If there is one guitarist whose name communicates to us with the word "feel" it must be David Gilmour. (Photo: Jorgen Angel) We have so many things to tell you about him. We really tried to make it short, but still were not so successful: 1. He was born on March 6, 1946, as David Jon Gilmour in Cambridge, England. 2. His father was a lecturer in zoology at the University of Cambridge and his mother was a teacher who became an editor at the BBC. They both encouraged him to study music. 3. In 1954 he bought his first single: "Rock Around the Clock" by Bill Haley. 4. When he was 11 he began attending a school in Cambridge, where he first met Syd Barrett and Roger Waters who had attended another school in the same compound. 5. At age 14 he borrowed his first guitar from his parents' neighbor. He never returned it. In a 2008 interview, he noted that he still owns the same guitar. 6. He taught himself to play the guitar with the help of books and records by Pete Seeger. 7. In 1962 he began studying at the "College of Arts and Technology" at Cambridge, where he deepened his friendship with Syd Barrett. They used to play together during breaks. 8. In 1963 Gilmour formed his first band: "Joker's Wild". They released a mini-album and a single. (Photo: neptunepinkfloyd.co.uk) 9. In August 1965 Barrett and Gilmour spent their time as street performers in Spain and France. They used to play songs by "The Beatles". 10. Luck did not play for them. They did not even have enough money to buy food. In one case they were even arrested and in another case, Gilmour was hospitalized due to malnutrition. 11. Later Gilmour and Barrett traveled to France and slept in tents outside Paris. At the time Gilmour was working all sorts of casual jobs. Among others, he served as a driver and assistant to a fashion designer and even was a model himself. 12. In 1967 Gilmour resumed his activities with members of the band "Joker's Wild". They too tried their luck in France when they operated under the name "Flowers" and later "Bullitt". 13. Following a theft of the band's equipment, Gilmour returned to London. At the time he was present on the "Pink Floyd" single "See Emily Play" recordings and was in shock from the fact that his friend Syd Barrett did not really recognize him. 14. That same year Gilmour served as a studio player in the soundtrack to Bridget Bardo's "Two Weeks in September" movie. He also sings two of the songs that appear in it. 15. Towards the end of 1967, when Syd Barrett's mental state began to deteriorate, Nick Mason turned to Gilmour and offered him to join "Pink Floyd". (Photo: Michael Ochs Archives) 16. Gilmour initially joined as an additional guitar player and later as a temporary replacement for Syd Barrett. Gilmour's first appearance with "Pink Floyd", along with Syd Barrett, was held on January 12, 1968. You can read more about it here. 17. Later, following the worsening of Barrett's mental state, Gilmour became a permanent member of the band taking his place. Gilmour's first appearance with "Pink Floyd" without Syd Barrett was held on January 26, 1968. 18. All this did not hurt Gilmour & Barrett's friendship and Gilmour even produced and participated in Barrett's first two 1970 albums: "The Madcap Laughs" and "Barrett". 19. In addition to his playing and singing roles, Gilmour became one of "Pink Floyd's" lead songwriters, especially in the first half of the 1970s. He also helped define the band's sound, including in albums such as: "Atom Heart Mother", "Meddle", "The Dark Side Of The Moon", "Wish You Were Here", "The Wall", "Animals" and more. 20. "Wish You Were Here" is Gilmour's favorite "Pink Floyd" album and the song "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" from it, is his favorite of them all. 21. While recording the song at Abbey Road Studios, Syd Barrett came to visit the band. Waters and Gilmour did not recognize him, because he was very fat, lost most of his hair, and shaved his eyebrows. David just cried when he saw his friend in this situation. 22. During the recordings of the album "Animals" and following Waters' "takeover" of the band, Gilmour and Rick Wright have pushed aside from the writing process. This caused them great frustration. 23. Following his growing frustration and knowledge that he was not exhausting his musical abilities within the band, Gilmour released his first solo album, in 1978. 24. During the recordings of his debut solo album Gilmour recorded another song that did not enter the album: "Comfortably Numb". The song found its way to Pink Floyd's next album: "The Wall". 25. His second solo album, "About Face" was released in 1984, on the day before his birthday. He admitted it was his way of getting away from Roger Waters and "Pink Floyd". 26. In 1985 Waters left "Pink Floyd" after ongoing conflicts with band members, most notably with Gilmour. From that moment on Gilmour became the band leader. 27. From joining the band up until the 1983 album "The Final Cut", Gilmour has participated in 11 "Pink Floyd" studio albums. 