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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Here are some interesting facts about Adam Duritz, better known as the lead singer of the rock band "Counting Crows". (Photo: Fanart.TV) = Adam Fredric Duritz was born on August 1, 1964, in Baltimore, Maryland. = He is of Jewish descent. = He co-founded "Counting Crows" in San Francisco, Bay Area, California, in 1991 with producer/guitarist David Bryson. = The same year he released the first demo tape with "Counting Crows". = In 1992 the band signed a lucrative deal with "Geffen Records" after a bidding war between nine different record labels. = In 1993 "Counting Crows" released their debut album, "August and Everything After," which featured the hit singles "Mr. Jones", "Round Here", "Rain King", "A Murder of One" and more. Duritz wrote most of the songs on the album. = In 1994 "August and Everything After" reached multi-platinum status, boosting the band's popularity, selling more than 7 million copies in the United States alone. = After the overnight multi-platinum success of the debut album, Adam decided to find a real job to help keep his head clear after the suicide of Kurt Cobain. He bartended at The "Viper Room" in Hollywood, which was still owned by Johnny Depp at the time. = In 1996 he released the second "Counting Crows" album, "Recovering the Satellites." Again Duritz was the main writer of the songs, including "A Long December", which he wrote after his friend was hit by a motorist and injured. = In 1997 he co-founded the record label "E Pluribus Unum" and had signed Joe 90, "Gigolo Aunts", and Neilson Hubbard. = In 1988 the band released "Across a Wire: Live in New York City" - a double-live album, featuring songs from their first two albums, and a previously unreleased hidden track, "Chelsea". = In 1999 he released "This Desert Life," the third studio album with "Counting Crows". The song "Colorblind" was in the soundtrack of "Cruel Intentions" and the non-album track "Baby, I'm a Big Star Now" was in the soundtrack of the movie "Rounders". = In 2002 "Counting Crows" released "Hard Candy," featuring the hit "Big Yellow Taxi" with Vanessa Carlton. = In 2004 Duritz co-wrote and performed the song "Accidentally in Love" for the Shrek 2 soundtrack, earning an Academy Award nomination and a BMI Award. = Known for their live performance and unique live versions for their songs "Counting Crows" released their second live album "New Amsterdam - Live at Heineken Music Hall" in 2006. = In 2007 Adam launched the record label "Tyrannosaurus Records". = In 2008 "Counting Crows" released "Saturday Nights & Sunday Mornings," their fifth studio album. The album was divided into two sides: the rock music of Saturday Nights and the more country-influenced Sunday Mornings. = In 2012 Duritz released "Underwater Sunshine (Or What We Did on Our Summer Vacation)," a cover album with "Counting Crows". = In 2013 the band released their third live album "Echoes of the Outlaw Roadshow", It was available for purchase in pre-orders for tickets to their co-headlining tour with "The Wallflowers". = In 2014 he released "Somewhere Under Wonderland," the seventh studio album with "Counting Crows" - the band's first album of original material in six years. = In 2018 he co-founded the "Underwater Sunshine" Music Festival. = The same year "Counting Crows" toured to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their debut album. = In 2021 he released the EP "Butter Miracle, Suite One" with "Counting Crows". = Duritz briefly dated actress Jennifer Aniston in 1995. = This wouldn't be the only "Friends" actor that Duritz dated. In 1997, he was in a brief relationship with Courteney Cox after she starred in the "Counting Crows'" "A Long December" music video. = He has a sister named Nicole, who is mentioned in his song "Children in Bloom." = He has had a long-time close friendship with actress Mary-Louise Parker. Their birthdays are a day apart: she was born on August 2, 1964. = Adam Duritz has been open about his struggles with mental health and is a mental health advocate. He has dissociative mental health issues, disclosed publicly in 2008. = Adam Duritz has collaborated with "The Wallflowers" on the album "Bringing Down the Horse" on the track "6th Avenue Heartache". = He also collaborated with "Live" on their album "V" singing backing vocals on "Flow". (Photo: Fanart.TV) = Duritz collaborated with other various artist like Ryan Adams, Peter Stuart, "Dashboard Confessional", Maria Taylor, and Nanci Griffith. = He has a keen interest in wine and launched his own wine label called "Elyseum". In 2018, Duritz became an investor in three wineries based in Napa Valley. = Duritz was an executive producer for the film "The Locusts" and produced the ensemble comedy film "Freeloaders." He also appeared in the 2007 mockumentary film "Farce of the Penguins." = In August 2019, he traveled to London and shave his dreadlocks, which he had worn since the formation of "Counting Crows". = Since its founding in 1991, "Counting Crows" has sold over 20 million records. = Dutitz released seven studio albums with them that have been certified gold or platinum. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Today we want to tell you about an Israeli metal legend named the late Sami Shmoulik "The Horse" Avigal. "Use pursuant to Section 27A of the Copyright Law" 1. Sami (Shmoulik) Avigal was born in Morocco in 1944 (his Facebook page mentions his birthday as August 5, 1954). 2. In 1955 he immigrated to Israel with his family and as a child, he lived in Bat Yam. 3. In his youth, Shmoulik admired the rock and roll stars of the era, Elvis Presley and Cliff Richard. 4. From the 1960s onwards, Shmoulik was a member of several "rhythm bands" in Israel, including "The New Wave", "Coco and the Parisians", "Hanemerim", "HaNezirim", "Hasus Halavan", and more. 5. Most of the bands played rock music on which Shmoulik grew up on, but also Greek and Oriental music. 6. In addition to his powerful singing, Shmoulik also played bass guitar in some of the bands. 7. In 1973, Shmoulik formed the band "HaTzabarim", which included refugee members of the bands "The Monks" and the "HaOranim". Shmoulik was the one who gave the band its name. The band recorded a floppy disk with cover versions of the songs of the band "Kaveret" which was banned from broadcasting. 8. Due to his large face and body, Shmoulik was nicknamed "the horse". 9. In 1979 Shmoulik moved to the Netherlands and joined the band "Mover" with whom he recorded several demos. 10. In 1980 he moved to the Dutch band "Hammerhead" of which he was a member until 1982. 11. In 1982 he joined one of the first heavy metal bands in the Netherlands - "Picture", as a replacement for the singer and one of the band's founders - Ronald van Prooijen. 12. Together with "Picture" Shmoulik recorded the excellent album "Diamond Dreamer" which was released in 1982 and is considered to this day it's the best album. The album was a great success in the Netherlands and Europe and gave the band a lot of publicity, with the help of which it got to warm artists like "AC/DC", "Ted Nugent" and "Saxon". 13. The same year, Shmoulik came with the band to Israel for a mini-tour that included 5 performances. 14. After recording the album, Shmoulik suggested that the band will add another guitarist to thicken its sound, and thanks to his advice, guitarist Chriz Van Jaarsveld was recruited. 15. After the end of the tour and the recruitment of the new guitarist, Shmoulik got into an argument with the band manager and as a result was fired. 