Pound. 18. Freddie Mercury noted that the song "In the Lap of the Gods" from the album "Sheer Heart Attack" is the prologue to the song "Bohemian Rhapsody". 19. Following the death of Freddie Mercury in 1991 the song was released again as a single and this time too it reached number one in the music charts. 20. The song returned to the charts a year later following its inclusion in the soundtrack of the movie "Wayne's World" from 1992. This time it jumped straight to second place on Billboard. (Photo: Paramount Pictures) 21. The song reached the top of the charts for the fourth time in 2018, following the success of the movie "Bohemian Rhapsody". 22. In 2002 the song was voted in the "Guinness Book of World Records survey" as the first of all the singles released in the UK ever. John Lennon's " Imagine " and the Beatles' "Hey Jude" came in second and third. 23. In 2012 the song was selected at the top of the list of songs with "The Best Vocal Performance in Rock" by "Rolling Stone magazine". 24. It also ranks 166th on the same magazine's "500 greatest songs" of all time list. 25. In 2000 it was selected in England, Israel, and other places in the world, as the Millennium song. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

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

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

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

One note... Ping... A tiny sound wave sent from "Pink Floyd's" active sonar in the depths of the ocean returned as a huge and terrifying "echo" in the form of a 23:31 minute musical piece - "Echoes". On October 30, 1971, the album "Meddle" was released, the sixth studio album by "Pink Floyd", whose main opus "Echoes" became synonymous with it. It can be said that this little ping is responsible for the rebirth of the band. A small flash of light, a lighthouse in the dark that directs the "Pink Floyd" rocking ship to a safe shore. One note that is actually a compass that helped the band find its musical direction, break away from the psychedelia, overcome Syd Barrett , and spring forward to the top of the music world and become one of the greatest bands in history. It is amazing to think that this single note originated by mistake. A random click on a high B key on Richard Wright 's piano which went through the Leslie speaker and produced the famous "ping" that developed the masterpiece called "Echoes". When the band entered Abbey Road Studios in London in January 1971, it was empty of ideas. Each member of the band grabbed a corner in the studio and began musical attempts and experiments. The band members even called them "Nothing, Parts 1-24" and later "The Son of Nothing" and "The Return of the Son of Nothing". These musical ideas served as the basis for this crazy work that is the fruit of a joint effort from all four members. During the development of the piece, the lyrics referred to the encounter between two celestial bodies, but due to Roger Waters' concern about the band's being cataloged as a "Space Rock" band, the lyrics were altered to contain "underwater" images that correspond well with the "ping", with the water drops on the album cover and even with the "seagulls" sounds created by David Gilmour 's guitar during the "Echoes" musical piece. And for those who wonder what that album cover represents. So this is a photo of a human ear filmed underwater. Yes, this is what the band asked the legendary cover designer Storm Thorgerson to decorate the album cover. By the way, Thorgerson wanted it to be a close-up of Baboon's anus, but the band objected and Storm later claimed it was his least favorite cover than all the ones he designed in the "Pink Floyd" catalog. Here is the place to point out that in our humble opinion this is the album where David Gilmour was re-born. It's not that he did not exist before, God forbid! But on this album he began to shine, developing his all-too-unique sound, the little touches, the melodic solos, the effects so identified with him, the "feel" and the immortal slide. Not only that, but on this album, he also gained confidence in singing as he served as the lead singer in all but one of the album's songs. And if that was not enough, then he was also prominent in the creative process and was a part of writing all the songs on this album except one. The musical piece " Echoes " was the first song the band recorded for the album. If we continue with the "watery" line, then this is undoubtedly the "anchor" of the album, as well as of the film "Live at Pompeii", where it was divided into two parts that open and end the film. But "Meddle" is definitely not just "Echoes". There’s the amazing and “almost” instrumental opening track “ One of These Days ”. Nearly 6 minutes of a nervous and sweeping groove led by Waters and Gilmour's pulsing bass. Yes, yes beyond David Gilmour 's crazy playing on the slide guitar console, he reinforces Roger Waters playing bass guitar, while Nick Mason is in charge of the immortal sentence: "One of these days, I'm