A Sneak Peek... And this time ... on the album "XXX", the 12th album of "Asia", which was released on June 20, 2012. This album is especially dear to us from the band's rich repertoire and it somehow closes a circle with the band's debut album "Asia", which was released exactly 30 years earlier in 1982. Why this album is closing a circle? Because beyond the fact that it came out exactly 30 years after the debut album, it's the Supergroup's latest album in its classic lineup 'with Carl Palmer, Steve Howe, John Wetton and Geoff Downes. A year after its release, guitarist Steve Howe will leave the band and in 2017, singer and bassist John Wetton will pass away, in a way that leaves this album as the last piece of music we received from the four talented members who founded "Asia". Even if you do not have time to listen to the whole album, do yourself a favor and listen to the excellent opening song "Tomorrow the World". An amazing and complex piece with airy instrumental parts that loads the song with dynamics and a beautiful atmosphere. Almost 7 minutes of great music, combining the band's familiar pop-rock with progressive rock. It starts with a piano-guitar intro that contributes to the "build-up" towards the entrance at 0:50, and when it arrives, boom! What a sweeping rhythm, what a deep and clear singing of John Wetton that accompanies himself with the beating bass. We are sure that the keyboard riff that follows (1:16) will remind you of its sound and vibe of "The Final Countdown" by "Europe", but what happens next is much more dynamic and deep. The wonderfully melodic C-Part at 2:44, the break to the quiet section at 3:35, and the crazy keyboard-guitar solo that followed, what a beauty of playing especially that of Steve Howe who undoubtedly gives one of the most beautiful solos in his entire career (And there's another one like this that starts to warm engines at 5:46). But this album is definitely not just this one great song. The moving "Bury Me in Willow" with John Wetton's passionate singing was chosen by "AllMusic" as one of the three recommended songs on the album. The rhythmic "No Religion" is a classic "AOR" song, with touches of prog and we do not really know why (maybe the rhythm), but "Face on the Bridge" reminded us at times of "Coldplay". And there is "Al Gatto Nero" who offers us catchy pop-rock with a little drum solo that Carl Palmer pulls out of his sleeves, "Ghost of a Chance" with the symphonic vibe and the emotional playing of Steve Howe and more. It is interesting to note that the album was also released in an expanded version that includes the bonus track "Reno (Silver and Gold)", an excellent track in itself that fully integrates with the rest of the album, so maybe this is why the band chose not to put it at the end, as it is an integral part that does not affect the flow of the album. 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 Michael Anthony best known as the bassist and backing vocalist for the hard rock band "Van Halen": He was born Michael Anthony Sobolewski on June 20, 1954, in Chicago, Illinois. He moved to California as a child and grew up in Arcadia, California. His father was a trumpet player, which influenced his early interest in music. Michael began playing trumpet, then guitar, and finally switched to bass during high school. He attended Arcadia High School, performing in several local bands. He studied at Pasadena City College, where he met Alex Van Halen and Eddie Van Halen. Michael joined the band "Mammoth" in the early 1970s, replacing Mark Stone. The bans soon became "Van Halen". Beside playing bass Anthony was also the band's backing vocalist. He Provided backing vocals on hits like "Panama", "Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love", and "Why Can’t This Be Love". Anthony Played on "Van Halen"’s debut album (1978), a groundbreaking release in hard rock. He continued on "Van Halen II" (1979), further establishing his vocal and bass role. Anthony performed on "MCMLXXXIV" (1984), one of the band’s most successful albums. He played synth bass on the song "I'll Wait" Anthony stayed in "Van Halen" even after David Lee Roth left the band and Sammy Hagar joined in 1985, and played on "5150" (1986), which is the band's first No. 1 album. He continued on "OU812" (1988), through "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge" (1991), which won a Grammy. His last studio album with the band was "Van Halen III" released in 1998. He was replaced by Wolfgang Van Halen in 2006. Anthony is known for using the iconic Jack Daniel’s bass, shaped like a whiskey bottle. He maintained a strong creative and personal connection with Sammy Hagar post-"Van Halen". Anthony played in Hagar’s solo backing band "The Waboritas" during the late 1990s and early 2000s. He joined the short-lived supergroup "Planet Us" in 2002–2003 with Sammy Hagar, Neal Schon, Deen Castronovo, and Joe Satriani. Anthony co-founded the supergroup "Chickenfoot" in 2008 with Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, and Chad Smith of "Red Hot Chili Peppers". They released "Chickenfoot" (2009) and "Chickenfoot III" (2011), receiving strong reviews. In 2014, Anthony formed "Sammy Hagar and The Circle" with Jason Bonham, Vic Johnson, and Sammy Hagar. In 2015 they released "At Your Service", a live album featuring "Van Halen" and solo-era classics. In 2019 "The Circle" released "Space Between", their debut studio album, reaching No. 4 on the Billboard 200. In 2021 they released "Lockdown 2020", a quarantine covers album recorded remotely. On 2022 they released "Crazy Times", produced by Dave Cobb and showcasing new original material. Anthony runs Mad Anthony’s Cafe, his own brand of hot sauces, BBQ tools, and merchandise. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Deftones' "White Pony" album was released on June 20, 2000. In terms of the band's history, this album is an important turning point. Although after the first two albums, they were put into the same nu-metal slot along with Korn, Limp Bizkit, and the like, Deftones did not really feel like they belonged. They have always felt more influenced by New Wave bands like The Cure and Depeche Mode and on this album, you can feel the impact well, an amazing combination of energies, sounds, and New Wave atmosphere with heavy and slow metal. Let's start with the name of the album because that's where it all really started. The name even started earlier from the graphics... Chino Moreno decided that the white pony symbolizes the Deftones. A band that was different from everything that happens in the music around it and not just in the genre with which it is associated, but in the music in general of those years. He liked the fact that the term "white pony" has a lot of meanings and definitions like a nickname for a cocaine drug or if you have a dream about a white pony then it means a sex dream. The band loved the idea and the name accompanied the recordings from the beginning. Even before the members entered the recording studio they knew they wanted to do something different this time, they felt they needed to find their identity and create something more uniform and complete. Even before writing, they wanted to take a producer