Here are 40 facts about "Synchronicity" by "The Police": 1. This is the fifth and final studio album by "The Police", released in June 17, 1983. 2. The album was recorded at AIR Studios in Montserrat, a small island in the Caribbean. 3. "Synchronicity" was completed in just eight weeks, with six weeks dedicated to recording and two weeks for mixing. 4. The band was well-prepared, always having at least 20 songs written and recorded as demos before entering the studio. 5. "Synchronicity" was produced by The Police along with Hugh Padgham, who had previously worked with the band. 6. Sting wrote some of the album's initial songs, including "King of Pain", "Every Breath You Take", and "Wrapped Around Your Finger", while staying at Ian Fleming's Goldeneye estate, finding solace during a difficult period in his life. 7. The band members were not on good terms during the recordings. actually, Sting, Andy Summers, and Stewart Copeland actually worked in separate rooms. 8. Stewart Copeland recorded his drum parts just half an hour after hearing each song. Despite imperfections, his initial drum pass remained unchanged while other band members would re-record their parts. 9. "Synchronicity" marked a shift in "The Police's" sound towards a more polished and sophisticated production style. 10. But, After the overstuffed sound of "Ghost in the Machine", which brought synths and horns into the mix, "The Police" tried to strip things back. Most of the songs worked with three instruments only, but lots of overdubs. 11. The album's title, "Synchronicity," was inspired by the book "Synchronicity: An Acausal Connecting Principle", by Carl Gustav Jung and by Arthur Koestler's book "The Roots of Coincidence". 12. It reached number one on the charts in several countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom. 13. It is actually the band's first and only No. 1 album. It remained on the charts for a total of 17 weeks. 14. The album was nominated for a total of five Grammy Awards awards in 1984, including "Album of the Year". it won three. 15. The album sold more than 10 million copies, over eight million of which un the US. 16. It was included in the "Rolling Stone" magazine's lists of the "100 Best Albums of the Eighties". It is also included in the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" list of the "Rolling Stone" magazine. 17. In 2009, Synchronicity was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. 18. The "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" compiled it in the list of "The Definitive 200" albums. 19. In 2023, the album was selected for preservation in the "United States National Recording Registry" by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." 20. "Synchronicity" was included in the book "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". 21. Five hit singles were released from the album. "Every Breath You Take", "King of Pain", "Wrapped Around Your Finger", and "Synchronicity II". 22. "Every Breath You Take" is the most well-known song from the album and became a massive hit worldwide. it won two Grammy Awards in 1984 for "Song of the Year" and "Best Pop Performance" by a Duo or Group with Vocal. 23. The song initially sounded like a "Yes" song in Sting's demo, but the band worked hard to develop the right structure, resulting in their first and only No. 1 hit in America. 24. While some perceived it as a sweet love song, Sting intended it to convey themes of surveillance, ownership, and jealousy. 25. Sting earns significant royalties from Puff Daddy's Grammy Award-winning song "I'll Be Missing You" due to illegal sampling of "Every Breath You Take". Sting receives 100% of the royalties, generating an estimated $2,000 per day, totaling close to $2 million annually. 26. Andy Summers played the iconic guitar part for "Every Breath You Take" in one take. 27. By May 2020, the song had surpassed the previous record holder, "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling" by the Righteous Brothers, with over 15 million radio plays. 28. "Wrapped Around Your Finger" is another popular track from the album, showcasing intricate instrumentation and poetic lyrics. Sting sings about being “caught between the Scylla and Charybdis.” - two figures from Greek mythology. 29. A roadie named Tam Fairgrieve fell asleep during recording, leading the band to playfully wake him up using his snoring sounds, which were later incorporated into the song "Synchronicity II". 30. The connection between "Synchronicity I" and "Synchronicity II" remains a closely guarded secret by Sting. 31. The song "King of Pain" explores themes of emotional turmoil and inner struggles. It was initially written by Sting on a small Casio Synthesizer, but then Stewart Copeland suggested playing it on the xylophone. 32. "Tea in the Sahara" tells a haunting story inspired by the novel "The Sheltering Sky" by Paul Bowles. 33. Even though the band decided to strip things back to the core of three instruments it doesn’t mean they stopped experimenting. Sting got an oboe which he taught himself to play in a short period of time for the song "Tea in the Sahara". 34. Guitarist Andy Summers wrote “Mother”. It was inspired by his actual mother, about his intense relationship with her, and was written to be ironic, funny, and crazy. It also drew influence from "Captain Beefheart's "music, and its off-the-wall style. 35. “O My God” calls back to two earlier "Police" songs. The first verse and chorus are based on “3 O’Clock Shot,” an unreleased song of the pre-Police band "Strontium 90". also, Around the 2:58 mark Sting quotes some lines from “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic”. 36. "Murder by Numbers" was recorded in a single take, with the band spontaneously capturing their performance in the studio. 37. the song "Miss Gradenko" was named after the secretary of the recording studio where the album was made. 38. "Walking in Your Footsteps" incorporates a tribal rhythm and addresses themes of human evolution and ecological concerns. 39. The album cover features a series of precisely positioned photographs with overlays of red, yellow, or blue. However, there are numerous versions of the cover depending on the album pressing. 40. "The Police" announced their decision to disband shortly after the release of "Synchronicity". The band Actually Played Their Then-Final Concert Less Than a Year After "Synchronicity's" Release. