A Sneak Peek... And this time Rush's "Snakes & Arrows Live" album, which was released on April 14, 2008. The material for this album was composed of two performances during the first leg of the "Snakes & Arrows Tour", which was intended to promote the album, released in May 2007. The two performances from which the materials for the album were selected were held at the" Ahoy Arena" in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, on October 16 and 17, 2007. This is the band's first live album which has focused on the songs of the album it is intended to promote, since the video that summed up the tour " Grace Under Pressure " was later released on the album as well. Thus, 9 of the 27 songs in this show are songs from the album " Snakes & Arrows ", which means that during this performance, 70% of the album's 13 songs were played. This show has also been released on DVD and Blu-ray, and anyone who owns the latest version can tell that the audio and viewing quality there is just amazing. What's interesting about this show is that it includes some songs that the band did not perform much during their long career and those official live recordings of them were hard to find, such as: " Entre Nous " played for the first time, " Natural Science ", " Witch Hunt ", " Circumstances " which has not been played since the tour of the album " Hemispheres " as well as " A Passage to Bangkok " which has not been played since the warm-up tour before the release of the album " Moving Pictures ", the song "Between the Wheels" and more. This album sums up one of Rush's longest tours which, as is well known, did not go far beyond the borders of North America. It included 114 appearances, making it the band's longest tour, except the " Hemispheres " album tour. This tour was also one of the band's most commercially successful, earning more than $ 65 million. And how is it possible not to mention the drum solo of the legendary Neil Peart ? This time it is part of the instrumental section " Malignant Narcissism " and includes an excerpt from "Cotton Tail" - a song that Peart recorded with Buddy Rich 's band for the project "Burning For Buddy, Vol. 1". For Listening: Spotify "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Another great album in the metal world released on April 14, 1980, is "British Steel" by "Judas Priest". This is the band's sixth album and its first with drummer Dave Holland who came from "Trapeze". This album comes two years after the album " Stained Class ", which we wrote about and in our opinion was an album that breathed new life into the metal world. Remember, "Judas" went through a kind of external and internal upheaval there, which not only established its musical identity, but also was a right-wing marker for all the metal bands that would come after. They abandoned jeans and a T-shirt in favor of leather clothing and accessories, they changed their logo, and most importantly K. K. Downing and Glenn Tipton thickened and hardened their guitar sound while singer Rob Halford sharpens his screams. So this trend of sound thickening and sharpening of the duel guitar technique continued on the album "Killing Machine" as well, only where Judas' desire to go in a more commercial direction. Judas has changed quite a bit over the years. Their songs became shorter, the bluesy influences were neglected, the dark lyrics were replaced by more optimistic themes and the heavy rhythm became happier and lighter. (Photo: Paul Natkin) This evolution process of Judas over the years has reached a new high on this album. Judas has managed to put the melody and even the pop into the ragged riffs of metal. it managed to do here what none of the metal bands had been able to do until that time. "Judas" was able to find the formula that would make metal catchy and accessible to the masses, and that formula screams out from almost every song on this album. It exists in the song " Breaking the Law " which includes one of the most catchy riffs in metal, a riff that just can't stop humming, and also includes such melodic and beautiful singing in the verses that it's melody can easily be used as a lullaby. This song was released as the second single from the album and is one of the breakthrough songs of Judas which brought them to the masses, with a little help from the video clip that the band shot for it. Surprisingly this song does not include solo guitars, probably intentionally, and to make this song more accessible and radio-friendly. It also features shattered glass effects, an effect achieved by smashing milk bottles placed in the doorway of Ringo Starr's mansion where the album was recorded, and a police siren effect that might surprise you to discover was achieved solely through K.K.'s guitar. This song, which is played in almost all the band's performances, has over the years developed in the form of a solo by K. K. that is not part of the album version, and it manages to make the audience crazy in the band's performances even today more than 40 years later. The formula also exists in the song " Living After Midnight " with its 4/4 drumming that could easily have become a pop hit, had it not been for the heavy riffs of Tipton and Downing and without the rough sound of Halford. This song was created in the very same Ringo Starr mansion in which the album was recorded, after Tipton woke Halford up in the middle of the night with riffs from his guitar. Halford looked at his watch and told Tipton the phrase "really living after midnight" which became this excellent song from the album. And what a beauty of a clip this song has, with Dave Holland's invisible drum set, Halford's marvelous entrance to the stage with a motorcycle, giving the masses a glimpse of what the band's performance looks like, and the fans mimicking Tipton in his excellent melodic solo with the "air guitar". The Formula is also reflected in songs like " United " - the stadium anthem that preceded "Queen's" "Radio Ga Ga" with the "clap" drumming that was intended to make the audience stomp and clap joining in with the band. This song was released as the third single from the album and was inspired by a protest against the UK government in those years. And if the idea was not yet clear then " Metal Gods " comes and put the stamp that crowns Judas as "God of Metal". Surprisingly Halford did not write the song about the band but about a science fiction world dominated by robots and in protest of the growing takeover of "Big Brother" controlled by the metal god - the robots. The album also features " Grinder " with the riff that "grinds" the ear to a fine, which was influenced by "AC/DC" with whom the band was on tour in 1979. Halford will also later admit that they were influenced by the Australian gang while writing the album. What's nice is that this effect was in a sense two-way because "AC/DC" also took some back from "Judas" with the album " Back In Black " which came out a few months later and included some incredibly melodic riffs. And there's also " Don't Have to Be Old to Be Wise " whose riff was borrowed by "Motley Crue" for the song "Looks That Kill" taken from the album " Shout at the Devil ", and the fast and furious " Rapid Fire " that reminds us who brought it always one of the first speed metal songs with " Exciter " two years earlier and more and more ... The British Steel album was "Judas'" first to become a gold album and later a platinum one. Is the album that exposed them to the general public and made them one of the most recognizable bands in world metal, with Halford, Tipton, and K.K. Raised to the level of "Metal Idols" just like in the song from the album. The importance of this album was in inventing the formula that would later make metal accessible to the masses. The combination of the melody with the roughness. A version that will be further refined later on by bands like "Def Leppard" and will slowly shift the metal towards the mainstream. This is probably also the reason why this album is in third place in Rolling Stone magazine's 100 greatest metal albums of all time and also in the list of " 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die ". for listening: Spotify , Apple Music . "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Another "Judas Priest" album released on April 14, 1986, is "Turbo". Yes, this is a magical day for "Judas Priest" as two of its albums were released today 6 years apart. But such a great difference between these two albums, especially compared to the previous and excellent album the band released two years earlier - "Defenders of the Faith". This is perhaps Judas' most