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Just so you know ... March 14, 1982, is a historic day for "Metallica". On this day they took the stage for the first time. It was at the "Radio City" club, in " Anaheim ", California. The lineup of "Metallica" at that show included: Ron McGovney, Dave Mustaine , Lars Ulrich , and James Hetfield . Just a few months earlier, the band had entered the studio for the first time and recorded two songs - " Hit the Lights " and "J ump in the Fire ", for the first mythological collection of "Metal Massacre". The band's name was then spelled as "Mettallica". That historic evening "Metallica" played mostly covers. 4 songs by "Diamond Head", and one song by each of the bands: "Savage", "Blitzkrieg" and "Sweet Savage". In addition, the band played the two original songs that would later enter the first album - " Kill 'Em All ". The lyrics for the song " Jump in the Fire " were different from those in the album version. (Photo: Metallica) It is interesting to note, that James Hetfield did not play guitar in this performance. He only sang. In an interview with n that performance for Kerrang1 magazine, he noted that about 200 people attended the show, most of them friends of four members of "Metallica". He added that he was really nervous and felt uncomfortable without the guitar. More than that, during the first song Dave Mustaine 's guitar string was torn and it took him a long time to replace it, with all this time James Hetfield stood embarrassed in front of the audience waiting for Dave to finish the string replacement. He said that they came out really disappointed from the show and that in the following shows, there were even fewer people from that first show. This incarnation of the band later recorded more demos, including "No Life 'til Leather" and "Power Metal". Bassist Ron McGovney was replaced in December 1982 by Cliff Burton , who made his "Metallica" debut on March 5, 1983. read more about it Here: Cliff Burton 1st Show with Metallica In April 1983, Dave Mustaine was fired from the band and was replaced by Kirk Hammett . Read more about it here: The Day Dave Mustaine Fired From Metallica . And this was the setlist played that historic evening: ‘Hit the Lights’ ‘Blitzkrieg’ (Blitzkrieg) ‘Helpless’ (Diamond Head) ‘Jump in the Fire’ ‘Let It Loose’ (Savage) ‘Sucking My Love’ (Diamond Head) ‘Am I Evil?’ (Diamond Head) ‘The Prince’ (Diamond Head) ‘Killing Time’ (Sweet Savage) Here is a link to a pirated recording of this historic event: "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

He is one of the most prominent vocalists and musicians in the metal world and with his band "Disturbed" he conquered stages and charts around the world. In addition, he demonstrates a patriotism that has never been seen on our land by an international artist !! (Photo: Travis Shinn) = His full name is David Michael Draiman and he was born on March 13, 1973, in Brooklyn to Jewish parents. = His father was a real estate dealer but went to prison for financial fraud when David was only 12. His brother, Benny (Benjamin) is also a musician who lives and works in Israel. His grandmother Ziona, whose roots are from Yemen, immigrated to Israel with her family in the early 1900s. = His mother is a Holocaust survivor whose entire family was wiped out during the Holocaust. David has stated several times that he has a strong connection to the issue following what his mother's family went through in the Holocaust. = He attended an ultra-Orthodox school and even intended to be a rabbi, but in his youth, he began to rebel against the establishment and was expelled from the school. He said it made him hate religion for years, but later in life, he came to terms with it and even became a cantor. = After graduating from high school he had a girlfriend who used heroin and eventually committed suicide. The event inspired David to write the song "Inside the Fire". But this relationship also put him on drugs and he started using heroin until in 1992 when he was 18, he tried to end his life. He survived the event after which he assured himself that he would never touch drugs again. = He studied for a year at the "Neve Zion Yeshiva" in Kiryat Yearim near Jerusalem and by the way, he speaks fluent Hebrew. (Photo: Ole Hagen) = After a year he returned to the United States and began studying at "Loyola University Chicago". In 1996 he graduated with a BA in Political Science and Government, Philosophy, and Business Administration. = After graduating, he worked as an administrative assistant at a health facility. A year later, he received an administrative license and ran his own health facility for five years. = David said that his first major influences were from the bands "Kiss" and "Black Sabbath", but over the years he has adopted a wider range of genres from the rock world such as Metallica, Iron Maiden, Pantera, Whitesnake, Sex Pistols, The Ramones, The Misfits, Nirvana, Soundgarden and more ... = In 1994 guitarist Dan Donegan, drummer Mike Wengren and bassist Steve "Fuzz" Kmak formed a band called "Brawl". After two years of working together, the three published an ad in the Illinois Entertainer newspaper that they were looking for a singer. David who held more than 20 auditions for various bands at the time was determined to start making music. He auditioned and immediately the band members felt it was it, mostly because he started creating melodies while improvising to Dan's riffs and also because he was willing to go for original material, unlike the other singers the three auditioned. = In 1996, David joined the band and he also was the one who chose the name that was changed from "Brawl" to "Disturbed". (Photo: Disturbed) = The four members recorded two different demos and started marketing themselves in every way possible. For three years they sought to perform anywhere in their city of Chicago, at every band show that came to perform in the city they tried to screw in as an opening act, and at every show, each of them was a salesman who sold CDs, tapes, shirts, flyers, and everything possible to expose their music to as many people as possible. = At the same time, they are creating a logo for themselves and their familiar character "The Guy", a character who looks like a figure from a video game and will accompany them throughout their careers. = In 1999 the young band manages to get a recording contract and signed with the Giant Records label. = In 2000 the band releases their debut album "The Sickness". With the rise of the Nu-Metal genre, the band gained significant exposure and the album reached number 29 on Billboard. Although it did not reach number one, the album was the band's breakthrough point and has sold over 5 million copies to date, and was the band's most commercially successful album. The album released strong and successful singles such as: "Stupify", "Down With The Sickness", "Voices" and "The Game". = In 2002 the band releases their second album "Believe" which goes straight to number one on Billboard and begins the tradition of conquering first place throughout the band's albums. A few months before the album's release, the band released a documentary called "M.O.L" that documents moments from the album's recordings and the album's tour. The singles "Prayer", "Remember" and "Liberate" were released from the album. The video clip of the first single was taken off air after the 9/11 attack, as there were images reminiscent of the attack. = That same year, David recorded the song "Forsaken" for the famous Nu-Metal soundtrack of the movie "Queen of the Damned" produced by Jonathan Davis . = In 2003, after the end of the "Music as a Weapon II" tour, bassist Steve was fired from the band. Bassist John Moyer replaced him and since then the band's lineup has not changed. = In 2005 the third album "Ten Thousand Fists" was released which also, of course, reached number one on Billboard. This is the first album on which the character of "The Guy" can be seen on the album cover. One of the most famous songs on the album is the cover of the song "Land of Confusion" by the band "Genesis". This is the band's second best-selling album which has reached almost 2 million copies. The band members dedicated the album to guitarist Dimebag Darrell who passed away the year before the album was released. On this album, the band brings back the guitar solos to the structure of the songs, which was not common at the time. = In 2006 David was ranked 42nd on Hit Parader magazine's list of the 100 greatest metal vocalists of all time. = In 2008 the band releases their fourth album "Indestructible". This is the first album that the band produces by themselves and the production is led by David. He asked the band members to bring out the most gloomy and aggressive melodies and sounds they could to blend in with the lyrics. Following difficult experiences that David had in the two years before the album, such as a bad relationship that got out of hand, a serious motorcycle accident, and a suicide attempt by a relative, David decided to put it all out on the album. Here too as we mentioned, the album took first place on Billboard. In the bonus version of the album, there is a cover of the song "Midlife Crisis" by the band "Faith No More". = In 2010 the band releases their fifth album "Asylum" . The band commented that this album is more mature and even heavier than its previous albums, they put a very strong emphasis on accuracy and playing abilities. This is the fourth consecutive album that occupies first place in the Billboard charts. In the deluxe