other than Terry Date who had produced their previous two albums to help them find a new way. After a rather short search, the band decided that the change should come from within, from the members themselves and not from the producer. (Photo: Frank Maddocks) The band members entered the studio and all together started writing for the album, none of them came with pre-made songs, an initial sketch, or a demo. The recordings took four months in which they recorded 11 songs from scratch, and according to Moreno, the start was not very easy. Moreno wanted to look for something different and more diverse than the power, noise, and heaviness of the previous two albums, he was also looking for softer and more melodic sides. But Stephen Carpenter the lead guitarist of the band who very much loves and is influenced by the Swedish extreme metal band Meshuggah insisted on making a heavy and strong album. At first, he was not willing to compromise on softer and more pleasant melodies that Moreno offered. There were not easy wars and it took Moreno a long time to convince Stefan that one can be heavy even in softer sections. This is the band's first album that Moreno came to without any concept or special theme on which he wanted to base his writing. He decided to write the lyrics on imaginary stories unrelated to him as in previous albums, with no special theme but a collection of imaginary motifs that are incorporated into the writing of the songs. And it all came together in the song "Change (In the House of Flies)", which is also the first single released from the album. Moreno who this is the first album where he took on the role of accompaniment guitar started playing something improvised along with Stefan, then came in with the keyboards Frank Delgado which is also his first album as a full member of the band, after he joined the bass session by Chi Cheng and drummer Abe Cunningham and everything connected perfectly as if Tinkerbell had arrived and sprinkled magic powder over all the band members. At that moment everyone felt the connection and everyone realized that this is exactly the "atmosphere" they were looking for, this is the sound, and this is the melody and character of the music that should accompany the album. By the way, this song is the band's best-selling single to date. Moreno used here the metaphor of a butterfly that becomes embodied in a beautiful creature and then the main character takes him home and tears off his wings until he dies. If we already mentioned "atmosphere"... then the members wanted to give this album a different atmosphere also in terms of dynamics and sound in addition to the guitars and drums. There are quite a few tracks on this album, like in the songs: "Change (In the House of Flies)", "Digital Bath", "Passenger", "Pink Maggit" and "Knife Prty" which put the listener in inexplicable curiosity. As the album progresses the addition of the heavy and weird sounds takes the listener to new places and unfamiliar districts. Some even compared the sound of this album to Pink Floyd's "Dark Side Of The Moon" album. Another song that was significant in terms of recordings on the album is the song "Passenger" which features James Keenan, the singer of "Tool", "Puscifer", "A Perfect Circle", and more. Although other members are hosted here such as Scott Weiland in the song "RX Queen" and singer and actress Rodleen Getsic in the song "Knife Prty", but with James the experience was different. Moreno and James are friends from the acquaintances they had together at Ozzfest and James invited his friends to him to Los Angeles, they are jammed in James' home studio and were thrilled by his way of working. Their work style was very "drunk" and "lazy" and he on the other hand was very systematic, consistent, and accurate. Within three days they had finished recording the song but did not know much about what to do with the vocals. James who took the reins also took the microphone and began to sing. The band members recorded the song with drooping jaws and returned home. Despite the amazing result, Moreno had a lot of doubts about James' inclusion on the album. He did not want to use his name as a celebrity to promote the album or create around it some kind of aura unrelated to the music itself, but eventually, he relented and the song was inserted into the album. A funny story from the recording process is that even though they lasted four months, it would probably have been possible to finish the album much faster if the members had not played the video game "Tony Hawk's Pro Skater". Moreno said they would play for hours on end in a game that was in the studio, there were days they would not even record but only play despite Terry's many pleas. This is the band's most successful album to date, it was awarded its only Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2001 with the song "Elite". Moreno highly recommends listening to this album with headphones to feel the sounds and special atmosphere of the album, so listen to it, put headphones on your ears, and click on: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Linkin Park's fifth album was released on June 20, 2012, is this an album back to its origins? Although the reviews have talked about combining Linkin's first two albums with the last two albums to this album, we actually think differently, we think this album is Linkin's natural evolution. Just to refresh your memory, the band's first two albums "Hybrid Theory" released in 2000, and "Meteora" released in 2003, absolutely exploded powerfully and made the band one of the most popular and big bands in the early 2000s when Nu-Metal flourished. The next two albums, "Minutes to Midnight" released in 2007, and "A Thousand Suns" released in 2010 were a sharp turn in the band's musical style, softening is the right word. The band began to explore the world of electronics, the world of sound layers, and the world of melody in other and completely different regions than before. So true, the power of the electronics and drama of the effects sounds much smaller than in the previous album and indeed the guitar work is a bit reminiscent of the first albums but there is no doubt that the whole sound, electronic layouts, lyrics, and dynamics of the songs are light years away from the first two albums. The recordings for the album lasted about a year with Mike Shinoda and Rick Rubin again working as co-producers on the album. Rick as before gave full freedom of action to the veteran team with Mike's leadership and he only met them once a week to give feedback and advice on certain points. The band members wrote and worked on the album during the tour of the previous album and even though they were already worn out from the shows they felt like they had a “muse” and the creativity poured out of them. Chester Bennington said that despite the attrition and exhaustion they decided they were not stopping the flow of creativity and continued to work on the album only in lower gear. Mike said they felt they were taking everything they had learned to date and were able to improve the sound and dynamics of the songs. This is what he said in an interview about the album: "It doesn't lose any of the creativity