What's the connection between UNICEF, the IRS, Madison Square Garden and the Iconic Live Aid ? Concert for Bangladesh🕊️, 1/08/1971 "Trailer" of the concert: On August 1, 1971, George Harrison🐞 and Ravi Shankar, finally got together for a special long-awaited day at Madison Square Garden in order to realize their plan. It was the first time musicians tried to spread awareness and raise money 💸 for international humanitarian purpose. For two performances that took place On August 1, 1971 alongside Harrison and Shankar, you'd see on stage (together and separately): Ringo Starr, Leon Russell, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston and many others. One of the lineup's highlights, was Bob Dylan returning after a two year absence from the stage, to support the cause and collaborate with the other all-stars. An 8-minute video about the legendary concert: The idea of the concert started due to a severe situation of war refugees and natural disasters in the country's region. Shankar, who has family roots in the area, was greatly affected by it all. He made a phone call 📞 to his good friend (and Sitar student) George Harrison ("The Silent Beetle"), who immediately replied that he'd see what he can do. After many phone calls and planning, a few months later, on the only day Madison Square Garden wasn't booked, almost instantly... the whole world knew where Bangladesh was and what's the purpose the awesome musicians was coming together for! The show was also recorded for a music album released on December 20, 1971 and videotape released as a film in 23 March 1972 (US) and 27 July 1972 (UK), both of them included a wide spread international distribution. Years after, many remastered, digital and anniversary versions came out. That way, beyond revenue from both concerts, it still produce revenues to the George Harrison UNICEF Foundation, the sole rights holder for the recordings. Not everything went so smoothly money wise. No one ever done such a non-profit event at an international level🌎 and the fact that the event wasn't registered in the first place as an UNICEF charity event, didn't help. It caused the American Tax Authority (IRS) to delay large sums of the concert revenues for about 10 years (!). Initially, over 13 million $ was transferred in the 1970s, a nice sum in terms of those days, especially in times when the world wasn't that well connected (communication/media speaking). Harrison said in an interview during the 1990s that the revenues already summed up to about 45 million $ (which has grown since then and is probably expected to grow some more due to the 50th anniversary). His experience in "producing a global musical charity event (and the arrival of revenues safely on time🙃)" was passed on by Harrison, as advices, to another young British man... So without the Bangladeshi show, Bob Geldof probably wouldn't decide to collect a group of 80s All-stars and broadcast live to the whole world (a large part already with TV sets) the iconic Live Aid in 1985, for the benefit of famine victims in Ethiopia. Apparently, following the appearance of the late Freddie Mercury that Live Aid, a similar concert was held about a decade later in Wembley... in the memory of Mercury, along with arousing tremendous awareness for AIDS (which he suffered from)... I clearly remember myself as a 12-year-old boy, watching my first musical heroes live📺 on TV with about half of a billion (!!!) spectators around the globe. Apparently each generation has its own "concert for Bangladesh" that emphasize the cosmic and wonderful "glue" of music, which connects people around good causes! The sound waves of an innocent phone call about 50 years ago between 2 good friends... produced legendary sounds, for a noble cause, proving you can use the musical, cultural and media power to do some good in the world! Each one of us can still create sound waves of their own to spread some positive vibes to others 🙏 ... in form of kind words or especially with good music! The concert on vimeo: Enjoy! O.Miz 🎧 The Wiz Facebook Page "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On August 1, 2015, "Rush" took the stage for the last time and made the last appearance of its glorious career (In their classic lineup). (Photo: Loudersound.com) This was the final performance of the "R40" tour, which was held at the Los Angeles Forum on August 1, 2015. The tour was limited to North America only and included 35 performances held from May 1 to August 1, 2015. The reason for the short and focused tour was due to the wish of legendary drummer Neil Peart. At the end of the tour that accompanied the band's latest album "Clockwork Angels" from 2012, Neil Peart expressed his desire to retire from performing. Peart suffered from chronic tendinitis and had shoulder problems, so the load on his body during the tours was huge and he feared it would impair his playing. The band's performances lasted about 3 hours and included a complex and massive drumming, with drum solos that weighed heavily on the body of Peart who was then 63. Another reason for his retirement was Neil's desire to spend time with his wife and little daughter. His bandmates Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee understood and agreed to the retirement move, but had one last wish, to embark on one last grandiose tour. Alex reminded Peart that he too had arthritis that could affect his playing, and begged for one last round. Peart agreed to a limited and focused tour in the US only. The three members put a lot of thought into building the limited tour that turned out to be the last of the band. From the selection of songs to video clips projected during the set's stunning design, "Rush" has carefully planned what turned out to be the last show of its career, the latest Canadian trio waltz. The tour included songs from all of the band career, with the performances lasting about 3 hours and starting