28. After Waters' departure, Gilmour will release three studio albums along with "Pink Floyd": "A Momentary Lapse of Reason" from 1987, "The Division Bell" from 1994, and "The Endless River" from 2014. 29. Gilmour's list of collaborations as a producer and guest artist is inconceivable. Below is only a partial list. 30. Gilmour played in the song "Give Birth to a Smile" from the album "Music from the Body" by Ron Geesin and Roger Waters, from 1970. 31. David played in the song "The Game" on Roy Harper's 1975 album "HQ". Gilmour later participated in other Harper's albums, both as a writer and a player. 32. Gilmour produced two tracks from Kate Bush's 1978 debut album: "The Kick Inside." Gilmour later participated in other Bush albums. 33. Here is the place to point out that Gilmour actually discovered Kate Bush. His Cambridge friend Ricky Hopper gave him a recording of Bush. He liked what he heard, offered her to record her first demo, and even funded it. 34. He played guitar on two tracks from "Wings" album "Back to the Egg". 35. Gilmour also played on "Atomic Rooster's" 1983 "Headline News" album. 36. He played on Paul McCartney's hit "No More Lonely Nights" from the album "Give My Regards to Broad Street". He has also collaborated with Paul McCartney on the albums "Flowers in the Dirt" and "Run Devil Run". 37. He is responsible for the electric guitar solo in the theme song from the album "Brother Where You Bound", by "Supertramp". 38. David also served as guitarist on Bryan Ferry's 1985 album "Boys and Girls." That same year, he also played on the album "So Red the Rose" by the "Duran Duran" spin-off band "Arcadia." 39. He sang the song "Lie for a Lie" from Nick Mason's "Profiles" album. 40. Gilmour participated in Pete Townshend's fourth album "White City: A Novel" and played guitar on his live album: "Deep End Live". 41. Gilmour played in the song "Understanding Women" from Elton John's "The One" album. 42. He played guitar solo in several songs from Ringo Starrr's album "Ringo Rama". 43. Gilmour is an experienced pilot and also a collector of aircraft parts. 44. He founded the "Intrepid Aviation Museum", but sold it due to the many preoccupations that management charged him, with it becoming a business rather than a hobby. 45. He also managed to "infect" Mason and Wright with the aviation virus making them to take flight lessons. 46. ​​The song "Learning To Fly" from the album "A Momentary Lapse of Reason" released in 1987, was written by Gilmour following his love for aviation. 47. Gilmour speaks four languages: English, German, French, and Italian. 48. He says that to this day he has stage fright, especially in smaller and more intimate performances. 49. Gilmour plays many instruments. In addition to guitar, he also plays bass, keyboards, banjo, mandolin, harmonica, pedal steel, saxophone, and even drums. 50. He learned to play the saxophone only in his fifties. He took music lessons with his son. 51. Gilmour plays bass on four "Pink Floyd" songs: "Fat Old Sun," "Pigs (Three Different Ones)," "Sheep" and "Hey You." 52. He is a compulsive guitar collector. He owned more than 100 different guitars. In June 2019, he put his private guitar collection up for sale at the auction house "Christie", for a fantastic amount of over $ 21 million and broke several Guinness records. You can read more about it here. 53. In 1996, Gilmour was inducted into the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame" as part of "Pink Floyd". 54. In November 2003 he received the British Knighthood. 55. In 2005 he was crowned Commander of the Order of the British Empire. 56. That same year he reunited with Waters and the rest of his "Pink Floyd" friends, for a one-time reunion show as part of Bob Geldof's fundraiser: "Live 8". 57. Gilmour is a well-known philanthropist. He has donated millions of dollars to various charities, cancer research funds, animal welfare organizations, and various environmental organizations. 58. On his 60th birthday, in 2006, Gilmour released his third solo album, "On An Island". The album features Rick Wright, Graham Nash, and David Crosby, among others. 59. In 2015, Gilmour released his fourth solo album: "Rattle That" Lock. Crosby and Nash also participated in this album and in addition, Gilmour's son Gabriel, guitarist Phil Manzanera, Robert White, and Israeli bassist Yaron Setavi were guests on the album. 60. In July 2020, Gilmour released his first song in 5 years - Yes, I Have Ghosts. Gilmour wrote the song to accompany the audiobook "A Theater For Dreamers," which was published by his wife, Polly Samson. You can read more about it here. 61. On April 7, 2022, he released a new song called "Hey Hey Rise Up" under the "Pink Floyd" name, which includes a collaboration between him, Nick Mason, and the Ukrainian musician Andriy Khlyvnyuk from the band "Boombox". On September 2024 he released his 5th solo album "Luck and Strange". His wife and children contributed additional vocals, lyrics and instrumentation. 63. Gilmour has been married twice and has eight children. He is an atheist and does not believe in life after death. 64. He is ranked 14th on "Rolling Stone" magazine's list of the greatest guitarists of all time. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

