He is one of the "natural phenomena" of the music world and one of the most exciting composers, writers, and singers of the 90s and perhaps even of all time. He penetrates your heart in a way that is hard to explain in words. He is Layne Staley !! (Photo: Metalheadzone.com) 1. He was born Layne Rutherford Staley on August 22, 1967, in Kirkland, Washington. 2. When he was 7 his parents divorced and he moved in with his mother and stepfather, he even briefly changed his last name to Elmer. 3. When he was 9 he wrote in "All About Me" - an American children's book where all the children write things about themselves, that when he grows up he wants to be a singer. By the way, Jerry Cantrell wrote in the same book that he wants to be a "rock star" when he grows up. (Photo: Quizforfan.com) 4. He was exposed to music through his parents who listened to: "Black Sabbath" and "Deep Purple". Later on, he was also influenced by artists like "The Stooges", "Anthrax", "Judas Priest", "Saxon", "Rainbow", "Mercyful Fate" and more ... 5. He hated his middle name and changed it when he was a teenager to Thomas, because he loved "Motley Crue" and admired their drummer Tommy Lee. 6. He started playing drums at the age of 12. Later he was a member of several glam bands, but he always dreamed of being a singer. 7. In 1984 he joined the band "Sleze". The band was formed by guitarists Johnny Bacolas, Zoli Semanate, drummer James Bergstrom and bassist Byron Hansen, who studied together at "Shorewood High School". They were looking for a singer and came across Ken Elmer who was Layne's stepbrother who suggested his brother to the band. Layne who was a drummer at the time agreed to audition, the four were amazed by Layne's shy and introverted voice and accepted him to the band. 8. The band performed mostly with covers of Glam and Speed Metal bands. They underwent several lineup changes and at one point even changed their name to "Alice N' Chains", but disbanded in 1987. 9. We've told you before how Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell met when Jerry was homeless and Layne was looking to form a band. 10. We also told you that when Jerry Cantrell, Sean Kinney, and Mike Starr decided to form a band they wanted Layne Staley as a singer, but he refused because he wanted to form his own band and not join an existing one. To persuade him to join their band the three members decided to audition very bad singers when Layne Staley was present in the studio. His breaking point was after a particularly hallucinatory audition of a stripper who wanted to be a singer and was probably really bad. 11. The band's name was changed several times until it was decided to adopt the name of Layne Staley's previous band with a slight change. Thus was the name "Alice in Chains". (Photo: Annamaria Disanto) 12. The first demo of the band "The Treehouse Tapes" was completed in 1988 and found its way to Kelly Curtis and Susan Silver who managed the bands "Mother Love Bone," and "Soundgarden". The two gave the demo to "Columbia Records" and they signed the band on a recording contract in September 1989. 13. The band's debut album "Facelift" was released on August 21, 1990. The second single from the album "Man In The Box" was written by Layne and became a hysterical hit. Other singles from the album are: "We Die Young", "Sea of Sorrow" and "Bleed the Freak." This is the first album from the Grunge scene to be certified Gold and it was also nominated for a Grammy. 14. Layne said he wrote the song "Man In The Box" inspired by a dinner he attended with executives from "Columbia Records". At that time Layne was interested in government censorship. At that dinner, there were vegetarian people and they told him how the meat he eats is grown. Calves that are grown in places as crowded as small boxes. It inspired him to write a protest song against the government and the media that shape a citizen's thoughts into a box. 15. After the release of the album, the band went on a tour that lasted two years and even participated in the famous movie "Singles" which refers to the Grunge scene of the 90s in Seattle. 16. In February 1992 the band released their first EP "SAP" which consists entirely of acoustic songs. The album features Ann Wilson from "Heart" and another duo called "Alice Mudgarden", namely Chris Cornell and Mark Arm. 17. In September of that year the second album of "Alice in Chains" called "Dirt", was released. This is the band's most successful album that created crazy hits like "Would?", "Rooster", "Them Bones" and more ... Layne was the one who designed the sun logo on the album, which was also nominated for a Grammy Award. 18. Layne who was addicted to drugs and alcohol at the time, tried to quit and went into rehab several times but without success. During the tour of the album, the band's manager brought two bodyguards to accompany Layne to prevent people from bringing him drugs, but of course, the attempt was unsuccessful and Layne continued with drugs and alcohol. 19. Layne sang with Ann Wilson a cover of Bob Dylan's song "Ring Them Bells", which was released on "Heart"'s "Desire Walks On" album from 1993. 20. The band's second EP, which is also entirely acoustic called "Jar OF Flies" was released in January 1994 and became the first EP in history to go straight to number one on the Billboard charts. 21. After the release of the EP, Layne's condition began to deteriorate as a result of heavy drug use. He put himself in a rehab facility and at the same time started working with several musicians on a project called "Mad Season". 22. The band "Mad Season" was formed by guitarist Mike McCready and bassist John Baker Saunders from "The Walkabouts" after returning from a joint stay at a drug rehab facility. The two decided to briמg in drummer Barrett Martin from "Screaming Trees". Mike was looking for a singer, and he thought it would be very helpful for Layne to be in the company of people who had been also in rehab to stop the drug use. The band released one, unique, masterful, and special album called "Above". (Photo: Colombia Records) 23. Let's go back to "Alice" ... In July 1994, the band temporarily disbanded for six months and returned in November 1995, when the release of their third album "Alice In Chains". The album reached directly to first place on the chart and from it came the singles: "Grind", "Heaven Beside You" and "Again". 24. At the beginning of Alice's career, Jerry was a leader in everything related to writing music and lyrics but over time Layne became more involved and his participants in writing lyrics grew. The lyrics to this album for example were mostly written by Layne, except for three songs "Grind", "Heaven Beside You" and "Over Now". 25. At that time Layne's condition began to deteriorate significantly so the band did not go on tour to promote the album. Jerry said it was very frustrating for them, but as they stood together in the good moments they stood together in the difficult ones. As one whose drugs have been with him almost all his life, Layne felt that if in the past they had created good memories for him Occasionally, then this time they were already creating only bad memories and that was not something he wanted. 