with songs from the latest album of "Rush", when as the show progressed the band returned in a reverse chronologically in time and played songs from almost all albums, finishing the show with a song from the first album and then 16 bars from the song "Garden Road" that the band recorded even before the release of their first album. During the performances, the band performed a song they had never performed on stage before - "Losing It" from the album "Signals" which was released in 1982. During the song, Ben Mink who also played the violin solo on the record itself came up on stage to play with the band. The lyrics of the song speak about artists who are losing it and are no longer at the peak of their careers - a hint of Peart and the situation he was afraid to reach. During the show the whole set changed and went back in time along with the songs played simultaneously. The set resembled the stage settings as it was in each specific tour of the band, in a way that matched the song played at the time, with stage workers spinning throughout the show, assembling and disassembling amplifiers, equipment, scenery and instruments to match the spirit of the song. At the end of the show, the set included two guitar amplifiers on chairs with microphones aimed at them, just like at the beginning of the band's journey in the basements in Willowdale Ontario... In the band's last show which took place today in 2015, the excitement was felt on stage throughout the set. The friends realized that this was probably the last time they would be on the same stage together. At the end of the show, Peart came down in complete surprise from the stage on which his drum set sits, and joined his two friends for a final bow in front of the audience. It was a very unusual gesture that surprised both of his friends as well, as the shy Peart never got off his set of drums to the front of the stage at the end of the performances. For almost 40 years of performances, he waved at the end of the show to the audience behind his drum set. Watch the last song performed by "Rush" on stage and the closing moments that follow: This stunning ending image was immortalized and engraved in the pages of the band's history, and for about five years evoked hope for a kind of reunion among the fans. As is well known, in a very sad way Neil Peart was found dead in 2020 from a violent brain cancer, which had been diagnosed in him three and a half years earlier, but kept secret at his request. The show held today in 2015 has become the band's last show ever... "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On August 1, 1981, the music channel MTV aired for the first time ever. After a countdown to the images from a rocket launch into space, John Lack - one of the channel's founders - said the words "Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll", and in six words changed the history of music forever. Just like the iconic channel's famous slogan at the beginning of its journey, the world has "not looked at music the same way". Watch the historic moment here: In a very cynical and perfect way, after a short performance by the channel's presenters (Howie Jace), the first clip that was broadcast on the channel was "Video Killed the Radio Star" by "The Buggles". The mythical channel that was initially only available to households in certain areas of the New Jersey area, grew and spread at wild speed, while revolutionizing the music industry and becoming an influential source for pop and entertainment culture in the United States and later for the entire world. The revolution that conquered the United States, spread like wildfire and manifested itself in the opening of parallel channels in other parts of the world, including Europe, Asia and Latin America, all under the MTV brand. Here it is worth noting that the "MTV Europe" channel was launched on the exact same day that the MTV channel was first launched, just 6 years later. On August 1, 1987, the European branch of MTV aired and the first clip that have been broadcasted was "Money for Nothing" by "Dire Straits". Dedicated sub-channels such as "MTV2", "MTV Classic", "MTV Live" and more were opened, with these channels constituting the main source from which we extracted information about bands and artists, new performances, new songs and music news. In the early days of the channel it included basic music videos presented by the VJs and whose creation was initiated by the record companies that recognized MTV's value as a promotional tool. The video industry went on to evolve as bands and record companies invested heavily in creating videos that transcended and broke the boundaries of the song they were meant to represent, such as Michael Jackson's "Thriller." In the late 1980s, the channel began broadcasting programs for teenagers and later even reality series, as the place of these gradually grew at the expense of pure music, thus making the channel less and less relevant for music lovers. Despite this, this channel will be remembered as the one that caused a huge revolution in the world of music. For us, it evokes nostalgia and memories from many hours of watching to the small hours of the night. In the age before the Internet and YouTube, this was one of the main sources for us to discover new music, so we will always have a warm place in our hearts to MTV. On December 31, 2025, MTV's music channels in Israel and around the world were closed. It was considered one of the most prominent and influential music channels in the world, but with time and progress, it lost its power and was officially closed. And if you are interested in who the artists whose video clip was broadcast during the first broadcast on the channel, here is the list: 1. The Buggles 2. Pat Benatar 3. Rod Stewart 4. The Who 5. Ph.D. 6. Cliff Richard 7 The Pretenders 8. Todd Rundgren 9 REO Speedwagon 10. Styx 11. Robin Lane and the Chartbusters 12. Split Enz 13. 