version of the album, there is a cover of the song "Living After Midnight" by the band "Judas Priest". This album was also produced independently by the band. = One of the most prominent songs on the album is the song "Never Again" which David wrote about the Holocaust and in an interview he said: "My two grandparents on my mother's side were Holocaust survivors. I have other relatives who are survivors, and all of my mother's family members, except my grandparents and their siblings, were completely wiped out. So I felt it was important to write about it because I realized the last generation of survivors was going to disappear". David further said that he feels that the generation that knew the Holocaust is disappearing and if it does not repent then their testimony will disappear along with the whole event. = At the end of the tour to promote the album, which ended a year later, the band went on a hiatus. During the hiatus, David and guitarist Geno Lenardo from the band "Filter" formed an Industrial Metal band called "Device". In 2013 the band released their only album bearing the band's name. = In 2013, David is a guest on the song "Dance in the Rain", which is taken from Megadeth's 14th album "Super Collider". = In 2015 the band released the first signs of a comeback as it introduced a new logo on social media and an illustration of “The Guy” attached to life support machines. That same year, the "Disturbed" quartet returns and releases the band's sixth album "Immortalized". This album also reaches number one on Billboard, the fifth in a row, making it the third band, after "Metallica" and "Dave Matthews Band" to do so. The most famous single from the album, which has also become the band's most famous single to date is a cover of the song "The Sound of Silence" by "Simon & Garfunkel". (Photo: LiveNation) = In 2018, the band releases their seventh album "Evolution" . Unfortunately, this is the band's first album that does not take first place on Billboard and stops the sequence that the band had from the second album. The band members said that in this album they challenged themselves to evolve in terms of sound and hence the name of the album. In addition, they also wanted to express the influences they had from classical rock that they listened to in their youth. In the deluxe version of the album, there is the song "The Sounds of Silence" performed along with Myles Kennedy . = After the hiatus imposed on the band due to the corona epidemic, like many artists who invested their isolated time in creating, the band released their eighth album "Divisive" at the end of 2022. David said that the band members were excited like little children while working on the album since it came after so much time of distance, disconnection, and isolation. When the band members also said that they returned to the "vibes" of their first albums which added to the excitement. = In July 2019, we experienced firsthand the unforgettable performance of the band in Israel. The show, which took place at Live Park, Rishon Lezion, was a powerful demonstration of love for Israel. Between each song, David stirs sentences in Hebrew, shouts "My brothers in blood" non-stop, displays the Israeli flag on the video screens, and brings the ten thousand metalheads to the pinnacle of excitement as he stands on stage and sings "Hatikva" with them. A great show of powerful music, patriotism, sweat, and tears !! = Another special event that took place in Israel is David's supportive visit to the Western Wall. In December 2021, David paid a visit to support Israel due to the attack in which the late Eli Kay was killed in an alley near the Western Wall in Jerusalem, by a Hamas operative. David wanted to prove the "innocence" of the State of Israel and present things to the world media as they are in reality. He published a post in which he invited everyone to march with him to the scene of the attack to demonstrate Israeli unity. = In October 2024, the band announced their biggest U.S. tour in celebration of the 25th anniversary of their debut album "The Sickness". The tour will include 34 shows across the U.S., with opening acts by the bands Three Days Grace, Sevendust, Daughtry, and Nothing More. Without a doubt, an incredibly impressive tour! = In February 2025, at the heartbreaking funeral of Shiri, Ariel, and Kfir Bibas, who were laid to rest after being kidnapped and murdered in Hamas captivity, Yarden (Shiri's partner) dedicated three songs to them, one of which was " Hold on to the Memories"  by David's band. David, known as a strong supporter of Israel, sent Yarden blessings and condolences through social media. = That same month, the band released a new single from their upcoming album. According to David, there is a lot of new music ready to be released... = Since October 7, 2023, David has become one of Israel’s ambassadors. He makes an effort to attend as many Jewish and Israeli events in the United States as possible, publishes posts that support and show love for Israel, and also expose, criticize, and oppose the lies spread about Israel and the war. One thing that stood out and that we especially appreciated is that he frequently posts against false or anti-Israeli statements made by celebrities, but in each post he invites them to engage in an open and public discussion with him instead of making baseless declarations. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

The first meeting between Shai Lahav and Oren Barzilai did not create sparks and did not even generate chemistry between the two, but later fate intervein and their paths crossed and gave birth to the debut album of "Mofa Haarnavot Shel Dr. Kasper" which bears the band's name. Shai youth band in Tiberias just disbanded and he decided to look for his future in the big city of Tel Aviv, he did not know exactly which direction to go because he wanted to continue his musical career but also wanted to study film. He began his studies and shared a Tel Aviv apartment with Ravit Ferrara, host of the mythological youth TV Series "Tosses". Ravit exposed him to the world of electronic rock with "EMF" and "Happy Mondays" tapes. He started playing with music and created sketches on an Atari 1024 computer with Q-Base software. With the help of Ravit, he had the opportunity to record a song called "Dripping and Melting" for a collection of local indie music. In order to record the role of the guitars he published an ad in the newspaper "Ha'ir" and the person who answered it was a young high school student named Oren Barzilai. The two met and recorded the guitars together. But a minute after Oren closed the door behind him, Shay deleted all the recordings and began recreating everything from guitar samples. When Oren found out he was very offended and the two did not stay in touch. Fate wanted it or rather, Ravit came into the picture again and landed an opportunity for Shai and this time a performance at the "Second Aliyah" club. Shai, who, apart from sketches on the computer, had nothing tangible, came across Oren by chance at a record store in Shenkin st. Since he was the only guitarist Shai knew, he offered to join the show. Shai on the computer and vocals and Oren on the guitars, the two started working on the show. Instead of going to school, Oren would come to Shai every morning and the two would record a sketch of a different song every day. After a week they already had all the sketches that would become the band's debut album. In order to perform, the two needed a name and they chose "Dr. Kasper's Rabbit Show" when we were young and danced to the sounds of "you do not understand" we always wondered what the name means. So here is the meaning according to Shai: "Because it was supposed to be a show, so we knew the band's name should include the word 'show.' Oren had a sweet rabbit so we added the word 'rabbits.', And 'Kasper' - because Oren just loved Casper the ghost. "That's how the name 'Dr. Kasper's Rabbit Show' was born, with no hidden meaning. We wanted a long name to weigh ' The Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club' of the Beatles." (Photo: Koko) The two performed at the "Second Aliyah" club and from there tried to evolve. Since they only had 7 songs they performed a kind of combined show, in the first part they would perform all the songs, go out for a break where Shai performed with a few jokes and stories, and in the second part go up again to perform the same songs. The two said that because the shows were so intimate, at the end of each show the audience would sit down and talk to them and give a critique of what needs to change and improve. At first only friends and family would come and slowly everyone invited their friends and the audience grew from 50 people show to 200 people show. For the third performance of the two, Dudi Levy, who then starred in the band "Marginal Youth", came and at the end of the show, he approached them and said "you are going to be big", the two, of course, did not understand what he was talking about. For the next show, Levy brought with him Ronen Ben Tal from DB Productions and the two told Shai and Oren that if they want to work with them, they must form a band. In one of the interviews, Shai said that for them it was a big disappointment. He generally saw his musical future as creating electronic music with synthesizers, computers, beats, and samples and not a rock band. But of course, he did not want to refuse the offer and the two added Itzik Reisenberg on bass and drummer Zvika Cohen and within six months the band was officially formed. (Photo: Hed-Artzi) In