Today, June 13, is a special day for the band "Uriah Heep" whose two albums are celebrating a birthday today exactly 5 years apart. We'll start with the first album, "... Very 'Eavy ... Very' Umble" which is also the band's debut album released in 1970. 1970 was a great good year in music. The seeds planted by the big rock bands of the previous decade, became two mighty "Sequoia" trees in the form of the "Hard Rock" and "Metal" genres. In February 1970, "Black Sabbath" releases their debut album "Black Sabbath" and reveals to the world the sharpened heavy riffs of Tony Iommi. Later that year on June 3, "Deep Purple" releases the album "In Rock" - the band's first album with lead singer Ian Gillan and bassist Roger Glover, a groundbreaking album that defined the style of hard rock and heavy metal and proved that singers do not have to sing in a gentle and clear voice, But can also roar and scream and growl. To complete the picture we will note that later that year "Black Sabbath" released their second album "Paranoid" which finally established the metallic sound that would form the foundation on which the two genres were built. For some reason, not many remember that in this magical year "Uria Heep" released their debut album, an album which also has some influence on the development of the genres. There is no doubt that the album does not reach the level of influence the other albums released that year, but it is still an album that undoubtedly has an impact on the development of the genres. The album introduces us to a band that is still looking for the sound that will define it, with songs ranging from initial heavy metal "Gypsy", through basic hard rock "Walking in Your Shadow" to progressive rock "Wake Up" and even blues "Lucy Blues" and Soft Rock (listen to the amazing ballad "Come Away Melinda" and find some "Barcley James Harvest" in it). At the same time, it is impossible to ignore the fact that this is a band that was an important part in the emerging scene that will later define the genre of hard rock and metal. Listen for example to the riffs in the opening song "Gypsy" and the song "Bird Of Pray" (which is only in the American version) and you will understand what we are talking about. "Uriah Heep" began it's career as the band "Spice" back in 1967. The band then Included four members: Mick Box on guitar and vocals, David Byron on vocals, Paul Newton on bass and Alex Napier on drums. In July 1969, the quartet entered the recording studio while it still bears the name "Spice". They added the session keyboardist Colin Wood who was a teacher, on the advice of the director of their record company. During the same session, the band records two songs. The first, the amazing ballad "Come Away Melinda" written by American folk singer Fred Hellerman and Fran Minkoff and originally performed by singer Harry Belafonte in 1963. The second, the progressive song that closes the album "Wake Up (Set Your Sights)", written by Box and Byron. This session with a keyboard player, felt right for the band and made them desire to look for a keyboardist who would accompany them regularly as a full member. Bassist Paul Newton offers the name of Ken Hensley and the band decides to invite him to join the band. It was a move that brought with it a fundamental change in the band's sound. Hensley was a member of the bands "The Gods", "Head Machine" and "Toe Fat" with whom he recorded several albums. With the addition of Hensley, the band changed its name to "Uriah Heep", after the famous character from the book David Copperfield. Ken Hensley was a talented and gifted writer who, beyond his incredible keyboard work, also knew how to play guitar and sing, thus contributing greatly to the diversity and enrichment of the band sound. However, in the specific case Hensley joined the band after most of the material for the album was already written and even recorded (the two songs we mentioned above), so his influence on this album was minor in relation to subsequent albums. Although as mentioned, Hensley was not given a chance to prove his abilities in this case, he still managed to leave a substantial mark on songs like "Gypsy" whose echoing Hammond organ with the dirty sound resonates in our ears even 50 years later ... It is unfortunate to note that this album received bad reviews upon its release. Rolling Stone magazine reporter Melissa Mills opened her review of the album with the words: "If this group makes it I'll have to commit suicide. From the first note you know you don't want to hear any more...". Luckily for Melissa Mills the paper absorbs everything. Despite that, 50 years later, you can still hear the rolling laughter of Mick Box, who continues to lead the band with a high hand, perform with it and release good albums. To date, the band has released 25 studio albums, 18 live albums and countless collections. The band continues to perform to this day and fill halls without any difficulty. Just to be clear, the band has visited Israel 4 times when sometimes each visit includes more than one performance. Before concluding, a few words about the second album celebrating its birthday today: "Return to Fantasy". This is the band's eighth album released in 1975 (8 albums in 5 years !!! and Melissa Miles did not commit suicide as promised but sure ate her hat). This is the band's first album with legendary bassist John Wetton ("Family", "King Crimson", "Roxy Music", "UK", "Wishbone Ash", "Asia" and more), who just yesterday was due to celebrate his birthday. The album continues the band's experience with the albums "Sweet Freedom" and "Wonderworld" and the search for new areas of music, but it retains a heavier common sound than its predecessors. Although the album finds the band a little after its peak from the first half of the 70's, it is still a good album that includes, among other things, the theme song. A strong hard rock song that is in the band's setlist even in its recent performances. And now let's listen to the albums: "...Very 'Eavy ...Very 'Umble": Spotify, Apple Music "Return to Fantasy": 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 ... on "Invasion of Your Privacy", "Ratt's" second album, released on June 13, 1985. If you grew up on Hair/Glam Metal in the 1980s, there is no way you are not familiar with "Ratt" and certainly not with this album. The chances even increase if you are male sex and were in your teens when this album came out. "Ratt's" origins go back to 1973, when vocalist Stephen Pearcy formed a band called "Pearedome". In 1974 the band disbanded, and Pearcy formed another band called "Crystal Pystal", which went through several incarnations until in 1977 it changed its name to "Mickey Ratt". This lineup was part of the San Diego club scene and slowly gained fans and crowds. After an exchange of several members, including guitarist Jake E. Lee who left and later joined Ozzy Osbourne's lineup, the band's classic lineup finally crystallized and includes: lead singer Stephen Pearcy, guitarists Robbin Crosby and Warren DeMartini recommended by Jake E. Lee, bassist Juan Croucier and drummer Bobby Blotzer. To increase their chances of getting a recording contract with a major label, the band recorded a single called "Dr. Rock" / "Drivin 'on E" in 1980, which was distributed to fans during the band's performances at clubs in Los Angeles. In 1981 the band's name was shortened to "Ratt", when in 1982 they released a self-produced EP that included a different version of the song "Back For More". The EP was a relative success with sales of 100,000 copies, which earned the band a recording contract with "Atlantic Records". The band's debut album "Out Of The Cellar" was released in 1984 and gave "Ratt" great commercial success, mainly in the US and Japan, with sales of over 3 million copies. The album included the hits "Round And Round", "Wanted Man" and more. On "Invasion of Your Privacy" the band attempted to continue with the momentum of the debut album. Although failing to replicate the success of "Out Of The Cellar", "Ratt" concocted an excellent album containing some memorable glam metal hits, superb solos, and biting riffs. Songs like "Lay it Down", "You're in Love", "Never Use Love", "What You Give Is What You Get", "Dangerous But Worth the Risk", make this album