On May 12, 2021, Myles Kennedy released "The Ides Of March". Myles Kennedy has demonstrated his exceptional vocal skills in various musical projects, including "Alter Bridge," his collaboration with Slash, and as a solo artist. He is considered to be one of the most skilled and talented vocalists in modern rock music. In 2021, some people might not find Myles Kennedy's style of earnest and classic hard rock exciting, but regardless of personal taste, his second solo album following 2018's "Year of the Tiger" shows that he is extremely skilled at his craft. While the opening of a song like "In Stride" may sound familiar with its Southern-fried, country slide guitar, Myles's smooth and distinctive voice quickly captures your attention and makes you nod your head along to the music. The Ides Of March is a great pleasure for Myles' devoted fans. Unlike his previous album, which had a country vibe, this album has a more down-to-earth, bluesy hard rock sound that tones down what we're used to hearing from Myles. Nonetheless, listeners can still appreciate Myles' exceptional vocal range, well-crafted lyrics, and excellent production value, and have a great time enjoying his talent as a musician. Listen to the album on: Spotify, Apple Music. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Linkin Park's third album has something symbolic. It symbolizes the process of puberty of a child who becomes a man. Let us open with a quote from Chester Bennington: “We thought,‘ Fine, you’re pissing us off. We’re going to make something so different that you can shove nu-metal up your ass” After two crazy and highly successful albums "Hybrid Theory" and "Meteora," the band members took a break to concentrate a bit on their personal lives. After the hurricane success in sales, performances, interviews, and a schedule of rock stars. They wanted to be with their families, with friends, and even to go to the grocery store (do you believe it?) To feel a little normal and put all this craziness on Pause. But of course, over time they could not stop creating, Mike Shinoda set up the hip hop project "Fort Minor" and Chester the rock band "Dead By Sunrise" when before that the collaboration with Jay-Z called "Collision Course" came out. The work on the album began in 2006 when the members were searching for themselves different and varied ideas and reach a state where they recorded dozens of demos that eventually drain into about 50-60 songs. From that point, they begin to work in-depth and formulate final materials. If in the previous albums, the working time on the album lasted about six months, here the members reached 14 months, a fact which in itself implies the way they work and how many attempts and various dilemmas they went through. For the album, they enlisted the megastar producer Rick Rubin alongside Mike, who is already regularly in charge of the production, a collaboration that has also continued for the next two albums that generally feature long-distance trips to new music spaces. The band members just could not repeat themselves and maintain the same musical genre, both in terms of creation and in terms of musical relevance. To tell the truth, it would have seemed a bit lame and untalented, especially given the fact that along with their puberty, their fans have also matured. So it was decided to adopt the maturity which is reflected in the fact that... Many orchestral strings were added with the help of Canadian conductor and composer David Campbell. Mike's rap segments have dropped significantly (for just two songs) and are a larger volume form in harmony with Chester as background vocals. Joe Hahn's scratching has dropped significantly compared to previous albums as Han moves to a more electronic position. However... The guitars got a different volume and character, with occasional small flickers of solos and mostly strong riffs in the chorus. Unusual and amazing is the song No More Sorrow. A lot of use of electronic sounds that create a dramatic atmosphere and dynamics is very different from the use made of them in previous albums. Two more elements have proven to be the puberty of the bunch with the spikes and wide pants. The first (and do not laugh) is the Parental Advisory warning that, unlike the previous two albums, does not exist on this album, and the second element is the reference to politics and the environment that is clearly reflected in the lyrics of the songs and also in the clip of the first single from "What I Done". If we're already talking about this song, then it's hard not to refer to the lyrics of the song which is a kind of farewell song of the band to what it was... "In this farewell / There’s no blood, there’s no alibi / ’Cause I’ve drawn regret / From the truth of a thousand lies / So let mercy come and wash away" This album is unquestionably a dizzying success for the band. It immediately snatched first place in the Billboard 200 and even more, he won first place in more than 20 countries worldwide!! Looking back this is undoubtedly the album that was the band's opening shot in long-distance running and different, weird musical spaces, remember the DNA discussions, so this is one of them. Listen to the album on Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Written By: Moti Kupfer Release date - 14.05.1977 In many cases, there is a direct correlation between the relationship record labels have with their artists and the artists’ ability to succeed. If you want an artist focused on their music, give them the freedom they need, though not every artist requires complete creative freedom. One of the most bizarre stories of deliberate sabotage by a record label happened at the end of 1976, when “Mushroom Records” decided to promote one of its most promising acts, “Heart”, in a very unusual way. “Mushroom” published a semi-nude photo of sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson standing back-to-back and smiling mischievously, with the headline strongly implying: “It was only our first time”. Not only did the label suggest to the world that the sisters were supposedly lesbians, but it also hinted at an incestuous relationship between them. Naturally, all of it came from the twisted imagination of the people at “Mushroom”. The Wilson sisters, who had no idea what was happening behind their backs, were approached one day by a radio promotion representative in Detroit who bluntly asked them whether they were actually lovers. The sisters later said that