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On June 17, 1997 "Megadeth" released their seventh studio album "Cryptic Writings". It was a journey of musical exploration and emotional resonance. The last album to feature the band's classic lineup of Dave Mustaine, David Ellefson, Marty Friedman, Nick Menza. In 1997, Megadeth continued their musical journey started in "Youthanasia", that would divide fans and challenge their own creative boundaries. "Cryptic Writings" emerged as an album that showcased the band's willingness to experiment, leaving behind the tried and tested formulas of their earlier works. A Time of Renewal and Musical Maturity: Three years after they released, "Youthanasia" "Megadeth" found themselves in search of renewal. In a surprising move, they enlisted producer Dan Huff, known primarily for his work in country music and went down to record the album in Nashville, Tennessee. This decision sparked curiosity and skepticism among fans, as they questioned the direction their beloved band would take, especially after the musical changes in the last studio album. Indeed, The album features tracks with accessible song structures and altered lyrics, aimed at radio airplay and a wider audience. However, "Cryptic Writings" revealed itself as an album of maturity, showcasing the unity and growth of the band members, particularly Dave Mustaine. Explorations in Sound: From the very beginning, it becomes evident that "Megadeth" aimed to push the boundaries of their sound and walk on unfamiliar grounds like Hard Rock, Heavy Metal and even Classic Rock And Pop oriented songs. "Trust" kicks off the album with a riff and drum pattern reminiscent of "Metallica's" "Enter Sandman". The song instantly grabbing attention with its catchy riff and acoustic soft bridge. It's an introspective track that delves into the complexities of relationships tainted by lies and deception. The song had significant airplay and "MTV" and reached No. 5 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, becoming "Megadeth's" most successful single to date. It was also nominated for "Best Metal Performance" at the 1998 Grammy Awards. The emotional and musical journey continues with "Almost Honest", featuring a guitar riff reminiscent of "Yes'" "Owner of a Lonely Heart", a catchy bass line and poignant vocals. It was the second single of the album, that like the first single, entered the top ten on "Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart". Mustaine stated that the song is about how people treat one another, which contains a message that "it's difficult for people to be honest". Finding Beauty in Experimentation: "Cryptic Writings" invites listeners into a realm of musical experimentation. "Use the Man" surprises with its cheeky acoustic chord progression, before Mustaine's familiar voice takes charge. It's an unexpected twist that adds a touch of nostalgia and keeps us engaged. With lyrics about drug addiction, the song begins with a sample of "Needles and Pins" by "The Searchers", which was removed for the radio edit and remaster. The first half of the song is more rock-oriented, while the second half has a Thrash Metal faster tempo. The exploration continue with "A Secret Place" which starts with a "Def Leppard's" intro riff and you can even listen to Marty Friedman playing the Sitar. It was one of the last songs written for the album, describing losing touch with reality. The "Aerosmith-like" rocker "Have Cool, Will Travel" with the harmonica solo, talks about school shootings. interesting to note, that the remastered version a snippet of the schoolyard song "The Wheels on the Bus", was added to its introduction. "Mastermind" which is one of the catchiest on the album, has a killer bassline and a “Jump in the Fire” meeting "Walk This Way" guitar riff. "I'll Get Even" starts with the Lou Reed's "Walk on the Wild Side"-like bassline and continues with a David Bowie "China Girl"-like baseline which is another proof of the album's more rock-oriented sound. Respecting the Band's Legacy: While "Megadeth" may have shed some elements of their earlier Thrash Metal sound, the album doesn't abandon their roots completely. Songs like "She-Wolf" (although using the "Iron Maiden" twin guitar melodic solo in the end) written about a woman that "Megadeth's" manager dated at the time, "FFF" (Fight For Freedom) which riff sounds like "Motorbreath" and "The Disintegrators" showcase glimpses of the band's original ferocity, with powerful riffs and Marty Friedman's lyrical guitar work reminding us of their greatness. These moments pay homage to their thrash metal heritage, balancing the new directions explored throughout the album. A Personal and Professional Evolution: Dave Mustaine once remarked that "Cryptic Writings" marked "Megadeth's" ascent into professionalism. Comparisons to "Metallica's" "Load" and "Reload" released at the time, do not diminish the band's unique identity. Instead, they offer a reflection on "Megadeth's" trajectory and the challenges faced by a band seeking growth and reinvention. Through this album, "Megadeth" gracefully navigated the balance between evolution and preserving their signature style. Conclusion: "Cryptic Writings" stands as a testament to "Megadeth's" boldness and willingness to explore new musical territories. It may not be their most classic or instantly gratifying album, but its emotional resonance and depth grow with each subsequent listen. From the catchy "Trust" to the glimpses of their thrash metal roots in "The Disintegrators", this album captures a pivotal moment in "Megadeth's" journey. It invites us to reflect on the passage of time and embrace the evolution of our favorite artists. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

The sixth album by the French metal band "Gojira" was released on June 17, 2016, the album named "Magma" is a milestone for the band and an innovative and refreshing album in our humble opinion. We're not surprised if this is the band's first album you know... The name of the album describes with incredible precision what is going on inside, a molten rock composed of dynamics that are spreading and changing. It is sometimes a boiling and dynamic liquid that flows and moves slowly like a powerful river and sometimes it erupts and becomes a violent and destructive explosion. This is exactly how the four Gojira members created the album, it is sometimes fast and aggressive and sometimes slow and gentle. This time the band members approached the album differently. On previous albums, they would prepare the songs in advance, rehearse and sharpen them and only then come to the studio to record the tracks. For this album, the band members decided to work on everything from scratch together and record while creating. They built a new studio in Queens, New York, and immediately after construction in 2015, they went in to start working on the album. Each one brought with him different demos, riffs, rhythms, and texts all from everything, and threw them inside into a large bowl. From that, they built 10 strong and powerful tracks for a great album! A tragic incident affected the recordings that were stopped in the middle. The mother of guitarist, singer, and bandleader Joe Duplantier and his drumming brother Mario Duplantier, died of cancer during the recordings. The difficult experience greatly influenced Joe's writing and the lyrics of the songs. His brother said that the recording process was a kind of outlet for their sadness and longing every time he reads his brother's lyrics he bursts into tears. (Photo: Jimmy Fontaine) This album is also a turning point in the band's style. The comparison is a little too big but we can not help but see the similarities. As in "Metallica's" "Black Album", here too the members decided to downshift, creating shorter, less complex songs with more melody and dynamics of clean singing. If in previous albums you would