One of the greatest singers of our generation - Ian Gillan is celebrating his birthday today !!! (Photo: Fin Costello) He was born on 19 August 1945 in the London area, England. He absorbed music from an early age. His grandfather was an opera singer, his uncle was a jazz pianist and his grandmother taught ballet. As a child Gillan was a soprano singer in the local church choir. The first band he was a member of was "Garth Rockett and the Moonshiners". He was their drummer and singer. Gillan soon realized that he was unable to sing and play drums at the same time and decided to abandon the drums in order to concentrate on singing. In 1962 he joined the band "Ronnie and the Hightones", which changed its name with Gillan joining to "The Javelins". The band played covers of rock and roll stars like Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard. In 1964 he moved to "Wainwright's Gentlemen" that played mostly soul music. The big change came in the mid-60s with the band "Episode Six" which also included bassist Roger Glover. In 1969 he was asked by Ritchie Blackmore, Jon Lord and Ian Paice to join "Deep Purple's" MKII lineup, after seeing him perform. In "Deep Purple" Gillan helped his bandmates to pursue their vision to change the band's musical direction and make it heavier. There is no doubt that "Deep Purple" would not have sounded as it did in its MKII lineup, had it not been for Ian Gillan. But Gillan's powerful and dynamic singing not only shaped "Deep Purple's" musical direction, it was a milestone for the hard rock and heavy metal singers who followed. It could be said that without Gillan's famous screams in the song "Child In Time", we would probably be left to this day only with "Clean" singing and without "Growling". In 1973, after co-creating "Deep Purple" masterpieces, such as "In Rock" and "Machine Head", Gillan left the band. In addition of being part of "Deep Purple", Gillan also played the lead role in Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1970 rock opera "Jesus Christ Superstar". After about two years in which he did not engage in music since he left "Deep Purple", Gillan formed the "Ian Gillan Band", whose style was more of jazz-fusion music. The band was not a success and in 1978 Gillan disbanded it and formed with keyboardist Colin Towns another band called "Gillan", which tended towards hard rock. The band was active until 1982, disbanding after an injury of Gillan's vocal cords, which forced him to retire and rest. In 1983, Gillan joined "Black Sabbath" as a replacement for Ronnie James Dio. He recorded the album "Born Again" with the band. In 1984 he was reunited with the "Deep Purple's" MKII lineup and took part in the excellent album "Perfect Strangers". Like Deja Vu, Gillan was fired from "Deep Purple" in 1989 after releasing the album "The House of Blue Light", failing to get along with Ritchie Blackmore, but returned to the band in 1992 at the request of Jon Lord and Ian Paice who wanted him to return to the band to celebrate its 25th anniversary, releasing the album "The Battle Rages On...". Gillan has been leading the band ever since. (Photo: Jo Hale) In 2020, on the occasion of his 50 years of membership in the band, Gillan and "Deep Purple" released their 21st album Whoosh!. An amazing album that does not have a single weak moment, which proves that even today Gillan is still a relevant and great singer. He released 3 more albums with the band since, "Turning to Crime" (2021), "=1" (2024) and "Splat!" (2026). Gillan also has an interesting solo career during which she has released up to day 7 albums, one of which is with Roger Glover. He also has several collaborations, including with Tony Iommi on the project and album for Armenia "WhoCares". So let's wish the man a lot of good health and continued extensive musical activity. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Here is some interesting facts about the legendary Ginger Baker, best known as the drummer of "Cream", "Blind Faith", "Ginger Baker's Air Force" and more: (Photo: David Redfern) = He was born on August 19, 1939 in Lewisham, South London, England. His full name is Peter Edward "Ginger" Baker. = Baker initially took up the trumpet, but switched to drums at age 15 after joining a local band. = He was heavily influenced by jazz drummers like Max Roach, Art Blakey, and Phil Seamen, which shaped his unique drumming style. = His first recording was with "The Storyville Jazz Men and the Hugh Rainey Allstars", releasing the album "Storyville Re-Visited" in 1958. The album also featured Jack Bruce. = In 1960 Baker joined "Blues Incorporated", led by Alexis Korner, with bassist Jack Bruce. They releasd the album "Alexis Korner and Friends" in 1963. = He joined "The Graham Bond Organisation" with Jack Bruce in 1962. This was when his aggressive drumming style became his signature. He released 3 albums with the band, starting with "Live at Klooks Kleek" from 1964. = In 1966 he co-founded one of the first supergroups and power trio- "Cream" with Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce, becoming a pioneer of rock drumming merging rock and blues with his jazz-influenced drumming. = Baker's drumming is regarded for its style, and use of two bass drums instead of the conventional single one. (Photo: Fanart.TV) = During their brief three-year career, "Cream" released four albums: "Fresh Cream" (1966), "Disraeli Gears" (1967), "Wheels of Fire" (1968), and "Goodbye" (1969) two of them are listed in "Rolling Stone magazine" "500 greatest albums of all time" and Colin Larkin's "All Time Top 1000 Albums". = Except playing drums and percussion Baker also sang backing vocals and even lead vocals on some of the band's songs. = In November 1968 "Cream" disbanded due to tensions between Baker and Bruce, despite their massive success. = In 1969 Baker formed another supergroup - "Blind Faith", with Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, and Ric Grech. The band released one album before disbanding. = In 1970 Baker formed "Ginger Baker’s Air Force", a jazz-rock fusion band blending rock, jazz, and African music. They released two albums the same year. = He moved to Nigeria in 1971 to collaborate with Fela Kuti and escape his heroin addiction. They released 3 albums (On of which a live one), starting with "Fela's London Scene" released in 1971. = In 1973 he established the "Batakota ARC" recording studio in Lagos, Nigeria, which attracted major artists like Paul McCartney and Wings who recorded the iconic "Band On The Run" album there. = In 1974 he released his first solo album "Ginger Baker at His Best". By 2014 he release 16 more albums as a solo artist. = The same year he was involved in "Baker Gurvitz Army" releasing their first eponymous album. By 1976 they will release two more studio albums. = In 1976 Baker moved back to Europe after his Nigerian studio venture failed. = in 1980 he lived in Italy and started an olive oil business, later troubled by the Italian Mafia. = The same year Baker played with "Hawkwind" in their "Levitation" album. He will continue to play with them in the albums "Zones" from 1983 and "This Is Hawkwind, Do Not Panic" from 1984. = In the next years Baker was featured in albums of other artists such as "Masters of Reality", "Public Image Ltd" Andy Summers, Jens Johansson and more. = In 1993 "Cream" was inducted into the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" and reunited for the event. = In 1994 He released "BBM" ("Baker Bruce Moore") the only album of the short-lived power trio, formed in 1993 by him, bassist Jack Bruce and guitarist Gary Moore. = In 1997 he moved to South Africa to live a quieter life and breed polo horses. = In 2005 "Cream" reunited for concerts at "Royal Albert Hall" and "Madison Square Garden" recorded and released as a live album and a video. = Already in his early days, Baker performed lengthy drum solos, most notably in the "Cream" song "Toad", one of the earliest recorded examples in rock music. = In 2009 he was the subject of the documentary "Beware of Mr. Baker", which detailed his volatile personality. = In 2010 He published his autobiography "Hellraiser". = He was considered as a replacement for Bill Ward in "Black Sabbath's" "13" album released in 2013. Producer Rick Rubin suggested him but guitarist Tony Iommi, declined, since he didn't think this would work out with Ginger in the studio. = In 2016 he announced retirement from performing due to heart problems and chronic arthritis. = Baker's son, Kofi Streatfield Baker, is also a drummer, notably playing with Uli Jon Roth and Glenn Hughes. = Ginger Baker passed away on October 6, 2019 at the age of 80. = Baker's style influenced many drummers, including John Bonham, Peter Criss, Neil Peart, Stewart Copeland, Ian Paice, Terry Bozzio, Dave Lombardo, Tommy Aldridge, Bill Bruford, Alex Van Halen, Nick Mason and more. = "Modern Drummer" magazine described him as "one of classic rock's first influential drumming superstars of the 1960s" and "one of classic rock's true drum gods". = "Drum!" magazine listed Baker among the "50 Most Important Drummers of All Time" and has defined him as "one of the most imitated '60s drummers". = He was voted the third greatest drummer of all time in a Rolling Stone reader poll. = In 2016, he was ranked 3rd on Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Drummers of All Time". = Neil Peart has said: "His playing was revolutionary – extrovert, primal and inventive. He set the bar for what rock drumming could be... Every rock drummer since has been influenced in some way by Ginger – even if they don't know it". "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Korn's breakthrough third album, "Follow the Leader," was released on August 18, 1998. We'll begin with the success, proceed to the chaos, and conclude with the renowned tour... While this album marked a breakthrough and propelled the band to immense international success, it only produced two well-known and successful tracks: "Freak On A Leash" and "Got The Life". Following two powerful albums that established Korn's path to success in the evolving Nu Metal scene and even positioned them as leaders of the genre, this album shattered barriers and elevated the band to monumental status. There was nothing particularly special or fundamentally different from the previous albums, but it represented a