"The Queen Is Dead", The Smiths' third album, was released on June 16, 1986, and it still blows our minds today as it did almost 40 years ago. So here are 30 facts about this excellent and groundbreaking album: 1. Guitarist Johnny Marr and singer Morrissey wanted Tony Visconti - known for his work with David Bowie - to produce the album, but he refused. In 2006 he will produce Morrissey's solo album "Ringleader Of The Tormentors". 2. The band also turned to legendary producer George Martin to produce the album, but he also refused because he wanted to be kept in mind as "The Beatles" producer. 3. The song "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side" that appears on the album, is actually a demo version, but Morrissey thought it could not be surpassed. 4. In 2003 Morrissey crowned this song as his Smiths' favorite song. 5. The name of the album was supposed to be "Margaret On The Guillotine", the name would become one of Morrissey's songs on the album "Viva Hate", from 1988. 6. Johnny Marr's parents thought the name of the album was disrespectful to the Queen of England and so he asked Morrissey to change the name to "Bigmouth Strikes Again", but Morrissey refused. 7. The character that appears on the album cover is of actor James Dean. 8. The cover was designed by Morrissey, inspired by a picture from the French film "L 'Insoumis" from 1964 starring Alan Delon. 9. Before James Dean was selected, Morrissey asked actors Alan Bates and Albert Finney to appear on the album cover, but they refused. 10. Footballer George Best also refused to appear on the cover of the single "The Boy With The Thorn In His Side". 11. The credit for the background vocals in the song "Bigmouth Strikes Again" was given to Ann Coates, but in fact, it is Morrissey's voice in a higher pitch. The name is a reference to the "Ancoats" district of Manchester. The name of the neighborhood will also appear later on the sign on the back of the album "Strangeways Here We Come". 12. While recording the album, "Status Quo" was recording the album "In The Army Now" in the next studio. The band seriously considered inviting them to be a guest on the album. 13. The album failed to reach number one on the UK charts due to Genesis' "Invisible Touch" album. 14. Johnny Marr's guitar roles in the theme song were influenced by "The Velvet Underground's" "I Can't Stand It". 15. The lyrics to the song "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others" were influenced by the British comedy "Carry On Cleo" from 1964, starring the actor Charles Hawtrey. Charles will later appear on the cover of the 2001 compilation album "The Very Best of The Smiths". 16. "The Smiths" performed this song only once live, at Brixton Academic in 1986. In the same performance, Morrissey added another verse to the song. 17. The fade in and out in the opening of the song was intentional. The technician Stephen Street wanted it to be heard from the side of a man who opens the studio door and is exposed to the music, closes it and opens it again, and only then enters the room. 18. At the time of recording the album, bassist Andy Rourke was deeply immersed in heroin. Given his condition, the band members added Craig Gannon as their temporary replacement. After Andy regained his strength, Craig moved from bass to play rhythm guitar and the band's first performance as a quintet was held on May 20, 1986. 19. The lyrics of the song "Cemetry Gates" were influenced by the movie "The Man Who Came To Dinner", by Katharine Hepburn. 20. Morrissey did not want the song "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" to appear on the album. How lucky Johnny Marr resisted. 21. The lyrics are based on the song "Lonely Planet Boy" by "the New York Dolls". 22. The mesmerizing string sound in the song is performed by Johnny Marr through a sampler, but those who got credit for it were the imaginary "Hated Salford Ensemble". 23. The Scottish writer Irvine Welsh would use the title of the song "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" for one of the chapters in his first book - "Trainspotting", which would later become a famous film. 24. For playing the piano in the song "Frankly, Mr. Shankly" the band members invited Linda McCartney, the wife of ... she refused. 25. The lyrics "So I broke into the Palace / with a sponge and a rusty spanner" from the theme song, are based on a real case from 1982 in which Michael Fagin broke into Buckingham Palace and talked to the Queen. 26. The drums in the theme song were recorded in two different sessions. The cymbals and tam-tam in one session and the bass drum and snare in another session. 27. The name of the album was the first short story on which the American writer Hubert Selby Jr. based the book "Last Exit to Brooklyn". 28. The album appears in the "Rolling Stone" magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums. 29. In 2013 it was voted by NME Magazine as the best album of all time. 30. Even so, if you ask Morrissey and Marr, they will say they like the album "Strangeways Here We Come" more. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On June 16, 2008, "Judas Priest" released their sixteenth studio album, "Nostradamus". This wasn’t just another heavy metal album. This was an ambitious, sprawling double-concept album that divided fans and critics alike, marking a unique and controversial chapter in the band’s legendary legacy. In the years leading up to "Nostradamus", "Judas Priest" had already completed their reunion with Rob Halford, releasing the well-received "Angel of Retribution" in 2005. But instead of treading familiar paths, the band veered into bold, theatrical territory. They chose to tell the life story of 16th-century French astrologer Michel de Nostredame—better known as Nostradamus—through symphonic metal infused with operatic grandeur, synthesizers, and spoken-word interludes. The album was recorded primarily in "The Old Smithy Studio" in the UK, with Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing taking the helm as producers. Musically, it was a far cry from the riff-driven fury of "Painkiller" or the arena-ready anthems of "British Steel". Instead, it took cues from classical music, cinematic scores, and progressive rock, resulting in a deeply conceptual and layered listening experience. "Dawn of Creation" and "Prophecy" open the album with grandeur. The former with the cinematic Don Airey keyboards intro, and the latter laying out the prophetic premise with thunderous precision. Rob Halford's vocals are chilling and operatic, as he embodies Nostradamus himself, warning of the chaos to come. "Awakening" arpeggiated guitar chords bleeds into "Revelations", a soaring piece of theatrical metal with haunting keyboards and Tipton's intricate guitar leads and his rare use of classical guitar. Here, the band’s commitment to storytelling takes center stage, sacrificing immediacy for atmosphere and immersion. "Pestilence and Plague" finds Halford delivering some lines in Italian—a rare twist that adds flair to the European setting of the tale. Towards the epic conclusion of the album, he will also use the French language to add to the authenticity of the story. "Lost Love" stands out as one of the album's most delicate and emotional moments. A somber ballad led by soft synths and restrained guitar melodies, it strips away the grandeur to reveal the aching loneliness of the prophet. Halford delivers one of his most heartfelt performances, channeling grief and longing with heartbreaking sincerity. It's a brief, sorrowful pause in an otherwise epic narrative—proof that behind the seer’s visions lies a broken man. Throughout both discs, there’s an emotional arc, a rise and fall of moods. "Exiled", with its melancholic acoustic textures, finds Nostradamus in despair, while "Persecution" blazes with anger and defiance. "Solitude" opens up the second disc and slow things down to a crawl, prioritizing lyrical introspection over metallic