Written By: Moti Kupfer Release date - 07.09.1999 "It was only when I was 18 or 19 that I started expressing myself more and became more confident about doing it. I became the singer by default. There was nobody else who wanted to sing, and it wasn't really cool to sing falsetto when bands like "Nirvana" were setting the tone," says Matt Bellamy and adds: "But then we saw Jeff Buckley perform, and he wasn't afraid to be a man with a high voice. I think that helped me open up and not be afraid to use a more expressive and emotional vocal style." Bellamy and his band "Muse" are a fascinating combination of rock and classical motifs that somewhat recall "Queen". Bellamy himself has a vocal range that sits somewhere in the Thom Yorke-meets-Jeff Buckley area, from whom, as mentioned, he drew inspiration early in his career. Bellamy was born in June 1978 in Cambridge. His father, George Bellamy, was the rhythm guitarist of the 1960s pop band "The Tornados", a band that also included Robb Huxley, who later joined "The Churchills". He started playing piano at the age of six and guitar at 11. His first musical performance was in June 1991, at the age of 12, when he played piano at Teignmouth Community School. Speaking of Yorke and "Radiohead", it was the talented producer John Leckie, who produced "The Bends", who was brought in alongside Paul Reeve to produce "Showbiz", the debut album by "Muse". "Muse" was formed in Devon in 1994 by Matt Bellamy on vocals, guitar and keyboards, Chris Wolstenholme on bass and Dominic Howard on drums. The members of "Muse" played in different bands at the school they attended in the early 1990s. The formation of the band began when the 14-year-old Bellamy auditioned as guitarist for Howard's band. After their bass player left, the two brought in their friend Wolstenholme, who until then had played drums and learned bass guitar for the band. Bellamy became the lead singer and songwriter. The band changed its name several times and was called "Gothic Plague", "Fixed Penalty", "Carnage Mayhem" and "Rocket Baby Dolls". In 1994, under the name "Rocket Baby Dolls" and with a prog-goth image, the band won the local "Battle of the Bands" competition while smashing their instruments. Speaking of smashing instruments, and guitars in particular, frontman Matt Bellamy holds a Guinness World Record for no fewer than 140 guitars smashed by him during the "Absolution" tour. Some say he still hasn't caught Pete Townshend in career totals. Following that victory, the band members chose to focus on a professional career. They changed the band name to "Muse" and began playing local clubs. According to journalist Mark Beaumont, the band wanted the name to reflect "the sense Matthew had that he had somehow 'summoned' this band, in the way mediums can summon inspirational spirits at times of emotional need." After several years in which a fan base was built in London and the first shows were played in London and Manchester, the band met Dennis Smith, owner of Sawmills recording studio. The meeting led to the first professional recordings and the release of the "Muse" EP. The second EP, "Muscle Museum EP", reached number three on the indie chart and attracted the attention of radio presenter Steve Lamacq and the British music magazine "NME". Despite the success of the second EP, British record companies were reluctant to sign "Muse", and it was actually the American "Maverick Records", owned by Madonna, that signed "Muse" in December 1998 to a recording contract in the United States. John Leckie was brought in alongside Reeve to produce the band's first album, "Showbiz" (1999). The album introduced the aggressive yet melancholic musical style of "Muse", with lyrics about relationships and the difficulties they faced trying to establish themselves in their hometown, together with the theatrical falsetto of Matt Bellamy. The first single from the album, in perfect coordination, was called "Uno", which means 1 in Spanish. The lyrics deal with potential and its failure to be fulfilled. During its recording, the amplifier used for the guitar exploded, something that happened again on other songs while "Showbiz" was being recorded. On "Cave", the second single, Bellamy describes the moment when a man reaches a stressful point for him, the moment when he essentially disconnects and goes into a "cave". The inspiration for the idea came from John Gray's book "Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus". The third single from the album, "Muscle Museum", which had previously also appeared as the title track of "Muscle Museum EP", was the one that brought the breakthrough when it reached the UK Top 25. Matt Bellamy wrote the song during a stay on the Greek islands, and as a result the song sounds like a "Greek wedding". Bellamy explained the meaning of the song by saying: "It is about different elements in our existence - the soul and the body - not allowing another element to do what it wants to do. It is connected to the conflict of not knowing what you want to do in life on a whole range of issues." The song title does not appear in the lyrics. After putting the song together, the band members struggled to find a name for it, so they opened the dictionary and took one word before "Muse" and one word after it, and that is how we got "Muscle Museum". The video was directed by Joseph Kahn, who also made the videos for "Say My Name" by "Destiny's Child" and "Elevation" by "U2". In the clip, people carrying out ordinary activities, such as brushing their teeth or driving, suddenly burst into tears. The fourth single, "Sunburn", deals with new experiences and moving into a new world in both the mental and physical sense, a little like the feeling "Muse" had at the beginning, from their first moments when they went from drawing pictures, decorating and signing a contract to flying first class to Los Angeles. The fifth single, with its deeply melancholy melody, "Unintended", found frontman Matt Bellamy picking up the pieces of his broken heart so he could put it back together for someone new. Bellamy explains how the love song made it onto the album: "There are also a few unintended love songs. The song I wrote about the girl was written in the studio after a phone call with her. We called it 'Unintended' because it came out of nowhere, and I didn't intend for it to happen, all these feelings for this girl." Leckie would continue refining the sound of "Muse" toward the next album, when he gave them their first listening experience of "The Dark Side of the Moon" by "Pink Floyd". For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

You may know William Bradley DuVall as the singer and guitarist of "Alice In Chains", a role he has now held for two decades, but his career began long before he joined the band and has taken him through Hardcore Punk, Metal, Jazz, Rock and a solo career. (Photo: kerrang.com) = DuVall was born on September 6, 1967, in Washington, D.C., USA. = His maternal grandmother was of Dutch and North African descent. = One of his earliest and most important musical influences was Jimi Hendrix. At the age of eight, he listened to his cousin's copy of the album "Band of Gypsys", and Hendrix's playing left a deep impression on him. = In 1982, at the age of 14, DuVall moved with his mother and stepfather to Atlanta, Georgia. He arrived after already being exposed to punk and hardcore and was quickly drawn to the local Hardcore Punk scene. = That same year he formed his first band, "Awareness Void of Chaos", or "AVOC", with two students he met at school. The trio, whose members were all Black, combined Thrash Punk with Reggae and even opened for "Circle Jerks" at Atlanta's 688 Club. = In 1983, when he was only 15, DuVall co-founded the Hardcore Punk band "Neon Christ" with vocalist Randy DuTeau, bassist Danny Lankford and drummer Jimmy Demer. DuVall played guitar and became a key contributor to the band's songwriting, which was marked by aggressive music and fiercely political lyrics. = In March 1984, "Neon Christ" recorded its first EP, a 10-song release issued that June. On Labor Day that year, the band recorded four more songs at the home studio of Nick Jameson from "Foghat". One of them, "Ashes to Ashes", appeared on the international "International P.E.A.C.E. Benefit Compilation", exposing the band to a much wider audience around the world. = During its active years, "Neon Christ" shared stages with several important names from the American Hardcore scene, including "Dead Kennedys", "Circle Jerks" and "Corrosion of Conformity". = In 1985, second guitarist Shawn Devine joined the band as its music began shifting toward a slower, heavier and more melodic direction. DuVall wrote enough material for an entire album that year, but only "Savior (Drawn In)" was recorded during the band's final studio session on December 26, 1985. The master tapes from that session were later lost. = In March 1986, "Neon Christ" ceased activity. Several months later DuVall moved to Santa Cruz, California, on the recommendation of friends from "Corrosion of Conformity", and joined the Hardcore band "BL'AST!" as second guitarist alongside guitarist Mike Neider, vocalist Clifford Dinsmore, bassist Dave Cooper and drummer Bill Torgerson. (Photo: southernlordeurope.com) = DuVall's time in "BL'AST!" was brief, and the recordings he played on were not released at the time. More than 25 years later, old master tapes were discovered by accident in storage. During work on the tapes, an entire unreleased session featuring DuVall on second guitar was found. Dave Grohl, a longtime fan of "BL'AST!", mixed the recordings at his Studio 606, and they were released in 2013 as the album "Blood!". = In 1987, DuVall formed "Final Offering" with vocalist Randy Gue, who had previously worked as a roadie for "Neon Christ", bassist Mike Dean from "Corrosion of Conformity" and drummer Greg Psomas. DuVall wanted the band to push the connection between Punk and Metal to its limit, but the group struggled to operate consistently because of Psomas's heroin addiction. Dean later returned to "Corrosion of Conformity", and the band dissolved after a short period. Psomas died of a heroin overdose in 1993. = In late 1988, DuVall formed "No Walls" with bassist Hank Schroy and drummer Matthew Cowley. For DuVall, it was the first band that allowed him to fully realize his musical vision and move beyond the boundaries of Hardcore. The trio combined Rock, Jazz, Psychedelic Rock and Prog within melodic but highly complex songs. DuVall said he wanted to create a seamless mixture of Jimi Hendrix, Joni Mitchell, "Sonic Youth", Ornette Coleman, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, "The Beatles" and other influences. = In 1989, DuVall handed a "No Walls" demo tape to "Living Colour" guitarist Vernon Reid backstage at a show. Reid was impressed, brought the band into the orbit of the Black Rock Coalition and helped them secure shows in New York. Under his guidance, the band recorded a demo at Electric Lady Studios, the studio founded by Jimi Hendrix, but the recording never received a proper release. = In 1992, "No Walls" released its only album, a self-titled record issued through Third Eye Records. Despite interest from A&R representatives and positive media attention, the band failed to achieve the commercial breakthrough it had hoped for and broke up that same year. = "No Walls" was the first band in which DuVall began taking himself seriously as a vocalist. He had already sung on several pieces with "AVOC", but he explained that with "No Walls", after failing to find a singer who fit the personal material he was writing, bassist Hank Schroy encouraged him to try singing the songs himself. (Photo: Wikipedia) = Alongside his musical work in the late 1980s, DuVall completed a bachelor's degree in philosophy with a specialization in religion at Georgia State University. = In 1994, DuVall and Milton Davis wrote "I Know" for singer Dionne Farris. Released as the first single from her debut album "Wild Seed - Wild Flower", the song reached No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent 10 consecutive weeks at No. 1 on the Mainstream Top 40 chart. Farris received a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance, and in 1996 DuVall received an ASCAP Pop Award for writing the song. = In 1996, DuVall formed "Madfly" in Atlanta with guitarist Nico Constantine, bassist