He is best known as the guitarist of the band "Red Hot Chili Peppers", but he is certainly not only that. Let's read a little about the great talent called John Frusciante: (Photo: Jeffrey Mayer) 1. His full name is John Anthony Frusciante and he was born on March 5, 1970, in Queens, New York. 2. His parents are immigrants from Italy, his father is a piano player and his mother is a singer. Later when he was 9 years old, his parents divorced and he moved with his mother and stepfather to Los Angeles. 3. There he connected to punk rock music and became a fan of the "Germs" (remember Pat Samir ?). At the age of 10, he already learned to play the band's only album. 4. Since he realized that he did not know how to play properly, he began to learn to play songs of other guitarists such as Jeff Beck , Jimmy Page , David Gilmour , Jimi Hendrix when he was only 11 years old. 5. At the age of 16 he left school and with the support of his parents, he began to look for his way as a musician and began studying at the "Guitar Institute of Technology" school. 6. That year he discovered the "Red Hot Chili Peppers" through his guitar teacher who auditioned for the band, he immediately fell in love with them and became a devout fan. He admired the band's guitarist Hillel Slovak and learned to play all the guitar and bass roles on the band's first three albums. The two even formed a friendship a few months before Hillel's death. (Photo: rhcpsessions.com) 7. At the beginning of 1988, John auditioned for Frank Zappa 's band but he did not continue the process when he heard that Frank forbids the use of drugs. In the same year, he also played with Flea the bassist of the "RHCP" with several close friends and from there the chemistry between the two started. 8. After three albums that were not commercially successful but created a large fan base for them, there was a turnaround in the RHCP band. Hillel died of an overdose and Jack Irons who was the band's drummer at the time was devastated by Hillel's death and left the band. 9. The band tried to recruit guitarist DeWayne "Blackbyrd" McKnight and drummer Darren Henley but the former did not fit musically and the latter did not survive due to excessive drug use. 10. Flea offered John to the band and after a short audition he got the role, the lifelong dream of every die-hard music fan... is that the band he likes the most will add him to its group! a dream come true!!! With John on guitar, Flea on bass, and Anthony Kiedis on vocals, they added drummer Chad Smith and began recording the album that was the starting point, "Mother's Milk". (Photo: Red Hot Chili Peppers) 11. John said he wasn't a punk player and to get into and learn the style, he studied what Hillel did and took it his own way. The producer of the album Michael Beinhorn did not like what John was doing and tried to produce metal and heavy sounds with him instead of funk and lightness. 12. In August 1989, the album "Mother's Milk", John's first album with the band, was released. The album marked the beginning of the band's path toward great success. Although it only reached number 52 on Billboard and was not really successful in Europe and the UK, it undoubtedly paved the way for the next album. 13. In 1990, the band again asked producer Rick Rubin who refused the previous time because he did not agree to work with the band because of all the drugs they consumed. This time he agreed and took them to record in Houdini's mansion, the master of illusions, cut off from the environment. 14. In September 1991 the band released their breakthrough album, "Blood Sugar Sex Magik" with their breakthrough single "Give It Away". The album went straight to number three on Billboard and earned the band a 1992 Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance With Vocal. The album entered Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. 15. After the release of the album, the band released a documentary called "Funky Monks" which follows the recording of the album, and embarked on a world tour to promote the album. 16. The band's crazy, fast, and unimaginable success caught John off guard and hit him hard. We know this in the history of music, which happened to quite a few artists. John said that before he joined the band, he fell in love with the vibe that the band had at shows, that the audience felt part of the band, part of the show and there was something magical about it. He didn't want to be that popular, he didn't want to be a rock star (maybe just for the drugs and the girls but not beyond that). 17. He said that he felt that the band didn't need it and that he didn't need it, he didn't know how to deal with it and almost after every show, he would confront his friends to stop this crap. Before the show that took place in Tokyo in May 1992 he refused to go up to perform, after many confrontations he did go up in the end, but the next day he left (or was forced to leave) the band. 18. After leaving he auditioned for the band "Meat Puppets" but the collaboration did not materialize and he was not added. 