16. In 1985, Avigal joined another Dutch metal band - "Horizon" with which he recorded the album "Master Of The Game". "Use pursuant to Section 27A of the Copyright Law" 17. In 1986 Shmoulik left the Netherlands and moved to New York. He stayed at Tom Jude's family home in Long Island, NY, and joined his band "Warhead" - a thrash metal band formed in 1984, Neil Benderman (Titan) bass, Mike Gallino (Minute Man) drums, Tom Jude (MX) guitar, replacing Ron Simmons (The Commander) vocals. 18. Later that year Avigal joined the metal band "The Rods", with whom he recorded the album "Heavier Than Thou". This band also included guitarist David "Rock" Feinstein, a cousin of Ronnie James Dio who also played with him on "ELF". 19. After that Tom Jude and Avigal Formed "Vision". The band was based in Cortland NY and included Schmoulik Avigal (Picture, Horizon, Rods) vocals, Tom Jude (Doro Pesch, Holy Water, American Mafia) guitars, Jose Ferro (Screaming Lords) bass, Chris Crooken (Battalion) drums. "Vision" recorded a demo that included 4 songs. 20. In 1997, Avigal and guitarist Danny Shetrit (guitar) formed the band "Moonrock" with Eric Klaastad (bass), Dennis Monroe (drums) and Ken Distin (keyboards). The band recorded a 12-track demo. 21. Avigal's widow - Mrs. Gwen Avigal - owns the master-tapes for "Moonrock" and "Vision" Projects and finally these songs will be released with the help of "Classic Metal Records", on the album "Mindless Creatures", which will include the 12 tracks by "Moonrock" and the 4 tracks by "Vision", as bonus tracks. 22. In 1990 Avigal joined a new band called "HARPO" with whom he recorded a demo with three songs. The demo did not mature into an album and the band disbanded. You can see a rare performance of the band together with Shmoulik here: 23. In 2003 Sami moved to Florida, he settled in Jacksonville, and recorded the album "Under A Savage Sky" with Jack Starr and the band "Guardians Of The Flame". 24. Avigal then decided to set up his own band. He moved to Cortland New York and formed "Avigal" with which he recorded, among other things, the album "Unbroken" which was released in 2011. 25. On July 30, 2020, Avigal succumbed to cancer. He was 76 years old at his death. God bless his memory! To listen to the great album "Diamond Dreamer" choose a link: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Prepare the handkerchiefs because this is going to be a review of one of the most exciting and tear-dropping albums we know. Which was released on July 30, 1996. "Alice In Chains" "MTV Unplugged" show which took place on April 10th of that year. The album "Alice In Chains: MTV Unplugged" is a magical, special, exciting, and different album from most of the other albums we have reviewed. It's hard to put the finger on a specific thing that makes this album so different, exciting, and special, but it's probably a combination of several factors. From the song's choice, to the full of emotional performance, scenery, and even the general atmosphere that prevailed during the show. All of these, are what made this show one of the most notable events in the history of modern rock. This show comes after almost three years in which "Alice In Chains" has disappeared from the spotlight, and has not performed at all. In 1994 Layne Staley's condition began to deteriorate as a result of depression and increased drug use, he was unable to function in recordings, performances, and even outside of them. Layne's condition was so bad that after the release of the album "Alice In Chains" in 1995, the band did not even go on tour to promote it. This of course did not prevent this mighty album from reaching number one on Billboard, but it certainly testifies to the condition of Layne and the band at the time. (Photo: YouTube) And it did not end there, as the situation became more and more difficult both for the band and for Layne. He bought an apartment in Seattle, solitude, cutting ties with the band, friends, and family. The band members later testified that they always tried to keep in touch with him, but this rarely came to action. Many times MTV executives begged "AIC" to perform the acoustic performance, which became a kind of tan audition for authenticity and musical talent. When bands like "Pearl Jam", "Nirvana" and "Stone Temple Pilots" have already passed the test, with great success, it was expected that "AIC" do the same. The band finally succumbed to pressure and went up to perform the "test" on April 10, 1996, on the stage of the Brooklyn Academy of Music in Brooklyn, New York. Like any other "student", Alice took the test. Only this time it was reinforced by another guitarist - "Scott Olson", guitarist, bassist, and producer, who previously played with the band "Heart". But it was not at all simple to go up for an acoustic performance, so exposed, with no effects, amplifiers, and distortions that might cover up mistakes, nonsense, and even fakes, certainly not in the band's condition and certainly not in Staley's poor mental and physical condition. Add to the fact that this is the band's first performance in three years, and another not-so-simple fact - Jerry Cantrell took the stage sick due to food poisonings caused by a sausage he ate before the show, and you have a shaky "card tower" that any light breeze can collapse completely. Anyone who watched the show saw at first glance that something bad was happening. First public appearance in three years and the guy looks skinny, white, and pale, only a shadow of himself. He took the stage with pink hair, and dark sunglasses, and wrapped in a jacket underneath a woolen knit. Even when he put out one or two sentences between the songs, it could be seen that it required a supreme effort from him, but the songs themselves he performed exemplary as if he spared unnecessary energy between the songs and invested the rest of his energy in the performance itself. He gave it all, groaning, shouting, and screaming his wounded soul out through the lyrics, in a way that made this show so historic and equally tragic. (Photo: YouTube) During that month, after the aforementioned performance, the band made 4 consecutive appearances as an opening show for the band "Kiss". ​​That night Layne took an overdose of drugs and was rushed to the hospital. This was the last time the band performed with Layne. Although there are no special performances, other versions, or hysterical covers on this album. Although the songs are quite close to the original performance, there is something very exciting and special about these performances that plays into our guts and makes this album so exemplary. On one hand, it takes the acoustic performance of the band and amplifies them even more, and on the other hand, it peels off its electrical performance and undresses them in such a touching and soft way. The harmony in the singing between Layne and Jerry also gets a very strong emphasis here, especially when all the instruments in the background are acoustic. And if we were talking about a test, then this album undoubtedly passed it with excellency. It highlights the tremendous abilities and amazing talent that the members of this band have, who even in such difficult conditions manage to shine and transcend themselves. Just like that whole which is much more than the sum of its parts. The vocal combination between Jerry and Layne comes in this performance to unimaginable intensities. Even though you know it's a performance and you hear the audience in the background, these two just present you with the song intimately and magically, and you feel like it's just you with them alone in the room. When listening to the album, one feels that many elements that we did not notice in the original