of the newer stuff and it brings in the energy of the older stuff. It's kind of a comprehensive sound. I feel like we've been able to take all the stuff we've learned on the way and put it all together in each song and still keep it fresh and forward-thinking." So for us, this album is not a combination of the first two albums with the two albums that came after them but is the sound development of the band after what they learned, researched, and experienced in the four albums that preceded this album, the sound of evolution seems to us to be the right definition. (Photo: James Minchin) Another thing, if we take Linkin's last four albums, we feel that this album is a lighthouse spring, the summit of the parabola. In the two albums before it, the band went in different electronic and melodic directions, and with the two albums that followed it, the band broke towards extreme rock and then broke again towards extreme pop, this album feels most sane to us in the new era of Linkin, a band that went through a lot In its career it finds the balance of everything it has learned, tried and performed until that album. This album of course took first place on the Billboard chart and sold over two hundred thousand copies in its first week. In addition, it also topped the charts in 17 other countries making it Linkin's only album to conquer so many charts peaks throughout their careers. Listen to the album on: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Editor's Choice... And this time, "Double Vision" - "Foreigner's" second album, released on June 20, 1978. "Foreigner" got its name due to the fact that it is an Anglo-American band whose half members are British while the other half comes from the USA. In 1976 Mick Jones suddenly finds himself out of work. His band "Spooky Toth" disbanded and another band - "Leslie West Band" he later joined, also disintegrated. He decided to take things into his own hands and start a new group. In the recruiting process the musicians he chose to accompany him, were keyboardist Al Greenwood, bassist Ed Gagliardi and singer Lou Gramm - the "American" half, while former multi-instrumentalist Ian McDonald from "King Crimson", drummer Dennis Elliott and Mick Jones himself was the British half. "Foreigner" first album was released in 1977 and was an immediate success. The album produced hits like "Cold as Ice", "Feels Like the First Time", "Long, Long Way from Home", "Starrider and more, which soon made it one of the best-selling debut albums in the US. The band members, who did not expect such dizzying success, suddenly realized that they had to write more material in order to fill the setlist for a full-length performance, and thus were born the first songs written for their second album. One of these songs was the theme song "Double Vision" which was written back in 1977 during the tour that accompanied the first album. The idea for the song came to singer Lou Gramm while watching a game of the New York Rangers hockey team. During the game, one player collided violently with goalkeeper John Davidson in a way that forced the latter out of the game. The broadcaster noted that the unfortunate goalkeeper is suffering from "Double Vision" and boom! Lou Gramm had an idea for a song that also became the album's theme song. This album continues the excellent formula of the previous album. Melodic, energetic, and sweeping hard rock pieces that combine all the goodness of "Led Zeppelin", "Styx" and "Bad Company", alongside saccharine ballads on the verge of pop. This album just drips sex from start to finish. Mick Jones noted in a 2009 interview that "Foreigner" is a band that has always written about feelings and relationships and that he does not remember ever writing about serious topics like politics. The lyrics of the songs Graham wrote and composed for this album will prove that Mick Jones is absolutely right. Songs like "Double Vision" with Jones' bouncy reef, Ed Gagliardi's beating bass, and Dennis Elliott's thunderous, rolling drumming that just pulls this whole cart after him, the opening song of the album "Hot Blooded" whose riff reminds us of the band "Free" And that Lou Gramm's poetry in it corresponds with that of Paul Rodgers in the band mentioned and in "Bad Company", or "Blue Morning, Blue Day" which fantastically combines hard rock and pop, all songs are dealing with sex and the relationship between him and her. Have we already mentioned ballads? It is interesting to note that the two most prominent on this album were written by Jones exclusively and without the help of Lou Gramm and the other members. The track "You're All I Am" sung by Graham in his deep and delicate voice reminds us of the soft-rock or pop-rock bands like Chicago. The second track "I Have Waited So Long" is sung by Mick Jones and the influences of Paul McCartney and the Wings scream from every note of his. Ahh, and this album features the only instrumental piece by the band "Tramontane" written by keyboardist Al Greenwood and the multi Instrumentalist - ex "King King Crimson" - Ian McDonald. This album continued the momentum of the previous album and despite the cold reviews it even surpassed the previous album in terms of success and sales, and to this day it is considered the band's best-selling studio album. It is interesting to note that this album was recorded in the mythical studio "Sound City" where many masterpieces were recorded such as "Fleetwood Mac, "Appetite for Destruction", "Undertow", "One Hot Minute", "System of a Down", "Rated R", "Rage Against The Machine", "Holy Diver", "After the Gold Rush", "Nevermind" and more and more. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

The "Black Sheep" of "Black Sabbath"! On June 20, 1995, "Black Sabbath" released their 18th studio album "Forbidden". The album is considered by many to be the worst album by "Black Sabbath". Music critic Bradley Toreano of the "Allmusic" website even gave the album 1.5 out of 5 stars and wrote that "with boring songs, awful production (from Ernie C), and uninspired performances, this is easily avoidable for all but the most enthusiastic fan". Another magazine called the album "embarrassing" and claimed it was "the band's worst album". Just to be clear, the album sold only 191,000 copies in the US from its release until 2013, for comparison the album "13" that came out after it sold almost the same amount in the US in just the first week of its release. So you're probably asking yourself why we even mention this album? 