the label had spread false information that completely went against their values and had done so behind their backs without any shame. Following the encounter with the salesman, Ann Wilson stormed into her hotel room and wrote the following lyrics: “You lying so low in the weeds, I bet you gonna ambush me”. It became the furious and fast-paced attack of "Barracuda", written against the record label “Mushroom” and the small-minded people who cynically exploited band members to promote them in such a disgraceful way. It was also "Barracuda" that opened “Heart”’s third studio album “Little Queen”, released on May 14, 1977. “Heart” was formed a decade before this album under the name “The Army”, featuring bassist Steve Fossen, guitarist Roger Fisher, Don Wilhelm on guitar, keyboards and vocals, and Ray Schaefer on drums. Over the years, the band went through numerous lineup changes and later changed its name first to “Hocus Pocus” and eventually to “White Hart”, inspired by a book by physicist and science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke. In 1970, Ann Wilson joined the band. Born in June 1950 in San Diego, California, she spent much of her childhood moving between military bases in Panama and Taiwan because of her father’s career as a major in the U.S. Marines. To preserve a sense of home wherever they moved, the family turned Sundays into musical gatherings, ranging from opera records to singing and conducting together with their father in the living room. About three years later, in 1973, Ann’s younger sister Nancy Wilson also joined “Heart”. Both sisters realized music was their destiny after seeing “The Beatles” perform at a young age. During their early teenage years, their parents bought them guitars, and after their father retired from the military, the family settled in Seattle. Years later, the Wilson sisters would become owners of a Seattle recording studio that hosted many of the musicians who helped turn grunge into a dominant genre in the early 1990s. Meanwhile, after watching “The Beatles” on “The Ed Sullivan Show”, the Wilson sisters formed a vocal harmony group called “The Viewpoints” and began performing around the United States before eventually joining “Heart” in the early seventies. Ann and Nancy Wilson started writing songs, mostly acoustic material, to expand the band’s repertoire. They recorded demos at “Mushroom Records”, and together with producer Mike Flicker, the “Heart” lineup of the Wilson sisters, Roger Fisher, and Howard Leese began working on their debut album “Dreamboat Annie”, released in September 1975. During 1976, the band began work on what was supposed to be their second studio album, planned for release later that year. Everything changed when “Mushroom” made the disastrous decision to sacrifice the Wilson sisters’ principles for a provocative photo published in Rolling Stone magazine. “Heart” responded by putting the album on hold. Eventually, the record was still released, even though several songs remained unfinished in one way or another. The band had no choice but to honor their contract and release the material as it was. Their third album, “Little Queen”, arrived under a new contract with the label “Portrait”. The album blended the folk-inspired elements of their debut with classic rock influences. Instruments such as flute and mandolin can also be heard throughout the record, making it clear that this was far from a straightforward classic rock album. The album opens, of course, with "Barracuda", whose dominant riff was allegedly borrowed without permission from a song by “Nazareth”, something that reportedly angered the band once they became aware of it. "Dream of the Archer" belongs to the album’s folk-oriented side, blending mandolins with medieval imagery and atmosphere. "Kick It Out" is a straight-ahead classic rock track featuring a triumphant closing solo by Roger Fisher, carrying a simple but effective message about making the most of life while we are here. The title track "Little Queen" deals both with the rise and success of a musician and the loneliness that can come with suddenly reaching great heights without being prepared for them. It is fair to say that this “Heart” album helped pave the way for future female-led rock bands. As Billy Altman of Rolling Stone summarized it: “Lord knows we need many more women in rock and roll.” 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 - 11.05.1998 Shirley Manson famously described sitting among industry legends like Madonna and Shania Twain at the 1999 Grammy Awards as a bizarre and defining moment for her band. She later reflected on the surreal experience of the underdog group suddenly finding themselves surrounded by some of the biggest stars in the music industry. It was “Version 2.0”, released on May 11, 1998, that transformed “Garbage” from one of alternative rock’s breakout acts into a proven force, strengthening the band’s status with a nomination for Album of the Year and impressive sales of around four million copies worldwide, including 1.7 million in the United States. The album also featured some of the strongest songs in the band’s catalog. Band member Butch Vig later explained that the process began at the beach house of label founder Jerry Moss in Friday Harbour, San Juan, where the band isolated themselves for a month with nothing but the sea, wine, and their thoughts, giving them the peace and focus they needed before beginning the recording sessions. After “Garbage” became one of the biggest breakthrough acts of 1996, the band understood they needed to take the musical style of their debut album and elevate it further rather than remain creatively stagnant. As work on the next album began, the music industry itself was changing rapidly. More and more artists were moving away from guitar-driven music and incorporating electronic elements into their sound. Butch Vig and his bandmates embraced that evolution as well by entering the digital era and working extensively with Pro Tools, software that streamlined the production process during the recording sessions for “Version 2.0”. Even the album’s title reflected the band’s desire to evolve and upgrade themselves artistically. “Garbage”’s work with Pro Tools shortened many production processes and represented an early glimpse into the efficient digital workflows that later became standard throughout modern music production. At the time, however, some music fans viewed the band negatively because