one of the biggest and most important albums in glam metal Of the 80s. If we already mentioned biting riffs, then we think that the thing that sets "Ratt" apart from other glam metal bands is the excellent guitar work and the perfect combination of guitarists Crosby and DeMartini, which sometimes reminds us of the style and sound of NWOBHM bands from across the ocean. This album eventually reached double-platinum status with sales of over two million copies, and helped establish "Ratt's" status as one of the leading bands to emerge from the L.A. Glam-Metal scene of the 1980s. And what about the album cover? Many of us discovered the band and purchased the album because of the cover, but later discovered the real wonder that is inside. The woman on the chair is playboy model Marianne Gravatte, who also participates in the clip for the song "You're in Love". The cover and voyeuristic message caught the attention of the PMRC, who wanted to label the album as "Parental Advisory", to keep it away from American youth, but of course, they achieved the exact opposite ... For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Editor's Choice... And this time ... the second album of the mighty supergroup "Black Country Communion", released on June 13, 2011. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this amazing supergroup, we will give you a little acquaintance with the personnel who make this magnificent lineup: We'll start with "The head of the tribe" and most experienced of them all Glenn Hughes, bassist and singer of "Trapeze", "Deep Purple" and more, the man nicknamed by Stevie Wonder - "The Voice Of Rock". He is one of the main writers of the band and the one who holds this "superstar" band called "BCC" together. Hughes will be followed by one of the great guitarists who live among us today - Joe Bonamassa, who is also the second singer in this very special lineup. The one who holds the rhythm section planted like a huge log along with Glenn Hughes, is none other than Jason Bonham, the son of .. who no doubt inherited the mighty drumming ability from his father. Jason took part in the late reunions of "Led Zeppelin" and was also part of many ensembles like "UFO ", "Foreigner", "Virginia Wolf", "California Breed" and more. Make a lot of noise now for Derek Sherinian, the talented keyboardist former "Dream Theater" and since then a member of bands like "Portnoy, Sheehan, MacAlpine, Sherinian", "of Apollo" and a guest in other bands like "Black Label Society", "Alice in Chains" and more. So this wonderful quartet was formed in 2009 in Los Angeles California, with the help of producer Kevin Shirley who connected Hughes and Bonamassa. The supergroup released their debut album in 2010. This band manages to remind us of all the goodness of the late sixties and early seventies. "Good" that we were already sure is gone and would not repeat itself. Music that we always listened to with longing and that we thought was nowhere to find. Pure heavy rock combined with blues-rock, powerful and sweeping vocals, edgy and thunderous drumming, and solos reserved only for the greatest guitarists of that magical era, all wrapped in clever and intelligent keyboard work that knows when to stand out and lead and when to stay in the background. So on this album, the band returns only 9 months after the debut album with 12 wonderful tracks that do not fall short of their level from the previous and excellent album. Some of the best and most notable of which are, the opening song "The Outsider" is an edgy hard rock piece with tremendous singing by Glenn Hughes which is really hard to believe was in his sixties when the album was recorded. Derek Sherinian and Jason Bonham stand out and manage to exchange solos and keep up with the fast BPM pace of this song. The mighty "Save Me" that sounds just like the successful son of "Kashmir" and which no wonder Jason Bonham was initially destined for the long-awaited reunion of "Led Zeppelin", "The Battle for Hadrian's Wall" the over-sensitive Zepp-folk By Bonamassa, the amazing "Faithless" - a huge classic rock song that is being built and developed with Hughes' divine singing, Bonamassa's "An Ordinary Son" which shows how intelligent and technical singer he can be, the bluesy ending song "Cold" with guitar sentences That just leaves you shivering in the "cold", and more ... For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Today we tell about the legendary pianist Chick Korea, one of the giants of jazz and fusion: (Photo: Paul Bergen) Chick Corea was born Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea on June 12, 1941, in Massachusetts USA. His father was a jazz trumpeter and influenced him musically. He began learning to play the piano when he was only 4 years old. The first influences on him were of classical music, especially Mozart and Beethoven. In his youth, he experimented with piano and drums and later began to take piano lessons with a professional pianist. He later explored his Latin roots, among other things, when he played in the ensembles like "Mongo Santamaria" and "Willie Bobo". He has collaborated with many artists including saxophonist Stan Getz and trumpeter Miles Davis, who invited him to their lineup and revealed the electric piano to him, an instrument which Korea will use later in his career. In the early 1970s, he formed the jazz-rock-fusion ensemble "Return to Forever", which was one of the most prominent lineups in the field during the 1970s. Which will go through great artists like Stanley Clark and Al Di Meola. During his career, Korea has released 81 studio albums. He has won 23 Grammy Awards and has been nominated dozens more times. Among his major compositions are: "Spain", "500 Miles High", "La Fiesta", "Armando's Rhumba", and "Windows". Korea passed away on February 9, 2021, following a rare strain of cancer that struck him shortly before his death. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On June 12, 1995, "Paradise Lost" released their fifth studio album, "Draconian Times". By the mid-90s, "Paradise Lost" had already begun shifting from the death/doom roots of albums like "Gothic" and "Shades of God" toward a more melodic, accessible sound. With "Draconian Times", they struck gold—not by abandoning heaviness, but by dressing it in majesty. This was the album where Nick Holmes’ gritty baritone matured into a haunting, powerful vehicle, where Gregor Mackintosh’s melancholic guitar lines became as essential as the lyrics themselves, and where atmosphere and emotion reigned supreme. The recording took place at Great Linford Manor and Ridge Farm Studios, under the experienced hands of producer Simon Efemey. The band had a unified vision: to blend the darkness and density of metal with the sweeping drama of goth and even a tinge of classic rock. The result was a melancholic masterpiece filled with layered textures, anthemic choruses, and deep emotional resonance. The soft piano intro of "Enchantment" opens the album like a curtain rising in a dim, fog-drenched theatre. It’s both regal and brooding, introducing us to the soaring blend of sorrow and strength that defines the album. "Hallowed Land" and "The Last Time" are where "Draconian Times" truly roars to life. The former feels like a lament to a dying world, while the latter stands out as one of the band’s most memorable tracks—a tragic anthem that balances melody and menace in perfect proportion. "Forever Failure" is perhaps the emotional core of the album. Featuring samples of Charles Manson, it's a dark meditation on inner collapse and disillusionment, set to an unforgettable riff and a chorus that bleeds hopelessness. "Shadowkings" and "Elusive Cure" lean even harder into gothic territories, with slow-burning intensity and lyrical themes of emptiness and existential loss. Holmes sings not just as a frontman, but as a man wounded by the weight of the world. "Yearn for Change" and "I See Your Face" carry a yearning so raw it almost breaks through the confines of the music, while closer "Jaded" ends the journey with a stunning combination of fragility and defiance, like a candle flickering stubbornly in the wind. It is interesting to note that A song called "Another Desire" was written during the recording, but not released on the album or the reissues. What makes "Draconian Times" so lasting isn’t just the songwriting—it’s the emotional honesty. It’s an album that doesn’t scream to be heard but rather pulls you quietly into its darkness. Fans of "Metallica", "The Sisters of Mercy", or even "The Cure" could all find something resonant here, making it one of the rare metal albums that transcends genre boundaries. Commercially, the album was a breakthrough for "Paradise Lost". It reached number 16 on the UK Albums Chart and helped establish the band as a leader of the gothic metal movement. It remains their best-known and most celebrated work, frequently appearing on “best of the 90s metal” lists and cited as an influence by countless bands. Even decades later, "Draconian Times" still sounds timeless. It captures a band at the height of their creative powers—channeling darkness, beauty, and pain into something profoundly human. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Today we are going to tell you some interesting facts about singer-songwriter Roy Harper, who influenced many artists like Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, Pete Townshend, Kate Bush, Pink Floyd, Ian Anderson, "Fleet Foxes" and more: (Photo: George Scott) = Roy Harper was born on June 12, 1941, in Rusholme, Manchester, England. = His mother, Muriel, died three weeks after he was born. He was brought up by his father and stepmother whom he didn't get along with, due to her religious beliefs. = He was influenced by American blues and jazz musicians during his formative years. = Harper began writing poems when he was 12. At the age of 13 he began playing skiffle music with his younger brother David. = He formed his first group "De Boys" with his brothers David and Harry when he was only 14. = He join the Royal Air Force to follow an ambition to be a pilot. After two years He rejected the rigid discipline and feigned madness to obtain a military discharge. = Harper's first advertised performance was on 5 October 1965. = Harper is known for his distinctive fingerstyle. = He also known for his lengthy, lyrical, complex compositions, reflecting his love of jazz and the poet John Keats. = Harper Released his debut album, "Sophisticated Beggar", in 1966, showcasing his early folk style and poetic lyrics. = In 1968 He released his second studio album "Come Out Fighting Ghengis Smith", that includes the 11-minute track "Circle", which is a soundscape of Harper's difficult youth. = In 1969 he released "Folkjokeopus", including the track "McGoohan's Blues," reflecting his political and social commentaries. = In 1970 he released "Flat Baroque and Berserk", featuring the song "Another Day", which became one of his most recognized tracks, covered by several including "This Mortal Coil" (featuring Elizabeth Fraser) and Kate Bush. The album also featured "the Nice" on the track "Hell's Angels". = Harper gained critical acclaim with "Stormcock" released in 1971, an album characterized by long, complex compositions and featuring contributions from Jimmy Page and David Bedford. = In 1973 he released "Lifemask", including the epic track "The Lord’s Prayer," a 23-minute song reflecting Harper’s deep philosophical musings. = In 1974 he released "Valentine", featuring "Twelve Hours of Sunset". The album was celebrated with a Valentine’s Day concert at London’s Rainbow Theatre. = In 1975 Harper released "HQ", which featured notable musicians such as David Gilmour, John Paul Jones, Bill Bruford, and Chris Spedding. = The same year Harper collaborated with "Led Zeppelin" on their song "Hats Off to (Roy) Harper," from the album "Led Zeppelin III". = More in the same year, harper was the lead vocalist on "Pink Floyd’s" song “Have a Cigar”, from the album "Wish You Were Here". = In 1977 he released "Bullinamingvase", that became one of his most commercially successful albums. = In 1978 he co-wrote the song "Short and Sweet" with David Gilmour. The song appears in Gilmour's debut album from the same year, and also on Harper's tenth album "The Unknown Soldier", released in 1980. = The song "You" from his album "The Unknown Soldier", featured a duet with Kate Bush. = In 1984 Harper toured the UK with Jimmy Page, performing acoustic sets under names like "The MacGregors" and "Themselves", leading to the 1985 release of "Whatever Happened to Jugula?". = He established his own record label, "Science Friction", in 1993, re-releasing much of his back catalogue on CD. = In 1990 he released "Once", featuring contributions from David Gilmour, Kate Bush, and Nigel Mazlyn Jones. = In 1998 he released "The Dream Society" with contributions from Ian Anderson of "Jethro Tull". = In 2007 Harper announced a break from live performances to focus on writing. = In 2011 he performed a 70th birthday concert at the Royal Festival Hall, joined by guests like Jimmy Page and Joanna Newsom. = In 2013 he released his last (to date) and 22nd studio album "Man and Myth", featuring Pete Townshend and Jonathan Wilson. = He is the father to singer-songwriter Nick Harper and son Ben Harper. = Songwriter and record producer Felix Howard claims Harper as his children's biological grandfather. = Harper is an atheist and known for his critical views on organized religion. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Only two years after their third and most successful album, "Enema of The State," catapulted the band into fame and transformed their tour venues from small, dingy clubs to massive stadiums, the trio faced pressure from their label to release their fourth album, "Take Off Your Pants and Jacket," which came out on June 12, 2001. By the year 2000, it was evident that the resurgence of punk was spearheaded by "Green Day" and "Blink-182". These two bands dominated the American mainstream and expanded their influence globally. Punk rock made a comeback to prominence following the decline of grunge, coinciding with the emergence of nu-metal, and its success was astonishing. Unlike "Green Day", Blink-182 offered a wilder, more youthful, humorous, yet brilliant and vibrant musical persona, reflected in their lyrics, music, music videos, and performances. Following the release of their third and most commercially successful album, the band rapidly transformed from a small, relatively unknown Punk Rock group into a "trio of kings." They became a staple on worldwide radio, were frequently broadcast on MTV, stayed in 5-star hotels, and sold out stadiums across the USA. After seven years of relentless effort, promoting their music in every conceivable way and performing non-stop, they finally achieved recognition. After completing the tour to promote the previous album, their label, MCA, pressured the trio to return to the studio to record their next album. The label aimed to capitalize on the previous album's success to generate more revenue from the popular Punk-Rock trio. Tom DeLonge mentioned that the label's president imposed heavy fines on the band members for each day the album's release was delayed. Overwhelmed by their newfound success and the accompanying pressure, the band complied with the label's demands out of fear of losing their momentum. Although they were not ready and requested time to regroup, the label refused and sent them back to the recording studio. The trio entered the rehearsal room in California and started writing and recording demos for their upcoming album. Over three weeks, they composed more than 12 songs and eventually invited their manager, Rick DeVoe, to listen to the material. After hearing all the recordings, Rick stated that none of the songs had the catchy, "summer" vibe typical of a Blinky hit. Tom and Mark Hoppus were angered by Rick's criticism and decided to show him they could create a catchy summer hit in just 10 minutes. Mark went home, picked up his guitar, sat on the floor, and wrote "The Rock Show." Meanwhile, Tom also went home, grabbed his guitar (but didn't sit on the floor), and wrote "First Date." These songs became the first two singles from the album and achieved great success. Right after the demos concluded, the trio entered the studio with producer Jerry Finn and his team, who had worked on their previous album, to start recording "Take Off Your Pants and Jacket." Travis Barker's drum tracks were laid down in just three days before the band