26. In April 1996, "Alice in Chains" held one of the biggest and most talked-about shows ever - the "MTV Unplugged". Jerry went up to the stage sick as a result of stomach poisoning, but this was hardly seen on him. In contrast, Layne who was deep in drugs at the time seemed painful, broken, distant, and sometimes disconnected. 27. In October 1996 Layne's ex-fiancée Demri Lara Parrott died of an overdose, Layne who took her death in a very severe manner was placed under suicide supervision for 24 hours. Some say her death is what accelerated the process of deterioration in Layne's condition which failed to recover from the incident. 28. In 1998 Lane recorded with the supergroup "Class of '99" a cover of the song "Another Brick In The Wall" by Pink Floyd, as part of the soundtrack to the horror film "The Faculty". The band members included Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine), Martyn LeNoble (Porno For Pyros), and Stephen Perkins (Jane’s Addiction). 29. In October 1998, members of "Alice in Chains" recorded two new songs, "Get Born Again" and "Died" which entered the band's compilation album "Music Bank", which was released in 1999. These were the last songs Layne recorded with the band. 30. That same month Layne attended Jerry Cantrell's debut show, following his first solo album, which was held in Seattle, but he refused to go up and sing with him despite Jerry's many pleas. 31. From then until the day he died, Layne was confined to his home in Seattle, rarely going out and meeting family and friends. The band members and family would call, send him letters and even knock on his door, but Layne would hardly reply. He was completely isolated and despite attempts by friends and family, he did not let anyone approach him except Mike Starr who claimed he was with him on his birthday, which occurred the day before Layne's death. 32. On April 19 2002, Layne's account manager called his former manager Susan Silver, after failing to reach him and informed her that Layne had not withdrawn money from his account for two weeks. Susan called Layne's mother Nancy McCallum and she immediately called the police, who along with his stepfather found him lifeless. 33. Post-mortem revealed that Layne died as a result of mixing heroin and cocaine two weeks before his body was discovered, on April 5th, 2002. 34. On August 22, 2019 (Layne's 52nd birthday), the Seattle Mayor announced "Layne Staley Day". In Layne's memory and recognition for his contribution to Seattle music, his parents founded an organization and a fund that supports Seattle music artists who are addicted to drugs. For listening to the compilation album with the last two songs that Layne recorded with "Alice": Spotify "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Here are some interesting facts about Joe Strummer - co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist, and lead vocalist of punk rock band "The Clash": (Photo: europavox.com) = He was born John Graham Mellor on August 21, 1952, in Ankara, Turkey, to a British diplomat father and a Scottish mother. = Strummer had an Armenian great-grandfather and a German-Jewish great-grandmother. = He lived in Cairo, Mexico City, and Bonn during his early childhood, before moving to England at age nine. = His older brother David committed suicide in 1970, which deeply affected him. = He developed an early love for rock music influenced by "The Beach Boys", Little Richard, and Woody Guthrie. = He formed his first band, "The Vultures", in 1973, playing covers of rock and R&B songs. = He joined the pub rock band "The 101ers" named after their squat at 101 Walterton Road in 1974, performing in clubs around London. = Around this time he adopted the name "Joe Strummer" while busking on the streets of London in the early 1970s due to his energetic guitar strumming. = On April 3, 1976, "The 101ers" opened for "The Sex Pistols" at The Nashville Room, which convinced Strummer that punk was the future of music. = He left "The 101ers" before their debut single, “Keys to Your Heart,” was released in 1976. = He ,met Mick Jones, Paul Simonon, and Keith Levene in 1976, forming "The Clash". = "The Clash" played their first show on July 4, 1976, supporting "The Sex Pistols" at the Black Swan in Sheffield. = "The Clash" recorded their debut album "The Clash" over three weekends for £4,000, released on April 8, 1977, which featured iconic tracks like “White Riot” and “London’s Burning” and becoming became a landmark in punk rock. = The Clash took the White Riot Tour across England in May 1977, featuring bands like "Buzzcocks", "The Jam", and "The Slits". = Strummer’s politically charged lyrics became a hallmark of "The Clash", addressing issues like racism, unemployment, and social injustice. = Their third album, "London Calling" (1979) received critical acclaim and featured a mix of punk, reggae, and rockabilly, breaking them into the American market, with the iconic title song and the hit “Train in Vain”. = The album "London Calling" was was ranked number 8 in the 2003 and 2012 editions, and number 16 in the 2020 edition on "Rolling Stone's" list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". = "The Clash" released "Sandinista!" in 1980, a triple album that sold for the price of a single record, which further explored diverse musical styles. = "Combat Rock" (1982) became their biggest commercial success, featuring the hits “Rock the Casbah” and “Should I Stay or Should I Go.” = Strummer co-wrote “Rock the Casbah,” inspired by a comment from their manager, Bernie Rhodes. = "The Clash" co-headlined the famous 1983 "U.S. Festival". = Internal tensions led Strummer and Simonon to fire Mick Jones in 1983. = The band released "Cut the Crap" in 1985 without Jones. The album was poorly received. = "The Clash" officially disbanded in 1986. = After "The Clash" was disbanded Joe worked on the soundtrack for "Sid and Nancy" (1986) and other film projects. = In 1989 Strummer produced a solo record with the band "the Latino Rockabilly War". The album "Earthquake Weather" was a critical and commercial fail. = The same year he did the soundtrack to the movie "Permanent Record" with "the Latino Rockabilly War". = Strummer briefly fronted "The Pogues" in 1991. He pursued acting, appearing in films like "Straight to Hell", "Mystery Train", and "Doctor Chance". = In 1999, he formed "Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros", blending punk, world music, and rock. = He released three albums with "the Mescaleros": Rock "Art and the X-Ray Style" (1999), "Global A Go-Go" (2001), and "Streetcore" (2003). = His final live performance with "the Mescaleros" was in November 22, 2002, at Liverpool Academy. = Strummer and Mick Jones reconciled in the late 1990s and collaborated on new music before Strummer’s death. = He passed away on December 22, 2002, from an undiagnosed congenital heart defect. = He was posthumously inducted into the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" in 2003 as a member of "The Clash". "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