bite. "Nostradamus", the album’s title track, is a dramatic, slow-burning epic that captures the full weight of its namesake’s legacy. Clocking in at nearly seven minutes, it blends powerful choral layers, slow and heavy riffing, and ominous narration to portray the prophet as both feared and revered. It’s one of the album’s most theatrical and defining moments—anchoring the second disc with grandeur and solemnity, and serving as the emotional and philosophical core of the entire project. The second disc culminates with "Future of Mankind", where the prophecy reaches its apocalyptic fulfillment. This epic track tries to tie all threads together, ending the album on a grim but majestic note. "Nostradamus" sparked passionate debate. Was it a misunderstood masterpiece? Or an overblown misstep? Time has softened some of the backlash, with many now recognizing the album as an ambitious risk that few metal bands would dare to take. "Nostradamus" remains one of the boldest and most polarizing efforts in "Judas Priest"'s career—a symphonic, operatic, and deeply theatrical metal epic that challenged expectations and divided loyalties. Whether viewed as a misfire or misunderstood, it deserves respect for its sheer scope and artistic daring. It marks the last "Judas Priest" studio album featuring the "Painkiller"-era lineup, as guitarist and founding member K. K. Downing retired in April 2011. for listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

We all use the phrase "classic" quite a bit in the context of masterpieces that have left their mark on the world of music. The album "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars", released by David Bowie on June 16, 1972, is without a doubt one of those "classics" that will stay with us forever. Although a collection of songs written in different periods, Ziggy Stardust is actually a concept album, devoid of bombast reserved for rock operas or the progressive rock genre, whose plot revolves around the character of "Ziggy Stardust" - an androgynous alien and a rock star sent to Earth as a messenger and a preacher, with a message of hope and try to persuade humanity to change its destructive nature. The album opens with a "Fade In" with the epic and desperate "off-beat" drumming of Mick Woodmansey, and we are already entering the plot story with "Five Years" and the bitter news that falls on the human race: the world will be destroyed in 5 years, due to lack of natural resources. The song further describes the madness that will grip the earth after the destruction, as the strings section that accompany the band "The Spiders from Mars" get louder along with the screaming voice from Ziggy's pain, slowly dying in "fade out" along with the same apathetic and desperate drumming that started the song. Bowie said that the Fade In and Out were intended to convey a message that the song comes out of nowhere and ends in nothing. The second song, "Soul Love," documents the different shades of love in that futuristic-dystopian world and the relationship between them. "Stone Love" - describes the love for those who died and left us behind, when the stone is actually a "tombstone". "New Love" - the romantic love between a boy and a girl, a man and a woman. "Soul Love" - is love in its religious sense, like the priest to his God. Similar to the previous song, this song is also led by Woodmansey's percussion, with Bowie's acoustic and soft strumming, synchronized with the slow rhythm throughout the verses. Ronson's bold electric seems to disturb the serenity during the chorus, but immediately succumbs to Bowie's saxophone solo at the end, and so on to Mick Ronson's guitar solo that accompanies us to the end of the song. In the third song "Moonage Daydream" we finally get to know Ziggy Stardust, alien, Messiah, superstar, who offers salvation from the impending disaster, in the form of rock 'n' roll. David Bowie's gentle acoustic from the previous two songs, alternate here with the electric dirty riff of Mick Ronson and with a beautiful bass work by Trevor Bolder who also plays the trumpet here. Mick Ronson also enriches the sound with his piano playing, and will also be the one to take us to the end of the song, with one of his most powerful solos on the album. And if you ask Woodmancy, Boulder and producer Ken Scott, this song is their favorite from the album. Probably also for "Eifo HaYeled" who chose to cover it. "Starman" is one of the strongest songs on the album and is said to be one of the most influential in the entire Bowie repertoire. The song tells the story of alien Ziggy (Starman)'s attempts to send a message of hope and love to youth on the dying star via the radio. This is a turning point in the plot, where Ziggy turns from a preaching and manipulative alien to the hallucinatory "rock star". Mick Ronson's orchestral arrangements in this song are amazing and Bowie's short piano piece in the transition to chorus is no less ingenious. The sharp-eared must have noticed the influence of "Over The Rainbow" from the film The Wizard of Oz, during the chorus. If you did not notice Try replacing Bowie's octave jump in the word "Starman" at the chorus, with that of Judy Garland's in the word "Somewhere." The first side of the vinyl ends up with the only cover version of Ron Davies' "It Ain't Easy". Bowie's choice of a non-original song for a concept album may be puzzling, but the song fits the atmosphere of the album as well as the plot story and it actually tells the difficulties and struggles of the rock star (Ziggy). It is interesting to note, that the legendary keyboardist Rick Wakeman (YES) plays piano here, but did not receive credit for it. The other side of the vinyl opens with the melancholy and sad "Lady Stardust". The almost complete absence of the guitar and the dominance of the piano reminds us of Elton John-style ballads. In terms of plot the song skips between "him and her", between "Lady Stardust" and the "rock star", as if to prove to us that this is an androgynous creature belonging to both sexes or neither. From Lady Stardust's melancholy ballad we move on to "Star"'s fast pace and retro piano, which speaks of the dream of becoming a superstar and making a difference using his power of influence as a rock star. We increase the pace with "Hang On to Yourself". A sort of rooted rock and roll combination, early punk, with a glam rock twist, featuring Ronson's brilliant slide guitar. The song tells the story of Ziggy who "burns" the stages with the spiders from Mars, and it starting to lead us towards the climax end of the story. The theme song "Ziggy Stardust" comes right after, and tells of the rise and fall of Ziggy Stardust. The song is built on the simple but no less brilliant choruses of Mick Ronson that made this song timeless. The song won an amazing cover version of "Bauhaus" exactly a decade later. A lot of speculation revolved around the character about whom the song was allegedly written. There were many who thought it was Jimi Hendrix (screwed down hairdo and He played it left hand), but the lyrics also hint that it was precisely Bowie himself (screwed up eyes and snow-white tan). There is no clear answer on the matter, but it is probably a homage to all those tragic stars who soared like meteors and fell like lead, in the world of music. The song "Suffragette City" was initially suggested by Bowie to the band "Mott the Hoople", who very wisely chose the song "All the Young Dudes", which will give them great success. This is a classic rock and roll style song that tells about the difficulties of the "rock star". The album closes with "Rock n 'Roll Suicide" - the fall of Ziggy Stardust whose life as a rock star completely eroded him. A calm and acoustic opening that intensifies until the dramatic end in the climax of an electric guitar solo and strings. In conclusion, Ziggy Stardust is without a doubt a "classic", a "masterpiece". The ultimate concept album, with a brilliant sequence of songs and a flawless production by Ken Scott and David Bowie. To listen to: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