moved to "Signature Sound" studios to continue with guitars and vocals. Despite pressure from the label, the band members took a relaxed approach, often going out for long dinners, watching TV series together, and generally enjoying the recording process. A few weeks later, when label executives visited the studio to hear the new material for the upcoming album, the band played a prank by only presenting two joke songs, "Fuck a Dog" and "When You Fucked Hitler." Tom mentioned that the label executives were furious, demanding the trio produce an album similar to their previous work. This marked the beginning of the band's relationship issues. Mark sided with the label, wanting to continue making music in the same style as their previous album but on a larger scale. In contrast, Tom aimed to steer their music towards a rougher, heavier rock sound. Tom focused on improving his playing skills and crafting lyrics to reflect a more mature side, while Mark took the lyrics in a darker direction. For the first time, the three members worked separately, almost in isolation, fostering an unspoken competition to produce more poignant and intelligent lyrics, which often led to conflicts over the final choices. While the difference might not be apparent to us, Mark expressed that he felt tortured with every word he wrote and sang on this album, as he believed he had to adjust to Tom and Travis. (Photo: sfgate.com) While critics regard it as a concept album, this work lacks a specific narrative or plot that guides you through the songs in a structured manner. Various themes are interwoven throughout the album, reflecting Blink's evolving style (which will further mature in their self-titled fifth album), shifting from topics like humor, teenage antics, and sex to lyrics about crises, broken homes, depression, and adversity. The album begins with "Anthem Part Two," a sharp critique of adults who blame children for simply growing up. This song diverges from themes of teenage parties, focusing instead on the frustrations and mistreatment they endure due to their parents' failures, highlighted by the line "Everything has fallen to pieces..." The following track "Online Songs" was penned by Mark as a continuation of the song "Josie" from the second album "Dude Ranch," released in 1997. The album's second single, "First Date," was written by Tom and draws inspiration from his first date with his wife, Jennifer Jenkins, when he took her to "SeaWorld" in San Diego. The subsequent track "Happy Holidays, You Bastard" is designed to irritate parents everywhere with its abrasive lyrics and explosive music. Next is the album's most melancholic song, "Story of a Lonely Guy," which narrates the tale of a heartbroken boy who faces rejection from a girl just before the high school prom. "She makes me feel like it's raining outside And when the storm's gone, I'm all torn up inside I'm always nervous on days like this, like the prom I get too scared to move, 'cause I'm a fuckin' boy" In a swift shift from melancholy, we transition to the upbeat hit "The Rock Show," which propelled this album to the top of the Billboard charts. This lively punk rock track celebrates the joy of music, relationships, and life. It narrates the tale of two teenagers who meet at a rock show and stay in love despite facing challenges and difficulties. Once more, we delve into Mark's more somber aspect with "Stay Together for the Kids," arguably Blink's most melancholic song. It addresses his parents' divorce, narrated from the perspective of a child left without answers, struggling to comprehend how his parents ended up in this predicament and how it affected him. This is one of the songs that had a significant impact on us... "So here's your holiday Hope you enjoy it this time You gave it all away It was mine" While the song may seem musically upbeat, it retains a somewhat somber undertone. "Roller Coaster" was penned by Mark after experiencing a nightmare shortly after he began dating his now-wife, Skye. The song explores the anxieties and unease a person feels when they meet their ideal partner but remain fearful of losing them. Now shift to a more cheerful topic as Tom shares his summer memories, which, despite having several challenges and difficulties, were filled with enjoyment from parties, skateboarding, and beach recreation. Mark and Tom stated that the next two songs, "Everytime I Look for You" and "Give Me One Good Reason," were not inspired by a specific theme or event. Instead, they were broadly about Punk Rock music and its role in youth culture. Another powerful and dark track on the album is "Shut Up," which vividly portrays a broken family—a theme familiar to the band members—intertwined with elements of isolation, alienation, and departure. "Get the fuck up", she said, "your life is meaningless It's going nowhere, you're going nowhere You're just a fuck up ", she said," I'll live alone instead " She said, "you do not care", I know, I do not care" The album concludes on an optimistic note, featuring a relationship that started as a friendship and evolved into a romantic love story in "Please Take Me Home". "Please take me home Too late, it's gone I bet you're sad This is the best time we ever had" Musically, this trio is at its zenith, featuring strong and soft riffs, dynamic breaks, melodic vocals alongside screams, and all the best elements Punk Rock can offer, marked by Blink's distinctive musical style. However, we must highlight one individual who stands out for us (perhaps we're biased), and that is drummer Travis. His contributions to the songs are extraordinary, reminiscent of "The Who's" drummer, Keith Moon. With each track, Travis' sticks create a lively dance, moving across his drum set like a prom dance from "Bridgerton." He transforms any standard slow or fast punk rock beat into a sophisticated blend of rhythms, marked by quick transitions and an intense frequency. To us, he is a legendary drummer who, beyond the band's signature sound, adds a remarkable quality that elevates the songs to a higher level. The album in question is the band's first and only release to achieve the number one spot on the Billboard charts, with sales exceeding 14 million copies. It is also notable for being the first Punk Rock album to top the charts. The album was released in three versions: "red airplane" (take off), "yellow pants" (your pants), and "green jacket" (and jacket). If the album's name has been mentioned, it plays on a pun related to masturbation: "Take off your pants and jack it." 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 12/6/12, "Rush's" 19th and final studio album, "Clockwork Angels", was released in USA and Canada. In a completely "clockwise" way, the album includes 12 tracks that probably symbolize the 12 hours of the clock that appears on the album cover. The album was also released on the 12th of June 2012. The sharp-eyed among you must have noticed that the time the clock shows on the album cover is 9:12, that is 21:12, a kind of wink of the band to its masterful album "2112" from 1976. And indeed there is a lot of connection between these two albums, not only in terms of writing and musical style, But mainly in terms of content. You can learn about the great resemblance to "2112" from a glance at the lyrics on the inside cover of the album, and even before we heard one note from it. Each of the twelve poems opens with a short introduction designed to introduce the listener to the atmosphere of the story and complete, along with the lyrics, the whole plot. We mentioned "content", so "Clockwork Angels" is a full concept album, from beginning to end, that tells a futuristic story about the world of "steam-punk" (Steampunk is a science fiction sub-genre that deals with a world where gasoline and diesel, digital and electronics technologies have not evolved. A world of steam engines and analog equipment), and about a young boy - Owen Hardy embarking on a self-searching journey in the Steampunk world full of anarchists, angels, pirates, carnival jugglers, researchers and watchmakers, a boy who always felt so small in his world but never stopped thinking big time! And this is exactly how the plot story of "Clockwork Angels" begins, when in the lyrics of the song "Caravan" that opens the album Owen