"Jane's Addiction" album "Ritual de lo Habitual", was released on August 21, 1990. This is the band's second (or third) album and we'll explain. "Jane's Addiction" recorded their first album in a live performance on January 26, 1987 at the mythical "Roxy Theater" club, costing only $ 4,000. In August 1988, the band released their second album, which is actually their first studio album - "Nothing's Shocking". The album won many accolades and even entered the list of the 500 greatest albums of all time by Rolling Stone magazine. This means our reviewed album is actually the bands third album, but this is their second studio album. The album "Ritual de lo Habitual" caused a great sensation in the alternative scene and drew rave reviews from the audience and critics. It entered the list of the "500 greatest albums of all time" as well as the list of "1001 albums you should hear before you die". This is the band's best-selling album which already in the first month sold over 500,000 copies, an incredible number considering the fact that at the time alternative music didn't sell. This is a crazy album! There is no other way to describe it. Combining different and varied styles from Hard Rock, through Alternative, and Funk-Metal to Psychedelia, Progressive and even Klezmer music, with tracks ranging from 3 minutes to those that exceed the 10-minute threshold. This is without a doubt one of the first albums that shaped the Alternative and Grunge scene of the 90's and was responsible for bringing the Alternative to the Center and helping it become Mainstream. Yes, yes, before Nirvana's "Nevermind", before "Pearl Jam's" "Ten", this album created a butterfly effect that began a process of fundamental change in the music industry, MTV, radio, shows, movies, and even fashion, on a global scale. The band that grew up in the Hard Rock scene of Los Angeles during the heyday of Hair Metal managed to do the unbelievable and appeal to different audiences who until that time did not speak the same language. They connected the Hard Rock scene and Heavy Metal, the Hardcore Punk lovers, and even the "hippies on trips" of the West Coast gem, thus contributing to the change in the music market at the time. The album is divided into two parts. The first half features 5 short songs that seemingly have nothing to do with each other, while the second half features 4 longer tracks bordering on Psychedelic and Progressive, all dedicated to Xiola Blue - Perry Farrell's ex-girlfriend who died of a heroin overdose in 1987 and is 19 years old only. On the one hand, the album features bouncy and rhythmic songs, including two of the band's biggest "hits". The opening song and the first single "Stop!" Which was written back in 1986, in which Perry Farrell addresses the world to stop the destruction of nature and the environment. Dave Navarro's wah-wah solo earned him 20th place on "Guitar World" magazine's list of the greatest ever wah-wah solos. And for those who wonder what the girl recites in Spanish at the beginning of the song, then she presents "Jane's Addiction" as follows: “Ladies and Gentlemen, we have more influence over your children than you do. But we love them. Born and raised in Los Angeles… Jane’s Addiction!“ Another huge "hit" from the album is "Been Caught Stealing" which spent 4 weeks in first place on the Billboard mainstream chart. For anyone wondering the barking dog during the song was Perry Farrell's dog running around the studio. This song is on the list of the 500 songs that shaped rock, of the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame. Another piece that belongs to this group of songs is "No One's Leaving" which Perry Farrell wrote about his sister who was thrown out of the house just because she went out with an African-American guy. On the other hand, one can find here longer and "stellar" tracks of Psychedelia on the border of the Experimental, such as "Three Days" spread over 10:48 minutes and divided into three parts dealing with death and the resurrection of the dead. Farrell claimed the song dedicated to his girlfriend Xiola Blue was written before her death, and it describes three days of sex and drugs in the company of Xiola and his then-partner Casey Niccoli. Dave Navarro's solo in this song entered the list of the 100 greatest solos of all time by "Guitar World". Another interesting song that falls into the same category, is "Of Course" which is spread over more than 7 minutes and includes "Klezmer" violin playing. Singer Perry Farrell designed the album cover and even sculpted the characters of the man and the two women, all naked. The cover comes to describe a scene from those three days of sex and drugs on which the song "Three Days" is based on. The cover of course drew harsh criticism so the band released another series from the album with a clean white cover. At the back of the album was a message from Perry Farrell who wrote the following words: “Hitler’s syphilis-ridden dreams almost came true. How could it happen? By taking control of the media. An entire country was led by a lunatic… We must protect our First Amendment, before sick dreams become law. Nobody made fun of Hitler??!” In conclusion, this album was different, another unique. A beautifully crafted musical catalyst that laid the seeds for the great breakthrough of Alternative Rock of the 90s. How unfortunate that it was then in 1991, after opening the door to many other fringe bands that followed and when the band was at the height of its success and popularity, "Jane's Addiction" disbanded and turned the stage to the Grunge and Alternative giants that took the music market by storm. 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 "Stranger in Us All", the eighth studio album by "Rainbow" was released on August 21, 1995. After the tour that accompanied "The Battle Rages On...", Deep Purple's 14th studio album, the frictions that have existed in the band ever since began to widen into huge cracks and the fierce battles between Ritchie Blackmore and Ian Gillan only intensified. The fact that the album faltered and was not a success (partly due to the outburst of alternative and grunge) did not help the dismal situation, and led Ritchie Blackmore to decide to leave the band once again. Blackmore's natural choice was to return to the arms of the lineup he had built with his own hands two decades earlier. This time too, as in his previous departure scene, Blackmore has assembled the band that will accompany him, most of them young and anonymous artists, just like Déjà vu from the circumstances which led to the debut album that came out exactly 20 years earlier. Even the name of the original band "Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow", which was featured on the first album appears here again after two decades. Unfortunately, even some of the ardent fans of Blackmore and "Rainbow" tend to ignore this album, which