of it, sometimes seeing them as musicians hiding behind technology. In retrospect, they were simply ahead of their time. A significant part of the album’s distinctive sound came from Butch Vig and Steve Marker, who had first worked together in the band “Spooner” before later founding “Smart Studios”. All of the technical experience they accumulated over the years found its way into “Version 2.0”. Together with engineer Billy Bush, they even built a drum setup inside an abandoned candy factory, recording unusual and interesting sounds while taking advantage of the acoustics of the deteriorating building. “Version 2.0” is often viewed almost like a greatest hits collection because of the sheer strength of its material. No fewer than six songs were released as singles, including "When I Grow Up", a track dealing with the process of growing up and maturing. On several songs throughout the album, “Garbage” incorporated short samples and borrowed brief lyrical phrases from both well known and more obscure songs from the past. This happened on "Special", which borrowed a line from "Talk of the Town" by “The Pretenders”, and on "Push It", which featured a lyrical reference to "Don't Worry Baby" by “The Beach Boys”. The band also used a snippet from "Bend Me, Shape Me" by “The Outsiders” at the end of "I Think I'm Paranoid". On "The Trick Is to Keep Breathing", Shirley Manson delivers a universal message that resonates with anyone going through difficult moments: keep breathing, and eventually it will pass. The final section of the closing track "You Look So Fine" was inspired by Shirley Manson after watching the film “Titanic”, giving the album’s closing moments a slightly dramatic and cinematic atmosphere. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On May 14, 1969, Neil Young's album "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" was released. This is the Neil Young's (that will later be named "Godfather of Grunge"), second album, and his first with the backing band "Crazy Horse". The seven tracks that unfold over 40 minutes, bring us different, innovative Neil Young and his first and certainly not his last masterpiece. There is a reason why this album appears on "Rolling Stone" Magazine's 500 greatest albums of all time and on the list of "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". The opening riff of "Cinnamon Girl", proves that Neil Young has made a fundamental change from the style and sound that existed on his first album, to the point that it is hard to believe that only four months differentiate between them. The Canadian singer-songwriter has replaced the acoustic and melodic folk with loud alternative guitars and particularly dirty distortion, and has adopted a new sound that will later also become his hallmark. We mentioned the "Godfather of Grunge" and meant it, because this is perhaps the first grunge album, which came out 20 years before the grunge era even began. From the first listen, it is clear why the grunge idols of the 90s, led by Kurt Cobain, worshiped Young, since there is undoubtedly a connecting thread that runs from this album through "Rust Never Sleeps", which will be released a decade later, to the revolution in Seattle of the early 90s. Even Young's flannel shirt on the cover of the album screams Grunge. But the album does not only include squeaky guitar sounds. The lead guitar and background vocals in the theme song "Everybody Knows this is Nowhere" are in a "country" vibe, although the music is far from pure "country" style. "Round & Round (It Won't Be Long)" which is mostly "folk", is also perhaps the weakest track of the album. The soft acoustic, the chord transitions, and harmonic singing are nice, but do not hold up for almost 6 minutes of the song. It's still a good song that is a passage to one of the good parts of the album. The epic anthem "Down by the River" finishes the first side of the vinyl. This song lasts for no less than 9 minutes. The song is built on a slow rhythm, which is mainly based on a transition between only 2 chords and with sloppy and creepy solos. But make no mistake! It is precisely Young's singing that makes this song. The second side opens up with "The Losing End (When You're On)," and Young's whimpering voice with the melancholy words wrapped, somewhat paradoxically, in relatively cheerful music. "Running Dry (Requiem for the Rockets)", accompanied by a particularly high-pitched violin sound, is a "redemption" song in a melancholy atmosphere. The song that seals the album, "Cowgirl in the Sand", is without a doubt one of the strongest songs on it. A 10-minute masterpiece, led by Young's amazing guitar work. The verses are replaced by long solos that develop with increasing drama and constitute a fascinating demonstration of guitar control. (Photo: Neil Young Autobiography) "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" is Young's first significant work. About a month after its release Young will join "Crosby, Stills, and Nash" and they will start working on their first album - "Déjà Vu" as a quartet. Two months later they will already be performing as "Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young" at the Woodstock Festival. Young will continue to produce special, different, and unconventional music for the next fifty years, with "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere" being a "sign of things to come" and a hint that Young is going to do things big, and in his own way ... For listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On May 14, 2002 "Rush" released their 17th studio album "Vapor Trails". This is the band's comeback album after a 6-year hiatus that was forced on it due to two tragedies that befell drummer Neil Peart. In August 1997, at the end of the "Test For Echo" album tour, Selena, Neil Peart's 19-year-old daughter was killed in a car accident. Ten months later, Peart's wife Jackie, died of cancer. Peart wrote in his book "Ghost Rider" that at his daughter's funeral he informed his bandmates, Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, that he was retiring from the band. Geddy and Alex gave Neil all the time he needed to recover from the tragedies that befell him. Peart underwent a difficult healing process that lasted several years. As part of the healing process he went through, he drove across the U.S. on a motorcycle, for 14 months and 55,000 miles. In 2001 the band reunited and began working on new material for the first