explains: "In a world where I feel so small I can not stop thinking big". It is worth mentioning that "Clockwork Angels" was recorded in two parts. The first two songs on the album, "Caravan" and "BU2B" were recorded in 2010 and were included in the setlist of the "Time Machine" tour held in 2010-2011. After the tour ended, the band entered the studio to complete the recording of the album and during those recordings, these two songs were given a slightly different version from the one released before the album. The entire album was born from jam sessions by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson who recorded the music in Toronto and sent it to Neil Peart who attached lyrics to it. This is the first time that the band's album includes an accompaniment of strings and more precisely six violins and two cellos. These strings will also accompany the band during the tour to promote the album, when for the first time in the band's history, additional artists will take the stage with them - a string ensemble that includes 10 musicians. "Caravan" opens with a short intro and is immediately followed by the entry of a tight guitar-bass riff and sharp and precise drumming, and from the very first note, the listener understands why Rush is considered one of the best Power-Trios of all time. This is Owen's starting point - the boy, on his quest in the caravan, from the small village where Barrel Arbor grew up, towards the big city of Crown City. The second track is called "BU2B" - an acronym for the words "Brought Up to Believe" which also opens the song. The song opens with an acoustic guitar intro in a soft and delicate fingering that blends in with Geddy Lee's whispering sounds. As the acoustic opening fades the song bursts into life with relentless hyperactivity and Geddy's voice sounds loud, even angry, in the opposite way to his soft whispers in the intro. The song does not lose momentum for a moment mainly thanks to Lifeson's guitar playing. In the song, Owen tells how he is educated to believe that the universe has a plan for every person, and how a person's fate is exactly what he deserves without the ability to change. This is the world of the "watchmaker" a world that is run as accurately as a clock, full of stereotypes that everyone has their role and purpose. The theme song "Clockwork Angels" comes right after. Over 7 and a half minutes of music and yet, there is not a single poor moment in this song. The plot tells of the legendary angels of "Kronos Square" located in the center of the big city square, the place Owen heard about in the stories and to which he always aspired to reach. Gaddy Lee's vocals here at their best, Alex Lifeson's beautiful guitar work and the fluid solo with the blues touches, are among his powerful ones and the professor (Neil Peart)'s brilliant drumming work, all make this song one of the album's climaxes. The fourth track on the album "The Anarchist" opens with an energetic instrumental track - thunderous and rolling drums by Peart, a loud and "grunge" guitar riff" by Lifeson, and a wild bass by Geddy Lee, which drives all this experienced and oiled machine. The song makes our first acquaintance with the "anarchist" who tries to disrupt any form of order in the accurate world of the "watchmakers" as the lyrics tell: "I Plan My Vengeance On My Own - and I Was always Alone…" The fifth track - "Carnies" is a song in a real carnival atmosphere (Carni refers to a carnival show). Owen finds work with traveling carnival people and gets to be near his favorite Kronos Square, where the carnival is located. During the show, Owen notices an anarchist holding a suspicious object connected with wires to an analog clock. He shouts to warn the crowd and the anarchist throws the object at Owen, who grabs it instinctively in front of the angry crowd. The song features excellent guitar work by Lifeson, especially the solo. Listen well to the song because in fact there are three separate layers of guitar in there. One will emerge from the right speaker, the other will be heard in the left ear and the third in the center. "Hallo Effect" brings with it a quiet and melodic pause that highlights Geddy Lee's singing and Lifeson's stunning acoustic work, in a way that amplifies the painful nature of the lyrics. In the plot Owen falls in love with one of the acrobatics at the carnival, only to realize that she does not suit him. Beautifully timed, the seventh song on the album is "Seven Cities of Gold". A song with a blues-rock scent, yet still groovy and bouncy, featuring one of "Rush's" most catchy chants. The song is steeped in sweeping and stunning string work, which adds an "epic" tone to the song. The lyrics tell of the continuation of Owen's journey where he starts to work on a steam-powered ship in search of the famous golden city "CA-bola", he heard about as a child. The eighth song "The Wreckers" tells the story of the pirates and the raid and sinking of the steamer on which Owen finds himself as the last survivor of that raid. Despite the sad lyrical message of the song, the music here is relatively happy and uplifting. Geddy Lee's singing on this one is a prime example of the dynamics of his voice and it proves that he may no longer have the "super-sonic" abilities he had a few decades ago, but still makes up for it well with a respectable vocal range that goes up and down the vocal scale. It is interesting to note that this song was written while exchanging roles of Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson who decided to cross out musical instruments. The ninth track "Headlong Flight" is the third single from the album, released two months before the album. The song was born during Geddy and Alex's Jam session at Geddy's house during the break between the two parts of the "Time Machine" tour. The song features elements from the song "Bastille Day" from the album "Caress Of Steel" dating back to 1975. In terms of the plot, the song takes place in the future, when Owen recalls his adventures during his self-quest and includes the phrase: "I wish I could live it all again". This sentence served as the inspiration for the whole concept of the band's last tour R40, in which the band chose to play songs from all over their long career, in a reverse chronological order, a kind of going back in time to relive everything. The tenth track - "BU2B2" is the melancholy and gloomy second part of the second song on of the album "BU2B". The song corresponds well with the acoustic introduction that opens the first part - "BU2B". Geddy Lee's singing is gentle and emotional and it is accompanied only by strings. If we mentioned influences from "2112", so the depressing nature of the words is reminiscent of the sixth part from "2112" called "Soliloquy", also where the hero of the story remains in almost complete despair, similar to the one in our story. The song is a kind of monologue by Owen (just like in "2112") and his disillusionment with the world and the society in which he lives in. No more boundless optimism, no more belief in greater powers, too much pain, too much grief, too much disappointment ... and in the lyrics of the song itself: "Belief Has Failed Me Now, Life Goes From Bad to Worse. No Philosophy Consoles Me, In a Clockwork Universe…". It's interesting that" BU2B2 "is the shortest song on the album, only a minute and 28 seconds, but still it has four verses. "Wish Them Well," tells us about Owen's refusal to succumb to his despair and understanding that it is not appropriate to continue living his life with anger and resentment towards all those who harmed him, but to stay away from them and wish them all the best ... Geddy's singing was recorded here in several layers, in each one he sings in a higher octave. The song that seals the album "The Garden", is among the most beautiful "Rush" has written during its more than 40 years of activity. Surprisingly, this is actually the first song the band wrote for the album. The end of Owen's journey and the discovery that the true search of his life was in fact love and respect for him and others. The song tells about a metaphorical garden that needs to be nurtured, which includes all of a person’s actions and behavior, with the treasures of that garden being love and honor. The song's lyrics are