is exactly why we are here to tell you that this is a simply excellent album, that you should not miss. Blackmore chose as his co-pilot the amazing Scottish singer Doogie White, whose voice is simply a crazy combination between Joe Lynn Turner who "accompanied" "Rainbow" on three albums, and Glenn Hughes' from the MKIII lineup of "Deep Purple", who is celebrating his birthday today (listen to him on the song "Silence"). Doggy does an amazing job of singing and it is no wonder that after the brief flirtation with Blackmore, he continued to work with leading artists like Yngwie Malmsteen and Michael Schenker. But Doggy's contribution was not just in poetry, he co-wrote all but three of the songs with Blackmore. The remake of "Yardbirds'" "Still I'm Sad", which appeared on an instrumental version 20 years earlier on the band's debut album and is here as a kind of closing circle, the adaptation of the classic piece "Hall of the Mountain King" by Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg and the song "Ariel" who Blackmore wrote along with his partner Candice Night who also co-wrote the opening song "Wolf to the Moon". This album is for us like a walk on the yellow brick road. As if leaving us with nostalgic hints from Ritchie's previous and amazing works, with quite a few tracks corresponding with his works from the past. For example, the song "Silence" includes a melody that in some parts reminds us of "You Fool No One" from the album "Burn", and the song "Ariel" brings up oriental scents that longingly remind us of the immortal "Stargazer", the melody in the track "Too Late for Tears" reminded us of "Can't Happen Here" written by Roger Glover and Ritchie Blackmore in the days of "Difficult to Cure" and the song "Black Masquerade" which includes in its lyrics the title of the album "Stranger in Us All" reminded us in its dynamics of "Deep Purple's" song "Anya". And what about Ritchie Blackmore? Blackmore is just amazing !!! How unfortunate that this album was Blackmore's last sign of life in rock music for over two decades. In 1997 he and his partner set up the folk-renaissance project "Blackmore's Night" and replaced the electric Stratocaster with an acoustic guitar. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Singer, songwriter and producer Serj Tankian is celebrating his birthday today !!! (Photo: pxfuel.com) = He was born in Beirut on August 21, 1967, to an Armenian family. = In 1975 he emigrated with his family to the United States, where they settled in Los Angeles. = He attended the Armenian school "Rose and Alex Pilibos" in Los Angeles, where his future "System Of A Down" friends also studied, bassist Shavo Odadjian and drummer Ontronik "Andy" Khachaturian. = Guitarist Daron Malakian also attended the same school, but he was a few years younger than Tankian and due to age differences they did not meet. = Serj and Darron eventually met in 1992. They were in the same rehearsal room, each with his own band. Daron Malakian played guitar and sang in his band and Serj played keyboards for his. = The two formed a band called "Soil" together with bassist Dave Hakopyan and drummer Domingo Laraino, and with Shavo Odadjian who became their manager and later guitarist. = After the dissolution of "Soil" Serj, Darron, and Wadajian who moved to play bass guitar, founded "System of a Down". = The band's first album was released in June 1998 and was produced by Rick Rubin. All but one of the song lyrics on the album were written by Serj, who also composed some of them. Tankian was also responsible for playing the keyboards and samples. = The band's big break was with the release of their second album "Toxicity" which became the first album to be released in America after the events of September 11th. = In addition to playing the keyboards, Tankian was also responsible for strings arrangements on this album and also played guitar on the song "Aerials". = In parallel with his activities in "System of a Down", Serj served as vocalist with other ensembles and/or artists such as: "Mushroom Cult", "Hed PE", Tony Iommi, "Deftones" and more. = Serj also has a solo career in which he has released 5 studio albums that range between different musical styles including even jazz and symphony. = He also has two collaborative albums, the first from 2003 with musician Arto Tunçboyacıyan and the second from 2020 with singer Jimmy Urine from the electro-punk band "Mindless Self Indulgence". = He also wrote soundtracks for 10 movies and computer games and recorded a special rendition of the song "Rains of Castamere" in honor of the last season of "Game of Thrones". = Serj is also an album producer and among others produced Buckethead's album "Enter the Chicken", in which he is also featured in singing. = Tankian is also the owner of "Serjical Strike Records", which gives artists who have been rejected by the big companies the opportunity to release albums. = Serj is the brother-in-law of John Dolmayan the drummer of "SOAD". Serj's wife and John's wife are sisters. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On August 21, 1987, "Metallica" released "The $ 5.98 E.P .: Garage Days Re-Revisited." This is an EP that we probably would not review had it not been for its historical importance. This is the band's first sign of life since the tragic death of legendary bassist Cliff Burton. Burton was killed in September 1986, during the band's European tour to promote the masterful album "Master Of Puppets" when the band's bus overturned and crushed him to death. Burton was one of the pillars of the band and after his tragic death, the band's future was not curtained. Eventually "Metallica" members decided that Burton would have liked to see them continue and they auditioned about 50 bassists, including Les Claypool from "Primus". In the end, Jason Newsted, who had been in "Flotsam and Jetsam" until then, was chosen to step into Cliff Burton's big shoes. In order to alleviate the pain and sorrow created following the death of their friend and in order to test the abilities of the new member, the band members decided to write material for a new album. This was also at the advice of the record company, who thought it would be good for the band to release new material before going on stage for a scheduled performance of the band at the "Monsters of Rock Festival" in the summer of 1987. Despite the good intentions, it did not work so well and the only thing the band managed to produce was a demo of the song "Blackened". James Hetfield later broke his arm in a skateboard accident and the band decided to abandon the idea of ​​writing a new album. (Photo: Ross Halfin) The members went into the garage of Lars Ulrich's house and started making cover versions of their favorite bands, by the way... They used Jason's skills as a repairman to upholster the garage and improve its acoustics. The main material played was by the NWOBHM bands - the new wave of British heavy metal, but also by post-punk bands. After rehearsals, the band moved to Los Angeles to record the EP. The album was released on