To tell you the truth, we were a little bit hesitant about this release from June 15, 2021 On the one hand, this is the first piece of music in 9 years that comes from a former "Rush" member, our favorite band. On the other hand, it might just be us, but at first, we were a little disappointed. We really could not understand what dear Alex Lifeson wants to say through the two pieces of music "Kabul Blues / Spy House", which were released for play only through the new and impressive site he set up, see here. The decision to release two instrumental pieces that are so far from the musical style that has characterized Alex for five decades, and doing so after almost a decade of silence, was not understood by us at all. We even learned to accept and love the weird “Victor” project, but here, it sounds to us at first so uninspired, so detached from Alex’s roots, and worst of all, light years away from his incredible abilities as a guitarist. We listened to both tracks back and forth non-stop and in the end, it hit us. 1:34 minute in the "Spy House" track Alex's guitar just pierced our hearts and we suddenly realized that just like after a serious injury that requires rehabilitation, Alex signals us that he is learning to walk again. He's learning, he's experimenting and he's warming up for the next big thing - Inshallah "Lee-Lifeson Band" with Mike Portnoy. This is also probably the reason why Alex chose to release the two excerpts solely on his website and also not to include his friend and good neighbor Geddy Lee in this mini-project. The two pieces released are atmospheric, a kind of ambiance with keyboards accompanied by harmonic vocals, combined with experimental music and blues. Alex Lifeson presents his sensitive side with the bluesy guitar licks, especially in the "Kabul Blues" track. Lifeson is joined here by bassist Andy Curran and drummer David Quinton Steinberg, both fellow Canadian artists. Curran began his career in the early '80s as a member of the hard rock band "Coney Hatch" from Toronto. The band has been able to warm up big bands like "Judas Priest", "Iron Maiden", "Cheap Trick" and of course "Rush". He was even nominated along with his band for the Juno Award for Best Rock / Metal Album in 1991, but lost to "Rush"'s "Presto". Steinberg, on the other hand, played with some of the punk pioneers of the '70s, including "The Mods" and "The Dead Boys." Since then he retired and served as an attorney for "entertainment" and "intellectual property", of which "Rush" is one of his best-known clients. Earlier that year, Lifeson said he and his friend Geddy Lee still want to make music together. “We still talk about it, and I’m sure we will. Of course, now with the pandemic, it’s kind of wrecked things for a bit. But we’re both eager to get back together and kind of get back into that thing that we’ve done since we were 14-years-old that we love to do. And we work well together. So we’ll see what happens with that.” The song "Kabul Blues" was later released on the album "Envy Of None" on 2022. For Listening: Click Here. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Nirvana's album "Bleach", was released on June 15, 1989, here are some interesting facts about the band's debut album: 1. The cost of recording the album was only about $ 600. 2. Although the record company "Sub-Pop" only asked the band for an EP, they rehearsed for three weeks on many songs and were finally ready with a full length album recorded in 30 hours. 3. Kurt Cobain claimed to have written the lyrics to all the songs for the album in one evening. Hard to believe ? Take for example the lyrics of the song "School" which includes only 4 sentences. 4. The album cover was taken by Kurt Cobain's girlfriend at the time, Tracy Marander. 5. On the album cover appears another guitarist, Jason Everman, who also received credit as one of the musicians on the album, even though he did not play any of the songs on the album. He put the money for the recordings of the album. Everman later played bass in "Soundgarden" for a very short time. (Photo: Iheartradio.ca) 6. The release of the album was delayed for several months because "Sub Pop" did not have the money to distribute the album, only after it managed to save enough money for marketing and distribution it was released. 7. The song "About a Girl" was written about the same Tracy Marander, who discovered it only years later, with the release of the book "Come as You Are: The Story of Nirvana". 8. The song "Downer" appeared again on the album "Incesticide" because Cobain thought the audience didn't know him well enough and he really wanted them to listen to it. Cobain had a similar thought about the song "About a Girl" that opened the band's unplugged appearance. Listen to Cobain's words at the beginning of the show: "This is a song from our first album, most people don't know it." 9. The first single released from the album - "Love Buzz" - is a song by the Dutch psychedelic band from the sixties, "Shocking Blue". Yes, the one with the famous song "Venus". 10. The song "Negative Creep" received a cover version of the band "Velvet Revolver", which released it as the b-side of the song "Slither". 11. The song "Paper Cuts" is the only song of the band in which the word Nirvana appears. 12. The song “Negative Creep” is "Nirvana’s" only song (studio albums) that ends in a fade-out. 13. Cobain said that Sub-pop put pressure on him to create music that suited the grunge scene that was developing at the time. He tried to live up to expectations because he knew that if he matched the music to the label's request he would be able to attract fans for the band. 14. The name of the album was supposed to be "Too Many Humans" but Cobain changed it at the last minute after seeing a poster against AIDS that recommended to heroin addicts to disinfect the needles with "bleach" before use. 15. The song "Big Long Now" that appeared on the album "Incesticide" was originally recorded for "Bleach", but Cobain was not interested in another heavy and slow song so he did not finally put it on the album. 16. "Melvins"'s drummer Dale Kruber play drums in three songs on the album. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

It is one of our favorite unplugged albums, it was released on June 15, 1993 and it is celebrating a birthday today. So let's tell you a little bit about Neil Young's "Unplugged" album. Not many know, but Neil Young's "Unplugged" album was barely released. In December 1992, Neil Young was highly acclaimed after releasing of his successful album "Harvest Moon". With 49 appearances behind him to promote his new album, Neil Youngg shows up at "Ed Sullivan's Hall" in New York to record an acoustic show, as part of the Unplugged MTV series. But this time something did not work, things did not flow, there were errors, mistakes, songs were stopped and played again, and to the small audience present at the venue it was clear that Neil Youngg was completely unhappy with the result. At one point Neil Young even left the stage and left the concert hall, wandering the streets of Manhattan with the stunned production crew behind him. Neil Youngg finally relented and returned to perform the last two songs before finally finishing the show. It is no wonder that given the circumstances, Young refused to allow the MTV to broadcast the show recorded that day. But the veteran and experienced Neil Young did not let a single evening obscure his glorious career. He did not want to be remembered this way, and to be honest this great artist didn't deserve this once in a lifetime slip to shadow cast his amazing career. About two months after that failed show, on 7/2/93, Neil Young arrives at "Universal Studios Los Angeles", with the backing band "Stray Gators" who made the masterpiece album "Harvest" with him, to record another unplugged show, as