step up for the band. The hip-hop style is more prominently featured, with Fred Durst and Ice Cube contributing to the album. Jonathan Davis, who grew up on hip-hop and was deeply connected to the style, sought to incorporate it into the melodies, enhancing the songs. On this album, he took it further by giving a platform to Fred and Cube, while also integrating numerous hip-hop elements himself. Unlike the prior two albums, Ross Robinson did not produce this one but was only involved in a small portion of Davis' vocal recordings. Davis mentioned that Ross was his mentor for singing, and he couldn't imagine singing without him, though Ross had some unusual working methods. He would punch Davis in the spine during singing or press his neck with his nails, which sounds quite bizarre! So after recording several songs for this album, Davis decided he had enough of this "nonsense" and chose to continue on his own. Another advancement was with the guitars. James Shaffer (Munky) and Brian Welch (Head) decided to use all their pedals and experimented wildly with the guitar sounds. They aimed to process the guitars so that in the loud and noisy sections of the songs, they would resemble cymbals or electronic sounds, attempting to achieve the lowest or highest frequencies possible. Given the success the record company directors anticipated, they granted the band complete creative freedom. Overall, the band members felt they could unleash their talent (and other things) freely. They were provided with a studio and a substantial budget, replaced their producer with two others, and amidst all the parties, there were magical moments, as described by Toby Wright, one of the producers who helped create such a significant album. (Photo: Robin Platzer) Internet anyone? The events surrounding the creation of this album, primarily at the NRG recording studio, were far from embarrassing and might even surpass the scenes depicted in the movie "The Dirt" about Motley Crue. There were parties, drugs, alcohol, sex, celebrities, and an array of other indulgences. However, before delving into that, let's start with something more significant. Korn was the first band to embrace the internet and integrate live broadcasting into the album's recording process. They pioneered by allowing fans to glimpse and participate in the production process. The studio was equipped with webcams (provided by QuickTime), and each week featured a day when fans could explore the studio, witness everything in real time, and even interact with the band members. This was undoubtedly a groundbreaking move in 1996, and no one had done it before them. Sex, Drugs and Rock N' Roll... Monkey mentioned that out of the six days a week spent in the studio, they were only productive on two, with the rest of the time dedicated to various parties and celebrations. He explained that this is what happens when you give a lot of money to young people who are already struggling with alcohol and drug addictions and let them do as they please. Davis wouldn't begin singing until he had snorted a line or two of cocaine; he would then record his vocals and immediately start drinking until he passed out. According to him, during recordings, while he was singing, people were engaged in sexual activities in every corner of the studio. They hired individuals to bring men and women to the studio for parties, and at one point, Toby admitted he no longer recognized half of the people present. Hip-hop stars, porn stars, and rock stars regularly visited the studio, not to listen to the band's new work but to indulge in sex, drugs, alcohol, and partying until dawn. Steve Thompson, the second producer working with Toby, recalled that at one point, someone asked the band if they wanted to put an end to the chaos because it was impossible to work under such conditions, but they all responded with a resounding... NO! All the band members agreed that it was an intense period, during which they managed to survive and emerge stronger as a group. Following the chaos, which led to numerous confrontations, disgust, and even hatred at times, they decided to take control of the situation. Each member underwent some form of rehab, freeing themselves from all the negativity that surrounded them. To promote the album, the band released several singles: "All in the Family," "Got the Life," "Children of the Korn," "BBK," and notably, the latest single with the famous video "Freak On A Leash," which made a huge impact, was played non-stop on MTV, and even won a Grammy in 1999. Besides releasing singles and music videos, the band launched one of the most renowned tours in 1998, known as the "Family Values Tour." They spearheaded the tour as the main act to promote their album and also to support lesser-known bands by taking them along. The tour featured bands like Limp Bizkit, Ice Cube, Incubus, Orgy, and Rammstein. They chartered a private jet, which was an experience in itself, and traveled to every possible country in North America. The tour featured 27 performances, each accompanied by fan meetings, photo sessions, album signings, and similar activities. Various critics and magazines hailed this tour as groundbreaking and one of the most prominent of the time. It eventually evolved into a festival and was repeated multiple times. In March 1999, the album and DVD from the tour were released, featuring selected songs by each band from various performances. In addition to being groundbreaking and successful, this period marked a turning point for the band. After the album's release, all the band members began addressing their addictions to drugs and alcohol. Simultaneously, they started confronting the consequences of success and its effects on their personal lives. They underwent a challenging process of disillusionment and adjusting to a changing reality. This album is undoubtedly a significant milestone... You can listen to it on: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Again we are dealing here with a scary review... As we have said before, there are albums that we love so much that it is even hard for us to write about. This is one of them... The mythological album "Metziut Nifredet" (Separate Reality, is the debut album of "Hayehudim" and it was released on August 18, 1995. Before we begin, allow us to unload something without ruining the atmosphere. After the release of the second album "Hayehudim" and after years to come, the album "Metziut Nifredet" became the music of the masses, of the popular radio stations in Israel, and of every teenager even if he is not a devoted fan of the band. For us, as devoted fans, it was very frustrating. If at first we were moved and thrilled every time we heard the band's song playing on mainstream radio like "Galgalatz", over time the excitement became frustration and anger. Why? you ask. Because this amazing and huge band continued to put out masterful songs and albums but those radio stations, to this day, are stuck on the band's debut album, not playing any songs from their other 4 albums. If we have already mentioned the radio stations then let’s also unload this story, a story from the band's early days that today become irrelevant. Although the album was released under the biggest label in Israel, "Hed Artzi" and had one of the best production heard in Israel at the time (we'll get to that later), it was completely ignored by the popular radio and television stations. We are talking about the mid-1990s in Israel, there was no streaming whatsoever, a CD album cost 80 NIS and the radio was mainly controlled by stations such as "Reshet Gimel" and "Galei Tzahal". Oh yeah, there were only two TV channels too, so there weren't really many options. The band members did not fall into despair and with the support of Tamira Yardeni (from famous Teddy Productions) the band members went out to shoot a music video for the first single from the album "Mehapes Tsheuva". Here too they did what they love to do and the clip was different, rough, provocative and straight forward. With sexual scenes, death, and also religious aspects God forbid. As a result, the music video was not broadcast frequently and even if did, then it was late at night. At first, the band members did not talk about it in interviews and articles but after a few years, they shared what they felt. They were hurt and very frustrated, they brought their musical talent, and their creative authenticity but the media closed the door on them aggressively and ignored them completely. Tom Peterover told Channel 1 in an interview that they had already thought of breaking up, ending this episode in their life, and move on. they felt that the popular media did not like them and even deliberately rejected them. But then the people had their say, from a show of 20 people, it became 50, 100 people and the quantities grew more and more. The teens who came to the shows knew the lyrics and screamed them out loud. The band members who adore their fans to this day and feel part of them were in utter shock. They did not understand where all these people came from, with no media exposure, how they knew all the words of their songs??? The feedback from the audience is what held them together, the love and support they received from the fans pushed them and helped them forget about the radio stations. Orit Shahaf said that the fact that the audience gave them a huge hug made the whole radio thing become even more irrelevant over the years. So how it all began... The album already started when Tom and Orit met, even before the start of the military service, during the exams for the military band. We're guessing it was love at first sight, at the moment the couple met, they started working on music together. The two worked non-stop, experimenting, writing, and creating materials together in some warehouse or small room during the military service. After the end of the military service, the two which then were called "Tom and the Bomb" started performing in all kinds of small clubs with covers songs of "Led Zeppelin", "Nirvana", "Pearl Jam" and more. They decide it's time to release an album and join the "Hed Artzi" record company. Tom and Orit arrive with prepared and polished materials for two albums, one album for Tom and one album for Orit. They even worked with the same band, Asher Padi on the drums, Shmulik Bodgov on the guitars, Eran