vinyl and cassettes on August 21, 1987, and included 5 songs. The name of the album was chosen by the band members to indicate its price and to prevent the record stores from charging a higher price for it. On the original cassettes, there was even a sticker that read: "If they try to charge more, STEAL IT!" The album opens up with "Helpless" originally by "Diamond Head" a band that has already won a cover by "Metallica" with "Am I Evil" released as a b-side to the song "Creeping Death" from the album "Ride The Lightning" about three years earlier. Other bands that have received cover versions on this EP are the post-punk bands "Killing Joke" and the "Misfits" with Glenn Danzig, the Scottish Heavy Metal band "Holocaust" and the amazing Welsh trio "Budgie". It is enough to listen to the powerful opening of the album to understand that the band made the right choice with the acceptance of Jason. And for those who weren't sure yet, then the bass line at the opening of the "Budgie" song left no room for doubt. Jason Newsted is the right bass player for "Metallica". Over the years this EP became a rare product until it was re-released on the band's private label several years ago. All the songs from this album were included on the band's double album "Garage Inc." Which are all cover versions of "Metallica" for bands they grew up on. Listen to the album on: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Legendary bassist, singer, and songwriter Glenn Hughes is celebrating his birthday today, and judging by the tremendous voice he still has, his look, and his insane energy, we would not give him one day more than 30. (Photo: Stuart Westwood) This mighty singer who earned the obligatory nickname "The Voice of Rock" given to him by no other than Stevie Wonder, started his career back in the sixties as a bassist and singer in the pop rock band "Finders Keepers" and from there moved to the funk rock band "Trapeze", where he also played piano. He got his big fame when he replaced bassist Roger Glover with "Deep Purple's" MKIII lineup. Glenn Hughes was chosen for the role not only because of his high musical abilities but mainly because of his mighty voice designed to back the legendary singer David Coverdale in the high notes. After the departure of Ritchie Blackmore Hughes continued with "Deep Purple" in her MKIV lineup until its dissolution. Hughes co-wrote a significant portion of the songs in "Deep Purple"'s lineups and influenced the band's musical style during his time there. In the early 1980s Hughes was part of the band "Hughes and Thrall" and later took part in the band "Phenomena", which also included Mel Galley from the band "Whitesnake", John Wetton known among others from "King Crimson" and Brian May from "Queen". At the same time, Hughes also participated in the album "Run For Cover" by the legendary guitarist Gary Moore. In 1986, Hughes was a member of "Black Sabbath"'s "Seventh Star" album, originally intended to be Tony Iommi's solo project, but later under pressure from the record label was renamed "Black Sabbath". Although the album did not receive rave reviews, it is an excellent album, thanks in no small part to Hughes' vocal performance. Glenn Hughes will also later collaborate with Tony Iommi on his solo albums, including "Iommi" from 2000 and "Fused" from 2005. At the same time, Hughes continued his extensive solo career, which includes no less than 14 studio albums. The scope of Hughes' projects and collaborations is inconceivable, he has played with "Night Ranger" John Normum from "Europe", Keith Emerson from ELP, Jeff Downs, Joe Satriani, Joe Lynn Turner, and even led the young band "California Breed". Since 2019 Hughes is also a part of the supergroup "The Dead Daisies" alongside guitarist Doug Aldrich. In 2020 they released the album "Holy Ground" and on 2022 the album "Radiance". But the most notable project from recent years in our opinion, is the supergroup "Black Country Communion" along with legendary guitarist Joe Bonamassa, Jason Bonham, and Derek Sherinian from "Dream Theater". Hughes who is the oldest member of this band proves that he is still a huge singer who has not lost in any way his voice and charisma. The band's five albums present an excellent, lively, rhythmic, and kicking lineup with amazing music and a phenomenal level of playing. So let's wish Glenn Hughes many more good and fruitful years of music. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

"Alice In Chains" debut album "Facelift" was released on August 21, 1990 !!! Do you realize how long it has been since this album came out? It was released when we were teenagers, and even though so much time has passed, every time we listen to it, we feel like those snub-nosed teenagers again. No matter how many reviews we write, we're always amazed by how music remains eternal and timeless! As we write about this incredible album, a scene from the Netflix series "Dark" plays in the background. The series strongly conveys that you cannot stop time; no matter how much you try to alter the past, present, or future, time continues to move forward. However, in music, once the needle touches the record or we hit play, it's as if time stands still... Returning to our topic... In 1988, the members of "Alice In Chains" released a demo titled "The Treehouse Tapes," which circulated among radio stations until it reached agents Kelly Curtis and Susan Silver. At the time, they managed a new band called "Soundgarden." The duo passed the demo to "Columbia Records," which quickly signed the band to a recording contract in 1989. During this period, record companies were eager to capitalize on the Seattle music scene, making "Alice In Chains" a top priority for Columbia Records. The band was sent to Seattle's renowned "London Bridge Studio" to start recording their debut album. To promote the album, Columbia released the band's first EP, "We Die Young." This EP aimed to showcase "Alice In Chains" with the single "We Die Young" and included two additional tracks: "It Ain't Like That" and "Killing Yourself." Initially, radio stations classified "Alice In Chains" as a pure Heavy Metal band. However, influenced by Glam and Hair Metal, they criticized Layne Staley's deep voice as unsuitable for Heavy Metal, suggesting he needed a higher pitch. The band and record company ignored this criticism, but the fans embraced the single. Its popularity convinced Columbia not to delay the album's release, which happened on August 21, 1990. The album, led by the song "We Die Young," garnered immense fan admiration. The track "Man In The Box" captivated listeners with its heavy sound, intense lyrics, melodic vocals, and the harmonies of Layne and Jerry Cantrell. Jerry noted that this song marked the band's discovery of their musical direction, defining what Alice In Chains became! The album is predominantly written by Jerry, and its lyrics explore themes such as drugs, his mother's death, censorship, and a "we against the world" mentality. This album produced several timeless tracks that significantly influenced