time. Recordings began in August 2001. Musically, this album is a "retro" Rush. This is their first album since "Caress Of Steel" (1975) which does not include synthesizers, and their first since "Fly By Night" (1975) which is based on classic hard rock style. Although Rush has not completely abandoned the progressive aspect of this album, it is without a doubt the most "hard-rock" album the band has made in a long time. Frequent rhythm changes, musical complexity, and dynamism are almost absent here, and the songs are much simpler than they have been in the past. The album opens with "One Little Victory" and it is indeed a victory, but not "small". Symbolically the song opens only with drums. Neil Peart's double bass strikes loudly, whips on the open Hi-hat, and blows on the snare drum and the message is sharp, clean, clear and screams: "We're back and we're here to blow your mind" ... And how they came back !!! An adrenaline bomb, a burst of energy, madness, enthusiasm, and who even believes that these guys were then 50 plus years old ??? Neil Peart's short solo segment was originally intended for the end of the song, but Neil said that when Geddy Lee heard it he persuaded him to move it to the beginning of the song. Neil was not sure but Geddy insisted and he agreed. Neil said the song talks about small accomplishments in life and how they can be most rewarding. It is on giving your all to achieve your goals in life and constantly challenging yourself to get better in every possible sense, as opposed to comparing your abilities to those around you. "Be yourself and be real," Peart said. From there we move on to the song “Ceiling Unlimited” Alex Lifeson's familiar guitar takes the lead until Geddy Lee's virtuoso bass joins in, the music oscillates between rhythmic and dynamic to melancholic and slow, with the instrumental section at the end of the song showcasing the band's familiar virtuosity and talent. Neil said he was inspired by the name of the song and his lyrics as he watched the weather channel while sitting in front of the TV on the band bus. Ha saw the phrase "Ceiling Unlimited" as describing a particularly bright day in which the height up to the "cloud ceiling" is infinite. meaning non-cloudy at all. In the third track "Ghost Rider" Neil Peart shares the healing process he went through after the tragedies that befell him. This is one of the best songs on the album and is based on Peart's adventures over 14 months and 55,000 miles - His healing, as he described it in his book "Ghost Rider Travels on the Healing Road". Geddy Lee's singing is especially prominent here and adds such incredible depth to the song, which just gets a life of its own here. It is worth noting that Peart's writing on this album has become less abstract and much more personal, probably as a result of the two tragedies that befell him, and this is reflected in the above song, among others. The next track "Peaceable Kingdom" is Peart's response to the September 11, 2001, disaster. It was originally intended to be an instrumental section, but eventually, Peart decided to write lyrics for it. It's a song about "terrorism" and its destructive power over the lives of people who just want to live their lives in peace. The title of the song came from the book "The Peaceable Kingdom" by Stanley Hauerwas. The trio presents here a powerful performance of guitars, bass, and drums, and Peart conveys a message of hope that eventually the cycle of hatred will stop when those who strive to live in peace and harmony will succeed in positively influencing others with destructive instincts. "The Stars Look Down" is based on a book of the same name by AJ Cronin from 1935, which also became a movie in 1939. The book tells about an English mining town before the First World War and especially about a young miner who tries to change the harsh conditions in which miners work, but in the end, fails to succeed in his struggle. Immediately after comes "How It Is" which opens melodic and quiet with the nice chord progression of Alex Lifeson. It is a "light" song and less complex than what we are used to getting from the Canadian Power Trio. The song tells about the gap between "desire" and "reality" or as the lyrics say: "Between how it is and how it ought to be". Next comes the theme song "Vapor Trail".In his book "Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road" Neil said that the lyrics were influenced by a poem by W. H. Auden that his brother Danny read at the funeral of his daughter Selena, in which the line: "All the stars fade from the night The oceans drain away", was taken from. The eighth track "Secret Touch" was one of Geddy Lee's favorite songs from the album. It was released as the second single and reached number 25 on the American Rock chart. In an interview with Bass Player Magazine in July 2002, Geddy Lee spoke about the song and noted that the band built it around his recurring bass chords. He noted that although the melody has a mesmerizing feel, it was not enough for them and they felt they had to put some power and aggression into the song, as indeed happens in the middle section where "all hell breaks loose" with Geddy's stuttering bass punctuation. The song "Earthshine" is the first song written for the album and was included in the band's setlists occasionally. The term "Earthshine" was coined by Leonardo Da Vinci as early as the 16th century and describes a phenomenon that occurs every 29.5 days in which sunlight is reflected from the earth and illuminates the moon. The words "on certain nights, when the angles are right ..." refer to the same phenomenon. Although this is the first song written for the album, Alex and Geddy noted that they were not satisfied with the music, as they thought it did not accurately describe what the lyrics wanted to express. So, at some point, they just decided to "throw away" everything they had and rewrite all the music. "Sweet Miracle" is the second the band has written for the album. Geddy Lee said that the origin of the song was in the first sessions they had just after coming back to play together. Neil describes his journey from the depths of despair, to the joy and happiness of finding a new life and love. Geddy was very attached to Peart's lyrics which moved him and noted that the music and melody just came out of him naturally. We're nearing the end with "Nocturne", one of the later songs written for the album. Geddy noted that there was a group of about five