How many guitarists do you know who have actually played in lineups from different genres like Hard Rock and Heavy Metal, Blues Rock, Jazz Fusion and mastered all these genres at high level? (Photo: Paul Bergen) So guitarist Gary Moore is one such and we want to tell you some facts about him: 1. Moore was born Robert William Gary Moore on April 4, 1952 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. 2. At the age of 10 he started playing the acoustic guitar and at the age of 14 he switched to the electric guitar. 3. Since he was left-handed he taught himself to play on it like any other right-handed player. Moore was initially influenced by artists such as "The Shadows, Albert King Elvis Presley, "The Beatles". 5. Later when he saw Jimi Hendrix and "John Mayall's Bluesbreakers" and "Cream" at shows in Belfast, his style evolved into blues rock. 6. In his youth, Moore was involved in a brawl that left him with scars on his face, as a result of cuts caused by a broken bottle. 7. Moore was greatly influenced by Peter Green from "Fleetwood Mac". He was also a kind of mentor to him. 8. In 1995, Moore released the album "Blues for Greeny" as a tribute to Peter Green . 9. Moore even plays on this tribute album on the same guitar he purchased from Peter Green after the latter left "Fleetwood Mac", his the 1959 Les Paul Standard. 10. In 1969 Moore joined "Skid Row" - an Irish blues rock band, not the one from the US with Sebastian Bach. He was only 17 years old when he released the album "Skid" from 1970. Later in 1971, he will also release the album "34 Hours" with the band. The album title came from the number of hours it took to record it. 11. By the way, that the same American "Skid Row" will later pay Moore royalties for the use of it's name. 12. In 1970 Moore released the album "Honest Injun", as part of a band called "Granny's Intentions". 13. In 1973 he began his solo career with the album "Grinding Stone", which he released under the name of "Gary Moore Band". 14. Already in 1974 he began collaborating with Phil Lynott , on the album "Nightlife" by "Thin Lizzy". (Photo: Hulton Archive) 15. In 1976 he joined the jazz fusion band "Colosseum II" and released the album "Strange New Flesh". Moore will release three more albums with the aforementioned band in 1977-1978 (the latter being a collaboration with Andrew Lloyd Webber). 16. In 1978 he released the album " Back on the Streets ", which includes the hit "Parisienne Walkways". The album featured bassist Phil Lynott , keyboardist Don Airey and drummer Simon Phillips. 17. In April 1979 he released the album " Black Rose: A Rock Legend " with "Thin Lizzy". 18. That same year he also collaborated with drummer Cozy Powell on the album "Over the Top". Moore released with Powell another album in 1981. 19. In 1980 he released a solo album under the "G-Force" project. 20. That same year he was featured on the album "Solo in Soho", Phil Lynott 's solo album. 21. Moore collaborated with Greg Lake - ex-"King Crimson" and "ELP" bassist and singer, on his two solo albums from 1981 and 1983. 22. Since 1982 he has released a streak of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal albums as part of his solo career, the first being "Corridors of Power" featuring Ian Paice , Don Airey and Jack Bruce, among others. 23. In 1985 Moore returned to collaborate with Phil Lynott who featured on his album "Run for Cover", wrote and sang the big hit from it. 24. In 1987 Moore released the album "Wild Frontier"ת in which he combined among others influences of Celtic music. 25. That same year Moore participated in the recordings of the song "Let It Be"ת with the band "Ferry Aid", as part of the "MS Herald of Free Enterprise" disaster charity project. 26. In 1990 Moore made the switch and moved from Hard Rock to Blues Rock, reaching the peak of his popularity with the album " Still Got the Blues ". This album was undoubtedly responsible for reviving the Blues Rock style and bringing it to mainstream. 24. Moore will continue to release blues-style albums until 1997, then he will come up with the album "Dark Days in Paradise", which included electronic and programming influences. 25. In 1994, Moore collaborated with Jack Bruce and Ginger Baker in the band "BBM" (Bruce-Baker-Moore), with whom he released the album "Around the Next Dream". 26. In 2001, Moore released "Back to the Blues", in which he returned to the roots of blues. 27. In 2002 he founded the project "Scars" in collaboration with Cass Lewis - bassist of "Skunk Anansie" and Darrin Mooney the drummer of "Primal Scream". 28. On February 6, 2011, Moore died of a heart attack in his sleep, at the hotel where he was staying during a vacation on the "Costa del Sol", Spain. He was staying there with his girlfriend at the time and a very high amount of alcohol was found in his blood. He was 58 at the time of his death. 29. In 2019, a fundraising campaign was launched aiming to build a monument in his memory in his hometown of Belfast. 30. As part of his solo career Moore has released 18 studio albums and a similar number of studio albums along with other lineups. And now let's listen to a playlist of his songs we've prepared for you: Spotify "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

A Sneak Peek... And today, about the day "The Beatles" held all top five spots on the US charts. On April 4, 1964, a wonderful thing happened in the history of music. "The Beatles" dominated the American Billboard 100, holding all of its top five spots. It happened when the song " Can't Buy Me Love " jumped from the 27th place, where it spent its first week in the chart, straight to first place. It took the top from " She Loves You ", which held the first place in the previous weeks and on that magical day was pushed down to the third place. It is interesting to noteת that " She Loves You " also pushed the song " I Want to Hold Your Hand ", which held the first place and on that miraculous day was pushed down to the fourth place, making "The Beatles" the first band on the Billboard's history to have on four consecutive weeks three different songs on the top spot. But it does not end there, because beyond the five songs that dominated the top of the chart, "The Beatles" had another 7 songs on the Billboard 100. Do you get it? that same week 12 songs from the Fab-Four were on the Billboard 100, do you realize the magnitude of the achievement??? And if that's not enough to understand how awesome this band was, then in the following week, on April 11, 1964, two more" Beatles" songs will join the chart - " There's a Place " and " Love Me Do " - making them the first band to chart 14 songs on the Billboard 100. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Let's tell you some facts about who was part of "Alice in Chains'" first two albums and also related to Layne Staley 's death. (Photo: Jeff Kravitz) 1. He was born on April 4, 1966, as Michael Christopher Starr. 