the music scene at the time and set the stage for the major developments soon to emerge from Seattle. "Bleed The Freak" bursts forth after a captivating intro, the mesmerizing "Love Hate Love," and "It Ain't Like That," featuring a heavy and intricate riff that perfectly complements Layne's voice, among others. Initially, the album did not achieve much success, selling only tens of thousands of copies in the first six months. However, the situation changed dramatically once MTV got involved. "Alice" released a music video for "Man In The Box," which MTV embraced and placed in heavy rotation, transforming the album's reception. Following the video release, the album sold 400,000 copies in just six weeks! It became the first album from the grunge scene to reach the top 50 of the Billboard 200 chart, peaking at 42nd place. The album also earned a Grammy nomination for "Best Hard Rock Performance with Vocal" but was beaten by "Van Halen." Even the Prince of Darkness himself, Ozzy Osbourne, has ranked it among his top 10 favorite metal albums. If you were curious about the album cover and wondered whose distorted face it features, let us enlighten you. Photographer and director Rocky Schenck aimed to depict the band members as if they were emerging or being born from something, symbolizing their debut album's birth. He experimented with various concepts, including having the band members' faces emerge from a pool covered with a plastic sheet. After three days of filming and extensive editing, the final result was a distorted black and white image of bassist Mike Inez's face. Ultimately, Rocky chose to add color, transforming it into a vibrant image. Upon seeing the final result, the band decided to name the album "Facelift". Finally, we wanted to share some additional intriguing facts about the album: - Drummer Sean Kinney broke his arm during the album's recording and barely played on it. The band brought in Greg Gilmore's drummer from "Mother Love Bone" to fill in for him. Sean attempted to instruct Greg on how to play, but after a few attempts, they realized it wasn't working. The band took a break, and during that time, Sean's hand improved significantly. When they returned to the studio, he removed the cast and recorded the album with a bucket of ice beside him to alleviate the pain. - The song "Man In The Box" was influenced by "Bon Jovi" and especially the song "Livin 'on a Prayer" taken from the album "Slippery When Wet". Jerry uses the Talk Box effect that Richie Sambora also used. - At the end of the last song on the album, "Real Thing" Layne shouts the phrase "Sexual chocolate, baby!". The sentence is taken from the name of a fictional band from the movie "Coming to America" ​​in which Eddie Murphy plays. 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 August 20, 1990 "Black Sabbath" released its 15th album "Tyr". This is the band's third album with singer Tony Martin and one of the best of its time. Although it is not a concept album, a large part of the songs in it deal with Norse mythology. Evidence of this can be found, among others, on the album title - "Tyr" which is the son of Odin and to the glory of heroism and individual battles, on the names of the songs such as "The Battle of Tyr", "Odin's Court", "Valhalla" as well as the album cover which includes the Norse inscription "ᛏ ᛉ ᚱ". The lineup on this album is almost identical to the previous album "Headless Cross" and includes guitarist Tony Iommi and drummer Cozy Powell who also produced the album, as well as singer Tony Martin and keyboardist Geoff Nicholls. The only change is in the bassist position with the addition of Neil Murray who previously played with "Whitesnake", among others. Referring to the change in the writing themes of the album, compared to the previous album "Headless Cross", guitarist Tony Iommi noted that the album "Headless Cross" was actually the band's first album where singer Tony Martin began writing for the band. Upon entering the band, Tony Martin assumed that in "Black Sabbath" the lyrics should deal with dark subjects such as black magic, Satan, and the devil, therefore in "Headless Cross" the lyrics revolved around them. Iommi explained that it was too much, so he and Cozy asked Martin to be a little more subtle in the writing of the album "Tyr", which led Martin to write about Norse mythology. As well known, Tony Martin joined "Black Sabbath" in 1987 to replace singer Ray Gillen, who didn't "deliver the goods", during the recording of the album "The Eternal Idol". He was brought into the band to re-record all of Ray Gillen's vocal duties to allow for the release of the album. Because Tony arrived after the album was already complete, he did not participate in the creative process, however, after his arrival, he participated in the writing of two additional new songs: "Black Moon" and "Some Kind of Woman", which were not included in the original album and were released only as B-sides. (Photo: I.R.S.) The change in writing topics also brought with it a minor change on the musical side, which went in a darker and heavier direction, but at the same time melodic with increased use of keyboards. Apparently, the change in sound was also because drummer Cozy Powell produced the album along with Tony Iommi and made sure to bring the drums forward in the final mix. The album opens with the epic piece "Anno Mundi (The Vision)" and the Latin lyrics "Spiritus Sanctus Anno Anno Mundi". It's the longest song on the album that reminds us of so many other things "Black Sabbath" has done in the past. For example, the first seconds of the song with the acoustic guitar gave us flashbacks from the song "Children Of The Sea", the heavy riff and especially the bass work after the entrance, starting at minute 0:59, threw us 3 years ahead to another song by the band "Zero the Hero" And the melody in the catchy chorus corresponded a bit to the melody of "The Sign Of The Southern Cross". But don't get us wrong, all these "references" from the "Sabbath" classics only did us good and upgraded the song for us. The translation of the words "Anno Mundi" from Latin is "in the year of the world" and is used to indicate the Hebrew year since the creation of the world. The second track is the exact opposite of the previous one. "The Law Maker" explodes in our faces with the thundering drums of Cozy Powell and the brutal riff of Tony Iommi, who is also responsible for the song's crazy solo. Notice how much Geoff Nicholls' keyboards add-in, even in a song with such a fast tempo. Then comes one of the most beautiful songs on the album, "Jerusalem", which showcases the amazing vocal abilities of Tony Martin, who definitely utilizes his tremendous vocal range to the fullest. It's another epic song tailor-made to be part of a soundtrack of a historical film with consistent and powerful drumming by Cozy Powell, heavy riffs by Tony Iommi, and a dark yet sweeping and hopeful atmosphere by Geoff Nicholls on the keyboards. It's not for nothing that several fans created impromptu music videos clips for the song, based