38 Special 14. April Wine (Canadian) 15. Rod Stewart 16. Iron Maiden (First metal band) "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Today we will tell you about Tommy Bolin, guitarist and gifted songwriter who beyond his solo career collaborating with other artists including "Zephyr", "James Gang", Billy Cobham and "Deep Purple". (Photo: Courtesy of AEG Presents) He was born on August 1, 1951 as Thomas Richard Bolin, in Sioux City, Iowa, United States, to Richard and Barbara Bolin. Tommy grew up alongside two brothers, Johnny and Rick and also had another brother, Bobby, who unfortunately did not survive after his birth. He has been interested in music since he was young and was influenced by artists like Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley. His stardust could be noticed at a very young age. He appeared on a TV show called "Kids Corner" in an Elvis costume. His performance was so interesting that he got back on the show after only 3 days, because viewers fell in love with him and wanted more from the young and talented kid. He was only 13 years old when he formed his first band "The Miserlous". He later moved to "The Velairs" and later at the age of 15 joined a band called "Denny and The Triumphs", which included Dave Stokes on lead vocals, Brad Miller on guitar and vocals, Tommy Bolin on lead guitar, Steve Bridenbaugh on organ and vocals, Denny Foote on bass and Brad Larvick on drums. They played a combination of rock 'n' roll, R&B and contemporary Pop hits. When bassist Denny Foote left the band, he was replaced by drummer George Larvick Jr. and the band changed its name to "A Patch of Blue". In 1969 the band released a live album called "Patch of Blue Live!", Which consisted of recordings from two performances they had performed. Despite the relative success Bolin felt stuck. He thought he was not progressing with "A Patch of Blue" at a satisfactory pace, so he decided he to leave Iowa for Colorado. He was still in his teens and this was also supported by his parents. When he came to Colorado he joined the band "American Standard" (where he met Jeff Cook his future songwriting partner). He later joined the band "Ethereal Zephyr" named after a train that traveled between Denver and Chicago. Bolin was the lead guitarist, David Givens on bass and his wife Candy Givens on vocals. The band managed to arouse the interest of record companies. Their name was shortened to "Zephyr", and they were signed by a small label called "Probe" and released their debut album in 1969. After the first album the band gained momentum in performances in larger halls and even served as a warm-up band for more established bands like "Led Zeppelin". Their second album, "Going Back to Colorado" was released in 1971 and their third album "Sunset Ride" in 1972. In 1972 Bolin formed "Energy", which did not release an album because it failed to sign a contract deal with a record company. After joining other bands, including "4-Nikators", which included the Givens couple, he decided to take a break and started writing songs for a solo career. During this time Bolin wrote close to 100 songs. In 1973 Bolin replaced Domenic Troiano, who replaced Joe Walsh, in the band "James Gang". He recorded with them two records, "Bang" from 1973 and "Miami" from 1974. Bolin co-wrote all the songs on the albums except one. Between the two albums of "James Gang", Bolin managed to play on Billy Cobham's ("Mahavishnu Orchestra") solo album "Spectrum". Bolin's performance on this album will interest Jon Lord from "Deep Purple", who thought Bolin's playing was simply amazing. Bolin's work with Billy Cobham made him a sought-after session player. He has worked with rock bands and a number of jazz artists, including in Alphonse Mouzon's "Mind Transplant" album, which is considered an excellent fusion album. In early 1975 Bolin was a guest on the Canadian band's "Moxy" debut album and contributed a guitar solo to six songs from it. (Photo: EMI RECORDS) That same year, Ritchie Blackmore left "Deep Purple." The band thought about breaking up as it was clear it would be very difficult to get into Blackmore's shoes, but David Coverdale who also heard Bolin's work on Billy Cobham's "Spectrum" album, decided he wanted Bolin in "Deep Purple" and invited him to a jam session. They played for four hours and at the end Bolin got the lead guitarist role in "Deep Purple". In October 1975, the band released "Come Taste the Band". Bolin co-wrote seven of the nine tracks on the album, including the instrumental "Owed to G," which was a tribute to George Gershwin. At the same time Bolin was signed on a recording contract as part of his solo career and released in 1975 his album "Teaser", just one month after the album "Come Taste the Band" came out. During Bolin's time at "Deep Purple" he became addicted to hard drugs and used to take them along with bassist Glenn Hughes. This affected the level of playing of the two and this led to a number of cancellations or low level performances of the band. At one of the performances in Tokyo, Bolin arrived after fainting and falling asleep on his left arm for eight hours, so he was only able to play simple chords, with keyboardist Jon Lord having to play many of the guitar roles. This show was recorded and released as part of the album "Last Concert in Japan". After the dissolution of "Deep Purple" in March 1976, Bolin formed the "Tommy Bolin Band" and was immediately signed by "CBS Records", with which he released his second album "Private Eyes", in September 1976. Bolin's last performance was on December 3, 1976 in Miami. Hours later, Bolin died of a heroin overdose. Cocaine and alcohol were also found in his blood. He was 25 at the time of his death. For listening to his last solo album: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Happy birthday to singer Joe Elliott who was born on August 1, 1959. (Photo: Ethan Miller) Lets Get to know the singer with the wide and so unique range of voice. 