or six songs that came from Jams over two weeks that he considers the best he and Alex have ever had. He added that the song overrides the questions you can subconsciously answer in your dreams without realizing it. Next is "Freeze - Part IV of Fear". An excerpt that connects to the band's "fear trilogy", consists of 3 excerpts that appeared in reverse chronology over 3 consecutive albums released by the band: the song "Witch Hunt" from the album "Moving Pictures" is "Part III Of Fear" and deals with the way it can be used In fear to control people. "The Weapon" from "Signals" is "Part II Of Fear" and deals with external fears such as weapons. "The Enemy Within" from "Grace Under Pressure" is "Part I Of Fear" and deals with the inner fears that influence decisions. Now, 18 years later, the band decided to add a "fourth part" to the fear trilogy, a section this time about paranoia and fear of the unknown. The album ends with "Out of the Cradle" a song influenced by the poem Out of the Cradle Endlessly Rocking written by Walt Whitman in 1858. It is a song about loss and love. This song closes a small life cycle of the band that started with the loss of Neil Peart's wife and daughter and ended with the "little victory" of the band that opened the album. **The New 2013 Remix** The album "Vapor Trails" is the only album by "Rush" that has two different releases. When recording the album the focus was on the recovery process of Rush who was trying to get back into function as a band after years of hiatus. As a result, not enough attention was paid to the technical side of the album, many mistakes were made in the production and most of all the mix was so careless that at times it seems that the music go through a "compression" process that made the sound artificial and emotionless, where the songs sound at a uniform level and with dominant "Loudness". Fortunately, the band was willing to accept the fact that there was a serious flaw in the production, and in 2013 they re-released the album in a remix version, in which all the production issues were fixed. This seems to be one of the few examples where the Remaster version of an album was really necessary and gave new life to the album. Two tracks from the album were remixed as part of the "Retrospective III: 1989–2008" compilation album released in 2009. The result was good and the band decided to finally correct the flaws that had bothered them over the years and began working on a full remix for the entire album. Geddy Lee said in an interview with him ahead of the re-release that "the original album was recorded during an emotionally difficult time and in difficult circumstances, when "Rush" had to re-learn how to be Rush." As a result, Geddy said, "mistakes were made that the band had a strong desire to correct and the reissue finally brought some proper justice to our work." Today only the remix version of the album can be found on all streaming platforms, but devout fans hold on to both versions and the difference between them is noticeable, and not only In the pictures of the covers that are in contrast to each other, where the album in the original version in black background while the remix version has a white background. Rush's 'comeback' was accompanied by a grandiose and worthy tour. During the tour, the band played in places they had never performed before. In one of those places, Rio Brazil, the band recorded the live album "Rush In Rio" which was released in 2003. The album was recorded during two of the band's performances in Brazil in front of 100,000 people. The band members said they were amazed by the local crowd and were surprised to find out how well known and great they are in Brazil. In conclusion, this is without a doubt a very worthy comeback album. Rush has unequivocally proven that it has a lot more to offer creatively. The album was the introduction to the new highs the band would later reach, in terms of popularity, musical quality, and in terms of the music industry's recognition of the band's greatness, with its entry into the "Rock N' Roll Hall Of Fame" in 2013. For Listening to the remix version: Spotify, Apple Music. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

The bassist who is mainly famous as "Alice In Chains" player Mike Inez was born on May 14, 1966, so let's get to know the curly who had a very "stared" career... (Photo: Christie Goodwin) Mike's experience as a rock star is not like the typical Cinderella story where one starts from the bottom and works their way up. Unlike his peers who struggled to make a name for themselves by touring in vans and performing in small venues, Mike's career took off quickly. He had the privilege of flying in private jets, enjoying gourmet meals from chefs, and playing in arenas. 1. In the 90s, he was selected from a pool of 50 candidates to be the new bassist for metal legend Ozzy Osbourne. Despite having little experience playing in small clubs, he embarked on a "No More Tours" tour with Ozzy and played his first show at Wembley Stadium. (Photo: Pinterest.com) 2. During the early 1990s, Alice in Chains was on the verge of becoming successful when their bassist, Mike Starr, left the band. Mike Inez joined the band right after the release of their album "Dirt" and at the start of their promotional tour. 3. The band's first EP with Mike Inez as their bassist, "Jar of Flies," quickly rose to the number one spot on the Billboard charts. This success cemented Inez's role as a valuable member of the band, and it became clear that he had a talent for producing hit records. (Photo: Chris Carroll) 4. The band released their self-titled third album in 1995, which also reached the number-one spot on the charts. 5. In 1996, during an amazing performance on "MTV Unplugged," Mike appeared on stage with an acoustic bass guitar that had the phrase "Friends don't let friends get friends haircuts" written on it. This was Mike's way of protesting against Metallica's decision to cut their long hair and replace it with short haircuts, despite being good friends with Alice in Chains. Metallica's members were actually present in the audience during the same show. 6. After the "MTV Unplugged" show, the future of Alice in Chains was uncertain, and Mike took the opportunity to play with other groups and pursue his musical career. He joined Slash's band, called Slash's Snakepit, and recorded their debut album, "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere." Although he didn't tour with them, he instead rejoined Ozzy Osbourne for the Retirement Sucks tour, replacing the legendary Geezer Butler. (Photo: Geffen Records) 7. In 1997, Mike collaborated with his friend Jerry Cantrell to record his first solo album, "Boggy Depot." That same year, he formed the band Spys4Darwin with drummer Sean Kinney, guitarist Chris DeGarmo from Queensrÿche, and singer and guitarist Vinnie Dombroski. They released one EP titled "Microfish." 