commercialized album, it is full of synthesizers, not real ones, but the kind that is produced using a guitar effect called "Guitar Synthesizer". This album was the subject of criticism from fans and critics, but we just love it and we are here to change your minds about it. This album was originally supposed to be a double album. It was even supposed to be called "Twin Turbos". After the end of the demanding tour to promote the previous album "Defenders of the Faith" in 1984, the band took a long break without performing. For a whole year, the band did not perform, except for taking part in the tribute show " Live Aid ". This long period allowed the band to write materials that would suffice for a double album. The material written for the album matched the change in the music world of the mid-1980s. On the one hand, the topics of writing were addressed among other themes like love and romance. Second, Judas emphasized commercialized and synthesized sound. It is interesting to note that the change in musical style was accompanied by a change in the looks of the band. Hair was puffed up and leather clothes were lengthened and changed to match the prevailing trends of the 1980s. (Photo: Theriffrepeater.com) Eventually, it was decided to filter out the much-recorded material and release only one album that would include the most accessible and catchy material, and would simply be called "Turbo", with the rest of the material saved for the next album "Ram It Down". Which of the two is better? In our opinion without a doubt "Turbo", despite the synthesis and commercialization! During the writing period, Rob Halford experienced a crisis in his love life, which was also accompanied by increased drug and alcohol use. He underwent a quick and effective rehab process from which he came out even stronger, but this obviously delayed the recordings. As we mentioned, this album is probably the band's most commercialized and synthesized album, but we have no problem with it, and even vice versa. We really like this diversity in the sound of the band so much appreciated and loved by us. There is no other album like this for Judas in all of its mighty repertoire so it always stands as "Rose among Thorns" and as an album that we always love going back to. As for the synthesizers, one must first understand the period in which this album came out, most of the bands went through some process during this period and Judas chose to do it in an original way and instead of adding keyboards moved the guitars of Tipton and K. K. through a guitar synthesizer effect. Iron Maiden did the same about six months later with the album " Somewhere in Time ", with Dave Murray , Adrian Smith , and even Steve Harris passing their "Destroyer instruments" through the commercial effect, and what a blast of an album this was!!! The synthesizer effect can be felt from the first note of the album, in the intro of " Turbo Lover ". Some of the band fans who listened to the album in real-time did not understand what was going on with their beloved band, especially after a strong album like " Defenders of the Faith ". But the deeper you went into the "guts" of the album, the more we were blown away by this sweet magic. This is the first song written for the album. The band rented a house by the sea in the city of Marbella in Spain and began writing the materials for the album. Tipton brought with him a guitar synth effect and Halford recalls that he pressed the pedal and the sound that came out from the guitar is exactly the same sound that is heard right at the opening of the track. The jaws of the people in the room just opened wide and they immediately realized that this is the direction they wants to take the album to. This effect sound was exactly like a turbo engine that had just been ignited and it was clear to them that it was also going to be the name of the song and of the album. This sound of the guitar effect is so overwhelming that even the band's toughest fans who protested the commercial style on this album, roar their souls out as soon as it is heard at the band's performances. The melody and the sound of this song are so good that even the great opponents of this sound manage to forgive and forget. The second track on the album - " Locked In " is another catchy song released as the second single from the album. And how beautiful the "classical" and melodic solo in this song is, which is initially played by the two guitarists simultaneously, and later splits with a lead by Tipton, arguably one of the great solos the band has released. And what an amazing sweep-picking technique there is here. And if we're honest for a moment, then except for the synth solo in the song's intro and background vocals, this track screams " Screaming for Vengeance " from the melody and the overall vibe. " Parental Guidance " was released as the third single from the album and was written as a protest against the censorship and war of attrition waged by Tipper Gore and the "Parents Music Resource Center", led against "Judas Priest" and others, just for daring to write about non-conservative topics and include blunt language. It is interesting to note that the song " Eat Me Alive " from the previous album was also directed against the same Mrs. Gore and the same organization. The band chose to open the other side of the vinyl with an interesting choice - " Out in the Cold ". A quiet song with the most synthesizer sounds you will hear on the album. What a long and special intro, even the sounds of the drums here went through an effect designed to match them to the sounds of the synthesizer. But when the song erupts out in 1:29, paradise erupts along with it. What a tremendous song, what emotion in Halford's singing, what an amazing and sweeping melody, and what a full sound and rich production. The song " Reckless " was requested by the producers of the "Top Gun" movie to be included in the film's soundtrack, but Judas refused, as they thought the film would fail and also because it meant giving up the song and not including it on the album. Just imagine Tom Cruise riding the motorcycle to the tune of this special song that seals the album. Needless to say, this album was Priest's most successful album to date and it held that title for a good few decades until 2015, when the band released "Angel of Retribution". Songs from it climbed high on the charts and the clips from it took MTV by storm. What's beautiful about Priest is that despite the relative success of this album and even though it made the band enter mainstream charts and radio0 with its catchy and commercial production, that success did not cross their minds, and they immediately recovered and returned to produce their great masterpiece " Painkiller ". For Listening: S potify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

He is known as the "Man in Black". He is one of the great and influential guitarists in the genre of hard rock and Heavy Metal. He is also the guitarist who created the Neoclassical genre in Metal. He has a distinctive, precise, and moving sound that just penetrates our bones. (Photo: Bob King) So let's take a look at some interesting facts about legendary guitarist Ritchie Blackmore: 1. He was born on April 14, 1945, in Weston Super Mare, England in the given name - Richard Hugh Blackmore. 2. At the age of 11, he got his first guitar. His father gave it to him on the condition that he take his guitar studies seriously. Indeed, Blackmore began taking classical music lessons for a year. 3. Blackmore hated school, he dropped out of school at the age of 15 and began working at Heathrow Airport as an assistant to a communications technician. 4. He continued to learn to play the guitar, when he took electric guitar lessons from the session player Big Jim Sullivan. 5. In the early sixties he started working as a session guitar player for producer Joe Meek, while simultaneously performing with several bands including "The Outlaws". 6. He co-founded "Deep Purple" in 1968 with keyboardist Jon Lord , after receiving an invitation from drummer and singer Chris Curtis. ( Photo: John Minihan) 7. Ritchie was the one who suggested the name "Deep Purple" for the band, it was the name of his grandmother's favorite song, which was written by pianist Peter DeRose back in the 1920s. 8. In the early years of the band Blackmore used to play the "Gibson ES-335" guitar, but from 1970 he switched to the "Fender Stratocaster" that he plays to this day. (Photo: Jorgen Angel) 9. He noted that during these years Eric Clapton was the one who helped him develop his vibrato playing style. 