part of the MTV Unplugged series. And this time things look a little different. The backing band blends in with Young like a glove. The show is flowing and fluid, even in the lesser known songs and even in Young's solo moments, when the band does not accompany him. The show opens with "The Old Laughing Lady" - an excerpt from his debut album from 1969, a brave and somewhat strange choice for an opening song, mainly because it is a lesser known song by Young. Immediately afterwards, Young moves on to the song "Mr. Soul" by the mother band "Buffalo Springfield". Young gives us a fundamentally different performance from the original version. Slower, acoustic and accompanied by a harmonica. The song "World on a String" from the masterpiece album "Tonight’s The Night", is maybe slower from the studio version, but in a sense surpasses the original, perhaps thanks to the addition of the harmonica that add a lot of charm to it. The song "Pochahontas" from the album "Rust Never Sleeps" may not be much different from the original version, but again significantly slower than the original recording (5:05 in the unplugged version versus 3:24 in the album version). "Stringman" is perhaps the best song on the album, much thanks to the piano that adds a lot of emotion to the song, but perhaps also due to the fact that it is a song that has not been released until then on any of Young's albums. "Like a Hurricane" is without a doubt one of the big surprises of the album. The unplugged version is not even close to the dirty and electric original version from the album "American Stars' N Bars". Neil Young plays on a kind of church organ that manages to flip this song 200 years back in time, but still maintain its relevance. Seven songs into the album and we finally meet, for the first time, a "hit" from the album "Harvest" - the song "The Needle and the Damage Done". Even for the masterpiece album from 1972, Young chose a live version of the song that was recorded in 1971, so that the unplugged version, accurate and refined as it may be, is not surprising. The eighth song on the album is another of Young's highs in his glorious career. "Helpless" from the masterpiece album "Déjà Vu" released together with "Crosby, Stills and Nash" in 1970. The song gets here a delightful addition of piano, harmonica and vocal harmonies that put a lot of emotion into this version. It's interesting to mention that the album includes 3 songs from "Harvest Moon" released only 3 months before the recording of the show. The theme song, "Unknown Legend" and "From Hank to Hendrix", are all in a performance quite close to the original version, apparently aiming to be the newest songs on the set. Another surprise on the album is the song "Transformer Man", which first appeared on the synthesized and infamous "Trans" album, which here finally gets a version that does it justice and undoubtedly surpasses the original. Complete the 14 tracks of the album "Look Out For My Love" from the album "Comes a Time" and "Long May You Run" from an album bearing the same name of Young and his good friend Stephen Stills, both in a performance that renews almost nothing compared to the original versions. There is no doubt that Young's second attempt was much more successful than his predecessor. The Unplugged show aired about a month later as part of the "MTV Unplugged" series and received rave reviews. Neil Young was also pleased with the result this time, and evidently, just three months after the show, Young releases the Unplugged album, which joins the huge repertoire of this very special artist. The story of this album teaches us that even the greatest artists, veteran and experienced dinosaurs as they may be, sometimes have moments when things get a little less perfect. The moral of this story is that one must never give up. Even if God forbid you stumble, pick up the pieces, get up and try again, because chances are this time it will go better. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

And today it's the turn of Steve Walsh, a singer, keyboardist, percussionist and songwriter, who, among other things, was a partner in designing the sound and the very special style of "Kansas". Here are some interesting facts about him: (Photo: Metallus.it) 1. Walsh was born in St. Louis, Missouri on June 15, 1951. He was adopted as an infant. 2. In 1972 he joined the band "White Clover", which included among others the singer and violinist Robby Steinhardt. 3. In early 1973, they enlisted guitarist and keyboardist Kerry Livgren after his band "Kansas" disbanded. 4. That year they had already signed a recording contract and adopted the name "Kansas". 5. The band's debut album was released in 1974 and already then Walsh was revealed as one of the band's lead writers and lead singer, taking the lead in six of the eight album's songs. (Photo: Fanart.tv) 6. This was intensified on subsequent albums "Song for America" and "Masque" from 1975, in which Walsh served as the lead singer in all the songs on the album. 7. While working on the band's fourth album "Leftoverture" from 1976, Walsh began to experience a writiers block, which forced Kerry Livgren to put more effort into writing the material for the album. Indeed, the talented Kerry Livgren was almost exclusively responsible for the writing, with Walsh's assistance in three of the eight tracks on the album. 8. Needless to say, at this point Walsh has become the lead singer of the band as he takes the lead among other things in the band's breakthrough hit "Carry On Wayward Son". 9. The band continued to ride the wave of success on the album "Point of Know Return" from 1977, which included, among other things, their biggest "hit", "Dust in the Wind". 10. During this time, "Kansas" rose to prominence with sales of millions of copies, mostly of the last two mentioned albums, that sold more than four million copies in the US alone. 11. During this time, "Kansas", which at the beginning of its career distributed free beers to their audience to market themselves, became a honed and tight-knit band that filled the largest auditoriums in the United States, including the "Madison Square Garden" in New York. 12. The band documented this exemplary period in one of the best live albums of the 70's - "Two for the Show", which was released in 1978. A double live album of recordings from various performances from the band's tour in 1977 and 1978. (Photo: Mark Farina Twitter) 13. In 1978, Walsh participated in Steve Hackett's "Please Don't Touch" album. 14. In 1979 the band released their sixth album "Monolith", which included the song "People of the South Wind", which refers to the Native American tribe "Kaw", after which the state and band "Kansas" are named. 15. In 1980, Walsh released his first solo album, "Schemer-Dreamer". The album featured bandmates Kerry Livgren, Rich Williams and Phil Ehart, as well as guitarist Steve Morse who in 1985 joined the revamped "Kansas". 16. Walsh will release four more studio albums as part of his solo career, the latest being “Black Butterfly” from 2017. 17. In 1980, Walsh participated in the album "Seeds of Change", the solo album of his friend Kerry Livgren. 18. During the tour that supported the album "Monolith", Kerry Livgren became a reborn Christian, and this was reflected in his lyrics on the album "Audio-Visions", released in 1980 and included the hit "Hold On". 19. Following creative and other disagreements that also resulted from a change in Kerry Livgren beliefs, Walsh left the band in October 1981 and formed the band "Streets". (Photo: Steve Walsh Rocks Facebook Page) 20. The one who replaced Walsh in the band was singer John Elefante, who noted that Walsh was the reason why he wanted to be a singer. 21. "Streets" first album called "1st" was released in 1983. Walsh was involved in writing all the songs on the album. 22. In 1985 the band will release their second album "Crimes in Mind" and then disbanded by Walsh. 23. In 1986 Walsh returned to "Kansas" and has been an integral part of it until his retirement in 2014. 24. In 2015, Walsh contributed his voice as a singer on "Radioactive's" "F4UR" album. 25. Walsh has participated in 12 Kansas studio albums, out of the 16 released so far. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