8. Following Layne Staley's death in 2002 and the uncertain future of Alice in Chains, Mike found solace in touring and recording with the Wilson sisters from the band Heart. He toured with them for four years and recorded their 13th album, "Jupiters Darling," which also featured his friend Cantrell. 9. In 2003, Mike briefly joined the Black Label Society, replacing Robert Trujillo, who became Metallica's bassist. He also recorded several songs with the band. 10. In February 2005, three Alice in Chains members reunited to perform together for the first time in almost a decade at a fundraising event for tsunami victims. They went on a tour with various guest singers to celebrate their love of music and reminisce about the old days. In 2006, William DuVall officially joined the band and became their lead singer, which inspired them to continue writing and recording new music. (Photo: Johnny Buzzerio) 11. Following their reunion, the veteran band continued to release three more albums and embark on tours around the world, including a performance in Israel. 12. In 2008, Mike released a DVD titled "Behind the Player," which featured interviews and videos from his career, as well as music lessons for some of Alice in Chains' most popular songs. Listen to "Alice's" latest album on Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Editor's Choice... Looking for a slightly different perspective on "Scorpions?" Want to experience them a little heavier and more complex? Listen to "Humanity: Hour I", the 16th album, released by "Scorpions" on May 14, 2007. This is a concept album, in which all the tracks are connected in one way or another with the theme of "humanity". The band is assisted by the talented writer and producer Desmond Child and more, to produce a plotline about a futuristic world torn to pieces by a civil war between humans and robots. This "apocalyptic nightmare" is supposed to serve as a "warning shot" to all of humanity, whose only hope for survival is love, brotherhood, and peace. This album ranges from loud and heavy tracks like "Hour I", "321", "The Cross", and "You're Loving Me To Death", on the one hand, to mid-pace and sweet ballads accompanied by piano and strings like "The Future Never Dies", "Love Will Keep Us Alive", "Love Is War" and of course the ending song "Humanity" which simply transcends them all. To achieve the heavy and dark-doom guitar sound "Scorpions" uses, among other things, unconventional guitar tuning such as "drop D", and "drop C". The album features artists such as guitarist John 5 who worked with David Lee Roth and later played with Marilyn Manson, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Eric Bazilian, guitarist and singer Billy Corgan, and more. Believe it or not but the band came to the recordings of the album with no less than 30 songs and then they started another writing session where they wrote another 20 songs !!! since they thought some of the songs were "too dark" lyrically and they needed more "optimistic" songs to fit the plotline. For these songs to fit the concept of the album the band enlisted the help of a professional writing team whose job was to rewrite the lyrics of the selected songs. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On May 13, 1985, "Dire Straits" released their fifth album, "Brothers in Arms". Here are 30 interesting facts about the excellent album: 1. This is the band's most successful album and one of the best-selling albums in the world, with sales of over 30 million copies. 2. The album spent 14 weeks at number one on the UK Albums Chart and nine weeks at number one on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States. 3. This is the first album in the UK to receive 10 times platinum status and is the best-selling album of the 80s in the United Kingdom. 4. This is one of the first albums to be recorded in digital format on Sony's 24-channel digital tape. The decision to switch to digital recording came from Mark Knopfler's constant pursuit of better sound quality. 5. This is the first album to be released in CD format in massive distribution. 6. The album was recorded on Montserrat Island in the Caribbean and produced by Mark Knopfler and Neil Dorfsman, who also produced the band's previous album "Love Over Gold". 7. The opening song "So Far Away" is a "Rock Star" longing song for his family. Mark Knopfler laments the lifestyle of a moving and wandering man whose job keeps him away from his loved ones. 8. Mark Knopfler wrote "Money For Nothing" which mocks the lifestyle of a "rock star" - after hearing a conversation between two employees in an electrical store, while the wall of TVs showing clips from MTV in the background. 9. In 2007, Nikki Sixx, Mötley Crüe's" bass player, claimed that the conversation between the two employees in the store was when one of "Mötley Crüe's" video clips was broadcasted. 10. Mark Knopfler's unique guitar sound in "Money for Nothing" is the result of a "musical accident". Knopfler wanted to get a sound similar to that of "ZZ Top". He used his Gibson Les Paul that went through a Laney amplifier. While the guitar technician arranged the microphones in the studio he heard the "amazing" sound of Knopfler guitar, even before he finished arranging the microphones, with one of them aimed at the floor, the other not aimed at the amplifier, and a third at a random location in the studio. 11. The length of the song's album version is 8:26 minutes, compared to the single version which was shortened to 4:38 minutes. 12. This is one of the only two songs of "Dire Straits" not written exclusively by Mark Knopfler. Credit for the song was also given to Sting who was on holiday at Montserrat Island at the time and came to visit the band in the studio. 13. Credit is given to him for the singing, background vocals, and melody in the line "I Want My MTV", which is identical to the melody in the song "Don't Stand So Close to Me" by his band "The Police". Sting was ashamed that his record company had asked for the song credit. 