preparation for the recording of the album, Ronen and Levy brought the new band into the studio and asked them to record all the sketches they have, live. Out of them, they will bring out the best demos in order to decide on the material they will be working on in the album. The band took the opportunity to duplicate the tape with the help of Oren's double-cast tape. They distributed all the recordings in their shows and when they came to perform at the Israeli Rock Hall of Fame at that time, the "Roxanne" club, there were about 2000 people who shouted all the band songs without the band having a single song on the radio. Immediately afterward they were signed to the record company "Hed-Artzi" and entered the studio to work on the debut album. Since they were already polished from the shows they knew exactly what and how to record and the recordings of the album ended after only one month. The album, which includes 13 songs, most of which were written and composed by Oren and Shai, with the production of Dudi Levy, was released on March 14, 1993. The first single from the album was "In a Red Dress", a cover of a song by the Nahal Band from the 1960s. Oren said that the song was created thanks to his brother Alon, who would come to the shows and ask the band to perform the song. The part of "You Do Not Understand" in the song was created since they did not know the rest of the songs and had to come up with something. As you know, the song exploded on the airwaves in Israel and together with the music video broadcast on Channel 22 drove the whole country crazy. For tremendous success. The album was an insane success, it received rave reviews and was also loved by the youth who at the time were looking for something local, alongside the grunge scene that came from overseas... Listen to the album on Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

"Faith No More's" fifth album "King For A Day...Fool For A Lifetime", was released on March 28, 1995. It involves a departure, a car accident and death. It looks like the album's name describes what the band members felt after " Angel Dust ", but indeed the album title "King For A Day...Foo For A Lifetime" make you wonder... The car accident... The album was recorded at "Bearsville Studios" located in the middle of the woods in a remote cabin in "Woodstock". The trip to the studio was through a dirt road of more than three kilometers, most of which were fragments of trees, rocks and stones. During one of the trips to the studio, while Mike Patton was driving the car with Mike Bordin and Trey Spruance, they had a serious car accident. During the trip, the tires of the car exploded And the members found themselves rolling and overturning with the vehicle among the rocks and trees in the forest. None of the members were seriously injured but Mike Patton said that they all felt "they saw God" and it was an experience that greatly affected each of them, let's just say that afterwards they were reluctant to leave the studio, even though they had too much to do around. The Departure... Already while working on " Angel Dust " the cracks between guitarist Jim Martin and the other members of the band started to show. The musical direction the band was going to seemed too "soft" for him. During the recordings for " Angel Dust ", he began to avoid rehearsals for a long time and hardly contributed to the writing process. Immediately after the end of the tour for the album, in 1993, Jim left the band, there are rumors that he was fired by a fax keyboardist Roddy Bottum sent him The recording of the album took nine months, during four of which they were looking for a new guitarist and trying to get him involved. In the end, guitarist Trey Spruance who plays with Mike Patton in the crazy "Mr. Bungle" replaced Jim. Although he playes almost all the guitar roles, he co-wrote only four out of the 14 songs in the album. The writing was mainly done by Mike Patton , Mike Bordin and bassist Billy Gould. The collaboration did not last long and immediately after the recordings Trey left the band. He was replaced by Dean Menta during the tour to promote the album. Dean was the band's keyboard technician on the previous tours. Death... The period in which the album was recorded was the most terrible period in the life of keyboardist Roddy Bottum. His father died that year and Kurt Cobain 's death also affected him badly, especially when he was a very close friend of Courtney Love (who was the singer of the band at the beginning of its career. At that time Rudy was addicted to heroin and when his father died he had a nervous breakdown. In one of the interviews, Rudy said that he hardly participated in the creation process, because this whole period was "black" for him, he was completely disconnected. (Photo: Eddie Mullak) As in every album of the band, the eclecticism and the variety are expressed in a significant way. But unlike the previous album, in this album it was received with less enthusiasm, and since there were some hits missing, the album did not receive the recognition it deserved. Even though, it's a great album! The band is here at its best and at it's peak... The change in style between the songs takes you to places you didn't expect. The guitars and drums sound is so special that you feel every note in your veins, while the words and voice of Mike Patton give you chills all over. The album opens strong with " Get Out ". Mike Bordin 's snare and Billy's bass playing throw us forward like the mallet hitting the ball in a pinball game. From there the band change their style and move on to " Ricochet ", which was the second single released from the album. Without having anything to do with the lyrics of the song, it was written on the day of Kurt Cobain 's death and during the recordings even before it was given a name it was called "Nirvana". It is one of our favorite songs from the album, with an amazing writing by Mike Patton . Immediately afterwards, we move to another change of direction with one of the biggest songs on the album, " Evidence ", which also has an amazing music video. The jazz style of the song and the mesmerizing voice of Mike Patton take you to some underground and dark club, where you share your sadness with a glass of whiskey. The song Released as the third single from the album and also recorded in three other languages: Italian, Portuguese and Spanish. Mike tried to sing it in the local language whenever the band performs in another country. After we finished our drink, it was time to get up from the table and get a blast from Mike and learn a thing or two from him, " The Gentle Art of Making Enemies ". A strong song, very dynamic just like the oxymoron in its title between "gentle" and "enemy". Wow... what an opening riff, powerful drumming, great rhythm and then... a fall, everything rests on Billy Gold's pulsating bass and Mike Patton 's caressing vocals, but then everything changes again and Mike's voice becomes distorted just like the riff that accompanies it (and us) to the crazy chorus that rests On the legendary opening riff. It is not clear how the trumpets and the structure of the "musical" of " Star A.D. " is related, but Mike Patton with his extraordinary talent manages to put all this mess together with a kind of "comic" ending of a song that is all about two verses and trumpets, just because of a joke that was not properly understood... We return to the typical frantic atmosphere with " Cuckoo for Caca ", a whole orchestra of insanity that causes great and abundant pleasure and we shout along wiMike "You Can't Kill It". A song that cannot be put into any genre or given a definition! Where were we Oh yes... we remind you that you are listening to the album of the rock band "Faith No More" because while listening to " Caralho Voador " you have to remember that. Moving to the bossa nova style with a song whose Portuguese translation is "flying dick". Mike said the song is about an old guy who drives his car around town, just like an old cock with wings... Continuing with the insane " Ugly in the Morning " and we just have to mention that we just love Mike Bordin so much...you know he was also the drummer for "Black Sabbath" and Ozzy Osbourne . There is no doubt that Trey also does an amazing job here, with his guitar while Mike loses his mind with the lyrics. The first single released from the album and also the most prominent song on the album " Digging the Grave " puts you in an attack mode! Pure rock n' roll, what a beauty of pure guitars, bass and drums. The break in the song with Bourdin's snare and bass drum just explodes in the middle! The album slows down again with " Take This Bottle ", a kind of classic ballad that is accompanied by keyboards and tells the story of a hero who broke up with his partner and hopes for better days. Now she has to go and let him feel the pain and maybe in the future they will be together in better times. With its acoustic touches " King for a Day " which bears the album title is also Mike Patton 's playground, vocally, while it feels more dominant than the other songs. The structure of the song with the acoustic that connects with the electric guitar powering up during the chorus is just mesmerizing. It is one of our favorite songs on the album. " What a Day " is there so you can take everything you've accumulated that day, week and unload it in the most grotesque way possible. Why? Because you are heroes who went through everything you went through and suffered and yet you keep yourselves from going wild and losing your temper. The two songs that close the album " The Last to Know " and " Just a Man " are two pleasant and embracing ballads that caress and close this wild album. They give the signature of a band that cannot be defined, cannot be restrained and cannot be characterized, and this is the greatest and most glamorous and shining thing about this amazing and much-loved band. So let's sing together... And every night I shut my eyes" So I don't have to see the light Shining so bright "I'll dream about a cloudy sky, a cloudy sky Listen on: Spotify , Apple Music . "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