on excerpts from the historical epic movie "Kingdom of Heaven" dealing with the Crusades of the 12th century. It is interesting to note that singer Tony Martin recorded a version of the song as part of his 1992 solo album "Back Where I Belong". The opening of "The Sabbath Stones" took us back to the days of "War Pigs" with "doom metal" seasoning and brooding lyrics. Another great song with a heavy and dark riff and amazing vocals by Tony Martin, who sometimes reminded us a bit of Ronnie James Dio. It is one of the dynamic songs on the album with quite a few amazing changes and transitions, which we would have loved to witness performed live. And here comes the excellent "Nordic" trilogy! Three tracks related to each other in the spirit and subject of the writing. It starts with the instrumental piece "The Battle of Tyr" conducted by keyboardist Geoff Nicholls, who takes us back to the Viking period and brings us up with hammer and ax to the cold north. This keyboard section is meant to put us in the mood and it connects in a simply perfect way to the quiet and exciting "Odin's Court" which is the gateway to what we think is the "main course" of the album - "Valhalla". Regarding the song "Feels Good To Me", the band members stated that it was included on the album solely to provide it with a catchy song that could be used as a single. It's a kind of power ballad that doesn't fit in any way with the musical line of the album, but it's a good song in itself, which delivered the goods and even spawned a music video that was played on MTV at the time. We reached the end of the album with "Heaven in Black" which, together with its predecessor, is perhaps the reason why this album didn't get the place it deserves. In our opinion, the last two songs are a kind of drop from the high level that was presented from the beginning of the album and we can only wonder what would have happened if they had been replaced with songs at the level of their predecessors. For Listening: Youtube, Spotify "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Today we will tell you about the drummer Frankie Banali. (Photo: Christopher Ameruoso) Banali is best known as the drummer of the bands "Quiet Riot" and "W.A.S.P." He was born in Queens, New York on November 14, 1951, but moved to Los Angeles in the mid - 1970s in search of a musical career. He played for several years with various bands, including an incarnation of "Steppenwolf". In 1980 he joined "Quiet Riot" and in 1983 released with them their most successful album "Metal Health" which became the first metal album to conquer the top of the Billboard charts and eventually sold more than 6 million copies. Banali was a member of "Quiet Riot" until 1989 and when the band disbanded he moved to "W.A.S.P.", serving as their regular drummer from the album "The Headless Children" from 1989 until 2004. In 2004 he reunited with Kevin Dobro and the two re-established "Quiet Riot", since then he has performed and released albums until 2019 when the "Hollywood Cowboys" album was released. In April 2019 he has diagnosed with stage four pancreatic cancer. The treatments caused him to miss several shows but he continued as long as his medical condition allowed. After a stubborn and brave fight, Frankie succumbed to the accursed disease on August 20, 2020. He was 68 years old. To listen to his latest album with "Quiet Riot" Click Here: "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On August 20, 1990, "Queensryche's" fourth studio album "Empire" was released. This is the band's breakthrough album to mainstream success, which is also their best-selling album. 5 successful singles were released from this double album, led by "Silent Lucidity", which even earned the band two Grammy nominations. The album was produced by Peter Collins who was responsible for the production of four albums by "Rush" during the 1980s and 1990s. Although Collins also produced the band's previous album "Operation: Mindcrime", this time it was a completely different story. Collins and the band members disassembled the DNA of the previous album into tiny elements, separated the "Progressive" from the "Metal", added pinch of "Soft" to the "Rock" and divided the "Queen" from "Reich". For those of you who were fans of the band in real time and accompanied its musical development since the early 1980s, this album was surely received with astonishment. If there is any focus for comparison, then this album represents for "Queensryche" what The Black Album was for "Metallica". On the one hand, a breakthrough album that exposed them to a large audience, on the other hand, a loss of the musical line that characterized the band in the previous album and also the abandonment of some of the old fans in favor of new ones who came under the breakthrough sponsorship. Don't get us wrong, "Queensryche" always knew how to experiment with different styles, they were not born as a Prog Metal band and among others "Rage for Order" that was released in 1984 will prove it. But on this album "Queensryche" made their bravest move, took it as far as possible, and released under their hands an album that the word "commercial" screams from every note of it. The change can already be heard in the opening song "Best I Can". The keyboard intro, the synthesizer "carpets" played by guitarist Chris DeGarmo underneath the guitar riff and the choral in the background leaves no room for doubt about the change in the musical style. The song written about people with disabilities and their determination in achieving goals was also the third single released from the album. And yet, it's one of the band's favorite albums for us. There is no doubt that "Queensryche" is at its peak here, in terms of writing and performance ability, even if these are not complex in comparison to the previous album "Operation: Mindcrime". The synchronization between all the band members is perfect, especially between the two guitarists Chris DeGarmo and Michael Wilton, who complement each other and share guitar solos, with a slight advantage to the amazing Chris DeGarmo. Songs like "Jet City Woman" written by singer Geoff Tate for his then-stewardess partner, "Della Brown" with Eddie Jackson's funky bass stretching for more than 7 minutes about a woman who has it all, but ends up at the bottom, "Another Rainy Night (Without You)" written by Tate and inspired by Seattle, the band's hometown, the theme song "Empire" with the sweeping riff, the melting "Anybody Listening?" and of course, the perfect "Silent Lucidity" with the strings arrangements of Michael Kamen, which for some reason reminds us of "Pink Floyd", all these and more leave no room for doubt. This is a good album that is definitely worth investing in. So if you still did not listen to it or just want to remember this pure beauty, click on one of the links and enjoy: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