19. The use of drugs was nothing new to John and he used to smoke marijuana in large quantities during the band's tour. After leaving the band and returning to California he fell into a deep depression as he felt that he had no more meaning in life and that he would never play again. In order to deal with the depression, he started consuming heroin and over time became a heavy addict of the drug that kept him between life and death. (Photo: Karen Miller) 20. In 1994 John released his first album "Niandra Lades and Usually Just a T-Shirt". An avant-garde and experimental album that you could say, reflects the hallucinatory journeys and euphoria that John had during the consumption of drugs. 21. John's condition continued to deteriorate, and his house became a ruin and filth. Johnny Depp and Gibby Haynes created a documentary about 12 minutes long called "Stuff" which documents John's condition and the house he lived in at the time. 22. In August 1997 John released his second album "Smile from the Streets You Hold" which had one goal !! Get him money for drugs!! Even in the recordings for the album he sounds in poor condition and coughs often. 23. In January 1998 when his body was skin and bones, suffering from an extreme mouth infection and severe skin scarring from injections, John entered a rehab facility in Pasadena. He was treated for the scars on his body and all his teeth were extracted and replaced with dentures as a result of the infection. 24. A month later he was released from the rehab center and began to adopt a lifestyle of spirituality and health, such as yoga, meditation, and proper nutrition. He changed many habits in life and decided to dedicate his life to music. 25. In a cosmic coincidence... that year the "RHCP" decided to fire the guitarist who replaced John, Dave Navarro with whom they released one album "One Hot Minute". The band that was on the verge of disbanding decided to turn to John who was done with drugs and was fit for work, John was, of course, happy with the offer and returned to the "RHCP". 26. The members entered the studio and began to record the next album, the band members testified that John's return made everyone enthusiastic about the work and had a profound effect on them. In June 1999 the band released their seventh album "Californication" which is one of John's favorites. 27. During the tour for the album John began writing his own material and at the end of the tour, in 2001 John released his third album "To Record Only Water for Ten Days". An album that is far from alternative rock and with a lot of electronic and new wave elements, but still kicks you in the stomach. 28. That year was very fruitful and creative for John, he worked on the band's eighth album "By the Way" released in July 2002, and began writing material for his fourth solo album "Shadows Collide with People" released in February 2004 when in addition he also writes material for the soundtrack movie "The Brown Bunny". 29. In 2004 he started a side project called "Ataxia" which was an experimental supergroup for two weeks in which they recorded several songs and even held two shows but then disbanded. In the same year, they released their debut album "Automatic Writing". 30. If we thought that the year 2001 was fruitful, in 2004 John decided to release 6 albums in 6 months with all of them recorded on analog equipment without computers or digital equipment. He released: "The Will to Death", "Ataxia's Automatic Writing", "DC" EP, "Inside of Emptiness", "A Sphere in the Heart of Silence" and "Curtains". Absolutely crazy!! 31. In May 2006, the band released their ninth album "Stadium Arcadium" and in this album, John gives freedom to his creativity, he uses more effects than before and in different styles and even adds solo pieces that were not in the previous albums, which by the way were all recorded while improvising and not written in advance. 32. In 2007 he released with the experimental group "Ataxia" their second album "AWII". Another thing that happened that year was his first electronic album under the name "Trickfinger". 33. Later that year, after the "Stadium Arcadium" tour, the band suffered from exhaustion and severe burnout and decided to take a break when at its end in 2009, John announced that he was not coming back and he was replaced by guitarist Josh Klinghoffer. In the same year, John released his eighth solo album called "The Empyrean". 34. In 2010 John took a slight turn towards electronic music, a passion he had for many years. He began to learn to create electronic music and together with Aaron Funk and Chris McDonald he founded the electronic group "Speed Dealer Moms". 35. In September 2012 he released his ninth album "PBX Funicular Intaglio Zone" where he abandoned the guitar sounds in favor of electronic sounds and a combination of pop and hip-hop elements. 36. In April 2014 he released his tenth album "Enclosure". 37. In September 2017, he released his second electronic album as Trickfinger called "Trickfinger II". 