Mitelman on the keyboards and Avi Yifarah on the bass. But Hed Artzi put pressure on the couple to become a band, they told them they were meant to be together and not apart. From the point of view of the record company it was also cheaper, two for the price of one. Since they were already ready to record, a week after they signed with "Hed Artzi" they started recording. (Photo: Ronen Lalna) Just imagining the atmosphere that was floating in the studio during the recordings gives us shivers all over. The bond between all the members of the band was cosmic, an amazing combination of wildly talented musicians who came to drop hard rock and roll on the small state of Israel just when grunge was at its peak. Tom and Orit were in a frenzy from the recordings in the studio, it's one thing to rehearse but something else entirely to listen to what you created recorded, and played. We have no idea what went on in the studio but from video clips we've seen in the past, we remember that there was crazy energy there and a picture of Tom sitting on the console in a frenzy is what we strongly remember. A short personal story... For one of the members of "Face/Off" this album is a defining moment. That boy was then in high school in Ashkelon and was not part of the rock, metal, or grunge enthusiastic in the early nineties, let's say he liked more "sweet candy" things. Without a doubt, music was an indispensable part of his life and he volunteered or was chosen depending on how you look at it, to set up the first DJ station in a school from which he broadcast music during recess and at after school hours through the school's speakers. The company "Hed Artzi" in cooperation with high schools throughout the country established a project to promote local music. They gathered a group of students and fed them new music through monthly meetings at the legendary "Logos" club in Tel Aviv and by mailing "brown envelopes". That boy would long every day to receive the message from the postal office on the "brown envelope" and to this day he will not forget how excited he was to open it every time and discover inside treasures of CD albums, stickers, and posters of various new artists. One day the same envelope contained the first single of the band "Hayehudim". The single cover was in army gray/dark green and in the center was written the band's name in large letters wrapped in flames of fire and in the lower part there was the song name "Mehapes tshuva". The moment that boy put the cd in the stereo system and pressed play, his life changed from end to end. His mind and body could not believe the sounds that surrounded them, the unimaginable power, the enormous energies, and the moving voices. But what about the music??? This album was created by the entire group mentioned above, Orit and Tom wrote the skeleton and the lyrics for the songs, but the arrangement and the creation itself up to the final product were created by all the band members together. Asher Padi is a drummer who became one of the greatest session drummers in Israel and a partner in more than 1200 albums with many artists including Arkady Duchin, Leah Shabat, Nurit Galron, Yehuda Polykar, Shalom Hanoch and many more. Avi Yifrah is a bassist who grew up with the band, Eran Mitelman the keyboardist is best known for his participation in TV shows such as: Kochav Nold, Lo Nfsik Lashir, Music School, The next star and more, but he was also the keyboardist in Aviv Gefen's "Hataoyot" band and Shmulik Budgov, the famous guitarist whose solos became a milestone in Israeli music and worked with artists such as: Arik Einstein, Zohar Argov, Yigal Bashan, Mati Caspi, Ariel Zilber and many others. Budgov is also The one who was entrusted with the production of the album. The album opens with "Mehapes Teshuva" which, as we said, was also the first single and the first video clip released by the band. The Land of Israel was not ready for the crazy couple sitting on a star-like throne that takes the plague of Satan and presents controversial characters. The guitar cuts open the air with the beating bass drum, it goes right into the veins and creates some scars on the side. Hayehudim didn't try to be user-friendly or let the audience slowly digest what they created, they wanted to go boom with all the power, just like they know how. Of course, the song didn't play on the radio stations and it was replaced by the band's most famous song on the mainstream media, "Hazman Shelach" (we'll talk about it later). The second song on the album is a soft rock ballad that with the caressing voice of "Hippolita" managed to penetrate even many who are unable to withstand heavy distortions. Ninet Tayeb has a big part in the exposure here after she performed the song on the show "Kohav Nolad", Orit's powerful and compelling voice was replaced by Ninet's caressing and pleasant voice and the song received a slightly different interpretation. The third song on the album "Ella" was one of the band's most explosive songs when at every show would lift the audience up in the air, we are not sure but we think that this is the only song that never missed from the band's setlist at the shows. The song also created a kind of "custom" in which every album of the band has a powerful, short, and explosive song that keeps you exploding for several minutes. Moving on to the fourth track on the album "Tesahek Otta", strong and pure hard rock that usually at shows continues to cover Led Zeppelin and feels that it is suited for stadiums and not small clubs. Moving on to another song that, as soon as it starts playing at concerts, the audience starts jumping in the air, but it also created controversy, "Od Aron Ehad". Apparently, the IDF did not like the lyrics of this song as well as other songs because when the band requested to perform in front of soldiers they were rejected because the argument that the lyrics would be bad for the soldiers even though the majority of the band's fans in and in concerts were soldiers. And now the exciting and powerful masterpiece "Ze Lo Kal" which is accompanied by a solo guitar track called "Pyota". Who then dared to create an entire track dedicated to a guitar solo? What a beauty of a piano performed by Roi Zoertz what a wonderful lyrics, no matter who you are or who you are, the connection to the song and the lyrics is cosmic, this is the magic of the band, to envelop you and bewitch you with music that in one moment disconnects you from reality and places you in a "separate reality". Tom said that he writes the songs from a situation in which he puts himself in, in his imagination, it is not a man or a woman and it does not matter if it is something he experiences in reality or in his imagination. He creates the situation for himself and writes the song from the character in the situation or from an external perspective of the character. The next two songs on the album illustrate very nicely the way of writing. "Hayamim Shelano" the eighth track on the album was written in English and was called "I Don't Believe In God, But I Do believe In Flowers", not even a demo was recorded for it in English since it immediately switched to Hebrew, but we know that in the following albums the band always include songs in English and this is excellent. The song "Jackie" is another amazing example of the writing style and music of the band, it goes out without restraints, without borders, and without definitions!! It must be noted that the combination of the two in the same song is mesmerizing, a combination that the two do not often perform on albums. Since "Mehapes Tshuva" was too harsh, "Hazman Shelah" came as the leading song, a soft rock ballad that can be digested, Orit didn't want to record this song at all because it was too quiet for her, she wanted to mow, explode and not really caress but she managed to calm herself and created this amazing thing. The band members said that even at the sketch stage they knew it was going to be something big, Budgov's guitar solo was simply mesmerizing. Many times Tom told the story of the music video, that after the "Mehapes Tshuva" music video ended, they used up all the money they had and when they came to Tamira Yardeni to ask for a budget to create a new music video for the song "Hazman Shelah" she gave them a check for 100 NIS. The band members who were at a loss for advice did not know what to do with so small amount but finally filmed a music video on a home camera with improvised effects of camera rotations, fences, and Orit's pantyhose as filters. The song "Hablues" with the harsh lyrics brings Tom perfectly, a purposeful display of Tom's abilities and the entire band's. It is followed by Orit's "Ze Kol Hasipor" also here a beautiful display of talent by Orit and the band. The section "God" is a dark and deep transition section that gives this album a kind of dark feeling a minute before it's all over. Because then you get to "Sof HaOlam", how much emotion, how much power, what energies. It doesn't matter in which stereo system you play this song and this album in general, your oxygen system in your body will increase automatically!! Ending with the phenomenal track "Milhama Shketa", the song was cut off in the middle and only a few years later at the band's famous concert at the Theater Club in Tel Aviv, which was released on DVD, we got the sequel that simply tears you to pieces, Hippolyta tears you to pieces with the lyrics and the guitar riffs like a surgeon's knife continues the work. The year after the album was released, the late Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated, the event had a profound effect on the band members and of course, had a great impact on the entire country. Something changed in the Israeli musical landscape and instead of giving emotions a place to come out and vent them, everything became a "relaxed weekend", the music became something comforting that felt good on the back, something soothing and caressing. There was no room for poignant lyrics, strong distortions and powerful drums, the golden age of lyrical rock that began in the early nineties sank and a huge gap was hard to fill. In our opinion, the ones who managed to fill it and occupy a central place were "Hayehudim" Four years after the release of the album, the band won the title "Band of the Year" by Gali Tzahal and in 2005, in the list of the 100 greatest Israeli