10. In its early years "Deep Purple" combined classical music, psychedelic rock, progressive rock, and pop. During this time Jon Lord was the one who led the band and wrote most of the material, but Blackmore's playing undoubtedly left a mark on the band's sound, as can be heard in the 1968 album Deep Purple. 11. After three albums with Deep Purple's first lineup that included Blackmore, Jon Lord , Ian Paice , Rod Evans, and Nick Simper, Blackmore, Lord, and Paice decided to change the band's musical direction. Indeed, in 1970 bassist Roger Glover and singer Ian Gillan were enlisted and released the band's first studio MKII album - " In Rock ". Already in the first song of the album "Speed King" you can hear how Blackmore has become dominant and the one who is essentially responsible for the heavy sound of the band. (Photo: Chris Walter) 12. During this time Blackmore began to incorporate more and more classical motifs into his playing, combining blues scales and minor scales in his solos, as can be heard in the album " Machine Head " among others. 13. During the recording of the album " Who Do We Think We Are " in 1973 the frictions between Blackmore and singer Ian Gillan intensified, this led to Gillan and Glover leaving the band. 14. In 1974 Blackmore and "Deep Purple" reinvented themselves with the addition of David Coverdale & Glenn Hughes , combining Hard Rock motifs with Blues, Soul, Funk, and boogie in the excellent album " Burn ". Blackmore continues to be one of the dominant members of the band and he adapts his playing to the new style, while maintaining the combination of the classic motifs and the heavy riffs. 15. After the release of the album "Stormbringer" in 1974, Ritchie expressed his dissatisfaction with the album in public. He disliked the musical direction the band was drawn to, and the fact that it included elements of funk and soul. (Photo: Fin Costello) 16. What ultimately led to Blackmore's departure was related to the fact that the band refused to record cover versions of two songs Blackmore offered: "Black Sheep of the Family" by the band "Quatermass" and Sixteenth Century "Greensleeves", both of which will appear on Rainbow's debut album. 17. Blackmore named the band "Rainbow" after the famous bar "Rainbow Bar and Grill" in Los Angeles where he spent time with singer Ronnie James Dio when they formed the band. (Photo: Fin Costello) 18. Rainbow's first lineup included all the ELF band members from which Dio came from, but Blackmore fired everyone except Dio after recording their debut album, recruiting drummer Cozy Powell and bassist Jimmy Bain to record the band's second album: " Rising ". 19. Following the release of Rainbow's third album ' Long Live Rock 'n' Roll ', professional disputes began between Blackmore and Ronnie James Dio over the band's musical direction. These disputes eventually led to Dio's departure. 20. From that time on, "Rainbow's" lineup changed under Blackmore's 'revolving door policy, which controlled the lineup with a high hand and which aimed to make the band's materials accessible to a larger audience. 21. Already the first album after Dio's departure - " Down to Earth " included more commercial material that hit the song charts, such as the song " Since You Been Gone ". 22. The trend continued on subsequent albums such as " Difficult to Cure " which yielded the band's biggest hit " I Surrender ", but at the same time Blackmore preserveג the classic roots, with sections like the theme song that included parts of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. 23. In 1984, after two more albums with "Rainbow" - " Straight Between The Eyes " and " Bent Out Of Shape ", Blackmore joined "Deep Purple's" successful MKII lineup reunion, which resulted in the excellent album "Perfect Strangers". He remained in the band until 1993 when in 1990 he recruited Joe Lynn Turner , former lead singer of "Rainbow", with whom the band releases the album "Slaves and Masters". 24. During this time of Blackmore with "Deep Purple" he has performed twice in Israel. The first performance was held on September 28, 1991, in Hayarkon Park in Tel Aviv, and the second at Tzemach Beach. Although expectations from the show were high, there was disappointment among the Israeli audience. Blackmore was not focused at both performances and at the one in "Tzemach" he even refused to go up for an Encore. 25. After leaving "Deep Purple", Blackmore formed a new "Rainbow" lineup and released in 1995 the album " Stranger in Us All ". 26. In 1997, Blackmore abandoned the rock world and the Fender Stratocaster, forming with his Jewish partner Candice Night the band "Blackmore's Night", in which he plays mainly Renaissance and folk music, also Jewish music such as "Hava Nagila" and " Maoz Tzur". (Photo: JewishJjournal.com) 27. The piece " Carry On… Jon " of "Blackmore's Night" was written in memory of his friend - Jon Lord , after he passed away. 28. In 2016, Blackmore returned to activity with "Rainbow". They made several appearances in Europe and even recorded two new songs - " Waiting For a Sig n" in 2018 and " The Storm " in 2019. 29. Blackmore is ranked 16th on Guitar World Magazine's list of the greatest guitarists in metal since 2004. 30. In 1993 musicologist Robert Walser defined him as the most important guitarist for the development of the neoclassical genre, by combining classical music with metal. 31. His solo in the song “ Highway Star ” is ranked 19th on the list of the greatest solos of all time by Guitar World magazine. 32. Blackmore stated that he loves pop music including "ABBA". 33. Blackmore has released throughout his career 13 studio albums along with "Deep Purple", 8 studio albums along with "Rainbow" and another 11 studio albums together as part of the "Blackmore's Night" project. 34. He has influenced an entire generation of guitarists, especially those from the neoclassical genre, such as Yngwie Malmsteen and John Petrucci . "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

"Iron Maiden's" debut album was released on April 14, 1980. This is not just another debut album. It is one of the most influential debut albums in the metal world. Know why? Because this album started a new era. Because the metal world is divided into two, the one before Maiden and the one after. One cannot even imagine what the metal world would have looked like without "Iron Maiden". No, we did not exaggerate! If "Black Sabbath's" first album ignited the metal engine, then exactly 10 years later, with this album, "Maiden" pressed the button that put it in turbo mode. "Maiden" did to Metal what the Beatles did to rock. Just as no rock music fan did not hear of "the Beatles", the is no metal fan who doesn't know "Iron Maiden". Just as you would not find a rock music lover without an album by "the Beatles" in his library, you will not find a "Metalhead" who does not have a "Maiden" album at home. 40 albums, of which 17 are studio albums, one of which is double, over 2000 performances in front of millions of fans around the world, of which only one of them alone was in front of 300,000 people, sales of over one hundred million albums worldwide. Make no mistake, "Maiden" is the biggest metal band in the world, period! It is not that this statement underestimates the value of other big bands in metal. Definitely not! It is not diminishing the tremendous contribution and influence of the great bands - the founding generation, who brought the world genres like hard rock and metal, such as "Black Sabbath", "Deep Purple" and "Led Zeppelin". It also does not underestimate the great influence of the next generation of bands, the dual guitar pioneers, such as "AC/DC", "Judas Priest", "Thin Lizzy", and more. But "Maiden" created a revolution. It took the metal world to a whole new level. And it all started on April 14, 1980! True, this album is not the classic "Maiden" that will begin to take shape two years later with the masterful album "The Number of The Beast", but this album has all the important elements that will make it so. Here's the dominant and pulsating bass of Steve Harris , who may not yet have found the final formula for the "galloping" style so identified with him, but is close to it, as in the song " Runnin' Free " - the first single from the album Steve Harris wrote Together with singer Paul Di'Anno and whose words are a kind of autobiography about the singer's life, as a disturbed 16-year-old child, rebellious and free. There are the famous harmonies of the "dual guitar" that ride on top of each other, like the small "lines" of " Prowler " - the album's powerful opening song, and there are the alternating