going to cut you into little pieces". The second track " A Pillow of Winds " evokes in us one association - "tranquility". The song details the stages of sleep, going to bed, dreaming, and waking up in the morning. David Gilmour composed the magical and simple chord passages and participated with Roger Waters in writing the lyrics. Beyond the acoustic guitars, Gilmour melts our hearts with electric touches and Slide guitar while Roger Waters plays fretless bass. Immediately after that comes " Fearless " - another collaboration between Roger Waters (who also plays acoustic guitar) and David Gilmour . It was also the only single released from the album that ends with the amazing crowd of Liverpool football team fans, singing "You'll Never Walk Alone" - a song by the Rodgers and Hammerstein duo, which became the band's anthem. The fourth track " San Tropez " is the only one on the album written and sung by Roger Waters solely. While writing the song Waters was influenced by a vacation the band took in St. Tropez and he plays an acoustic in addition to bass. The ending Track of the first side " Seamus " is named after singer Steve Marriott's ("Small Faces" and "Humble Pie") Border Collie dog. Gilmore was babysitting the dog for Marriott and brought it with him to the studio one day. The dog used to bark and howl at the sound of David Gilmour playing, which got the idea to create this very special duet between a guitar and a dog. By the way, the gatefold of the album included a picture of the four members of the band. This was "Pink Floyd's" last photo on an album. None of "Pink Floyd's" albums up to the 1987 album " A Momentary Lapse of Reason " will not include a picture of the band members and even on " A Momentary Lapse of Reason " the picture is of David Gilmour and Nick Mason , while on later releases the picture of Richard Wright was added. This album was a very important step in the development of the band and its transition from the psychedelic era to the more progressive period. Roger Waters noted that the lyrics of "Echoes" were an attempt to explain the potential that each human being has to know and respect each other - or in his words "empathy rather than antipathy". Waters will later develop the ideological idea of this work and begin to focus on the people and problems of humanity. Before the rain of effects of " The Dark Side Of The Moon " and before the criticism of " Animals ", this album gives us a one-time glimpse into the pure and optimistic musical innocence of a cohesive band that has found the sound that will define it. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On October 29, 2005, we witnessed one of the biggest metal concerts ever held in Israel. The legendary Ronnie James Dio took the stage of Pavilion 1 at the Tel Aviv Exhibition Grounds, with his band, and gave a tremendous and unforgettable performance. (Photo: Scanpix Norway) The performance was the last of the "Holy Diver Live" tour, which would later also be released as a live album and DVD. This was Ronnie James Dio 's first visit to the Holy Land. Before the show, he stated that he had no idea about the musical culture in Israel and he didn't think it was a place where metal bands come to play, but after talking with the members of "Scorpions" who visited Israel he was very enthusiastic. The band that accompanied him included drummer Simon Wright , guitarist Doug Aldrich, bassist Rudy Sarzo, and keyboardist Scott Warren. During the concert, the entire masterpiece album " Holy Diver " was played from start to finish, as well as a collection of songs from Ronnie James Dio 's era in the bands "Rainbow" and "Black Sabbath". Dio stated during the show that it's a shame that such great songs don't get to be played live. Since Ozzy Osbourne returned to "Black Sabbath" they haven't played songs from the Dio era and "Rainbow" is long gone, so "Dio" is the only band that keeps these excellent songs alive in concert. As part of his visit, Dio made a short tour of the country that included a visit to the Western Wall and the holy places for Christianity, in the Old City of Jerusalem. Believe it or not, there is full video documentation of this historic performance: Part I: Part II: The Concert Setlist: 1. Tarot Woman 2. The Sign of the Southern Cross 3. One Night in the City Holy Diver Live: 4. Stand Up and Shout 5. Holy Diver 6. Gypsy - Drum Solo 7. Caught in the Middle 8. Don't Talk to Strangers 9. Straight Through the Heart 10. Invisible 11. Rainbow in the Dark 12. Shame on the Night - Guitar Solo 13. Gates of Babylon 14. Heaven and Hell Encore : 15. Man on the Silver Mountain 16. Long Live Rock 'n' Roll 17. The Last in Line 18. We Rock 19. The Mob Rules For the live album released following the tour: Spotify "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

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

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

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

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