1. He was born Joseph Thomas Elliott Jr. In the city of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England on 1 August 1959. 2. He met guitarist Pete Willis in November 1977 at a bus stop. 3. Willis was then a member of the band "Atomic Mass" and he introduced Joe to the band members, who were immediately enthusiastic about his ideas. 4. Elliott tried to get accepted to "Atomic Mass" as a guitarist, but eventually they got him as a singer. He recalls that the song he played in during the audition was "Lynyrd Skynyrd's" "Free Bird", from beginning to end. 5. He persuaded the band members to change their name to "Deaf Leopard". Elliott invented the name as a teenager. 6. The band's drummer Tony Kenning suggested that they distort the name a bit and call themselves "Def Leppard", in order to differentiate them from bands with names of animals that were active at the time, such as "Boomtown Rats" and "The Flying Lizards". 7. Elliott immediately became an integral part of the band, contributing in songwriting, when he incorporates from all the genres on which he grew up, rock, folk and even pop. 8. Together with "Def Leppard" he has released 12 studio albums to date. 9. He is among the 2 original members of the band, and one of three who have taken part in all of the band's albums since its inception. 10. "Def Leppard" has become one of the best-selling bands in the world with sales of over 100 million albums. 11. It is one of 5 bands that has two studio albums that have sold more than 10 million copies - "Pyromania" and "Hysteria". 12. The band is one of VH1's 100 greatest artists of all time list. 13. In 2019, Elliott and the band members entered the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame". 14. Elliott has several collaborations, including the song "Always Wanted More" from Ronnie Wood's fifth solo album which was released in 1992. 15. In 1994, Elliott participated in the song "Don't Look Down" from Mick Ronson's "Heaven and Hull" album. 16. Elliott is also a producer. In 2003, he produced Ricky Warwick's album "Tattoos and Alibis". 17. In parallel to his membership in "Def Leppard", Elliott is a member of other bands, including "Down 'n' Outz", a tribute band that has released four albums to date. 18. He is also a member of the Supergroup "Kings of Chaos" along with Duff McKagan, Gilby Clarke and Matt Sorum, all former "Guns" members. The supergroup hosts many famous artists, such as Glenn Hughes, Slash, Sebastian Bach, Myles Kennedy, Mike Inez, Sammy Hagar, Brian May, Corey Taylor, Joe Perry and many more. 19. Along with his bandmate Phil Collen, he is also part of the band "Cybernauts" which is a tribute band to David Bowie. 20 Joe is not only a singer, he also knows how to play drums, guitar and keyboards. 21. He also hosts a radio show on "Planet Rock" radio every Saturday night. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

She is a Canadian singer, best known as the lead vocalist of the Swedish melodic death metal band "Arch Enemy", here are some interesting facts about Alissa White-Gluz: (Photo: Stefan Brending) = She was born on July 31, 1985 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. = She is of Jewish descent. Her grandparents were prisoners in concentration camps during World War II and managed to escape. = She is the younger sister of Jasamine White-Gluz who leads the Montreal-based band "No Joy". = Alissa was raised in a family of vegetarians, and has been a vegan since 1998. = Her musical taste range from classical music, 1990s grunge music, punk rock, to hardcore punk. = Alissa's vocal style includes both growling and clean vocals, and she has appeared as a guest vocalist for various power metal, symphonic metal, and deathcore bands. = In 2004 She co-founded the metalcore band "The Agonist" (originally known as "Tempest") with Danny Marino and Chris Kells. = In 2006 Alissa appeared on Canadian Idol singing a cover of Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody". = In 2007 "The Agonist" released their debut album, "Once Only Imagined". = In 2009 "The Agonist" released the album "Lullabies for the Dormant Mind". = In 2011 "The Agonist" released the EP "The Escape". = In 2012 "The Agonist" released the album "Prisoners". = The same year Alissa made a guest appearance on "Kamelot's" track "Sacrimony (Angel of Afterlife)" from the album "Silverthorn". = Also the same year Alissa was featured as a coach on an episode of "MTV's Made". = More on 2012, Alissa was a guest vocalist for "Kamelot" during their support act for "Nightwish's" North American tour. = In 2014 Alissa made a guest appearance on Dutch symphonic metal band "Delain's" track "The Tragedy Of The Commons" from the album "The Human Contradiction". (Photo: Fanart.TV) = The same year "Arch Enemy" announced via press release that Alissa would be replacing their former vocalist Angela Gossow. Alissa left "The Agonist", with Vicky Psarakis taking over as vocalist, and "Arch Enemy" released the album "War Eternal" with Alissa as the lead vocalist. = In 2015 year Alissa featured on "Metal Allegiance's" track "We Rock" (originaly by Ronnie James Dio) from the album "Metal Allegiance". = Also on 2015 Alissa voiced the character of The Muse in the game "Karmaflow" in the track "The Muse and the Conductor". = The same year "Kamelot" announced that Alissa would contribute guest vocals to their album "Haven", specifically on the tracks "Liar Liar (Wasteland Monarchy)" and "Revolution". = In 2016: Alissa made many guest appearances on several albums of "Caliban", "And Then She Came", "Delain", "Metal Allegiance" and more. = The same year Alissa signed a deal with "Napalm Records" with the intention to release a solo album entitled "Alissa". = Also in 2016, Alissa appeared in visual companion content to "American Murder Song" as Pretty Lavinia. = In 2017 