‎On October 14, 1974, "Jethro Tull" released their seventh studio album, "War Child". ‎After two monumental and ambitious concept albums in which a single continuous piece occupied both sides of the record – 1972's masterful "Thick as a Brick" and 1973's complex and theatrical "A Passion Play" – Ian Anderson and his "Jethro Tull" bandmates found themselves under heavy attack from music critics, especially in the British press. The harsh reviews of "A Passion Play" (itself born from the "Château d'Hérouville" recordings in France) led the band to temporarily announce a break from UK touring, but also prompted Anderson to make a sharp artistic U-turn. ‎Rather than another epic 45-minute work, Ian Anderson decided to return to the format of shorter, tighter and more accessible songs of 3 to 5 minutes on "War Child", some of which were even written with the conscious intention of creating compact songs that could be played on the radio, without sacrificing the sophistication, orchestral arrangements and sharp cynicism that characterize "Jethro Tull". ‎In fact, "War Child" was originally planned as a multimedia project no less ambitious than its predecessors: a soundtrack for a full-length fantasy-surrealist film, for which Anderson wrote a detailed script. The plot told the story of a young girl who is killed in a car accident and arrives in the afterlife, where she meets bizarre allegorical characters, including God, who is portrayed as a shrewd Scottish hotel manager, and Lucifer, who spins her around. The legendary Monty Python actor, John Cleese, was even recruited as a humor consultant for the script, and the band's financial manager was appointed as director. However, the film studios refused to finance the expensive production, the film project was shelved, and Anderson took the orchestral materials and songs recorded at Morgan Studios in London and distilled them into a ten-song rock album. ‎The band's lineup on the album, considered by many to be the classic golden age of "Jethro Tull", collaborated alongside Anderson (vocals, flute, acoustic guitar and saxophone) with virtuoso guitarist Martin Barre, keyboardist John Evan, bassist and childhood friend Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond and phenomenal drummer Barriemore Barlow, alongside the brilliant orchestral arrangements of David Palmer (later Dee Palmer), who gave the album a rich symphonic volume with strings and wind instruments. ‎The album opens with the title song "War Child", which immediately puts you in the cinematic atmosphere of the shelved project with war sound effects and footsteps, before the flute, saxophone and theatrical rhythm take over. It is immediately followed by the rhythmic "Queen and Country" and the charming "Ladies", which showcases "Jethro Tull"s unique combination of acoustic British folk, mandolins and elegant string arrangements. ‎One of the progressive highlights of the first side is "Back-Door Angels", a piece full of dynamic turns, sharp rhythmic transitions by Barriemore Barlow and heavy riffs by Martin Barre, which proves that even in a five-minute frame the band compresses the musical richness of an entire symphony. The first side is closed with "Sealion", an energetic and sweeping song led by Anderson's saxophone and John Evan's bouncy piano playing. ‎The second side of the record opens with one of the band's greatest and most beloved classics – "Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day". Originally recorded during the 1973 French sessions, the song opens with Anderson's acoustic guitar, accordion, and intimate humming, before opening into a moving folk-rock celebration with a philosophical and ecological message about humanity skating on thin ice. ‎It's immediately followed by the album's biggest hit in the States – "Bungle in the Jungle". The catchy, groovy song, which combines a rich string arrangement with analogies from the animal world and the human jungle, catapulted the album to No. 2 on the US Billboard chart and became one of the band's most prominent hallmarks on US radio in the 1970s. ‎Immediately after this radio hit, Anderson delivers the album's deadliest sting: "Only Solitaire". In just a minute and a half of acoustic time, Anderson directly addresses the music critics who killed "A Passion Play" (and especially "Melody Maker" music critic Chris Walsh) and shoots them with sharp arrows for criticizing artists who take risks in the arena from the stands. ‎The two tracks that close the album – the festive "The Third Hoorah" with its Scottish march and simulated bagpipes, and the powerful "Two Fingers" – close a fascinating historical circle. "Two Fingers" is actually a rich, orchestrated reworking of the song "Lick Your Fingers Clean," originally recorded in 1970 during the sessions for the masterpiece "Aqualung" and then left off the album. ‎The iconic album cover also has an amusing story: in the composite photograph of Melbourne (Congo), the Australian city is photographed at night in negative color, and the band members, crew members, friends and Anderson's then-wife, Jenny Franks, appear reflected on the image - with the figure of a girl wrapped in the British flag (the "War Child") standing in the center. ‎Although at the time there were those who saw "War Child" as a lighter album after the prog giants that preceded it, the test of time proves that this is one of the most diverse, enjoyable and polished albums in the "Jethro Tull" catalog - the perfect connecting link between the progressive theatricality of the early 70s and the masterful folk-rock works that would come later in the decade. ‎For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Editor's Choice... And this time, "Sign Of The Hammer" the fourth album from "Manowar", which was released on October 15, 1984. According to the band, much of the material came from the same sessions as "Hail to England". A limited budget and uncertainty about their next studio opportunity encouraged them to record as much as possible. The title track was written later after their new label requested another song, and recorded at "The Manor" in England. That late addition also gave the album its name. On the one hand this album delivers Power metal that will break your bones, with songs like "Thor (The Powerhead)", "The Oath" and "Animals", and on the other hand epic, melodic and immortal ballads like "Mountains" and "Guyana (Cult of the Damned)". This is the album that really does it for us from the band's huge catalog and it's important to us that you do not miss it. This album is different and unique from the variety of "Manowar" albums. It starts with the minimalist cover, which exceptionally to the band's catalog does not include formidable Vikings, hammers, and swords (take out Thor's hammer symbol). It continues with more diverse and mature content, which for the first time does not include warfare, Nord mythology, swords, and sorcery. And it ends with a cohesive and immature sound that still manages to devoid the excess production that will take over the band from the next album. This is the band's fourth album in just two years, and one should be overwhelmed by the band's burst of creativity, and the fact it managed to release a large number of excellent albums in such a short period. The album features a crazy sequence of great songs: "All Men Play on 10", which some say is a hint of the band's guitar amplifiers that were always tuned for maximum volume, "Animal" which swelled with Eric Adams' "animal screams", and includes great guitar work by Ross the Boss, "Thor (The Powerhead)" which is one of the band's great songs, written about the god Thor and his formidable hammer, the melting "Mountains" which stretches over almost 8 minutes and features excellent bass playing by Joey DeMaio, "The Oath" with the fast-paced rhythm on the verge of Speed ​​Metal and of course the chilling "Guyana (Cult of the Damned)" which tells the story of the mass suicide that took place in 1978 in Jim Jones' cult. And it is impossible of course without Joey DeMaio's famous bass solo which this time surpasses itself with "Thunderpick", which on the one hand stands out beautifully on its own, and on the other hand, serves as the perfect intro to the song "Guyana (Cult of the Damned)". This album strives for metallic perfection. It's probably the band's best at the time and one of its best ever. So if you do not know the band and crave for a great metal album or whether you claim to be one of the "Manowarriors" but have skipped this album we recommend you listen to it here: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On October 15, 1976, "Electric Light Orchestra (ELO)" released their sixth studio album, "A New World Record", in the United States. The album followed in the United Kingdom on November 19, 1976, and in hindsight it is easy to understand why this was the record that became a turning point for "ELO". By 1976 the band had already achieved significant success in America, but its relationship with the British audience was more complicated. The previous three studio albums had failed to enter the UK Albums Chart, while American listeners had already embraced the unusual combination of guitars, piano, strings and pop melodies. "Face the Music" from 1975 marked the point where the sound began to come together, but on "A New World Record" all the pieces finally locked into place: focused, melodic and packed with hits, yet still ambitious enough to remain unmistakably "ELO". At the center of it all was once again Jeff Lynne, who wrote the songs, produced the album and continued shaping the band around a very clear vision. The main sessions took place in July 1976 at "Musicland Studios" in Munich, with Reinhold Mack engineering, while the orchestral and choir