Jeffrey Blount and drummer Bevan Davies. The band released two albums, "Get the Silver" in 1996 and "White Hot in the Black" in 1998. = "Madfly" represented a sharp change from DuVall's previous bands. He embraced an intentionally theatrical, over-the-top Glam-Pop approach, complete with colorful clothes and body paint, and at some shows put down the guitar for the first time to focus entirely on being a frontman. DuVall later described the period as an experiment in new approaches to songwriting and singing, music production and understanding the music business. (Photo: Wikipedia) = In 1999, Jeffrey Blount left "Madfly" because of health problems and bassist Adam Stanger joined in his place. DuVall, Nico Constantine and Bevan Davies decided it was time for a musical change and renamed the band "Comes With The Fall". DuVall returned to playing guitar full-time and pushed the music toward a darker, heavier and more dynamic direction. The band's name was taken from the film "Rosemary's Baby". = The band recorded its self-titled debut album "Comes With The Fall" in Atlanta and released it in 2000 through DuVall's label, DVL Recordings. Feeling that Atlanta lacked the infrastructure needed to reach a wider audience, the band relocated to Los Angeles. (Photo: Comes With The Fall) = Shortly after the move to Los Angeles, DuVall met Jerry Cantrell, who introduced himself as a fan of "Comes With The Fall" and even joined the band onstage several times. Their connection quickly developed into both a friendship and a musical collaboration. = In 2001, "Comes With The Fall" toured with Jerry Cantrell as the opening act. When Cantrell's bassist Robert Trujillo and drummer Mike Bordin were unavailable, Adam Stanger and Bevan Davies also stepped in as part of Cantrell's backing band. = That same year, "Comes With The Fall" released its second album, "The Year Is One". In 2002, the band continued touring with Jerry Cantrell in support of his album "Degradation Trip", this time serving on a regular basis as both the opening act and his backing band. DuVall also sang some of the vocal parts originally performed by Layne Staley in "Alice In Chains" songs. = In April 2002, while DuVall and "Comes With The Fall" were on the road with Jerry Cantrell, news arrived of Layne Staley's death. During the same week, DuVall also lost his grandfather, to whom he was very close. He later said it was an especially difficult period for both him and Cantrell, and that there were moments onstage when both men fought back tears while performing "Alice In Chains" songs. = In 2003, Bevan Davies temporarily left the "Comes With The Fall" tour to join "Danzig", but remained a member of the band. Between May and September 2005, he returned to record with DuVall and Adam Stanger in sessions that lasted only 20.5 days. Material from those sessions was released on "The Reckoning EP" in 2006 and the third album "Beyond the Last Light" in 2007. = On March 10, 2006, DuVall performed with "Alice In Chains" for the first time during the taping of VH1 Classic's "Decades Rock Live!", a tribute to "Heart" in Atlantic City. DuVall sang "Angry Chair" and "Man in the Box", and also performed "Rooster" with Ann Wilson. Philip Anselmo appeared that night on "Them Bones" and "Would?". = Ann Wilson had originally been expected to handle the main vocal on "Rooster", but during the camera blocking rehearsal DuVall sang the song in her place. After hearing him, Wilson decided to leave the lead role to DuVall and join him as a duet partner. The performance became one of the key moments that introduced audiences to the possibility of "Alice In Chains" continuing with DuVall. = DuVall has explained that joining the band did not happen through a formal audition or a planned announcement. Jerry Cantrell already knew his abilities well from their years of touring together, and DuVall simply came to a rehearsal with Sean Kinney and Mike Inez. After playing together, the band asked him to join a few shows, and more dates kept being added. By April 2006 DuVall had been announced as the singer for the European tour, and later that year the band embarked on a world tour. = DuVall has repeatedly emphasized that he never tried to imitate Layne Staley. For him, the only way to honor the band's legacy was to sing in his own voice and bring his own musical personality to the songs. Over time, he became a permanent member of "Alice In Chains" as singer and guitarist alongside Jerry Cantrell, Mike Inez and Sean Kinney. (Photo: Johnny Buzzerio) = The 2006 and 2007 tours gave the band the confidence to begin writing new material. At first, there were still doubts about whether it was appropriate to release new music under the name "Alice In Chains", but as the four musicians continued playing and creating together, the process began to feel more natural. In October 2008, the band started recording with producer Nick Raskulinecz at Dave Grohl's Studio 606 in Northridge, before continuing at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles. = At that stage the band still had no record deal, so Jerry Cantrell and Sean Kinney financed the sessions themselves. During the recording process, Nancy McCallum, Layne Staley's mother, visited the studio and expressed her support for the band continuing. = Recording was completed on March 18, 2009, Jerry Cantrell's birthday and also the day DuVall's son was born. On the album, DuVall contributed not only as a singer and guitarist but also as a songwriter. He said he wrote the lyrics to "Last of My Kind" in about half an hour at Cantrell's house and then sang the lead vocal. Songwriting credit for the track is shared by DuVall and Cantrell. = On September 29, 2009, "Black Gives Way to Blue", the fourth studio album by "Alice In Chains" and their first in 14 years, was released. The album reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200 after selling approximately 126,000 copies in the United States during its first week. "Check My Brain" and "A Looking in View" earned DuVall and the band two consecutive Grammy nominations for Hard Rock Performance. = On May 28, 2013, "Alice In Chains" released their fifth studio album, "The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here". The album sold approximately 62,000 copies in the United States during its first week and reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200. DuVall took on a more prominent role, singing lead on "Hung on a Hook" and "Phantom Limb", writing the lyrics to the latter and also playing its guitar solo, the first solo he wrote for "Alice In Chains". The album also included the singles "Hollow", "Stone" and "Voices". The album's recording work received a Grammy nomination for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical, but the nomination was credited to the engineering team rather than to the band members as artists. = In 2016, DuVall joined the supergroup "Giraffe Tongue Orchestra" as lead vocalist. The band had been formed four years earlier by guitarists Ben Weinman of "The Dillinger Escape Plan" and Brent Hinds of "Mastodon". They were joined by bassist Pete Griffin and drummer Thomas Pridgen. In September 2016, the group released its only album, "Broken Lines", on which DuVall wrote and sang most of the lyrics. = In 2018, Framus introduced the "William DuVall Talisman Signature", a signature guitar built around DuVall's preferences that became one of the instruments most closely associated with him during the later part of his career. = On August 24, 2018, "Alice In Chains" released their sixth studio album, "Rainier Fog". Much of the basic tracking took place at Studio X in Seattle, the same studio where the band recorded their 1995 album with Layne Staley. DuVall had a significantly larger role in both songwriting and vocals. = DuVall wrote both the music and lyrics to "So Far Under", sang the lead vocal and played the guitar solo. He wrote the lyrics to "Never Fade" during a long night at Studio X while thinking about his grandmother, who had died at the age of 105, Layne Staley and Chris Cornell. "Rainier Fog" gave DuVall his third Grammy nomination when the album was nominated for Best Rock Album in 2019. = On October 4, 2019, DuVall released his first solo album, "One Alone", through DVL Recordings. It is an entirely acoustic and minimalist album built almost completely around DuVall's voice and acoustic guitar, in sharp contrast to the electric power most closely associated with him. = In 2021, DuVall returned to his Hardcore roots with "Neon Christ". He oversaw a fully analog remaster of the band's 1984 recordings at Welcome To 1979 in Nashville, released as the album "1984" through Southern Lord and DVL Recordings. = On June 10, 2022, DuVall released his second solo album, "11.12.21 Live-In-Studio Nashville". The album was recorded at Welcome To 1979 as a live Power Trio performance directly to the lacquer used to manufacture the record, with no edits, fixes, remixing or post-production after the performance. = In February 2023, DuVall joined Mongolian metal band "The HU" for a new version of "This Is Mongol (Warrior Souls)". He sang and played guitar, contributed the English lyrics, and also produced and mixed the single. = In 2024, DuVall produced "Blindside", the debut album by young Thrash band "Chained Saint". The album was recorded and mixed to analog tape without computers, reflecting DuVall's desire to preserve the band's natural live performance. = That same year, DuVall appeared on "MC5"'s final album, "Heavy Lifting", singing "The Edge of the Switchblade" with Slash on guitar. For DuVall, it was a particularly meaningful connection to one of the bands that influenced the Punk and Hardcore roots from which he emerged. = In July 2025, DuVall took part in the Chris Cornell tribute project "King Ultramega", singing a version of "Soundgarden"'s "Rusty Cage" alongside Bill Kelliher of "Mastodon", Charlie Benante of "Anthrax"/"Pantera" and Mark Menghi. Proceeds from the project were directed to MusiCares. = On July 5, 2025, he performed with "Alice In Chains" at "Back To The Beginning", the historic farewell event for "Black Sabbath" and Ozzy Osbourne at Villa Park in Birmingham. The band performed "Man in the Box", "Would?" and their version of "Fairies Wear Boots". = In January 2026, DuVall appeared on "Black Horizon" by the supergroup "Metal Allegiance", alongside Alex Skolnick, Mike Portnoy and Mark Menghi. DuVall wrote the lyrics and sang the song, which was the group's first original track since 2018. = In 2026, DuVall marks 20 years since his first performance with "Alice In Chains". During that period, he went from being the singer stepping into an almost impossible role to the vocalist who has held the position continuously for the longest period in the band's history, recording three studio albums with them. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Wrote: Ori Anaby Album review - Itay Mazilo – Age of Disbelief Release date – 6.9.2024 What do you think about when you hear the phrase "a masterpiece album"? England in the 1970's? Seattle two decades later? Scratch that, let's move to the Israeli scene: What do you think about when you hear the phrase "an Israeli masterpiece album"? Are you thinking about those last couple of decades of the last century once again? Long story short, listen up: There is a masterpiece album that is both Israeli and in English, and it is brand new. This album is "Age of Disbelief" by Itay Mazilo. Ten years have passed since Itay released his debut album, "So Far the View". Have you heard of slow cooking? Well, I'd say a decade is pretty slow. Although this album brewed slowly, the final product proved to be worth the wait. The album has eleven songs that not only stand by themselves, but intertwine into a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. As much as I hate the compliment "it's good on an international level", Itay's album (and his music in general) certainly justifies this superlative. It's not hard to identify the influences of different artists from abroad on Itay's music, but he succeeds in creating his own style and he doesn't sound like he imitates others. Honestly? You wouldn't have been surprised if some of the songs in this album were released by a band like "Foo Fighters". Yes, it is really that good. You don't believe me? It makes sense. After all, this is an age of disbelief. The best way to be convinced that this album is really as good as I say it is would be to just... listen to it. In order to give you an incentive to do so, let's dive into the songs of the album together. Dead End Road A dead-end road right off the bat? That's part of the point. The first words of the first song already say something about the period we are living in. If everyone's telling endless stories and you have to struggle just to figure out the basic facts, no wonder it's so hard to believe anyone. In such a state of uncertainty, Itay suggests that we take a ride on a dead-end road. An interesting idea, but the truth is that our journey is only starting. In this song, you can already notice the kind of music that characterizes the first half of the album. The album has a structure similar to that of a mountain or a hill. It starts relatively calm, then the tempo increases until you reach the middle of the album. After two songs of a musical "peak", there is a sort of "decline" and the second part of the album is calmer. Luckily, the first song gives us a boost of musical energy so that we can start the climb. Moving on. Age of Disbelief The second song of the album, the title track, is in my opinion the song with the most powerful lyrics in the album. You can quote almost every line from this song and it will be very relevant in a discussion about the state of humanity nowadays. We are overwhelmed by huge amounts of information and our ability to filter what's important is diminishing. The problem is that incorrect information (not to mention false information) can have significant and even fatal consequences. Our inability to deal with this flood of information might lead to frustration, to a feeling of living in a cage with a tiny screen, as the song says. The days go by, the sense of time fades and we begin to lose touch with reality as we are busy all day scrolling through some feed. There is a world out there, one that is bigger than the device we hold in the palm of our hand, but we are getting disconnected from it. I could've written a lot more about the text and its possible interpretations, but this is only the second song in the album and we have a long way to go. The music in the song isn't as rageful as the text might appear to be, but it does complement it nicely. You can hear the frustration by the current situation, the desire to change it and maybe even hope that it is possible to do so. By the way, this is the last song Itay released as a single before the album was released. Hey Child! Speaking of the last single released from the album, we're now moving on to the first one, which was released two years ago and even won the title of "Song of the Year" by "Ze Rock" radio station at the time. Since then, "Hey Child!" is something I commonly say when talking with Itay. But who is this child really? Maybe it's an inner child? When we look at the world, certainly nowadays, we sometimes feel like children. The world can seem so big and scary and we just want someone to take care of us. As he did in the previous song, Itay suggests we change our point of view and look beyond our own needs and desires. After all, isn't that what growing up is all about? It is true that we are afraid and want others to take care of us, but for that to happen we have to be willing to do the same for them. Caring needs to be mutual for the whole thing to work. When it comes to music, the song is almost a microcosm of the entire album. It starts calm, increases the pace until a certain peak and towards the end it calms down again. Turning Faithless We're almost at the "peak" of the album, but that doesn't mean we can't stop for a moment and take a deep breath. Listening to the musical respite that Itay composed for us, we can once again reflect on the state of the world and our place in this whole story. These reflections reoccur throughout the album and the lyrics of this song deal with them as well. Once again, we deal with the feeling that the world is very big and we might get lost in it and feel small. This feeling is frustrating and it is very easy to lose faith in situations like these. Faith in ourselves? Faith in others? Faith in something greater? The answer most likely varies from one person to another, but I think that a lot of people can relate to the feelings Itay describes in this song (and in the entire album). All relaxed now? On your feet then! We have one hell of a summit ahead of us. Lost the Music "Hey ho". No, this isn't a reference to the "Red Hot Chili Peppers" song. This is the transition between the chorus and the second verse. Before Itay released this song as a single, he uploaded a teaser to social media that was simply that "hey ho". As soon as I heard it, I knew that this song was going to be something special and indeed it was. This song is an explosion of quality rock and roll that could have easily fitted in international rock charts. Every note in the song is a delight and the connection between them is simply a work of art. It's a little ironic given the song title, but this is the music I am happy to find and help other people discover. The text continues to correspond with its predecessors. We have lost trust, we have lost faith, we feel small in a big world, stuck on a dead-end road, so what is left for us? The music! Without it, we are truly lost. Up to this point, I haven't mentioned the booklet that Itay published to accompany the album (I will say a few words about it near the end). A few pages before this song, Itay reminds us to be grateful for the songs that saved our lives time and time again. Don't lose the music! But who's losing? Just wait 'till you see the music that awaits you in the second part of the "album peak". I won't tell you yet, maybe just whisper... This is a Whisper Ladies and gentlemen, this is rock and roll!! It's not a whisper, it's an erupting volcano of superb music. Plenty of distortion, wonderful guitar work and other instruments that complete the picture along with Itay's singing. You want more? You got it! Itay brought some serious backup: Inbar Koprak and her powerful voice that even "just" as backing vocals takes the song to a whole new level. A song that blows your mind right from the first note to the last. I'll say it again: If a song like this was released abroad, it would have burned up the charts. There is a lot of pain in the text. A deep wound that no matter how much you try to treat it quietly, in the end it turns from a whisper to a scream. Once again, we notice the feeling of loneliness and the terrible frustration that follows. Things accumulate until everything explodes, and with this ultimate release that this song provides us, we are ready to start the "descent from the peak" and reach the quieter part of the album. Layers Upon Layers After the two previous songs released a lot of tension, we reach the layers below. All those things that the eruption of the musical volcano brought up and are now exposed on the surface. Fear, sadness, uncertainty. Layers that we peel off on the way to the inner core. Itay is not afraid to touch these exposed nerves and he does so with a soft and caressing musical touch. This tenderness will accompany us as we progress towards the end of the album. Ten Years in a Heartbeat How can you make ten years go by in a single second? Maybe with a piano. In the shortest song of the album, it's just Itay and the piano. Together they take us further to the next song, where we will say goodbye to the mountain motif and move on to a completely different landscape. Dreamsailor Anchor aweigh! We climbed a mountain, almost finished descending it and now we are suddenly sailing? Does anyone even remember that we started on a dead-end road? And what a dream cruise Itay has arranged for us here, with the help of two wonderful backing singers. Together, they navigate a stormy sea of ​​thoughts and dreams. The song tries to find a way to sail past the storm and maybe, in the end, find some peace. Is it possible to reach that peace in reality or only in dreams? I don't know, but at least for the four minutes of the song you can just close your eyes and immerse yourselves in the vocals and the music that combine perfectly into a song that is pure pleasure. I Summon Beauty After all the storms, explosions, frustration, and other difficulties that the album deals with, what are we asking for? Maybe we can summon some beauty? Some truth? We want something to take comfort in. Comfort you said? No problem. Follow me to the last song of the album. Consolation The album ends on a relatively optimistic note. Itay offers us some consolation. True, the situation is difficult and there is a lot of pain and frustration. We started the album on a dead-end road and now Itay shows us a possible direction to move forward. His offer: Release the pain, let go of the past and flow forward with time, towards the future. Easier said than done. There is no doubt that Itay is aware of that, so all he can do is make a suggestion. The real comfort that Itay gives us is the music, not only of this song but of the entire album. So? Did I convince you? Much like Itay, in the end all I can do is make a suggestion. I have been observing the Israeli music scene for some time. Many things go under the radar and some of them are really good. To me, Itay's album is beyond that. There is a reson that I used the phrase "a masterpiece album" right at the beginning. I wholeheartedly think this album deserves to be called a masterpiece. Perseverance; creativity; choosing the right partners for the journey and connecting all the parts into a whole that is much greater than the sum of them. Itay truly mastered all those aspects. Not only does he put his heart into it, he also goes the extra mile. Not wanting the album to only be experienced through the cold and alienated cyberspace, Itay also released the album as a CD. Holding an album in your hands; smelling the scent after taking it out of the wrapper for the first time; inserting it very carefully into a computer or a sound system; wearing your headphones and/or turning up the volume and then, in one magical moment, pressing "play". No streaming service in the world could ever replace those sensations. Itay didn't stop there. A booklet was released alongside the album. In addition to the lyrics, the booklet contains beautiful photos and additional texts that Itay wrote. Combine that with the music and you get a complete experience that you won't find anywhere else. I said I could only make a suggestion, so here it is: The holidays are upon us. Buy yourselves a holiday gift and if not for yourselves then for the people you love. Of course, you can buy the album on all streaming services, but my suggestion is to at least buy the booklet as well, just so you'd have something tangible to hold in your hand. Its combination with the album is a significant upgrade. In the end, the only way you will (maybe) believe the things I wrote is if you check it out for yourselves. Take an hour to listen to the album (it's not that long, but it's always good to play it safe). Hold the booklet in your hand, have the album ready to be played on quality speakers (not your phone's!), take a deep breath and... press the button. Enjoy an album that is a masterpiece. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On 6 September 1974, "Judas Priest" released their debut album “Rocka Rolla” was released. The roots of “Judas Priest” reach back to Birmingham in 1969, when singer Al Atkins and bassist Ian Hill formed an early version of the band. By 1973, the lineup solidified with guitarist K.K. Downing, drummer John Hinch, and the arrival of Rob Halford on vocals. Soon after, Glenn Tipton joined from the band “The Flying Hat Band”, bringing a more progressive writing style and the twin-guitar element that would define their sound. Several songs on “Rocka Rolla” still bore the fingerprints of Atkins, who had been the band’s previous frontman, showing the transitional nature of this record. Recording sessions took place in June and July 1974 at "Island", "Trident", and "Olympic" Studios in London. The album was produced by Rodger Bain, who had already established his name producing the first three “Black Sabbath” albums and the first two from “Budgie”. Bain’s influence was enormous: he rejected many of Tipton’s compositions, allowing his contributions only on the title track “Rocka Rolla” and “Run of the Mill”. Songs like “Tyrant”, “Epitaph”, and “The Ripper” were all dismissed as “not commercial enough,” as was the early stage favorite “Whiskey Woman”. That track, reshaped with Tipton’s input, eventually became “Victim of Changes”, one of the crown jewels of their follow-up “Sad Wings of Destiny”. This makes “Rocka Rolla” unique as both an introduction and a document of what could have been, sculpted heavily by the producer’s hand. Musically, the record is rooted in blues-rock with progressive overtones. The title track “Rocka Rolla” is a catchy, riff-driven cut that hints at the dual-guitar firepower still to come, with Halford playing the harmonica. “Run of the Mill” is an ambitious eight-minute ballad that allowed Halford’s voice to soar into operatic heights, an early showcase of the vocal power that would redefine heavy metal singing. Tipton shows his rare synthesizer playing that will be missing from the band's subsequent albums. “Never Satisfied” stands out with a darker, heavier edge and would remain in their live setlists decades later. The album closes with “Caviar and Meths”, an atmospheric instrumental fragment of what was originally a 14-minute piece cut down drastically by Bain. Other songs, like “One for the Road” and the multi-part "Winter" suite, reveal a band experimenting restlessly with style, not yet locked into the metallic precision they would soon pioneer. Upon its release, “Rocka Rolla” was a commercial failure, selling only a few thousand copies and leaving the band financially stranded. The raw production, recorded live in the studio without overdubs, left the sound thin compared to their vision. Yet within its grooves lie the seeds of greatness, suppressed but not extinguished. Legacy would eventually be kinder. Though overshadowed by later triumphs, this is the only album to feature drummer John Hinch, and it captures the moment when Halford and Tipton first entered the fold. In 2024, for its 50th anniversary, the band reclaimed the rights and commissioned a full remix by longtime producer Tom Allom, finally giving the record the sonic weight it always deserved. Rocka Rolla” is rough and uneven, but essential as a historical artifact. It shows “Judas Priest” standing at the crossroads between their bluesy origins and the groundbreaking heavy metal sound they were about to unleash on “Sad Wings of Destiny”. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Today we will tell you about the well-known Irish singer and songwriter Dolores O'Riordan from "The Cranberries": (Photo: XAVI TORRENT) 1. She was born in Ireland on September 6, 1971, and she died on January 15, 2018. 2. She is the youngest of 7 brothers and sisters. 3. She attended a religious school and already at the age of 7 the school staff recognized her singing talent. At age 12, she stood on one of the school desks and loudly announced her name and intentions to be a rock star. 4. From the age of 8 to 12, she was sexually abused by an acquaintance whose identity is still unknown. The song "Fee Fi Fo" from the band's fourth album talks about the subject. 5. During the 6 years she attended Laurel Hill School she played the piano almost every day in the school hallway with the other students sitting around her. 6. At the age of 17 she learned to play the guitar and replaced the piano performances at school, with the guitar, performing alone in front of everyone. (Photo: DONNA SANTISI) 7. Dolores mother pressured her to become a nun or go on to academic studies but Dolores wanted to be a singer and at the age of 18 she ran away from home with her partner and lived for almost a year and a half in utter poverty to pursue her dream. 8. In 1989 a band called "The Cranberry Saw Us" in the same city of Dolores was looking for a lead singer. Since the band's lead singer, Kevin, decided he was leaving, and he knew Dolores he offered her the role. 9. Dolores came to the audition and took an instrumental tape of the band's materials and after a short time came back with lyrics and vocals. When she sang the song "Linger" she amazed the band members and immediately got the role. (Photo: The Cranberries) 10. The band consisted of Mike Hogan on bass, Noel Hogan on guitar, drummer Fergal Lawler, and Dolores. Immediately after that, the band changed its name to "The Cranberry" and released an EP with three songs called "Nothing Left At All". 11. The demo is what created the band's spark and gave it great exposure in the music industry and radio stations in the UK. 12. The Cranberries' first album was released in 1993 and was called "Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?" It was written by Dolores and Mike. The album reached number one in the UK and Ireland. 13. The second album "No Need to Argue" was released in 1994 and was the band's most successful album with the band's most famous song "Zombie". A year later the band broke the Irish band's sales record in the US since the U2 band's success. 14. The third album "To the Faithful Departed" was released in 1996 and as its name implies, it was dedicated to two important people in the band. One is their manager from the beginning Denny Cordell and the other is Dolores' grandfather, both of whom passed away that year. 15. The band's fourth album "Bury the Hatchet" was released in 1999 and reflected Dolores' past experiences in the three years prior to the album, the birth of her first son, and dealing with the effects of stress and anxiety. 16. The fifth album "Wake Up and Smell the Coffee" released in 2001 was the last before the band took a break/farewell that lasted until 2009. (Photo: Jess Baumung) 17. In 2004 Dolores participated in the soundtrack of the Italian film "Evilenko" in which she wrote and recorded a number of songs. 18. Dolores was invited and performed several times during the period in Vatican concerts and met with 2 different popes. 19. In 2007 Dolores released her first solo album "Are You Listening?" And went on a tour to promote the album in clubs and small halls in Europe and the USA. 20. Dolores' second album "No Baggage" was released in 2009. Although it won the EBBA Award for Artists Who Break Through the Boundaries of Their Country, her solo albums were not a great success, neither in the UK nor in Ireland. 21. On January 21, 2009, Dolores received a Medal of Honor from the Philosophical Society (Trinity College, Dublin) and invited the "Cranberries" to perform at the ceremony. 22. This performance began with a string of reunion performances by the band, including a special performance in their hometown of Limerick that took place 15 years after their last appearance there. 23. In 2012, 10 years after the band's last album, she released her sixth album "Roses". Although 18 songs were recorded for the album, only 11 of them were released on the album. 24. In 2014 Dolores joined DJ Olé Koretsky and bassist Smith Andy Rourke and together they formed the alternative band D.A.R.K. They released a single album in 2016 called "Science Agrees". 25. In 2017 "The Cranberries" released a special acoustic album recorded with the Irish Chamber Orchestra and included 10 old songs of the band in acoustic performance and another 3 new songs. 26. The band announced a special tour to support the album which included accompaniment by a live orchestra but immediately upon the start of the tour it was discontinued due to medical issues which Dolores contracted. 27. Several months later, on 15 January 2018, Dolores was found dead in a hotel in London. The cause of death determined was drowning in the bath as a result of intoxication. 28. After Dolores' death, the band decided to take the material recorded before her death and release their latest album with it. In April 2019, the band's last album was released called "In the End", the last song on the album bears the name of the album and symbolizes the band's end. 30. In her last years Dolores suffered from bipolar disorder, anorexia, and severe back problems that affected her ability to live a normal life and also her ability to sing. Listen to the band's latest album on: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Written By: Moti Kupfer Release date - 05.09.2005 In mid-August 2004, "The Rolling Stones" drummer Charlie Watts announced that he had throat cancer. His bandmates received the news with shock. In the period leading up to it, in a process that had been developing slowly, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger would arrive at the studio with different song ideas, after beginning the creative process from a distance. Charlie Watts' diagnosis changed all of that. They realized they might not have all the time in the world. Keith Richards told Billboard in 2005 that suddenly he and Mick looked at each other and thought they might end up as the only two remaining founding members of the band. They thought about it, but did not talk about it. As a result, "The Rolling Stones" gathered about two months after Watts' diagnosis and began recording their 22nd studio album according to the British catalog, "A Bigger Bang", released on September 5, 2005. It would become the last "Rolling Stones" studio album of newly written original material recorded entirely with Watts. It was also their first studio album in eight years, since "Bridges to Babylon". The sudden sense of urgency changed their working habits. After years of becoming accustomed to working remotely, Jagger and Richards returned to working closely together. They wrote and performed the album demos by themselves. Both Jagger and Richards played bass guitar, and Jagger even played several drum parts. Their only rule was to keep things simple. Left on their own, Jagger and Richards rediscovered their musical partnership, that special point of connection that originally drove "The Rolling Stones" to greatness. The Glimmer Twins were back in a big way. Richards said in an interview with CBS that, for him, and he believed for Mick as well, the closer they worked together, the better it became. He added that after "Exile On Main Street" they had become used to writing songs while 3,000 miles apart, and thought that would be their method from then on, but this time proved them wrong. Eventually Watts returned, and his rhythm tracks, cleverly arranged, largely completed the album. Ron Wood added some slide guitar, but the music remained simple and recalled the great days of "The Rolling Stones" in the sixties and seventies. Jagger and Richards also wanted minimal outside interference when it came to musicians. Apart from Darryl Jones on bass, Chuck Leavell on keyboards and multi-instrumentalist Matt Clifford, most of the basic tracks were recorded by Jagger-Richards-Watts. The main key to the album's success, including on the charts where it reached No. 3 in the US and No. 2 in the UK, was the way it was built around the spark created when Keith's guitar and Charlie's drums lock into the groove. There may never have been another team capable of driving a band as efficiently as those two, but in much of their work after the seventies that magic tended to disappear somewhat into the mix. On hard-rocking songs such as "It Won't Take Long" and the single "Rough Justice", "The Rolling Stones" reclaim the title of the greatest rock and roll band in the world, rather than merely the greatest live band on the planet. Mick and Keith always said they wanted to grow old like the bluesmen they admired, and on "A Bigger Bang" they finally understand how that is supposed to happen. Lyrically, Jagger returns throughout much of the album to the pattern of the cheating man and the betrayed man, because with him there have always been two sides to the coin. Six years had passed since the highly publicized separation between Mick Jagger and his former partner Jerry Hall, the mother of four of his children, and Mick did not miss the opportunity. The first three songs on this long and packed 16-track album, "Rough Justice", "Let Me Down Slow" and "It Won't Take Long", were written about women and love from several perspectives. On the funky "Rain Fall Down", Jagger, almost like a prophet of doom, looks at London with concern about what lies ahead. He said that the feeling of living in a battleground, with everyone on edge, was already in his head. Jagger explained that there were so many armed police in the streets, that walking around and seeing