2. His first band was "Sato", a heavy metal band he formed in 1983. (Photo: metal-archives.com) 3. A year later he joined for a very short time the band "Gypsy Rose" which included members Tim Branom (who would later be the producer of Alice In Chains) and also Jerry Cantrell . (Photo: timbranom.com) 4. We have already mentioned in other posts that when Jerry Cantrell decided to form a band with drummer Sean Kinney , he thought of Mike as a bassist. Mike also happened to be the brother of Sean's girlfriend whom Jerry met in "Gypsy Rose". (Photo: Marty Temme) 5. In 1989 after a number of demos and local gigs, the band "Alice In Chains" signed a record deal with the big label Columbia Records. 6. A year later they released their first EP "We Die Young" and in August 1990 they released their debut album "Facelift" . 7. In February 1992 they released their second but first of two acoustic EPs called "SAP" . 8. In September 1992 they released the album "Dirt" , the band's last album with Mike and the album which was the peak of the band's flourishing and success. 9. Immediately after the release of the album "Dirt", the band went on an intensive tour to promote the album. There is a version that claims that Mike left the band immediately after the start of the tour since he was not interested in continuing to perform so intensely and life on the road did not suit him. The second version claims that because he was so deeply into drugs, the band fired him because he could not perform well. 10. Mike said that during this tour Layne Staley saved his life. At one of the shows in Brazil with "Nirvana", Layne, Mike, and Kurt Cobain injected heroin into each other. Layne injected Mike but injected him too many times and Mike collapsed, losing consciousness and pulse. Layne immediately tried to save Mike and gave him CPR, Mike awoke at the sight of Layne crying hysterically. 11. In 1993 after leaving Alice, Mike joined the "Sun Red Sun" band with Ray Gillen who was a singer and writer from the "Badlands" band and also as part of "Black Sabbath" and drummer Bobby Rondinelli from the "Rainbow" band, "Blue Oyster Cult" and more... the band survived less than a year due to Ray death and released a single album bearing the band's name. 12. Mike had a not-so-short history with law enforcement and was arrested several times for the offense: of drunk driving, violence, drug possession, disorderly conduct, and other offenses. He was even arrested once at the airport for stealing someone else's suitcase after seeing his own damage. 13. In 2010 Mike participated in the VH1 TV series called Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew who documents celebrities during the rehab process. He participated in a spinoff series called Sober House documenting the same celebrities after rehab. 14. In one of the series' interviews with Layne's mother, Mike revealed for the first time his connection to Layne's death. He said that the day before Layne's death the two met and spent time together to celebrate Mike's birthday but Layne was very ill and refused to call the emergency center. The two confronted because Layne was unwilling to get help and Mike stormed Layne's house. After Mike left, Layne called Mike and asked him to come back and not leave that way. Mike did not return nor did he call the emergency center. 15. In the interview he expressed regret and pain that he did not call the emergency center to save his friend and this is mainly because he too was high on drugs that evening and afraid to hurt friends and he will never forgive himself for not saving his good friend Layne. Turns out Mike was the last person to see Layne. 16. On March 8, 2011, Mike was found lifeless in his home in Salt Lake City, the cause of death determined was an overdose. 17. In 2013 Sean added the caption LSMS to his drum set, these are the acronyms for Layne and Mike's names. Listen to the latest and most successful album Mike has created with Alice Sp otify , Apple Music . "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On April 3, 1980, "Saxon" released their second studio album, "Wheels of Steel". This is without a doubt one of the classic Metal albums of all time and is also one of the band's greatest albums. The beginning was not so simple for "Saxon." The band, formed in 1977 as "Son of a Bitch", soon changed its name to "Saxon" and managed to serve as the warm-up band of "Motorhead", in 1979. This would earn them a recording contract with the British branch of the French record company "Carrere", however, their debut album failed to sell well. In 1980 the new wave of British heavy metal (NWOBHM) gained serious momentum with bands such as "Iron Maiden", "Def Leppard", "Angel Witch" and "Diamond Head", all of whom released their debut albums. The NWOBHM scene, has also managed to push the careers of older bands like "Judas Priest" and "Black Sabbath", who released their classic albums that year. Following the failure of their 1979 debut, "Saxon" had to find new management. They also replaced their producer and entered one of the competitive years in heavy metal with a slight advantage over their new friends from the NWOBHM scene, who released their debut albums that year. "Saxon" took advantage of this relative advantage well and began working on their second album as a well-oiled, cohesive unit. The musical line was more focused this time. The remnants of the Prog and Glam were left out and the sound became rawer - a refined and pure Heavy Metal. (Photo: George Bodnar Archive/IconicPix) This album produced several memorable Metal anthems. The fast and edgy opening song " Motorcycle Man " sets the tone and rhythm for the rest of the album. It's a classic "motorcycle" song whose riff was written by guitarist Paul Quinn. Interestingly enough, the theme song " Wheels of Steel " could easily have entered the soundtrack of the cult film "Easy Rider" alongside "Born To Be Wild". Singer Biff Byford admitted that the sound of this song was influenced by "AC/DC". He noted his obsession with speeding and the fact that he wanted to participate in motorcycle competition, but was refused by the band management who cared about his safety. " 747 (Strangers In The Night) " song title corresponds with the classic album " Strangers in the Night " that "UFO" released a year earlier. It's one of the band's most recognizable songs and certainly one of their best. Singer Biff Byford said that this song deals with two main topics: on the one hand people, strangers, meetings at airports, and on the other hand the great power outage in New York, in November 1965 during which the landing of Scandinavian "Airlines" flight 911 was delayed due to heavy darkness. But this album is far beyond these three anthems. There's " Freeway Mad " that continues with the album's hidden line, corresponding with themes of "engines" and "speed". There is also the excellent ending song " Machine Gun " and " Suzie Hold On " which is written about a childhood friend of singer Biff Byford, Who passed away as a result of a brain tumor, and more. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music . "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