performance are reflected here, not only because of the use of acoustic instruments but because of many other things... The album opens with "Nutshell" and the band just launched that atomic bomb right from the start with a performance that is capable of melting steel. No matter how many times you've heard this song in "Jar Of Flies", this performance will still make you weep like a little kid. Opening the show with this song, without any introduction or opening sentences, gives it a particularly dramatic and terrifying volume, with the lyrics of the song so clear and distinct, putting you in a straight line straight into Layne's wounded soul, and you suddenly become a bystander in all the difficult scenes he went through. Not only that, but it's even more painful to know that this will be the last time the band performed the song with Layne Staley. From there we continue to "Brother" and "No Excuses", from the acoustic EP's "SAP" and "Jar Of Flies". Jerry grabs the front of the stage here in his melancholy voice and diversifies the sound for us a bit. Layne complements it with background vocals, especially in the chants, and the harmony between them is so precise and perfect. From there, there is no way back and you find yourself gliding down the slopes of emotion that flood, wash, and cover you from all sides. Immediately afterward we move on to four acoustic performances of electric songs. There is no doubt that this show was planned and designed down to the smallest detail, to let the audience experience drama and suspense, with energetic songs combined with more relaxed songs, to create one complete, one-time, and unforgettable experience. The first in a row is the song "Sludge Factory" from their latest album with Layne. This song opens with a miss by Layne, who also stops the song with the word Fuck!!! After 42 seconds. In the DVD version, they kept this part, but in the album version, it was cut out. This mistake was so authentic, human, and moving, that in our humble opinion, it was a mistake to cut it out. Not only did it not detract from the enjoyment and line-up of the band, but she opened a small window for us that helps feel a little of the "electrifying" atmosphere that prevailed in that hoop and it illustrates the "vibes" between the audience and the band members. In the next song "Down In A Hole", Layne's cry of pain can no longer be ignored. He is carried on with Jerry and Scott's acoustic guitars, wrapped in Jerry's background vocals, sometimes weak and sometimes loud, as if Layne is trying to explain something to us, wants us to understand how he feels, and cries out to us for help from the lyrics. It is followed by "Angry Chair" and "Rooster" who together with the previous song complete an amazing sequence from the masterpiece album "Dirt". There is no doubt that the acoustic performance simply breaks the songs down into elements and rebuilds them, with much more emotion and depth. This series of songs demonstrates the greatness of the band and its ability to present to us "the same lady with a completely different overcoat", in a way that just tears you to shreds, piece by piece. After the "Dirt" trilogy we get a touch from "SAP" with "Got Me Wrong", and you better take a deep breath before you listen to this song, because Layne's vocal cords in the chorus just tear our hearts out and penetrate us through every possible layer of defense. Immediately afterward we return to the album "Alice In Chains" with "Heaven Beside You", and Jerry takes the reins here again with a vocal performance that does not fall short of his friend Layne, who this time completes it with background vocals. Next came "Would?" which is perhaps, the song that is most identified with the band, which is also among the greatest songs in the Grunge genre, if not the greatest of them all. This song is so identified with the original performance that it was not clear how it would be received in its acoustic version, but nonetheless, this performance is tremendous and reveals to us once again the tremendous abilities of this amazing band. After two more songs from the album, "Alice In Chains" - "Frogs" and "Over Now", the show comes to an end with a new song called "Killer Is Me". Bassist Mike Inez was replaced here with Scott who goes on to play bass and he takes on the lead guitar role. By the way, as mentioned above, Scott was among others the guitarist of the band "Heart", whose sister friends Wilson also came from Seattle, he was in good contact with friends from "Alice" and even hosted them at the pavilion. Before concluding we will note that several other improvised tracks have entered the DVD and album versions. First, playing the opening track from "Metallica's" "Enter Sandman". The piece like the caption on Mike Inez's bass guitar "Friends Don't Let Friends Get Friends Haircuts...", was aimed at "Metallica's" members who sat in the front row of the audience, for the first time with their short haircuts. The second, Jerry's country section annoyed Layne a bit. At the same time, Jerry's country section did not fully enter and was cut a bit in the album version, and here too one has to regret the editing work that cut the section, as the full section conveys a sense of authenticity and also connects the listener to the experience the audience went through in that magical performance. This album is without a doubt a rare moment of heavenly revelation which fortunately was immortalized and preserved forever... Official documentation of one of the last performances performed by one of Rock's great vocalists. Listen to the album (accompanied by handkerchiefs only) on Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

He is a prominent figure in Chicago blues who has influenced generations of guitarists, such as Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jeff Beck, John Mayer and many more. Here are some interesting facts about Buddy Guy: (Photo: Fanart.TV) = Born: July 30, 1936, in Lettsworth, Louisiana. His full name is George "Buddy" Guy. = Early Influences: Grew up listening to blues on the radio and playing a homemade two-string instrument his father bought him for 2 dollars. = First Guitar: Later he received a Harmony acoustic guitar, later donated to the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame". = Hard Childhood: as a child, Guy would pick cotton for $2.50 per 100 pounds. = Early Career: Performed with bands in Baton Rouge in the mid-1950s. = Move to Chicago: Relocated to Chicago on September 25, 1957, to pursue a career in music. = First Recordings: Made his first recordings in 1958 with “Sit and Cry (The Blues)” and “This Is the End.” = Cobra Records: Signed with Cobra Records in 1958 and recorded with Ike Turner. = Chess Records: Signed with Chess Records in 1960, becoming a session guitarist. = Revolutionized Electric Guitar: Already in the 1960s, Buddy Guy pushed the boundaries of electric guitar with jaw-dropping skills and innovative techniques. Eric Clapton recalled seeing Guy perform in London's Marquee Club in 1965, impressing him with his technique and pick the guitar with his teeth and play it over his head—two tricks that later influenced Jimi Hendrix. (Photo: Val Wilmer) = Influence on Rock Guitarists: Became a significant influence on rock guitarists like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughan during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. = Eric Clapton Influence: Eric Clapton described him as "the best guitar player alive." = Junior Wells Collaboration: Collaborated with harmonica player Junior Wells, recording the album "Hoodoo Man Blues" in 1965. Later was involved in 10 more albums