based on the satirical novella "Candide" written by the French philosopher and writer Voltaire, who ends the book with a conclusion and preaching to his readers to "cultivate their garden". It is interesting to note that the song features the Canadian businessman and musician Jason Sniderman playing the piano. Amazingly, Alex Lifeson's guitar solo was taken from a demo that Alex recorded at Geddy Lee's house late at night, while Geddy was sprawled out on the couch. Producer Nick Raskulinecz noted that when you get a solo this beautiful, it's no longer demo... Final words - Epilogue The album "Clockwork Angels" is a masterpiece of a band that was indeed at the end of its creative period, but undoubtedly proved that it is at its peak, both in terms of writing ability and performance. This is indeed Rush's "Swan Song" as a band, and it's hard to imagine a better way for Geddy, Alex, and Neil to end their careers as a band. At the end of the tour that accompanied the album "Clockwork Angels", Peart expressed to his friends his desire to retire from live performances. The load on the body of a peart who was then 60 years old was enormous. The band's performances lasted over 3 hours which included complex and massive drumming, an intense and long drum solo, and sometimes even two, so he feared that this would impair his level of playing. Alex and Geddy had one last request - to go on one last grandiose tour. Alex mentioned in detail the arthritis he suffers from, which may also affect his playing, and begged for one last round. Peart finally agreed but for a limited tour in the US only. The R40 tour included songs from all eras, with the band returning in a reverse chronologically in time, from the album "Clockwork Angels" to the first album and eve to a 16-bars excerpt from the song "Garden Road" that the band recorded before the release of their debut album. During the show, the whole stage setting change and also go back in time, with stage workers spinning throughout the show, assembling and disassembling amplifiers and instruments to suit the spirit of the period of the song being played. At the end of the show, the set includes only two guitar/bass amplifiers on chairs with microphones aimed at them, just like at the beginning of the band's journey, in the basements of Willowdale, Ontario, Canada ... One of the setlist's songs was a one the band had never performed before - "Losing It" from the album "Signals" of 1982. A very touching song that moves us to tears. The song tells the story of artists who were at their peak and suddenly "lose it". Very sadly, thinking of the album cover and the “clock” idea behind is just chilling. When the wondrous trio walked down from the stage of the Forum Hall in Los Angeles at their Final Show, on August 1, 2015, Neil's clock began to tick back... To listen to the album: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

He has been a member of major bands "King Crimson", "Uriah Heep", "Asia", "UK", "Family", "Wishbone Ash", "Roxy Music" and more. He has collaborated with artists such as Bryan Ferry, Brian Eno, Pete Sinfield, Phil Manzanera, Peter Banks, and more. He is so versatile in his playing that he has touched on classical music, Jazz, Fusion, Hard Rock, Progressive rock, and even Pop. He was a sought-after bassist, a singer with a unique voice and he also played guitar and keyboards. (Photo: Fin Costello) Today we want to tell you a little about the work of the amazing musician John Wetton: 1. He was born in a derby in England on June 12, 1949. His full name is John Kenneth Wetton. 2. His first experience with music was when he listened to his brother who was a choir boy and organist who played classical music. The brother let John play the bass roles on the piano and John immediately fell in love with playing the low notes. 3. Although he noted that the bass pieces in Bach's works really interested and challenged him, John was more attracted to rock music and focused on playing the bass guitar. 4. In 1962, John also began learning to play the guitar on which he played in a local band called "The Squires". 5. Later John returned to play bass guitar and sing in various bands such as "The Corvettes", "The Palmer-James Group", "Tetrad", "The Zoo", "Ginger Man" and more. 6. His first serious band was the jazz-rock band "Mogul Thrash" which also included the guitarist James Litherland from the band "Colosseum". Wetton will release with the band their first single in 1970 and a debut album bearing the band's name in 1971. 7. After the band disbanded in 1971, John moved into studios and became a session player. 8. In the same year, John will join the band "Family" and release the album "Fearless" with it. John will play the album on bass, guitar, keyboards and will sing background vocals. He will continue with the band for another album called "Bandstand" which was released in 1972. 9. Wetton's great opportunity came in 1972 when guitarist Robert Fripp invited him to join the band "King Crimson", where he will meet, among others, drummer Bill Bruford. (Photo: Michael Ochs) 10. Wetton will record three masterpieces with the band: "Larks' Tongues in Aspic", "Starless and Bible Black" and one of the band's masterpieces - "Red". Wetton will play bass, be the lead singer, play the piano occasionally and be a full partner in the creation of these albums. 11. After the dissolution of "King Crimson", Wetton will move to play with the band "Roxy Music" and he will also be part of the live album "Viva!" Released in 1976. 12. In 1975 he joined "Uriah Heep" as a replacement for bassist Gary Thain. John will record two albums with the band: "Return to Fantasy" from 1975 and "High and Mighty" from 1976. He will serve as bassist, and keyboardist, play the Mellotron, sing background vocals, and will even take the lead in singing on "One Way or Another" from the album "High and Mighty". 13. In 1977, after attempts to bring "King Crimson" back into action failed, Wetton and drummer Bill Burford formed the band "U.K.", Together with keyboardist/violinist Eddie Jobson whom Wetton met in "Roxy Music" and guitarist Allan Holdsworth from "Soft Machine" and "Gong". The band will release two excellent albums: "UK" from 1978 and "Danger Money" from 1979 with Terry Bozzio on drums. 14. In 1980, Wetton released his first solo album "Caught in the Crossfire". Wetton will later release five more solo albums, the most recent being "Raised in Captivity" from 2011. (Photo: Ebet Roberts) 15. In the same year he joined the band "Wishbone Ash" and released the album "Number the Brave" in 1981. 16. At the end of 1981 Wetton began writing new material together with guitarist Steve Howe, and the two began to talk about setting up a new band. They were joined by keyboardist Geoff Downes and drummer Carl Palmer, and the "Asia" supergroup was formed. 17. The band's debut album "Asia" was released in 1982 and was a great success. Between 1982 and 2014, John will release 8 studio albums with "Asia". 18. In 2002, Wetton will join keyboardist Geoff Downes and the two will form the band "Icon" and release 4 studio albums. 19. As we mentioned above, the number of collaborations and albums in which John Wetton has been part of is enormous, here are some worth mentioning collaborations: Brian Eno, Bryan Ferry, "Ayreon", "Renaissance", Steve Hackett, Eddie Jobson, Phil Manzanera, Peter Banks, Gordon Haskell, and more. 20. John Wetton passed away on January 31, 2017, as a result of complications from cancer. Now let's listen to a playlist that reviews his glorious career that we have prepared especially for you: Click Here. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Today we will tell you about Brad Delp who is known, among other things, as the lead singer and guitarist of "Boston". (Photo: Chris Walter) Brad Delp was a lead singer, guitarist, and one of the founders of "Boston" who participated in all of the band's albums. The band's latest album, released after his death, also included recordings of his voice. Brad together with Tom Schultz, formed the very unique sound on which "Boston" was based on. he participated in the band's hits such as: "More Than a Feeling", "Foreplay / Long Time", "Peace of Mind", "Amanda" and more. Delp was born on June 12, 1951, in Peabody, Massachusetts, USA as Bradley Edward Delp. His parents were immigrants from Canada. In 1969 guitarist Barry Goudreau arranged for Delp to meet Tom Scholz who was just looking for a singer for an emerging band. The three formed the band "Mother's Milk" which operated from 1973 to 1974 and later changed its name to "Boston", with the three serving as the core of the band. Schultz was a multi-instrumentalist who was considered a musical and technical genius. He was a student at MIT, worked for an electronics company, and built a studio for himself in the basement of his home, where the three recorded the demos that would become Boston's debut album. Read more about the excellent album here. (Photo: Ron Pownall) This album was released in 1976 and became one of the most successful debut albums of all time with sales of over 20 million copies. Delp was responsible for the album's all-unique vocals and the incredible vocal harmonies that became the band's hallmark. Not only that, but Delp helped Schultz write the song "Smokin'", and wrote the song that sealed the album "Let Me Take You Home Tonight" on his own and even played it on acoustic guitar. It's inconceivable but Delp is responsible for all the singing roles in the band, including the background vocals and all the vocal harmonies. He has a voice that touches the sky and penetrates the bones. A very distinctive voice that sometimes overshadows even the rest of the instruments in the band. But Delp is definitely not just a singer. He also plays guitar, keyboards, and harmonica and has written songs not only for "Boston" but also for artists like Orion the Hunter, Lisa Guyer, and others. Also on the band's second excellent album "Don't Look Back" from 1978, Delp contributed to writing one song in collaboration with Schultz ("Party") and wrote one song himself - "Used to Bad News". After these two albums, Delp participated in the first solo album of band member Barry Goudreau which was released in 1980. For "Boston's" third album "Third Stage" from 1986, Delp brought two songs "Cool the Engines" and "Can'tcha Say (You Believe in Me)/Still in Love", both of which were played quite a bit on radio stations. In 1991, Delp and Goudreau formed the band "RTZ". From that moment on Delp was no longer a permanent member of "Boston" and his successor was singer Fran Cosmo. At the same time, Delp continued to be a guest on the band's albums, "Corporate America" from 2002 and "Life, Love & Hope" from 2013, which were released after his death. In parallel with his work with "RTZ", Delp participated in a side band that played cover songs for the Beatles and was called "Beatlejuice". In 2003, Delp and his former Boston friend Goudreau released the album "Delp and Goudreau". On March 9, 2007, Delph was found dead in his home shower in Atkinson, New Hampshire. He committed suicide by inhaling smoke. A hose from his car was connected through the vent of the tumble dryer, and two grills with smoky coals were placed in the bathroom. Brad left a farewell letter for his children and associates, with the suicide note attached to the lapel of his shirt that read "I am a lonely soul," or originally: "Mr. Brad Delp. 'I am a solitaire.' I am a lonely soul." Opinions are divided as to the reasons for Delp's suicide, some attributing them to his murky relationship with the band's leader Tom Schultz, who even sued the "Boston Herald" for the publicity that allegedly attributed to Delp's suicide. Schultz lost the lawsuit and on June 1, 2013, was required to pay the newspaper $ 132,000 in expenses after the court dismissed the lawsuit and ruled that there was no libel here since it is not possible to determine what led Delp to commit suicide. Whatever the reason, this is a sad reminder of the heavy price that the music industry sometimes charges such talented artists, who sometimes cannot cope with its success and consequences. Take a few moments and listen a little to the beautiful music created by Delp and his friends in Boston. Here. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On June 12, 1985, the album "Killing Is My Business ... and Business Is Good!", "Megadeth's" debut album, was released. It is one of the most important and influential albums in the thrash metal genre and it was a very important step on the way to the development of this great style, despite its sound and production problems. The name of the album speaks for itself, "Killer" album, "Destroyer" album, "Slayer" album"!! Eight songs and 31 minutes of metal explosion to the face!, you know what? Just 30 minutes if you take out the amazing classic opening "Last Rites" based on Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D Mino". "Last Rites" is a kind of the last prayer for a person before he dies in Christianity, and this classic opening just transports us like a hallway, from the world of life straight to the hell of Dave Mustaine and his friends, and this underworld is bubbling & boiling metallic! But as we will see immediately below, this album hardly happened. In 1983, Dave Mustaine's friendship with "Metallica" ended, even before the band's first album "Kill 'Em All" was released. The drug, alcohol, and violence problems he inflicted on the band members did not allow him to continue his membership in "Metallica" and he was fired in disgrace, at one of the less beautiful events in music. Read more about The Day Dave Mustaine Fired From Metallica. After being fired from "Metallica", Mustaine set up a band called the "Fallen Angels", but even that did not last long. He then met Dave Ellefson and Greg Handevidt by chance. They lived in the apartment below him and played the song "Runnin' 'with the Devil" from Van Helen's debut album. After a night of drinking and talking about music, they decided to form a band together and that was the beginning of "Megadeth". (Photo: Ultimate-guitar.com) Mustaine and his friends managed to sign a contract with the "Kombat" record company. They gave them $8,000 to produce and release their first album. However, instead of making good use of the money, Mustaine and his friends managed to spend most of the amount given to them on drugs and alcohol, so they had no money to pay the producer. Despite their dismal condition, Mustaine and his friends managed to produce the album themselves, but of course, this affected the quality of the album. It should be noted that Mustaine did not initially intend to be the lead singer of the band, but after a feverish search that lasted six months in which no suitable candidate was found, he decided to take the vocals roles as well. And now you're probably asking how did it happen that an album with such a careless production became so influential in the development of the thrash metal genre? So, the dismissal of Dave Mustaine from "Metallica" also had a positive side that contributed to the development of thrash metal. Mustaine recalls that he was just angry at his friends from "Metallica". He wanted "blood" !, "revenge"! He had to show them that he's much better than them, that he's faster than them, which is also why this album sounds the way it does. Like a spring of a 9mm Baretta pistol. Hard, compact, heavy, and powerful. The proof of what was going on in Mustaine's mind at the time, can be found in the song "Mechanix" which closes the album. This is actually the original song of "The Four Horsemen" that appears on "Metallica's" debut album, but with the original lyrics, and at a much faster BPM pace than "Metallica's". As if Mustaine told his friends, you fired me because you thought I was too drunk to play? Now we'll see if you can play faster than me. In Mustaine's original version, the four horse riders were replaced by a sweaty, dirty mechanic in grease who performs a sexual act at a gas station. Mustaine wrote all the songs on the album, except for "These Boots", which is a tough and rude "Parental Advisory" version of the song "These Boots Are Made for Walkin", which was released & performed by Nancy Sinatra. Songwriter Lee Hazlewood has filed a lawsuit against "Megadeth" to remove the song from the album, claiming it is offensive and shameful. Indeed, as of 1995, the reissues of the album did not include the song. In 2002 a remastered version of the album was released which already included a slightly