A Sneak Peek... And today, on an album released on April 3, 1995, featuring two different lineups of the same band. Confused? So we'll explain. Today in 1995 "King Crimson" released their 11th album - "Thrak". For this album, Robert Fripp , the genius and undisputed leader of the band, devised the "Double Trio" concept. What does it mean? The lineup on the album is made up of the band's two trio ensembles, two guitarists, two bassists, two drummers, and one singer. Each track of the album has a trio that plays the main theme, with the second trio accompanying, adding, developing, improvising, and decorating. The first track of the album - " Vrooom ", opens with all six players in the center of the mix, when later they are split into two trios, one trio routed to the right channel and a second trio to the left channel. In this way, Robert Fripp and Adrian Belew , whose contribution to the album is invaluable, share the roles of rhythm and guitar, solos. Bill Bruford and Pat Mastelotto shared the roles of drums and percussion similar to what worked so beautifully with Jamie Muir in the days of "Larks' Tongues in Aspic", so each one of them performs all the drum and percussion parts. Tony Levin and Trey Gunn divided the work a little differently, with the experienced Tony Levin getting the more intricate parts, while Trey Gunn focused on the decoration and additions, but he made it so beautiful and clever. (Photo: DGM) This album is also a mini-comeback of the band after 11 years with no studio album. The material includes a combination of sound and style reminiscent of the band's seventies, some even remind us of the album “ Red ” like in the instrumental track “ Vrooom Vrooom ”, and excerpts that are more reminiscent of the band’s sound and style of the 1980s. What is certain, is that this album is not boring for a moment, it has all the elements of genius that this amazing band has. Wild improvisations, hallucinatory chords, rhythm changes, erupting distortions, experimental sounds, avant-garde, psychedelia, and more. The variety of instruments that the band uses is also amazing and unconventional, and it undoubtedly enriches the amazing sound that this album has. "Chapman Stick", "Warr guitar", mellotron, and guitars with synth guitar effect. And yet, despite all the sophistication, complexity, and genius, this amazing band manages to incorporate some hits. Yes, yes, we used the word "hits" in the context of "King Crimson" and this does not diminish the greatness of this one-time band. Listen to " Walking on Air " and " Dinosaur " and learn how to produce a cliché-free "hit" with no commercialization intent. In short, this album is recommended for Prog-Rock lovers and especially for "King Crimson" fans, but not only! And now Click Play the sound of this album is really special. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Today we will tell you some interesting facts about the singer, songwriter, and actor Sebastian Bach: (Photo: Fanart.TV) 1. He was born in Freeport, the Bahamas on April 3, 1968, as Sebastian Philip Bierk. 2. At a young age, his family moved to the city of " Peterborough " in Ontario, Canada. 3. In his youth his immense talent for singing was discovered and he even served as a "choir boy." 4. His nickname as a child is "Buzz", from there it was already a short way to "Bach". He decided to change his name and be named after the famous composer. 5. Already at the age of 14 he auditioned for the band "Kid Wikkid", whose members were between the ages of 25-and 30. 6. When the band moved to Toronto he asked his parents to move with them to the big city. They initially objected, but eventually, his father agreed to allow his son to pursue his dream and he moved in with his aunt in Toronto. 7. In 1985 Bach wandered again following his love of music, he crossed the border into the US and joined the band "Madam X", which played mainly Hard Rock and Glam Metal. 8. "Skid Row" was formed in New Jersey in 1986. Its original singer Matt Fallon left the band in 1987 and the band members were looking for a replacement singer. (Photo: Fanart.TV) 9. As fate would have it, Jon Bon Jovi 's parents attended the wedding of music photographer Mark Weiss, where Sebastian Bach performed. Jon Bon Jovi 's parents, who were impressed by Bach, recommended the charismatic singer to Dave Sabo . 10. To complete the picture it should be noted that Jon Bon Jovi and Dave Sabo were childhood friends who promised each other they would help each other succeed in the music industry. 11. When Dave Sabo approached Bach and invited him to audition, he was not enthusiastic at first. He was not interested in being a member of another band based in the United States. But after hearing the demons of "Skid Row", he boarded a plane and auditioned. 12. Sebastian Bach passed the audition of course and in 1987 became an official member of the band. 13. The band released their eponymous debut album in January 1989. It was a huge success with sales of over 5 million copies, thanks in part to hits such as " 18 And Life " and " I Remember You ". 14. After the album's release, "Skid Row" was able to serve as a warm-up band for "Bon Jovi" during the "New Jersey tour", thus fulfilling Bon Jovi's promise to Dave Sabo . 15. "Skid Row" became the hot thing in the Glam Metal scene, when later that year they warmed up "Motley Crue" and "Aerosmith". 16. Already at this point Bach was revealed to be a "problematic" person, when during a warm-up performance for "Aerosmith", held on 27/12/1989 in Springfield Massachusetts, a fan threw a bottle on stage. Bach tossed the bottle back to the crowd and hit a fan in the head. He later jumped into the crowd and started hitting the fan who threw the bottle. 17. In another performance on the same tour, Bach wore a T-shirt bearing the caption "AIDS Kills Fags Dead" and provoked a huge protest. 18. In June 1991 the band released their second album " Slave to the Grind ", which jumped straight to number one on the US Billboard 200 and was a huge success. 19. On this album, the band adopted a tougher sound moving away from the Glam Rock scene and going toward Heavy Metal. 20. The song " Wasted Time " from the album, was written by Bach about his good friend drummer Steven Adler . 21. Riding on the success of " Slave to the Grind ", Sebastian Bach and "Skid Row" embarked on a world tour that lasted almost a year, during which "Skid Row" warmed up "Guns N' Roses". 22. It is interesting to note, that during that long tour, "Skid Row" took "Pantera" and "Soundgarden" as their warm-up show, and at one point they even approached "Nirvana" and offered them to serve as an opening show, but "Nirvana" members declined the offer, among other things because they thought the band was too homophobic. 