machine guns was not how he imagined London, and that if things continued down that path there might be no way back to what it had been. The song reflects Jagger's discomfort with contemporary society, especially in London, which he imagines as a battleground marked by growing militarization and a sense of social decline and possible collapse, symbolized by peeling paint and brown skies. The lyrics convey a bleak outlook, criticize corrupt bankers and express concern about humanity moving away from its original values because of sweeping imperialism and social problems. On "Streets of Love", Jagger returns to reflecting on his broken heart. He admits that his heart has been broken, that the truth is sad and that he himself behaved badly. These words immediately reveal the song as a sincere apology from a former lover who regrets his past behavior. The imagery in the song is filled with sorrow and anxiety, reflecting the speaker's deep regret and emotional turmoil as he deals with the consequences of his actions. When Mick Jagger wrote these words, he may have been reflecting on his turbulent relationship with Jerry Hall, which ended in 1999, largely against the background of his repeated infidelities. On the blues song "Back of My Hand", Keith Richards recalled sleeping downstairs while the studio was upstairs. One night he thought he was hearing an old Muddy Waters song he did not know, but it turned out to be Mick working on a part for "Back of My Hand". The song has the heavy, slow atmosphere of blues forefathers such as Lead Belly and Bukka White, artists closely associated with prison songs and the harsh discipline of incarceration. It also contains one of the familiar blues characters, the street-corner preacher announcing that trouble is coming and hearing a sad tune he can read like the back of his hand. Mick Jagger plays slide guitar here. Jagger continues to write about women and relationships from the position of a vulnerable and weakened man on "She Saw Me Coming", "Biggest Mistake" and "Laugh, I Nearly Died". In between, Keith Richards also indulges in writing a love song for his wife Patti Hansen on "This Place Is Empty". One evening, while alone at their home in Weston, Connecticut, with Patti away, Richards found himself surrounded by a deep sense of loneliness. That melancholy mood led him to create the gentle melody and touching lyrics about the place being empty without her and about neither of them wanting to be alone. Richards may have drawn inspiration from popular Broadway and classic American songwriters such as Hoagy Carmichael and Cole Porter when writing the song's delicate notes. The harmonies in this soft Keith Richards ballad are quite distinctive, combining elements of blues, jazz and country, while Richards' voice carries a rough quality that at times recalls Tom Waits. The album breaks away from its recurring man-woman themes on "Dangerous Beauty", a song written about Private Lynndie England and the Abu Ghraib prison abuse scandal in Iraq. After the fall of Saddam Hussein, Abu Ghraib was used by American forces in Iraq. Guards abused prisoners in 2003, and the photographs became public in 2004. England appeared in several of the images and became involved in the scandal. She was sentenced to three years in military prison. On "Sweet Neo Con", "The Rolling Stones" take a political position against the George W. Bush administration and neoconservatism. The song also deals with the Iraq War, Halliburton and gasoline prices. After the album was released there was concern that sponsors of "The Rolling Stones" might abandon them because of the political stance, but there were no significant consequences. Jagger continues to express his feelings, whether about himself, the country or the band, and everyone can interpret it differently, on "Driving Too Fast". A car races at top speed in the middle of a violent storm outside. When Jagger sings, there is more happening here than the possibility of a crash. There is also a message that too many roads lead nowhere. The album cover shows the band members huddled together beneath an explosion of light, their faces illuminated from below. The photograph was taken by Nick Knight and designed by Michael Nash Associates. It has been described as revealing and slightly frightening, with the band members' faces resembling shrunken apple heads. The design also includes a separate and different image of the band at the bottom of the cover, creating a layered and somewhat mysterious composition. By coincidence, a little less than two years after the release of "A Bigger Bang", a new American television series called "The Big Bang Theory" debuted. The series, whose main characters Sheldon Cooper and Leonard Hofstadter are physicists at the California Institute of Technology, became a major success. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

He is one of the greatest singers in the history of music, but he passed away too early and he is only 45 years old. (Photo: Popperfoto) Here are some facts about the legendary singer Freddie Mercury: 1. He was born on September 5, 1946, as Farrokh Bulsara in Stone Town, Zanzibar, now part of Tanzania. 2. His parents, Bomi and Jer Bulsara, were Parsis, members of India's Zoroastrian community whose roots trace back to Persia. Mercury was raised in the Zoroastrian faith, one of the world's oldest religions. 3. He spent much of his childhood in Zanzibar and India. In 1964, at the age of 17, the Bulsara family fled to England following the violent Zanzibar Revolution, during which thousands were killed and many members of the island's Asian minority were forced to leave. 4. Mercury was born with four extra teeth, which contributed to his distinctive smile. For years it was claimed that the unusual structure of his mouth contributed to his resonance and vocal range, but there is no scientific proof of that. An acoustic study published in 2016 identified a recorded singing range of 37 semitones, from F#2 to G5, a little over three octaves. 5. At the age of 7, he began learning piano, an instrument that would later become a central part of his songwriting and sound with "Queen". 6. In 1969, he graduated from Ealing College of Art with a diploma in Graphic Art and Design. His visual talent followed him throughout his career and also influenced the way he shaped the image of "Queen". 7. After graduating, he ran a clothing stall at Kensington Market with Roger Taylor and also worked at Heathrow Airport. Heathrow records him as a baggage handler, while English Heritage also notes that he worked washing dishes in the airport kitchens. 8. At the same time, he began building a music career. In August 1969, he joined "Ibex" as lead singer; the band changed its name to "Wreckage" in October. After it broke up, he joined "Sour Milk Sea" in February 1970, but that band also dissolved in April of the same year. 9. One of his greatest heroes and influences was Jimi Hendrix. The singer he admired above all was Aretha Franklin, whom he especially praised for the power, emotion and natural quality of her voice. 10. After Tim Staffell left "Smile" in March 1970, Mercury joined Brian May and Roger Taylor, and from that lineup "Queen" was born. After several bassists passed through the band, John Deacon joined in February 1971 and completed the classic lineup. 11. Freddie was the one who chose the name "Queen". He said he liked it because it sounded regal, strong, universal and immediate, and he was also well aware of the word’s gay connotations. 12. Freddie also designed the famous "Queen Crest". Created around 1972, it incorporates the zodiac signs of all four band members: two lions for Roger Taylor and John Deacon, both Leos; a crab for Brian May, a Cancer; and two fairies for Mercury, a Virgo. At the center is a crowned Q, topped by a phoenix. 13. In 1970, around the time "Queen" was formed, Fred Bulsara began using the name Freddie Mercury, which became his permanent stage name. 14. On November 23, 1991, Mercury issued a public statement confirming that he had AIDS. The following day, November 24, he died at his home, Garden Lodge, at the age of 45. 15. His funeral was held on November 27, 1991, in a private ceremony conducted by two Zoroastrian priests. His coffin entered the chapel to Aretha Franklin's performances of "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" and "You've Got a Friend", and the service ended with a Verdi aria performed by Montserrat Caballé. 16. Mercury recorded "The Show Must Go On" when his health had already deteriorated severely and he was struggling even to stand. Brian May worried that the high notes might be too difficult for him, but Mercury drank a few shots of vodka, declared that he would do it and stepped up to the microphone. According to May, he recorded three or four takes and delivered one of the most powerful vocal performances of his career. 17. Mercury's final video appearance was filmed on May 30, 1991, for "These Are The Days Of Our Lives" from the album "Innuendo". His condition was already very serious and he had difficulty walking, so the video was shot in black and white. At the end, he looks directly into the camera and says, "I still love you", his final words captured on film. 18. Mercury left Mary Austin his Garden Lodge home and its contents, 50% of his estate and 50% of his future royalties. For years, "Love of My Life" was widely regarded as a song inspired by their relationship, and even the official "Queen" website described it that way. However, in a 2026 interview Austin herself said she was not certain that the song had actually been written about her. 19. The final vocal Mercury recorded in the studio was for "Mother Love", co-written with Brian May and recorded at Mountain Studios in Montreux between May 13 and 16, 1991. Mercury recorded most of the song, but when he reached the final verse he said he was not feeling well and would finish it next time. He never returned to the studio, and May later recorded the missing verse. The song was included on the 1995 album "Made in Heaven". 20. "A Winter's Tale" is regarded as the final song Mercury wrote and composed entirely by himself. He wrote it in Montreux while looking out over Lake Geneva and the surrounding mountains, and also played keyboards on it. His vocal was recorded in May 1991, months before his death, not two weeks before it as was often repeated. After his death, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon completed the arrangement, and the song appeared on "Made in Heaven". 21. As a child, Mercury was an avid stamp collector. He built most of the collection between the ages of 9 and 12, and the 54-page album already reveals his artistic eye, with stamps arranged by color, symmetry and shape. In 1993, the album was purchased at auction for the National Postal Museum, now The Postal Museum, with proceeds going to the Mercury Phoenix Trust. It has since been displayed in exhibitions in Britain and abroad. 22. Mercury wrote "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" in 1979 while taking a bath at the Bayerischer Hof hotel in Munich. According to Roger Taylor, he wrote it in around ten minutes and even asked for a guitar to be brought in so he could finish the idea. Brian May described it as Mercury’s tribute to Elvis Presley. It became "Queen"'s first single to reach No. 1 in the United States. 23. In 2008, "Rolling Stone" ranked Mercury No. 18 on its list of the "100 Greatest Singers of All Time". A year later, in 2009, he was ranked No. 1 in the British magazine "Classic Rock" poll of the "50 Greatest Singers in Rock". 24. Mercury was a devoted cat lover and treated his cats almost like children. While touring, he would call home and ask for the phone to be held up to them so he could "talk" to them. He dedicated his 1985 debut solo album "Mr. Bad Guy" in part to his cats Jerry, Tom, Oscar and Tiffany, and to cat lovers everywhere. Delilah was considered his favorite, and he wrote "Delilah" about her for the album "Innuendo". 25. According to actress Cleo Rocos, one evening in the late 1980s she, Mercury, comedian Kenny Everett and Princess Diana spent time together. When Diana wanted to join them at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, a famous gay pub in London, they dressed her in an army jacket, leather cap and sunglasses so she would not be recognized. The story is based primarily on Rocos's account and has become one of the best-known anecdotes linking Mercury and Diana. 