Alissa featured on "Arch Enemy's" live album "As the Stages Burn!", "Arch Enemy's" album "Will to Power". = The song "First Day in Hell" from "Arch Enemy's" album "Will to Power" was inspired by her grandparents who were prisoners in concentration camps during World War II. = The same year she appeared on Wolfgang von Frankenstein band "Doyle's" second album "Doyle II: As We Die". Wolfgang von Frankenstein is a former "Misfits" guitarist and Alissa have been in a relationship with him since 2014. = In 2018 Alissa recorded guest vocals for: "Angra's" track "Black Widow's Web" from the album "ØMNI". Dee Snider's track "Dead Hearts (Love Thy Enemy)" from the album "For the Love of Metal". Kane Roberts/Alice Cooper's track "Beginning of the End" from the album "The New Normal". = In 2019 "Arch Enemy" released the compilation album "Covered in Blood". = The same year Alissa recorded guest vocals for: "Soilwork's" track "Stålfågel" from the album "Verkligheten". "Carnifex's" track "No Light Shall Save Us" from the album "World War X". Mark Morton's (Lamb of God) track "The Truth Is Dead" from the album "Anesthetic". "Babymetal's" track "Distortion" from the album "Metal Galaxy". = In 2020 Alissa appeared on "Kamelot's" live album "I Am the Empire – Live from the 013". = The Same year she collaborated with Charlotte Wessels on the single "Lizzie". = In 2021 Alissa featured on: "Powerwolf's" remix of their track "Demons Are a Girl's Best Friend". "Me and That Man's" track "Goodbye" from the album "New Man, New Songs, Same Shit, Vol.2". = In 2022: Alissa recorded guest vocals for: The video game "Metal: Hellsinger" on the track "Stygia". Nita Strauss' track "The Wolf You Feed". = The same year "Arch Enemy" released the album "Deceivers". = In Alissa posed as a mermaid in a PETA anti-fishing ad campaign. = The same year she appeared in the documentary "Punk Rock Vegan Movie" by Moby. = In 2024 She collaborated with Charlotte Wessels on the single "Fool's Parade". = Alissa has been selected multiple times as one of "the hottest chicks in metal" by Revolver Magazine. = Alissa received a Libby award from PETA for her work in an international campaign advocating against the hunting of Canadian seals. = The end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026 marked a period of major changes and announcements for Alissa. In November 2025, "Arch Enemy" announced that Alissa was leaving the band after more than a decade. In March 2026, Alissa revealed that she had formed a new band called "Blue Medusa", and just two months later, it was announced that she had joined "DragonForce" as the band's second vocalist. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On July 17, 1981, "Journey" released their 7th studio album. On this album, "Journey" reinvented itself. It became its best-selling studio album with sales of over 10 million copies in the U.S. alone. An album that became a milestone for "AOR" and "Hair Metal" bands such as Bon Jovi, "Cinderella", "Poison, and more, Who will try to recreate the successful formula in albums that will combine sweet metal ballads alongside melodic hard rock songs. What's more, this is the album that produced the band's biggest hit "Don't Stop Believin'" which on February 25, 2021, crossed the one billion streaming mark on Spotify, a mark that belongs only to a small handful of rock bands such as "Queen" with "Bohemian Rhapsody". This tremendous success is largely attributed to changes in the band's lineup and the departure of lead keyboardist and singer Greg Rollie who was also the heart and soul of the band up to that point. "Journey" was founded in San Francisco, California in 1973 by guitarist Neal Schon and keyboardist and singer Greg Rollie, who had just left the band "Santana". The musical style that characterized the band in its infancy was a progressive rock with jazz and fusion. The band then numbered four members and after three failed albums, the record company Columbia pressured the band to add a leading charismatic singer and change their music style. The long-awaited change came in the fourth album "Infinity" released in 1978, then the band was joined by singer Steve Perry, whose the initial intention was that he will share the singing roles with Greg Rollie and Neal Schon. This change dictated by the record company was enough for Greg Rollie, who in the late 1980s decided to leave the band. Understandably, Rollie's departure was no small event. Rarely will a band manage to survive after the departure of one of its leaders and the living spirit behind it, let alone reinvent itself and even be more successful. However, the story of "Journey" is one of those rare cases and today it can be said that the band's tremendous success was made possible because of (and not despite) Rollie's departure, as his departure allowed the entry of keyboardist, singer, and guitarist Jonathan Cain, who is British pop-rock band "The Babys" in which he was a member just broke up. Cain became one of the band's three main writers and contributed greatly to its immense popularity and success. (Photo: Wallpaperflare.com) With Cain's help, the band managed to create a new sound and style on this album that combined hard rock, heavy metal, AOR, and pop, with melodic and catchy songs alongside saccharine ballads that burned the charts and were played non-stop on radio stations. The combination of Steve Perry, Neal Schon, and Jonathan Cain seems to have been exactly what the band needed to create the "big bang". This album produced some of the band's biggest hits, including "Don't Stop Believin'". Cain's classic piano opening with Perry's gentle voice creates an overwhelming melodic combination that can't be resisted. And how beautiful is Neal Schon's guitar that really had to be held back here for a whole minute before pouring metallic rain straight from the palm-muted strings of his guitar. This rain that starts as a light