This is the story of the album "Above" and the supergroup "Mad Season"... During the final mixing of Pearl Jam's "Vitalogy" album, Mike McCready went through a drug and alcohol rehab procedure at a rehab facility in Minnesota. At the institute, he met John Baker Saunders who also came from Seattle and was in the process of rehab. The two returned to Seattle together and decided to set up a side project with drummer Barrett Martin who played in "Screeming Trees". The three entered the rehearsal room and immediately began writing songs. Since they did not have a lead singer, Mike thought who was a good friend of Layne Staley from Alice In Chains, invited Layne to the band. Mike thought it would be good for Layne to work and be around people who had just quit drugs and alcohol since Layne was at that difficult time of drug addiction. (Photo: Lance Mercer) The atmosphere in the rehearsal room and studio was very similar to the atmosphere in the "Temple Of The Dog" sessions, the collaboration and creativity between the members were so amazing that Mike closed a show even before they could finish one song. Detached from their mother bands, without any pressure, without any commitment, and released from all inhibitions, the members together created and recorded 10 songs that entered the album (and many other materials that did not enter). The writing of the entire album took seven days and only a few more days in which Layne recorded vocals. Layne was given a free hand when it came to writing the lyrics and the melody of the song, he felt he was on a spiritual journey, a mission, a search, and this would also be reflected in the songs, in which Layne chaptered all his personal frustrations and his struggles with addictions. Already in the opening song of the album " Wake Up " you can feel the enormous exposure that Layne transmits in the text and poetry, even though the music for the song was written even before Layne arrived in the band. After several appearances on the local scene in 1994, the band gained popularity, changing its name to "Mad Season" which is an English nickname for a season in which the hallucinogenic mushrooms are in full bloom (Mike's allusion to his drinking season and drug use), And on March 14, 1995, they released their only album "Above". The influence of the blues from which John Baker and Layne Staley came from, is very noticeable on the album, but it also includes influences from other genres, even jazz. The album released two top singles " River Of Deceit " and " I Don't Know Anything ". After the album's release, the band performed several shows, including a special one that took place on April 29, 1995, at the Moore Theater in Seattle and was videotaped, but the band disbanded immediately afterward. Baker died of an overdose in January 1999 and in April 2002 Layne Staley also died of an overdose, which finally sealed the band's future. (Photo: Pinterest) A special edition of the album was released in 2013, which included several bonus tracks in addition to the aforementioned performance that took place in 1995. It is interesting to note that the singer and creator Mark Lanegan , known among others from the "Screaming Trees", is hosted in singing and participated in the writing of the tracks " I'm Above " and " Long Gone Day ". Lanegan also wrote the lyrics to three songs from the deluxe version: " Locomotive ", " Black Book of Fear ", and " Slip Away ", following Mike's requests to replace Layne and possibly release another album. Another guest who helped write the song " Black Book of Fear " is Peter Buck from "R.E.M.". Although the band did not survive for a long time and performed many shows, it is one of the prominent albums of the grunge scene, in the eyes of many fans, and especially Mike, this album has a very strong meaning. It's an exciting album that has touched a lot of people around the world and always reminds Mike of the two friends he lost out of the band. Another significant influence of the album's creation on Mike is the turning point created in the career of the talented guitarist. Early in "Pearl Jam's" career, Mike was not active in writing. Maybe because of the dominant talents that were by his side or because of the drugs, but in any case, Mike did not contribute much to work. After recording the album "Above" he discovered his writing ability and received a significant dose of confidence. He said that from that album he started contributing and taking an active part in the "Pearl Jam" albums. (Photo: Krista Kay) The album cover is an illustration created by Layne based on a real picture of him and his then-partner and fiancée Demri Parrott. Damari was the love of his life and his muse and she passed away as a result of an overdose, a year after the album was released. Layne was broken from her mammoth and some say it was the beginning of his deterioration to death. After her death, he asked for Damari's mother, the Demari bear doll that Layne kept until the day he died. Listen to an album on Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On March 13, 1995, "The Bends" was released - ,"Radiohead's second studio album, and it's undoubtedly an age-old album, perhaps even the most beautiful of the band's albums. We hope we did not upset anyone with this statement, we still hold the opinion that " OK Computer " is the band's most complete and perfect album, an album on the verge of a masterpiece. But at the same time, over time and after many hours of listening we are willing to swear that there are days when the album "The Bends" is even smoother to our ears, better than its sharpened and polished brother. There are days when we prefer the tremolo effect in the opening song " Planet Telex " over the sawing distortion of " Airbag ", there are times when we prefer to smell "Fake Plastic Trees " than to escape from the " Karma Police " and there are days when we just prefer to watch a man lying on The sidewalk and wondering what he whispers to whoever approaches him in the music video of the amazing song " Just ", than to stare at Thom Yorke drowning inside an aquarium in an equally amazing song " No Surprises ". So "The Bends" is probably Radiohead's disillusionment album, the album that bridges the gap between the immature, rough and even banal sound of the debut album " Pablo Honey " and the meticulous production and tight sound of " OK Computer " . It has on the one hand the innocence and purity of " Pablo Honey " and on the other hand the sophistication and dynamism of " OK Computer" . (Photo: Gie Knaeps) The album gives us the ultimate combination of mowing and kicking songs alongside soft and melodic passages. It opens with the amazing and moving " Planet Telex ", whose original name was "Planet Xerox" but changed to avoid the printer company's copyright claim. The minimalist drum roles in the song were composed of various segments that were recorded during the sessions for the album and played in a loop. Thom recorded his singing roles in one take while lying on the floor drunk. The band returned from a pub straight to the studio and Thom Yorke simply drank too much and decided to improvise. The theme song " The Bends " was written even before the band released their debut album - " Pablo Honey ". The band used to perform it in gigs long before it was recorded for an album bearing its name. The background noise at the opening of the song was recorded by Thom Yorke at the entrance to the hotel where he was staying in the US. He noted that he was influenced by David Bowie in writing the song and that his lyrics are humorous. It's not clear to us why because we really like it, but Thom Yorke was quoted as saying that the song " High and Dry " is not a bad song, but the worse one! The song was recorded as a demo during the recording of the debut album " Pablo Honey " but did not get into it. The album continues with the quiet and melancholy atmosphere song " Fake Plastic Trees ". Thom Yorke was greatly influenced by artist Jeff Buckley and recorded the song after attending his show. He immediately ran to the studio and in two takes recorded the vocals when immediately afterwards he burst into tears. It is interesting to note that this song entered the list of the 500 greatest songs of all time by the "Rolling Stone" magazine. Interestingly, the bass guitar Colin Greenwood played in the song is a 1960s Fender Precision, which once belonged to legendary bassist Steve Harris . Regarding the song " Just ", Thom Yorke stated that it is the result of a competition between him and Johnny Greenwood on who will put more chords into one song. The song was recorded live in the studio and no additional guitar layers were recorded. The track " My Iron Lung " is the theme song of the EP that the band released in September 1994. The song was written in response to the success of the hit "Creep" and after the band felt "suffocated" by the fact that they became known only thanks to it. The song " Street Spirit (Fade Out) " is one of the most beautiful and moving on the album. The passage of the disjointed chords is simply mesmerizing and Thom Yorke 's singing sounds like a caressing lament here. Thom Yorke noted that he was influenced in writing the song by "R.E.M." and from the novel "The Famished Road" by Nigerian writer Ben Okri. And there's also " Bullet Proof.. I Wish I Was " which breaks us to pieces and " Black Star " in which Thom Yorke transcends himself in such a special melody in singing, which travels above and below chords and sounds, and we can go on and on. Listen to the album at: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Today we will tell you about Clive Burr - a drummer who, despite his relatively short career, managed to inspire many good drummers. (Photo: Metaltalk.net) 1. He was born in London, England, on March 8, 1957 as Clive Ronald Burr. 2. One of the first bands he played in was "Maya", where he met bassist Chris Aylmer. 