with Junior Wells. = American Folk Blues Festival: Participated in the European tour in 1965. = Vanguard Records: Released his debut solo album, “I Left My Blues in San Francisco,” in 1967 on Vanguard Records. = Memphis Slim collaboration: Collaborated with blues pianist on the album "Southside Reunion" released in 1971. = Checkerboard Lounge: Established The Checkerboard Lounge in 1972 with partner L.C. Thurman. = Polka-Dot Guitars: Known for his custom model Fenders with a Polka-dot finish, a tribute to his late mother. = Role in Supershow: Appeared onstage at the 1969 "Supershow" music documentary film with Eric Clapton, "Led Zeppelin", Jack Bruce, Stephen Stills and others. = Phil Guy Collaboration: Collaborated with his brother Phil Guy on the album "Buddy & Phil" released in 1981. Later released 4 more albums with him. = Buddy Guy’s Legends: Opened his blues club “Buddy Guy’s Legends” in Chicago in 1989. = Grammy Awards: Won his first Grammy Award in 1991 for the album “Damn Right, I’ve Got the Blues.” He won a total of eight Grammy Awards, including Best Contemporary Blues Album and Best Traditional Blues Album. = Damn Right, I've Got the Blues Book: Co-wrote the book in 1999 with Donald Wilcock. = Sweet Tea Album: Released the critically acclaimed album “Sweet Tea” in 2001. = National Medal of Arts: Received the National Medal of Arts in 2003, recognizing his contributions to American culture through music. = Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Inducted into the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" in 2005, by Eric Clapton and B.B. King. = In the Electric Mist: Had a small role in the 2009 crime film as Sam "Hogman" Patin. = Kennedy Center Honors: Received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2012. = When I Left Home Autobiography: Published his autobiography in 2012. = Lifetime Achievement Grammy: Awarded a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2015. = B.B. King Tribute: The same year he paid tribute to the late B.B. King in the song "Flesh & Bone" collaborating with Van Morrison. = Rolling Stone Rankings: Ranked 27th in Rolling Stone magazine's 2023 list of greatest guitarists of all time and his song "Stone Crazy" ranked 78th in the "100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time." = Hollywood Rockwalk: Inducted into Guitar Center's Hollywood Rockwalk in 1996. = Louisiana Music Hall of Fame: Inducted in 2008. = White House Performance: Performed at the White House in 2012, persuading President Obama to sing "Sweet Home Chicago." = Musicians Hall of Fame: Inducted on January 28, 2014. = Collaboration: Guy collaborated with a wide range of artists, including Muddy Waters (as a session guitarist), Junior Wells, B.B. King, Eric Clapton, John Mayer, Carlos Santana, Jeff Beck, Keith Richards, Van Morrison, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Tracy Chapman, Kid Rock, Beth Hart, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Elvis Costello, James Taylor and more. = Mississippi Blues Trail Marker: Honored with a marker in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana, in 2018. = Buddy Guy Day: December 8, 2018, designated "Buddy Guy Day" by Louisiana and Mississippi officials. = Golden Plate Award: Received the Golden Plate Award of the "American Academy of Achievement" in 2019. = Studio solo albums: Between 1967 and 2022 Buddy guy released 19 studio albums. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

8 years have passed between the album "Forte" and the album "No More" which was released on July 30, 2015 !! This is not a negligible number, it's a very long time, especially in light of the fact that the band is in its thirties. 30 years that we are part of them and we pray that we will have at least another 30 more. It evokes pride, love, and admiration as a rock band formed in the 1990s manages to fill Caesarea and gives a performance as if time has stopped reigning. True, in everything related to this band the reference is always nostalgic but it is worth putting an end to it. It is relevant, kicking, aggressive, and produces the essence of all Israeli rock !! Enough already to cuddle up to the debut album "Separate Reality" !! We’ll just start by venting frustrations because otherwise they will manifest themselves later in the review and we don’t want to sound grumpy, so let’s just say we are very disappointed, angry, frustrated, and at a loss that almost every performance in recent years lacks proper representation of songs from this album. After the album launch, the band performed and broadcasted the entire album live on the web from the start to the end but since then... there is no trace. It seems to be peeking again when the song "Sister" was performed at the last show in Caesarea but that's the end of the story. It's really hard to understand why this is so and we are convinced that after reviewing and listening to the album you will agree with us on that... This is ladies and gentlemen, nothing more than an amazing and exemplary album (some say (we are) "immortal") !! An album that combines strengths and aggressiveness with tenderness and simplicity, the indulgence in the past, the reference to the present, the little things we have on a daily basis, and the big things that change our lives. This is unequivocally one of the band's best albums if not the "album". Yes... yes... Do not cuddle us again now on "Separate Reality" or mention the special "Forte", this is an album that does not fall from both and for us, it even rises !! (Photo: Avihai Levy) The album opens with the powerful voice of Orit Shahaf (who from the show in Caesarea got the nickname "Hippolita" Queen of the Amazons) with the song "Sister" that begins with her exhalation sounds, which already puts you in an atmosphere of anger, like a dog second before it bites. The song closes the story of Orit's father opens with the song "Father" on the album "Death Fear", so there was a rumor that the song was about her father but she rejected the idea every time. Now she closes the subject and tells the story through her encounter with her sister and with some nerves to be noted. The story is true and she actually came up to perform a few minutes after meeting her. The second song "Until It Comes Down" is perfectly constructed and adapts itself exactly to our real story, as if Tom Petrover took part in our lives and decided to commemorate them at that point. He opens quietly and caresses you as if coming to comfort you about what is happening. But then all of a sudden in a total explosion, with no preparation or ascent for the change it throws you into the sky, gives you a ringing contradiction, and roars at you mercilessly. Everything crashes... how nothing of what he dreamed comes true... and reality seems very difficult and indigestible until everything ends somehow. But then... what's going on? Again breaking and changing rhythm, Yahav starts pulling you with the quick clicks on the Ride and you do not understand where else to climb from here. So... Tom tells you what his reality looks like now that everything has collapsed for him. How are holding on so far? Are you still with us? Very nice because now Orit is a little relaxing with the song "Someone", not one of the big moments on the album but a nice song that lets you relax until the next song. It has a beautiful breaking section with a fret that gives you a pleasant break until the distortion and aggression return. The next song is a moment of self-observation. "No More Fighting" let you identify with the protagonist (which happens in another song we'll get to later) even though you don't really go through the same