38. After releasing two albums with Josh, "I'm with You" in 2011 and "The Getaway" in 2016. The "RHCP" announced in December 2019 that it was reuniting with John. 39. John has collaborated with many diverse artists including Wu-Tang, Josh Klinghoffer, Omar Rodriguez Lopez, Dewa Budjana, and many others. 40. He was supposed to arrive in Israel together with the "RHCP" on June 10, 2020, but the performance was postponed to the summer of 2023 and we can only pray that this time it will happen... 41. In October 2020 he released his 11th album "Maya", we called it a glitch... This album is entirely dedicated to the beloved cat of Frusciante who left the world that year. 42. On February 4, 2022, he released together with "RHCP" the band's first single "Black Summer" after 6 years of silence (the band's longest), from the album "Unlimited Love". That year the RHCP released their 12th and 13th albums, "Unlimited Love" in April and "Return of the Dream Canteen" in October. 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Written By: Moti Kupfer Release date - 05.03.1978 “A gun that appears in the first act will fire in the third.” This principle became a rule of thumb explaining that every element in a story must contribute to the whole, and that the plot should not advance through surprises that were not hinted at beforehand. Well, anyone who looked closely could already foresee the first cracks in the ship of “Pink Floyd” as early as January 1977. “ The Final Cut ” was almost entirely the work of Roger Waters, while the rest of the band mainly functioned as session musicians. Richard Wright and David Gilmour  understood the hint and each released solo albums the following year (1978). After the band fell into debt and created together the magnificent “ The Wall ”, which provided them with the oxygen they desperately needed, Waters returned to his old habits. He fired Richard Wright and brought in outside musicians to take part in “ Animals ”. David Gilmour , who felt a strong sense of déjà vu and ended up participating in only two tracks on the album, reportedly snapped at Waters: “When you need a guitarist, call me.” Gilmour made up his mind that he was done with “Pink Floyd” as long as Roger Waters remained in the band. He turned his attention to creating his second solo album, “About Face”, released on March 5, 1984. He decided to show Waters that he was capable of creating a record no less impressive, perhaps even one that could surpass “Pink Floyd.” To achieve this, he assembled a group of outstanding musicians to work with him on the album: Pino Palladino (bass), Jeff Porcaro (drums, keyboards), Steve Winwood, Jon Lord , Luis Jardim, Roy Harper and also two young and promising musicians, Sam Brown (backing vocals) and Anne Dudley, who would later become part of the avant-garde synth-pop group “Art of Noise.” Gilmour wrote most of the songs on the album while turning to “The Who” guitarist Pete Townshend for help. Townshend wrote two songs for him, including the single “Love on the Air.”  Townshend reportedly wrote the lyrics for the song in a single day, while a third composition eventually ended up on a Pete Townshend solo album. The joint production with Bob Ezrin reveals an album full of wonderful and diverse music. Unlike the last “Pink Floyd” album, it does not attempt to construct grand lyrical rock operas but instead presents a strong and worthy collection of songs. The change is consistent throughout the record. Each song moves in its own direction, often in unexpected yet pleasing ways. Gilmour explores sounds he likely would not have been able to pursue within the boundaries of “Pink Floyd.” The lyrics are filled with subtle references to his feud with Waters, and many of the songs reflect this conflict. The album opens with “Until We Sleep,”  a fantastic jam driven by Gilmour’s outstanding guitar work. The lyrics serve as a direct call to action, essentially urging the listener to live life to the fullest before eternal sleep arrives. “Murder”  is a very dark folk-styled song whose lyrics express David Gilmour ’s anger over the murder of John Lennon . Next comes “Blue Light,”  featuring a distinctly jazzy intro with Steve Winwood on piano. Gilmour sings about randomness and the way fate toys with us. The track is a classic example of a piece that could only appear on one of Gilmour’s solo albums. Gilmour dedicated “You Know I’m Right”  to Waters and to their troubled relationship. The song deals with a person who is incapable of seeing another perspective in an argument. With “Cruise,”  we encounter one of the album’s most intriguing tracks. The song is dedicated to cruise missiles stationed in Britain. Palladino’s emotionless bass and Ian Kewley’s excellent Hammond organ elevate the track, which takes a surprising turn toward reggae near its end. The album closes with “Near the End,”  featuring an interesting use of bells that enhances its lullaby-like atmosphere. The lyrics once again refer directly to Roger Waters. The song not only serves as the album’s closing track, but in its own way it also speaks about the end of