3. From there he will move to the band "Samson" according to Aylmer's recommendation. 4. He would record two singles with her, "Telephone" and "Mr Rock and Roll", but in 1978 he would leave the band. 5. He joined "Iron Maiden" on December 26, 1979 as a replacement for former drummer Doug Sampson. This happened shortly after the band released the mini-album " The Soundhouse Tapes " 6. Clive will participate in the recordings of the band's debut album " Iron Maiden " as well as the two following albums, " Killers " and " The Number Of The Beast ". 7. He co-wrote only one song of the band that was released on an official album - "Gangland" taken from the album " The Number Of The Beast ". 8. In addition, he co-wrote the song "Total Eclipse", which appeared as the B-side of the single "Run to the Hills". 9. Clive was fired from the band in 1982 during "The Beast on the Road tour". He was replaced by the band's current drummer, Nicko McBrain . 10. Burr said he was kicked out of the band after taking a break to mourn the death of his father. However, according to Bruce Dickinson 's 2017 autobiography Clive was dismissed due to conflicts with Steve Harris . 11. After being fired from "Iron Maiden", Burr played for a short time in the French hard rock group "Trust", where Nicko McBrain also played with them and released the album "Marche ou Crève" in 1981. 12. Clive released two albums with the band "Trust IV" from 1983 and "Man's Trap" from 1984. 13. Clive also played for a short time in the American band "Alcatrazz", but hurried to leave it when he realized that the band was going to be based in the USA and not in England, his native country. 14. Clive later formed a band known as "Clive Burr's Escape", which later changed its name to "Stratus", in which there were former members of the band "Praying Mantis". They disbanded after releasing one album called "Throwing Shapes" in 1984. (Photo: Virginia Turbett, Redferns/Getty Images) 15. In 1985 he founded the supergroup "Gogmagog" together with bassist Neil Murray, singer Paul Di'Anno and guitarist Pete Willis . The group released in 1985 an EP called "I Will Be There EP". 16. It is interesting to note that the guitarist Janick Gers will later join the group, who will later join "Iron Maiden" himself. 17. In 1988 he will join singer Dee Snider to form the group "Desperado". The band recorded an album called "Bloodied But Unbowed" that year, but due to problems with the record company it was not released until 1996. 18. Burr appeared with the British band "Elixir" and participated in two of their albums "Lethal potion" from 1990 and "Sovereign Remedy" from 2004. 19. He also collaborated with "Praying Mantis" during the 1990s and appeared on Praying Mantis' 1996 live album "Captured Alive in Tokyo City". 20. In the late 1990s, Clive was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, the treatment of which left him heavily in debt. 21. Over the years, the members of the band "Iron Maiden" staged a series of charity shows and were involved in the establishment of the Clive "Burr MS" trust fund, which was intended to help him. 22. The band even released on March 11, 2002 the single - "Run to the Hills" from their live album " Rock In Rio ", when all proceeds from this single were donated to Clive Burr. 23. Clive died in his sleep on March 13, 2013 as a result of complications from the multiple sclerosis he suffered from. 24. Clive's drumming influenced many good drummers, such as Dave Lombardo , Charlie Benante, Dave McClain, and many others. 25. Even guitarist Jeff Waters noted that he was inspired by Clive's drumming when writing the drum parts for his band "Annihilator". "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

The debut album of "Marillion" was released on March 13, 1983. The album plays a critical role in the revival of Progressive Rock, a genre that didn't exist at the time. Let's find out why. There's one thing that can not be taken from "Marillion". The revival of Progressive Rock. The glorious genre that rose to prominence in the early 70s, but died out at the end of the decade, perceived as inflated, boring, and archaic. In the late 1970s, Progressive Rock had no place in music. The rise of Punk was happening, Disco was taking over, the New Wave was on high and around the corner, Heavy Metal was about to explode. Just at that time, a band was formed in the south-east of England which adopted the name "Silmarillion", after the book series written by J.R.R. Tolkien. The band that formed in 1979 decided to swim against the current, and while the giant bands of Progressive Rock on which they grew up like "Jetro Tull", "Yes" and "Genesis" began to change and look for new directions, "Marillion" decided not to succumb to existing pressures and trends and make the music they love. The main core of "Silmarillion" began to crystallize on August 19, 1979, when guitarist Steve Rothery successfully auditioned for the band. At the time the band members were: Mick Pointer on drums, Doug 'Rastus' Irvine on bass, and Brian Jelliman on keyboards. Rothery 's first appearance in the band's uniform took place on March 1, 1980, then the band also shortened its name to "Marillion". When charismatic Scottish singer, Fish, joined the band in July 1981, things started to move forward. In November 1981, keyboardist Mark Kelly joins the band. Later, in March 1982, came bassist Pete Trewavas, thus perfecting the band's initial lineup. "Marillion" records demos of first versions of the songs " He Knows You Know " and " Garden Party ", which will appear later on their debut album, as well as another song that will be released as a single " Charting the Single ". The band's first opportunity comes when they were invited to the "Friday Rock Show" on BBC Radio, where they played the songs " The Web ", " Three Boats Down from The Candy " and " Forgotten Sons ". As a result of their exposure, EMI signed them to a recording contract. The band's first single " Market Square Heroes " was released on October 25, 1982, and features the excellent B-side " Three Boats Down from The Candy " as well as the epic and Progressive 20-minute track - " Grendel ". This single was well received and even qualified for fourth place in the annual charts of "Kerrang!" Magazine. Reinforced by the positive reviews of the first single, "Marillion" entered the studio in December 1982 to record the debut album "Script For A Jester's Tear". The material of which was composed during the band's many performances. The music on this album traces roots back to the classic Progressive Rock of the early 1970s, but applies a number of evolutionary fixes while remaining true to reality in order to adapt the genre, then considered out of date and bombastic, to the spirit of the time. On the one hand, the band clings to the uncompromising dynamics of the genre and the classical melodies that characterize it, and on the other hand, it abandons the unconventional virtuosity and rhythms. On the one hand, it clings to the complex structures and the epic and long tracks, but on the other hand, it abandons the Mellotron and Hammond in favor of "eighties" synthesizers. This album features only six tracks, which in a sense changed the music map of the early 1980s. 47 minutes of music that gave young Neo-Prog bands an opportunity to take advantage of the vast void left by the dinosaurs of Progressive Rock in the early 1980s. With the title song of the album being also the album opener, " Script For A Jester's Tear " corresponds with the image of the album cover featuring the "Jester" that reflects Fish 's complex personality. Fish will return to dealing with characters based on his personality, such as the boy from the album " Misplaced Childhood " or Torch from the album " Clutching at Straws ". From the vocal intro of the song, one can tell the similarity to "Genesis", especially to Peter Gabriel 's intro to the album " Selling England By The Pound ". Fish and the rest of the band did not hide their admiration for "Genesis" and the fact that Fish used to wear different characters during the band's performances only increased the comparison. However, as we stated, it is less about coping and more about inspiration. "Script For A Jester's Tear" is without a doubt one of the band's greatest pieces of all time, and it is a tremendous purposeful display of its members' writing abilities. Rothery 's solos simply tear us to pieces, Fish 's voice being both powerful and gentle, aggressive and caressing, all keeping with the theme of the story. True, in the specific parts the rhythm section is a bit lacking the passion and improvisation, but when you look at the whole and