find songs that range from 5 to 9 minutes with strong elements of rock and progressive metal, accompanied by vast growling, here you will find a more focused album with songs ranging from 3 to 6 minutes and a combination of growling with clean vocals, riffs, and rhythms that will make your heart to feel like a concrete brick that just drops you to the floor. The song that opens the album "The Shooting Star" already lowers your jaw to the floor and you feel all your muscles in your body become heavy until the first part of the song enters, and then suddenly you fill up in the air and start hovering above the ground with a completely surprised facial expression. It's not exactly a typical opening song, it's heavy and slow and even carried at times, but it's exactly what these guys want you to feel before they drop "Silvera" on you. A violent volcanic eruption throws boiling lava at you and calls for you to wake up from conformism and norms. The boiling lava stream comes in the next song to the edge of the cliff and creates a merciless waterfall and we are only in the third song "The Cell". A crazy rhythm of drums and guitars is stopped at once and alternately just to allow Joe to roar his soul and unload his pains and anguish over his mother's death. He wrote this song right after her death. The goal here was to let you have a little taste of what is happening on this album, like in a good movie we do not want to continue to spoil you, so we will stop here and let you continue on your own... Just to mention, as we mentioned before... "Gojira" is an important band in our landscape and has an impact on the artists and bands of today as well (see Myles Kennedy and Trent Reznor). They were nominated for two Grammy Awards with this album and were an opening show for "Alter Bridge", "Slipknot" and more... Listen to the album on: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On June 17, 2016, "Red Hot Chili Peppers" released their eleventh studio album, "The Getaway". This album marked a notable shift for the band—a deliberate departure from their long-standing collaboration with Rick Rubin, and the embrace of a more ambient, textured production under Danger Mouse (Brian Burton) and Nigel Godrich. It was also their second and final studio album with guitarist Josh Klinghoffer, and a moment of transformation in both sound and spirit. At the time of the album’s recording, "Red Hot Chili Peppers" were still processing the mixed reception to "I’m With You". The departure of John Frusciante had forced the band into unfamiliar creative territory, and while Klinghoffer had already proven himself a worthy musician, the chemistry still felt in transition. With "The Getaway", the band attempted a new path forward—not through their old funky bravado, but with introspection, sonic polish, and subtle reinvention. Danger Mouse replaced Rick Rubin for the first time since 1989, giving the album a cinematic, synthesized tone. Nigel Godrich (known for his work with "Radiohead") added atmospheric layering to the mixing. The recording featured orchestral arrangements, understated percussion, and groovy yet restrained basslines—most of them written by Flea in collaboration with Danger Mouse on piano. The writing process leaned more into melody and mood than rhythmic punch, opening new doors for Anthony Kiedis’ more personal lyrics. The album opens up with the title track "The Getaway", and it is already clear that the band takes a more subdued route, with the echo-laced guitar, haunting synths, the pulsing drum machine-like sound and Anna Waronker's backing vocals. The song speaks of love, memory, and escape, all wrapped in restraint rather than explosive energy. "Dark Necessities" starts with melancholic piano lines and Flea’s trademark groove bassline. Together with the clap sound and lush strings, all grounding the emotional weight of Kiedis’s confessional lyrics. The song became the band’s 13th number-one hit on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart. "We Turn Red" is one of the few tracks that harken back to their earlier funk roots. It brings in a looser, quicker tempo and rap-style verses. Still, the production holds it back just enough to keep the album’s overall mood consistent. "Goodbye Angels" emerges as one of the most cinematic tracks, beginning softly and exploding into a towering crescendo. Klinghoffer’s guitar work shines here—ambient and immersive, ending in a searing solo that shows just how much ground he covered in his final moments with the band. "Sick Love" stands out as one of the most emotionally transparent songs, with piano assistance from Elton John which was also co-written by John and longtime collaborator Bernie Taupin. With clear nods to "Bennie and the Jets", it plays like a heartbroken letter from a man acknowledging his own toxic patterns. The vulnerability is refreshing, and the Stones-inspired sway makes it instantly memorable. "Go Robot" turns the funk into a disco daydream—tight bass lines, electronic textures, and processed vocals. Kiedis’s quirky delivery fits well within the song’s danceable atmosphere, showing that "Red Hot Chili Peppers" can still have fun without returning to chaos. "Dreams of a Samurai" closes the album with a sprawling, seven-minute epic journey that fuses psychedelia, jazz, and brooding rock. It’s one of the band’s most adventurous closers—a surreal curtain call that lingers long after it fades. Unlike previous records that danced on the edges of chaos, "The Getaway" is a more carefully composed and emotionally coherent album. The chemistry between Flea and Chad Smith remains tight, even as they tone down their playing in service of atmosphere. Josh Klinghoffer becomes the album’s secret weapon—painting each track with subtle melodic color. Kiedis, now in his fifties, dials back the rapid-fire bravado for a more introspective, restrained tone. The shift in production style is perhaps the album’s biggest statement. Danger Mouse and Nigel Godrich avoid the raw energy of past albums and instead build lush, layered soundscapes. Pianos, strings, vintage synths, and ambient effects all merge into a moody, rich environment. While this choice may alienate fans of "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" or "Californication", it offers a welcome evolution for a band that could’ve easily stagnated. The album was certified Gold in multiple regions and sparked a world tour that would become Klinghoffer’s last with the band before the return of John Frusciante. While it doesn’t redefine the band’s legacy, "The Getaway" provides a needed breath of fresh air in their discography—an emotionally resonant, sonically lush entry that finds "Red Hot Chili Peppers" shedding their skin without losing their soul. For listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