drizzle slowly turns into a heavy rain that ends with the moaning of the guitar that just screams its pain into the sky. What an amazing travel song with a very special structure. Anyone looking for a chorus will not really find it here. This song does not have a traditional pattern of Verse, catchy chorus, bridge, Verse, Catchy Chorus Etc. The verse and the bridge are the catchy ones here and the seemingly chorus with the words "Don't Stop Believin'" comes only at 3:20 of the song. And what bass playing from Ross Valory we get here. Ross who also sings background vocals simply transcends himself, and this happens throughout the album with intelligent, bold, and dominant bass playing. Listen to Neal Schon's simple and catchy riff in "Stone in Love", but make no mistake even for a moment, Schon is capable of much more than that and if you have doubts listen to his short and fast solo at 1:53 and the long solo that starts at 2:36. Neal Schon is a great guitarist, technical and precise, but his greatness is actually in restraint and emotion and that is reflected in this album in particular. He knows when to come in with a crazy solo and when needed he knows how to take it back and settle for a little touch, a clumsy line, or short and smart guitar sentences, which may sound small but add so much. It may not sound like it but Neal Schon is present and acting at every moment on this album, as in the breaking and exciting solo at the end of the song "Who's Crying Now" the first and most successful single from the album, and he just bounces the song to another level. The album also includes "Open Arms" which became the band's biggest hit from the album. The song's roots go to Cain's band "The Babys", for which he wrote the original melody. The band refused to accept the song as being too "saccharine" but here it became an amazing and timeless rock ballad. The song went into quite a few soundtracks of movies and series and even won many cover versions including even of Barry Manilow, "Boyz II Men" and Celine Dion. One of our favorite songs on the album is "Mother, Father", a true classic designed by the father of Neal Schon, jazz musician Matt Schon who also received joint credit for his writing. A melodic and melodramatic song, full of emotion with an ingenious chord structure, which develops until it culminates with a surrealistic, amazing, and harmonious outing. It is interesting to note that the remastered version of the album includes the song "La Raza del Sol" which was released as a b-side to the song "Still They Ride" - another melancholic and addictive ballad, which was released as the fourth single from the album. The song corresponds with Neal Schon's early days in "Santana's" Latin rock and features a crazy solo of his. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On August 1, 1988, "Soundgarden" released their second EP "Fopp". This EP brings us together with a band that is still trying and experimenting, a band that is looking for the musical direction that will define it. With one original song ("Kingdom of Come") and two cover versions ("Swallow My Pride" and "Fopp"), this EP does not have what will soon produce "The Revolution", but it is still interesting, if only to learn about the processes that a band goes through on the way to greatness. "Soundgarden" was among the first to perform a cover version of the song "Swallow My Pride" by "Green River", which will later be performed by other bands. It is interesting to note that one of the riffs in this song is taken from the song "This Ain't the Summer of Love" by the band "Blue Öyster Cult". Moreover, in the version of "Green River" the lyrics of the last two verses are also taken from the original song of "Blue Öyster Cult". The second cover version is the theme song - "Fopp". It is especially interesting since it is a cover of a song by the band "Ohio Players" which plays mainly funk, soul, and R&B. Guitarist Kim Thayil noted that the intention was to take the song and shape it so that it would sound like "AC/DC". Is that so? Judge for yourself. We actually heard there a bit of "Faith No More" from the Chuck Moseley era. Two years later, in May 1990, this EP was merged with the band's first EP - "Screaming Life" in a special release called "Screaming Life / Fopp". You can listen to "Screaming Life / Fopp" on: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

"Stone Sour's" second album, "Come What (Ever) May", was released on August 1, 2006. So let's find out some interesting facts about the album: 1. This is the band's best-selling album to date !! 2. The album was recorded in "Studio 606" which is Dave Grohl's private recording studio in Los Angeles. 3. Drummer Joel Ekman recorded only two songs for the album, as he decided to leave the band due to his son's illness. 4. Drummer Roy Mayorga from the band "Soulfly" replaced Joel to record the rest of the songs on the album, apart from the first song played by Shannon Larkin, drummer of the band "Godsmack". Roy then became the band's regular drummer. After the band went on an unlimited hiatus Roy went back to his former band. 5. A number of famous hits have come out of this album such as: "30 / 30-150", "Through Glass", "Made Of Scars", "Sillyworld" and "Zzyzx Rd". 6. The song "30 / 30-150" earned the band a nomination in the "Best Metal Performance" category at the 2007 Grammy Awards. 7. The name of the song is taken from the size of Corey Taylor's pants and the weight he had when he was in high school, the 30/30 size of the jeans, and 150 lbs which is 68 kg of body weight. 8. In this album, the band presented a more diverse dynamic of songs with the list being quite balanced between the hard rock and the softer and more user-friendly parts, this is also one of the reasons why this album added to the band's popularity. An example of this is the single "Through Glass" which features a softer and more digestible part. 9. Unlike the first album where all the music was written by Josh Rand the band's guitarist and the lyrics were written by Corey, in this album each of the band members had a contribution to write and everyone was a co-creator. 