different version with more "gentle" and "censored" lyrics. The opening song, with the musical breaks and syncopations, "Loved to Death" was written by Mustaine as a metallic love song. It was his way of telling his girlfriend back then, how much he loved her. The album's theme song tells the story of a hired killer (why not?) And was influenced by the comic book series "The Punisher". This song managed to create problems for the band from the beginning, when a listener of a radio station asked to listen to the song and stated that it was "good music to freak out with and kill some people ...". The man was later arrested for questioning, because the police feared he would carry out a mass shooting incident. "The Skull Beneath the Skin" evolved from a demo called "Self Destruct" and it talks about torture performed on a person's body. The song also refers to black magic in which Mustaine believed in his youth. This is the first song that Mustaine writes inspired by his belief in magic, when he will return to the subject later, especially on the second album "Peace Sells... but Who's Buying". It should be noted that Mustaine does not play these songs anymore due to a change in his spiritual faith, as he claims. More importantly, Mustaine argues that the creation of the character "Vic Rattlehead" is explained through this song. "Looking Down the Cross" was written by Mustaine in 1983, under the name "Speak No Evil". The lyrics address the temptation of Jesus and make use of religious metaphors. Mustaine says the song "Chosen Ones" was influenced by the cult film "Monty Peyton and the Holy Grail." And now for the cover story. The original cover was supposed to show us "Vic Rattlehead" based on a sketch created by Dave Mustaine. Who the hell is Vic? So if "Maiden" has "Eddie" and "Dio" has "Murray", "Megadeth" has "Vic Rattlehead", who appears on the album covers of the band and sometimes shows up as a guest on stage. Mustaine handed Vic to "Combat Records" so they can create the album cover based on it, but the record company lost the sketches and instead bought a shabby, cheap plastic skull, apparently in an attempt to save costs. When Mustaine and his friends saw the cover they were just shocked but it was too late. It should be noted that the matter was eventually corrected in the 2002 remastered version of the album, but we still love the original and authentic cover. And now let's listen to the album: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

We continue the series of reviews "Class of 91" in which we write to you about the masterpiece albums released in the amazing year of 1991. And today "Slave to the Grind", "Skid Row's" second studio album, which was released on June 11, 1991. This album shows a change in the band's sound and direction. It becomes harder, rougher, and heavier, with tracks on the verge of speed metal, compared to the band's debut album released in 1989, which included hard rock hits and heavy metal ballads like "I Remember You", "18, and Life" and - “Youth Gone Wild”. Writing topics have also become more mature. The band abandoned the softer and more romantic side, in favor of topics like politics, religion, and so on. "Skid Row" can be said to have gone against the flow and in the opposite direction of other bands such as "Motley Crue", "Ratt", "Dokken" and more, that followed the trends in the genre at the time. You could also say that the changes "Skid Row" went through on this album are similar to the ones "Pantera" went through on the album "Cowboys from Hell", not so long before. And if we called "Pantera" band members "Transformers of Metal" because of their ability to "transform" and reinvent themselves, then for us "Skid Row" should be nicknamed the "Werewolves of Heavy Metal". "Human-wolves" that are capable of changing form, from human to wolf, but this only happens on a full moon night. Why "Werewolves" and not "Transformers"? Because unlike "Pantera" this change that "Skid Row" went through on this album did not last long and evaporated further down the road. So, to understand the similarity and the essential difference between "Skid Row" and "Pantera", you are invited to read the first of four episodes in the "Transformers of Metal" series. These similarities to "Pantera" are not accidental at all. Sebastian Bach noted that "Skid Row" was looking for a change in sound similar to what "Pantera" did. They really liked "Pantera's" "Cowboys from Hell" album, which came out a year earlier, and later even invited "Pantera" for a joint tour. "Pantera's" audacity seemed to work for Sebastian Bach and his friends from Skid Row and led them to refuse the record company's demands to continue in a more commercial and softer direction. They even made a conscious decision to harden their sound and make it heavier, while going against the musical trends and the direction of similar bands. At that time, a process of the two-way movement took place in the metal world. On one hand, bands that softened their sound were exposed to a new audience and on the other hand, those bands lost some of their old and loyal fans. It was in this niche that "Pantera" and "Skid Row" entered and filled the vacuum, each in its own field. They passed as a gathering force among all the fans of those bands and gathered all those who were disappointed with the bands they admired, while nurturing their veteran fans who only learned to appreciate them more. This bet paid off very well for "Skid Row". There were a lot of metal bands that softened their sound at the time, flirting with mainstream. In contrast, bands like "Pantera", "Judas Priest" and "Skid Row" seemed to be almost the only ones at the time, moving in the opposite direction, and this movement against the stream only distinguished them and differentiated them from the others. It turned out that although this album was heavier than its predecessor and included fewer "hits", it ended up being much more successful. Five singles were released from the album: "Monkey Business" which was released as the first single and became the most successful of it, the immortal "Slave to the Grind" which won cover versions of "Rage" and "Halestorm", "Wasted Time" written about Bach's friend's addiction "Guns N' Roses" drummer Steven Adler, and the songs "In a Darkened Room" and "Quicksand Jesus". While the band released more singles compared to the previous album, they were less successful and received less air and screen time compared to hits from the debut album. "Skid Row" has proven that airtime on the radio or screen time on MTV does not necessarily relate to the end result and does not indicate the magnitude of the success of an album. This album became the first heavy metal album in the 90s to reach number one on the US Billboard 200, it sold 134,000 copies in its first week of release and received a "double platinum" title with sales of over 2 million US copies alone. Keep in mind that the year the album came out is one of the greatest years in music, so these achievements are even more powerful. Mass of masterful albums was released that year, like "Nevermind", "Ten", "Use Your Illusion I & II", "Metallica (The Black Album)", "Achtung Baby", "Blood Sex Sugar Magik", "Out of Time", "Mama Said" and more made it difficult for "Skid Row" To stand out, and yet they came to these achievements with an excellent album. Rachel Bolan and Dave Sabo have proven that they write with supreme grace, and Sebastian Bach has shown the metal world that he is much more than a "beautiful face". The whole band has proven that although this is only their second album, they are mature, professional, and no less experienced than the oldest bands in the genre. One proof of this can be found in the way the theme song "Slave to the Grind" was recorded and sung. It was recorded live and mixed in less than an hour. What’s more, the version that found its place on the album is the demo version that the band recorded live in the studio. The band tried to recreate this to record the song with more advanced equipment, but were unable to reach the same vibe and drive that were in the demo recording, so this is the recording that eventually entered the album. And now just listen to this beautiful album: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website