A Sneak Peek... And this time ... about the "Monterey Festival" that was held today in 1967. On June 16, 1967, the "Monterey International Pop Music Festival" was opened. It was an optimistic time, an era of love and innocence, and the three days of the Monterey Pop Festival in California began. All income from this festival was donated to charity as all the artists who performed at it did so for free and on a full volunteer basis, except for Ravi Shenkar who received a $ 3,000 fee for his performance from the festival organizers, due to his long performance. All the other artists were given a 40-minute slot per show, with some giving shorter performances like The Who who finished their performance after just 25 minutes. This festival will later be remembered as one of the first major rock festivals in the United States. The first rock festival - Mount Tamalpais - was held about a week before, also in California. It was also the first festival where artists such as "The Who", Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, Ravi Shankar, and more, would make their first major appearance in the US. Also appearing at the festival were artists such as "The Byrds", "Grateful Dead", Simon & Garfunkel, Steve Miller Band, "Canned Heat", "The Mamas & the Papas", Janis Joplin, "Buffalo Springfield" and more. Singer and guitarist John Phillips, from The Mamas & the Papas, and producers Lou Adler and Alan Pariser along with journalist Derek Taylor, conceived, planned, and produced all the festival arrangements in just one week. The same John Phillips from "the Mamas & the Papas" also wrote the immortal song "San Francisco, (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair)" in order to promote the festival. The song would later become a Scott Mackenzie hit. Some of the performances made by some of the artists at the festival like those of Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin will be remembered forever as one of the highlights of their careers. One of the founding moments at this festival was the "coin toss" case between Jimi Hendrix and Pete Townsend, which was supposed to determine which of the bands would first perform on the closing night of the festival. Both bands gained a reputation for smashing their instruments at the end of the show and both claimed to be the first to do so. It was the first major U.S. performance of the two bands and no one wanted to be the one to smash his instrument after the previous cast had already done so. The coin was tossed and Hendrix lost. The Who performed a 25-minute show which at the end simply shamed the entire stage, including the drum set guitars and amps, in a way that left no chance for Hendrix to overshadow the epic ending. But there is only one Jimi Hendrix, and the show he gave at that festival is remembered forever as one of the greatest shows in the history of music. At the end of the show, Jimi, who could not compete with the shattering of the instruments of the Who before him, simply set his guitar on fire in a kind of mesmerizing Indian ceremony and thus created the image that will engrave in the history of rock forever !!! List of the performances held at the festival: Friday, June 16 · The Association · The Paupers · Lou Rawls · Beverley · Johnny Rivers · Eric Burdon and The Animals · Simon & Garfunkel Saturday, June 17 · Canned Heat · Big Brother and the Holding Company · Country Joe and the Fish · Al Kooper · The Butterfield Blues Band · The Electric Flag · Quicksilver Messenger Service · Steve Miller Band · Moby Grape · Hugh Masekela · The Byrds · Laura Nyro · Jefferson Airplane · Booker T. & the M.G.'s · The Mar-Keys · Otis Redding Sunday, June 18 · Ravi Shankar · The Blues Project · Big Brother and the Holding Company · The Group With No Name · Buffalo Springfield · The Who · Grateful Dead · The Jimi Hendrix Experience · Scott McKenzie · The Mamas & the Papas Follow us on Facebook or Subscribe to our website "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Podcast

"The Queen Is Dead", The Smiths' third album, was released on June 16, 1986, and it still blows our minds today as it did almost 40 years ago. So here are 30 facts about this excellent and groundbreaking album: 1. Guitarist Johnny Marr and singer Morrissey wanted Tony Visconti - known for his work with David Bowie - to produce the album, but he refused. In 2006 he will produce Morrissey's solo album "Ringleader Of The Tormentors". 2. The band also turned to legendary producer George Martin to produce the album, but he also refused because he wanted to be kept in mind as "The Beatles" producer. 3. The song "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side" that appears on the album, is actually a demo version, but Morrissey thought it could not be surpassed. 4. In 2003 Morrissey crowned this song as his Smiths' favorite song. 5. The name of the album was supposed to be "Margaret On The Guillotine", the name would become one of Morrissey's songs on the album "Viva Hate", from 1988. 6. Johnny Marr's parents thought the name of the album was disrespectful to the Queen of England and so he asked Morrissey to change the name to "Bigmouth Strikes Again", but Morrissey refused. 7. The character that appears on the album cover is of actor James Dean. 8. The cover was designed by Morrissey, inspired by a picture from the French film "L 'Insoumis" from 1964 starring Alan Delon. 9. Before James Dean was selected, Morrissey asked actors Alan Bates and Albert Finney to appear on the album cover, but they refused. 10. Footballer George Best also refused to appear on the cover of the single "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side". 11. The credit for the background vocals in the song "Bigmouth Strikes Again" was given to Ann Coates, but in fact, it is Morrissey's voice in a higher pitch. The name is a reference to the "Ancoats" district of Manchester. The name of the neighborhood will also appear later on the sign on the back of the album "Strangeways Here We Come". 12. While recording the album, "Status Quo" was recording the album "In The Army Now" in the next studio. The band seriously considered inviting them to be a guest on the album. 13. The album failed to reach number one on the UK charts due to Genesis' "Invisible Touch" album. 14. Johnny Marr's guitar roles in the theme song were influenced by "The Velvet Underground's" "I Can't Stand It". 15. The lyrics to the song "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others" were influenced by the British comedy "Carry On Cleo" from 1964, starring the actor Charles Hawtrey. Charles will later appear on the cover of the 2001 compilation album "The Very Best of The Smiths". 16. "The Smiths" performed this song only once live, at Brixton Academic in 1986. In the same performance, Morrissey added another verse to the song. 17. The fade in and out in the opening of the song was intentional. The technician Stephen Street wanted it to be heard from the side of a man who opens the studio door and is exposed to the music, closes it and opens it again, and only then enters the room. 18. At the time of recording the album, bassist Andy Rourke was deeply immersed in heroin. Given his condition, the band members added Craig Gannon as their temporary replacement. After Andy regained his strength, Craig moved from bass to play rhythm guitar and the band's first performance as a quintet was held on May 20, 1986. 19. The lyrics of the song "Cemetry Gates" were influenced by the movie "The Man Who Came To Dinner", by Katharine Hepburn. 