albums of all time, the only album chosen by the audience was "Metziut Nifredet". Needless to say, this album made the band the leader of the rock genre in Israel when it takes the main show at every rock festival in Israel and is an opening act for huge bands coming from abroad. Why the elevator??? The cover for the album was designed by Tzipora Uziel, which was the first cover designed. She had just finished her studies at the 'School' and the Jewish friends had finished recording the album. The record company took care of them for a cover, but they were not satisfied with the result that came out. They waited for almost half a year when they finally contacted Ran Barlev (the photographer, who also illustrated the first covers of Aviv Gefen A.S.) and he connected them to Zipora. The photos on the front cover and in the brochure were taken in an elevator in an old office building in south Tel Aviv. Tzipora had seen the elevator before and knew even then that she was going to do something with it, it was crowded-crowded, of the old variety. She said that it was quite a new experience for everyone - for Barlev, who for the first time photographed and not illustrated; for the bird, which was her first cover; And for the band, which is their debut album of course. There was no make-up artist, no staff, and nothing - they did everything themselves. They collected all the accessories themselves, there was a lamp hanging from the ceiling of the elevator that had to be adjusted all the time and since the elevator was so small there was no place to take pictures. They stuck the camera to the ceiling and lowered a wire down, the one who held the wire and took the photo was Tom, his hand is hidden under the blanket. The "Separate Reality" cover is the only one among the Jewish covers in which band members appeared. This happened because Hed Artzi pressed since she thought it was important to present them outwardly to the public, especially on a debut album. (Photo: Tzipora Oziel, Ran Barlev) This is the band's best-selling album, it sold over 120,000 copies and was certified triple platinum, it is also (in our opinion) the most influential album on rock in Israel and what came after it. So if you've never listened to him, here's your first chance at: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On August 18, 1980 "Yes released its tenth studio album "Drama". In the annals of progressive rock history, there are albums that serve as pivotal crossroads, marking not only shifts in sound but also transformations in artistic direction. Yes' tenth studio album, "Drama", stands as a testament to the band's audacious willingness to embrace change while keeping their core essence intact. The album's backdrop is one of departure and renewal. The exit of Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman, key figures who had shaped the band's unmistakable sound, left a void that seemed insurmountable. Yet, "Drama" saw "Yes" rise to the challenge, introducing a fresh lineup featuring Trevor Horn on lead vocals and Geoff Downes on keyboards (both from the Pop-Rock band "The Buggles"). This revitalized ensemble brought an intriguing fusion of progressive rock and new wave influences, resulting in an album that defied expectations and showcased a band reborn. "Machine Messiah" the album's opening track, is a testament to the band's unyielding creativity. With an opening "Black Sabbath"-like guitar riff that surprisingly delves into heavy metal territory, the song unfolds into a sprawling narrative that combines intricate musicianship with diverse moods. The blend of Horn's commanding vocals and Downes' innovative keyboard work alongside the seasoned expertise of Steve Howe and Chris Squire and the energetic Alan White drumming, presents a sonic journey that bridges past and future. It is undoubtedly a progressive track, but it unfolds the sound and influences of the music era. A departure from the norm, "White Car" is a minimalist experiment. Driven by Geoff Downes' exploration of the Fairlight CMI synthesizer's sampling capabilities, the track's distinct crunch factor adds an unexpected dimension. The anecdotal tale of spotting Gary Numan driving his Stingray paints an intriguing backdrop to this musical venture. As "Does It Really Happen?" unfolds, the listener is treated to an amalgamation of "Yes'" signature rhythm section with Chris Squire's catchy bass line and Alan White's excellent drumming, augmented by Horn's emotive vocals and Downes' innovative keyboards. But, as the song's dynamic shifts, we suddenly presented with the Pop and New Wave influences brought by Horn and Downes, that mirror the broader theme of "Drama" itself: a journey of evolution marked by twists and turns. The second side of the album embarks on an equally compelling progressive journey. "Into the Lens" is a complex composition predating Horn and Downes' entry into "Yes", that finds new life in the hands of Squire and Downes. The track's vocoder-infused vocals and innovative keyboard work illuminate the band's willingness to explore uncharted musical territories. "Run Through the Light" stands as a prime example of collaboration and introspection. Howe's on Les Paul guitar, Squire shifts to the piano, while Horn plays fretless bass, it all blends into a harmonious whole, exploring contrasting emotional landscapes. The track is a living testament to the album's knack for blending individual contributions into a cohesive unit. The album's finale, "Tempus Fugit" is a whirlwind of energy and complexity. A fitting conclusion, the Latin title translates to "time flies," reflecting the album's own ephemeral journey and Chris Squire's tendency to be late everywhere. Through rapid key changes and intricate guitar work, "Tempus Fugit" encapsulates the essence of "Drama" – a fleeting moment that leaves a lasting impact. (Photo: Michael Putland) In retrospect, "Drama" is perhaps one of "Yes'" strange and unique albums. it was a revolutionary transition. "Yes'" willingness to embrace change, fuse genres, and welcome fresh perspectives culminated in an album that defied categorization. The fusion of progressive rock and new wave elements, Trevor Horn's robust vocals, Geoff Downes' innovative keyboards, and the foundation laid by Howe and Squire result in an opus that echoes the past while forging a distinct future. It is a crossroad album and a bridge to the way the band members will sound in the near future, Chris Squire and Alan White on "90125", and Steve Howe and Geoff Downes on "Asia". For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On August 18, 1986, "Bon Jovi" released their third album, "Slippery When Wet". Here are 37 interesting facts about the album and the cover that was confiscated ... 1. This is Bon Jovi's best-selling album to date with sales of over 28 million copies worldwide, of which 12 million are in the US. 2. The album spent 8 weeks in first place and 38 weeks in a row in the top five places on Billboard 200. 3. This album was a significant breakthrough in the band's career and gave it immediate success !! 4. 4 successful singles have been released from the album, namely: "You Give Love A Bad Name", "Livin 'On A Prayer", "Never Say Goodbye" and "Wanted Dead or Alive". 5. It's also the best-selling album of 1987. It knocked out "Guns N' Roses'" "Appetite for Destruction", U2's "The Joshua Tree" and Michael Jackson's "Bad" from the top of the charts. 6. On this album the band decided to go more towards mainstream compared to their previous two albums. They even used focus groups of teenagers to decide which songs to choose for the final version of the album. They selected 1o song out of 30 songs in total. 7. In order to sharpen their writing and produce hits, the band got help from Desmond Child who is one of the famous songwriters that won the "Songwriters Hall of Fame" in 2008 and is responsible for hits by "KISS", "Aerosmith", Alice Cooper and Ricky Martin. 8. Desmond helped Richie Sambora and Jon Bon Jovi write songs like, "You Give Love A Bad Name", "Livin' On A Prayer", "I'd Die for You" and "Without Love". 9. The three worked on the album in the basement of Richie Sambora's mother. 10. Keyboardist David Bryan and drummer Tico Torres received no credit for writing any of the album's songs. 11. The only song on the album that was not written in collaboration is "Wild in the Streets", the song that closes the album and was written by Jon Bon Jovi alone. 12. The first single released from the album was "You Give Love a Bad Name". It's also the band's first song to reach number one on Billboard. 13. The song was originally written by Desmond Child for singer Bonnie Tyler. It included different words and was called "If You Were a Woman (And I Was a Man)", but Desmond Child Child who was disappointed with it's failure decided to rewrite it along with John and Richie. For Bonnie Tyler's song click on the link: here. 14. One of the songs that almost was not included in the album is "Livin' on a Prayer" which Bon Jovi felt was not good enough as a ballad and insisted on a more rock version. Richie Sambora believed it would be a huge hit and indeed he was right. 15. The song was written by Richie Sambora, Bon Jovi and Desmond Child and is based on a true story about Desmond and his then girlfriend Maria Vidal, who in the song became Tony and Gina. 16. This is the first song in which Richie Sambora used the Talkbox effect making the guitar sound like it speaks. 17. Tony and Gina returned to star in another "Bon Jovi" hit from 2000 - "It's My Life". Richie also uses the Talkbox effect in this song. 18. According to singer Joe Lynn Turner, known among others from the bands "Rainbow" and "Deep Purple", Richie Sambora asked him for permission to "steal" the riff for the song "Livin 'on a Prayer" from Turner's song "Get Tough" taken from the solo album "Rescue You", which came out a year earlier. Turner claimed he agreed. For Turner's song click on the link: here. 19. The one who wrote the bass line for the song and plays bass is Hugh McDonald and not Alec John Such. McDonald's will become an unofficial member of the band in 1994 and later an official member starting in 2016. 21. The song "I'd Die For You" was first born as "Take Me Home" with completely different lyrics, until it evolved into its final version that we all know. 21. The song "Without Love" is the only song from the album that was never performed live. 22. John was inspired by the song "Wanted Dead or Alive" after listening to Bob Seger's "Turn The Page". 