23. Bach will release another EP and an album with "Skid Row", but will be fired from the band in 1996, due to friction with the other band members. 24. The frictions revolved around, among other things, Sebastian's desire that "Skid Row" will serve as an opening act for "Kiss". The rest of the band objected, claiming they were too big to warm up "Kiss". Bach believed that no band was too big for "Kiss", and the controversy over this was the trigger that would lead to his dismissal from the band. 25. Later in 1996 Sebastian Bach formed the band "The Last Hard Men". 26. "The Last Hard Men" released their debut album in 1998, but the album failed commercially, which led to the band's dissolution. 27. In 1999 Bach released his first solo album "Bring 'Em Bach Alive!'". The album included "Skid Row" songs alongside new songs. 28. In 2000 Bach broke into an acting career, when he appeared on Broadway in the play "Jekyll & Hyde". Paul Stanley of "Kiss" was also nominated for the role but Bach won it. 29. In 2001 he played the character of Riff Raff in the play "The Rocky Horror Show". 30. In 2002 he hosted the TV show "Forever Wild" which was broadcast on "VH1". 31. In the same year he also got the lead role in a remake of the play "Jesus Christ Superstar". 32. Sebastian continued with his acting and television career until 2007 and has appeared in series such as "Gilmore Girls" and the movie "Clueless". 33. In 2006 he was part of the reality show - "Supergroup" on "VH1". 34. During the show Ted Nugent managed to get him to quit alcohol and warned him that if he went back to drinking he would "kick his ass". During the last show, Sebastian brought a bottle of Jack Daniels and teased Ted. It was Bach's joke, inside the bottle was "Ice T". 35. In 2007 Bach released his third solo album and the first which was a studio album - "Angel Down". The album features his good friend Axl Rose in two songs, one an original song and the other a cover version of "Back in the Saddle" by "Aerosmith". 36. Sebastian Bach has released three more albums in his solo career, "Kicking & Screaming" in 2011, "Give 'Em Hell" in 2014 and "Child Within the Man" in 2024. 37. He has quite a few collaborations with various artists, among them: The song "Time for Change" from the album "Dr. Feelgood" by "Motley Crue", the song "Sorry" from the album "Chinese Democracy" by "Guns N' Roses", the song "I Don't Live Today" from the album "Heavy Hitters" by "Michael Schenker Group", Ace Frehley , Duff McKagan "and more. 38. Ahhhh and he's also a big fan of "Rush" and "Triumph" and was featured in their tribute albums. Follow us on Facebook or Subscribe to our website "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Podcast

On April 2, 1993, "Savatage" released their seventh studio album "Edge of Thorns". There are albums that define a band’s sound, and then there are albums that redefine its identity under pressure. "Edge of Thorns" belongs firmly in the second category, arriving at a moment of transition that would shape everything that followed. It stands as the final "Savatage" album to feature guitarist Criss Oliva, whose death just six months after its release casts a long shadow over the record. At the same time, it marks the first appearance of Zachary Stevens as lead vocalist, following Jon Oliva ’s departure from the frontman role, though he remained deeply involved behind the scenes, producing playing keyboards, even drums in some songs and contributing to the songwriting. The shift is immediate. While earlier releases leaned heavily on aggressive, sometimes chaotic power metal energy, "Edge of Thorns" tightens the songwriting without sacrificing weight. The sound is leaner, more controlled, and more focused on melody and structure than sheer force. Even the drum sound reflects that change, with Steve “Doc” Wacholz using electronic drums that subtly alter the album’s texture compared to previous releases. The title track, "Edge of Thorns" , stands as the emotional and musical centerpiece. It balances a haunting melodic line with a restrained but powerful arrangement, allowing the song to build rather than explode. Zachary Stevens’ vocal debut is crucial here. He does not try to replicate Jon Oliva ’s crazy screams and theatrical edge, instead bringing a smoother, more grounded tone that reshapes the band’s sound without diluting its intensity. The result is a track that feels both like a continuation and a reset. Elsewhere, "He Carves His Stone"  and "Lights Out"  drive the heavier side of the album with sharp, purposeful riffing. There is a clear sense of discipline here. The songs are tighter, more structured, and less indulgent than earlier material, showing a band that is refining its attack rather than expanding it. Then comes "All That I Bleed" , one of the most emotionally direct songs "Savatage" ever recorded, and notably one of the final compositions written by Jon Oliva , Criss Oliva, and Paul O’Neill together. It strips away excess and leans into vulnerability, but not at the expense of musical depth. Criss Oliva’s presence is central here, his guitar work understated but deeply expressive, reinforcing the emotional core of the track rather than dominating it. What makes "Edge of Thorns" endure is how naturally it bridges eras. It carries the DNA of the band’s past while clearly pointing toward a more restrained, song-driven approach that would shape their later work. There is no sense of a band struggling through change. Instead, it sounds like a band refining itself with clarity and intent. In the story of "Savatage", "Edge of Thorns" is not just another strong entry. It is the point where lineup change, stylistic shift, and circumstance align into something definitive, closing one chapter while quietly setting the direction for the next. 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 today... "Straight Shooter", the second studio album of "Bad Company", was released on April 2, 1975. So, for those unfamiliar, " Bad Company " is a supergroup consisting of singer Paul Rodgers and drummer Simon Kirke who came from "Free", guitarist Mick Ralphs from "Mott the Hoople" and bassist Boz Burrell from "King Crimson". The quartet was formed after the dissolution of "Free" and was led by Peter Grant, "Led Zeppelin" manager. The band's debut eponymous album - "Bad Company", was released in 1974 and became the first "Swan Song Records" album, the record label that was formed by members of "Led Zeppelin". The band's debut album received rave reviews and jumped straight to number one on the US Billboard 200. Although the style of the album was a combination of Hard Rock and Blues-Rock, it was ranked 40th on the list of the 100 greatest Metal albums of all time, by the esteemed magazine "Kerrang!" And of course, in the list of " 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die ". Just three months after the release of their debut album, the band went on to record their second album, which is the subject of our review, while riding the wave of success of the first album. The album features powerful and pure rock songs such as " Good Lovin 'Gone Bad ", which opened the album and was released as the first single about a month before its release, as well as "classic rock" anthems such as the immortal " Feel Like Makin' Love ", written by Paul Rodgers back in 1968, during a tour he made with "Free". Paul played the song to guitarist Mick Ralphs, who wrote the famous riff in the chorus, thus creating the magic. And there's the excellent " Shooting Star " that Paul Rodgers wrote about the dubious "27 Club" members - Jimi Hendrix , Janis Joplin , and Jim Morrison , " Weep No More " written by drummer Simon Kirke and inspired by "Queen", the Blues-Rock of " Deal With the Preacher " which is reminiscent of "Whitesnake" at the beginning of its journey and ends with a sweeping solo by Ralph, and more. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music . "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Today we will tell you about one of the greatest and most influential drummers in the history of music - Buddy Rich. (Photo: Uncredited/AP/REX/Shutterstock) Although Buddy Rich did not come from the Rock genre and mainly played Jazz and led big bands, his influence on Rock music was enormous. To understand the power of Buddy Rich's influence on the world of music, we should note that great and influential drummers like John Bonham (Led Zeppelin), Ian Paice (Deep Purple), Roger Taylor (Queen), Bill Ward (Black Sabbath), Phil Collins (Genesis), Carl Palmer and more mentioned Buddy Rich as the drummer who influenced them the most. Not only that, but some huge drummers changed their playing style and their drum set under Rich's influence. For example, the legendary drummer Neil Peart (Rush), who was influenced by Buddy Rich, decided to take jazz lessons in the early 1990s, from the well-known jazz drummer Freddie Gruber. Under Rich's influence, Neil changed his entire perception of playing, when at one point he moved from two bass drums to one bass drum, and on the album " Test For Echo " even played most of the songs with a different stick grip, known mainly from jazz - "traditional grip". Neil even made a tribute to Buddy Rich, when he organized and produced the tribute album - "Burning for Buddy", in 1994, in which he plays himself, along with other drummers, the works of the legendary drummer. Following the success of the album, the sequel album "Burning for Buddy ... Volume 2", was released in 1997. Buddy Rich was born on September 30, 1917, to a Jewish family (Shkolnik), in Brooklyn, New York. Already at a very young age, his unique talent was revealed when his parents discovered in a restaurant that he was able to keep pace when he hit the table with a fork. At just 15, he became the second-highest-paid child in the United States. Rich never took drum lessons and yet he is considered a prodigy and a maestro. He is a virtuoso and has perfect control over the drum system. He has incredible technique, power, and speed that are considered unprecedented to this day, even compared to other great drummers in the history of music. All this he did with a very modest and minimalist drum set. What's amazing is that you can still see today, that most rock drummers place their system in the same way as Rich's, who is generally characterized as a jazz player. Buddy Rich passed away on April 2, 1989. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On April 2, 1991, Lenny Kravitz released his second album, "Mama Said". This is the second album in the "Class Of 91" series of reviews, in which we write about the masterpiece albums that came out that amazing year. This is Lenny Kravitz's commercial breakthrough album, which came out two years after the debut album "Let Love Rule" and marked Kravitz's transition from music influenced by the late sixties to music filled with classic rock of the early seventies, with a combination of elements of Jazz, Blues, Funk, Soul, and Hard Rock. The sound of the seventies screams from this album, not only from the music itself (Hendrix and "Zeppelin" Vs. Curtis Mayfield and "Sly Stone"), but also from Kravitz's production and even from the album cover itself. Beyond being a very talented musician and producer, Lenny Kravitz is also a multi-instrumentalist who plays most of the instruments on the album, so much so that it could be said to be a one-man album. However, Kravitz knew how to balance his concentration when he enlisted several musicians to help him, including his high school classmate Slash and Sean Lennon (the son of ...). "Mama Said" is full of emotions of loss and sadness and reflects the changes in Lenny Kravitz's life and the breakup of his marriage with his wife Lisa Bonet. The album opens with the emotional "Fields Of Joy" in a caressing melody sound accompanied by a folk-acoustic guitar riff, which very quickly takes a turn with an electric power cord and with Slash's electric solo. Not many know, but this song is a cover version of a song by "New York Rock and Roll Ensemble" from their album "Roll Over", which was released in 1971. This song will return as a Reprise on the tenth track of the album, this time in a psychedelic version on Trip Acid, which includes sounds from the sixties, including the well-known technology of backward recordings and loops. From there we continue to "Always On The Run" and another collaboration of Lenny Kravitz and Slash, who also co-wrote the song with Kravitz and gets credit for it when Kravitz shouts "Slash", just before the guitar solo begins. The song is written about Kravitz's mother, actress Roxie Roker and includes the phrase "Mama Said" (the name of the album) which is repeated throughout the song. Slash's famous Zepp-Drix-style guitar riff with Sly Stone's funky trumpets, produces an amazing and bouncy fusion. The aforementioned music was written by Slash who intended to include the song on "Guns'" album, but due to Slash's dissatisfaction with Steven Adler's melody (then "Guns" drummer), he decided to shelve the song and save it for another project. By the way, the song was played at a "Guns N' Roses" live performance in Paris, as part of the "Use Your Illusion Tour", when Lenny Kravitz joined the band playing the guitar and singing. The next two songs are influenced by Lenny Kravitz's marriage failure. The first, is "Stand By My Woman" in which we hear the influences of John Lennon. The second, "It Ain't Over 'til It's Over" with a distinct Motown sound and "Earth, Wind & Fire" style trumpets, with a clear influence of soul music. The pulsating bass line, the sitar riff, and the strings that complete the seventies sound, just cannot be ignored. Kravitz changes the style a bit and moves to the Blues in the songs "The Difference Is Why" and "When the Morning Turns to Night". How much this genre suits him and highlights his voice, and what classic bluesy