20. Morrissey did not want the song "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" to appear on the album. How lucky Johnny Marr resisted. 21. The lyrics are based on the song "Lonely Planet Boy" by "the New York Dolls". 22. The mesmerizing string sound in the song is performed by Johnny Marr through a sampler, but those who got credit for it were the imaginary "Hated Salford Ensemble". 23. The Scottish writer Irvine Welsh would use the title of the song "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" for one of the chapters in his first book - "Trainspotting", which would later become a famous film. 24. For playing the piano in the song "Frankly, Mr. Shankly" the band members invited Linda McCartney, the wife of ... she refused. 25. The lyrics "So I broke into the Palace / with a sponge and a rusty spanner" from the theme song, are based on a real case from 1982 in which Michael Fagin broke into Buckingham Palace and talked to the Queen. 26. The drums in the theme song were recorded in two different sessions. The cymbals and tam-tam in one session and the bass drum and snare in another session. 27. The name of the album was the first short story on which the American writer Hubert Selby Jr. based the book "Last Exit to Brooklyn". 28. The album appears in the "Rolling Stone" magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums. 29. In 2013 it was voted by NME Magazine as the best album of all time. 30. Even so, if you ask Morrissey and Marr, they will say they like the album "Strangeways Here We Come" more. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On June 16, 2008, "Judas Priest" released their sixteenth studio album, "Nostradamus". This wasn’t just another heavy metal album. This was an ambitious, sprawling double-concept album that divided fans and critics alike, marking a unique and controversial chapter in the band’s legendary legacy. In the years leading up to "Nostradamus", "Judas Priest" had already completed their reunion with Rob Halford, releasing the well-received "Angel of Retribution" in 2005. But instead of treading familiar paths, the band veered into bold, theatrical territory. They chose to tell the life story of 16th-century French astrologer Michel de Nostredame—better known as Nostradamus—through symphonic metal infused with operatic grandeur, synthesizers, and spoken-word interludes. The album was recorded primarily in "The Old Smithy Studio" in the UK, with Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing taking the helm as producers. Musically, it was a far cry from the riff-driven fury of "Painkiller" or the arena-ready anthems of "British Steel". Instead, it took cues from classical music, cinematic scores, and progressive rock, resulting in a deeply conceptual and layered listening experience. "Dawn of Creation" and "Prophecy" open the album with grandeur. The former with the cinematic Don Airey keyboards intro, and the latter laying out the prophetic premise with thunderous precision. Rob Halford's vocals are chilling and operatic, as he embodies Nostradamus himself, warning of the chaos to come. "Awakening" arpeggiated guitar chords bleeds into "Revelations", a soaring piece of theatrical metal with haunting keyboards and Tipton's intricate guitar leads and his rare use of classical guitar. Here, the band’s commitment to storytelling takes center stage, sacrificing immediacy for atmosphere and immersion. "Pestilence and Plague" finds Halford delivering some lines in Italian—a rare twist that adds flair to the European setting of the tale. Towards the epic conclusion of the album, he will also use the French language to add to the authenticity of the story. "Lost Love" stands out as one of the album's most delicate and emotional moments. A somber ballad led by soft synths and restrained guitar melodies, it strips away the grandeur to reveal the aching loneliness of the prophet. Halford delivers one of his most heartfelt performances, channeling grief and longing with heartbreaking sincerity. It's a brief, sorrowful pause in an otherwise epic narrative—proof that behind the seer’s visions lies a broken man. Throughout both discs, there’s an emotional arc, a rise and fall of moods. "Exiled", with its melancholic acoustic textures, finds Nostradamus in despair, while "Persecution" blazes with anger and defiance. "Solitude" opens up the second disc and slow things down to a crawl, prioritizing lyrical introspection over metallic bite. "Nostradamus", the album’s title track, is a dramatic, slow-burning epic that captures the full weight of its namesake’s legacy. Clocking in at nearly seven minutes, it blends powerful choral layers, slow and heavy riffing, and ominous narration to portray the prophet as both feared and revered. It’s one of the album’s most theatrical and defining moments—anchoring the second disc with grandeur and solemnity, and serving as the emotional and philosophical core of the entire project. The second disc culminates with "Future of Mankind", where the prophecy reaches its apocalyptic fulfillment. This epic track tries to tie all threads together, ending the album on a grim but majestic note. "Nostradamus" sparked passionate debate. Was it a misunderstood masterpiece? Or an overblown misstep? Time has softened some of the backlash, with many now recognizing the album as an ambitious risk that few metal bands would dare to take. "Nostradamus" remains one of the boldest and most polarizing efforts in "Judas Priest"'s career—a symphonic, operatic, and deeply theatrical metal epic that challenged expectations and divided loyalties. Whether viewed as a misfire or misunderstood, it deserves respect for its sheer scope and artistic daring. It marks the last "Judas Priest" studio album featuring the "Painkiller"-era lineup, as guitarist and founding member K. K. Downing retired in April 2011. for listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

We all use the phrase "classic" quite a bit in the context of masterpieces that have left their mark on the world of music. The album "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars", released by David Bowie on June 16, 1972, is without a doubt one of those "classics" that will stay with us forever. Although a collection of songs written in different periods, Ziggy Stardust is actually a concept album, devoid of bombast reserved for rock operas or the progressive rock genre, whose plot revolves around the character of "Ziggy Stardust" - an androgynous alien and a rock star sent to Earth as a messenger and a preacher, with a message of hope and try to persuade humanity to change its destructive nature. The album opens with a "Fade In" with the epic and desperate "off-beat" drumming of Mick Woodmansey, and we are already entering the plot story with "Five Years" and the bitter news that falls on the human race: the world will be destroyed in 5 years, due to lack of natural resources. The song further describes the madness that will grip the earth after the destruction, as the strings section that accompany the band "The Spiders from Mars" get louder along with the screaming voice from Ziggy's pain, slowly dying in "fade out" along