He's a singer, he's a bassist, he's a keyboardist he's a guitarist, he's basically a multi-instrumentalist. He's rock, he's pop, he's jazz, he's blues, he's new wave, he's even oriental, he's a Multi-genre. He is Polish, Israeli, he lived in London, he studied and worked in the USA, He is a multi-national. He's a composer, lyricist, actor, session player and producer so he's basically Multi-talent. His name is Alon Oleartchik, he is Multi-tasking and he is celebrating his birthday today !!! So let's tell you 33 facts about the "eternal" child "who never grows old": Photo: Yaron Cohen 1. He was born on June 15, 1950, in Poland as Alexei Oleartchik, a Jewish father and mother of Polish descent. 2. His musician father Edward Olarchik was a composer and Alon watched and studied while he was composing music pieces. 3. At an early age he began to learn to play the piano. 4. When he was 7 years old, he immigrated with his family to Israel and lived in Netanya and later in Bat Yam. 5. As a child he listened to classical music under the influence of his father, but when he grew up he was mainly influenced by Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Winter, Eric Clapton, Cream, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, but also jazz artists. 6. At the age of 12 he decided to leave school and and moved to a music school. He later went on to study at a military boarding school in Haifa, where he fell in love with the guitar and began learning to play it. 7. His first band was "Ha-Tzabar Ha-Dokrani" along with Eldad Ziv. The band played mostly covers of "The High Windows." 8. The first album of his life "Ella Fitzgerald in Hollywood" - he received from his father during his studies at the boarding school. 9. In 1968, Olarchik enlisted in the "Nahal" band of the Israeli army, where he met Danny Sanderson (who also auditioned him), Meir Fenigstein, Ephraim Shamir and Gidi Gov. 10. When he was released in 1971 he continued to collaborate with Danny Sanderson in the band "The Schnitzels". He later played in Ahrela Kaminski's jazz band, "Platinum". 11. In 1973, Olarchik and his friends from the Nahal band - Danny Sanderson, Meir Fenigstein, Ephraim Shamir and Gidi Gov, in collaboration with Yoni Rechter and Ytzhak Klepter, formed the band "Kaveret". 12. Along with Danny Sanderson, Olarchik is one of the lead writers of the band "Kaveret". Among other things, he participated in writing the songs "Baruch's Boots", "I Gave Her My Life", "Yu Ya", "Goliath", "Tango Frogs", "An Aging Child" and "Lu Lu". 13. Together with the band, Olarchik will, among other things, represent Israel at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with the song "I Gave Her My Life". 14. At the same time, Olarchik participated in the recordings of the albums "Love's Many Faces" and "The Good Old Land of Israel Part II" by Arik Einstein, the album "14 Octaves" by Avner Kenner and Yoni Rechter and the debut album of Gali Atari. 15. In 1976 he left "Kaveret" and in 1978 moved to study jazz at "Berkeley College" in Boston USA. After graduating he moved to New York where he played a variety of styles: "New Wave" with "The Hooks", jazz with Jerome Harris , Jazz-rock with "ZINC" of Eddie Jacobson. During that time he played in Israeli clubs and was exposed to oriental music and oriental artists who performed there. 16. In 1984, Olarchik returned to Israel in honor of the first reunion show of "Kaveret". On the occasion of the show, he wrote and composed the song "Meir and Alon", which tells the story of the return of the drummer Meir Fenigstein from the United States. 17. In 1985 his first solo album "Olarchik" was released It was was a success and a large number of hits were released from it. Alon played almost all the instruments. Olarchik did not think he was capable of singing at all, but Yair Nitzani, who was then director of "Had Artzi", persuaded him to do so. 18. The songs "A New Guy Comes to the Neighborhood" and "She Walks the Roads" from the album, were initially offered by him to Ofra Haza, but she was not interested. 19. In 1987 he released his second album - "Amusement, as if". On this album, too, Olarchik sang and played all the instruments - guitars, keyboards, a drum machine and percussion. Olarchik also wrote most of the songs, including "Analog Guy in the Digital World" and "All Night I'm in Your Garden." 20. Olarchik even touched on classical music. In 1994 he composed a classical work for the Israel Festival. The piece was played together with musician Andre Haido and the Symphony of Raanana. The first section of the work was dedicated to Frank Zappa, who had died shortly before. 21. In the same year, Olarchik participated in the album "Radio Blla Blla" by the band "Natasha's Friends", in the song "I do not dance when it's sad", which he also wrote together with the band. 22. Olarchik is also a sought-after producer, among other things he produced for Etty Ankry the successful debut album "See You in the Eyes", the second album "You Called Me Esther", in which he arranged most of the songs, and the first album of the band "Tipex" were he also sings background voices. 23. He also produced one of Gidi Gov's most successful albums - "No More Day", and composed a number of songs such as "Why Your Heart Is Like Ice" and "Girl in Glasses", and also played piano, keyboards, bass and guitars and sang background vocals. 24. He wrote and recorded several jingles, including "Tel Aviv - a city without a break". 25. Olarchik also wrote music for films, including in the music for the play "Lizisterta 2001" by Anat Gov, the music for the film "Miss Entebbe" in which he participated and for the film "A Thousand Wives of Naftali Siman Tov". 26. We said that Olarchik also grew up on jazz, so in 2011 he released his album "Olarchik Style", which features jazz arrangements of his familiar songs. 27. The song "Let's Say I'm Yours" One of Alon Olarchik's biggest hits, is one of the most popular "Chuppa" songs at weddings in Israel. 28. In the year 2004 he released the song "Let's Hug", which he composed to the words of Hannah Goldberg as part of the TV show "9 Hours and a song" on Channel 24, in which the artist writes and records a song within 9 hours. 29. Olarchik has a considerable acting career, including starring in the film "Shards" alongside Etty Ankry in the film "Miss Entebbe" and in the "Burganim" TV series and "towers in the air". 30. He has collaborated with many "Mizrahi" singers, including Zohar Argov, Avner Gadsi, Boaz Sharabi, Shimi Tavori and more. 31. He has also collaborated with many other artists such as, Shlomo Yidov, Shem Tov Levy, Yizhar Ashdot, Jane Bordeaux, Mikiagi, Lip Band, Dana International and more. 32. In 2017, Olarchik won the ACUM Award for the Ehud Manor Lifetime Achievement Award. 33. As part of his solo career, Olarchik has released 15 albums to date, the most recent in 2021. And now let's listen to a playlist of his songs that we edited especially for you: Click Here. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On June 14, 2005, "Foo Fighters" double album "In Your Honor" by was released. This album exemplifies the varying perspectives that can arise between the band and its listeners. Throughout music history, we've encountered albums that listeners perceive as either great or terrible, while the band members who created them hold a different opinion. We believe this album fits that scenario. Perhaps we're exaggerating a bit, but you get the idea. No standout singles or "timeless" songs emerged from this double album, aside from tracks like "Best Of You", "DOA", "Free Me", "Another Round", "Over and Out", and "Razor". Well, okay, maybe a few did, but don't hold it against us. Nonetheless, you have to admit it's not a monumental album, even though it contains 21 songs... We suspect there won't be a consensus here, so let's agree that this album is shouting - change -! And it's unlike anything the band had done before. This album is undoubtedly complex; the first part features strong, aggressive, and powerful rock tracks, while the second part is characterized by acoustic rock, soft, and touching songs. There's even a Bossa Nova-style track. It's truly complex, different, diverse, and unique. So the story goes like this... (Photo: Foo Fighters Official Twitter) After a decade and four albums, Dave Grohl decided he wanted to try something different and special. He considered creating a unique album for a film and even thought about recording a solo album, but quickly set that idea aside. Instead, he brought his collection of songs to the band, deciding that together they would determine how to make the most of this material and create something truly special. Initially, when the concept of an acoustic album was proposed, Dave was strongly against it, as he wanted to produce a more aggressive album than the band's previous works. He aimed to elevate the songs to a higher level of intensity and aggressiveness. However, after extensive discussions, the band members agreed to do both, embracing both sides of the creative spectrum. One album would be intense and hard-hitting, while the other would be gentle and soothing. Dave described them as one being the "bottle" and the other the "hangover". The album recordings also have a story... We've already seen Dave's fascination with studios and consoles (refer to the entries "Sound City" recorded on a historic console and "Wasting Light" recorded at Dave's home in a special studio he built himself). This time, they decided to relocate "Studio 606," Foo's base, from Dave's home in Virginia to California (incidentally, the pillows in Dave's studio were made by his mom from Dave's old T-shirts). Out of the nine months spent working on the album, three and a half months were dedicated to constructing the studio, with the band members moving in during the final month to help complete its construction. On this album, Dave was more deliberate compared to the previous one. He and the band put a lot of effort into each song, recording at least 3-4 demo versions for each track. They dedicated a significant amount of time to rehearsing every song, striving for perfection. Each instrument was recorded multiple times until everyone, especially Dave, was satisfied. Due to the extensive time spent on recordings, they decided in the final weeks that no one would leave the studio. They recorded from noon until 8:00 the next morning, completing at least one song each day. The process was indeed tedious and exhausting, draining a lot of their energy. Interestingly, Dave mentioned in an interview that they found the acoustic part particularly challenging and stressful, reminiscent of their early days when they had to prove their authenticity as artists. Complicated, as we already mentioned... To enhance the acoustic album and avoid monotony, Dave decided to include artists from outside the band. A significant number of artists were added, most from different genres, which greatly enriched the songs and added diversity to the band's familiar sound. Notable contributors included Norah Jones, John Paul Jones, Josh Homme, and several other talented musicians. This resulted in a variety of genres on the album, especially in the acoustic section, leading the band into uncharted territory, which they navigated quite successfully. The album's narrative was also challenging for the record company (not that it's struggling), as it was difficult to handle Dave's decision to sell the double album for just one dollar more than a standard album. Dave argued that the albums complemented each other as a single entity and that he didn't require additional money. In conclusion, it's a complex album, not one of the band's most successful in our view, but still remarkable. It belongs to one of our rock legends, and we love it. Several of its songs are frequently repeated during our rehearsals and have even been featured on our podcasts. This is the band's first album that did not win a Grammy, preventing them from continuing a winning streak since the album "The Color and The Shape". However, it is worth listening to, especially for the acoustic section that reveals another facet of the band. Listen to the album on Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

Remember how we've mentioned in several reviews that some albums make us hesitant to approach the keyboard? This is one of those cases... Why, you ask? Well, it's not about albums from "Led Zeppelin" or "Foo Fighters" or their peers. No, this is something local, something Israeli, at a level we haven't encountered until now. It's true, they're not the only ones. There have been and still are many Israeli bands worldwide that have made significant strides, but we haven't experienced such a strong connection or witnessed it in real-time before. Let's introduce for the first time the concept of the "sacred triangle" that every band should aim to conquer. This triangle comprises three essential elements needed for a band to achieve significant success. The first element is a high-quality musical production of an album, encompassing sound, dynamics, and melody—the complete package. The second element is the live show, which should electrify venues and offer the audience an extraordinary experience that surpasses the album. Simply performing the album flawlessly is not enough; the band must transcend the album and deliver something special during live performances. The third and final element is the Unplugged test, also known as the "naked king" test. The band must captivate, impress, and maintain their prowess even when all distortions, amps, and effects are stripped away. Why are we discussing this now? Because "Walkways" have mastered the "sacred triangle." They have successfully excelled in all three elements, setting a new standard and breaking boundaries with their outstanding success. When you hear what they have accomplished and how they achieved it, you will be as amazed as we were. (Photo: Aviv Shiloh) Following the release of their debut album "Safe In Sound" in 2013, "Walkways" dedicated themselves to extensive touring both domestically and internationally. They didn't just embark on a small tour but performed at major festivals like "Wacken Open Air" and "ARTmania," serving as the opening act for the renowned Swedish metal band "In Flames" (a significant achievement in itself!). Initially, their role as an opening act raised many eyebrows, but these quickly turned to expressions of amazement at their performance on stage. Besides their global tour, the band also opened for acts performing in Israel, such as "Avenged Sevenfold" and "Disturbed" (fortunately, we attended both events). A pivotal event and major milestone in the band's journey took place on April 12, 2019, when the band reportedly signed a contract with the renowned international record label "Nuclear Blast". This label is home to major bands like "Anthrax", "Biohazard", "Accept", "Behemoth", "Fear Factory", "Exodus", "Opeth", "Slayer", "In Flames", and many other notable names. We firmly believe that if it weren't for COVID, "Walkways" would have been on a world tour, electrifying clubs and theaters globally and leaving behind a legion of devoted fans. The band members, Ran Yerushalmi (vocals), Bar Caspi (guitars), Yoni Menar (guitars), Avihai Levy (bass), and Priel Horesh (drums), entered the studio to record their second album "Bleed Out, Heal Out". This album defies the traditional boundaries of metal, eschewing defined lines and external guidelines. It is crafted from the core of each band member, reflecting their personal realities and inner strength. While