understand what period this album came out, not only can this be treated with forgiveness, but this amazing bunch deserves all the possible superlatives. True, you will not find the sophistication and virtuosity of the classic Progressive Rock genre here, but you will find melodies, musical transitions, and erupting dynamics that did not exist in those years and for which this band was no less responsible for their relevance. " He Knows You Know " is the big "hit" from the album, which was also released as a single and won a video clip, that even managed to slip into the VHS tape of the best clips from "Heavy Rock" bands, released by Kerrang magazine! At the time. The song length was shortened and adjusted to the 3-minute zone, when Mark Kelly 's keyboard solo was trimmed, to avoid comparison to the dinosaurs from the 70s, which were considered outdated in those years. The song refers to drug use, especially intravenous drug use. Anyone familiar with the band's performances from those years knows that Fish used to present the song as the "drug song" and noted that it was inspired by drug use. It is especially remembered that during the shows Fish performed a movement as if he is inserting the microphone into the vein of his hand, in a perfect sync to Rothery 's guitar solo. " The Web " seals the first side of the album and especially highlights the amazing capabilities of Rothery . A Prog piece that became a crowd favorite at the band's performances and later its name will serve as a nickname for its fan club. The other side of the vinyl opens up with the "Cheerful" and sarcastic " Garden Party ", which was released as the second single from the album. The song mocks upper-class "garden parties" and again it's hard not to compare the writing theme to Genesis' " Selling England By The Pound ", especially considering Fish 's singing style which is very reminiscent of Peter Gabriel 's theatricality. The album ends with two amazing songs, the melancholy " Chelsea Monday " written about suicide, with the moaning and howling guitars of Rothery and the beating and dominant bass of Pete Trewavas and the epic ending track " Forgotten Sons ", which is a protest song about Northern Ireland conflict which won a very theatrical performance in the band's live shows by Fish, who dressed as a soldier. Upon its release, the album was a commercial success and received rave reviews from critics. In the same year, "Marillion" manages to fill the "Hammersmith Odeon" in London and film the final performance of the tour. The show will later be released on VHS tape, in October of that year, and will become a cult show. It is interesting to note that the one who were the opening act for "Marillion" on that show, was none other than Peter Hammill from "Van der Graaf Generator". There seems to be no room for doubt! The success of "Marillion" led to the revival of a dying genre that was about to disappear from the world. True, "Marillion" was not there alone, but its great success tipped the scales and saved the genre, so in our humble opinion all Neo-Prog, Post-Progressive, Prog-Metal bands, owe in one way or another their very existence to "Marillion" and to this album in particular. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music . "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

This is a very special album that documents history. There are not very many albums that document history. This album documents the rich and all-influential history of the "Sound City recording studio" located in a shabby Los Angeles neighborhood. About the studio... The studio was set up in 1969 in a building that once belonged to Vox, a British musical instrument maker whose amp you probably know. It was founded by Joe Gottfried and Tom Skeeter who wanted to enter the music industry and establish a record company and artist management. After opening the studio, the two faced many challenges as they were unable to recruit enough artists and their income was stagnant. For the purpose of creating uniqueness and attracting artists to record in their new studio, they purchased the analog recording console "Neve 8028". The console was purchased from a British electronics engineer named "Rupert Neve" at a cost of $ 75,175. There were 28 input channels, 16 bus outputs, and 24 monitor outputs, and let's not forget the 1,008 equalizer buttons! There is no computerized or automatic operation on the console; you simply need to be a nuclear engineer to build and operate one. Only 4 consoles of this model were created! (Photo: Michael J. Cinema) About the console... The console of course attracted many artists to the studio, resulting in five decades of music creation that have yielded many masterpiece albums. Notable artists who have recorded in the studio: Johnny Cash, Neil Young, Fleetwood Mac, Elton John, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Guns N 'Roses, Rage Against The Machine, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica and many others. It was famous for the special sound of the live recordings and the rough and thick sound of the drum recordings made at the studio, which was split into three separate rooms. With the introduction of the Pro Tools system, a computerized system that can be used to record music more easily. The music world has undergone a revolution and analog consoles have slowly become irrelevant. So too the studio whose crown diamond became charcoal, began to slowly lose its value and only a few artists continued to visit it. In 2011 the studio was finally shut down and most of the equipment in it was dismantled and sold. This is where our album comes into the picture... In 1991, Nirvana's breakthrough album and one of the great albums 'Nevermind' was recorded in this studio and 20 years later when Dave Grohl heard that the studio was closing and immediately decided to purchase the console. He felt it was going to be a groundbreaking event and since he had a lot of respect and appreciation for the studio he decided to make a documentary about the studio. (Photo: GearNews.com) About the film... Inspired by the console, Dave Grohl decided to create a documentary movie, documenting the life of the mythological studio from 1969 to 2011. The film, directed by Dave, describes the historical events that took place in and out of the studio and the effects it had on the world of music. How were the big albums created that were a milestone especially in the rock world like: Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers' "Damn the Torpedoes" (1979), Tool's " Undertow " (1993), Neil Young's " After the Gold Rush " (1970), Johnny Cash's "Unchained" (1996), "Rage Against the Machine's" " Rage Against The Machine " (1992), Dio's " Holy Diver " (1983), Guns N 'Roses' " Appetite for Destruction " and one of "Fleetwood Mac's" most famous albums - " Fleetwood Mac " created from the studio. The film also documents the process of disassembling the console from the studio and reassembling it in the "Studio 606" studio that Dave Grohl set up at his home. In the process he conducts an interview with Rupert Neve the engineer who designed and created the console with his own hands. Throughout the film he conducts interviews with various artists who recorded in the same studio or were influenced by what happened in it. In the same interviews he conducted in Studio 606, he came up with the idea of ​​having a jam session with the same artists. The idea quickly became a reality ... About the album... Dave Grohl decided to create together with the interviewees (some of them, of course, not all) a new song from scratch and record it within 24 hours in parallel with the interview. Each of the songs was written and recorded especially for the film from which the soundtrack came out and the one who of course wins the recordings is the famous producer Busch Vig. After the release of the album, Dave Grohl formed the temporary band "Sound City Players" which together with various artists who recorded the album also appeared at several festivals and entertainment programs for a period of about a year. (Photo: Sound City Trailer) 1. " Heaven and All " - Participants: Robert Levon Been Creator and singer of the band "Black Rebel Motorcycle Club" and also the son of Michael Been from "The Call" and together with guitarist Peter Hayes who is also from the same band. 2. " Time Slowing Down " - Participants: Chris Goss Musician, producer and friend of Dave Grohl from the band "Queens of the Stone Age" and also singer and guitarist in the band "Masters Of Reality". "Rage Against The machine" bassist Tim Commerford and angry drummer Brad Wilk with him. 3. " You Can't Fix This " - Cast: The stunning Stevie Nicks from the band Fleetwood Mac and Dave's two friends from The "Foo Fighters" - Taylor Hawkins , Rami Jaffee . 4. " The Man That Never Was " - Cast: Rick Springfield An Australian singer and actor who was part of the band "Zoot" in the early 70's and here Dave Grohl also joins his friends from the "Foo Fighters" - Taylor Hawkins , Chris Shiflett , Pat Smear . 5. " Your Wife Is Calling " - Cast: Lee Ving The actor, singer and lead of the hardcore band Punk "Fear". He is joined by the multi-instrumentalist Alain Johannes who is known as the founder of the alternative rock band Eleven and a member of the band "Queens of the Stone Age". Here, too, members of the Foo's support. 6. " From Can to Can't " - Participants: Corey Taylor the singer of "Slipknot" and "Stone Sour" with one of the most beautiful songs on the album. Rick Nielsen is a lead guitarist and lead writer from "Cheap Trick". Bassist Scott Reeder from "Kyuss" and "The Obsessed". 