overdubs were added at "De Lane Lea" in London. Louis Clark conducted the orchestral arrangements, and Lynne was joined by the classic lineup of the period: Richard Tandy on keyboards, Kelly Groucutt on bass and vocals, Bev Bevan on drums, Mik Kaminski on violin, and Hugh McDowell and Melvyn Gale on cello. Patti Quatro, Brie Brandt and Addie Lee also contributed backing vocals without receiving credit on the original sleeve. The major difference from some of "ELO"'s earlier material is that the orchestra no longer sounds like a layer placed on top of a rock band. It has become part of the rhythm, the hooks and the structure of the songs themselves. The album runs for just over 36 minutes and contains only nine tracks, so even when the arrangements are dense, the music rarely feels bloated. This is large-scale music written inside compact forms, and that tension is one of the secrets of its charm. The cover also announced a new beginning. Designer John Kosh, formerly the art director of "Apple Records", created the familiar circular "ELO" logo here for the first time, inspired by the shape of the front of a Wurlitzer jukebox. According to Kosh, the background came from his memory of seeing the Northern Lights while flying over the Arctic region. The logo would later evolve into the spaceship most closely associated with the band, but here it still feels like the emblem of a new world just beginning to open. The opening track "Tightrope" works almost like a statement of intent. It begins with a dark and mysterious orchestral atmosphere, with choir and synthesizers raising the curtain on something larger than life. Then, after more than a minute, everything drops into a tight rock groove. That is the album's central trick: not choosing between symphony and pop, but forcing both to work inside the same song. The melody is bright, yet underneath it sits the feeling of someone trying to keep their balance while the ground is moving. Next comes "Telephone Line", one of Jeff Lynne's finest ballads. During the sessions it carried the joking working title "Bad Salad Telephone", but the finished production is anything but a joke. To recreate the American ringback tone the band knew from its success in the United States, they called their American office, listened to the sound and then reproduced it on a synthesizer rather than sampling it. The narrow mono effect on Lynne's voice at the start was also added later at "Cherokee Studios" in Los Angeles, before the mix gradually opens into stereo. It is a small piece of technology serving a very human emotion: you can almost feel someone waiting at the other end of a line that will never be answered. On "Rockaria!", Lynne pushes the idea of orchestral rock to its most playful extreme. Opera singer Mary Thomas steps into a rock and roll song connected directly to the tradition of Chuck Berry, and instead of sounding like a gimmick, the collision works because the band plays it with complete conviction. Thomas's famous "Oops!" came from one of the studio takes, and Lynne decided to leave it in the final version. The moment punctures the grandeur at exactly the right time and reminds us that beneath all the sophisticated arrangements, "ELO" still had a sense of humor. Side one closes with "Mission (A World Record)", a slower and more reflective piece that sounds like a report from an outsider observing Earth. The synthesizers, strings and layered voices create an almost science-fiction atmosphere, but instead of using it as an excuse for another orchestral explosion, the band lets the song float. It is one of the moments that reminds us that beneath the hit singles there was still a group with roots in progressive rock and psychedelia. Side two opens with "So Fine", where the breadth of the band's musical vocabulary becomes even clearer. The clavinet and rhythm section pull the track in a funkier direction, the vocals are stacked in layers, and the strings no longer lead the song but move in and out of the groove. In retrospect, it also hints at the more polished and rhythm-driven direction that would become increasingly important to "ELO" later on. Then comes "Livin' Thing", one of the songs that defines the band. Mik Kaminski's violin opening, the sharp strings, the backing vocals and the enormous chorus come together in a song that feels as if it had always existed. The story behind the lyrics was far less carefully planned. Jeff Lynne recalled that the original version was about a holiday in Spain, but he hated what he had written, erased the vocals and harmonies and came up with new lyrics in roughly half an hour. Over the years the song attracted all kinds of interpretations, including claims that it was about abortion, but Lynne rejected those readings and made it clear there was no hidden political statement. What it certainly became was a huge hit and the band's first single to reach the UK Top 5. After all that intensity, "Above the Clouds" is a breath of air lasting just over two minutes. There is something almost McCartney-like in its affection for a simple melody and small harmonic shifts, while the dreamy arrangement gives it the feeling of a miniature designed to reset the ear before the final two tracks. On an album where almost every song wants to be an event, its modest scale is precisely what makes it essential. On "Do Ya", Jeff Lynne returns to his own past. The song was first recorded in 1972 by "The Move", remained part of "ELO"'s live repertoire, and the audience response convinced him to record it again so that it would unmistakably become a song of the new band. The massive riff remains at the center, but the 1976 arrangement adds the orchestral weight and production precision that now defined "ELO". This is not simply a self-cover, but a bridge between where Lynne came from and the melodic machine he had now built. The closing "Shangri-La" returns the album to cinematic dimensions. It is a slow, rich and aching farewell song that at one point directly references "The Beatles" and "Hey Jude". Instead of ending with another compact hit, "ELO" chooses to disappear into layers of voices, strings and longing. In a way, it already looks ahead to the even larger scale that would arrive the following year, but without losing the intimacy of a song about something coming to an end. British critics also understood in real time that something had changed. "Melody Maker" and "NME" praised the way the orchestral complexity no longer came at the expense of the melodies, but instead served them. The public agreed: the album reached No. 5 in the United States and No. 6 in the United Kingdom, where it remained on the chart for 100 weeks. "Livin' Thing", "Rockaria!" and "Telephone Line" all became major UK hits, while in the United States "Telephone Line" also became the band's first gold single. If "Face the Music" was the album where "ELO" found the machine, "A New World Record" is the album where it learned how to operate it without letting us hear the gears grind. It is less expansive than "Out of the Blue" and less focused on the dance floor than "Discovery", but that concentration is exactly what makes it one of the band's most complete albums. Nine songs, almost no wasted moments, and a rare point of balance where symphonic ambition and pop craftsmanship meet. Even today, "A New World Record" still sounds like an album that discovered a formula many bands would have exhausted through repetition, while "ELO" was only beginning to understand how far it could be taken. This was not merely the album that returned the band to the UK Albums Chart and established its international standing. It was the moment when Jeff Lynne's new world gained shape, color and a logo, and began to sound like the future. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On October 14, 1985 "Triumph" released their live album "Stages". "Triumph’s" "Stages" is a live double album that offers fans a chance to experience the band’s exhilarating performances from 1981 to 1985. While it captures much of the energy and musicianship that made "Triumph" a live staple, it falls short of the lasting impact seen in some of the classic live albums of the era, and there are key reasons for that. Unlike other live albums that focus on a single concert or tour, "Stages" is composed of performances recorded over several years, from different venues during the band's tours for "Allied Forces" (1981), "Never Surrender" (1983) and "Thunder Seven" (1984). This patchwork approach results in a lack of continuity between songs, with audience noise fading in and out awkwardly, creating a sense that the album is more of a compilation than a cohesive live experience. The transitions, while not entirely jarring, do affect the flow, making it difficult for the listener to feel immersed in a single concert atmosphere. This production choice may have contributed to "Stages" not achieving the classic status of other live albums from the same period, such as "Scorpions'" "World Wide Live" or "Live After Death" by "Iron Maiden" which was released the same day. However, the song selection is still strong. The album features "Triumph's" best-known songs like “Magic Power,” “Lay It on the Line,” "Follow Your Heart", "Never Surrender" and “Fight the Good Fight,” allowing listeners to hear these radio staples in an energized live setting. The performances are tight, with Rik Emmett’s virtuosic guitar playing shining through on extended solos, and Gil Moore and Mike Levine locking in a powerful rhythm section. As expected from a live album of that time, the two highlight moments of "Stages" is Gil Moore’s drum solo on "A World of Fantasy," a thrilling moment that demonstrates his technical prowess and power behind the kit, and the crazy Rik Emmett guitar solo during "Rock & Roll Machine," that proves his versatile playing and great technique. Given the disjointed nature of the live recordings, "Triumph" seemed aware of the album's limitations. As a result, they made the decision to include two new studio tracks: "Mind Games" and "Empty Inside." These songs add a fresh dimension to the album, possibly an attempt to give Stages a broader appeal and to compensate for the fragmented live material. While not groundbreaking, these studio tracks are a welcome addition, giving the album a sense of novelty for fans who might have already owned most of the live songs in their studio form. Overall, "Stages" succeeds in showcasing "Triumph's" raw talent and their blend of hard rock, progressive elements, and melodic hooks. Still, its impact is somewhat diluted by the inconsistency in the recording sources. While it's not the definitive live album that "Triumph" could have delivered, it remains an essential listen for fans who want to experience the band in a live setting during their peak years and want to own their two new songs in their discography. Despite its flaws, the album offers enough strong performances and memorable moments to stand as an important part of "Triumph's" discography. For those of you who want to feel a cohesive live experience by "Triumph", you should probably try "Triumph - Live at the US Festival". For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On October 14, 1977, "Genesis" released their second live album "Seconds Out". The album was recorded at a crucial juncture in the band's evolution. Most of the album was captured during the "Wind & Wuthering" tour at the Palais des Sports in Paris between June 11–14, 1977, with one exception: “The Cinema Show,” recorded in 1976 during the "A Trick of the Tail" tour with Bill Bruford on drums. This album also marks the last "Genesis" performance with guitarist Steve Hackett, which left the band during the albums' mixing process, making it as a significant moment in their "Genesis" history. Musically, "Seconds Out" showcases the band’s technical prowess and their ability to recreate their intricate studio compositions in a live setting. The album predominantly features songs from the Phil Collins era with 5 of the 12 song coming from the "A Trick of the Tail" and "Wind & Wuthering" albums, but it also representing the highlights from the Peter Gabriel era of "Genesis". By this point, Phil Collins firmly established as the band’s lead vocalist, brings his distinctive voice and energetic drumming to the forefront. His performances of older Gabriel-era songs such as "The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway", "I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe)" and "The Cinema Show" display his ability to make these classic pieces his own, while maintaining their dramatic essence. Context from a 1976 performance: Phil Collins sings "Fly on a Windshield" and "Broadway Melody of 1974" during the "A Trick of the Tail" tour. More than that, in our opinion Phil Collins' vocals take center stage. While Collins' vocal range is somewhat more limited, particularly in the lower tones, he proves that he is more than capable of stepping into the role previously held by Peter Gabriel. Although he lacks Gabriel's theatrical qualities, he manage to bring a fresh energy to the songs. His performance on the 24-minute epic "Supper’s Ready" is particularly impressive, as he seamlessly inhabits the role Gabriel once filled, demonstrating his ability to deliver the song's complex shifts in mood and intensity. Collins' command over the dramatic elements of the song, coupled with his emotional range, shows what a skilled vocalist he had become by this point. The album is filled with many highlights, including "Dance on a Volcano...", the closing section from "The Musical Box" and of course "Firth of Fifth," where the band delivers a technically precise rendition. However, it is worth noting that the live version lacks Tony Banks' iconic piano intro from the original studio recording, and Gabriel's flute solo is also absent. Despite these omissions, the performance retains the song's majestic feel, driven by Banks' synthesizer work and Hackett's soaring mind-blowing guitar solo, which remains a key moment. Other tracks, such as "The Carpet Crawlers", "Afterglow" and "Squonk," are played with both precision and emotional weight. The drumming, particularly during the powerful instrumental “Los Endos,” where Collins and Chester Thompson perform a dynamic drum duet, stands out as a showcase of the band’s rhythmic tightness. As for the song picking, the band knew that fitting their entire setlist on two vinyl records was impossible, so several key pieces were cut from the final tracklist, including "One for the Vine," "Inside and Out" (release just few weeks before the shows), "Eleventh Earl of Mar," and the fan-favorite "The Knife," which closed many of the shows. Despite these omissions, "Seconds Out" remains a definitive live document of "Genesis" during their transitional period from progressive rock to a more streamlined sound. The production quality on "Seconds Out" is excellent, offering a clear and balanced sound that highlights each instrument's contribution. Steve Hackett's guitar work, while a bit low in the mix at times , adds a textured layer that complements Banks' lush keyboard arrangements and Mike Rutherford's steady bass lines and 12-string guitar fills. In many ways, "Seconds Out" serves as a retrospective of "Genesis'" progressive rock years while simultaneously pointing towards their future direction. With Hackett’s departure shortly after the tour, the band would start to shift toward a more commercial, pop-oriented sound in the coming years. However, this album captures them at their progressive rock peak, blending the theatricality of the Gabriel era with the more polished musicianship of the Collins-fronted period. Despite the missing tracks and a few small adjustments missing in the mixing process, "Seconds Out" remains an essential live album for "Genesis" fans, offering a snapshot of the band at the height of their progressive rock powers and at a pivotal moment in their history. It’s a powerful, emotionally resonant album that bridges their past and future, showcasing the enduring talent that would carry them into the next phase of their career. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On October 14, 1994, the album "No Quarter: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant Unledded" was released. Here are 27 interesting facts about it: 1. Although most of the songs on the album are of "Led Zeppelin" and although Jimmy Page and Robert Plant participate in it, it is not a reunion album by of mother band. 2. Page and Plant added three musicians to the project. Bassist Charlie Jones, drummer Michael Lee and another banjo and guitar player Porl Thompson. 3. The additional guitar and banjo player Porl Thompson is also the guitarist and keyboardist of the band "The Cure". 4. Bass player Charlie Jones is the son in law of Robert Plant. He is married to his daughter Carmen Jane Plant. 5. Bassist Charlie Jones and drummer Michael Lee played in Robert Plants backing band as part of his solo career. 6. In addition, the band is accompanied by a Moroccan string orchestra of 29 members and an Egyptian ensemble of 12 musicians. 7. Page and Plant did not even inform John Paul Jones about the mini-union and he learned about it from the media. 8. At the time John Paul Jones was on a tour with avant-garde singer Diamanda Galas. 9. Multi-instrumentalist John Paul Jones was very upset that his friends did not tell him about the mini re-union, especially in light of the fact that they chose to crown the album and show as "No Quarter", which is a song mostly written by him and very much identified with his sound. 10. This album was part of MTV's unplugged project, although much of the songs played on it were completely electric. 11. Although this is not actually an unplugged show, it has become the most watched show in the "MTV Unplugged" series. 12. The songs that ultimately came closest to being "Unplugged" in this show were actually the special versions of the songs "Nobody's Fault But Mine" and "No Quarter" that were fundamentally different from the original. 13. Although the original recording of the song "No Quarter" is full with keyboards played by John Paul Jones, the show version does not include keyboards at all. 14. The show was recorded in three different locations. Morocco (three songs), Wales (two songs) and London. 15. The expectation for the mini re-union show was so great that the companies Pepsi and Coca-Cola were among the companies that sought to sponsor it. They were rejected by Jimmy Page and Robert Plant. 16. On the occasion of the show, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant wrote four new songs: "City Don't Cry", "Yallah (The Truth Explodes)", "Wah Wah" and "Wonderful One". 17. Following the positive reactions from the show, Jimmy Page and Robert Plant continued with the momentum and released in 1998 a joint album called "Walking into Clarksdale". 18. The ensemble of musicians that accompanied the band in the mini-union show continued with them to the album and the performances that accompanied it. 19. The meeting between Page and Plant who created the mini-union took place in 1993, while Jimmy Page was on a tour to promote his album Coverdale/Page with David Coverdale. 20. Page surprised Plant in his hotel room in Boston and offered him to work together. 21. At the time, Plant was in the midst of a tour promoting his album "Fate of Nations" and performed two consecutive nights at the Orpheum Theater in Boston. 