with the same apathetic and desperate drumming that started the song. Bowie said that the Fade In and Out were intended to convey a message that the song comes out of nowhere and ends in nothing. The second song, "Soul Love," documents the different shades of love in that futuristic-dystopian world and the relationship between them. "Stone Love" - describes the love for those who died and left us behind, when the stone is actually a "tombstone". "New Love" - the romantic love between a boy and a girl, a man and a woman. "Soul Love" - is love in its religious sense, like the priest to his God. Similar to the previous song, this song is also led by Woodmansey's percussion, with Bowie's acoustic and soft strumming, synchronized with the slow rhythm throughout the verses. Ronson's bold electric seems to disturb the serenity during the chorus, but immediately succumbs to Bowie's saxophone solo at the end, and so on to Mick Ronson's guitar solo that accompanies us to the end of the song. In the third song "Moonage Daydream" we finally get to know Ziggy Stardust, alien, Messiah, superstar, who offers salvation from the impending disaster, in the form of rock 'n' roll. David Bowie's gentle acoustic from the previous two songs, alternate here with the electric dirty riff of Mick Ronson and with a beautiful bass work by Trevor Bolder who also plays the trumpet here. Mick Ronson also enriches the sound with his piano playing, and will also be the one to take us to the end of the song, with one of his most powerful solos on the album. And if you ask Woodmancy, Boulder and producer Ken Scott, this song is their favorite from the album. Probably also for "Eifo HaYeled" who chose to cover it. "Starman" is one of the strongest songs on the album and is said to be one of the most influential in the entire Bowie repertoire. The song tells the story of alien Ziggy (Starman)'s attempts to send a message of hope and love to youth on the dying star via the radio. This is a turning point in the plot, where Ziggy turns from a preaching and manipulative alien to the hallucinatory "rock star". Mick Ronson's orchestral arrangements in this song are amazing and Bowie's short piano piece in the transition to chorus is no less ingenious. The sharp-eared must have noticed the influence of "Over The Rainbow" from the film The Wizard of Oz, during the chorus. If you did not notice Try replacing Bowie's octave jump in the word "Starman" at the chorus, with that of Judy Garland's in the word "Somewhere." The first side of the vinyl ends up with the only cover version of Ron Davies' "It Ain't Easy". Bowie's choice of a non-original song for a concept album may be puzzling, but the song fits the atmosphere of the album as well as the plot story and it actually tells the difficulties and struggles of the rock star (Ziggy). It is interesting to note, that the legendary keyboardist Rick Wakeman (YES) plays piano here, but did not receive credit for it. The other side of the vinyl opens with the melancholy and sad "Lady Stardust". The almost complete absence of the guitar and the dominance of the piano reminds us of Elton John-style ballads. In terms of plot the song skips between "him and her", between "Lady Stardust" and the "rock star", as if to prove to us that this is an androgynous creature belonging to both sexes or neither. From Lady Stardust's melancholy ballad we move on to "Star"'s fast pace and retro piano, which speaks of the dream of becoming a superstar and making a difference using his power of influence as a rock star. We increase the pace with "Hang On to Yourself". A sort of rooted rock and roll combination, early punk, with a glam rock twist, featuring Ronson's brilliant slide guitar. The song tells the story of Ziggy who "burns" the stages with the spiders from Mars, and it starting to lead us towards the climax end of the story. The theme song "Ziggy Stardust" comes right after, and tells of the rise and fall of Ziggy Stardust. The song is built on the simple but no less brilliant choruses of Mick Ronson that made this song timeless. The song won an amazing cover version of "Bauhaus" exactly a decade later. A lot of speculation revolved around the character about whom the song was allegedly written. There were many who thought it was Jimi Hendrix (screwed down hairdo and He played it left hand), but the lyrics also hint that it was precisely Bowie himself (screwed up eyes and snow-white tan). There is no clear answer on the matter, but it is probably a homage to all those tragic stars who soared like meteors and fell like lead, in the world of music. The song "Suffragette City" was initially suggested by Bowie to the band "Mott the Hoople", who very wisely chose the song "All the Young Dudes", which will give them great success. This is a classic rock and roll style song that tells about the difficulties of the "rock star". The album closes with "Rock n 'Roll Suicide" - the fall of Ziggy Stardust whose life as a rock star completely eroded him. A calm and acoustic opening that intensifies until the dramatic end in the climax of an electric guitar solo and strings. In conclusion, Ziggy Stardust is without a doubt a "classic", a "masterpiece". The ultimate concept album, with a brilliant sequence of songs and a flawless production by Ken Scott and David Bowie. To listen to: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

To tell you the truth, we were a little bit hesitant about this release from June 15, 2021 On the one hand, this is the first piece of music in 9 years that comes from a former "Rush" member, our favorite band. On the other hand, it might just be us, but at first, we were a little disappointed. We really could not understand what dear Alex Lifeson wants to say through the two pieces of music "Kabul Blues / Spy House", which were released for play only through the new and impressive site he set up, see here. The decision to release two instrumental pieces that are so far from the musical style that has characterized Alex for five decades, and doing so after almost a decade of silence, was not understood by us at all. We even learned to accept and love the weird “Victor” project, but here, it sounds to us at first so uninspired, so detached from Alex’s roots, and worst of all, light years away from his incredible abilities as a guitarist. We listened to both tracks back and forth non-stop and in the end, it hit us. 1:34 minute in the "Spy House" track Alex's guitar just pierced our hearts and we suddenly realized that just like after a serious injury that requires rehabilitation, Alex signals us that he is learning to walk again. He's learning, he's experimenting and he's warming up for the next big thing - Inshallah "Lee-Lifeson Band" with Mike Portnoy. This is also probably the reason why Alex chose to release the two excerpts solely on his website and also not to include his friend and good neighbor Geddy Lee in this mini-project. The two pieces released are atmospheric, a kind of ambiance with keyboards accompanied by harmonic vocals, combined with experimental music and blues. Alex Lifeson presents his sensitive side with the bluesy guitar licks, especially in the "Kabul