10. Josh said in an interview that accompanied the release of the album, that after the recordings of the album he returned to his job as a neon lighting technician, and that he really likes this job as well as being with his family. 11. On this album the band members wanted to prove that they are here to stay. Some of you may not know, but "Stone Sour" was formed before "Slipknot" and the band members did not want to adopt the image of "Corey Taylor's side project" but to be a real band. As of now the band went on to an unlimited hiatus and we hope they will be back. Listen to the album on: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Alanis Morissette, the iconic Canadian singer-songwriter, returns with her ninth studio album, "Such Pretty Forks in the Road," delivering a raw and introspective collection that speaks to the depths of human emotions. It is Morissette's first studio album in eight years, following 2012's Havoc and Bright Lights. Known for her unapologetic honesty and emotional depth, Morissette once again opens her heart wide to her audience, weaving tales of vulnerability, growth, and self-discovery. Inspired by her experiences with motherhood and grappling with postpartum depression, the album presents an intimate and poignant exploration of her journey through life's challenges. The album's opener, "Smiling," sets the tone for the rest of the record, delving into the complexities of emotional pain while still maintaining a glimmer of hope. It serves as an honest reflection of the struggles she faced, acknowledging her journey through depression and postpartum anxiety. Morissette's vocals, though mellowed by time, retain a haunting quality, drawing listeners into her world of introspection. The standout track, "Reasons I Drink," is a quintessential Alanis Morissette song. It showcases her signature wit and introspection, confronting her struggles with addiction and mental health while embracing them with self-awareness and acceptance. The emotionally charged lyrics are complemented by a haunting melody that leaves a lasting impression. Throughout "Such Pretty Forks in the Road," Morissette's songwriting remains deeply personal and reflective. "Diagnosis" explores themes of identity and self-rediscovery, inspired by her journey with postpartum depression. It's a poignant reminder that even during life's darkest moments, there can be a glimmer of light to guide us through. Similarly, "Reckoning" and "Missing the Miracle" delves into the complexities of relationships and address the inevitable challenges faced. The former serves as a rallying cry for self-empowerment, while the latter explores the universal struggle of appreciating the beauty in the present moment. One of the album's highlights is "Sandbox Love." Morissette showcases her musical maturity, blending poignant storytelling with a hauntingly beautiful melody. It's a song that tugs at heartstrings and reveals her growth as an artist throughout her career. In conclusion, Alanis Morissette's "Such Pretty Forks in the Road" is a cathartic journey through life's emotional landscape. It showcases her unwavering commitment to introspection and honesty, further cementing her status as a trailblazer in the alternative rock and singer-songwriter genres. While not without some minor flaws, this album is a captivating testament to the resilience of the human spirit and is sure to resonate with both loyal fans and newcomers alike. 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 July 31, 2020 "Alcatrazz" released their 4th album "Born Innocent". It's a crazy comeback of "Alcatrazz", after 34 years of silence, with a simply excellent album! As mentioned, this is the band's fourth album since "Dangerous Games" released in 1986. The legendary singer Graham Bonnet returns to collaborate here with two of the original band members, keyboardist Jimmy Waldo and bassist Gary Shea, with the guitarist Joe Stump, known among others from the bands "Trash Broadway" and "Reign of Terror", and Mark Benquechea on drums. The trigger for the release of the album was three reunion shows of the above group, which were held in 2017 in Japan. The performances were recorded in the live album/DVD called - "Parole Denied - Tokyo 2017", and the reactions the band received pushed the members to write new material for the current album. The album also includes many surprises and guests, among them the guitarist Bob Kulick, known among other things for his membership in the band "Kiss" and in the group of Alice Cooper, who passed away about two months ago, on 5/28. Kulik wrote the song "I Am The King" and also played on it. Another star who is hosted here is Steve Vai who was a member of the band in 1984-1985 and wrote and performed the song "Dirty Like The City". Other guests are Chris Impellitteri who wrote and plays guitar in the excellent opening song "Born Innocent", bassist Don Van Stavern from the band "Riot" who participated in writing and playing the excellent song "Polar Bear" and the song "Fin McCool", in which the virtuoso guitarist Nozomu Wakai is also a guest. And if you thought we were done with the big celebration of the guest artists on the album, then you were wrong. Dario Mollo is a guest on the song "Warth Lane" and Jeff Waters, the well-known and well-known from the Canadian thrash band "Annihilator", plays a crazy solo on the song "Paper Flags". Here it is worth noting that the singer Graham Bonnet sounds excellent here and it seems as if he has not lost his legendary voice. So if you're craving a bit of "vintage" heavy metal, you're welcome to listen to this album that sounds really promising. "Alcatraz" is back and it feels as if it has always been here and that 34 years haven't really passed!. For Listening: Spotify "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Singer M. Shadows was born on July 31, 1981, so let's get to know him a little: (Photo: Facebook) 1. His full name is Matthew Charles Sanders and he was born in Fountain Valley, California. 