22. When the two received an offer from MTV to record a show for their unplugged series, their condition was that the show would not be an Unplugged show. 23. The idea to explore Middle Eastern and especially Moroccan music came, among other things, from Plant's musical direction in his latest (then) album “Fate Of Nations” which included Moroccan motifs. 24. Another inspiration for the oriental connection that this show has was Plant and Page's visit to India in 1972, where they recorded versions of the songs "Four Sticks" and "Friends" with the Bombay Symphony. 25. Indian singer Najma Akhtar who as part of the show sang the singing roles of singer Sandy Denny in the song "The Battle Of Evermore", became after the show the girlfriend of Robert Plant. 26. The album version includes 14 songs, with the DVD version having three more songs: "What Is And What Should Never Be", "The Rain Song" and "When the Levee Breaks". 27. In 2004, a new version of the album was released. It omitted the song "Thank You" at the expense of the song "The Rain Song". In addition, the song "Yallah" received the name "The Truth Explodes". If you have not bothered to listen to the album until now , we recommend that you at least listen to the special performance of the songs "Since I've Been Loving You" and "Kashmir" from it, in our opinion they have added value. For Listening: YouTube, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Do you know Nimrod? The one who lives in the third house right down the street, you probably do not really know him. You may have seen him on the street once or remembered what he wore but you did not really get to know him. We are almost certain that this is also what happened to you with "Green Day's" fifth album released on October 14, 1997. An album that was not a huge success and not one of the most prominent in the band's discography, but you must have heard the song "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" from it and one more thing, it is a very important record for the band itself. A year after the meteoric success of the album "Dookie", the fourth album "Insomniac" was released and the band members continued to gallop on the wave of success as they embarked on an intense tour around the world. During this tour, the band moved from performing in medium and large clubs to arenas and large stadiums. The process took place very quickly and already in the middle of the tour the band members found themselves performing in large stadiums with fame and success enveloping them not softly. They found themselves at the center of exactly the same things they hated and disliked, the filthy feeling and strong longing for home made them make a decision and cancel the last part of the tour. Towards the end of 1996, they packed their bags, canceled the remaining performances, and returned home. Returning home and aversion to the magnitude of the success led Billie Joe Armstrong and the rest of the band to create the album they had always been waiting to create. An album that is not subject to any restrictions, definitions, constraints, guidelines, music style, or other constraints. Billy said he had been thinking about this album for the 6 years before it, they were all waiting to make a different album. They could not do this before because they did not feel ready or confident or the success did not allow them but now they did not care at all and created the album they so wanted. An album where they can explore and experiment with styles and elements that they did not use in the previous albums, such as acoustic songs, songs with influences from Surf Rock, Ska Punk, Hardcore Punk, and songs with strings. (Photo: Green Day) The band members said that on the previous albums, every time they played and started wonder around to other places and spaces they immediately returned to the theme of the album and made sure to focus on the style and theme of the album. This time they did not and each time they slipped into other areas they just kept flowing with each other until a base for the song was formed. Producer Rob Cavallo who also worked with them on the previous album (which was not a dizzying success) also worked with them on this album and his job was to be a mentor and support them in the new areas and new experiences. Therefore, each song on the album has its own character, it sounds different from its predecessor and there is no single thread or style that connects them all. For example: "Nice Guys Finish Last" The strong punk song that opens the album is supposed to be the connection to the previous album, which suppose to hold you not to fall straight from the chair or legs. The next song "All the Time" is already going more toward hard rock and slowing down a bit. In "King for a Day" you already understand that the train is not going to stop at the regular stations because the trumpets herald otherwise but do not worry the DNA remains. The song "Last Ride In" sounds like a taken from a scene in a James Bond or Kill Bill movie. The song "Walking Alone" has a beautiful use of the harmonica and the song that came out as the second single from the album and was a resounding success is the acoustic song "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)". The band members spent four months recording the album and created over 30 songs, of which 18 entered the album. Also in terms of lyrics, Billy has gone out into other spaces and he is starting to talk about more mature topics than in previous albums, topics like growing up, and his role as a father and husband. The song “The Grouch” addresses his fear of losing things in life like his principles, his health, and his own character. In the song "Hitchin a Ride", he talks about his inner struggles to stay sober and free of alcohol. The song "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" was inspired by a failed relationship when the lady left to enlist in the Peace Corps. Billy said that unlike the form of writing on previous albums, for this album he wrote all the songs first on acoustic guitar, and only then did the rest of the band join and make it what it is. The tour to promote the album was also done in a different way. The band members decided not to add additional instruments and musicians to the stage as they appear on the album, but to remain in the band's lineup only. Also in terms of size, they decided to keep the performances for medium and big clubs but not stadiums, arenas, or festivals. An "exceptional" event opened the tour when the band was scheduled to perform at the Tower Records music store in Manhattan as a grand opening for the tour. The band members got upset when they read reviews that indicated that the band had lost the strong punk that so characterized it, and during the first songs a commotion started !! Armstrong then spray-painted the words "Fuck" and "Nimrod" in black on the shop windows, continuing to expose his buttocks in front of a crowd of 1,400 people. After an even bigger commotion erupted on the spot, Tré Cool threw his bass drum into the crowd while Armstrong tried to throw the monitor but got a stubborn fight from the store manager. No indictments were filed and no casualties were reported, but the store was closed for the day to repair the damage caused. Festive opening no? If you have asked yourself what the name of the album means and who is "Nimrod", then we will tell you that this is the name of a character from the Bible that in American English has become a nickname for a stupid or dull person. Listen to the album on: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Podcast Follow us on Facebook or Subscribe to our website

Well, this is without a doubt one of the best Heavy Metal live albums, maybe even the best of them! "Live After Death" by "Iron Maiden" was released on October 14, 1985. After the release of "Powerslave" in 1984, it was already clear to even the greatest skeptics that "Iron Maiden" is the biggest heavy metal band in the world. As befits its status, "Iron Maiden" has embarked on its biggest tour, one of the longest and most intense for a rock band to date. The "World Slavery Tour" began in Warsaw on August 9, 1984, and lasted 331 days, during which no less than 187 performances were made. During the tour, the band visited places where they had not performed before and was among the first major Western rock bands to bring a full production on an extensive tour behind the "Iron Curtain". The highlight of the tour was the band's performance in Rio, where they played for the first time in front of an audience of no less than 300,000 people !!! Both the stage and the set were grandiose on every scale and corresponded with the main theme of the album "Powerslave" - Ancient Egypt. The stage was adorned with Egyptian sarcophagi and hieroglyphics, and a mighty representation of Eddie as a mummy that towered proudly above the stage. The show itself included effects and invested pyrotechnics including the character of Eddie who came to life at the height of the show and emerged from the mummy. The combination of the amazing scenery, the length of the show, and the careful selection of songs, together with the theatricality, virtuosity, and meticulous playing of the band members, have made this tour one of the best and most famous tours of "Iron Maiden". Under these circumstances, the expectations from the band to release a live album that would sum up the tour were high, especially when by that time the band had not released any official live album ("Maiden Japan" was an EP from the Di'Anno era that included 4-5 songs). The double album documents the band's performances at the Long Beach Arena in California, from March 14 to 17, 1985, when the fourth side of the album was recorded during the band's performances at the Hammersmith Odeon in London on 8, 9, 10 and 12 October 1984. This