1. Because without knowing the bad how do we know to appreciate the good? 2. Because even though this is a relatively weak "Black Sabbath" album, we think the reviews were too harsh with it. This is the band's fifth and final album with singer Tony Martin, which also included legendary drummer Cozy Powell and bassist Neil Murray, who returned to the band after 5 years of absence (since the album "Tyr"). This is the band's latest album up to the album "13" released in 2013 and the reunion with Ozzy Osbourne. The album features a bizarre collaboration with ICE-T, who contributed his voice to the album's opening song "The Illusion of Power", and with Ernie C - the lead guitarist of "Body Count" produced the album. The intention in connecting with Ernie C may have been good, to give "Sabbath" a more up-to-date and contemporary sound and make it accessible to a younger audience, but the result was not good enough. With all due respect to the last two from the band "Body Count", the connection of rap-metal with the classic heavy metal, did not work this time. When one chooses to start the album with the collaboration with ICE-T, one should know that probably the devout listeners who expect to receive the classic Sabbath, will not even continue to the second track. But if you were tough and managed to survive the first song barrier, some surprises await you along the way, songs like "Get A Grip" (whose riff is reminiscent of "Aerosmith's" "Love in an Elevator"), "Can't Get Close Enough" with the mesmerizing opening, the epic "Kiss of Death" with the awesome guitar intro, the theme song of course, as well as Iommi's solos in the songs "Loser Gets It All" and "Won't Cry for You", are beautiful moments on this album. The band members didn't really like the album either. Tony Martin admitted that this album was a "filler" that knocked them out of the recording contract, fired the singer, and pushed the band to reunite. Cozy Powell did not like the sound and there were rumors that the band was even going to record a new version of the album. Tony Iommi admitted that this album was quite "terrible" and that he was not happy with it. He excused this by leaving Ernie C to do the production and that he was not really there to look after him. He also noted that Cozy and Neil were still bound by other contracts that did not allow them to actually contribute to the writing process, and that it was done mostly by him, by keyboardist Geoff Nicholls and singer Tony Martin without them having time to stop, ponder and re-examine the material they wrote. Weak or not, it's still "Black Sabbath", it's the legendary Tony Iommi and he's accompanied by one of the great drummers in rock and one of the most powerful singers in metal. In conclusion, if the weakest album of "Black Sabbath" sounds like this, so were are more than satisfied. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

He does not an extravagant personality and his appearance is very modest and normal but he is a talented vocalist, musician and part of a great band!! Photo: Frank Maddock = Born Camillo Wong Moreno on June 20, 1973, in Sacramento, California. He grew up in the multicultural working-class neighborhood of Oak Park, the youngest of three children in a household rooted in Mexican and Chinese heritage. = His father was a Mexican immigrant and his mother of Mexican-Chinese descent. The nickname “Chino” (Spanish slang for "Chinese") was given to him early on due to his appearance and stuck through school and beyond. = As a child, he was quiet, artistic, and introverted. He became interested in drawing and skateboarding, often channeling his energy into creative and physical outlets. = Music became a major influence during his adolescence. He was exposed to a diverse mix of genres at home, including Latin music, soul, and funk, but it was the 1980s new wave, post-punk, and metal scenes that captivated him — particularly artists like Depeche Mode, The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, and Iron Maiden. = During his early teenage years at C. K. McClatchy High School in Sacramento, he met Stephen Carpenter and Abe Cunningham, who shared his passion for music, skateboarding, and boundary-pushing sound. They bonded over bands like Faith No More, Bad Brains, and Duran Duran. = Despite not having formal vocal training, Moreno began experimenting with singing and screaming styles while jamming with friends in garages and local rehearsal spaces. = In 1988, at just 15 years old, he co-founded "Deftones" with Stephen Carpenter and Abe Cunningham. The band began playing backyard parties, skateparks, and small venues around Sacramento, gradually developing their heavy, groove-driven, and emotionally charged sound. Photo: Deftones = Known for his versatile vocal style, Moreno blends screaming, whispering, and melodic singing — often within the same song — creating a unique emotional texture that helped shape the identity of "Deftones". = Debuted with "Deftones" on their first album, "Adrenaline" (1995), a raw and intense record that set them apart from the nu-metal movement, despite often being grouped with it. = He reached critical acclaim with "Deftones"' third album "White Pony" (2000), which debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and won a Grammy Award for "Elite". This record marked a shift toward a more atmospheric and experimental sound, heavily influenced by Moreno’s expanding musical palette. = Chino contributed significantly to the band’s songwriting and lyrical themes, often revolving around love, loss, fantasy, violence, and emotional introspection. His abstract and poetic lyrics became a defining element of "Deftones"' identity. = Deftones issued nine albums to this day: "Adrenaline" (1995), "Around the Fur" (1997),"White Pony" (2000), "Deftones" (2003), "Saturday Night Wrist" (2006), "Diamond Eyes" (2010), "Koi No Yokan" (2012), "Gore" (2016) and "Ohms" (2020). = He played a major role in "Deftones"' musical evolution, from the heavy alt-metal riffs in "Around the Fur" (1997), to the ambient beauty of "Saturday Night Wrist" (2006), to the layered sophistication of "Ohms" (2020), which charted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200. = Besides his main band he founded several high-profile side projects: "Team Sleep" – A dream-pop and shoegaze-influenced collective blending ambient rock with downtempo electronica. Their debut album was released in 2005 to critical praise, featuring guest musicians like Mary Timony and Mike Patton. "Crosses (†††)" – Formed in 2011 with guitarist Shaun Lopez and Chuck Doom, the project fuses synth-pop, darkwave, and trip-hop. Their self-titled debut (2014) and follow-up "Goodnight, God Bless, I Love U, Delete." (2024) earned acclaim for their brooding, cinematic soundscapes. "Palms" – A post-metal supergroup with members of "ISIS" (the band), known for expansive, atmospheric compositions. Their debut album (2013) received strong reviews from the alternative and metal press. = Collaborated with artists such as Trent Reznor, Tech N9ne, Mike Shinoda, and Deadmau5, showcasing his ability to adapt across genres from industrial to hip hop to EDM. = He also have guest appearances include contributions to songs by Sevendust, Lamb of God, Far, Dance Gavin Dance, Phantogram, Polyphia, and others — often adding his signature melodic aggression or ambient textures. = Beyond music, Moreno has expressed interest in graphic design and visual arts, often contributing to album concepts and aesthetics. He was involved in curating the visual direction for both "White Pony" and "Koi No Yokan". = Has made rare but impactful appearances in documentaries and interviews discussing mental health, identity, and the emotional weight of artistic expression — topics that deeply resonate through his lyrics. = Known for being media-shy and private, but has gradually become more engaged in fan interaction through curated setlists, vinyl releases, and exclusive merchandise drops for "Deftones" and "Crosses". = Despite early vocal strain and personal struggles, Moreno has matured into a more disciplined performer, often prioritizing vocal longevity and subtlety in later works with "Deftones". = He is regarded as one of the most innovative vocalists in modern rock and metal, influencing artists across genres with his genre-blurring vision and emotionally intense performances. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