7. " Centipede " - Cast: Josh Homme Dave's best friend from "Queens of the Stone Age" and Chris Goss and Alain Johannes. 8. " A Trick With No Sleeve " - ​​Participants: Alain Johannes, Josh Homme . 9. " Cut Me Some Slack " - Participants: The Man, the Legend and the multi-instrumentalist Paul McCartney , joined by "Nirvana" band member Krist Novoselic and their longtime friend Pat Smear . 10. " If I Were Me " - Cast: String Musician Jessy Greene. Drummer Jim Keltner who was defined by Bob Dylan as the leading recording drummer in America. 11. " Mantra " - Participants: Josh Homme and his friend The producer, creator and founder of the band "Nine Inch Nails", Trent Reznor. The album was a huge success and starred in the charts in the US and Europe and even picked up two Grammy Awards in the categories: "Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media" and "Best Rock Song" with the song "Cut Me Some Slack". Listen to the album at: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On March 12, 2001, "Opeth" releases one of the pinnacles of it's carrier, the fifth studio album "Blackwater Park". This album is without a doubt the band's breakthrough album to the Metal world scene. Just to be clear, for over 10 years before this album's release, "Opeth" did not embark on a single tour outside the borders of Sweden, its homeland. Following the release of "Blackwater Park" and the commercial success that came with it, the band embarked on their first tour in the US followed by a long tour in Europe and began to establish their status and expand their devoted fan base. This commercial breakthrough was made possible, among other things, thanks to the band's unique collaboration with Steven Wilson, who not only produced the album, but plays guitar, piano and sings in 4 of the album's eight songs. It can be said that Wilson received an almost free hand from guitarist, singer and band leader Mikael Akerfeldt, thus helping "Opeth" to change not only the sound, but also the style that would allow their big break. It was a dual and fruitful collaboration that contributed to both sides. Following the change in the sound and musical line of "Opeth", Wilson will continue to accompany them on future albums as well and help them establish their status as a progressive-death-metal band. Wilson, on the other hand, will take the powerful roughness and riffs from "Opeth", which will begin to seep more and more into "Porcupine Tree's" albums, starting with "In Absentia", which was recorded shortly afterwards. "Opeth", founded in Stockholm Sweden, in 1990, by guitarist and singer Mikael Akerfeldt and began it's career as a Death Metal band with Black, Doom and Progressive Metal influences. The first album "Orchid" released in 1995, drew quite a few of the aforementioned genres, which will continue to accompany the band on the next album - "Morningrise" from 1996, which was even darker and heavier. But then, the band's style began to change as they entered a mix, Folk, Jazz and especially Progressive influences, which would grow until 1999 with the album "Still Life", which brought the band even closer to Prog. This change in the band's musical line will allow them to arrive to Steven Wilson's production table, ready and willing for the creation of the album that will change their future. The musical influence of the band on this album, can already be learn from the album title. "Blackwater Park" was a German progressive rock band, and it seems that the choice of name was not accidental. The album includes 8 tracks, most of which were written by the band's leader, guitarist and singer Mikael Akerfeldt. It features the ultimate formula of "Opeth" - a combination of melodic ballads with Clean singing and a Metallic, brutal raged attack, with growling roars. Here exactly lies the greatness of the band which is radically expressed on this album. The incredible ability to shift between melodic, magical and soft moments to heavy, menacing and dark parts. Despite these all-too-extreme dynamic changes, "Opeth" manages to make this musical roller coaster feel like a quiet, smooth ride on the highway. The album features the band's pinnacle tracks, such as the opening song " The Leper Affinity ", which best presents the extreme and deadly combination between the rage attack with the growling roars and the clean and melodic parts. Between rough and cruel electric riffs, and delightful acoustic chords, up to the surprising ending of Steven Wilson's piano playing. The second track " Bleak " takes us to a darker and heavier place, with influences from the band's first albums followed by a big surprise, with the melodic and quiet section in the middle of the piece, which develops with delightful guitar parts and clean vocals singing by Steven Wilson. " Harvest " is as its name implies. It completely "harvests" all the growling singing and leaves us with a "clean", quiet and melodic piece, which has become a regular on the band's next albums, givig the listener a regular and momentary rest. " The Drapery Falls " is one of the band's anthems in its live shows. Steven Wilson's influence is well felt here, especially in the more Progressive parts and in the Jazzy influences. The fifth track " Dirge for November ", is the first of two on the album, whose music was written in collaboration with lead guitarist Peter Lindgren. The song opens and ends with a kind of guitar lament, just like the name of the song implies ("Lament for November"). The song melancholic ending naturally connects to the theme of the next track " The Funeral Portrait ". The short instrumental track " Patterns in the Ivy " leads us to the main musical work and the theme song " Blackwater Park " which seals the album in an epic way. As mentioned, the successful collaboration with Steven Wilson will continue on subsequent albums as well. After the album's release, "Opeth" announced a special project, a double album, half of which would be its heaviest, while the other half would be soft and with no death metal parts. In the end, the band decided to split the project into two different albums. The first and heaviest "Deliverance", and their quietest album " Damnation ", which was its big turnaround. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music . "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Written By: Moti Kupfer Release date - 12.03.1983 "When you form a new band, you compare yourself to other bands, how many albums they sold, concerts, and more, but after your first or second album all you really care about is your creativity and touring. Of course you are still interested in what others are doing, but you simply choose your own path." When singer Fish talks about his path and his desire to be original, he is undoubtedly referring to the early days of his band "Marillion". The B-side of their debut single in 1982 was a 17-minute epic titled "Grendel" , which immediately invited comparisons to the early 1970s version of "Genesis". In addition, Fish ’s high vocal register sounded remarkably similar to that of Peter Gabriel , and his flamboyant stage costumes reinforced the comparison even further. The British press nearly lost its mind with headlines about the return of progressive "Genesis", but eventually settled for describing "Marillion" as “the second-best Genesis of all time.” Fish , born Derek William Dick in April 1958 in Edinburgh, Scotland, was heavily influenced in his youth by artists such as "Genesis", "The Moody Blues", "T. Rex", David Bowie , and "Pink Floyd", influences that clearly hinted at what the future might hold. His nickname Fish came from a landlord who noticed that he seemed to spend an unusually large amount of time in the shower. Formed just before the arrival of a new decade in 1979, "Marillion" would wait no less than four years before announcing to the world the revival of progressive rock in a new package: neo-progressive rock. This subgenre emerged at the end of 1981. Neo-prog is characterized by deeply emotional content, usually conveyed through dramatic lyrics, vivid imagery, and theatrical stage presentation. Musically, it is largely the result of careful composition rather than improvised jams, relying heavily on clean, melodic and emotional electric guitar solos combined with keyboards. The primary influences were first-wave progressive rock bands such as "Genesis", "Camel", "Van der Graaf Generator", and "Pink Floyd". Funk, heavy rock, and punk rock also contributed elements to the genre. "Marillion" took their name from The Silmarillion , the collection of writings by author J. R. R. Tolkien, a book admired by the band’s founding drummer Mick Pointer. Speaking of Pointer, after the release of the debut album " Script for a Jester’s Tear ", which received glowing reviews, the band embarked on a tour that ended with Pointer’s dismissal after he was perceived as focusing less on the performances and more on a fling between two concert nights. When "Marillion" entered the studio to record their second album "Fugazi", released on March 12, 1984, they discovered that the well had run dry and they did not have enough suitable material for a full album. “It was a strange period,” Fish noted. The release of the debut album had generated enormous interest around "Marillion" and around other neo-prog bands that were beginning to emerge. Suddenly every record company was searching for their own  "Marillion", and the band themselves felt uncomfortable carrying the label of neo-prog’s main messengers. Their debut album had