2. The first time he listened to rock music was when his father gave him a "Guns N 'Roses" tape as a gift. 3. He started playing the guitar when he was a child but he acquired his musical ability when he learned to play the piano. 4. His first band was a punk band called "Successful Failure" in which he was a guitarist. (Photo: Pinterest) 5. In 1999 when he was only 18 he formed with his drummer friend James Sullivan the band "Avenged Sevenfold", they also added their friend from guitar school Zachary Baker and complete the band joined bassist Matt Wendt. (Photo: Lisa Johnson) 6. Although he is not a religious man, Shadows gave the band the name based on the story of Kane and Abel from the Bible. 7. He decide on the nickname M . Shadows since he felt he was the gloomiest character among the band members, and the idea to adopt nicknames came from bands they grew up with like "Guns N' Roses" with Slash and Head + Munky From "Korn". 8. In 2001 "Avenged Sevenfold" released their debut album "Sounding the Seventh Trumpet". Shadows often use this album with the growling roars befitting "Metalcore". 9. That same year the lead guitarist and also a childhood friend of Shadows Synyster Gates joined the band. 10. A year later the band left their record label and signed with the label "Hopeless Records", they re-released their first album and started getting exposure. 11. In 2003 they released their second album "Waking the Fallen". The single "Unholy Confessions" was released from the album, but the song "Eternal Rest" entered "Kerrang" magazine's "666 Songs You Must Own" list. "Metal Hammer" magazine ranked the album 6th on the list of the 100 best albums of the 21st century. On this album, you can already feel the change in Shadows' voice that moves more towards the graul-free singing. 12. In 2003 the band left its label and signed with "Warner Bros. Records" and in the same year, Shadows underwent surgery due to a problem with his vocal cords. 13. In 2005 the band released their third album "City of Evil". On this album, the band's style began to move more from Metalcore to Hard Rock / Heavy Metal. The album features several very successful singles such as "Burn It Down", "Beast and the Harlot", "Seize the Day" and one of the band's beautiful songs "Bat Country". The album entered "Rolling Stone" magazine's list of the 100 greatest metal albums of all time. 14. This is without a doubt the band's breakthrough album that brought it international exposure, following that A7X was invited to Ozzfest and performed together with bands like: "System Of A Down", "Disturbed" and more. 15. For the benefit of this album Shadows worked hard to improve his vocal abilities. He wanted to convey roughness and power in clean singing without growling. He worked for 9 months with a famous vocal guide named Ron Anderson who worked with artists like Axl Rose and Chris Cornell, and indeed on this album he almost didn't growl and his vocal color got a uniqueness that now characterizes the band. (Photo: imdb.com) 16. Not only because of the musical change but also because of the length of A7X performances and the length of the tour Shadows decided to change his approach to singing. He felt he was unable to endure long performances and often even developed warts on the vocal cords following his screams, growl, and roars. 17. In 2007 A7X released its fourth album bearing the band's name and despite mixed reviews, the album peaked at number four on the Billboard 200. This is also the band's latest album The Rev. 18. In 2010 the band released their fifth album "Nightmare". The album came out in the shadow of The Rev's death and went straight to number one on Billboard. 19. In 2011, Shadows won the Best Vocalist Award at "Metal Hammer" Magazine's Golden God Awards. At the same ceremony, the band picked up two more awards Guitarist of the Year and the Album of the Year awards. 20. In 2013, the band released their sixth album "Hail to the King". The album went straight to number one on the Billboard charts and achieved that status in the European charts as well. The album included several successful singles such as: "Hail to the King", "Shepherd of Fire" and "This Means War". On this album, the band changed their style with influences of blues rock, reminiscent of "Led Zeppelin" and "Black Sabbath", and of course the comparison to Metallica's "Black Album" in this case is obvious ... 21. In 2016, the band released their seventh album "The Stage". Here, too, the musical direction has changed by several degrees and is moving more toward prog-metal. This is the band's first concept album with the main theme being artificial intelligence and the self-destruction of society. The album peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 and earned the band a Grammy Award nomination in the Best Rock Song category. 22. Shadows has collaborated with many artists such as: Slash, "Steel Panther", "The Confession", "Good Charlotte", "Fozzy" and more. 23. The game "Call of Duty: Black Ops 4" has the character of Shadows who can be chosen as a game character. 24. In 2018, the band released an EP called "Black Reign" which includes all the songs that were included in the games series "Call of Duty: Black Ops". 25. In June 2023, the band released their eighth album "Life Is But A Dream...". The album comes out almost 7 years after their previous album "The Stage" and for the first time since the album "Nightmare" it also includes contributions from the late drummer The Rev in the songs "Mattel" and "Beautiful Morning". 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