album gives us a glimpse into how this mighty band sounds and looks at its peak (the Long Beach shows were also recorded on video and released on VHS). A live album that conveys directly and authentically what was happening on stage. A live album that really sounds "alive". The band's classic lineup that includes Steve Harris, Dave Murray, Adrian Smith, Bruce Dickinson, and Nicko McBrain sounds direct, tight, and remarkably accurate here (except for Bruce Dickinson's little stumbles when sounded a bit strenuous in some of the songs, and rumor has it he was sick while recording them). The chemistry between the five friends is well felt and even those who do not watch the VHS tape knew to tell that it just goes through the speakers. The song list consists of the band's best "hits" from all five albums it has released so far. From the iconic opening with the speech of Winston Churchill which puts us in the gates of "Aces High", we are witnessing a heavy bombardment of hits: "2 Minutes to Midnight", "The Trooper", "Flight of Icarus", "The Number of the Beast", "Run to the Hills", "22 Acacia Avenue", "Children of the Damned", "Hallowed Be Thy Name". The Paul Di'Anno era is also well represented with "Wrathchild, "Running Free", "Phantom of the Opera" and of course "Iron Maiden" and it's impossible without mentioning the two epic songs "Powerslave" and "Rime of the Ancient Mariner" that apparently steal the show. This amazing show is conducted by a magician-producer Martin Birch whose abilities have already been proven on the band's studio albums, but he also knows a thing or two about producing live albums, he nevertheless worked on one of the best - "Made in Japan" by "Deep Purple". This short summary would not be perfect if we did not mention the album cover which is one of the most beautiful and meticulous the band has ever created. Derek Riggs painted Eddie rising from the grave and next to him is his tombstone engraved with an alleged quote from "H. P. Lovecraft" when this time the painting also has the back cover and includes a lot of hints and mentions from previous covers. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On October 14, 2022, "Alter Bridge" released "Pawns & Kings", their seventh studio album. From the very first riff, it is clear that this quartet has returned hungry. The guitars cut deep, the drums drive forward, and Myles Kennedy's voice rises above all that weight without losing the vulnerability that made us fall in love with it in the first place. After the electronic colors of "Walk the Sky", this album restores the direct connection between strings, amplifiers, and the hands playing them. The result is one of the band's most convincing marriages of melodic hard rock, metallic weight, and songwriting willing to venture beyond familiar territory. In our reviews of "Blackbird" and "Fortress", we followed the way Myles and Mark Tremonti evolved from two gifted musicians into a true creative partnership. Here, their roles have become increasingly difficult to separate. Anyone assuming that the heavy riffs always come from our "Texas Chainsaw" and that Myles handles the softer moments is in for a surprise: both the aggressive opener and the title track grew from Myles' ideas. Part of the band's power comes from their ability to keep surprising one another after so many years together. The road to this album passed through the enforced pause of the pandemic, which cut short the "Walk the Sky" touring cycle. The band's two main songwriters, however, hardly sat at home waiting. Myles released "The Ides of March", while "Tremonti" delivered "Marching In Time". In our review of the latter, we emphasized how much Mark had developed as a singer, and how naturally he was combining tough riffs with affecting melodies. Here, we can hear that experience feeding back into the band and enriching its music. In the spring of 2022, the members gathered at "Studio Barbarosa" in Florida with their longtime producer Michael "Elvis" Baskette. The key decision was to reduce the weight of layered production and make sure the songs could stand on their riffs, melodies, and arrangements. The sound remains big and polished, but there is more room to feel the bite of the guitars and the rhythm work of bassist Brian Marshall and drummer Scott Phillips. Mark explained that they arrived with 16 songs, arranged 14, and recorded 12, with ten making the final cut. Across roughly 54 minutes, the album leaves room for direct, immediate songs as well as three tracks exceeding six minutes. "This Is War" kicks the door open. Its dramatic introduction gives way to a dense rhythmic assault, with guitars surrounding the vocals from every direction. Despite the combative title, Myles described an internal struggle with self-doubt and anxiety, inspired by a dream. The chorus gives that struggle a sense of resolve. We hear someone gathering strength to face the enemy within. It is an opening that immediately sets the standard for both power and emotion. "Dead Among the Living" follows with a bouncing riff and a broad chorus, reminding us how effectively the band can offer encouragement without softening its music. Mark wanted to recapture the energy of "Come to Life" from "Blackbird", while Myles directed the lyrics toward someone who had already given up on themselves. We especially love the way the rhythm pulls forward as the vocals seem to reach out a hand to the listener. It is a push to break free of inertia, wrapped in guitars that refuse to stand still. On "Silver Tongue", the words and the playing lock together. The jagged riff and sharp stops set up an addictive chorus, while Myles inhabits a charismatic manipulator capable of convincing others to act on his behalf and take the fall. The temptation is embedded in the music itself. The chorus sounds so inviting that we can get drawn in before noticing the venom in the speaker's words. It is one of the album's strongest singles, and the animated video gives that threat a fitting visual form. With "Sin After Sin", the band moves deeper into the shadows. Its heavy riff rides an insistent pulse, and the spaces between the blows allow the tension to accumulate. Myles addresses hypocrisy and someone hiding their darker nature behind a virtuous facade. We feel that the song earns its length. It gives suspicion and anger time to seep in before the melody opens up above the weight of the guitars. Then comes "Stay", with Mark stepping up to the microphone. Anyone who has read our review of "Marching In Time" already knows how much we love this voice, and here it gives the album a warm, accessible moment. His delivery has a directness that brings home the message of making the most of the time we share with someone we love, while Myles joins in and broadens the picture. We appreciate the restraint here. The song relies on its chord progression and melody, without needing a solo to steal the spotlight. "Holiday" brings a smiling groove and a sense of release. Myles linked its inspiration partly to the Great Resignation after the pandemic, and to the question of whether life offers more than endless work. There is something amusing about a group of workaholics singing about the need to slow down. Within an album filled with struggles, this breather feels welcome before what comes next. On "Fable of the Silent Son", we get a journey lasting more than eight minutes, which, at the time of the album's release, was the longest song the band had recorded, even surpassing the title track of "Blackbird". The gentle opening invites us closer, before the heavy guitars transform the entire space. The shifts between quiet vulnerability and eruption, the exchanges between the guitars, and the central instrumental passage create a drama with a clear sense of direction. We can hear the musicians pushing one another, with drums and bass giving each change a tangible weight. The lyrics of "Fable of the Silent Son" concern passing on lessons learned through mistakes and pain, in the hope that someone else can avoid the same path. That makes the return to quieter moments feel essential. After all the turmoil, a human voice remains, trying to reach another person. For us, this is the heart of the album, where the ambition associated with "Fortress" meets the emotional depth we love so much in this band. Give this piece time. Its power grows as it becomes more familiar. After that peak, "Season of Promise" offers a brighter melody and a touch of '90s rock, with a message about passing wisdom between generations. The transition is a little abrupt, but it allows us to catch our breath before "Last Man Standing". Here, the rhythmic twists and guitar parts bring back the tension, while the lyrics examine the cost of material ambition. The question left hanging is what reaching the summit is worth if, along the way, we have abandoned everything that made us human. The closing title track, "Pawns & Kings", which was also the first single, draws all the threads together. It is an anthem for the underdog, built around a David-and-Goliath idea, yet its music refuses to settle for a predictable formula. It builds, changes direction, opens into a towering chorus, and leaves room for the playing to expand the story. After an album exploring influence, hypocrisy, inner conflict, and the cost of success, this ending leaves us feeling that something on the board can still be moved... The artwork by Daniel Tremonti also brings light and shadow together, with a bridge, a snake, and a chess piece crowned with a skull. To us, it fits the album's world. Temptation and power on one side, the possibility of change on the other. We can also see it as a reminder of the band's identity, returning here to the foundations of its sound and continuing to build upon them. Released through "Napalm Records", the album reached number six on the UK Albums Chart. It strengthened the band's position as a group capable of keeping its loyal audience while giving it fresh reasons to be excited. For us, "Pawns & Kings" stands out for its balance between the immediate pleasure of the shorter songs and the depth of the longer pieces. Not every chorus is equally surprising, but when this quartet stretches its boundaries, it reminds us exactly why we keep following it. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or subscribe to our website