"Tonight's The Night", Neil Young's sixth album, celebrates a birthday today! This Neil Young classic released on June 20, 1975, is considered one of this magnificent artist's great albums, a milestone, not only in Neil Young's personal catalog but in modern music in general. Things did not look like this when the album was released, in fact, they were light-years away from what was described. Stay tuned for the rest of the article and find out why. Although the album "Tonight's The Night" was recorded back in 1973, right after Neil Young's successful album "Harvest", this album was finally released only two years later, in 1975. The record company that heard the album was so frightened by the content that they thought That it would be a commercial failure and decided not to publish it. Meanwhile, Young has released two other albums, "Time Fades Away", recorded live in 1973, and the studio album "On The Beach" released in 1974. These three albums are also known as "The Ditch Trilogy" - all from Neil Young's melancholy and dark times. Indeed, "Tonight's The Night" is a gloomy and depressing album that addresses issues such as loss and death, mostly influenced by the deaths of Young's two friends, Danny Whitten and Bruce Berry. The first to fall for drugs was Danny Whitten, guitarist of "the Crazy Horse", who died of a heroin overdose on 11/18/1972. Danny Whitten is also the main theme of the song "The Needle and The Damage Done" from the album "Harvest", which Neil Young wrote while Danny Whitten was alive. Unfortunately, Neil Young's pleas and even the song he wrote did not help Danny Whitten get rid of his addiction, which forced Neil Young to eventually fire him from the band. Neil Young put a $ 50 bill in Danny's hand and sent him off. Danny bought with the money Young gave him the last and deadly dose of heroin that finally killed him, leaving Young with terrible guilt, severe trauma, and deep depression. A few months later, Bruce Berry also died. He was a stage worker of "Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young", together and separately. He also overdosed on heroin and cocaine. Bruce was drugged by the same Danny Whitten and found dead not long after. The impact of the deaths of his two loved ones was traumatic for Young, who was unable to recover from the deaths of his two friends. About three months after Bruce Berry's death, Young entered a recording studio in Hollywood California, fortified with a huge amount of alcohol, and began recording the album "Tonight's The Night". Most of the songs on the album were recorded in one late-night session on 8/28/1973, when the band members were drunk, and this is well reflected in the recordings. The result was particularly dark, gloomy, and depressing. The opening and concluding song of the album, which is also the theme song "Tonight’s The Night", was written as a tribute to the same Bruce Berry. As you can also hear from the lyrics, this is actually a requiem describing excerpts from Bruce's life, about being a "working man" who used to load and drive the band van, about how he used to take Young's guitar after everyone went to bed and sing songs with his shaky voice and more. The song was recorded by the band in one take, which apparently gave it its immature and rough sound. By the way, this motif of songs that start and end the album, will be repeated with "Hey Hey, My My" from the album "Rust Never Sleeps" and with "Rockin 'In The Free World" from the album "Freedom". Young's broken and tormented voice in the song "Borrowed Tune" best illustrates the situation Neil was in at the time. The melody of the song was "stolen" from the Rolling Stones' "Lady Jane" and this is also mentioned in the lyrics of Young which says: "This is a melody I borrowed from the Rolling Stones". This confession by Young about the "borrowing" he made from the Stones, also explains what Young went through at that time. Another example of the album's melancholy character is seen in his crushed voice and howls of Young's pain in the song "Mellow My Mind." The song is about a desperate man who cannot experience the small pleasures of life due to drug addiction. "Albuquerque" is a sad song that is dealing with success, in which Neil Young talks about his desire to rent a car and drive it from Albuquerque New Mexico to Santa Fe, just to gain a few minutes of quiet and be alone with his thoughts. Listen to the moaning and howling guitar that accompanies the song throughout its length and conveys in an amazing, moving, and heartbreaking way, Young's feelings. And if the direction of this album is still unclear, then listen to the song "Tired Eyes", and then you will surely understand the record company's fear of the album's release, especially after the successful album "Harvest". It is a broken, tormented, and painful song that does not leave one eye dry. But the album includes not only quiet and melancholy tracks, but also angry and rough tracks in terms of their production. "Come on Baby Let's Go Downtown" which was recorded on Filmore East in 1970 and "Lookout Joe" which was written before the rest of the album's songs, and perhaps for this reason the atmosphere in it is different from the other songs on the album. (Photo: Gijsbert Hanekroot) In conclusion, this album passed the test of time very well, against all odds, despite the depressing material, despite the sloppy production (perhaps intentionally), and even though it sounded like it was recorded during one long rehearsal. And maybe "Tonight's The Night" actually became a musical asset for precisely these reasons, because it was an album that was meant to sound the way it did. A stills picture that set a particularly difficult time in the life of a great creator. No polishing, no Photoshop, and no production tricks. Listeners got Young exposed, with no strainer and no defenses, just as it was in those dark sessions in 1973, and here lies the ultimate greatness of the album. And if that's not enough, the fact that this album was ahead of time on the album "On The Beach" but came out after it, only added to the aura around it, because it highlighted the circumstances that surrounded its painful creative process. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