solos between the two guitarists as in the song " Charlotte the Harlot " (starting on 2:57), written by Dave Murray solely and is the first of four in a series of "Maiden's" "prostitutes" songs. There are also the progressive buds with the frequent rhythm changes, and the roots of the film-based, book-based, or event-based epic songs, such as " Phantom of the Opera ," based on Gaston Leroux's famous 1910 novel, which was later released through the Broadway musical. It's one of the favorite songs of Steve Harris who to this day holds the opinion that it's one of the greatest songs he has ever written. There are also the instrumentals like " Transylvania " that will be further developed into sections like " Genghis Khan " and " Losfer Words (Big 'Orra) ". And there are even the complex and dynamic slow-fast, quiet-noisy tracks like the magnificent " Remember Tomorrow " which holds the basic formula that will create memorable tracks on subsequent albums, like " Hallowed Be Thy Name ", " Revelations " and even " Fear of the Dark ". The song was written by Steve Harris and Paul Di'Anno, with Di'Anno basing the lyrics on a sentence his grandfather said on his deathbed while suffering from diabetes. "Remember tomorrow," he told Paul. "Remember because you can have a better day ...". But despite the existence of all the "primary colors" that make up "Maiden's" style, the musical material and overall sound of this album still do not transmit pure metal. Paul Di'Anno's singing style reflected what happened in those years in Britain. He introduced the band to punk, both in his more aggressive musical style and singing and also in his look and appearance. This effect was also expressed in the dirty and rough guitar sound like the one which opens the song "Prowler". Although "Maiden's" DNA screams from almost every song as we detailed above, this is still not the classic "Maiden" who will need another two years to get there. Paul Di'Anno is a great singer, but he is not Bruce Dickinson and his vocal abilities, as well as the relatively limited vocal range, may fit like a glove to the songs on this album, but they are not yet enough to make "Maiden" one of the most important bands in metal. This will only happen with Bruce Dickinson 's famous scream in "Hallowed Be Thy Name", which will open the ears of all metal listeners in the world, and make them completely change their perception regarding the role and status of a singer in a band. (Photo: Kerrang) Also, Dennis Stratton is not Adrian Smith , and although he contributed some beautiful solos to the album, he did not fit into the band and was released from it due to musical disagreements, with his friends testifying that he did not play the loud solos with the same passion as those in the quiet tracks like " Strange World " 'Which is without a doubt one of the most beautiful songs on the album, but is "a different and weird" in relation to "Maiden's" repertoire. And yet, as we have said, it is one of the most important debut albums in metal, not necessarily because of the qualities not because of its influence, but because of the big bang that was created in its wake. The album immediately won critical acclaim and was received with open arms by the audience. Even the band itself treats this album with reverence as 4 of its 8 songs (in the original release) are among the most played songs in the band's performances to date: " Phantom of the Opera ", " Running Free ", " Sanctuary " and " Iron Maiden ", With the latter been played in every band performance ever. It is interesting to note that years later all the songs on the album except " Strange World " were recorded by Bruce Dickinson , both during performances or as part of B-Sides, which further illustrates the respect the band has for this important album, which was not only marked the opening signal for the great career of The band, but also constituted the milestone that would herald the beginning of the NWOBHM revolution and put the metal world in a completely different perspective! For Listening: Click Apple Music , Spotify . "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On April 14, 1983, David Bowie released his 15th album "Let's Dance". This is the album that will turn David Bowie into an idol and a superstar on a global scale, the album that will bring him the greatest commercial success since the beginning of his career, but it is also the album that will put Bowie's originality and creativity into a long sleep in an attempt to please the audience and new fans. Here are 40 facts you may not have known about the album: 1. It is David Bowie 's best-selling album with sales of over 10 million copies. 2. This is Bowie's first album where he only sings and doesn't play any instrumentals. 3. Bowie recruited Nile Rodgers from the funk-disco band "Chic" to produce the album. He gave him one instruction "I want a hit" and he got much more than that. 4. The choice of Rodgers as producer, who also played guitar, was responsible for the mix and the arrangements for brass instruments, also brought with it a fundamental change in the musical style of the album, which was defined as Post-Disco, with elements of Dance-Rock, Dance-Pop, and New Wave. 5. Rodgers was known, among other things, as the one who produced songs like "Upside Down" and "I'm Coming Out" for Diana Ross and would later produce the album "Like a Virgin" for Madonna. 6. Rodgers will bring to the recording of the album musicians such as drummer Omar Hakim and guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan , whom Bowie saw at the jazz festival in Monterrey, held in 1982, and asked him to play with him on his next album. Vaughan was then busy recording his album "Texas Flood". 7. The album was recorded from start to finish in only 19 days! 8. The album contains three songs that are cover versions: " China Girl " which Bowie wrote in collaboration with Iggy Pop , " Criminal World " by the new wave band "Metro" and a remake of "Cat People (Putting Out Fire)", originally recorded by Bowie and Giorgio Moroder in 1982 for the film of the same name. 9. 4 singles were released from the album. " Let's Dance ", " China Girl ", " Modern Love ", and " Without You ". 10. The title of the song " Let's Dance " may sound innocent and about dancing with a lover, but it has a deeper meaning. Bowie wrote about the "dance" that people do in life. The conceptual dance of not being honest with yourself. He sang, "Put on your red shoes and dance the blues" and he meant that sometimes we pretend to be happy but deep down we are sad. 11. It was the first and biggest transatlantic hit in Bowie's entire career. 12. It was an unusual single in its length, reaching almost 8:00 minutes. The song combined different musical styles such as Rock, Funk, Dance, New wave, and Post-Disco. The single includes many solos, of trumpet, saxophone, guitar, and percussion. 13. The vocal intro at the beginning of the song was influenced by "The Beatles'" version of the song "Twist and Shout". 14. This was the first song Bowie and Rodgers recorded for the album. Rodgers noted that the first version Bowie brought with him sounded like Donovan meets Anthony Newley. He changed the style, added the bouncy bassline and that's how this huge hit was born. 15. The second single " China Girl " was written by Iggy Pop and David Bowie during their years in Berlin and it first appeared on Pop's first solo album, The Idiot (1977). 16. The song was inspired by Iggy Po p 's crush on Kuelan Nguyen, a Vietnamese woman, and was written as a metaphor for his career in "The Stooges". 17. The production on the original recording that appeared on "The Idiot" is more raw and unpolished compared to Bowie's remastered hit, which gave it a softer version. 18. The original music video that was released for the song was censored. The scene where Bowie makes love on the beach, fully naked, with his girlfriend at the time - the model Geeling Ng was cut from it. 19. The third single " Modern Love " was the second song that Bowie and Rodgers recorded for the album. 20. Bowie said that Little Richard, "his earliest rock hero," inspired the song, especially the vocal arrangement. He cited a defining moment in his childhood as the moment his father came home with a copy of "Tutti Frutti". 21. The spoken words at the beginning of the song correspond with the closing words of the song "Ashes to Ashes" especially the line "get things done". 22. The song was the closing song of the tour that accompanied the album and allowed Bowie to "wave bye-bye" to the audience, according to the lyrics. 