14. Drummer Terry Williams was replaced by Sting's drummer Omar Hakim, during the recording of the album. Hakim re-recorded all the drumming roles within two days, though you can still hear Williams' drumming in the iconic opening of "Money For Nothing". 15. The song "Money for Nothing" was also the first clip to air on MTV Europe. 16. 25 years after its release the song was banned from public broadcasting in Canada, after a man complained about it being a "homophobic" song, partly due to the line "that little fagot with the earring and the make-up". 17. On August 31, 2011, the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council put an end to the ban, as everyone knows the words were a quoted conversation heard by Knopfler at the electrical store. 18. Singer Mark Knopfler wrote the song "Brothers in Arms" in 1982, in the midst of the Falklands War. 19. Mark Knopfler plays a Gibson Les Paul guitar in this song, unlike most of the band's songs he had played so far on the Fender "Stratocaster" that was associated with him. 20. The video clip of the song shows the band members and pictures from the First World War in the background. 21. Following the band's visit to Israel, in May 1985, a special video clip that connects the song with the band members' impressions of the visit to Israel, was produced by the British television program "The tube". 22. The Finnish power metal band "Northern Kings" recorded a cover version of the song on the album "Reborn" from 2007. 23. "Metallica" also performed a cover version of the song in Neil Young's charity show "Bridge School Benefit" held in October 2007. 24. That same year Mark Knopfler released a new version of the song marking the 25th anniversary of the Falklands War. All profits went to support post-trauma soldiers. 25. The songs "Ride Across the River" and "The Man's Too Strong" also deal with war themes. 26. Mark Knopfler wrote "Walk Of Life" about the street musicians of London, hence the references to "Be-Bop-a-Lula" and "What'd I Say", two songs that street musicians used to sing in the years -80. 27. The trumpet solo at the beginning of "Your Latest Trick" is played by trumpeter Randy Brecker, but it only appears in the CD version and not in the vinyl version. The saxophone solo that comes later in the song is played by his brother Michael Brecker. 28. A Style "O" Resonator guitar flying in the sky appears on the album cover. Knopfler used this guitar on the album, including the song "The Man's Too Strong". This guitar from 1937 is mainly used in the blues and country styles 29. In 2000, "Q Magazine" ranked the album 51st on the list of the 100 greatest British albums ever. 30. The album is also included in "Rolling Stone" magazine's 500 greatest albums of all time and "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" list. For it's 40th anniversary the band released a deluxe edition of 5LP and 3CD that feature the full studio album plus the previously unreleased 14-track live concert recording. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

A Sneak Peek... This is the third studio album by "Cold". It was released on May 13, 2003 through Geffen Records. The album is Cold's most commercially successful, debuting at number three on the Billboard album charts, with over 100,000 copies sold in its first week. This is also the last album with guitarists Terry Balsamo and Kelly Hayes. "Year of the Spider" is significantly more commercial than its dark predecessor, "13 Ways to Bleed on Stage". It features a variety of guitar styles, violin, viola, and cello, and digital effects as well as a number of power ballads, while still dwelling on topics like drug abuse and relationships, the deaths of grunge icons ("The Day Seattle Died"), and blatant criticism ("Kill the Music Industry"). "Cure My Tragedy" also deals with the struggle with cancer Scooter Ward's sister was having during the album's recording. (Photo: Fandom.com) One of the highlight strengths of the band is Scooter Ward's talent as a vocalist. Sure, he sounds sometimes like Maynard James Keenan, and often seems like the emotional twin of Aaron Lewis. But none of this diminishes the fact that, in the bombastic, one-dimensional world of nu-metal, "Cold"'s regeneration as a melodic, vocal-driven metal band helps it stand out, and will likely help it survive when the industry inevitably pushes away from the post-grunge table. Listen to the album on: Spotify, Apple Music. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

This is the fourth studio album by "Pierce the Veil" released on May 13, 2016. The album serves as a follow-up to the group's third studio album, "Collide with the Sky" (2012). It was produced by Dan Korneff and was recorded throughout 2014 and 2015 in Long Island, New York. This is the last album of the band after the drummer Mike Fuentes (brother of Vic the singer) who was accused of sexual misconduct and left the band. Let us be honest here, we were yearning for this album for a long time. We were exposed to the band on their third album and also fell in love with their second album. Their unique song dynamic was the magnet that draw us to the band's music. They are extremely diverse and dynamically unordinary. It's like taking a progressive rock song, compressing it to 3-4 minutes, mixing it with punk rock beats, heavy metal riffs, and poppy choruses. We must say it is absolutely amazing. "Misadventures" features some truly wonderful moments. “Dive In” kicks off the album with some pounding beats and flowing structures; the single, “Texas Is Forever”, is a standard fare, but a blast; “Floral & Fading” plays like a seductive witch; "Circles" & "Gold Medal Ribbon” are fused with anthem-like moments of energetic pop and alternative cool-downs; and “Song for Isabelle” closes the record with soothing swoons and a familiar and powerful lyric. (Photo: Pierce the Veil) Vic Fuentes, the band's vocalist, guitar player, and leader already knew that the lyrics should be different this time, besides the huge investment done on the guitars and drums which were by far more than the previous albums, on the lyrics side he did something different. After all the arrangements were done and they finished the recordings, Vic packed a suitcase and went for an "Air B&B" writing tour visiting across the US. Wondering through New York, San Diego, Los Angeles, the Southern California mountain resort Big Bear, Santa Barbara, and Seattle. He decided that he wants the