23. He wrote the song on the band's bus between performances, with the words "steel horse" he meant the band's bus. 24. The producers of "Young Guns II" wanted the song for the soundtrack of the movie, but Jon Bon Jovi thought it was inappropriate and eventually wrote "Blaze Of Glory" for the film. 25. Also the name of the album was supposed to be "Wanted Dead Or Alive" and include a picture of the band members dressed as cowboys on the cover. 26. According to Richie Sambora the name of the album and the original cover were chosen as a result of the high level of testosterone that the band members had during the recording of the album. We will not expand much but just note that during the recordings they visited a strip club in Vancouver where one of the strippers performed acrobatic exercises that included a tube, water and a pillar and this left a great impression on them. 27. So about the cover ... The original cover that came out only in Japan includes a picture of a woman wearing a wet yellow tank top with the name of the album on it. The cover was banned by the band's management because they feared that the record stores would not be willing to sell an album with such a cover. 28. The cover that was finally approved at the last minute, is a picture of a wet black nylon bag marked with the letters of the album name. The album's famous cover was created almost by accident. After the original cover featuring a model in a wet T-shirt was rejected, Jon Bon Jovi went to photographer Mark Weiss's studio. Weiss sprayed water on a black plastic garbage bag, and Jon wrote "Slippery When Wet" across it with his finger. The simple, improvised image ultimately became one of the band's most recognizable album covers. 30. During the recording sessions for "Slippery When Wet", "Out of Bounds" was also recorded but ultimately left off the album. The track remained in the archives for years and was finally officially released in 2004 on the box set "100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong". 31. Another song that was recorded during the sessions and did not enter the album, was "Edge of a Broken Heart". It eventually entered the soundtrack to the 1987 film "Disorderlies," but John regrets to this day that he did not make it in the album the end, in his opinion it was fit for the spirit of the album. 32.Although "Never Say Goodbye" is considered one of the songs most closely associated with "Slippery When Wet", it was not released as a regular commercial single in the United States. As a result, it was not eligible to enter the Billboard Hot 100, although it reached No. 28 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart. 33. John chose Bruce Fairbairn as the producer because he really liked his production work on the "Without Love" album of the band "Black‘ N Blue" which came out a year earlier. 34. The recording technician and the one who did the mix for the album is the renowned producer Bob Rock who will later produce, among other things, Metallica's "Black Album". 35. This album made "Bon Jovi" the first hard rock band to have two consecutive singles at number one on the Billboard charts. 36. It also became the first hard rock album of which three songs reached the top ten in the chart. 37. That record was broken on Bon Jovi's next album "New Jersey" when five singles from it reached the top ten. 38. Kerrang Magazine! Ranked the album in 44th place on the list of "100 Best Heavy Metal Albums of All Time". 39. The album entered the prestigious list of the book "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". 40. It is ranked 44th in the list of the 200 greatest albums of all time by the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame". For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Here are some interesting facts about Gilby Clarke. An american guitarist, singer, songwriter, record producer, and former rhythm guitarist of "Guns N' Roses": (Photo: Ethan Miller) = He was born on August 17 1962 in Cleveland, Ohio. His full name is Gilbert J. Clarke. = Clarke started his musical career during the first half of the Eighties, replacing "Candy's" original guitarist, Geoff Siegel, later becoming the band's lead vocalist. He contributed to the band's only studio album "Whatever Happened to Fun..." released in 1985. = In 1988 Clarke formed "Kill for Thrills", a metal band that released the EP "Commercial Suicide" in 1989 and a full album "Dynamite from Nightmareland" in 1990. = In 1991 Clarke joined "Guns N' Roses" as the rhythm guitarist, replacing Izzy Stradlin during the "Use Your Illusion" Tour. His first show with the band was on December 5, 1991, in Worcester, MA. = In 1993 Clarke played on "Guns N' Roses’" album "The Spaghetti Incident?", which featured covers of punk and glam rock songs. = In 1994 he released his debut solo album "Pawnshop Guitars", which featured some members of "Guns N' Roses" and went gold in Argentina. On the same year Clarke's contract with "Guns N' Roses" was not renewed, leading to his departure from the band. = The same year he played lead guitar on "The Loveless", "Wish I Could Fly" tracks on the album "A Tale of Gin and Salvation". = In 1995 Clarke joined "Slash's Snakepit" and played on their album "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere". He also co-wrote the song "Monkey Chow" from the album. = In the years 1997-2002 Clarke released three more solo albums: "The Hangover" (1997), "Rubber" (1998), and "Swag" (2002). He also released a live album, "99 Live" in 1999. = In 1999 Clarke made a guest appearance on the "L.A. Guns" album "Shrinking Violet", which he also produced. He also produced "L.A. Guns'" 2001 album "Man in the Moon". = In 2001 Clarke formed "Col. Parker" with Slim Jim Phantom and Teddy "Zig Zag" Andreadis, releasing the album "Rock N Roll Music". = In 2002 He collaborated with Nancy Sinatra on her album "California Girl". = In 2003 he produced "The Bronx’s" self-titled debut album. = The same year, "Teenage Neon Jungle" - a rare and unreleased album of his former band "Candy" was released. = In 2005 he played guitar with the reformed "MC5", joining original members Wayne Kramer, Dennis Thompson, and Michael Davis. = In 2006 Clarke joined "Rock Star Supernova", a supergroup formed with Tommy Lee of "Mötley Crüe" and Jason Newsted of "Metallica". The band was the focus of the reality TV show "Rock Star: Supernova", choosing their lead vocalist. Later they released their only eponymous album with their chosen lead vocalist Lukas Rossi. = In 2007 he released a best-of compilation album featuring tracks from his solo work and "Col. Parker", including a re-recording of "Black" with vocals by "Rock Star Supernova" runner-up Dilana Robichaux. = In 2008 he performed at the "G-TARanaki Guitar Festival" in New Zealand and toured North America with "Rock n' Roll Fantasy Camp". = In 2012 Clarke reunited with former "Guns N' Roses" members Slash, Steven Adler, Matt Sorum, and Duff McKagan for the band’s "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" induction performance, though he was not inducted himself. = In 2019 he released the single "Rock n Roll Is Getting Louder." = In 2021 Clarke released his most successful album to date "The Gospel Truth", featuring contributions from Nikki Sixx and other notable musicians. = Throughout his career Clarke has worked as a producer, producing albums for "L.A. Guns", "Bullets and Octane", "The Bronx", and "Vains of Jenna". = He has also collaborated with artists like Alice Cooper, "Heart", "MC5", and Kathy Valentine of The "Go-Go's". = Clarke is an avid collector of vintage guitars and motorcycles, both of which influence his music and lifestyle. = His Wife Daniela is a costume designer. She was born in Nazareth, Israel and moved to South Africa at the age of 10. She met Gilby in LA when she was 16. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Written By: Moti Kupfer Release date - 17.08.1970 The fact that "The Band" did not perform live after the release of their landmark debut album, "Music from Big Pink", ultimately worked against them. Instead of easing expectations, their absence only magnified the mythology surrounding the group, to the point that even legendary promoter Bill Graham, the man behind the Fillmore venues, began pursuing them. Their first concert as an independent group finally took place in April 1969 at Winterland in San Francisco, after they had already finished recording their second album. Although the musicians had accumulated plenty of experience onstage, this was the first time they were performing as "The Band" rather than backing another artist, and more importantly, they were presenting their own material. The pressure was enormous. The occasion nearly paralyzed Robbie Robertson before the show. The performance itself was short and uneasy, with the group once again hearing boos from an audience, something they knew all too well from their years backing Bob Dylan. That anxiety would eventually find its way into the title track of their third album, "Stage Fright", released on August 17, 1970. By the time "The Band" began working on the album, they were approaching the peak of their fame. They had appeared on the cover of "Time" magazine, money was beginning to pour in, and success was slowly changing the chemistry between them. Resentment was growing, as were the drinking, drugs and excesses of rock and roll life. Robbie Robertson increasingly found himself playing the role of the responsible adult. Despite the image of humble country gentlemen that had become attached to them, "The Band" knew how to party. In Woodstock, there was little to stop them. The local authorities largely tolerated the wild parties and the substances circulating around the group's circle. Following the madness surrounding Woodstock, the members of "The Band" decided to attempt something unusual: record an entire album live at the historic Woodstock Playhouse, a theater dating back to 1938, in front of an audience of roughly 600 people, the venue's capacity. The idea quickly ran into problems. According to Robertson, the group wanted to perform for the people of Woodstock, but local officials feared that another musical event