Blues" track. Lifeson is joined here by bassist Andy Curran and drummer David Quinton Steinberg, both fellow Canadian artists. Curran began his career in the early '80s as a member of the hard rock band "Coney Hatch" from Toronto. The band has been able to warm up big bands like "Judas Priest", "Iron Maiden", "Cheap Trick" and of course "Rush". He was even nominated along with his band for the Juno Award for Best Rock / Metal Album in 1991, but lost to "Rush"'s "Presto". Steinberg, on the other hand, played with some of the punk pioneers of the '70s, including "The Mods" and "The Dead Boys." Since then he retired and served as an attorney for "entertainment" and "intellectual property", of which "Rush" is one of his best-known clients. Earlier that year, Lifeson said he and his friend Geddy Lee still want to make music together. “We still talk about it, and I’m sure we will. Of course, now with the pandemic, it’s kind of wrecked things for a bit. But we’re both eager to get back together and kind of get back into that thing that we’ve done since we were 14-years-old that we love to do. And we work well together. So we’ll see what happens with that.” The song "Kabul Blues" was later released on the album "Envy Of None" on 2022. For Listening: Click Here. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Nirvana's album "Bleach", was released on June 15, 1989, here are some interesting facts about the band's debut album: 1. The cost of recording the album was only about $ 600. 2. Although the record company "Sub-Pop" only asked the band for an EP, they rehearsed for three weeks on many songs and were finally ready with a full length album recorded in 30 hours. 3. Kurt Cobain claimed to have written the lyrics to all the songs for the album in one evening. Hard to believe ? Take for example the lyrics of the song "School" which includes only 4 sentences. 4. The album cover was taken by Kurt Cobain's girlfriend at the time, Tracy Marander. 5. On the album cover appears another guitarist, Jason Everman, who also received credit as one of the musicians on the album, even though he did not play any of the songs on the album. He put the money for the recordings of the album. Everman later played bass in "Soundgarden" for a very short time. (Photo: Iheartradio.ca) 6. The release of the album was delayed for several months because "Sub Pop" did not have the money to distribute the album, only after it managed to save enough money for marketing and distribution it was released. 7. The song "About a Girl" was written about the same Tracy Marander, who discovered it only years later, with the release of the book "Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana". 8. The song "Downer" appeared again on the album "Incesticide" because Cobain thought the audience didn't know him well enough and he really wanted them to listen to it. Cobain had a similar thought about the song "About a Girl" that opened the band's unplugged appearance. Listen to Cobain's words at the beginning of the show: "This is a song from our first album, most people don't know it." 9. The first single released from the album - "Love Buzz" - is a song by the Dutch psychedelic band from the sixties, "Shocking Blue". Yes, the one with the famous song "Venus". 10. The song "Negative Creep" received a cover version of the band "Velvet Revolver", which released it as the b-side of the song "Slither". 11. The song "Paper Cuts" is the only song of the band in which the word Nirvana appears. 12. The song “Negative Creep” is "Nirvana’s" only song (studio albums) that ends in a fade-out. 13. Cobain said that Sub-pop put pressure on him to create music that suited the grunge scene that was developing at the time. He tried to live up to expectations because he knew that if he matched the music to the label's request he would be able to attract fans for the band. 14. The name of the album was supposed to be "Too Many Humans" but Cobain changed it at the last minute after seeing a poster against AIDS that recommended to heroin addicts to disinfect the needles with "bleach" before use. 15. The song "Big Long Now" that appeared on the album "Incesticide" was originally recorded for "Bleach", but Cobain was not interested in another heavy and slow song so he did not finally put it on the album. 16. "Melvins"'s drummer Dale Kruber play drums in three songs on the album. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

It is one of our favorite unplugged albums, it was released on June 15, 1993 and it is celebrating a birthday today. So let's tell you a little bit about Neil Young's "Unplugged" album. Not many know, but Neil Young's "Unplugged" album was barely released. In December 1992, Neil Young was highly acclaimed after releasing of his successful album "Harvest Moon". With 49 appearances behind him to promote his new album, Neil Youngg shows up at "Ed Sullivan's Hall" in New York to record an acoustic show, as part of the Unplugged MTV series. But this time something did not work, things did not flow, there were errors, mistakes, songs were stopped and played again, and to the small audience present at the venue it was clear that Neil Youngg was completely unhappy with the result. At one point Neil Young even left the stage and left the concert hall, wandering the streets of Manhattan with the stunned production crew behind him. Neil Youngg finally relented and returned to perform the last two songs before finally finishing the show. It is no wonder that given the circumstances, Young refused to allow the MTV to broadcast the show recorded that day. But the veteran and experienced Neil Young did not let a single evening obscure his glorious career. He did not want to be remembered this way, and to be honest this great artist didn't deserve this once in a lifetime slip to shadow cast his amazing career. About two months after that failed show, on 7/2/93, Neil Young arrives at "Universal Studios Los Angeles", with the backing band "Stray Gators" who made the masterpiece album "Harvest" with him, to record another unplugged show, as part of the MTV Unplugged series. And this time things look a little different. The backing band blends in with Young like a glove. The show is flowing and fluid, even in the lesser known songs and even in Young's solo moments, when the band does not accompany him. The show opens with "The Old Laughing Lady" - an excerpt from his debut album from 1969, a brave and somewhat strange choice for an opening song, mainly because it is a lesser known song by Young. Immediately afterwards, Young moves on to the song "Mr. Soul" by the mother band "Buffalo Springfield". Young gives us a fundamentally different performance from the original version. Slower, acoustic and accompanied by a harmonica. The song "World on a String" from the masterpiece album "Tonight’s The Night", is maybe slower from the studio version, but in a sense surpasses the original, perhaps thanks to the addition of the harmonica that add a lot of charm to it. The song "Pochahontas" from the album "Rust Never Sleeps" may not be much different from the original version, but again significantly slower than the original recording (5:05 