26. Mercury repeatedly refused to give a definitive explanation of "Bohemian Rhapsody" from the album "A Night At The Opera", preferring listeners to interpret it for themselves. His friend, broadcaster Kenny Everett, said Mercury privately described the lyrics to him as rhyming nonsense, but Brian May and Roger Taylor have said Mercury kept the real meaning to himself and never explained it to them. 27. Roger Daltrey, lead singer of "The Who", described Mercury as the greatest virtuoso rock 'n' roll singer of all time, saying he could sing almost anything in any style and even change the character of his voice from line to line. 28. In 1983, Mercury and Michael Jackson recorded three songs together: "There Must Be More to Life Than This", "State of Shock" and "Victory". The collaboration was never completed. According to "Queen" manager Jim Beach, at one point Mercury asked to be taken out of the studio because Jackson had brought his llama inside. "State of Shock" was later recorded by Jackson with Mick Jagger, while Mercury and Jackson's duet version of "There Must Be More to Life Than This" was officially released only in 2014 on "Queen Forever". "Victory" remains officially unreleased. 29. Kurt Cobain mentioned Freddie Mercury in the note he left before his death. Cobain wrote about his own difficulty enjoying the adoration of an audience, contrasting himself with Mercury, whom he saw as someone who genuinely seemed to enjoy the love and worship of the crowd, a quality Cobain said he admired and envied. 30. On September 1, 2016, English Heritage unveiled a blue plaque honoring Mercury at 22 Gladstone Avenue in Feltham, the first home the Bulsara family lived in after arriving in England. The plaque was unveiled by his sister Kashmira Cooke and Brian May, just days before what would have been Mercury's 70th birthday. 31. Mercury died on November 24, 1991, at the age of 45. On the very same day, Eric Carr, drummer of "KISS", also died at the age of 41. Carr had been battling a rare form of heart cancer and died from complications related to the disease. 32. On April 20, 1992, "The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for AIDS Awareness" was held at Wembley Stadium. All 72,000 tickets sold out within six hours, before the full lineup had even been announced. Joining Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon on stage were artists including David Bowie, George Michael, Elton John, Robert Plant, Roger Daltrey, Metallica, Guns N' Roses, Def Leppard and Annie Lennox. According to the official "Queen" archive, the concert was broadcast to 76 countries and watched by more than one billion people. Proceeds went to the Mercury Phoenix Trust, created to fight HIV/AIDS. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Here are some interesting facts about Scottish singer-songwriter and folk-rock musician - Al Stewart: (Photo: Fanart.TV) = He was born Alastair Ian Stewart on September 5, 1945, in Glasgow, Scotland. = He moved to Wimborne, Dorset, England, with his mother after his father died in a 1945 plane crash. = Stewart attended Wycliffe College, Gloucestershire, as a boarder. = At age 19, Stewart moved to London, pursuing a career in music. = In 1965, he performed at "Bunjies" Coffee House and became MC at "Les Cousins" folk club, where he shared the stage with Paul Simon and Cat Stevens. = Paul Simon became a mentor and a friend to Stewart during Simon's time in London in 1965, while he was separated from his musical partner Art Garfunkel. = Stewart's first recording was on Jackson C. Frank's debut album from 1965, playing guitar on "Yellow Walls". = Stewart's first single, "The Elf," was released in 1966, featuring guitar work from Jimmy Page. = His debut album, "Bedsitter Images", was released in 1967, showcasing his early folk style. It had an ambitious production, including a 35-piece orchestra. = On November 3, 1967, Stewart performed at the Royal Festival Hall, London, marking his transition from small folk clubs to larger venues. = Stewart’s 1969 album "Love Chronicles" featured the first use of the F-word on a mainstream album and had contributions from members of "Fairport Convention" under pseudonyms, Jimmy Page and Richard Thompson. = In 1970, Stewart performed at the inaugural Glastonbury Festival. = Stewart's third album, "Zero She Flies", was released in 1970, marking his first chart success in the UK. = Stewart released "Orange" in 1972. It was written after a tumultuous breakup with his girlfriend and muse, Mandi, and was very much a transitional album, including "The News from Spain" with its progressive rock overtones featuring Rick Wakeman on piano. = His 1973 album, "Past, Present and Future", marked the beginning of his focus on historical themes and included "Nostradamus," which gained popularity on US radio. = Stewart's "Modern Times" (1975) was his first collaboration with producer Alan Parsons and featured the hit "Carol." = In 1976, Stewart achieved international success with "Year of the Cat", which reached No. 5 on the Billboard 200. = The title track from "Year of the Cat" became his most famous song, reaching No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100. = Stewart followed up with "Time Passages" (1978), another platinum album, featuring the hit title track, which peaked at No. 7 in the U.S. = In 1980, Stewart released "24 Carrots", which included the hit single "Midnight Rocks" (No. 24 US). = Stewart released the politically themed album "Russians and Americans" in 1984, reflecting Cold War tensions. = In 1993, Stewart dedicated his album "Famous Last Words" to his late collaborator Peter Wood. = Stewart collaborated with former "Wings" guitarist Laurence Juber on the concept album "Between the Wars" (1995), focusing on major historical events between 1918 and 1939. = In 2000, he released "Down in the Cellar," an album themed around wine. = Stewart's 2005 album, "A Beach Full of Shells", continued his storytelling tradition, with songs about historical figures and events. = In 2008, he released "Sparks of Ancient Light", which included songs about William McKinley and Hanno the Navigator. = Stewart and guitarist Dave Nachmanoff released the live album "Uncorked" in 2009. = In 2010, Stewart performed at the Glastonbury Festival's 40th anniversary. = In 2017, Stewart received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. = Stewart has released 16 studio and three live albums and workes with many artists such: Peter White, Alan Parsons, Jimmy Page, Richard Thompson, Rick Wakeman, Francis Monkman, Tori Amos, Tim Renwick, Dave Nachmanoff Laurence Juber and more. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On September 4, 2015, "Iron Maiden" released their 16th album - "The Book of Souls". What was not said about this album? A grandiose, bombastic, most ambitious, the first double album of "Iron Maiden"'s career, It is all right! But if you peel the layers from each song one by one, you will find that it is not much different from what the band has done in recent years. Here you will find biting and kicking tracks reminiscent of "Be Quick or Be Dead", sweeping, "bold" and "brave" moments that will correspond with "Brave New World", dark and gloomy songs in the atmosphere of "The X Factor" and of course epic and grandiose works in the magnitude of "Rime of the Ancient Mariner ". When "The Book of Souls" was released, it marked the longest interval between any two "Iron Maiden" albums, arriving five years after "The Final Frontier". Many assume the extended gap was due to the album's length or Bruce Dickinson's cancerous tumor. However, this wasn't the case! Despite being the band's longest album, featuring 92 minutes of music and the longest track ever at over 18 minutes, it was one of the quickest to be written and recorded. The album was ready by the end of 2014 and was fully recorded before singer Bruce Dickinson was diagnosed with a throat tumor. Its release was postponed from December 2014 to September 2015 to allow Bruce time to recover from surgery. The reason this lengthy and grandiose album was written and recorded in such a short span (around three months) likely stems from the band's new working methods. Unlike their previous albums, this time the band members composed the songs in the studio, rehearsed, and recorded them on the spot, spontaneously, with minimal repetitions and corrections. This approach also lent most of the songs a "live recording" feel. This is probably why the album ended up being so lengthy. Bruce Dickinson mentioned that after completing six songs, he told Steve Harris that if they didn’t stop, it would become a double album. Ultimately, the band agreed that each song was essential to the album, and if it needed to be a double album, then so be it! The album's grandeur is evident from the very first track. "If Eternity Should Fail" is an intricate and lengthy piece, exceeding 8 minutes, with a style and essence typically found in the epic finales of the band's albums, not at the beginning. This track was originally intended for Bruce Dickinson's solo album, and he started composing it with guitarist and producer Roy Z, who collaborated with him during his solo career. Bruce composed the keyboard parts for the song in Roy Z.'s bedroom. He mentioned that the band took his demo and developed it further. Right after that is the quick and intense "Speed of Light" penned by Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith, concluding a pair of tracks that Bruce had a hand in writing right at the album's start. This hasn't occurred since “Powerslave” and highlights Dickinson's remarkable influence on this album, which we will discuss further later. The song, in its ambiance, evokes "Be Quick or Be Dead" from the album "Fear Of The Dark". It is also the first single from the album to be released with an impressive video clip, serving as a tribute to four decades of gaming and video games. Adrian Smith mentioned that the song emerged from his renewed exploration of the pentatonic scale. He began experimenting with it on his guitar, creating various versions, which are evident in the song. Bruce mentioned that this track serves as a tribute to "Deep Purple," a band that all the members admire. He explained that upon hearing the riff, it instantly reminded him of "Deep Purple's" "Burn," and then he suggested to Adrian that they include a scream in the style of Ian Gillan at the very start of the song. We ease into a slower pace with "The Great Unknown," reminiscent of the opening track "If Eternity Should Fail," and aligned with themes such as good versus evil and life versus death, both of which would seamlessly fit into the album "A Matter of Life and Death". Musically, the song starts with a laid-back vibe that is swiftly disrupted by a "circle of violence." The first verse begins in a calm and serene manner, before bursting into a heavy sound in the following verses, literally portraying a peaceful world that transitions into a violent and malevolent one. By "The Great Unknown," Steve Harris and Adrian Smith allude to death, illustrating how violence corrupts positive traits and allows death to thrive and perpetuate further death. "The Red and the Black" was written by Steve Harris and it opens with his chord passages on bass guitar, until the entry that takes us, in terms of melody and rhythm, directly to 1984, into the arms of the "Rime of the Ancient Mariner". This piece spans over 13 minutes but at the same time is one of the most melodic and catchy tracks on the album. It turns out that the words Harris wrote were not simple for Bruce Dickinson to sing. Harris said that Bruce told him that he could not sing those words and that he did not understand how difficult it was sometimes for a singer to sing a certain sequence of words that did not really roll over the tongue. Harris noted that Bruce is such a great singer and he told him that he was sure he would nail it, as so he did. Next, we come to the fifth track, "When the River Runs Deep," capable of wearing out your car's clutch. The song transitions from rapid verses to slower bridges and choruses, putting strain on your gearbox. However, don't be concerned; what might be tough on your car could be excellent for your body. This track is ideal for running, with well-timed breaks