solos he plays in them, especially in the second. And if you've longed for a little more Jimi Hendrix, then listen to the riff and the guitar sound in the song "Stop Draggin 'Around", as well as the psychedelic production a-la Eddie Kramer that takes us straight back to 1968's "Electric Ladyland". Other notable songs on the album are: The Quiet Ballad "Flowers for Zoe", written by Lenny Kravitz for his daughter, "All I Ever Wanted" which was co-written with Sean Lennon who also plays the piano, "What Goes Around Comes Around", which is slowly built with guitars, trumpets, Strings and saxophone and could easily have been included in Curtis Mayfield's excellent "Superfly" soundtrack and The Jazzy "What the Fuck Are We Saying?" with the "Kraftwerk" keys and psychedelic effects (especially at the end). "Mama Said" is an excellent album that did not get the status it deserved, only because it was swallowed up in a mass of masterpiece albums released that year ("Nevermind", "Ten", "Use Your Illusion", "Metallica (The Black Album)", "Achtung Baby", "Blood Sex Sugar Magik", "Out of Time" and more). At the same time, the album gave Lenny Kravitz the commercial success that was needed to allow him the freedom of creation on several successful albums, until the end of the 1990s. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

This is a story about an album that was ahead of its time. An album that was supposed to symbolize the first step in the independence of the biggest band active in Israel in those years, but almost led it to financial collapse. An album that in real time was a bitter failure, but over the years became the band's biggest and most prominent album and one of the milestones in Israeli rock. This is the story of the "Monsters of Glory" - the fifth studio album of "Mashina", which was released on April 2, 1992. Our story begins at one of the high points of "Mashina". Their fourth album "The Society for the Study of Mortality" (Ha'amuta Lecheker Hatmuta) released in 1990 sold very well compared to their last two studio albums. It produced huge hits such as "So Why Politics For Me Now" (Az lama li Politika Akhshav), "The Stars Are Burning On A Little Fire" (HaKochavim Dolkim Al Esh Ktana), The Society for the Study of Mortality" (Ha'amuta Lecheker Hatmuta), "I will wait for you in the fields" (Achake lakh basadot), "Car" (Mechonit) and more. However, after four studio albums, a compilation album that included new songs and non-stop touring, the band members felt tired and decided to take a break. The band had just finished their contract with the "NMC" record company and the timing was perfect. During the break that the band members took, they engaged in personal musical projects. Yuval Banay produced the album of his wife - Orli Zilbrashtz - "Miranda's Cabaret" (HaCabaret Shel Miranda) and composed most of its songs, with Avner Hodorov, Iggy Dayan and Michael Benson playing on it. Iggy Dayan released a solo album called "Something you" (Mashehu Mimech) and Shlomi Bracha produced the album " Who Murdered Agantha Flaskog " (Mi Ratzach Et Agnetha Faltskog) of the band "Nosei Hamigba'at" The work with "Nosei Hamigba'at" exposed Shlomi Bracha to an immature and rough sound and a new style of music. Shlomi testified that working with "Nosei Hamigba'at" simply opened his mind. He started listening to other music and that's what actually gave birth to the "Monsters of Glory". At the same time, Bracha was influenced by the changes in the music world of those years. The "Alternative" raised its head, the "Metal" getting closer to the mainstream, and of course the "Grunge" revolution. The MTV channels were flooded with "Alternative music" with shows like "Headbangers Ball", so exposure to the new musical styles was inevitable. Bracha would later testify that he was particularly influenced by albums such as " Surfer Rosa " by the "Pixies", which simply blew his mind, and " Goo " by "Sonic Youth" whose sound of drums and guitars amazed him and forced him to explore them more. This process Shlomi went through also affected the other members of the band. The Grunge revolution was on high and they realized that the time had come to "flip to the other side of the vynil", update the sound to the new and intriguing thing that had taken over the music world, and start the revolution. Dismantle everything they have built up to that time, break the rules, and start all over again. The timing was perfect! The fact that the band was free from any contract with a record company allowed them to make the musical transformation that would change everything for them. They founded the independent record company "Zebra" and set out on a new path. The motto that motivated the members was "noise" and a lot of it. Iggy Dayan's drum kit has been expanded. Shlomi Bracha 's chain of guitar effects thickened and Avner Hodorov's samplers were burned with brutal distortion sounds. The band will later admit that the studio was simply burned by the decibels that emanated from the amplifiers, and just imagine that this entire wall of sound was simultaneously captured by microphones placed in the studio, with the aim of thickening the sound. Photo: Eran The band members of the band simply "went wild" during the recording of the album, and not only in terms of the volume or the musical style. This is the album with the most recording hours, between 800 and 1,000 hours, more than all of the band's previous albums. Shlomi Bracha would later describe the recordings for the album like this: "The members attacked the record, flew through the air with the feeling that they were running over everything that stood in their way, without accounting for anything." Indeed, the band members stated that "Monsters of Glory" is the album that they enjoyed recording more than any other album. Yuval Banay defined his joint work with Shlomi Bracha 's on this album as a "creative peak", no less. We definitely agree with Yuval. The result was nothing short of amazing, but it was simply ahead of its time, in relation to the Israeli audience, who were not yet ready for the energy bomb that was placed before them. The album was difficult to digest and at first, it received almost no radio airplay, when the tours that followed were also a resounding failure. Following the failure of the singles released from the album on the radio stations, the band tried to release a new single that was not included in the album. "I love you Michel" (Ohev Otach Michele), which Shlomi Bracha wrote during the third album sessions. It was presented as a song from a fictitious movie called "Give me the white in the back" (Ten Li Et HaLavan Bagav), but it was not successful either. The combination of the many hours spent in the studio, the self-financing of the private label, the poor sales, and the failure of the concert tours, caused the band a tremendous financial loss. Shlomi testified that this album robbed them of the remaining fans that