He is one of the most important and influential composers in modern music. Singer, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and great musical genius, Brian Wilson, best known for his work with The "Beach Boys", He was born just two days apart from another musical genius Paul McCartney. (Photo: Fanart.TV) Interestingly, these two geniuses who influenced the music world and were so influenced by each other, were born that year, 48 hours apart. So this time in Brian's honor, let's tell you a few facts about him: 1. He was born on June 20, 1942, as Brian Douglas Wilson in California to his mother Audree Neva, and father Murry who was a musician. 2. He is the older brother of Dennis and Carl Wilson, who together with their cousin Mike Love and their friend Al Jardine formed the "the Beach Boys". 3. At a young age it was discovered that Brian's hearing in his right ear was deteriorating. The reason was not clear, but one theory suggests that the reason was a blow in the head, he received from his father. 4. His father used to abuse his children. Among other things, he used to punish them when he took out the glass eye he had as a result of an accident and forced them to look inside. 5. His father encouraged Brian and his brother to follow in his footsteps and made sure they received a musical education. As a result, Brian learned from an early age to sing and play the accordion and piano. 6. His favorite song as a child was George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue." 7. In his youth he was an athlete and even served as a quarterback on the school football team. 8. At the age of 22, he married his first wife. She was then 16 years old. 9. His first appearance with his brother, cousin, and friend was in 1961, under the name "The Pendletones". 10. In December 1961 the band released their first single "Surfin", this time already under the name "The Beach Boys". f 11. In October 1962 the band released their first album "Surfin 'Safari". 12. In late 1964 Wilson experienced a nervous breakdown which led him to the decision that he was not interested in continuing to perform with the band. From that moment on he spent many hours writing, arranging, producing, and recording the band's songs as Glen Campbell replaced him on stage. 13. Brian is the lead singer and songwriter of "The Beach Boys". He is also known as the first artist to write, produce, process and perform his own material. 14. Brian is also known as a groundbreaking and influential producer who has used the studio as a musical instrument in his own right. 15. He wrote the song “Good Vibrations” following a conversation with his mother about how dogs feel about how they are going to behave towards them. 16. Wilson recorded different excerpts of the song in different rooms to get a different echo effect each time. 17. The production of this song was so grandiose that its recording cost Wilson and the band $ 50,000. 18. In 1966, the band released one of Rock's most influential albums - "Pet Sounds". Wilson's genius in arrangements, melodies, and production has brought the album to the second and most respected place on the list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, by the "Rolling Stone" magazine. 19. When Paul McCartney first listened to the album "Pet Sounds" he immediately declared that the song "God Only Knows" was the best he had ever heard. 20. When Wilson wrote and recorded the album "Smile" he placed a sandbox around his piano because he wanted to feel the sea sand between his toes and get permission to do so. 21. During this time he began to experience both anxiety and paranoia. In order to deal with the situation, he used to hold all his business meetings inside his home pool. 22. Another Wilson way to deal with the anxiety he experienced was eating a soft-boiled egg. 23. Even during the recordings of "Smile", Wilson made sure to have a sauna installed in his bedroom, and a tent in the living room. 24. The grandiose concept album "Smile", which Wilson recorded immediately after "Pet Sounds", was released only 37 years later as a Wilson solo album. 25. After watching the 1966 movie "Seconds" he has not seen a movie for over 15 years. He was sure that producer Phil Spector had made the film to drive him crazy. The first movie he saw after the long break was "E.T." 26. Wilson's mental state deteriorated during the 1970s. Beginning in 1975 he began psychotherapy with Eugene Landy, who diagnosed him as a schizophrenic. 27. Landy becomes a very influential factor in Wilson's life and he takes advantage of his position as a therapist to control Wilson's life, when in 1987 they even become business partners. 28. In 1990 Wilson's cousin, Stan Love filed a lawsuit alleging that Eugene Landy had too much influence on Wilson's life. 29. In 1991 the lawsuit ends with Landy's removal from Wilson's life when Eugene Landy is barred from being in contact with him. 30. Wilson passed five tests until he was able to obtain a driver’s license. (Photo: Amazon.com) 31. He wrote the song "Caroline, No" about one of the cheerleaders at his school, named Carol Mountain. 32. Wilson sings background vocals in Belinda Carlisle's song "California". 33. He was not present at his father's funeral. He boarded a plane to New York to get away. 34. In 1988 he entered the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame with the "Beach Boys". 35. In 2001 he also entered the "Hall of Fame" for songwriters. 36. That same year, the "Beach Boys" also received the Grammy award for Lifetime Achievement. 37. Wilson came in 52nd place among the greatest singers of all time, in the "Rolling Stone" magazine list. 38. He also ranks 12th on the list of the 100 best writers of all time. 39. And if all that was not enough, NME magazine placed him in 8th place among the 50 largest producers in the world. 40. Despite the paranoia attacks, despite the mental problems Wilson has seven children. During his career, Wilson has released 30 studio albums as part of the "Beach Boys" and another 11 studio albums as a solo artist. We highly recommend (for those who have not yet seen it), the movie "Love & Mercy" which describes the life and work of this musical genius. On June 11, 2025, it was announced that Wilson had died at the age of 82. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On June 20, 1985, “Scorpions” released their second live album, “World Wide Live”. The album arrived during a peak in “Scorpions”’ global success, following the huge impact of their ninth studio album, “Love at First Sting”, which featured timeless tracks like “Rock You Like a Hurricane” and “Still Loving You”. With their arena-filling power now unquestionable, the band set out on a world tour—and “World Wide Live” captured that triumphant moment in real time. Recorded across several cities—Paris, Los Angeles, San Diego, Costa Mesa, and Cologne—the album brings together the band’s finest performances from their 1984–1985 tour. Produced by long-time collaborator Dieter Dierks, it’s a sonic document of a group at their peak, commanding the stage with energy, precision, and charisma. Side One kicks off with the atmospheric “Countdown”, a short but effective opener that sets the stage for what’s to come. It leads straight into “Coming Home”, originally from “Love at First Sting” (1984), a track that explodes into an all-out riff assault. Klaus Meine's vocals soar effortlessly, while Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs deliver sharp, melodic, and electrifying guitar work. That momentum continues with the fierce “Blackout”, taken from the 1982 album of the same name, where Klaus Meine’s commanding vocals cut through the roar of guitars. “Bad