in the unplugged version versus 3:24 in the album version). "Stringman" is perhaps the best song on the album, much thanks to the piano that adds a lot of emotion to the song, but perhaps also due to the fact that it is a song that has not been released until then on any of Young's albums. "Like a Hurricane" is without a doubt one of the big surprises of the album. The unplugged version is not even close to the dirty and electric original version from the album "American Stars' N Bars". Neil Young plays on a kind of church organ that manages to flip this song 200 years back in time, but still maintain its relevance. Seven songs into the album and we finally meet, for the first time, a "hit" from the album "Harvest" - the song "The Needle and the Damage Done". Even for the masterpiece album from 1972, Young chose a live version of the song that was recorded in 1971, so that the unplugged version, accurate and refined as it may be, is not surprising. The eighth song on the album is another of Young's highs in his glorious career. "Helpless" from the masterpiece album "Déjà Vu" released together with "Crosby, Stills and Nash" in 1970. The song gets here a delightful addition of piano, harmonica and vocal harmonies that put a lot of emotion into this version. It's interesting to mention that the album includes 3 songs from "Harvest Moon" released only 3 months before the recording of the show. The theme song, "Unknown Legend" and "From Hank to Hendrix", are all in a performance quite close to the original version, apparently aiming to be the newest songs on the set. Another surprise on the album is the song "Transformer Man", which first appeared on the synthesized and infamous "Trans" album, which here finally gets a version that does it justice and undoubtedly surpasses the original. Complete the 14 tracks of the album "Look Out For My Love" from the album "Comes a Time" and "Long May You Run" from an album bearing the same name of Young and his good friend Stephen Stills, both in a performance that renews almost nothing compared to the original versions. There is no doubt that Young's second attempt was much more successful than his predecessor. The Unplugged show aired about a month later as part of the "MTV Unplugged" series and received rave reviews. Neil Young was also pleased with the result this time, and evidently, just three months after the show, Young releases the Unplugged album, which joins the huge repertoire of this very special artist. The story of this album teaches us that even the greatest artists, veteran and experienced dinosaurs as they may be, sometimes have moments when things get a little less perfect. The moral of this story is that one must never give up. Even if God forbid you stumble, pick up the pieces, get up and try again, because chances are this time it will go better. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

And today it's the turn of Steve Walsh, a singer, keyboardist, percussionist and songwriter, who, among other things, was a partner in designing the sound and the very special style of "Kansas". Here are some interesting facts about him: (Photo: Metallus.it) 1. Walsh was born in St. Louis, Missouri on June 15, 1951. He was adopted as an infant. 2. In 1972 he joined the band "White Clover", which included among others the singer and violinist Robby Steinhardt. 3. In early 1973, they enlisted guitarist and keyboardist Kerry Livgren after his band "Kansas" disbanded. 4. That year they had already signed a recording contract and adopted the name "Kansas". 5. The band's debut album was released in 1974 and already then Walsh was revealed as one of the band's lead writers and lead singer, taking the lead in six of the eight album's songs. (Photo: Fanart.tv) 6. This was intensified on subsequent albums "Song for America" and "Masque" from 1975, in which Walsh served as the lead singer in all the songs on the album. 7. While working on the band's fourth album "Leftoverture" from 1976, Walsh began to experience a writiers block, which forced Kerry Livgren to put more effort into writing the material for the album. Indeed, the talented Kerry Livgren was almost exclusively responsible for the writing, with Walsh's assistance in three of the eight tracks on the album. 8. Needless to say, at this point Walsh has become the lead singer of the band as he takes the lead among other things in the band's breakthrough hit "Carry On Wayward Son". 9. The band continued to ride the wave of success on the album "Point of Know Return" from 1977, which included, among other things, their biggest "hit", "Dust in the Wind". 10. During this time, "Kansas" rose to prominence with sales of millions of copies, mostly of the last two mentioned albums, that sold more than four million copies in the US alone. 11. During this time, "Kansas", which at the beginning of its career distributed free beers to their audience to market themselves, became a honed and tight-knit band that filled the largest auditoriums in the United States, including the "Madison Square Garden" in New York. 12. The band documented this exemplary period in one of the best live albums of the 70's - "Two for the Show", which was released in 1978. A double live album of recordings from various performances from the band's tour in 1977 and 1978. (Photo: Mark Farina Twitter) 13. In 1978, Walsh participated in Steve Hackett's "Please Don't Touch" album. 14. In 1979 the band released their sixth album "Monolith", which included the song "People of the South Wind", which refers to the Native American tribe "Kaw", after which the state and band "Kansas" are named. 15. In 1980, Walsh released his first solo album, "Schemer-Dreamer". The album featured bandmates Kerry Livgren, Rich Williams and Phil Ehart, as well as guitarist Steve Morse who in 1985 joined the revamped "Kansas". 16. Walsh will release four more studio albums as part of his solo career, the latest being “Black Butterfly” from 2017. 17. In 1980, Walsh participated in the album "Seeds of Change", the solo album of his friend Kerry Livgren. 18. During the tour that supported the album "Monolith", Kerry Livgren became a reborn Christian, and this was reflected in his lyrics on the album "Audio-Visions", released in 1980 and included the hit "Hold On". 19. Following creative and other disagreements that also resulted from a change in Kerry Livgren beliefs, Walsh left the band in October 1981 and formed the band "Streets". (Photo: Steve Walsh Rocks Facebook Page) 20. The one who replaced Walsh in the band was singer John Elefante, who noted that Walsh was the reason why he wanted to be a singer. 21. "Streets" first album called "1st" was released in 1983. Walsh was involved in writing all the songs on the album. 22. In 1985 the band will release their second album "Crimes in Mind" and then disbanded by Walsh. 23. In 1986 Walsh returned to "Kansas" and has been an integral part of it until his retirement in 2014. 24. In 2015, Walsh contributed his voice as a singer on "Radioactive's" "F4UR" album. 25. Walsh has participated in 12 Kansas studio albums, out of the 16 released so far. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website