One of the most polarizing frontmen of the late-1990s and early-2000s, Fred Durst became the face of nu-metal, leading "Limp Bizkit" to multi-platinum success while stirring controversy at every step. His red cap, aggressive stage presence, and fusion of rap and metal made him both a cultural icon and a frequent target of criticism. Photo: Patric Ford = Born William Frederick Durst on August 20, 1970, in Jacksonville, Florida. = Spent his childhood in Gastonia, North Carolina, raised by his mother Anita and stepfather Bill. As a child, he was bullied, which he incorporated into his music. = Grew up listening to a mix of rock and hip hop, with influences ranging from Led Zeppelin, Kiss, and Black Sabbath to Run-D.M.C. and the Beastie Boys. = At the age of 12, Durst took an interest in breakdancing, hip hop, punk rock, and heavy metal. He began to rap, skate, beatbox, and DJ. = After high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in search of stability and direction. = It is not clear for how long he served (a few months or two years), but he took an early discharge, the strict discipline clashed with his rebellious nature, though he later said he began conceptualizing the idea of fusing rap and heavy rock during his short Navy stint. = He returned to Jacksonville and worked as a tattoo artist, his shop became a hub for meeting musicians and future collaborators. Photo: Billboard = In 1994, he formed "Limp Bizkit" with bassist Sam Rivers, drummer John Otto, and guitarist Wes Borland. Later on DJ Lethal, formerly of the hip hop group "House of Pain", joined the band as a turntablist. = The deliberately provocative band name "Limp Bizkit" was chosen by Durst to repel casual listeners and appeal only to genuine fans. = Befriended "Korn" while tattooing their members he was able to persuade bassist Reginald Arvizu to listen to demos of the songs "Pollution", "Counterfeit", and "Stalemate", and handed them the demo tape. Korn introduced the band to producer Ross Robinson, leading to a deal with Flip/Interscope. = Limp Bizkit released debut album "Three Dollar Bill, Y’all\$" (1997), Its raw production, Borland’s experimental guitar work, and Durst’s aggressive rap-vocals stood out in the late-90s heavy scene. = The album included a ferocious cover of George Michael’s "Faith", which became a surprise hit on MTV, helping to put "Limp Bizkit" on the map. = While sales were modest at first, the debut established the band’s reputation as a dangerous live act and opened doors to touring with "Korn", "Primus", and "Faith No More". = Durst became known for wearing his signature red New York Yankees cap backwards. What began as a simple style choice became a polarizing symbol, turning him into a pop culture figure, praised by fans but mocked by critics who saw it as emblematic of nu-metal excess. "I always knew the guy in the red cap was not me. I'm Dr Frankenstein and that's my creature." = The breakthrough came with second album "Significant Other" (1999), which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 643,000. Singles like "Nookie", "Break Stuff", and "Re-Arranged" turned Durst into one of the most recognizable frontmen in the world. = By this time, "Limp Bizkit" had become one of the leading forces of the nu-metal movement, alongside Korn and Slipknot = Fred writes most of the band’s lyrics, usually drawing from personal experiences, cultural frustration, or tongue-in-cheek humor. Known for being heavily involved in production decisions, he often takes a co-producer or executive producer role on albums. = In June 1999, Durst was appointed Senior Vice President of A&R at Interscope. He utilized his connections through the label and scouted numerous bands, landing record deals for "Cold", "Staind", "Puddle of Mudd", and "She Wants Revenge". = At the notorious Woodstock ’99 festival, during the performance of "Break Stuff", Durst encouraged the crowd to "let it all out," which spiraled into riots, fires, and violence, resulting in widespread blame in the press and one of rock’s most infamous live moments. = The third album "Chocolate Starfish and the Hotdog Flavored Water" (2000) was a cultural phenomenon, debuted at No. 1 with 1.05 million copies sold first week, becoming the fastest-selling rock album in U.S. history at the time and later achieving multi-platinum status. Singles like "My Generation", "Rollin’", and "My Way" dominated MTV and cemented Durst’s image as one of late-’90s rock’s most visible figures. = The band engine and main force, Wes Borland, left the band in 2001, citing creative differences, burnout, and frustration with the band’s mainstream image. = Follow-up album "Results May Vary" (2003) marked a turbulent period after Wes left and was replaced by Mike Smith. The album was less successful but featured a popular cover of "Behind Blue Eyes". = In July 2003, Limp Bizkit was the opening act for Metallica on the Summer Sanitarium Tour. During Limp Bizkit performance the crowd chanting "fuck Fred Durst" and pelting the stage with garbage, Durst erupted after six songs, threw the microphone down and walked off stage. = In 2005, Durst reunited with Borland to record the politically darker EP "The Unquestionable Truth (Part 1)". Minimal promotion led to weak sales. = Between 2005 and 2011, Durst switched to the big screen, focused on the directing films like "The Education of Charlie Banks" (2007), which won a Tribeca Film Festival award, and "The Longshots" (2008), starring Ice Cube. He also made smaller acting appearances. = In 2009, the original lineup reunited and began touring. Photo: Limp Bizkit = The sixth album "Gold Cobra" (2011) which was issued 8 years after the previous album and considered to be the first comeback of the band, debuted at No. 16 on the Billboard 200. Though reviews were mixed, fans welcomed the return of the classic lineup. = Until 2021, Durst and the band worked inconsistently on new material (notably the long-unreleased "Stampede of the Disco Elephants") while Durst continued film work, including directing the controversial thriller "The Fanatic" (2019) starring John Travolta. = In 2021, Durst re-emerged at Lollapalooza, but this time without the red cap and with a viral “dad vibes” persona, gray hair, retro clothing, and tongue-in-cheek stage presence. Photo: Getty = Later that year, "Limp Bizkit" released their seventh studio album "Still Sucks" (2021), their first in a decade. It was praised by critics and fans for its nostalgic energy and featured the single "Dad Vibes". = He collaborated with many artists across genres, including Method Man, Lil Wayne, and others, cementing his role in merging rap and rock into mainstream culture. = Fred was also well known for his abrasive personality, with numerous public feuds involving celebrities such as Eminem, Trent Reznor, Scott Stapp, Brian Molko, and Corey Taylor, which bolstered his reputation as one of rock's most contentious frontmen. Photo: Jim Dyson = Despite, or because of, his polarizing persona, Fred Durst remains a defining figure of nu-metal, remembered for his red cap, MTV dominance, live performance, and his role in bringing rap-metal to the mainstream. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website