Boys Running Wild”, also from “Love at First Sting”, keeps the energy pulsing with its tight rhythm and defiant swagger. The set then reaches back to the band’s late ’70s roots with “Loving You Sunday Morning” from “Lovedrive” (1979) and the powerful “Make It Real” from “Animal Magnetism” (1980), both proving that even older cuts have aged like fire. Side Two opens with the infectious “Big City Nights”, one of the defining anthems of the band’s golden era. From there, the instrumental “Coast to Coast” offers a mid-set cool-down, showcasing the melodic interplay between Rudolf Schenker and Matthias Jabs. with “Holiday” the band goes acoustic end you can hear the crowd roar as as a second mighty voice for Klaus Meine. This gentle atmosphere continues with the mega-hit ballad “Still Loving You”. Emotionally charged and vocally flawless, it retains its reputation as one of rock’s greatest power ballads, amplified here by the passion of a live crowd. Side Three opens with a juggernaut: “Rock You Like a Hurricane”, a career-defining hit that tears through the speakers with stadium-sized force. “Can’t Live Without You” from “Blackout” keeps the pace relentless, while “Another Piece of Meat” delivers a sleazy groove straight from “Lovedrive”. Rarebell’s drumming hits harder, the riffs are more aggressive, and the audience’s energy bleeds into every beat. Then comes “Dynamite”, a wild, extended romp that closes the side with over seven minutes of unhinged, high-octane rock. Side Four starts with “The Zoo”, originally from “Animal Magnetism”, featuring that unmistakable, slow-burning riff and sleazy urban swagger. Then comes “No One Like You”, from “Blackout”, with its perfect fusion of melody and metal. The finale includes the energetic “Can’t Get Enough” (in two parts) from “Lovedrive”, broken up by a blistering solo spotlight: “Six String Sting”, where Jabs delivers a ferocious guitar clinic that leaves nothing on the table. “World Wide Live” doesn’t feel like a collage of separate shows—it’s cohesive, powerful, and fluid. it’s a masterclass in live performance and rock showmanship. By blending their biggest hits with deep cuts and giving each track new life on stage, “Scorpions” delivered one of the greatest live albums in hard rock history. for listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Before we begin the glorious birthday celebration of "Faith No More"'s album "The Real Thing" which was issued on June 20th 1989, we ask you to take a moment, listen to the album and try to isolate the different instruments on each song. The drums, the guitar, the bass and you got the idea. If you manage to perform this complex exercise you will feel that in each song, each instrument plays a different style of music ... metal/jazz/rap/heavy rock and the like ... and you ask yourself how is it possible ??? So it all started in 1979 (and we intentionally go all the way back) Faith No More was formed under a twisted variety of names, bassist Billy Gould and drummer Mike Bordin are basically the backbones of the band that has not changed since its inception and for a reason. We already mentioned in the review of "Angel Dust" that this is one of Rock's most amazing "rhythm sections" and it has a huge impact on the band's sound. In 1985 they released the album "We Care A Lot" and in 1987 they released the album "Introduce Yourself", with singer Chuck Mosley. After the release of the second album, Chuck's condition deteriorated due to drugs, with a strong tendency to violence. Despite his not-so-great talent in singing, his personality has given the band's performances a different and surprising color and shape. But his condition worsened... Occasionally he would beat up band members, get drunk on gigs or take drugs until he lost consciousness. The straw that broke the camel's back was at the launch party for the album "Introduce Yourself" during which Chuck simply fell asleep on stage when he was unconscious. The band decided to kick the singer out and started working on the new album. Despite the disengagement from their singing, despite the long tour, being drained and a little bewildered, they began to write and compose. While writing they began to look for a singer and a tape that came into the hands of Mike Bourdain (because Mike Patton put it there) greatly impressed the band members. The tape contained several songs that Mike recorded with his "mother" band (from high school) Mr. Bungle. Just to understand the style of Mr. Bungle, we'll describe it as Mike describes it... "We're Nintendo kids, so we go into the studio and there are all these little buttons and we just have to play with the dials and press the buttons." There is no better way than to describe the band's style of music. Anyway, Faith's members were impressed and invited him to a jam session and the dynamic was perfect !! The heavy, varied, and dynamic sound of the band blended perfectly with Mike's singing style and crazy character. Continuing from the previous description he recounted ... "So it was weird for me to try to put something on a real linear song, section/chorus/section/ chorus. So I think I did what was clear. It's okay, but since then, I've definitely sworn to invest a lot more time and effort, into something I do. " (Photo: Mick Hutson) This is the place to start the discussion (the end of which is known in advance to us) Who is more influential on the band's sound ?? Mike himself or the rest of the band. After all, if you listen to Mr. Bungle, you can hear that there are parallel elements of singing style and dynamics like in Faith, and when listening to Faith No More's previous albums very well recognizes the guitars, keyboards, and dynamics of Mr. Bungle. We'll leave the question open for now but just note that without a doubt Mike's powerful, diverse, and dynamic voice has brought with it a new dimension to the band. Just like throwing a Mentos candy into a Coke bottle, this is exactly what happened to Faith No More with the arrival of Mike Patton !! Producer Matt Wallace who produced the band's first two albums and one of the regular people who accompanied it was simply shocked by Mike's voice, but also by his character which reminded him a bit of Chuck. He said working with Mike was like trying to ride a bull in a rodeo. But he knew how to work with him and get great things out of his talent... Mike came to this album late. The band members have already written and composed most of the songs, they also did not want Mike to start tinkering with the work. It turned out that Mike had to adapt to the written material. He sat down and wrote the lyrics to all the songs on the album within two weeks! Just like the opening song of the album "From Out Of Nowhere" Mike burst into the world of rock, which reminds you just started digesting the grunge scene, after the glam and metal. Mike burst out but the album did not !! The opening song that came out as the album's first single in August 1989 "From Out of Nowhere", was a purposeful display of the band's talent. The fast rhythm, the melody, the powerful combination of Mike's dynamic vocals with the marvelous rhythm division wrapped in the sounds of the keyboards ... all of these did not help and the