been written slowly over two or three years. Now Fish only had a handful of raw ideas and early song sketches, while the pressure from the record company to deliver another album kept increasing. The band eventually rotated through no fewer than ten recording studios while investing approximately £120,000 in the process. "Fugazi", named after American military slang used by soldiers in Vietnam meaning “everything is messed up,” illustrated the band’s development since the debut album, which in comparison sounded rather fragile. Prophets, visionaries and poets everywhere seemed to hear Fish ’s rallying call as the band’s second album, filled with progressive complexity, drama, and wordplay, nevertheless placed "Marillion" firmly on the path toward success. Fish later reflected that the band sounded young and naïve on the album, still trying to find their style. "Marillion" were attempting to establish their identity, not necessarily through immediate success, which would arrive with the following album " Misplaced Childhood " and the timeless hit "Kayleigh" . For the time being, however, the darker "Fugazi" suggested that "Marillion" had found a balanced approach to songwriting, where everything seemed to fall perfectly into place. "Assassing"  opens the album with a character describing himself as an assassin, though the lyrics serve as a metaphor for character assassination. They are commonly interpreted as referring to the verbal arguments that preceded the departure of founding drummer Mick Pointer. Fish later clarified, however, that the lyrics were directed at bassist Diz Minnitt rather than Pointer. "Punch & Judy"  portrays a marriage that has run aground. The lyrics are quite brilliant, presenting examples of everyday relationship struggles. The routine boredom that many relationships eventually fall into is contrasted with an intense longing for the early days of love, when partners still enjoy one another’s company. In "Jigsaw" , Fish takes inspiration from a children’s puzzle to describe a relationship that repeatedly breaks apart only to come back together again. Each time the couple reunites, however, more pieces of the puzzle have disappeared, and it becomes impossible to restore what was lost. In "Emerald Lies" , jealousy and a man’s distrust of his partner become the trigger that eventually leads to the disintegration of their relationship. The album concludes with two songs that, I suspect, later inspired two bands of the 1990s to adopt their names from "Marillion" song titles. "Incubus"  describes a situation in which a woman leaves the boyfriend whose pornographic films she once starred in so she can pursue a mainstream acting career. On the verge of her breakthrough performance, during opening night in front of critics, she suddenly spots her former lover in the audience and fears he may expose her past. The title track "Fugazi"  closes the album with Fish ’s bleak reflection on the state of the world: “This world is totally fugazi.”  In other words, the world is completely messed up beyond recognition. Fish borrowed the term from the slang used by American soldiers in Vietnam, which he encountered in the book " Nam"  by Mark Baker. The album cover was painted by Mark Wilkinson, the artist responsible for all of "Marillion"’s classic album covers. The artwork also contains several visual elements carried over from the band’s debut album " Script for a Jester’s Tear r". The pictures on the wall and the ruined building visible outside the window were created by Julie Hazelwood, Wilkinson’s wife. The records scattered on the floor include " The Wall " by "Pink Floyd", "Over" and "Fool’s Mate "  by Peter Hammill, and the single released shortly before the album, "Punch and Judy" . For Listening : Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Written By: Moti Kupfer Release date - 12.03.1984 Ric Ocasek often explained that his strength as a producer came from his own experience inside a band. Having spent years navigating personalities and creative tensions within "The Cars", he developed a unique ability to guide other musicians without disrupting their internal chemistry. Rather than imposing himself on a project, he preferred to observe how a band functioned together, refine their sound, and help them bring out the best version of their collective identity. By February 1988 it was already behind him. Ric Ocasek, the frontman of "The Cars", announced together with his bandmates that the group was disbanding. Ocasek did not waste time and soon began building what would become his second legacy, this time as a producer. Ocasek gradually became something of a mentor to many of the bands he worked with. Among the artists he produced were "Weezer", "The Wannadies", "Bad Religion", "Bad Brains", "Suicide", "Nada Surf", and "No Doubt". Musicians who worked with him often described his presence in the studio as calming and reassuring. Members of "Weezer" later noted that his guidance had a profound impact on their early career and helped shape the sound that would define their breakthrough. Greg Graffin from "Bad Religion" also recalled Ocasek as a supportive and encouraging producer who treated songwriting as a true artistic craft. Instead of focusing only on technical performance, Ocasek emphasized the creative foundations behind a song and encouraged artists to trust their instincts as writers. At the same time, despite bringing so much joy to music fans, life itself had not always been kind to Ocasek. His early years included a difficult childhood, overshadowed by an alcoholic mother and a father who barely paid attention to him. He was married three times. His third marriage was to Czech model Paulina Porizkova. Porizkova, who was only nineteen at the time, later described their meeting as love at first sight. Ocasek, then forty and a musician at the height of his fame, was captivated by the young model who appeared in the video for "Drive" , perhaps the most memorable hit by "The Cars" from their fifth studio album "Heartbeat City", released on March 13, 1984. The song captured Ocasek’s mindset remarkably well. Written from the perspective of a man observing a woman he apparently once had a relationship with, the narrator sees her during a difficult moment and urges her not to ignore the reality surrounding her, singing "You can't go on, thinking nothing's wrong". Later he asks the now famous question "Who's gonna drive you home tonight?", hinting that she may no longer have anyone by her side. Although Ric Ocasek wrote the lyrics, lead vocals on the track were performed by Benjamin Orr, whose emotional delivery helped turn "Drive"  into one of the band’s most memorable songs. Following the death of Princess Diana in 1997, British radio station XFM temporarily banned several songs that might upset listeners during the period of national mourning. Among the tracks placed on their restricted playlist was "Drive" , whose melancholic tone and lyrical themes were considered potentially too sensitive for broadcast at the time. With "Heartbeat City", "The Cars" effectively staged a comeback, releasing their first album in nearly two and a half years. The record also marked the first major change in the band’s production team, as Robert John "Mutt" Lange replaced Roy Thomas Baker, who had produced the group’s first four albums. Lange, who was rapidly becoming one of the most sought after producers in rock after working with "AC/DC" and "Def Leppard", demanded extreme attention to detail from the band. The recording process stretched close to a full year and left Ocasek exhausted. He later admitted that the intense sessions had taken a toll on him, even sharing some of his frustrations with recording engineer Chris Shaw. The album’s lead single "You Might Think"  went on to win Video of the Year at the very first MTV Video Music Awards, beating strong competition including "Rockit" by Herbie Hancock and "Thriller" by Michael Jackson. The innovative video, filled with surreal visual effects, perfectly captured the playful spirit of the emerging MTV era and helped cement "Heartbeat City" as one of the defining pop rock albums of the mid 1980s. In "Magic" , released as the album’s second single, Ric Ocasek writes about a woman who completely captivates him, casting a spell every time they meet. The narrator becomes increasingly convinced that she is falling in love with him, even as the situation feels dreamlike and slightly surreal. The song’s playful tone is reflected in its memorable music video, directed by Tim Pope and filmed at the Hilton family mansion in Beverly Hills. The fourth single "Hello Again"  also featured a fascinating and memorable video, starring Andy Warhol in one of his final creative appearances. Warhol collaborated with Don Munroe on the clip, translating Ric Ocasek’s lyrics into a surreal visual experience. In the song, Ocasek sings about a man who seems destined never to find true happiness. Despite his constant attempts to escape and discover something better, he repeatedly finds himself returning to the very place he tried to leave behind. The album cover features an image of a 1971 Plymouth Duster 340 alongside a classic pin up model originally painted by Peruvian American artist Alberto Vargas. The artwork itself is taken from a 1972 piece by British pop artist Peter Phillips titled "Art-O-Matic Loop di Loop", blending retro automotive imagery with pop art aesthetics that perfectly match the sleek, futuristic pop sound of "The Cars" during this era. For Listening : Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website