lyrics to have a different meaning in every song so his vision was to write each song in a different place. He said that the experience was much more than he expected. Visiting different places, and meeting different people inspired him to write on different subjects than he expected. Not on his experiences on the road but on subjects that the places and the people made him think of. Regarding the meaning behind the album name, the band claimed that it sort of represents their lives over the last couple of years of making this record. All the different steps that were taken, the different places it took them. Places where they wrote, places where they recorded, places where they lived, every unexpected turn that this whole thing brought them. There were all these different, unexpected turns that came their way, and they were trying to find the end of the album. Sharing what "Alternative Press" Magazine wrote on the album which represents exactly how we feel: "Every single track is a winner. Misadventures expertly redraws Pierce The Veil’s own map, celebrating their impossible blend of ambitious, creative obsessions and the electric crackle of raw intensity" (Photo: Own work | Stefan Brending) You probably asking where is the band now, well after the embracing, inappropriate and criminal scandal of the drummer's sexual misconduct, the band "dived deep" and disappeared from the face of the earth. Beginning of 2022, after 6 years of silence the band started to post bites of information on social media. In February 2023 the band released their fifth album "The Jaws of Life". Listen to the album on: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

He is one of the most mysterious and intriguing characters in the world of music... He is the guitarist (The multi-instrumentalist), and the amazing musician "Buckethead" !!! (Photo: Ethan Miller) He is considered one of the fastest and most virtuoso guitar players of today, he is one of the most prolific artists musically, and even if you really put in the effort you will not find an up-to-date picture of him without the mask. So let's try to dispel the cloud that surrounds the enigmatic figure "Buckethead", with 20 facts: 1. He was born in Southern California USA on May 13, 1969, as Brian Patrick Carroll. 2. He was a very introverted child in his youth. The youngest of 5 brothers and sisters who used to lock himself in his room along with comic books, souvenir collections from movies, toys, and games. 3. He said that on the walls of his room were posters of Bruce Lee, Michael Jackson, and the Texas Chainsaw film. 4. In addition he often visited "Disneyland" which was very close to where he lived. He claimed to have been there more than 500 times. 5. He started playing guitar only at the age of 12 with the help of one of his neighbors down the street. Only a year later he took playing seriously and studied with various teachers, among them and later guitarist Paul Gilbert. 6. The musical influences on his playing style ranged from Bootsy Collins' funk, through Shawn Lane's fusion to Randy Rhoads' metal, Angus Young's, and Yngwie Malmsteen's wit. 7. He started adopting the character "Buckethead" in 1988 after watching the horror movie "Halloween 4" by Michael Myers. Immediately after watching the movie, he ran to buy a white mask like the one used in the movie. (Photo: Ultimate-guitar.com) 8. The mysterious persona was completed when one day he ate fried chicken wings of "KFC" out of a bucket. He wore the bucket on his head with the white mask on his face, went to the mirror, and thought to himself "bucket head". And so the character "Buckethead" was born. 9. No one really knows what he looks like today. There are no recent photos of him without the mask on the internet. 10. To date he has released (and now hold tight !!!) 31 solo albums and over 650 albums under the the "Pike Series", which are digital 30 min albums. 11. In addition, he has released many dozens of other albums under different bands and various projects such as: "Death Cube K", "Praxis, Deli Creeps" and more and more. 12. And it did not end there, because "Buckethead" was also a partner in creating many soundtracks for movies such as: "Mortal Kombat", "Johnny Mnemonic", "Last Action Hero" and of course the solo in The "Firebird" segment from the soundtrack of the movie "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie" soundtrack. 13. And if that is not enough, then in addition he has hosted and collaborated with many other artists Like: Iggy Pop, Les Claypool, Mike Patton, Serj Tankian, and more. 14. He was also a member of "Guns N 'Roses" from 2000 to 2004 and played guitar on all except two of the songs on the "Chinese Democracy" album. He left the lineup because he did not like the publicity. 15. The albums he released and the projects he participated in include a very wide range of musical styles such as: prog metal, thrash metal, hard rock, avant-garde, alternative, funk, jazz, ambient, and more. 16. He is known for his unconventional performances. He performs nunchaku exercises on stage (inspired by Bruce Lee whom he admired in his youth), moonwalking (influenced by Michael Jackson who he also admired), robot dances, and breakdance. Before each show, he buys toys that he distributes to the audience during the show. (Photo: Allabouttherock.co.uk) 17. He auditioned as a replacement for John Frusciante in the "Red Hot Chili Peppers" after the latter left the band in 1992. Although the members were very impressed with his playing, they looked for someone with more groove, and eventually chose Arik Marshall and later Dave Navarro. 18. He was also due to join Ozzy Osborne's squad in 2005, but Ozzy gave it up after realizing he was unwilling to give up the persona of "Buckethead". 19. The Gibson Les Paul guitar on which he usually plays is very unique and different. It features a red button that serves as the guitar's mute mechanism and in addition, its tone regulator also serves as a microphone switch breaker. 20. He invented a new guitar-playing method called Nubbing, in which he uses the four fingers of his right hand as a specification. It looks like playing topping only double four. The method allows him to play at incredible speed and this may also be why he is ranked eighth on "GuitarOne" Magazine's list of the fastest guitarists of all time and "Guitar World" magazine's 50 fastest guitarists of all time. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website