would bring more chaos to the area following the festival. Robertson later recalled the response: "Oh, no - this is pouring gasoline on the fire." The compromise was simple. "The Band" would still record "Stage Fright" on the stage of the Woodstock Playhouse, but there would be no audience. The album was ultimately recorded there over just 12 days. "Stage Fright" may have been the title of their third album, but by this point the members were beginning to fear something beyond the stage. Trust inside the group was eroding, suspicions were growing, and relationships were gradually becoming more complicated, particularly around the increasingly sensitive issue of songwriting credits. Robertson had become the group's dominant songwriter and consequently received the largest share of the publishing income. Over time, this became a major source of resentment, particularly for Levon Helm, who believed the other musicians' contributions to the arrangements, performances and unmistakable sound of "The Band" were far more important than the songwriting credits suggested. Despite all of this, "Stage Fright" remains an excellent album, even if it does not quite reach the extraordinary standard established by its two predecessors. Where the first two records often seemed to be writing about America itself, "Stage Fright" increasingly turned the camera inward. Fame had created an almost mythical image around "The Band", and the musicians responded with an album concerned with the emotional consequences of becoming rock stars: anxiety, isolation, exhaustion and the growing desire to escape. The result is a remarkably contradictory record, combining lively, sometimes almost carefree music with disillusioned lyrics. Beneath songs concerned with peace, escape and temporary pleasure are darker shades of melancholy, anxiety and fatigue. Writer Ross Johnson memorably described it as "a cheerful-sounding record that unintentionally was confessional", calling it "a spirited romp through a dispirited period in the group's history." The opening "Strawberry Wine" immediately hints at their unstable state of mind, with Levon Helm choosing intoxication and escape rather than confronting reality. Richard Manuel's dreamy "Sleeping" moves somewhere between bliss and withdrawal, turning sleep itself into a refuge from a world that has become increasingly difficult to face. On "Time to Kill", the musicians look back longingly toward the simple pleasures of their life in the country before fame changed everything. That feeling continues through "Just Another Whistle Stop", where success already feels temporary and movement itself becomes exhausting. Increasingly, solitude seems preferable to the demands surrounding them. One notable exception is the tender lullaby "All La Glory", written by Robertson for his daughter. Yet even here, the warmth of the song exists against the increasingly troubled atmosphere surrounding the sessions. That atmosphere was hardly helped by the recording process. Todd Rundgren, not yet 22 years old, was brought in as engineer and later remembered spending hours waiting for the musicians to organize themselves and begin recording. Robertson also turns his attention toward Richard Manuel's increasingly fragile emotional condition on "The Shape I'm In". Sung by Manuel himself, the song transforms personal deterioration into one of the album's most infectious performances, creating precisely the contradiction that defines "Stage Fright": music bursting with life while its protagonist appears to be falling apart. The pressures of the music industry certainly did little to ease Manuel's struggles or the overwhelming fatigue beginning to consume the group. Greed, desire and the idea of surrendering something precious in exchange for material fulfillment lie at the heart of "Daniel and the Sacred Harp". Its tale of a man sacrificing his soul to obtain the sacred instrument feels almost like a warning to "The Band" themselves, a parable about what can happen when ambition and immediate gratification become more important than the things that originally gave the music meaning. Two different sets of mixes were eventually prepared, involving Todd Rundgren and renowned British engineer Glyn Johns. The complicated mixing history would remain part of the album's story for decades, eventually leading Robertson to revisit both the mixes and his originally intended running order for the 50th anniversary edition. Musically, "Stage Fright" continued to demonstrate the extraordinary versatility of every member of "The Band". Garth Hudson moved between keyboards, accordion and saxophones, while Levon Helm handled drums, percussion and guitar in addition to his vocals. Richard Manuel contributed piano, organ, drums and clavinet, Rick Danko anchored the songs with bass and vocals, while Robertson's guitar became noticeably more prominent than on the group's previous records. "Stage Fright" was also the first album produced by "The Band" themselves. Todd Rundgren engineered the sessions, with Glyn Johns contributing additional mixing, while former producer John Simon returned only as a guest musician. The artwork reflected the album's increasingly unsettled atmosphere. Art director Bob Cato created the semi-abstract sunset cover, while the package also included photography by Norman Seeff in what became his first major album assignment. "Stage Fright" therefore captured something its predecessors could not: the moment when the mythology of "The Band" began colliding with the human beings trapped inside it. The music remained vibrant and astonishingly accomplished, but beneath its surface were the first unmistakable cracks in a group discovering that success could be every bit as frightening as failure. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On August 17, 1984 "W.A.S.P." released their debut Self Titled album. The band was formed in 1982 by Blackie Lawless (the only remaining member to date from the original lineup). The band grew up in the Los Angeles heavy metal scene, along bands like "Motley Crue" and "Ratt". The word "W.A.S.P." represents the acronym for the words "White Anglo-Saxon Protestant", mentioned in the lyrics of the song "Show No Mercy" which is only found in the expanded edition of the album. It is an unofficial term to describe a group that is considered to have high dominance among the American upper class - the "elite" who founded the United States. However, the word "W.A.S.P." also represents the acronym - We Are Sexual Perverts - a meaning that is more in line with the essence of the band and what it tried to represent in its early days. "W.A.S.P." belonged to the "Shock-Rock" genre and their motto, right from the first single they released, was to offence, shake and shock! From the moment of its inception and even before the release of their first album, "W.A.S.P." became entangled with conservative organizations, due to the use of rude and abusive words, as well as contempt and humiliation of women. Their video clips were often showed half naked women while singer and bassist (then) Blackie Lawless used to walk around in leather pants with a disc of a chainsaw between his joints. Just to be clear, the first single she released "Animal (F @ #% Like a Beast)" became one of the most controversial songs due to its title and content. It's one of the first songs to win the dubious title "Filthy 15", and all of Blackie Lawless' attempts to claim he wrote it based on a National Geographic film where he saw a pair of mating lions did not help, and the song was deleted at the last minute from the album to please the angry parents organizations. Interestingly, even "W.A.S.P." itself stopped performing the song in live starting the 90s after Blackie decided he was reborn as a Christian. The album continues with the line of the first single, with songs with S&M titles designed to shock and shake and hint at inappropriate content, such as "On Your Knees", "Tormentor", "L.O.V.E. Machine" or "The Torture Never Stops". One might mistakenly think that this whole provocative pose was meant to cover up shallow musical content or a low level of playing. The cheap also contributed to the feeling that this is a glam metal album at the lowest level. But no! Listening to the album reveals an energetic and dominant band that is much more than a passing gimmick and that its style of music is far beyond a sweet and flattering glam. Songs like, "Hellion" or "I Wanna Be Somebody" are examples of powerful and energetic songs that prove to us that W.A.S.P. is essentially closer to the roughness of "Judas Priest" than to the theatricality of "Twisted Sister". What's more, we enjoy listening to it even today, 40 years later, to tracks such as "L.O.V.E.Machine", "School Daze" or "Sleeping (In the Fire)" and if this is not proof that "W.A.S.P." was never a gimmick, then What is? Already in this excellent debut album singer and bassist Blackie Lawless is revealed as apt for the title of band leader, writing all the songs of the album without exception, only two of them in collaboration with guitarist Chris Holmes. This ability will improve on the next and excellent album "The Last Command" which was released a year later. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On August 16, 1985, "Red Hot Chili Peppers" released their second studio album "Freaky Styley". The road to "Freaky Styley" is more important to understanding the album than almost any individual song on it. When "Red Hot Chili Peppers" released their self titled debut in 1984, the record presented only an incomplete version of the band that had caused such excitement in Los Angeles. The original group had been built around vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, guitarist Hillel Slovak and drummer Jack Irons, but Slovak and Irons were committed to "What Is This?" when the Chili Peppers secured their record deal. Kiedis and Flea consequently recorded the debut with guitarist Jack Sherman and drummer Cliff Martinez. That first album established the band's collision of funk, punk and rap, but it did not capture the chemistry that had made their early performances so volatile. Producer Andy Gill brought experience and discipline, yet his approach clashed with the band's instincts. The Chili Peppers wanted something dirty, physical and rhythmically aggressive, while Gill attempted to shape the material into a more controlled rock record. The tension became part of the album's character, but it also left Kiedis and Flea dissatisfied with the finished result. Touring after the debut only intensified the instability. The relationship between Kiedis and Sherman deteriorated, and Sherman was eventually dismissed. More importantly, Slovak returned to the Chili Peppers!! His return was not simply a personnel change. Slovak and Flea had developed their musical language together long before the band had a recording contract, and restoring that relationship immediately changed the balance of the group. Flea could play around a guitarist who understood his rhythmic instincts, while Slovak could leave space rather than competing with the bass for dominance. Jack Irons, however, did not return at this stage. Martinez remained behind the drums, creating a transitional lineup that combined part of the original chemistry with the tighter rhythmic foundation developed during the debut era. That configuration became crucial to "Freaky Styley". The band was recovering something it had lost while simultaneously moving forward. For the second album, the Chili Peppers wanted a producer who understood funk from the inside rather than treating it as an unusual ingredient in a rock band. Their choice could hardly have been more significant: George Clinton, the mastermind behind "Parliament" and "Funkadelic". Instead of asking the group to moderate its eccentricities, Clinton entered the project already fluent in the musical tradition the Chili Peppers were attempting to absorb. The band travelled to Detroit to work with Clinton at United Sound Systems. Recording took place during the spring of 1985, with Greg Ward engineering the sessions. The location itself mattered. Rather than making another Los Angeles rock record with funk references attached to it, the Chili Peppers were working in an environment connected directly to the history of American funk and soul. Clinton's role went considerably further than placing microphones and approving takes. He encouraged the group to stretch grooves, use repetition and treat the studio as a creative environment rather than simply a place to document finished songs. Musicians associated with Clinton's extended musical family became part of the sessions, including Maceo Parker and members of the Horny Horns. Their presence expanded the Chili Peppers' palette without turning the album into a George Clinton record featuring a young rock band. The difference from the debut is immediate. On "Freaky Styley", space becomes an instrument. Slovak frequently avoids conventional rock guitar weight, using clipped chords, scratches and rhythmic accents that allow Flea's bass to occupy enormous territory. Martinez keeps the songs anchored while Kiedis attacks them with chants, boasts and rapid rhythmic phrases. Clinton recognized that trying to make these musicians sound polished would remove the very thing that made them distinctive. The atmosphere surrounding the sessions was also characteristically chaotic. Clinton was dealing with his own drug use, while Kiedis and Slovak were already moving deeper into addictions that would become increasingly destructive. Yet the recordings themselves frequently sound joyous rather than troubled. That contradiction is part of the album's peculiar character. Behind the party was a lifestyle becoming dangerous, but on tape the musicians still sound convinced that excess is an inexhaustible source of energy. "Jungle Man" puts Flea at the centre of the album's universe, with his snapping bass locked against Martinez while Slovak cuts through the spaces around him. Kiedis treats the vocal almost as percussion, turning the song into a manic celebration rather than a conventional narrative. On "Hollywood (Africa)", adapted from The Meters' "Africa", the band sounds markedly more comfortable inside a genuine funk arrangement. The guitar stays economical, the horns punctuate the groove and Flea demonstrates that restraint can make his bass sound heavier than constant virtuosity. "If You Want Me to Stay", originally by "Sly and the Family Stone", is particularly revealing because Kiedis has to sing rather than simply attack the rhythm. His technical limitations remain obvious, but the vulnerability anticipates the melodic side of the Chili Peppers that would become increasingly important later in their career. The title track "Freaky Styley" is Clinton's philosophy distilled into a Chili Peppers performance. Repetition, chants, bass and percussive guitar matter more than traditional verse and chorus development, allowing the groove itself to become the song's central argument. "Blackeyed Blonde" demonstrates why Slovak's return mattered so much. His lean guitar and Flea's restless bass occupy different rhythmic spaces, creating the kind of instrumental conversation that had been largely absent from the debut. "The Brothers Cup" pushes deepest into Clinton's funk world, with horns, voices and rhythm instruments functioning as parts of the same interconnected groove. Martinez's restraint is essential, giving Flea and Slovak enough room to move without allowing the arrangement to lose focus. Elsewhere, "Battle Ship" and "Sex Rap" remind the listener that punk remained embedded in the band's DNA. They are short, abrasive and deliberately crude, preventing Clinton's influence from turning "Freaky Styley" into a straightforward funk exercise. "Catholic School Girls Rule" is musically a compact punk attack, but its lyrical background has aged far more seriously than its adolescent tone suggests. Kiedis later connected the song to a sexual encounter with a fourteen year old, making it impossible to separate the track's provocation from the disturbing circumstances behind it. Closing track "Yertle the Turtle" provides the album's most theatrical expression of the Clinton collaboration. Bass, horns, voices and repetition gradually turn the track into something closer to a P Funk gathering than a conventional rock finale. When "Freaky Styley" arrived in August 1985, however, the artistic breakthrough did not translate into a commercial one. The Chili Peppers were still a cult proposition, better understood through their increasingly notorious live performances than through radio play or record sales. The album did not suddenly move them into rock's mainstream, and the band remained years away from the commercial breakthrough that would eventually transform its career. What it did accomplish was more important in the long term. "Freaky Styley" gave the Chili Peppers a much clearer musical identity. The debut had documented their ingredients, but Clinton helped them understand how those ingredients could coexist. Funk no longer sounded like something placed beside punk. The two languages began operating inside the same rhythm. The period after the record also exposed how unstable the group remained. Martinez's time with the Chili Peppers was approaching its end, and Jack Irons would eventually return, restoring the original Kiedis, Flea, Slovak and Irons lineup. That reunion would lead toward "The Uplift Mofo Party Plan", the only studio album recorded by all four founding members. There was a darker continuity as well. Kiedis and Slovak's drug use increasingly interfered with the band's progress. What still sounds mischievous and celebratory throughout much of "Freaky Styley" would become considerably more destructive during the following years. That makes the album a fascinating hinge in the Chili Peppers catalogue. It is neither the primitive document of the debut nor the more focused attack of "The Uplift Mofo Party Plan", and it is still far removed from the sophisticated songwriting that would define their biggest records. Instead, it captures the moment when instinct became identity. "Freaky Styley" remains inconsistent because the songwriting had not yet caught up with the personality. Some tracks are little more than grooves, jokes or explosions of adolescent energy. Kiedis was still years away from becoming a convincing melodic vocalist and more reflective lyricist. Yet Flea and Slovak already sound unmistakable, and Martinez provides a disciplined foundation that deserves more recognition in the band's history. More importantly, this is the first Chili Peppers record that sounds as though nobody outside the room is telling them what a Chili Peppers record should be. The debut introduced the band. "Freaky Styley" discovered it. For Listening: Spotify | Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Editor's Choice... Feel like getting a little aggressive, exploding, or just strengthening your jaw and limb muscles? So here's something you will like and even if not, it was worth putting out this post just for the cover !! On the 16th of August 2019 the American metal band "Killswitch Engage" released their eighth album. For those who are unfamiliar with KsE, it is a very important band in the metal genre, and among other things, it is one of the bands that brought American metal back to the headlines after the decline of Nu Metal. It has a great influence on the formation of metal into what it is today and it also makes sure to evolve and grow. (Photo: Travis Shinn) One of the beautiful things about their music is the dynamics, they have a unique variety in the songs themselves and also in the albums. The album isn't just 40-50 minutes of relentless screams and distortions, there are melodies, dramatic moments, complex solos, and even harmonies. In this album the theme is especially noticeable, it is a more diverse album than the band's previous albums, both in terms of musical style and lyrics. So true, the cover does suggest what you will find inside. A dragon monster, huge, scary, and unstoppable. But it does not just come to chew and devour you, it will do so with sophistication, patience, and great interest. So do not be afraid because your end is known in advance !! Just enjoy it... on: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Red Hot Chili Peppers - Mother's MilkOn August 16, 1989, "Red Hot Chili Peppers" released their fourth studio album "Mother's Milk". There are albums that represent artistic evolution, and there are albums that exist because a band somehow survived long enough to make them. "Mother's Milk" belongs to both categories. Following 1987's "The