stayed loyal from the beginning. However, after three decades have passed since its release, and it can already be said that it is not much different from albums such as " End of the Orange Season ", " White Wedding " and " Signs of Weakness ", which the Israeli audience was not ready for in real-time. Albums that at first were perhaps difficult to digest, but became masterpieces in Israeli music. Starting with the short opening section " The End of Times" (Sof HaZmanim) we enter the crazy atmosphere of this album. The untuned string instruments surround the voice of Yuval Banay who makes sure to inform us that: "Within such an opaque space of information that arises from nothing there is such a wide variety of billions of particles outside the body" and then... the signal is given for the attack of the distortions with the instrumental section. " Shlomit Builds a Sukkah " (Shlomit Bona Sukka), originally written by Naomi Shemer. We haven't had time to breathe yet and Shlomi Bracha 's brutal and catchy riff opens an "arrowhead" to the powerful drums of Iggy Dayan and the pulsating bass of Michael Benson, with " You Come to Visit " (At Baah LeVaker). The first song that Yuval Banay wrote for the album and presented a change in his writing style. Yuval will testify that the song tells the story of his life at that time. Not an easy life with extreme moods, lots of bars, and lots of drinking. Shlomi, who wrote the music under the influence of the "Grunge" sound that pervaded the music market of the time, stated that the chords passage of chords just came to him the moment the song was written on an acoustic guitar. The psych hit streak continued with " Nowhere Else " (Ein Makom Acher), which is amazing to think that when it was released as a radio single, no one bothered to play it. A great simple song that over the years still managed to catch on in the band's performances. When the band reunited in 2003, this amazing piece became a huge hit, which included Hodorov's well-known electronic piece in the middle of it, as can be heard, among others, on the "Live 2003" version of the album. " Mermaids " (Bnot HaYam) comes right after and screams "Pixies" from every note and string. Yuval, who wrote the lyrics for most of the songs on the album, noted that most of them simply "landed" on him and he wrote them on "first strike". He also explained the change in approach to writing as follows: "Up until then my writing had always been romantic with love songs and I think that I suddenly took this romance and somewhere for the first time I introduced a kind of desperation and danger into my songs, if you can define it that way. I kind of allowed myself to be disturbed. I was always very solid and my peace was the one that was thrown away. Here suddenly I broke something. I think these words had a critical effect on the music on this record. They actually gave the legitimacy to open the distortions and scream and go to this desperate and dangerous place". After a short and spoken transition section called " Who's there " (Mi Sham) in which there is a knock on the door followed by the question "Who's there?" We move on to another of the powerful songs of the album " What A Man " (Eize Ish) written by Shlomi Bracha (lyrics and music). Seems like an "Alternative western rock" and a very rough and brutal song. Shlomi said that he had a record for testing stereo systems and on one of the tracks there was a section in which there was a knock on the door and some narrator in a South American accent said: "who is it? hey senior it's Fernando Luis" He burst out laughing and told himself that he had to do it in Hebrew, and indeed, in the clip that was released for the song the section "Mi Sham?" was added. " You Loved Me " (Ahavt Oti) is a type of melancholic ballad rich with strings, and mournful and heartbreaking vocals by Yuval, which gradually develops until the epic ending. Iggy Dayan testifies that this song probably wouldn't have sounded the way it did, if he hadn't left the studio during the recording after Yuval Banay threw an ashtray at him. " Woman " (Isha) started as a melodic and quiet song, but due to the atmosphere in the studio, it turned into a psychedelic metal song, with distorted vocals by Yuval Banay . Shlomi said that the song was originally a quiet and painful ballad, but he drove Yuval to sing it on a higher pitch. Iggy Dayan says that he remembers saying to himself, that the fact that some singers scream and shout on the other end of the world does not give Yuval the legitimacy to ruin the song like that. He remembers that at that moment he turned pale and could not believe that such a thing was happening. The bluesy " Night in the City " (Layla BaEir) includes the amazing harmonica playing of Ehud Banai , who was in the studio and even pushed the band to record the song " Harry Krish Dam ", which was actually born from a list made by the band members, for possible names for the album. Ehud Banai saw the list and was suggested by the band members, to compose and record it as a song. Bracha composed the song on the spot, and the band members recorded it right after. " Wake Up " (Titorer) brings us back to the sound of "The Pixies", but with a melody and chord progression that actually reminds us of " Ehud Banai and the refugees". " It can't Be Old " (Ze Lo Yachol Lihiot Yashan) was written by Shlomi Bracha , apparently as a parody of an "old song" by the band "EthniX", after Ze'ev Nechama called "Mashina" "Made in Taiwan". Bracha stated that he did not intend to write about "EthniX" and that it is possible that the parody came from his subconscious. The instrumental theme section " Monsters of Glory " (Miflatzot HaTehila) once again returns us to the arms of the "Pixies". It is interesting to note that this was one of the two names proposed to the band made up of the stage workers of "Mashina", but its members eventually chose the name "The Trucks" (HaMasaiot). The album ends very powerfully with the crazy riot and the bridle of " It all started with Nasser " (Hakol Hitchil Be Natzer). This is the last song recorded for the album when all the other songs were already written and recorded. The band's management thought that the record wasn't good enough and that it didn't have a hit that would sell it, so Shlomi wrote it as "Punishment", pushing a psychotic and unrelated word sequence there. "Monsters of glory" is undoubtedly an album that meets the definition of "ahead of its time". And as proof, over the years the album became an Israeli classic, when a decade after its release it even reached the sales of a gold album. Songs such as "You came to visit", "What a Man", and "Nowhere Else" finally managed to penetrate even the tight playlist of "Galgaltz" and became an integral part of the band's setlist in its performances. The "closing of the circle" will come 17 years later. On June 17, 2009. The members of "Mashina" will take the stage of the "exhibition grounds" in Tel Aviv and play the album in its entirety, as the warm-up show by none other than Chris Cornell , who was largely responsible for the new changes that in the music market of the early 90s and had such an impact on the creation of the album. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music Follow us on Facebook or Subscribe to our website "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Podcast