most of the lyrics were penned by Ran, all band members contributed to the writing process. Each member injects his own experiences and intense emotions into the lyrics, which explore the themes of grappling with natural human impulses while maintaining awareness and self-control. The album unfolds across six chapters. The opening chapter starts with heartbreak and profound disappointment, featuring Ran's soothing vocals as Bar and Yoni make a striking entrance with their intense riffs in the song "Till the End". In this track, the band's unique DNA is immediately evident, with heavy riffs perfectly aligned with Avihai and Priel's powerful rhythm section. The dynamics of rises, falls, breaks, and Ran's voice—soaring, descending, roaring, and growling—are all showcased. Next up is "Hell Born Shove - Impossible" featuring Priel's monstrous beat. It's an incredible variety, and we haven't even reached the third song yet. The chorus is so catchy that by the second listen, you'll want to shout the lyrics. You can't fully grasp it unless you were there, but you can imagine the impact during the song's quiet section where Ran gathers the rising fragments and explodes into the sky like an atomic bomb. Now onto the album's anthem, "Despair - For Heaven's Sake". Don't tell us it reminds you of "Bring Me The Horizon" because we know it does, and we don't mind. This song is typically part of the band's encore since it leaves nothing behind where the band performs. The production is stunning, with an amazing blend of guitars, drums, and vocals, and incredible dynamics. The band members mentioned that they filmed this music video (the only one we know of) in Kyiv, Ukraine, with the assistance of an external production company. The second chapter delves into the internal conflict with the desire for revenge and the temptation to let a darker side prevail. It begins with the album's second most powerful track, "Half the Man I Am". Ran passionately declares that he may be a monster, but "you" are only half the man he is. The riffs seem like they were crafted in outer space, processed by humans, and then found their way to the guitars of Bar and Yoni. Can you sense the DNA? Despite the songs' differences, the band's unique sound is unmistakable. We then proceed to "Trumpet Call", where the trumpets sound as revenge begins. The band describes this as their method of channeling aggression, a way to manage their emotions, since no one has a valid reason to let their ego run rampant. By the song's conclusion, the character chooses not to seek revenge but to survive and be reborn, joining Ran in the cry "Survive, Revive"!!! The song's ending seamlessly transitions us to the next chapter, which involves releasing and freeing oneself from the weight of trauma. The song "Levitate" resembles a movie scene that sends chills down your spine and allows you to empathize with the character. The album's title track, "Bleed Out, Heal Out", is another powerful, penetrating force. With its beautiful melody, you find yourself singing loudly with Ran to unleash everything, loudly together: "Throw away those broken past days, future worries Bleed out, heal out, and let go Yeah, let it all go!" It was a brief chapter, leading us to the next one where we welcome someone new into our lives, the chapter of loving once more. The song "You Found Me" stands apart from what we've heard so far. It's a soft metal ballad that reveals a different aspect of the band. This softer side is evident not only in Ran's vocals but also in the guitars, bass, and drums, which flow seamlessly like a river cleansing away the impurities accumulated from previous chapters. Such a beautiful love has discovered us! And if the poignant lyrics don't clarify who and what this song is about, just watch the video; the answer is there... Continuing in the same direction and shifting down another gear with "Unbearable Days", this song stands out as one of the most beautiful on the album, blending melancholy, tenderness, and a soothing quality. Pay attention to the sounds and production; it's a stark contrast to what we heard at the album's start. During live performances, Ran takes a seat on a bar stool, transforming from a wildly energetic presence to a sensitive and sentimental figure. In the 2019 live show, he dedicated the song to a close friend of the band who passed away from cancer, sending chills through the club. The transitional track "Enough" concludes the current chapter, featuring dark lyrics that delve into profound emotions and thoughts. The band uses this section to open their shows before taking the stage. The next chapter reflects on the external world, expressing horror at human actions (wars, environmental pollution, and animal abuse) and a strong desire for collective improvement and change. It begins with "Humane Beings", which urges us to alter our habits and become wiser, better stewards of Earth. The choir's inclusion adds a powerful, spiritual dimension, giving the song an additional layer. Once again, note the dynamics and appreciate the beautiful craftsmanship. Listen to Ran and join in: "Our tongues are sharper, sharper than knives Our guns are harmless compared to our lies The sounds of the earth got louder with signs Our hounds are puppies compared to our minds" The song "Care - In This Together" opens with the familiar sound of guitars, featuring twists, rises, falls, breaks, and re-entries. "We're in this thing together," Ran shouts. As the album concludes, we transition to a chapter of convergence due to the external world's shock, filled once more with great disappointment and a sense of despair about the current situation. Yet, the deep desire to resolve and rise above the internal and external chaos remains intact. The band delivers another powerful blow with the deceptively titled "Thank You", suggesting a calm ending. The album closes with the song "Bone Depp", which feels like a summary of the main character's journey, the experiences endured, and the scars left by the struggle. We undeniably relate to the character, but we are left with positive scars from this album; it invigorated us, touched our souls, challenged our minds, and filled us with immense energy. (Photo: Yodan Abadi) The band members mentioned that they strive to handle everything independently, which is understandable given the income levels for Israeli bands in rock music, especially metal, in the Holy Land. They take charge of designing their posters, shirts, and albums. Avihai handles photography, capturing the band's music videos and stills, and also serves as the tour manager. Bar is responsible for editing the music videos. Remarkably, the band self-produced the entire album. Yoni and Priel took care of sound production, with Priel also managing the mixing. Only the mastering was outsourced to a company called "Systematic Productions". The band members also shared that their ability to create varied sounds comes from each member being influenced by different bands. When collaborating, they each contribute their unique influences to the music. This approach makes the process more challenging and complex, but the synergy and dynamics among the members result in a sound that is both diverse and distinctive. They cited influences from bands like Korn, Slipknot, Opeth, Karnivool, Radiohead, and many others. In this album, they felt more self-assured, allowing this diversity to shine through compared to their previous album. Feel free to listen to the album and determine whether our previous statements are overly sentimental or accurate. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music. Oh, and we have a minor debt from the start of our review, just to demonstrate that "Walkways" successfully passed the "sacred triangle" test. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