between sprints. The theme song "The Book of Souls" concludes the first album in an epic manner. It begins beautifully with keyboards and acoustic guitar, creating a classic, immediate entrance. The keyboards, imitating strings, enhance the song's "Kashmir" oriental vibe. Bruce's vocals are inspiring, and despite the challenge of hitting high notes—likely due to the cancerous tumor he battled during the album's recording—he consistently demonstrates why he's known as "The Air-Raid Siren." The song's lyrics align with Eddie's character on the album cover, which draws from Mayan culture, emphasizing the belief in the eternal existence of souls even after death. To ensure the authenticity of the album cover's imagery, the band consulted "Mayanist" scholar Simon Martin, who also translated the song titles into hieroglyphics. Although not a concept album, references to souls and life after death are prevalent. Steve Harris, who co-wrote the song with guitarist Janick Gers, told "Classic Rock" magazine that the song was inspired by the intriguing Mayan culture of South America, similar to his interest in ancient Egypt for the album "Powerslave". The Mayans' belief in the "Underworld" and their fear of losing their souls were key elements of the song. Harris also noted that the flowing, fast riff resembles the "Losfer Words" section from "Powerslave", although this time it was written by Janick Gers. The second album kicked off energetically with the rapid "Death or Glory" penned by Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith. This track is among the shortest on the album, featuring a straightforward melody in the verses and an impressive tune in the bridge. Interestingly, the guitar work here somehow evokes a "Thin Lizzy" vibe. "Shadows of the Valley" is a great song that gets a little lost in the musical abundance that this album has to offer and which could easily have been a hit, just in case it was part of one of the band's albums from the nineties for example. The triple-guitar work in this song is noteworthy, especially the spectacular solos given here by all three members: Janick Gers, Adrian Smith, and Dave Murray. The keyboards that accompany Bruce Dickinson's vocals throughout the song add a lot to the song's unique sound. "Tears of a Clown," penned by Smith and Harris, stands as one of the most poignant tributes by "Iron Maiden" throughout their illustrious career. This melancholy track addresses the depression and suicide of actor Robin Williams in 2014. The lyrics serve as a sort of farewell from the band members to him and are arguably the album's finest. It is a straightforward yet deeply personal and touching song. We maintain the melancholic tone with the bluesy solo that opens "The Man of Sorrows", reminiscent of a ballad by "Scorpions". The guitar work by Dave Murray, who co-wrote the song with Harris, is flawless and unparalleled, especially his Legato technique. His playing sets the overall mood of this melancholic track, which directly follows the previous one both musically and lyrically, serving as a bridge leading us to the album's epic conclusion. It's important to clarify that this song is unrelated to Bruce's solo track of the same name from his 1997 album "Accident of Birth". The highlight of this album is the amazing work that completes it. "Empire of the Clouds" is a wild 18-minute piece written exclusively by Bruce Dickinson. The song in which Dickinson also plays the piano for the first time, tells the story of the British airship "R101", which crashed in northern France on October 5, 1930, during its maiden flight. During the recording, Dickinson read the crash report of the R101 and it gave him the idea for the song. He composed the piece on Steinway's grand piano in the studio, inside a soundproof glass box, during the breaks the band took during the recording sessions. According to Adrian Smith, Dickinson worked on the song for about a month on his own and it was a big challenge for the rest of the band members who later had to learn it and follow Dickinson's piano, just from the instructions he gave them along with producer Kevin Shirley. Nicko McBrain is experimenting with a variety of percussions, including a gong to recreate the airship crash. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Talented singer, bassist, guitarist, and songwriter Blackie Lawless celebrates his 65th birthday today. (Photo: Wallpaperflare.com) Steven Edward Duren was born on September 4, 1956. He was raised in the Staten Island area of New York, where he had a Baptist Christian upbringing. Steven has Irish, French, and Indian ancestry, along with Jewish heritage. His initial introduction to the guitar came through his brother, and he received his first guitar at the age of 9. Steven has been influenced by bands like "AC/DC", "Black Sabbath", "The Beatles", "Kiss", and Alice Cooper. The first band he joined was named "The Underside". At 14, he was sent to a military boarding school but was expelled after a year. When he was 16, he became part of the band "Black Rabbit" and later transitioned to "Orfax Rainbow". In 1975, at 18, he took over for guitarist Johnny Thunders in the "New York Dolls" after Thunders left during a tour. Blackie completed the remaining shows in his place. Six months later, he and Arthur Kane left the band, moved to Los Angeles, and formed "Killer Kane", which released one EP. He was then known as Blackie Goozeman. In 1976, he formed the heavy metal band "Sister," which included guitarist Randy Piper, who would later form W.A.S.P. with Blackie. Nikki Sixx later joined the band, but Blackie fired him shortly after, leading Nikki to move on to "Motley Crue". Even at that time, Blackie used gimmicks during performances, such as lighting his boots on stage or eating worms. He formed "W.A.S.P." in 1982 and switched to playing bass guitar during this period. The name W.A.S.P. stood for "White Anglo-Saxon Protestant" but also "We Are Sexual Perverts," which aligned more closely with the band's essence and the concept it aimed to represent at the start of its journey. W.A.S.P. was part of the Shock-Rock genre, and its motto, from the very first single, was to shock and horrify! From its inception and even prior to the release of its debut album, W.A.S.P. faced opposition from conservative groups because of its use of offensive and abusive language, as well as its portrayal of women with disdain and humiliation. The band's music videos frequently featured nude women, and the singer and bassist at the time, Blackie Lawless, was known for wearing leather pants with a chainsaw blade between his legs. The band released its debut album in 1984. Read more about the album here: On their second album "The Last Command", Blackie and W.A.S.P. shifted their musical style slightly towards heavy metal. Following the departure of guitarist Randy Piper from W.A.S.P., Blackie transitioned from bass guitar to guitar. The band's third album, "Inside the Electric Circus," was the first to feature Blackie as the guitarist. To date, Blackie Lawless has released 16 studio albums with the band, with the most recent one in 2015. In 1987, Blackie co-wrote the song "Scream Until You Like It" with W.A.S.P. for the movie "Ghoulies II". In addition to being a musician, Blackie also appeared in films such as "Can't Stop the Music" from 1980. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

The enigmatic lead guitarist of the iconic band "Soundgarden", is more than just a maestro on strings; his journey through music is akin to a sonic rollercoaster intertwined with personal anecdotes that make his story truly unique. (Photo: Mauricio Santana) = He was born in Seattle, Washington on September 4. Growing up in a culturally diverse setting, he cultivated a passion for music at a young age, inspired by his exposure to various genres. = His mother was a music teacher who studied to be a concert pianist at the Royal Academy of Music. His father earned a degree in chemical engineering, received employment in Chicago and moved there with his family. = He learned to play the guitar when he was 12 years old, at that time he also started to write lyrics. = In 1977, he formed his first band "Bozo and the Pinheads", a punk rock band. They did both original songs (written by Thayil) and cover tunes ("Sex Pistols", "Devo", and the "Ramones"). Their first gig was at a school talent show in front of about 500 people. = In 1980 he played guitar in a post-punk band called "Identity Crisis", which released a 7" inch EP called "Pretty Feet". = Thayil met Hiro Yamamoto at Rich East High School. He graduated, along with Hiro, at Rich East High School in 1979, the same school Bruce Pavitt (the founder of Sub-Pop) graduated from 2 years earlier. = He and Yamamoto decided to move to Olympia, Washington, to study at The Evergreen State College, but they were unable to find jobs and decided to move to Seattle. There, Thayil earned money as a DJ for KCMU and earned a degree in philosophy at the University of Washington. (Photo: Wikimedia) = Thayil becomes involved in Seattle’s burgeoning punk and heavy metal scenes. His early influences include bands like "Black Sabbath", "Led Zeppelin", and punk acts such as the "Ramones". = In Seattle the two met with singer/drummer Chris Cornell. Chris and Yamamoto formed a cover band called the "Shemps" which performed around Seattle in 1983. After a while Yamamoto left the band and was replaced by Thayil. Cornell and Yamamoto stayed in contact, and after the "Shemps" broke up Cornell and Yamamoto started jamming together, and were eventually joined by Thayil. = In 1984 the three formed the band "Soundgarden" included Cornell (drums and vocals), Yamamoto (bass), and Thayil (guitar). The band named themselves after a wind-channeling pipe sculpture titled "A Sound Garden". (Photo: Jay Blakesburg) = In 1985 the band enlisted Scott Sundquist on drums to allow Cornell to concentrate on vocals. The band traveled around playing various concerts with this lineup for about a year. = Their first recordings were three songs "Heretic", "Tears to Forget" and "All Your Lies", that appeared on the 1986 compilation album for C/Z Records called "Deep Six". It also featured songs by fellow grunge pioneers "Green River", "Skin Yard", "Malfunkshun", the "U-Men", and the "Melvins". = In 1986, Cornell's then-girlfriend and future wife, Susan Silver started managing "Soundgarden". In the same year, Sundquist left the band to spend time with his family and was replaced by "Skin Yard"'s drummer, Matt Cameron. (Photo: vinylchapters.com) = A "Soundgarden" performance one night impressed KCMU DJ Jonathan Poneman who offered to fund a release by the band, so Thayil suggested he team up with Bruce Pavitt. Poneman offered to contribute $20,000 in funding for Sub Pop, effectively turning it into a full-fledged record label. "Soundgarden" signed to Sub Pop, and the label released "Hunted Down" in 1987 as the band's first single. = Through Sub Pop, the band released the "Screaming Life" EP in 1987, and the "Fopp" EP in 1988, and a combination of the two, "Screaming Life/Fopp", in 1990. These EPs created a very big buzz around the band and it became very popular in Seattle. = Thayil became acclaimed for his guitar work, which was typically characterized by heavy riffing, and was cited among other grunge guitarists as an influence and a pioneer of the "Seattle Sound." = In 1988 the band signed with the label "SST Records" and released their debut album "Ultramega OK", the album created huge exposure for the band and even a nomination for a Grammy Award. As a result, "Soundgarden" was signed with the big label "A&M Records" and became the first band from the grunge scene in Seattle to sign a record deal with a big label. = In 1989 the band released their second album "Louder Than Love". On this album, "Soundgarden" first introduced its special time signature (a rhythm that is not arranged in 4 regular bars) and took it one step further toward metal. This is their first album to enter the Billboard 200 and this is also Hiro's last album with the band replaced by bassist Ben Shepherd. = In 1991 when the grunge scene became huge in the US and just before it broke into the rest of the world, the band released their third album "Badmotorfinger". With singles like "Jesus Christ Pose", "Outshined" and "Rusty Cage" and a Grammy nomination, the album became one of