Written By: Moti Kupfer Release date - 01.04.2003 "Popolopopopopo, popolopopopopo, popolopopopopo" Fan chants… who can really explain the way they make their way into the heart. No one could have expected that a song by a blues/garage rock duo would reach the mainstream of sports fans worldwide, but that’s exactly what happened to "The White Stripes", whose fourth album "Elephant" was released on April 1, 2003 and no, it wasn’t a prank. "The White Stripes" were formed in 1997 in Detroit when an aspiring musician named John Anthony Gillis was reading his poetry at the restaurant “Memphis Smoke”, where he met the waitress Meg White. The two became friends and began frequenting cafés and music venues. Eventually they became a couple, and in September 1996 they got married, with Gillis taking Meg’s last name and renaming himself Jack White . John Anthony Gillis was born in July 1975 in Detroit, Michigan, the youngest of ten children. His mother was of Polish descent, and his father was Scottish-Canadian. Both of his parents worked for the archdiocese, his father as a building maintenance supervisor and his mother as a secretary to the cardinal. As a young child, he began playing drums he found in the attic. His musical development included classical music, later "The Doors", "Pink Floyd", and "Led Zeppelin", and eventually he gravitated toward blues and 1960s rock. Among his heroes were guitarist Blind Willie McTell and drummers Gene Krupa, Stewart Copeland, and Crow Smith. White later said that his future could have looked completely different: He said that he was accepted to a seminary in Wisconsin and planned to become a priest, but he had just gotten a new amplifier, and figured they wouldn’t let him take it with him to the seminary, so he went to public school instead. Meg White (born Megan Martha White in December 1974) attended Grosse Pointe North High School in Michigan. According to one of her friends, she was always very quiet and introverted. Speaking about her shyness, she once said that the more you talk, the less people listen. Already in high school she decided to pursue a career as a chef, but after she began working at Memphis Smoke, she met John Anthony Gillis, and both of their lives changed. After their marriage, on Bastille Day (July 14) 1997, Meg tried playing on Jack White ’s drum kit. He immediately felt something unique in her playing that sparked his own musical creativity. Soon after, they formed the duo "The White Stripes", named after Meg’s last name. They developed a distinct identity, hiding the fact that they were married and instead promoting the idea that they were siblings. They also consistently appeared dressed in red, black, and white, and frequently incorporated the number three into their aesthetic. In 1998 they released their debut single after Dave Buick, owner of the independent label Italy Records, was impressed by them and offered to fund it. Toward the end of 1998, they released their second single "Lafayette Blues" , and in June 1999 their self-titled debut album arrived. A year later, in June 2000, they released their second album "De Stijl" , but their real breakthrough came in July 2001 with "White Blood Cells" , where the world was first introduced to Jack White ’s short, fast songs, his nasal, youthful vocal delivery, and Meg’s more restrained drumming. That restraint, however, would not define "Elephant" , released as mentioned on April 1. Most of the album was recorded in just two weeks in April 2002, together with engineer Liam Watson at Toe Rag Studios in London. Jack White produced the album himself, using vintage equipment, including an 8-track tape machine and recording gear from the late 1950s. The first single, "Seven Nation Army" , became a global phenomenon thanks to its riff, which sounds like a bass guitar and repeats throughout the song. To achieve that sound, White plugged a semi-acoustic guitar into a pitch-shifting effects pedal (DigiTech Whammy) and dropped it an octave. His vocals are strained and distorted, while Meg White drums steadily like a heartbeat. The electric guitar and cymbals eventually break the built-up tension and drive the song to its peak. In October 2003, fans of Club Brugge KV began chanting the melody during an away match against AC Milan. Brugge won, and the song became their unofficial anthem. From there, it gradually spread across the world, with the 2006 FIFA World Cup providing a massive boost to its global adoption as a fan chant. The song tells the story of a man entering a town, hearing people gossip about him, and deciding to leave. It deals with gossip and the negativity it brings. "Seven Nation Army"  went on to win a Grammy Award in 2004. "There's No Home for You Here"  is a brutally sharp breakup song, where Jack White  pulls no punches, delivering lines that come across as cold and dismissive toward his partner. On the other hand, "You've Got Her in Your Pocket"  reveals a different kind of arrogance, as he looks down on the relationship from a position of control. "Ball and Biscuit"  draws from an American folk belief that the seventh son is granted supernatural powers. The lyrics follow the perspective of that seventh son as he courts a woman, blending myth with raw blues swagger. The second single, "I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself" , is a cover of the song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. It is followed by one of the most rhythmically repetitive tracks on the album, "The Hardest Button to Button" , driven by a steady 128 BPM pulse that gives it a hypnotic, mechanical feel. On "In the Cold, Cold Night" , you can hear Meg White stepping forward as the lead vocalist, raising the question of why her voice wasn’t featured more often. She returns again on the closing track "It's True That We Love One Another" , sharing vocal duties with Jack White , offering a rare glimpse beyond her typically reserved presence. This is an album that shifts gears as it progresses, moving from deep blues roots toward garage rock, with its final stretch leaning heavily into fast-paced punk energy. The album also features appearances by television presenter Mort Crim and garage punk artist Holly Golightly. "Elephant" went on to win the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album in 2004. The album cover presents Jack and Meg White seated in a composition that subtly resembles the shape of elephant ears, reinforcing the album’s visual identity. For Listening : Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website