experiences... but Tom's voice... his text structure, his submission. It is impossible not to give up, it is impossible not to lose everything and just experience these moments with him. Something in the story that takes you slowly and eventually intensifies and intensifies makes you feel exactly the opposite of the name of the song. No matter what you are and who you are, after 6:24 minutes you are not only ready to fight, but you will also be ready to take everything down just to fight for your beliefs. Live your life. Omri Agmon's solo miraculously serves the text and takes you slowly, slowly up and up to the end. The song “I Guess It’s For You” is a nice rocky musical moment that lightens your mood a bit and again lets you freshen up a bit before your next trip. Some aggression and sawing do good for releasing the "chakras". "A Year Has Passed" is a life journey, you re-identify with the protagonist. Tom takes us on a journey between different periods in life passage that almost all of us went through, but his journey is different. It is a journey in whose background there is always a feeling of missing out on someone or something he wanted so badly but did not get. This whole journey has led him to where he is today but in the end, he gives up on this thing and decides to forget. The fret of the guitar that accompanies this journey begins with the acoustic and in the second part moves to the tram with the entrance of the drums... it is simply a song with one of the most beautiful and melodic arrangements on this album. You are part of his journey and again as they always manage to do, you dedicate yourself and go with it throughout the song, to the end. Hayehudim likes to have few of English songs on their albums and like everything they do ly sounds great, "Screaming You" is a powerful and heavy song. Orit starts calmly (as you noticed, many songs on this album start to calm. Some develop and intensify slowly and some faster) with Omri on the guitar when Yahav comes in again later with the Ride and they slowly increase the tempo until the thick distortion comes in and you find yourself moving from side to side in movements of as if a light breeze is shaking you. The piano and bass work are amazingly felt in the second part of the song that goes into the aisle and then again as if the wind has not stopped and you keep moving from side to side. Every band's album has its catchy, rhythmic, short, and powerful song that is like the delicious piece of chocolate hidden inside the ice cream, when you put it in your mouth and give a bite you are in heaven !! We know them very well, "Stealing", "Ella", and "Falling" are usually an integral part of the band's setlist in performances that drive the audience crazy and elevate it even more to the sky. "I like to be alone" is just that !! It starts with explosions, continues with explosions, and ends with fireworks. Whether you like it or not, you should be alone when you listen to this song because very quickly your body will start making involuntary movements and you lose control of the whole body that just wants to go wild. , Roar loudly !! After the fireworks and explosions, Orit comes to calm down with "A Pair of Pigeons". It is impossible to describe in words the voice of "Hippolyta". She caresses, shakes, penetrates, hovers and we can go on like this much longer because she is truly unique. When Omer hits the guitar in a kind of continuous melody that is repeated, Orit enters with a slight intensity. "Come my love, let me lead..." You are already mesmerized and from here there is no going back. Go... day and day after day after day... In the second part, we are already on a step and we are in rhythm with the drums, the guitars, the bass, and the keyboards, and then comes the moment of breaking. One of the beautiful tracks on the album, Yahav's beatings put you in a crazy spin, roaring and beating mercilessly until they explode into Hippolyta's dreadful roars, she roars "day after day..." and we have nothing more to say! The song "Son" is a kind of different moment, a little strange but utterly understandable in light of the couple's experiences with new parenting in recent years. A lovable song that for some reason does not manage to excite so much (at least us) but within u,s we know it is full of meaning, energy,y and emotion. Is a beautiful combination of piano and guitars with quite a high volume and a twisting solo but something let's a little was missing from us. The song that closes this wonderful album is "Imagining", a song with an exciting and amazing story. A few years back, Orit received a song written by Sagit Raz, which she dedicated to her autistic son. Orit was pregnant at the time and loved the song very much. The song was composed and worked on but was not recorded. Working on this album, the band decided to put the song on the album but did not remember who the mother was that wrote the song, and through Yediot Ahronot they contacted the readers and managed to reach Sagit Raz. It must be noted that the arrangement of the song is very different from all the other songs on the album, there is more work of electronics here than guitars and drums but it is a touching and moving song. Without a doubt this album is wonderful and amazing, it is no exaggeration to say again that this is one of the band's best albums. Much has to do with the fact that their lyrics have changed over the years and so have we (the fans who grew up with them) but their music does not change, they remain true to their sound and dynamics, and yet something there feels different, new, and refreshing. Maybe it's because it's been 9 years since the last album but we do not care. We love it !! So it's time to hear a lot more of it in the next shows ... Listen to the album on: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Here are some interesting facts about guitarist and singer John Sykes: (Photo: Pinterest) Sykes began his musical career in 1980 with the band "Streetfighter" and soon moved to the band "Tygers of Pan Tang" with which he released two full studio albums and was a guest on the third. In 1982 he successfully auditioned for "Thin Lizzy" and became its lead guitarist alongside Scott Gorham. With the band he released the studio album "Thunder And Lightning" and was a part of the band's last tour and the excellent live album "Live Life" which included guest appearances by the great guitarists who were part of the band including Gary Moore. John Sykes later moved to Phil Lynott's band in his solo career. Watch his mind blowing solos in a Guitar-Keyboard battle with Rick Wakeman: David Coverdale later discovered him and invited him to join "Whitesnake", but John was loyal to Phil Lynott and initially refused. However, after a cover-up campaign by Coverdale and having also received Phil Lynott's blessing, he joined "Whitesnake", re-recorded the album "Slide It In" and later went on tour with them. John Sykes' big break came with the most successful album "Whitesnake" released in 1987. Sykes greatly influenced the sound and style of the band which changed its face from end to end and went from hard rock and blues rock roots to heavy metal and glam metal. John Sykes co-wrote with David Coverdale nine of the 11 songs on "Whitesnake (1987)" successful album. After leaving "Whitesnake" he formed the supergroup "Blue Murder" together with drummer Carmine Appice and bassist Tony Franklin. Along with this band he released two studio albums and proved that he is much more than a virtuoso guitarist, he is also a great singer !!! Sykes is singing backing vocals on "Def Leppard's" album "Adrenalize" released on 1992. In 2006 Sykes was honored by the Gibson company who released a Gibson Les Paul custom model inspired by Sykes. Sykes also has a solo career in which he has released five albums to date. On 1 January 2021, Sykes released "Dawning of a Brand New Day", his first new song in over twenty years. On January 20, 2025 Sykes had passed away following a battle with cancer. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On July 29, 1968 (US), and on October 4, 1968 (UK), Jeff Beck released his first solo album "Truth". "Truth" is a seminal work that showcases Beck's innovative approach to guitar-driven music. Released half a year before "Led Zeppelin" debut this album stands as a cornerstone in the development of blues rock, hard rock and even early heavy metal. This album introduced the talents of Rod Stewart on vocals, Micky Waller (Who played with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers) on drums, and Ronnie Wood (who would later join "The Rolling Stones") on bass, as the members of the Jeff Beck Group. But the album features many more known musicians as future "Led Zeppelin" members Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones, "The Who" drummer Keith Moon, Nicky Hopkins, Aynsley Dunbar, and more, some of which had not been credited on the album's cover. After he departed from "The Yardbirds" in late 1966, Jeff Beck released three singles that achieved success in the UK charts, in two of them he was the lead singer. These singles featured pop-oriented A-sides and blues-based B-sides, the latter where hinting at the musical direction Beck would fully embrace with "Truth". Aside from "Beck's Bolero" who was composed by Jimmy Page and recorded in May 1966, the album's recording sessions, spanning just four days in May 1968, resulted in a collection of nine eclectic tracks, including both original compositions and creative covers. "Truth" opens with "Shapes of Things," a reinterpretation of a song from Beck’s "Yardbirds" tenure, setting a powerful tone for the album. If you want to draw a history line of the development of music, then this song was one of those moments when blues rock started to change its face towards hard rock. It features standout drumming by Micky Waller, heavy bass playing by Ronnie Wood and distorted guitar sound (listen to the power chord on 1:45) with a psychedelic edge driven by Beck’s innovative guitar work. This sound and vibe will continue through the whole album, in tracks like the heavy blues rocker influenced by "Cream" - "Let Me Love You", Willie Dixon’s "You Shook Me" that half a year later "Led Zeppelin" would copy to the dissatisfaction of Beck, and Howlin' Wolf’s "I Ain’t Superstitious" (that Dixon wrote) and "Megadeth" will later cover for their 1986 album "Peace Sells... But Who's Buying?" Even though this album is mostly based on cover songs, the interpretation and innovation of Beck were enough to make it a key album in the development of blues rock into hard rock and heavy metal. You can find only three originals credited to "Jeffrey Rod" (a pseudonym for Beck and Stewart) and even they were inspired from other artists: "Let Me Love You" (inspired by Buddy Guy), "Rock My Plimsoul" and "Blues Deluxe," (both derived from B.B. King songs, the latter features an impressive piano lead by Hopkins and overdubbed audience sounds to mimic a live performance, a production choice Beck later regretted. The album also features covers of "Ol' Man River" by Jerome Kern, the traditional "Greensleeves", Bonnie Dobson's "Morning Dew", Willie Dixon’s "You Shook Me" and Howlin' Wolf’s "I Ain’t Superstitious" (which Dixon also wrote). You can say that the only "pure" track on the album is "Beck's Bolero", an instrumental track that was recorded in different sessions 2 years before the recordings of "Truth", featuring Jimmy Page (who also wrote it), John Paul Jones, Keith Moon, and Nicky Hopkins. This track highlights Beck's experimental side and serves as a precursor to the heavy rock sound that would later define "Led Zeppelin". (Photo: Chris Walter) "Truth" remains a pivotal album in rock history, showcasing Jeff Beck's pioneering guitar work and the raw talent of his bandmates. Its innovative fusion of blues and rock set the stage for future musical explorations, solidifying Beck’s reputation as one of the genre’s foremost guitarists. This album is not only a testament to Beck's visionary artistry but also a crucial influence on the development of blues rock, hard rock and early heavy metal, shaping the future of rock music. Upon its release, "Truth" received widespread acclaim. Al Kooper of "Rolling Stone" hailed it as a "classic," comparing it to the 1966 "Blues Breakers with Eric Clapton" LP and praising the Jeff Beck Group's energetic performance. Classic Rock magazine ranked "Truth" eighth on its list of the 30 greatest British blues rock albums, highlighting its role in establishing the genre's sound. Tom Scholz of "Boston" cited it as his favorite album, emphasizing its lasting impact. Blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa has covered several tracks from the album, further testament to its enduring influence. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On July 29, 1974, legendary drummer Neil Peart officially joined "Rush". (Photo: Fin Costello) Neil was born in Hagersville, Ontario Canada, southwest of downtown Toronto and the Willowdale neighborhood. He was the eldest of four brothers. He began to take an interest in music through a radio transistor that was tuned to regional stations in Toronto and Buffalo USA. At first, he began to study piano but that was not it. Neil's interest in drums came from his uncle Richard who was in a band that played R&B. He would play on his knees, with chopsticks all over the house. He was so drawn to it that he would scatter drummer's magazines on the bed and drum on them. (Photo: Rushtrader.com) His parents saw Neil's longing for drums and bought him a small, basic drum set for his 13th birthday. They also sent him to learn to play with the promise that if he persisted for a whole year they would buy him a professional drum set. Neil persevered and got it of course. His parents saw how talented Neil was and sent him to study music at the "Peninsula College of Music in British Columbia". Neil's first live show was at the age of 14 at the school where he studied. Neil of course was not content with that and would continue to practice at home for hours listening to the great drummers he admired and trying to emulate them. He financed his studies with occasional jobs. As a teenager he moved between various local bands, including "Mumblin' Sumpthin", "the Majority", and "JR Flood", but none of them managed to break through and become famous. At the age of 18, Neil boarded a plane and made his way to London following his childhood heroes in music. He hopes to succeed there musically. In London, he was exposed, among other things, to the writings of Ayn Rand, whose philosophy greatly influenced him. After 18 months without success, he returns to Canada and starts working with his dad in the family business, selling spare parts for tractors. At the same time, he joins a local band called "Hush". At the time, John Rutsey, Rush's original drummer, left the band with the excuse that he could not keep up with the pace of the band having diabetes. Geddy and Alex auditioned Neil - a skinny guy with shorts and a short haircut. They remembered he got out of a "Ford Pinto" and took out a tiny drum set from boxes in which they were stored and assembled it slowly and comfortably. Alex remembered Neil did not make a good impression on him at first and he thought he did not fit