the previous era of “Pink Floyd.” For Listening : Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On March 5, 1983, Cliff Burton made his first show with "Metallica". (Photo: Metallica Twitter) The show was held at a club called "Stone" in San Francisco Bay Area, which today, in retrospect, is considered as the place where Thrash Metal was born. Cliff joined the band in December 1982 and replaced bassist Ron McGovney. This is one of Cliff Burton 's only appearances on stage with guitarist Dave Mustaine , who will be fired from the band about a month later. For more information about it, read here: Dave Mustaine Fired From Metallica . The show took place shortly after the band moved to San Francisco. As you may recall, Cliff first met James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich when he performed at the "Whiskey A-Go-Go" club with his band. He played the bass solo that would later become the instrumental piece " Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth) ". James and Lars were stunned by Cliff's playing. They of course invited him to join their band immediately. Cliff agreed but on one condition. that the band move from Los Angeles to San Francisco, his hometown. The band agreed and this is what gave birth to the historic performance at the "Stone" Club. On that historic evening, the band played 12 songs, most of which will eventually be included on the debut album " Kill 'Em All ", except for " Hit the Lights ". The opening song, " The Mechanix ", was reworked as soon as Kirk Hammett joined the band, and his name was changed to " The Four Horsemen ". Dave Mustaine will keep the song close to the version played that evening and a few years later it will already be included on Megadeth's debut album " Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! ". It's hard to believe, but this historic performance was documented in a bootleg, recorded that evening. One of the highlights of the show was of course Cliff Burton 's premiere with the solo that will eventually become the instrumental piece " Anesthesia (Pulling Teeth) ". For those interested in listening to history in the making, you are welcome to jump to about 35 minutes of the recording. List of songs played on that historical evening: 1. The Mechanix 2. Phantom Lord 3. Jump In The Fire 4. Motorbreath 5. No Remorse 6. Seek & Destroy 7. (Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth 8. Whiplash 9. Am I Evil? 10. The Prince 11. Blitzkrieg 12. Metal Militia "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

In the early '90s, the MTV Unplugged TV series was in full swing, and bands that were on the runway towards stardom and great success were part of that series of shows. It was even a kind of certification that the show gave to the talent and skill of the bands at the time. After the 1990s the series had already lost its stardust and became a kind of "comeback" tool for bands that had lost their place at the top. The members of the band "Korn" decided that they wanted to do MTV Unplugged in 2007, long after their great success and at a time when they were not really at the top. The beautiful thing about "Korn" is that because of their huge and close fan base, they never lost their power, they were always there, sometimes we listened to them more, and sometimes we listened to them less, but they were always part of the playlist. But for the mainstream or "other" audience it was very surprising that a band like "Korn" would decide to do an MTV Unplugged performance in the middle of nowhere. Another interesting point is... If you remember we talked recently about "Breaking Benjamin's" album called "Aurora" consisting of only acoustic songs, for a band whose sound consists mainly of heavy walls of guitars and distortions. The case here is very similar, "Korn" have two heavy guitarists who use powerful riffs with mass that is not in the chemical marking table, with a bassist hitting the bass strings as if they were trampolines in iJUMP. So how did they make their songs ecstatic? Did they use the technique Benjamin used? Did it work? The December 9, 2006 performance at New York City MTV Time Square Studios consisted of only three band members. Singer Jonathan Davis , bassist Reginald Arvizu "Fieldy" and guitarist James Shaffer "Munky". Two years before the show, guitarist Brian Welch "Head" left the band to focus on his Christian strengthening, and drummer David Silveria left the band that year to focus on other interests. So the three members decided to perform an unplugged performance and to make up for the lack of electric guitars and distortions, by incorporating a set of many weird instruments. No joke... there is even a vessel there that consists of a revolving glass bottle, yes you will laugh at us, we have no idea what it's called. We do not even know how to pronounce some of the instruments/tools, so we will write their names and you will look for their pictures on the web... So what did we have there according to Richard Gibbs: “four celli, two basses, two cimbasso, two bass/contrabass trombonists, a saw player, a glass