23. In 1987 Bowie re-recorded this song with Tina Turner for a "Pepsi" commercial, in which he plays a scientist who creates the perfect woman (Turner), with a little help from "Pepsi". 24. The song received an interesting cover version "Made in Israel", which was recorded by Geva Alon in 2007. This is a devastating folk version... 25. After Bowie's death the song " Modern Love " was defined by several magazines as one of his greatest songs. "Rolling Stone" listed it as one of Bowie's 30 essential songs, "Ultimate Classic Rock" ranked it in the list of Bowie's 10 greatest songs - "NME" chose it as the eighth of Bowie's greatest songs. 26. In the fourth single " Without You " Bowie aimed for the Pop-rock of the 60s and it corresponds with his early works. 27. The song features bass playing by Bernard Edwards, Roגgers' friend from "Chick". Roגgers made a bet with Bowie that Bernard would finish recording his partד in 15 minutes, it took even less, he arrived at the studio, did it in one take, looked at Bowie and Rodgers, and asked "Is that what you wanted?". 28. The song that opens the second side of the vinyl - " Ricochet " is probably the only one that recalls the experimental nature of Bowie's music from the late 70s. 29. Bowie stated that he thought it was a great song but the beat wasn't quite right. It didn't fit until Rodgers came along and did his thing, but it wasn't exactly what Bowie had in mind when he originally wrote it. 30. " Criminal World " is an original song by the band "Metro" from 1977. Their version was banned by the BBC for broadcast due to its bisexual tone. 31. Bowie stated that he thought Stevie Ray Vaughan 's solo on this song was his best on the album. 32. " Cat People (Putting Out Fire) " was recorded in 1981 by Bowie and Giorgio Moroder as the theme song for the 1982 film "Cat People". Bowie was unhappy with the original version and asked Rodgers to re-record it for the album. 33. In 1989, the album was ranked number 83 on Rolling Stone's "100 Best Albums of the 1980s" list. 34. In 2013, "NME" ranked "Let's Dance" at number 296 on its list of the "500 greatest albums of all time". 35. In 2018, "Pitchfork" ranked the album at number 127 on the "200 Greatest Albums of the 1980s" list. 36. The album was nominated for the Grammy Award for "Album of the Year" at the 26th Annual Grammy Awards, held in 1984, but lost to Michael Jackson's "Thriller". 37. The success of the album caused Bowie to reach a creative low point in his career that lasted for years to come. 38. He stated that he intended it to be a one-off project only. He had every intention of continuing to make extraordinary material after that. But the success of this album forced him to continue "feeding the beast". 39. After his follow-up albums "Tonight" and "Never Let Me Down" were critically dismissed, Bowie would later refer to this period as my "Phil Collins years." 40 In the late eighties Bowie founded the rock band "Tin Machine" in an attempt to regain his artistic vision. For Listening: Spotify "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On April, 14, 2023 "Metallica" released "72 Seasons" and proved "The old gods of thrash still thunder... "Metallica’s" "72 Seasons" roars to life as a bold and blistering testament to endurance. Clocking in at over 77 minutes, this is the band’s longest studio album and arguably their most thematically personal. While it echoes past eras — the speed of " Kill ’Em All ", the groove of " Load ", the grit of " St. Anger ", and the polish of "Hardwired" — "72 Seasons" stands tall as its own beast. It’s not a nostalgia trip. It’s a reckoning! an unapologetically long, riff-heavy journey through themes of time, trauma, aging, and resilience. James Hetfield described the album’s title as a metaphor for the first 18 years of life — “72 seasons of pain, joy, growth, loss.” This sets the emotional tone. James Hetfield’s lyrics tap into themes of childhood scars, emotional turbulence, and personal growth with more introspection than ever. Rather than pure aggression or theatrics, these songs are fueled by reflection, trauma, and resilience. Lyrically, it’s among Hetfield’s most open-hearted work. The rage is there, but now it's laced with vulnerability and a deeper search for meaning. The opening title track " 72 Seasons " wastes no time. After a long, dramatic buildup, the riff train kicks into high gear and doesn’t let up for over seven minutes. It’s classic "Metallica" thrash — tight, urgent, and full of fire. Hetfield snarls through lines about childhood scars and fractured identity. The breakdown? Heavy. The solo? Fiery. It's a statement of intent. The song won "Best Metal Performance" at the Grammy Awards in 2024. It was "Metallica's" ninth Grammy " Shadows Follow " swings like a hammer. It’s groove-oriented but maintains a biting edge, combining Hetfield’s layered vocals with a haunting melodic sensibility. Think " Reload " meets " Justice ". The lyrics tap into the creeping presence of darkness and self-doubt — a topic "Metallica’s" never shied away from, but here it feels more direct. " Screaming Suicide " is the second single from the album. It is absolutly a standout both musically and thematically. The galloping rhythm and shout-along chorus are tailor-made for live shows, but underneath the power lies a sobering subject: mental health, suicide and self-destruction which the band previously dealt with on " Fade To Black " and " Sad But True ". "Metallica" gets honest here, and it works. “Don’t ever speak that word,” Hetfield sneers, then counters it with defiance. It’s anthemic, gritty, and deeply human. And please listen to Kirk Hammett 's solo at 3:32 min. of the song. Is this a rip-off or homage to "Deep Purple's" " Speed ​​King "? " Sleepwalk My Life Away " is a massive groove-metal track driven by Robert Trujillo’s bass rumble. This one has swagger. It slithers and stomps, reminiscent of "Sabbath" with a modern punch. The lyrics speak to numbness and detachment, making the slow burn feel almost hypnotic — and when the chorus crashes in, it soars. " You Must Burn! " is perhaps the heaviest track on the album — this is where the doom comes in. Riff-wise, it's like a lost cousin of “ Sad But True ” and “ The Thing That Should Not Be .” Hetfield sounds menacing, Lars Ulrich ’s drums pound with weight, and Trujillo is absolutely in the pocket. This is vintage, evil-sounding "Metallica". The song features backing vocals from bassist Robert Trujillo, marking the first time he has sung on a "Metallica" record. " Lux Æterna " is the lead single, and for good reason. It's a metal bomb that returns the band to its roots but at the same time shows that "Metallica" legacy will shine forever. No wonder the song title means "eternal light" in Latin. It’s fast, fun, and straight to the point. At under four minutes, it’s a full-throttle throwback to " Kill ’Em All ", with hints of "Diamond Head" and "Motörhead". Pure adrenaline, and an instant classic in the "Metallica" canon. It wasn't long after the song was released that Kirk Hammett started catching fire online with fans replacing his solo with their own versions. " Crown of Barbed Wire " shows "Metallica" leaning into restraint and texture over speed and fury. It’s not a single, it’s not the flashiest track—but it’s one of the most emotionally dense. It builds a haunting atmosphere that gives "72 Seasons" some of its depth. It’s the sound of a band confronting inner demons—not by exorcising them, but by wearing them. “ Chasing Light ” is "Metallica" on the run — not from the past, but toward something: clarity, healing, peace. It’s one of the most energetic and emotionally-charged tracks on the record, blending old-school thrash mechanics with a deeply human core. The tempo kicks up, driven by Lars Ulrich’s relentless snare attack and a tight, chugging riff that harks back to the band’s " ...And Justice for All " and "Hardwired" eras, but with a fresh, modern pulse. The instrumental bridge is especially noteworthy: it slows down into a stomping, syncopated groove, almost like a brief moment of reflection before launching back into the final attack. Kirk Hammett unleashes one of his best solos on the album here — chaotic, fast, and melodic all at once. " If Darkness Had a Son " is a hulking, stomping beast with a chantable hook: "Temptation! Temptation!" The main riff is simple but infectious. There’s a swagger here that brings to mind " The Black Album ", but with a rawer edge. The overall atmosphere feels like “ The God That Failed ” meeting “ Leper Messiah ”. Hammett’s solo is great. Sharp and a bit chaotic. " Too Far Gone? " is a punk-thrash hybrid