the band's rock style. But as Neil began to play, the jaws of the two musical friends opened wide, they heard in his drumming the strengths and virtuosity of Keith Moon and John Bonham. He played insanely and perfectly and of course, they immediately got him into the band. (Photo: Classic Rock In Pics Twitter) The exact date Peart joined the band was 29/7/1974. It was Geddy Lee's 21st birthday. Neil Peart was also 21 at the time. Neil had exactly two weeks before the band's tour in the US and he had to quickly learn all the material and get ready for the pre-planned tour. Peart's first appearance with the band was in Pittsburgh on August 14, 1974. It was a warm-up performance for Manfred Mann and Uriah Heep in front of 11,000 people. The rest is already history ... "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Congratulations to Geddy Lee, known as the singer, bassist, and keyboardist of the Canadian power trio "Rush", who is celebrating his birthday today !!! (Photo: Kevin Winter) Here are 50 interesting facts about the man and the legend: 1. He was born on July 29, 1953, in the Willowdale neighborhood of Toronto, Ontario Canada as Gary Lee Weinrib. 2. His parents were Holocaust survivors from Poland, who during World War II stayed in the Auschwitz concentration camps and later in Dachau and Bergen-Belsen. 3. The name Geddy is derived from his mother - Mary Weinrib, who had a heavy Polish accent. She did not know how to pronounce the letter R and in her accent, it sounded like D (Geddy instead of Gary) so the friends started calling him Geddy. 4. Geddy received an Orthodox Jewish education until the age of Bar Mitzvah. (Photo: Therushforum.com) 5. When he was 12 years old his father Morris who was a musician died, and Geddy recited Kaddish on him for a whole year, including all the mourning Jewish customs. He said he had not heard music for a whole year and it was one of the hardest things for him during the year of mourning. 6 He began studying music at school at the age of 10. The first instrument he learned to play was drums and later a trumpet and clarinet. 7. The lessons at school were not enough for him and he also took piano lessons privately. 8. At age 14 he got his first acoustic guitar. 9. The transition to the bass guitar came in the wake of Jack Bruce and John Entwistle, who played in two bands that Geddy admired - "Cream" and "The Who". 10. The love for Jack Bruce and the band "Cream" will lead him later to the power trio model of "Rush", while playing bass and singing similar to Jack Bruce. 11. Lee was also very influenced by English progressive rock and especially bands like "Yes" and "Genesis". One of the most influential bassists on Geddy from this genre was Chris Squire. 12. He was not the first singer and bassist of the band "Rush". He replaced Jeff Jones, a month after the band was formed in 1968 and two weeks before its second live show. 13. The first single the band ever released was "You Can't Fight It" and it was written by Geddy and drummer John Rutsey. 14. Lee has a wide three-octave vocal range, from baritone, through tenor, alto to mezzo-soprano. 15. Geddy's bass playing is very accentuated and includes powerful percussion on the strings. He has made the bass guitar a leading instrument that is sometimes even more dominant than Alex Lifeson's guitar. 16. Geddy's unique playing style has influenced great and good bass players, including Cliff Burton from Metallica, Steve Harris from Iron Maiden", John Myung from Dream Theater, Les Claypool from Primus, and Tim Commerford from "Rage" and "Audioslave". 17. In "Rush" he generally writes the music along with Alex Lifeson, while Neil Peart is writing the lyrics. Despite this, there are several exceptions in which Lee also wrote the lyrics. Examples: "Best I Can", "Tears", "Cinderella Man" and more. 18. In addition to singing and playing bass, Geddy Lee also plays keyboards, guitars, and pedals in the band, which allows him to produce the bass and keyboards sound simultaneously, during the band's live performances. 19. Geddy is quite responsible for the changes in the musical styles of "Rush" during their career. He constantly strived to learn and experiment and challenged himself by learning and introducing new musical instruments and equipment, which attracted the band to change its style. 20. The band insisted on playing all the roles of the musical instrument themselves during their performances. For this purpose, Geddy was also equipped with pedals that allowed him to control the keyboards while playing the bass. 21. Due in part to this virtuoso ability, he was awarded the Keyboard Magazine "Best New Talent" title in 1981. 22. Geddy is a vintage guitar collector and also a collector of baseball memorabilia. In addition, he has a collection of over 5,000 expensive wines at home. 23. Geddy came in first place on the "Music Radar" list for the best bass players of all time, and in fourth place on the same list of "Rolling Stone" magazine. 24. He is ranked 13th in the list of the 100 greatest singers of heavy metal in "Hit Parader" magazine. 25. Geddy was invited to produce Metallica's "Master Of Puppets" album. Anyone who looks at Metallica's thank you list in the album booklet will find "Special thanks to Geddy, Alex, and Neil of RUSH". 26. He has been voted the best bass player on the "Guitar Player" magazine list, six times. 27. In 1993 he was voted Best Rock Player by readers of "Bass Player" magazine. (Photo: Timothy J / Flickr) 28. In 1996 he received the honorary title of Officer of the Order of Canada. 29. In 2004 it was elected by the citizens of Canada in the 96th place on the list of the largest Canadians who ever lived. 30. In 2010 he was awarded the title of "Living Legend" by "Classic Rock" magazine. 31. In 2012 he received a Medal of Honor from Queen Elizabeth II. 32. In 2013 he entered with "Rush" into the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame". 33. The band members call him Dirk. 34. Together with "Rush" he released 19 studio albums, 2 EPs, and 11 live albums. 35. Together with Rush he managed to put three albums on the list of the 50 greatest albums of all time of progressive rock by the "Rolling Stones" magazine. To understand the magnitude of the achievement only 3 bands, "Genesis", "Pink Floyd", and "King Crimson", got to put 3 records on the list. The album "Moving Pictures" reached number three on this acclaimed list after Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side Of The Moon" and King Crimson's debut album - "In The Court Of The Crimson King". 36. He co-sold with "Rush" over 40 million albums during his career. 37. Together with "Rush" he holds the third and most honorable place (after "the Beatles" and "the Stones") as a band with the most consecutive records that have won gold and platinum status. 38. In 2000 he released his solo album "My Favorite Headache". The drummer on that album is Matt Cameron from "Soundgarden" and "Pearl Jam". 39. He's a good friend of Dave Grohl, you probably know that, but did you know that Geddy's mother - Mary Weinrib, and Dave's mother were also good friends? 40. In 1980 he was hosted, along with Alex and Neil, in the song "Battle Scar" by Max Webster. This recording will be the trigger for writing the song "Tom Sawyer", one of Rush's great songs. 41. In 1981 he contributed his voice to Bob and Doug McKenzie's song "Take Off" from their album "Great White North". 42. In 1982 he produced the album of the Canadian New Wave band "Boys Brigade". 43. In 1985 he contributed his voice to the song "Tears Are Not Enough" which was included on the album "We Are the World" that was released as part of the charity project "USA for Africa" ​​(2:14 min). 