He is considered one of the greatest "British Blues" guitarists of all time, alongside Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Peter Green. Here are some interesting facts about Rory Gallagher: (Photo: Image: Mark Sullivan / Contour / Getty Images) 1. He was born on March 2, 1948 in Ballyshannon, Ireland. His full name is William Rory Gallagher. 2. Rory grew up in a musical home. His father played the accordion in a local band and his mother was a singer and theater actress. 3. At the age of 9 his parents bought him his first acoustic guitar, on which he learned to play on his own. 4. At the age of 12 he had already won a young talent contest. He used the winnings money to buy his first electric guitar. 5. The guitar that is most identified with him is "Fender Stratocaster Sunburst 1961" (serial number 64351), which he purchased only 3 years later. 6. He formed his first band when he was only 13 years old. 7. Gallagher would stay up all night listening to music on the radio, when at first he was attracted to Skiffle music and then Folk and Blues. 8. His early musical influences included Muddy Waters, Woody Gutherie and Lead Belly. 9. In 1966, Gallagher formed the band "Taste", a power trio that played mostly blues-rock and rhythm and blues. 10. In the years 1969-1970 the band released two studio albums and two live albums, before it disbanded. 11. At its peak, the band performed at the Isle of Wight Festival from 1970 and also shared one stage with "Cream" in their farewell performance at the Royal Albert Hall. 12. Immediately after the Woodstock Festival in 1969, Jimi Hendrix was asked “How does it feel to be the greatest guitarist in the world?” Hendrix replied, “I don’t know, go ask Rory Gallagher.” 13. Rory Gallagher is a multi-instrumentalist in the full sense of the word. In addition to singing and guitar playing, he also plays bass, mandolin, saxophone, sitar, harmonica, banjo, dulcimer, dobro and more. 14. In 1971 Gallagher released his first solo album named "Rory Gallagher". 15. That same year he was chosen Singer of the Year by Melody Maker magazine, even surpassing Eric Clapton. 16. In 1974, Mick Taylor left the "Rolling Stones" and Rory Gallagher spent a few days with them in Rotterdam as a potential replacement. 17. During his solo career, Rory has released 11 studio albums. 18. These albums have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. 19. Off-stage, Gallagher was described as shy. On stage, he was one of the most “electrifying” artists to ever play a Fender Stratocaster, with more than three hours of each performances, night after night. 20. Rory Gallagher never married and had no children. 21. Gallagher underwent a liver transplant in 1995, but died of its complications on June 14, 1995 in London, England and is only 47 years old. 22. Rory Gallagher was ranked 42nd on Gibson's all-time top 50 guitarists list. 23. He was ranked 57th on "Rolling Stone" magazine's list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists. 24. In 2015, Fender produced the "Rory Gallagher Signature Stratocaster" modelת in his memory. 25. The list of musicians influenced by him is long and varied, and includes, among others: The Edge, Slash, Johnny Marr, Janick Gers, James Dean Bradfield, Glenn Tipton, Vivian Campbell, Gary Moore, Joe Bonamassa and more. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

The man and the falsetto - King Diamond is celebrating a birthday today and we have some interesting facts to tell you about one of the influential musicians in the Black Metal and Gothic Metal genres. (Photo: Eddietrunk.com) 1. He was born in Copenhagen, Denmark on June 14, 1956, as Kim Bendix Petersen. 2. Diamond was influenced by artists Arthur Brown, David Byron, Alice Cooper, Ronnie James Dio, Ian Gillan, Ozzy Osbourne, and Robert Plant. 3. He noted that the first two albums he purchased were "Fireball" by "Deep Purple" and "Master Of Reality" by "Black Sabbath". 4. In 1974 he formed his first band "Brainstorm" which played music in the style of hard rock and metal. 5. Diamond later became a member of the band "Black Rose" where he began to develop the quasi-satanic character and the dark theatrical persona. 6. From there Diamond moved to the punk-metal band "Brats" where he met guitarist Hank Shermann. The band has released two albums. 7. The two later met the guitarist Michael Denner who invited them to his band - "Danger Zone", which also included bassist Timi Hansen. This quartet was the roots of the band "Mercyful Fate" which was formed in 1981. (Photo: Wallpaper.mob.org) 8. Although Diamond is known for his tremendous vocal range, he also plays keyboards and guitar during recordings, when on stage he prefers to concentrate solely on singing. 9. "Merciful Faith" belonged to the first wave of bands that defined the Black Metal style as "Venom" and "Bathory". 10. From its earliest days, the band influenced bands like "Metallica" and "Slayer". The members of the band "Metallica" were fans of the band and spent quite a bit of time with them during the recording of the album "Ride The Lightning". 11. In 1982 the band released an EP called "Mercyful Fate". Diamond co-wrote the four songs on the EP. 12. In 1983 the band released their debut album "Melissa". Already on this album, the idea of ​​concept albums that would include horror stories began to form in Diamond's feverish mind, when Melissa's character was a witch who was burned alive, as it appears on the band's first EP cover. 13. In 2017, "Rolling Stone" magazine ranked the album 17th on the list of the 100 greatest metal albums of all time. 14. In 1984 the band released their excellent album "Don't Break the Oath". It is one of the most influential and well-known albums in the black metal scene, combining heavy metal roots with progressive motifs and dark writing themes. 15. This album gave the band great success and in fact, was a breakthrough album in the US where the band performed for two months. 16. During the US tour, the band members began to discuss the band's future. Guitarist Hank Shermann wanted to pull the band in a more commercial direction, while King Diamond wanted to continue on the same line and even push it towards more complex music. 17. The result was that in April 1985 the band disbanded at the height of its success and left the metal world in awe. 18. After the breakup, King Diamond takes guitarist Michael Denner and bassist Timi Hansen with him. He adds two new musicians to the lineup, drummer Mikkey Dee (who will later join "Motörhead") and guitarist Andy LaRocque. 19. He forms the band named after his stage name - "King Diamond" and immediately starts working on materials for the new album, while in the meantime the band releases on Christmas 1985 the single "No Presents for Christmas". 20. In 1986 the band releases their first album - "Fatal Portrait". Diamond wrote all the songs on the album exclusively, except for three tracks written in collaboration with guitarist Michael Denner. It was a "creepy" concept story, which dominates more than half of the album's tracks. 21. "Fatal Portrait" was a great opening shot for a glorious solo career of "King Diamond". The album's dark and creepy style will evolve into full concept albums that have all the elements that will be upgraded and perfected in future albums like "Abigail" and "Them". (Photo: Fanart.tv) 22. As part of the "King Diamond" band, Diamond released 12 studio albums, 2 mini-albums, and three live albums, with the album "The Institute" expected to be released in 2021. 23. In 1993 Diamond reunited with his friends Hank Shermann, Michael Denner, and Timi Hansen, and the band "Mercyful Fate" released the album "In The Shadows" which included a guest appearance by Lars Ulrich. 24. Later, the band will release 4 more studio albums, the last "9" from 1999. 25. In 2019 it was announced that the band is reuniting for a tour and guitarist Hank Shermann even noted that the band has recorded 7 new songs. On June 2, 2022, "Mercyful Fate" performed their first live show since 1999. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website