Uplift Mofo Party Plan", "Red Hot Chili Peppers" suffered the event that could easily have ended the band. Guitarist Hillel Slovak died of a heroin overdose in June 1988, a loss that devastated every member in different but deeply personal ways. For Anthony Kiedis, Slovak’s death was a brutal confrontation with the consequences of the lifestyle he himself was still struggling with, forcing him into a period of guilt, reflection, and attempted sobriety. For Flea, Slovak had been not only a bandmate but a close creative counterpart from their earliest days, and his death left a void in both his musical identity and his sense of stability within the group. Drummer Jack Irons was so shaken by the loss of his closest friend that he withdrew entirely, unable to reconcile continuing in a band so closely tied to Slovak’s memory, and he subsequently left. The tragedy also marked a turning point in how the remaining members viewed the band itself: no longer just a chaotic creative outlet, but something fragile that had already cost them someone irreplaceable. In the aftermath, Kiedis and Flea were left with a decision that went beyond replacing musicians. They had to determine whether continuing "Red Hot Chili Peppers" was an act of denial, tribute, or necessity, and whether the music they had built with Slovak could meaningfully exist without him. Their first attempts at rebuilding did not last... DeWayne "Blackbyrd" McKnight briefly occupied the guitar position, while D.H. Peligro passed through the drum seat. The crucial change came with the arrival of 18 year old John Frusciante, a devoted fan who had studied Slovak's playing but possessed enough musical knowledge to take that vocabulary somewhere else. Frusciante later explained that he had not really been a funk guitarist before joining the group and learned how to interact with Flea partly by studying Slovak. Then came Chad Smith, whose huge, physical drumming immediately gave the rhythm section a different kind of force. The lineup of Kiedis, Flea, Frusciante and Smith was born, and with it came the configuration that would eventually define the band's most celebrated periods. Photo by Jeff Kravitz The new musicians did not merely replace Slovak and Irons. They changed the mechanics of the band. During early sessions the group played constantly, developing material through jams and learning how the new lineup reacted to one another. "Knock Me Down", for example, emerged from that process rather than from producer direction. Frusciante brought greater harmonic knowledge and a rapidly developing melodic instinct, while Smith gave Flea a drummer capable of meeting his aggressive bass playing with enormous weight. Producer Michael Beinhorn, who had already worked with the band on "The Uplift Mofo Party Plan", recognized Frusciante's unusual technical and theoretical ability almost immediately. The album was recorded between late 1988 or early 1989 and April 1989, primarily at Ocean Way Studios and Image Studios in Los Angeles, with Beinhorn producing and Dave Jerden handling the mix. Yet the relationship between producer and guitarist became one of the defining tensions of the record. Beinhorn pushed Frusciante toward a thicker, heavier guitar sound, including extensive layering. Frusciante later remembered being made to quadruple guitar parts, an experience that affected how he approached recording for years afterward. That tension is essential to understanding "Mother's Milk". This is Frusciante before he discovered the economy that would later become one of his greatest strengths. Even he has acknowledged that on this record he was trying to fill too much space. And "Mother's Milk" certainly fills space. It practically attacks it. "Good Time Boys" opens the album like four musicians trying to prove that the reconstructed band is not going to collapse. Flea's bass refuses to function merely as a foundation, bouncing around the arrangement as an almost equal lead instrument, while Smith hits with considerably more physical force than the band's earlier records had possessed. Frusciante's guitar is dense and abrasive, and Kiedis delivers his words rhythmically rather than melodically. The song can feel overcrowded, but that excess is part of the record's character. "Mother's Milk" does not yet understand restraint because the musicians themselves are still discovering where they fit. Then comes the inspired decision to reinterpret Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground". Rather than politely reproducing the original's funk, "Red Hot Chili Peppers" turn it into something almost violently physical. Flea translates the famous keyboard figure into a muscular slap bass assault, Smith drives the song with enormous kick and snare impact, and Frusciante coats the arrangement in distorted guitar. Kiedis rides the groove with more confidence than technical sophistication, but that is precisely why it works. The performance captures the bridge the band was constructing between 1970s funk, hardcore energy and the heavier alternative rock that would explode in the following decade. "Subway to Venus" shows how ridiculous and sophisticated the band could be simultaneously. The rhythm section changes direction with almost cartoonish enthusiasm, while the brass arrangement expands the funk foundation into something much more colorful. Frusciante constantly decorates the groove instead of simply sitting on it. The result is chaotic, but the chaos is increasingly organized. You can hear a band beginning to realize that virtuosity does not have to remove the sense of danger. That danger reaches another extreme on "Nobody Weird Like Me". Flea's bass line is the engine, frantic enough to sound as though the song might outrun itself, while Smith keeps everything brutally grounded. Kiedis responds with one of the album's most manic vocal performances. Structurally it is closer to controlled impact than conventional songwriting, and that is exactly the point. It represents the old Chili Peppers instinct at maximum velocity, but now powered by a rhythm section capable of making the insanity sound enormous. The emotional center is "Knock Me Down", where the circumstances surrounding "Mother's Milk" finally become impossible to separate from the music. Written in the shadow of Slovak's death, the song confronts arrogance, mortality and self destruction without completely abandoning the band's physical energy. Most importantly, Frusciante's vocal is pushed alongside Kiedis rather than buried behind him, creating an unusual dual voice. The guitars still have Beinhorn's heavy production, but underneath the distortion is a melodic instinct pointing directly toward the band's future. This is one of the moments where "Mother's Milk" stops sounding like a successful reconstruction and begins sounding like the first draft of a new band. "Taste the Pain" takes another step away from pure funk punk aggression. Recorded before Smith joined the group, with Fishbone drummer Philip "Fish" Fisher playing drums, it has a noticeably different rhythmic feel. The verses create more breathing room, Kiedis sounds unusually vulnerable, and the arrangement demonstrates that melody was becoming increasingly important to the band's identity. The track is less concerned with overpowering the listener than much of the surrounding album, making its emotional unease considerably more effective. Elsewhere, "Mother's Milk" remains gloriously inconsistent. "Stone Cold Bush" is driven by a vicious bass and guitar exchange and demonstrates just how quickly Frusciante and Flea had developed their musical conversation. "Punk Rock Classic" compresses the band's punk instincts into less than two minutes of deliberate absurdity. Their version of Jimi Hendrix's "Fire", recorded earlier with Slovak and Irons, functions almost like the ghost of the previous incarnation appearing inside the new album. It reminds the listener that this transformation was not planned. One version of "Red Hot Chili Peppers" had ended abruptly, and another was being assembled around the wreckage. But perhaps the most revealing piece is the tiny instrumental "Pretty Little Ditty". Surrounded by an album obsessed with volume, slap bass, distortion and impact, its restraint is startling. Frusciante and Flea allow melody and space to carry the composition, and suddenly another possible future for the band appears. There is no need for Kiedis to dominate the track and no need for the musicians to prove how hard they can play. The melodic sensitivity that would become increasingly important on later records is already hiding inside this brief instrumental. Apple Music similarly identifies it as the album's sparse, tender outlier. The closing "Johnny Kick A Hole In The Sky" brings the album back toward confrontation, with Flea and Smith driving a restless rhythmic foundation beneath Kiedis' forceful delivery. By this point the record's greatest strength and weakness have become the same thing. Everything is exaggerated. The bass is enormous, the drums are enormous, the guitars are stacked and aggressive, and Kiedis is constantly fighting to stay above them. There is little of the spaciousness that would make the band's next phase so powerful. That is precisely why "Mother's Milk" remains such an important "Red Hot Chili Peppers" album. It is not the fully realized masterpiece that followed. It is the sound of the machinery being rebuilt. Frusciante would eventually learn that playing less could make Flea and Smith sound bigger. The band would eventually discover that vulnerability could be as powerful as aggression. Their production would eventually leave more air between the instruments. But those lessons had to come from somewhere, and many of them were learned here. Frusciante himself later looked back on the record as a period when his guitar playing occupied too much space, a realization that helped shape the more economical musician he became. "Mother's Milk" therefore stands at one of the most important intersections in the band's history. Behind it lies Slovak, Irons and the reckless underground funk punk band of the 1980s. Ahead lies the chemistry of Kiedis, Flea, Frusciante and Smith, the lineup that would eventually transform "Red Hot Chili Peppers" into one of the biggest rock bands in the world. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website