song did not get played or recognized. Almost a year passed, and then the second single from the album "Epic" came out which as its name implies, is simply epic !! With the deadly bass, the beating drums, the accompanying keyboards and the rap Mike created a breakout song from the movies !! The song became a hit in an instant, with a clip that some say is controversial and all because of one fish, MTV ran it all day and all night, and rightly so. Just to see the piano explode at the end, it's already worth it... to this day it's the band's most successful and popular single. Indeed the single brought this album to the forefront but still, this album was hard to digest in the US. What is interesting is that in the UK he started to gain significant momentum and starred in the charts. Only after a year did the third single from the album - "Falling To Pieces", also in this song (And in Faith's case we like to repeat ourselves), the rhythm section that opens the song with the bass and drums is powerfully cut by James Martin's guitar which does a simply wonderful job. Like its predecessor, this single continues the rise of the album and also becomes one of the band's most well-known and popular songs. The album continues with a heavy metal song "Surprise! You're Dead!" And Mike and the guitar go hand in hand to rip your eardrums until you get into a slight relaxation with the opening of the song "Zombie Eater" which leads you naively straight into the zombie's muzzle, where Bourdain beats the drums as Mike tries to make his voice change, rhythm and singing style amazing. On the album and we have a chill just writing about it. We'll move on to the sixth song on the album after which it's named, yes... yes... it's "The real thing" and the rhythm division do you remember? How Bourdain bounces the sticks on Snare "Rim" just a paradise for drummers, then Jim gets upset and gives in guitars, so Mike changes his voice accordingly and brings a chorus to the Pantheon !! And there's the funky "Underwater Love," which leads us to "The Morning After," which ironically still corresponds with the band's albums from the Chuck era, and there's "Woodpecker from Mars," the instrumental section on the psychedelic frontier, and the phenomenal cover of the song. Black Sabbath's "War Pigs", just ended with the jazzy "Edge of the World", which came to give us the final stamp that "The End of the World" has arrived and we just finished listening to the craziest thing in the world, a mix of metal and synthpop, hard rock and hip-hop Hop, progressive and jazz ... We will not finish before saying a few words about the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Mike scandal because it is impossible without ... After the release of the album or rather, after the release of the music video for the song "Epic", Chili Peppers singer Anthony Kiedis accused Mike of stealing his style. Yes, Beaches, you heard right, he stole his style !! Mike's movements on stage and the album were reminiscent of Anthony's appearance on stage. They even wanted to "shave his head and cut off his leg so that he would have to invent a new style for himself" (according to Anthony). When Mike heard about the matter he of course responded with a deep sneer befitting Mike and claimed that it was very flattering to him that such a big deal was being made than how he looked on stage. Of course in the end all is well, they completed and lived happily ever after ... Kiedis even admitted that he loves the album and that Mike is very talented, but the road there was lined with bumps, bites, and downs including Mike's famous drop on Kiedis in Mr. Bungle's performance with a blonde wig and a humorous rendition of Californication. Listen to the album on: 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 one of the busiest hard rock and metal drummers, Simon J. Wright. (Photo: Rockoverdose.gr) 1. He was born in Oldham Lancashire, England, on 19 June 1963. 2. He began his musical career in the band "Tora-Tora" with which he recorded the single "Red Sun Setting", which was released in 1980, when he was only 17 years old. 3. He later moved to the heavy metal band "A II Z", with which he released the live album "The Witch of Berkley" and the single "I'm The One Who Loves You", in 1981. 4. After the band disbanded, Simon moved to "Tytan", which in its various incarnations also included bassist Kev Riddles from "Angel Witch" and guitarist Doug Aldrich. 5. In 1983 he responded to a newspaper ad that read, "Rock Drummer Wanted. If you do not hit hard, do not apply." This ad was published by "AC/DC", after drummer Phil Rudd left it. (Photo: Rockerrags.com) 6. Simon was invited to audition during which he played three songs. Two hours later he has already received a call informing him that he had been accepted into the band. 7. His first appearances in the "AC/DC" uniform can already be seen in video clips of the songs on from album "Flick Of The Switch", even though he did not play on the album. Simon was then only 20 years old. 8. Simon's first full-length album with the band was "Fly On The Wall", from 1985. 9. Later he will also record the albums "Who Made Who" from 1986 and "Blow Up Your Video" from 1988, with "AC/DC". 10. In 1989, Simon left "AC/DC", after being invited to join Ronnie James Dio's lineup. 11. The first album he recorded with the band was "Lock Up the Wolves" from 1990. 12. But just then, Ronnie James Dio decides to reunite with "Black Sabbath" and release the album "Dehumanizer" with them, forcing Simon to move to the band "Rhino Bucket". 13. He releases with "Rhino Bucket" the album "PAIN" from 1994, but in 1996 the band ceases its activities, and Simon is again forced to look for a new lineup. 14. Already that year he took part in the album "Worlds Away", the fourth solo album by guitarist John Norum. (Photo: courtesy of Simon Wright) 15. In 1998, Simon joins "UFO" and records the live album "Live on Earth" and later the studio album "Covenant" from 2000, with them. 16. In 2000 he receives an offer to return to the Ronnie James Dio lineup and reunite with his old friends Craig Goldy and Jimmy Bain. 17. That same year "Dio" releases what is considered his comeback album - the excellent concept album "Magica". 18. Later Simon will also take part in the albums "Killing the Dragon" and "Master of the Moon" and the live albums "Evil or" Divine - Live In New York City and "Holy Diver - Live". 19. In 2011, after the death of Ronnie James Dio, Simon will be part of the band "Dio Disciples" which included the band members who survived from the final lineup of "Dio" plus singer Tim "Ripper" Owens. 20. In 2013 Simon joined singer Geoff Tate's version of "Queensrÿche" and was part of the debut album released that year, called "Frequency Unknown". 21. Following a legal battle with the mother band, the band will be forced to change its name to "Operation: Mindcrime". (Photo: Metalshockfinland.com) 22. Simon will release with "Operation: Mindcrime" three more studio albums that constitute a concept trilogy. The first is "The Key" from 2015, the second is "Resurrection" from 2016, and the third is "The New Reality" from 2017. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website