44. In 1999 he co-recorded with Lifeson the national Canadian anthem - "O Canada" for the film "South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut". Geddy also got to sing the anthem at the opening of the All-Star Game of the Baseball League in 1993. 45. That same year he played bass on the song "Good for Sule" by the band "I Mother Earth". 46. In 2006 he joined the one-time supergroup "Big Dirty" with Lifeson to perform the song "I Fought the Law" which was included in the soundtrack of the movie "Trailer Park Boys: The Movie". 47. In 2010 he participated in bass playing and singing on the album of the band "The Black Sea Station". 48. In 2017 he joined members of the band "Yes" as a replacement for bassist Chris Squire, performing the song “Roundabout”, during their performance at the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame". 49. In 2018 he released his book “Big Beautiful Book of Bass” which explores in depth the marvelous guitar, in which he interviews the best bass players of all time. 50. In 2020 he paid tribute to musician Bill Withers in the performance of the song "Lean on Me" with the All-Star team of Canadian musicians. Bonus facts: 1. For his 21st birthday, he received Neil Peart as a gift. Yes, yes, Geddy Lee's birthday is also the official day Neil Peart joined "Rush". 2. Inspired by the story of the concentration camps where Geddy Lee's parents were staying, Neil Peart wrote the song "Red Sector A". So let's pay homage to the man who has already been crowned a "living legend" by Classic Rock Magazine - Geddy Lee. In honor of the special occasion, here is a link to his excellent solo album: Here. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

The endearing and talented guitarist Steve Morse was born on July 28, 1958. He began his musical career in 1970 with the "Dixie Dregs" who was also one of its founders. The band's musical style is very special and it has combined jazz, southern rock, and progressive, with Morse being its main writer. Together with "Dixie Dregs" he released nine studio albums, until 1994. From 1994 until 2002 he served as a full member of "Deep Purple" in place of Ritchie Blackmore. In this case, too, Morse was a full partner in writing the material for the band and has released eight studio albums with the band. Morse was also a brief member of "Kansas" whom he joined in 1986. On the two albums, he was a member of, "Power" and "In the Spirit of Things" he also contributed extensively to writing. Morse also had an extensive solo career in which he released fourteen albums, most of them with the amazing trio "Steve Morse Band", which Morse formed in 1983. Steve Morse is also a part of quite a few musical projects, the most notable of which are: A. "Living Loud" - The band was formed in 2003 and also includes Jimmy Barnes, Bob Daisley, Lee Kerslake, and Don Airey. B. "Angelfire" - Morse's collaboration with singer Sarah Spencer that began in 2007. C. "Flying Colors" - a supergroup formed in 2011 and includes, among others, Mike Portnoy on drums and Neil Morse on keyboards. Morse has released three excellent studio albums with "Flying Colors". Morse also guest appeared in so many artists albums, such as: Steve Walsh, Liza Minnelli, "Triumph" (In the album "Surveillance"), "Lynyrd Skynyrd", Carmine Appice, Jordan Rudess, Ian Gillan, Jon Lord and many more. In addition to his incredible guitar control, Morse also sings and plays on instruments such as piano, violin, banjo, clarinet, and more. On 23 July 2022, it was announced that he will be leaving "Deep Purple" due to the illness of his wife Janine "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On July 28, 1979, Rainbow's "Down to Earth" album was released. This is the band's fourth studio album and its first without Ronnie James Dio, which was replaced by Graham Bonnet, at the time a fairly anonymous singer who would later also be part of the bands "Michael Schenker Group" and "Alcatrazz". The story of the album actually begins after the release of the previous album, "Long Live Rock 'n' Roll". After the release of the album, the band went on a tour and during it, Ritchie Blackmore and Ronnie James Dio began to discuss the band's future and musical direction. Blackmore wanted to take the band in a more commercial direction, but Dio disagreed with the new line Blackmore was trying to impose on the band. The professional disputes between Blackmore and Dio over the band's musical direction eventually led to the departure of Ronnie James Dio from the band. In December 1978, Ritchie Blackmore begins to write the material for the album in his home. By this time he was already fired bassist Bob Daisley and keyboardist David Stone, so the only player left from the band from the previous album was legendary drummer Cozy Powell. Blackmore recruited Roger Glover, his longtime friend from "Deep Purple", to the position of producer and at the same time began auditioning to fill the positions of the rest of the band members. The first to join the band was keyboardist Don Airey, known for his work with Ozzy Osbourne and later with Deep Purple. As for the role of the singer, several auditions were held but Blackmore did not like any of them. At one point Ritchie Blackmore even considered Ian Gillan as the lead singer, but he ended up following Roger Glover's recommendation of Graham Bonnet that immediately was called to audition. This audition is well engraved in Glover's memory. He remembers that Graham Bonnet was supposed to sing the masterpiece "Mistreated." Bonnet did not know the song and when the band started playing the intro Bonnet was at the other end of the room away from the microphone. Glover feared that Bonnet did not know when he should enter and that he was going to miss it, but as soon as it was time to start singing Bonnet jumped from the edge of the room and roared into the microphone. Everyone was shocked by his voice, especially Don Airey who immediately stopped playing from the shock. Of course, Bonnet was immediately selected by Ritchie Blackmore to fill the role of "Rainbow's" Lead vocalist. The bass role was harder to fill to. The band played during rehearsals with studio session player Clive Chaman and later was joined by Jack Green, but he did not last long, until eventually Roger Glover was forced to perform the bass role during the recordings. He was later added to the band as a full member. It can be said that Ritchie Blackmore was right in choosing the more commercial musical direction, since the album sold very well. It included the band's first successful single, "Since You Been Gone" written by former Argent guitarist Russ Ballard, a song that indeed best illustrates the band's new musical direction and the reason for Dio's departure. Another hit from the album is the famous "All Night Long" whose opening riff is very reminiscent of the classic riff of "Man On the Silver Mountain" from the band's first album - "Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow". Despite the commercial direction this album has taken, there are still sparks of the old and beloved Rainbow, as in the song "Eyes of the World" which is very reminiscent of Dio's "Rising" period. Other notable songs are "Love's No Friend", "Danger Zone", and "Lost in Hollywood", all on the other side of the vinyl which turns out to be the better side of the two. Although this is a good album with a crazy lineup of musicians, and although Graham Bonnet's voice is noteworthy, in our opinion it still pales in comparison to the Ronnie James Dio albums. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website