Written by: Moti Kupfer Release date - 14.10.1977 "Even if a sharp sword rests upon a person’s neck, he should not prevent himself from praying for mercy." Just before the point of no return, David Bowie left the seductive, all-too-accessible world of Los Angeles for cold, inward-looking Berlin. The move saved his life and his career, setting in motion a transformation that would influence countless new wave artists a few years later. "Heroes", the second album in his Berlin Trilogy, was released on October 14, 1977. In the early seventies, Bowie reinvented himself as Ziggy Stardust. Ziggy and his Spiders gradually conquered London with glam rock and mesmerizing costumes. Along the way, he also extended a helping hand to a band he loved, "Mott the Hoople". By the middle of the decade, he was reinventing himself again in Philadelphia, embracing what he called "plastic soul". Bowie successfully moved from glam rock into blue-eyed soul and American R&B on "Young Americans", before adopting the Thin White Duke persona during the "Station to Station" period. But his move to Los Angeles also brought an addiction to a troublesome new companion: cocaine. His extraordinary output over such a short period, coupled with the limitless possibilities Los Angeles offered, pushed the young British musician to the brink of collapse. Bowie had to bring everything to a halt. He felt like a car hurtling toward the end of a dead-end road, with a precipice just beyond it. So he turned toward the relative quiet of West Berlin. Bowie was running from drugs, from the darkness Los Angeles had planted in his heart, and from the uncertainty America stirred in him. He brought his friend Iggy Pop along, and together the two addicts fled to West Berlin to get clean and rebuild their lives. Berlin was then divided between East and West. Bowie traded California sunshine for the Cold War, a world where everything was within reach for the quieter rhythms of Berlin. If anything helped him leave the chaos behind, it was the city’s artists and musicians, and the sheer joy of creating. In Berlin, Bowie encountered a mix of "Kraftwerk" electronics and the electronic rock of "Neu!". He heard "Hero" by "Neu!", while carrying with him his love of "The Velvet Underground" and "I’m Waiting for the Man". Those influences echo in the background of "Heroes", but Bowie and Brian Eno transformed them into a work with an identity of its own. This electronic discovery, fueled in large part by Eno, encouraged Bowie to give synthesizers a greater role in his songs. On the title track, his abrasive, almost desperate singing blends with synthesizers, Robert Fripp’s floating guitar, and the natural reverberation of the room, captured by three microphones producer Tony Visconti placed at different distances from him. The more distant microphones opened up as Bowie sang louder. This mixture of electronics, rock, and guitars helped shape a sound that would pave the way for new wave. "Heroes" was inspired by a pair of lovers Bowie saw kissing beside the Berlin Wall from "Hansa", the studios where the album was recorded. Bowie and Visconti later confirmed that the lovers were the album’s backing vocalist Antonia Maass and Visconti himself, who was married at the time. Bowie kept their identities secret for years to protect his friend. Unwilling to repeat what he had done before, Bowie created a revolutionary album that was not easy to digest. Its first half consists of cool-edged funk and rock songs, while the second is largely instrumental and experimental, bringing synthesizers to the foreground. It also includes a tribute to "Kraftwerk" and band member Florian Schneider in "V-2 Schneider". The guitars of Carlos Alomar and Fripp, George Murray’s bass, and Dennis Davis’s drumming preserve the groove and warmth even as the album’s cool, experimental atmosphere takes hold. The album cover was photographed by Japanese photographer Masayoshi Sukita. It nods to German Expressionism and the work of painter Erich Heckel, particularly "Roquairol". Heckel was a member of "Die Brücke", a group that sought to bridge the traditions of the past and a modern, expressive approach to art. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel’s Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram and/or subscribe to our website

Singer, guitarist, and songwriter Paul Simon celebrates his birthday today! (Photo: Hutton Archives) From the folk harmonies of the 1960s, through the studios of Jamaica and South Africa, to his later acoustic works. Here are 63 facts about Simon, one of popular music's most influential and inquisitive songwriters. 1. He was born Paul Frederic Simon on October 13, 1941, in Newark, New Jersey, to a Jewish family of Hungarian ancestry. 2. His father, Louis Simon, was a double bass player and bandleader who performed under the stage name "Lee Sims", as well as an educator. His mother, Belle Simon, was an elementary school teacher. 3. In 1945, the family moved to Kew Gardens Hills in Queens, New York. Music and baseball became two great passions of the boy who grew up there. 4. He received a Jewish education and celebrated his bar mitzvah, but later described himself as secular. For him, Jewish identity also relates to the culture and world in which he grew up, rather than solely to faith or religious observance. 5. In 1953, he befriended Art Garfunkel, who attended the same school. They appeared in a production of "Alice in Wonderland" and began developing the harmonies that would become their trademark. 6. As teenagers, they were strongly influenced by the harmonies of "The Everly Brothers". They also sang with neighborhood friends in the doo-wop group "The Peptones". 7. In 1957, they recorded the single "Hey, Schoolgirl" as "Tom & Jerry". It reached No. 49 on the American chart. Simon was then known as "Jerry Landis", while Garfunkel used the name "Tom Graph". 8. The success of the single led to an appearance on "American Bandstand". Simon was already a teenager with experience in recording, performing, and the music business, but their subsequent singles failed to repeat that success. 9. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, he also recorded under names such as "True Taylor" and "Paul Kane". He wrote songs, sang on demo recordings, and learned the workings of the studio from the inside. 10. In the early 1960s, he was a member of "Tico & the Triumphs". "Motorcycle", on which he sang lead, entered the American chart and reached No. 99. 11. In 1963, he graduated from "Queens College" with a degree in English. He also briefly studied law before choosing to pursue music. 12. In 1964, Simon and Garfunkel began working together again and signed with "Columbia". This time, they used their real surnames and began performing as "Simon & Garfunkel". 13. The duo released their debut album, "Wednesday Morning, 3 A.M.", in October 1964. It included the original acoustic version of "The Sound of Silence", but initially failed to find an audience. Following their breakthrough, it reached No. 30 in the United States. 14. During his time in England, Simon performed in folk clubs, met guitarist Martin Carthy, and learned about the English folk tradition. He also became familiar with Carthy's arrangement of "Scarborough Fair". 15. In 1965, he released his first solo album, "The Paul Simon Songbook", presenting his songs with acoustic guitar accompaniment. That same year, he also produced singer Jackson C. Frank's debut album. 16. In 1965, producer Tom Wilson added electric guitars, bass, and drums to the recording of "The Sound of Silence", without the duo participating in the new session. The electrified version reached No. 1 in the United States in January 1966 and brought them back together. 17. In January 1966, the duo released their second album, "Sounds of Silence", which reached No. 21 in the United States. It also included "I Am a Rock", which reached No. 3 on the singles chart. Simon, June 1966 (Photo: Joost Evers / Anefo ) 18. In October 1966, they released their third album, "Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme", which reached No. 4 in the United States. Its opening track combined the traditional "Scarborough Fair" with "Canticle", based on an earlier antiwar song by Simon. 19. In 1967, they performed at the "Monterey Pop" festival. That same year, their music appeared in director Mike Nichols' film "The Graduate", introducing their songs to an even wider audience. 20. In 1968, the duo released their fourth album, "Bookends", which reached No. 1 in the United States. It included "America" and "Mrs. Robinson", which also became a No. 1 hit. "Simon & Garfunkel", 1968 (Photo: Columbia Records) 21. In January 1970, they released their fifth and final studio album, "Bridge over Troubled Water". It topped the charts in both the United States and the United Kingdom and won Album of the Year at the 1971 Grammy Awards. 22. Simon wrote "Bridge over Troubled Water" with gospel music as an inspiration, but entrusted the lead vocal to Garfunkel. The album also included "The Boxer", "Cecilia", and "El Condor Pasa (If I Could)". 