that flies out of the gate with tight riffage and a memorable chorus. It’s one of the more compact, melodic moments on the album — and maybe the catchiest. It strikes that perfect "Metallica" balance between brute force and melodic sensibility. " Room of Mirrors " is a total surprise — psychedelic intro, galloping rhythms, multi-layered harmonies, and a dual guitar attack that could’ve lived on " Ride the Lightning ". It's a fast, intricate piece that showcases how tight the band still is after 40+ years. " Inamorata " is an 11-minute monster to close the album. The longest song in "Metallica’s" discography, and a deeply emotional one. It is the epic finale to "72 Seasons". This is "Metallica" going deep, wide, and heavy — emotionally and musically. It's a sludgy-doom, mid-tempo journey that leans into sorrow, regret, and emotional entrapment, but with the wisdom of age and introspection. Almost like a metal ballad in slow motion. A sort of sequel to " My Friend of Misery " (" The Black Album "), but also draws inspiration from “ The Outlaw Torn ” (" Load ") and “ Fixxxer ” (" Reload ") — long, brooding, emotionally rich tracks that put atmosphere before aggression. But “Inamorata” adds a new level of maturity. The slow, crawling riff that opens the track feels "Sabbath"-inspired, almost funereal... heavy, hypnotic, and emotionally potent. Around the halfway mark, the song shifts into a clean, spacious interlude where Hetfield’s vocals are raw and aching. This section — with Trujillo’s bass floating underneath — is one of the most beautiful and haunting moments "Metallica" has recorded in decades, while right after comes a slow, harmonized guitar leads that build a meditative, haunting atmosphere reminiscent of “ To Live Is to Die ”("… And Justice for All "). "72 Seasons" is not a reinvention of "Metallica" — it’s a reaffirmation. The band leans into what they’ve always done best: heavy riffs, emotional themes, and tight musicianship. But they do it with maturity, insight, and just enough experimentation to keep things fresh. While the album’s length may be daunting, it rarely feels dull. Each track has something to say — and something to prove. "Metallica" sounds simply great!!! The production is nothing less than amazing!!! Kirk Hammett ’s solos are more spontaneous than clinical, which adds personality even if it divides fans. Trujillo shines throughout, and Ulrich delivers one of his most consistent performances in years. Above all, Hetfield is the emotional core — writing some of the best lyrics of his career. He still delivers unforgettable guitar riffs and roars like a lion king. 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, the album "Ember" the sixth by "Breaking Benjamin" , was released on April 13, 2018. This is a collaborative album of a band that has recently started working together, and this is also the first time the work is not solely under the direction of one person, but a team effort of the entire band. After a long period of legal battles and personal health battles over a mysterious disease, Benjamin Burnley embarks on a new path with his royalties in his pocket and his head full of inspiration. He is forming a brand new band to record the band's fifth album "Dark Before Dawn" . Burnley was the only one writing and putting the music together with the other band members just recorded their roles of each instrument on the album. Only one song from the album, "Never Again", was written by all the band members together. The work on the song created collaboration and a fruitful and creative way of working between the members. Burnley who was tired of being a "lone wolf", felt that he had found what he was looking for. Working together with the other members on the song gave him the confidence that he has talented people with whom he can work and grow. Let's be honest, this is an album with Burnley's fingerprint without a doubt, with the band's familiar sound all these years. But there is something special here, a little different and varied from the previous albums. It feels like this is an album made by the whole band, a mature album of a band that started its way only in the previous album. The first single from the album was "Red Cold River" followed by "Torn In Two" followed by "Tourniquet" but the album has quite a few more powerful amazing songs like the deadly "Psyco", the heavy "Feed The Wolf" &"Down", the exciting "Close Your Eyes" that bounces !! The album reached number three on the Billboard 200 and topped the singles chart with the song "Red Cold River". You are welcome to listen to the album on Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On April 13, 2000, "Metallica" filed a lawsuit against the file-sharing company "Napster". "Metallica" alleged that Napster was guilty of copyright infringement and racketeering, as defined by the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (United States Federal Law). The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. This case came after another case that was filed against "Napster," by "A&M Records", Inc. which included 18 large record companies. But Metallica's lawsuit was the most publicized since it was an artist suing a Peer to Peer company. Lars Ulrich was the face of "Metallica" in that lawsuit, and we all know his verbal ways. His appearance on the media made it looks like "Metallica" is on a crusade against their fans, trying to hunt down the "criminals". (Photo: Playvox.com) For those who do not know this, Napster was a pioneering peer-to-peefile-sharingng Internet service, founded by Shawn Fanning, that emphasized sharing digitally encoded music as MP3 audio files. Using Napster people around the world could share their music collection with others, the same as you exchanged CDs with your neighbor. It started when "Metallica" heard their unfinished, unmixed demo of the song " I Disappear ", which was part of the Mission: Impossible II soundtrack, on the radio stations across the US. Metallica hired an investigation company and traced the leak to the file on Napster's peer-to-peer file-sharing network, where they discovered the band's entire catalog was available for free download. Metallica argued that Napster was enabling users to exchange copyrighted MP3 files. So they said "You fuck with us, we will fuck with you" and what started as a "street fight" according to Lars's words, became a huge fiasco. (Photo: Playvox.com) In March 2001, the federal district court issued a preliminary injunction in "Metallica's" favor. The injunction ordered Napster to place a filter on their software within 72 hours, or be shut down. Napster was forced to search its system and remove all copyrighted songs by Metallica. Other artists including Dr. Dre, several record companies, and the RIAA subsequently filed their lawsuits which led to the termination of an additional 230,142 "Napster" accounts. "Napster" settled with "Metallica" and Dr. Dre after Bertelsmann AG BMG became interested in purchasing the rights to "Napster" for $94 million. Although "Metallica" won the case, they lost many of their fans. The case became one of "Metallica's" black stains in its history. It also impacted the peer-to-peer which dramatically dropped down for a while, but eventually came back up stronger the bigger. There was much more software available and more people got involved. It was even claimed that users which download music for free spend more money on purchasing music since they can expose themselves and taste more variations. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On that day, one of the big protest bands was boycotted from appearing on a successful TV show. SNL On April 13, 1996, Rage Against The Machine was banned from ever appearing on the iconic program "Saturday Night Live" , due to what was later dubbed as the "Flag Incident." Rage is probably one of the greatest protest bands of our generation, so what you will read next won't be surprising. Yet! When Rage was invited to appear on the famous show "SNL", the band's fans raised an eyebrow, even two, but were greatly flattered by the gesture itself. The popular show, which has been broadcast since 1975 on the NBC channel, has been the tribal bonfire of the American public for decades and, among other things, has produced dozens of stars who have been hosts or performers in the show. It is unclear what was going on in the mind of the show producers when they decided that the person to host the show that evening would be mega-tycoon Steve Forbes, who had recently retired from the Republican presidential race. Forbes was a "red sheet" for Rage members, and they belonged to the kind of people towards whom their angry protest was directed. It was clear to Rage's bandmates that they could not go through with this silently and they had some protest plans. One of them was to note during one of the songs that NBC is controlled by General Electric, a company that makes weapons that were used in war crimes. The band finally gave up on this plan in favor of hanging two U.S. flags upside down on the amplifiers that were on stage. For those for whom this does not sound like a "protest" enough, note that the issue of flag honor is enshrined in U.S. legislation under U.S. law. Code Section 8 - "Respect for the flag", which in subsection (a) provides that the flag shall never be hung upside down except in extreme cases of critical distress or extreme danger to life or property. As follows: U.S. Code Title 4. Chapter 1. THE FLAG § 8. Respect for flag " (a) The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property." Apparently, Rage members felt "critical distress", and so it happened that just before the band's first song - "Bulls On Parade" two upside-down US flags were hung on the amplifiers that were placed on stage, in protest against NBC and the fact that Forbes hosted the show the same day they performed. These flags were torn off by the production just seconds before the band began performing the song, and the furious show directors prevented the band from performing the second song that was scheduled for that evening. Not only that, but the angry NBC executives boycotted the band from ever performing on the "Saturday Night Live" show ever again. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On April 13, 1979, "Thin Lizzy" released their ninth studio album - "Black Rose: A Rock Legend". It's one of "Thin Lizzy's" biggest albums, and it's probably also the band's last "classic" album. It is also "Thin Lizzy's" most commercially successful album, reaching #2 on the UK charts. For this Album "Thin Lizzy" recruits a serious reinforcement in the form of the legendary guitarist Gary Moore . Moore may have previously collaborated with Phil Lynott and the band, but here he has already become a full-fledged regular member of the band. Gary Moore replaced guitarist Brian Robertson, who suffered a hand injury that forced him to sit on the replacement bench during the band's previous album - "Bad Reputation", playing only three solos on songs he managed to record before his injury. The friendships between Phil Lynott and Gary Moore go back to the late 1960s, when they both played in the band "Skid Row" (not the American band that will be formed years later) and have since continued to collaborate, contributing one to the other's albums. For example, Moore collaborated with "Thin Lizzy" in the stunning solo song " Still in Love with You " from the "Nightlife" from 1974, while Lynott collaborated with Moore on the album "Back on the Streets" which was released just a year earlier and contains the hit song " Parisienne Walkways ". This tremendous chemistry between Moore and Lynott is also evident in this album, with Moore completing the duel-sounding guitar sound that has been honed on the band's recent albums. Moore gave the band the dirty and unpolished "shredding" sound, while the band's second guitarist Scott Gorham brought the more "classic" approach. This album features interesting guest musicians such as Huey Lewis, who will later form the American ensemble Huey Lewis & The News. Lewis plays the harmonica in a song with the dark vibe " With Love " in which the excellent bassist Jimmy Bain also participates as a guest and provides the "boogie" bass that serves as a fertile cushion for Moore and Gorham's guitars. Lewis also participates in the song " Sarah " whose moving lyrics were written by Phil Lynott about his newborn daughter. It is interesting to note that this is the band's second song called "Sara", when the first song was included on the band's second album "Shades of a Blue Orphanage", which was released in 1972. While the first song was written about Lynott's grandmother whose Lynott's daughter "Sarah" was named after her. "Sara" which ends the first side of the vinyl is also the most "different" song on the album, both in terms of the melody that corresponds with Latin rhythms, and in terms of arrangement and production, when only Moore's solo after the chorus manages to remind us that this is still a hard rock band. Another interesting collaboration on the album is with the talented musician Midge Ure who will later form the new wave bands "Ultravox" and "Visage". Ure co-wrote the song " Get Out of Here " with Phil Lynott and will later join the band as a regular member as Gary Moore 's replacement. It's probably the most "light" and catchy song on the album is because of Ure's influence, even though he noted that his influence on the song was minor and that he was flattered that Phil Lynott gave him credit for writing the song, which also helped him open doors early in his career as a musician. The album opens with " Do Anything You Want To ", with the dreaded African-style drumming of drummer Brian Downey and with the thunderous bass of Phil Lynott , joined by the two guitarists in harmonic synchronization and the band's all-familiar double guitar sound. We refrained from mentioning it, but the drumming at the beginning of the track reminds us of the opening of the song "Runnin' Free" from "Iron Maiden's" debut album which came out a year later. Make sure not to miss the homage Phil Lynott gives to Elvis Presley when the song fade-out, singing excerpts from "Blue Suede Shoes." The second track on the album " Toughest Street in Town " opens with the dirty-sounding guitar riff, shifting the wheel from the rhythm section that dominated the previous song to the guitars that lead Lizzy's "gang" to "The Toughest Street in the City" in a kind of tribute to another "gang" from "The Boys Are Back In Town" three years earlier. The third track " S & M " opens with Brian Downey's drum dribble who also co-wrote the song with Lynott and enjoyed a short drum solo later on in the song. Before Metallica and long before Rihanna was born, Thin Lizzy wrote on S&M while raising a mid finger to the feminist movement with lyrics that eliminated the chances of releasing this song as a single. This is a slightly different piece from the Thin Lizzy we know, with the flanger guitar effect and the funky rhythm that was probably meant to correspond with Curtis Mayfield and Sly Stone. The third track " Waiting for an Alibi " picks up a gear and runs at a faster pace. This is the first single released from the album and perhaps the best song on the first side of the vinyl. And what a beauty of solos the duo Moore and Gorham give us here. Interestingly, a long version of this song appears on the band's compilation albums such as "Dedication: The Very Best of Thin Lizzy". The second side opens up with Gorham's bluesy intro to the song " Got to Give It Up ". This is the first "call for help" song by Lynnott that came at the time he was addicted to drugs and alcohol. Listen to the words and you will not remain indifferent, given the bitter end that awaited him a few years later. The second song in which Lynnott cries out for help is "Heart Attack." From the album " Thunder And Lightning " - the band's last album. The most ambitious part of the album is also the one that closes it - the theme song " Róisín Dubh (Black Rose): A Rock Legend " written by Gary Moore and Lynott as a homage to Ireland. It's a kind of mini-piece - a four-part odyssey that combines hard rock riffs with Irish folk music, similar to the song " Whiskey in the Jar " which was the band's first hit that is also mentioned in the lyrics. The lyrics of the song also mention well-known artists of Irish descent like William Butler, Van Morrison who is mentioned in the words "But Van is the man" and Oscar Wilde who gets a reference in the words "And Oscar, he's going Wilde". This song was chosen as the best Irish rock song of all time, by Rolling Stone magazine. Although the album was a huge success both critically and commercially, the band did not manage to ride the wave of success, especially after Gary Moore left later in 1979. "Thin Lizzy" did release three more good albums down the road, but in our opinion, they did not rise above the level of this classic album. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music . "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Country music flows in his veins but he is mostly known as the voice of the band "Staind". His difficult childhood expresses the character of the band expresses in lyrics and musical style. (Photo: Wallpapersafari.com) 1. He was born on April 13, 1972, to a Jewish mother and a Catholic father and has two younger sisters. 