the most successful. The band became known for popularizing grunge music and setting the stage for the success of their next album. = In 1994 the band released their fourth album "Superunknown". It's considered the band's most successful album, reaching number one on the Billboard 200 and producing singles such as "Spoonman", "The Day I Tried to Live", "Black Hole Sun", and "My Wave" and "Fell on Black Days". The album was nominated for three Grammy Awards and won two. The album was a critical and commercial success, solidifying Thayil’s reputation as a leading guitarist in the grunge scene. = In 1996 the band released their fifth album "Down On the Upside". On this album, the band moved away from their grunge roots and experimented with other musical genres, with less powerful riffs and the additions of instruments with acoustic sounds. The album did not succeed like its predecessor. It produced singles such as: "Pretty Noose", "Burden in My Hand", "Blow Up the Outside World" and "Ty Cobb/Rhinosaur". (Photo: soundgardenworld.com) = Thayil joined singer Johnny Cash, bassist Krist Novoselic of "Nirvana" and drummer Sean Kinney of "Alice in Chains" for a cover of Willie Nelson's "Time of the Preacher", featured on the tribute album Twisted Willie, released in January 1996. = After the tour to promote the album "Down On the Upside", disagreements began between the band members, especially between Cornell and Thayil. Cornell wanted to keep moving from the heavy reefs and distortion to other directions and Thayil opposed the idea. By 1997 it was no longer possible to bridge the gaps and one of the five big bands of the grunge disbanded. = In 1999, Thayil formed a punk band, named "No WTO Combo", with Jello Biafra ("Dead Kennedys"), Krist Novoselic ("Nirvana"), and Gina Mainwal ("Sweet 75"). The band was formed to celebrate and further the rampant protest activity against the WTO Ministerial Conference of 1999, which was held on November 30, 1999. This was Thayil's first live concert since the breakup of "Soundgarden". The show was recorded by Mark Cavener and mixed by "Soundgarden" producer Jack Endino; it was released as the album "Live from the Battle in Seattle" in May 2000. = In the same year he collaborates with Chris Cornell on the latter’s solo album "Euphoria Morning", contributing to the song “Can’t Change Me.” = In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine named Thayil number 100 on the list of the "100 greatest guitarists of all time" = In 2004, Thayil played guitar for "Probot", Dave Grohl's heavy metal side-project. He was featured on the songs "Ice Cold Man" and "Sweet Dreams." = In 2006 he collaborated with Japanese experimental music group "Boris" and American drone metal band "Sunn O)))" on the album "Altar". = In 2009, Thayil played with Matt Cameron and Ben Shepherd at a show in Seattle at the Crocodile Cafe that was headlined by Tom Morello's "The Nightwatchman". It was the first time the three had played together in public since the band's 1997 breakup. = In 2010 after 12 years of hiatus "Soundgarden" returned and reunited. The first song to come out after the reunion was "Live to Rise" which was recorded in 2012 specifically for the movie "The Avengers". This is not the only song Cornell wrote for a movie/tv series. = At the close of 2012, "Soundgarden" released their sixth and last album, "King Animal," 16 years after their fifth album. The album produced three singles: "Been Away Too Long," "By Crooked Steps," and "Halfway There." The band members unanimously agreed that this album felt like a direct continuation of "Down The Upside," as if only a year or two had elapsed since its release. = A seventh album was scheduled for release, however, following Cornell's passing, the band opted to disband. There is uncertainty surrounding the status of the seventh album, as the band members are working on completing the recordings with Cornell's vocals, but they are facing delays. At present, it remains unclear whether or when the album will be released. = In 2018 Thayil joined "MC50", a 50th-anniversary tour for "MC5", as a touring guitarist. = In 2020, Thayil played guitar solos on the song "The Firebird" for the jazz fusion band, the "Barret Martin Group". = In 2021, Thayil played lead guitar and Matt Cameron played drums for a track, "Only Love Can Save Me Now", on "The Pretty Reckless" album "Death By Rock And Roll". = In December 2020, Thayil, Novoselic, Jennifer Johnson, Jillian Raye, Jeff Fielder and Ben Smith performed the song "Drone" at the Seattle Museum of Pop Culture's tribute to "Alice in Chains". = In 2021, Thayil appeared on "Mastodon's" double album "Hushed and Grim", playing lead guitar on the track "Had It All." = In 2021, Thayil, along with Cameron, Novoselic, guitarist Bubba Dupree, and vocalists Jennifer Johnson and Jillian Raye, formed the group "3rd Secret". Their self-titled debut album, which they recorded with producer Jack Endino, was released in April 2022. The group also performed at the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle. = Thayil keeps collaborating with many different artists in many different spectrums of music and we are sure we will keep hearing his music or his influences. = One thing is for sure, we will never, never ever forget the sound of his guitar distorted humming keep loudly shredding the Bloomfield Stadium in Tel-Aviv in 2014. His guitar echo still resonates in our heads even today. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

He's mostly known as part of the "Rage Quartet" but he is much more than that. Here are some facts about the mighty drummer Brad Wilk: (Photo: Chris Tuite) 1. He was born in Portland, Oregon USA on September 5, 1968. His full name is Bradley Joseph Wilk 2. He started playing drums when he was 11 and was influenced by drummers like: John Bonham, Keith Moon, and Elvin Jones 3. In 1989, a guy named Tom Morello formed the band "Lock Up" with guitarist Mike Livingston, bassist Kevin Wood, singer Brian Grillo, and drummer Vince Ostertag. Brad came to auditions for that band but despite Morello's good impression, he was not accepted. The band released one album that failed commercially and broke up. 4. In 1990, Brad along with Paul Plagnes, Kyle Baer, and Josh Gordon formed the Hard Rock band "Greta". Brad left the band after a year because... 5. In 1991 Morello decided to form a new band, he added Zack de la Rocha from whom he was impressed after seeing him perform, and added Brad whom he knew from the auditions in which he participated in his previous band. They were looking for a bassist and Zack suggested his childhood friend Tim Commerford. The quartet gave itself the name "Rage Against The Machine". (Photo: Rage Against The Machine) 6. The band we call "Rage Quartet", recorded 12 songs on a tape that bore the band's name, and tried to get themselves a contract with a big record company. By the way, not all the songs from the tape will be released on the band's debut album. 7. After the tape "toured" in several offices and the band performed many times at various clubs in Los Angeles for a year, the quartet signed a record deal with "Epic Records" which was the only label that agreed to all of the band's terms. 8. In 1992, "Rage" released their debut album bearing the band's name. The album was widely played on radio stations when the first single from it "Killing in the Name" broke the charts. The album itself reached number one on the Billboard charts and number 45 on the Billboard 200. Just as in the photo on the cover of the album, "Rage" shocked the world of music. 9. Despite many rumors about the breakup of the "Rage Quartet", they released their second album "Evil Empire" in 1996. The album was a huge success and won first place on the Billboard 200, the band appeared with the song "Bulls on Parade" - the album's second single, on the SNL show and caused a great provocation in what was called the "SNL Flags Incident". 10. In 1999, the Quartet released their third album, "The Battle of Los Angeles". Here too the album won first place in the Billboard 200, but in addition, it also gave the band a Grammy nomination for the Best Rock Album category. The album also entered Rolling Stone's all-time top 500 albums. This is the band's last studio album. 11. In 2000, the band filmed the famous music video for the song "Sleep Now in the Fire" filmed on the sidewalk at the entrance to the New York Stock Exchange. The clip is directed by the famous director Michael Moore who gave them the only instruction, "No matter what happens don't stop playing". The quartet and Moore were arrested during the filming of the clip after they also tried to break into the stock exchange, they managed to stop the stock exchange from operating for several hours, a rare event! 12. Although the band officially disbanded in October 2000 after Zack decided to leave them, they released their cover album "Renegades", two months later. On the album, they pay tribute to Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Minor Threat, Eric B. & Rakim, EPMD, MC5, The Rolling Stones, Cypress Hill, and Devo. 13. After the breakup of "Rage", the remaining trio decided to try to form a new band and look for a replacement for singer Zack. Tim called him a "crossroads angel", Rick Rubin, recognized that the trio had huge potential (not really hard to spot), supported them, and pushed them to go for group therapy. Robin is also the one who invited Chris Cornell to his studio with the trio because he was sure it would be a heavenly pairing, and indeed it was !! (Photo: Interscope) 14. In 2002, the new quartet, now supergroup, which bears the name "Audioslave" released their debut album. The combination of Chris and the three "Rage" members was just huge, a deadly combination of talented musicians with a singer with a tremendous, exciting, and rough voice. The singles "Cochise", "Show Me How to Live", "What You Are", "Like a Stone" and "I Am the Highway" were released from the album. 15. In 2005 "Audioslave" released its second album "Out of Exile". This is the band's only album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 and also earned the band its second Grammy nomination. The singles "Be Yourself", "Your Time Has Come", "Doesn't Remind Me" and "Out of Exile" were released from this album. 16. On May 6, 2005, the band held its historic performance in Cuba. The Supergroup became the first American rock band in history to receive approval to perform live in Cuba. The event was filmed and released on DVD in October 2005 and later on an album. (Photo: illinoisentertainer.com) 17. In 2006, the supergroup's third and final album called “Revelations”. The album reached # 2 on the Billboard 200. After that, the supergroup officially disbanded as a result of artistic disagreements. 18. In 2007 the "Rage" Quartet (which included Zack) returned for a "one-off" performance at the Coachella Music Festival. Luckily in the end the show was not a one-off and the band continued their performances at major festivals over the years until 2020 !! 19. In 2013 Brad recorded the drums parts on the album "13" by the band "Black Sabbath", he also participated in the band's EP called "The End". 20. During 2014-2015 Brad was the drummer on "The Smashing Pumpkins" tour. 21. In 2016 the "Rage" trio joined another "Rage" trio, rapper B-Real from Cypress Hill, rapper Chuck D from Public Enemy, and DJ Lord, and they became the "Prophets of Rage". 22. That same year the "Prophets" released the EP "The Party's Over" and in 2017 they released their debut and only album bearing the band's name. (Photo: Eitan Miskevich) 23. Brad also held the reputation of a recording session drummer and has collaborated over the years with many varied artists among them: actress and musician Juliette Lewis. 24. He participated in Dave Grohl's "Sound City" project. 25. He worked with Josh Homme on the soundtrack of the movie "Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys". 26. He was even the drummer of The "8G Band" accompanying the TV show "Late Night with Seth Meyers". 27. Believe it or not Brad is of German and Russian Jewish descent. Some of his family members were Holocaust survivors. 28. During Rage's visit to Israel in 2000, Brad took the microphone and sang the Hanukkah candle blessing. Do not believe? watch this at minute 3:55. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website