23. In 1970, the duo split at the height of their success. Simon was their principal songwriter, but the combination of his voice with Garfunkel's, along with their shared work on arrangements, was fundamental to their identity. 24. In 1972, he released his second solo album, "Paul Simon", which reached No. 4 in the United States and No. 1 in the United Kingdom. It combined folk, reggae, blues, and sounds from South America. 25. He recorded "Mother and Child Reunion" in Kingston, Jamaica, with musicians who had played with Jimmy Cliff. The title came from a dish on a Chinese restaurant menu that combined chicken and eggs. 26. "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" became another of his signature songs. Alongside the acoustic guitar, the playing of Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira is particularly distinctive. 27. In 1973, he released his third album, "There Goes Rhymin' Simon", which reached No. 2 in the United States. The singles "Kodachrome" and "Loves Me Like a Rock" also reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100. 28. In 1975, he released his fourth album, "Still Crazy After All These Years", co-produced with Phil Ramone. It remains his only solo album to reach No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and won Album of the Year at the 1976 Grammy Awards. 29. The album also included "Silent Eyes", which portrays Jerusalem as a city mourning alone, while exploring the themes of bearing witness and accountability before God. At a press conference in Israel in 1978, Simon connected its creation to feelings stirred by the Yom Kippur War. 30. On the same album, he reunited with Garfunkel for "My Little Town". The song also appeared on Garfunkel's second solo album, "Breakaway", and reached No. 9 in the United States. 31. "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover" reached No. 1 in the United States in 1976. Its signature drum introduction was played by Steve Gadd, who developed the pattern from ideas he practiced in the studio. 32. In 1977, he appeared as a music producer in Woody Allen's film "Annie Hall". That same year, he released "Slip Slidin' Away", which reached No. 5 in the United States. 33. In July 1978, he visited Israel for the first time and performed in Caesarea, Jerusalem, and Tel Aviv. According to a contemporary report in "Lahiton", he said the visit moved him more as a Jew than as an artist. He explained that he had initially wanted to come as a tourist, then decided to include concerts marking Israel's 30th anniversary of independence. During the visit, he also attended the opening ceremony of Liberty Bell Park in Jerusalem. 34. In 1980, he released his fifth solo album, "One-Trick Pony", which reached No. 12 in the United States. It accompanied a film of the same name that Simon wrote and starred in. The single "Late in the Evening" reached No. 6. 35. On September 19, 1981, Simon and Garfunkel reunited for a free concert in New York's Central Park. The performance was released in 1982 as the live album "The Concert in Central Park", which reached No. 6 in the United States. 36. In 1983, he released his sixth album, "Hearts and Bones", which reached No. 35 in the United States. Work on it began during a period when an album with Garfunkel was being considered, but it ultimately became a solo release. 37. In September 1983, he returned to Israel with Garfunkel for two "Simon & Garfunkel" concerts at Ramat Gan Stadium. According to a contemporary report by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, JTA, the shows drew approximately 90,000 people combined, with the proceeds supporting children through "Variety Israel". 38. That same year, he married actress Carrie Fisher, best known as Princess Leia in "Star Wars". They divorced in 1984. Their relationship provides the background to "Hearts and Bones". 39. In 1985, he participated in the recording of the charity single "We Are the World" with "USA for Africa", alongside many leading figures in American music. 40. After hearing a cassette of South African music, he traveled to Johannesburg in 1985 to record with local musicians. His work with bassist Bakithi Kumalo and guitarist Ray Phiri was central to the process that produced "Graceland". 41. In August 1986, he released his seventh album, "Graceland". It reached No. 3 in the United States and No. 1 in the United Kingdom, sold an estimated 16 million copies worldwide, and won Album of the Year at the 1987 Grammy Awards. 42. On "Graceland", he collaborated with "Ladysmith Black Mambazo", Linda Ronstadt, "The Everly Brothers", and "Los Lobos". In many cases, the songs grew out of the musicians' rhythms and recordings, to which he later added lyrics and melodies. 43. "You Can Call Me Al" received an unforgettable video featuring actor Chevy Chase. Chase does most of the lip-syncing, while Simon appears beside him almost as a supporting character. 44. Recording in South Africa during apartheid drew criticism for breaking the cultural boycott. Simon emphasized his collaboration with Black musicians and the payment they received for their work, but the album's success did not erase the controversy. 45. In 1987, he co-founded the "Children's Health Fund", an organization providing healthcare to children and families in need, including through mobile clinics. 46. In 1990, "Simon & Garfunkel" were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In October of that year, Simon released his eighth solo album, "The Rhythm of the Saints", which reached No. 4 in the United States and No. 1 in the United Kingdom. 47. On "The Rhythm of the Saints", he expanded his collaborations with musicians from Brazil and Africa. "The Obvious Child" prominently features the drums of the Brazilian ensemble "Olodum", recorded in Salvador, Bahia. 48. In 1992, he married singer-songwriter Edie Brickell. They have three children together. Simon also has a son, Harper Simon, from his first marriage to Peggy Harper. Harper also pursued a career in music. 49. In 1997, he released his ninth album, "Songs from The Capeman", which reached No. 42 in the United States. It featured his versions of songs from the musical he wrote with poet Derek Walcott. 50. The musical "The Capeman" opened on Broadway in January 1998 and closed in March after 68 regular performances. Despite its commercial failure, the score received a Tony Award nomination for Best Original Score. 51. In 1999, he embarked on a joint tour with Bob Dylan. In 2000, he released his tenth album, "You're the One", which reached No. 19 in the United States and received a Grammy nomination for Album of the Year. 52. In 2001, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist. In 2002, he wrote "Father and Daughter" for "The Wild Thornberrys Movie". The song received an Oscar nomination. 53. In 2003, "Simon & Garfunkel" received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. They returned to the stage together for the "Old Friends" tour, which continued into 2004. 54. In 2006, he released his eleventh album, "Surprise", which reached No. 14 in the United States. Working with Brian Eno brought electronic and atmospheric textures to Simon's songwriting. 55. In 2007, he became the first recipient of the Library of Congress's "Gershwin Prize for Popular Song". To date, he has received 16 Grammy Awards and 36 nominations. 56. In April 2011, he released his twelfth album, "So Beautiful or So What", which reached No. 4 in the United States. On July 21 of that year, he performed at Ramat Gan Stadium before approximately 20,000 people. Near the end of the show, he offered a prayer for peace for Israel and its neighbors, closing with the greeting "Salaam alaikum". 57. At the press conference ahead of his 2011 performance in Israel, he described himself as someone of Jewish heritage who was secular, explaining that he did not always have an answer when expected to respond specifically as a Jew. He recalled his visit to the Western Wall, as well as an illness that had required him to travel between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv for treatment during an earlier visit. 58. In 2016, he released his thirteenth album, "Stranger to Stranger", which reached No. 3 in the United States and No. 1 in the United Kingdom. Working with producer Roy Halee, he also explored the sounds of instruments designed by composer Harry Partch. 59. In September 2018, he released his fourteenth album, "In the Blue Light", revisiting ten songs from his catalog with new arrangements. That same month, he completed his "Homeward Bound" farewell tour with a performance at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens, the borough where he grew up. 60. In May 2023, he released his fifteenth album, "Seven Psalms": a continuous acoustic work lasting approximately 33 minutes and comprising seven movements. It reached No. 28 on the UK Albums Chart and received a Grammy nomination. Brickell and the vocal ensemble "VOCES8" participated in the recording. 61. While working on "Seven Psalms", he lost much of the hearing in his left ear. The recording process and his struggle with hearing loss were documented in Alex Gibney's film "In Restless Dreams: The Music of Paul Simon", which reached American television in 2024. 62. In 2025, he returned to touring with "A Quiet Celebration", following changes to his stage and sound setup that allowed him to perform with his hearing impairment. In 2026, the tour expanded to Europe, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and North America. 63. On October 9, 2026, he released the live album "The Quiet Celebration Concert". It includes a complete performance of "Seven Psalms" alongside new arrangements of songs from throughout his career, showing that even after seven decades, Simon continues to reshape his music. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Today we’re taking a look at singer Joey Belladonna, the powerful, melodic voice of "Anthrax". (Photo: Elsie Roymans) From cover bands in upstate New York to classic thrash albums, two departures and a lasting reunion, and tribute shows celebrating the music he grew up with. Here are 40 facts about Belladonna and his journey. 1. He was born Joseph Bellardini on October 13, 1960, in "Oswego", New York. He later adopted Belladonna as his stage name. 2. His father is of Italian descent, while his mother is Native American, with "Iroquois" ancestry. Belladonna has said that his maternal heritage is an important part of his identity, even though he does not regularly practice its traditions. 3. Growing up, he listened to "The Beatles", "Led Zeppelin", "Kansas", and "Rush". He was drawn to intricate musicianship, memorable melodies, and powerful vocals long before he entered the world of thrash metal. 4. He did not receive classical vocal training. In a 1988 interview, he said that his formal singing experience consisted of performing in his high school choir. 5. He gained his early experience in local bands and cover acts, including "Blitzkrieg". His repertoire was rooted mainly in classic rock and hard rock. 6. In the summer of 1984, he sang with "Bible Black", whose lineup included musicians associated with "Rainbow". He described its music as influenced by "Black Sabbath", "Deep Purple", and Ronnie James Dio’s years with "Rainbow". 7. In late 1984, he was invited to meet "Anthrax" at "Pyramid Sound" studios in Ithaca, New York. Producer Carl Canedy, the drummer of "The Rods", connected him with the band, which was looking for a singer following the departures of Neil Turbin and Matt Fallon. 8. Belladonna arrived without knowing "Anthrax" or its music. To demonstrate his voice, he sang passages from "Journey" songs and Steve Perry’s solo repertoire, before going on to record "Medusa". The band was impressed by his voice despite his different musical background. 9. His arrival gave "Anthrax" a high, clean, melodic voice over its fast, aggressive riffs. His hard rock influences remained central to his style and helped make him one of thrash metal’s most recognizable singers. 10. His arrival established the classic "Anthrax" lineup: Belladonna on vocals, Scott Ian and Dan Spitz on guitars, Frank Bello on bass, and Charlie Benante on drums. This lineup recorded the band’s next four studio albums. "Anthrax", 1985 (Photo: Geoffrey Thomas / Metal Forces) 11. In February 1985, "Armed and Dangerous" became the first "Anthrax" EP to feature Belladonna. Alongside new material, it included a cover of "God Save the Queen" by "Sex Pistols" and new recordings of songs from the band’s debut album. 12. On October 30, 1985, "Anthrax" released its second studio album, "Spreading the Disease", its first with Belladonna. It reached No. 113 on the Billboard 200 and included "Madhouse", "A.I.R.", "Medusa", and "Armed and Dangerous". 13. The video for "Madhouse", set in a psychiatric hospital, became one of the defining "Anthrax" videos of the 1980s. The song has remained a regular part of the band’s live repertoire. 14. In March 1987, "Anthrax" released its third album, "Among the Living", produced by Eddie Kramer and the band. It reached No. 62 in the United States, later earned gold certification, and became a landmark thrash album with songs including "Caught in a Mosh", "I Am the Law", and "Indians". 15. "Indians" addresses the injustices inflicted on Native Americans and the importance of preserving their pride and heritage. For Belladonna, whose mother is Native American, the subject had a particularly personal significance. 16. The EP "I’m the Man" also came out in 1987, marking one of the earliest fusions of metal and rap. During live performances of the title track, Belladonna moved to the drums while Benante and other band members handled the rap vocals. 17. In September 1988, "Anthrax" released its fourth studio album, "State of Euphoria". It reached No. 30 in the United States and earned gold certification. Its cover of "Antisocial" by "Trust" became one of the band’s most popular live songs. 18. Belladonna also appeared in the horror film "Pledge Night", playing the younger version of Sid. His "Anthrax" bandmates contributed music to the film. 19. In August 1990, "Anthrax" released its fifth studio album, "Persistence of Time". Heavier and darker than its predecessors, it reached No. 24 in the United States and earned gold certification. It included "In My World", "Belly of the Beast", and a cover of Joe Jackson’s "Got the Time". 20. "Persistence of Time" earned "Anthrax" its first Grammy nomination, in the Best Metal Performance category at the 1991 ceremony. 21. In 1991, Belladonna participated in the recordings released on "Attack of the Killer B’s". The collection included the collaboration with "Public Enemy" on "Bring the Noise", a milestone in the fusion of hip-hop and metal. 22. In March 1992, the "My Dinner with Anthrax" episode of "Married... with Children" aired. Belladonna and his bandmates played themselves, visited the Bundy household, and performed "In My World". 23. In 1992, Belladonna was fired from "Anthrax" and replaced by John Bush, the singer of "Armored Saint". Ian later explained that the decision stemmed from a sense of creative stagnation and a desire to change direction; Belladonna has said that the split remained painful for him. 24. After the split, he formed a project called "Belladonna". Its debut album, "Belladonna", came out in 1995, allowing him to work as a singer and songwriter outside "Anthrax". 25. During his years away from "Anthrax", he continued performing in cover bands and also worked in maintenance at a horse farm alongside his wife, Krista. He has said that he did not find the work embarrassing and enjoyed doing it. 26. In the late 1990s, he released his second solo album, "Spells of Fear", with guitarist Peter Scheithauer and drummer Stet Howland. It continued the work of the "Belladonna" project but did not match the commercial success of his albums with "Anthrax". 27. In 1999, he briefly collaborated with "Anthrax" again, joining Bush to sing "Ball of Confusion" by "The Temptations" for the compilation "Return of the Killer A’s". A proposed tour featuring both singers did not go ahead in that form. 28. In 2003, he independently released "03", his third solo album. Belladonna sang and played drums, while Matt Zuber played guitars and bass and contributed to the songwriting. 29. In 2005, the classic "Anthrax" lineup reunited, bringing Belladonna back onstage with Ian, Spitz, Bello, and Benante. The reunion was documented on the live album and concert film "Alive 2", and the band continued performing with this lineup in 2006. 30. That first reunion did not lead to a lasting return to the studio. The collaboration with Belladonna ended again in early 2007, and Dan Nelson was subsequently chosen as the band’s singer. 31. Belladonna’s return to "Anthrax" was announced in May 2010. This time, he rejoined as a permanent member, ahead of "The Big Four" shows and to record vocals for the new album. 32. In June 2010, he performed with "Anthrax" at "The Big Four" shows alongside "Metallica", "Megadeth", and "Slayer". The Sofia concert was documented in a film and a live album featuring all four bands. 33. In September 2011, "Anthrax" released its tenth studio album, "Worship Music", its first with Belladonna since 1990. The material had undergone a lengthy development process with other singers before he recorded his vocals. The album reached No. 12 in the United States and sold approximately 28,000 copies in its first week. 34. "In the End", from "Worship Music", was dedicated to the memories of Dio and Dimebag Darrell. Belladonna brought his melodic, dramatic singing to the song alongside the band’s heavy sound. 35. In March 2013, "Anthrax" released the EP "Anthems", featuring covers of songs by "Rush", "Thin Lizzy", "AC/DC", "Boston", "Cheap Trick", and "Journey". These performances gave Belladonna a direct return to the music he grew up with. 36. Between 2013 and 2015, "Anthrax" received further Grammy nominations for "I’m Alive", "T.N.T.", and "Neon Knights", the last of which appeared on the Dio tribute album "This Is Your Life". These brought the band’s total to six nominations, all for recordings featuring Belladonna. 37. On February 26, 2016, "Anthrax" released its eleventh studio album, "For All Kings", with Jonathan Donais on lead guitar. It reached No. 9 in the United States and sold approximately 34,000 copies in its first week, marking the band’s first return to the Top 10 since 1993. 38. Even after rejoining "Anthrax", he continued singing and playing drums in "Chief Big Way". In a 2019 interview, he said the group performed around 60 classic rock songs over four uninterrupted hours. Singing and playing with the band allows him to keep practicing and performing music he loves. 39. In 2020, he began performing with a "Journey" tribute act, initially called "Journey Beyond" and later renamed "Beyond Frontiers". He teamed up with keyboardist Doug Carter and musicians from Lee Greenwood’s band, building a full evening around "Journey" songs and Perry’s vocals. He also developed tribute shows celebrating Dio, "Black Sabbath", and "Rainbow", which he performed in 2025 and 2026. (Photo: Joey Belladonna official website) 40. On September 18, 2026, "Anthrax" released its twelfth studio album, "Cursum Perficio", its seventh with Belladonna. Produced by Jay Ruston, it was the band’s first album since "For All Kings". The single "It’s for the Kids" was accompanied by a video that revisited the imagery and atmosphere of 1985’s "Madhouse". "Face/Off" - Israel’s Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or subscribe to our website