2. When he was born his parents were Hippies who lived in a log cabin in the woods, at a later stage they moved to a trailer park. 3. Lewis' parents often quarreled, broke up, and returned until at age 13 they finally divorced. 4. Lewis said that he did not have a warm and safe home, he often fight with his mother and even cut ties with her for several years. 5. He has abandonment anxiety following the death of his grandfather, who when passed away his whole family side cut ties which greatly affected Lewis and his family. 6. Another period that greatly influenced Lewis was in high school. He was subjected to bullying and severe harassment by students at a school, which he said did not only conclude with verbal and physical violence. He was not happy with his friends either, he was the group's punching bag which allowed his friends to get on him and harass him just to interact with them. 7. These periods greatly influenced Lewis' style of music and lyrics during his lifetime. 8. In 1993 Lewis met guitarist Mike Mushok at a party, the two became interested in music and started playing together. 9. Lewis brought in his bassist friend Johnny April and Mike brought in his drummer friend Jon Wysocki and in 1995 the four formed the band "Staind" . (Photo: Fanart.TV) 10. The band has performed a lot in clubs playing covers of bands like "RATM", "Pearl Jam", "Tool", and more. The non-stop gigs managed to create a devoted fan base for the band and income that led to the recordings of the first album. 11. In 1996 they independently released their debut album “Tormented”. This is a very heavy and aggressive album that tells the story of a guy who is in a deep depression and ends up committing suicide. Lewis reflected (as on subsequent albums) on his childhood and adolescence, he too nearly committed suicide by shooting himself with a gun. The album cover reflected its contents in the harsh visuals. The album sold only a few thousand copies and the band fails to create groundbreaking exposure. 12. The same album features the song "Mudshuvel" which will be called "Mudshovel" and will become the band's breakthrough single. 13. A year later the band managed to get to be an opening act for the band "Limp Bizkit". The band singer and leader Fred Dusrt heard the matter and opposed "Staind's" performance mainly due to their album cover and the devilish image it gave them. His opposition did not materialize and "Staind" took the stage. Fred, who was overwhelmed by their performance, decided to adopt them and signed them to the "Flip Records" label. 14. In 1999 the band released their second album but their debut album on the big label "Flip Records" was called “Dysfunction”. The album produced by Fred, continued the musical style of the first album with hard lyrics and heavy sound but it was more melodic and ear-friendly. Three singles came out of the album: "Just Go", "Mudshovel", and "Home". The album was not very successful with his issue but slowly climbed up the charts and only after half a year did it gain fame. 15. This is the band's breakthrough album that combines the heavy sound with Lewis' strong and penetrating voice which makes it a hallmark and a powerful musical stamp. As with this album and the rest of the band's albums, Lewis is responsible for the lyrics and melody, but the work is integrated between all the band members. 16. The band joined "Limp Bizkit", Korn, and other bands for the famous "Family Values Tour" where Lewis performed for the first time the song "Outside" accompanied by Fred, a very famous performance. 17. In 2001 the second album "Break The Cycle" was released, the first single from the album was "It's Been Awhile" which took the album straight to number one on Billboard 200. It is the second album that year with the highest number of sales for the first week (first place belongs to " Weathered " of "Creed"). Other singles from the album: "Fade", "Outside", "For You" and "Epiphany". To date, it is the band's best-selling album containing 13 songs each stronger than its predecessor. 18. At the top of their success, the band participated in the famous "MTV Unplugged" project when the album was released on November 20th of that year. 19. In 2003, the fourth album "14 Shades of Gray" was released. In that album, the band moves further away from Nu-Metal, associated with post-grunge. - "So Far Away" was a hit at the radio stations and aired non-stop. 20. Two years later their fifth album "Chapter V" was released and became the third album in a row to chart the first spot on Billboard 200. The lead single from the album was "Right Here" followed by "Falling", "Everything Changes" and "King of All Excuses". 21. In 2008 the sixth album "The Illusion of Progress" was released, the album did not reach first place but reached the top and released four great singles: "Believe", "All I Want", "The Way I Am" and "This Is It". 22. In 2011 Lewis started a solo career and released his debut EP called “Town Line”. The EP contains 5 country songs in which various artists from country music participate. One of the songs on the album is "Tangled Up in You" which was released on Staind's "The Illusion of Progress" album which he performs with singer Alexa Carter. (Photo: Houseofblues.com) 23. The band released its seventh eponymous album that same year. The album was released along with a DVD that included a documentary of the recording process. In this album, the band returns to its style from the first albums and this is also their last album as of today and the last with the original lineup. Four singles were released from the album: "Not Again", "Eyes Wide Open", "Now" and "Something to Remind You". The recordings of the album were difficult and created a lot of tension and distance between the band members. Lewis had to "run away" often to hold his tour to promote his debut album to the consent of the rest of the band members, they said that in a large part of the recordings they were not even present in the same studio. 24. In 2012 the band went on a hiatus when in April 2019 they announced that they would reunite for a short tour. 25. That same year Lewis released his first full country album called “The Road”. The album reached # 7 on the Billboard Country Albums Chart. 26. In 2016, Lewis released his second country album "Sinner" which reached number four on the Billboard 200 and number one on the country album chart. The album also features Lewis's daughter Lewis Zoe Jane with background vocals. 27. In 2019 came out Lewis' third album "State I'm In", yes you guessed it, also country style which is so beloved by Lewis, the music he introduced by his grandfather. 28. In January 2022, Lewis released his fourth solo album, "Frayed at Both Ends". The album reached number five on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and was the best-selling country album in the United States during its release week. It presents a stripped-down and minimalist approach, with Lewis describing it as a “raw and direct” work aimed at placing the songs themselves at the forefront. Among the standout tracks are "Am I the Only One", which became a major country hit, and "Everybody Talks to God", a song written years earlier but recorded here for the first time. 29. In September 2023, after 12 years from the previous album, the band "Staind" released their eighth album "Confessions of the Fallen". Although during the hiatus they appeared several times as a band on stages, they did not create anything new until this album. According to Lewis, this album incorporates many synthetic elements that he wanted to explore and experiment with. 29. In March 2024, Aaron Lewis released his fifth solo album, "The Hill". The album features 10 songs written either alone or with a small circle of collaborators. Critics noted that it is a deeply personal work, built around a minimalist acoustic sound that highlights his signature raspy voice. The songs reflect a period of change and challenges, blending country and rock with a direct and unpolished approach. Lewis continues here the country direction he established in his previous solo albums. 30. Over the years Lewis has faced severe mental health problems accompanied by alcohol and drug addiction, he has shared his experiences, feelings, and struggles throughout "Staind's" albums. Listen to Lewis' latest album on   Spotify , Apple Music   "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website