harmonica player, choir bells, and a six-person taiko ensemble” (Photo: MTV Unplugged) Except for "Korn's" three members, all the other musicians wore masks and their faces could not be identified... The variety of instruments and musicians was supposed to make up for the shortage of guitars, bass, and drums but at least in our opinion, it did not happen! The sound was anemic and failed to rise despite Davis' dramatic tone of voice, sometimes sounding like a whole salad of unconnected or synchronized instruments and sometimes sounding empty and meaningless. But... there are also beautiful moments in this album... It opens with the powerful and one of "Korn's" most famous songs, " Blind " which is an example of all the bad things on this album/show, it opens awfully, continues awfully, and ends awfully, what's the point of the Spanish solo in the last part of the song? It was hard for us to understand. The great luck is that the second song is simply stunning, another huge hit called " Freak On A Leash " when the performance is joined by Amy Lee ("Evanescence") and is an amazing addition to the song, the collaboration of the two gives the song a different perspective, pleasant, soft and caressing, great pleasure. The third song on the album, " Falling Away From Me " is a nice sequel but no more than the first song, it has nice parts mostly in the chorus but the verses sound a bit anemic, and there are some moments that Fieldy beats on the bass as if he plays his electric bass and the acoustic screams for mercy. From there they get to the cover of "Radiohead's" song " Creep " and here we are a little divided, it is sometimes intriguing and surprising and sometimes a little boring. Another highlight on the album is "The Cure's" mashup featuring Robert Smith. He and Davis do a mix between " Make Me Bad " and " In Between Days " and it's an amazing combination. Two singers with a very unique vocal styles combine the all-too-familiar sounds of the sink with radiant, simply stunning. (Photo: MTV Unplugged) The album is sealed by " Love Song " which has so much weight, like a lot of "Korn's" songs, only here it sounds unusual and prominent in its charged atmosphere, perhaps because of the absence of the guitars and drums. The album consists of 11 songs, three more songs performed at the show did not enter the album. So contrary to what Benjamin did, here Korn has not been able in our opinion to fully express themselves and despite all the many and varied tools, it feels in many songs the lack or the confusion. Davis undoubtedly holds the show here with his amazing voice, which penetrates and excites in every form and way possible. Listen to the album on: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On March 4, 1985, "Accept" released one of the great Heavy Metal albums of the 80's and probably also the best of it's career "Metal Heart". After their breakthrough album " Restless and Wild " from 1982 and the best-selling album to date, " Balls to the Wall ", which finally established them as one of the great and influential metal bands of the 1980s, expectations from the German metal giant were very high. The band decided to play it safe and try to deepen their grip on the American market, with an album that on the one hand will preserve its DNA and on the other hand will include more melodic and catchy songs. The combination of honed metal anthems, catchy choruses, and melodic neo-classical solos, did it. "Metal Heart" has become the band's best-known album and one of the greatest in its glorious repertoire. The band arrives on this album with two significant reinforcement players. The first, guitarist Jörg Fischer, who returned to the band after an absence of two years. The second, legendary producer Dieter Dierks who will be in charge of the album's "inviting" and accessible sound. The band remembers that Dieter was a very demanding producer. He forced them to go back and play certain tracks dozens of times in an attempt to capture the right sound he had in mind. In almost every song the band tried different combinations of guitars, microphones and even different strings to achieve the result that Dieter wanted to achieve. It was also the band's first digitally recorded album. The album opens up with the theme song " Metal Heart ". Guitarist and band leader Wolf Hoffmann said the idea for the song and album, was born after reading an article about an attempt to create an artificial heart and the thought that one day everyone would have an "engineered" heart. The song became a classic heavy metal anthem. An amazing epic song, which includes "quotes" from two classic works. Tchaikovsky's first "Slavonic March" in the song's intro and Beethoven's second "Für Elise" on the lead riff and during the solo. Interestingly, the band uses other instruments here, such as Wolf Hoffmann who plays sitar and bassist Peter Baltes who plays on 8-string bass and Moog Taurus. Immediately after comes " Midnight Mover ", which talks about a drug dealer. It is one of the more commercial songs on the album, with catchy riff and powerful singing by Udo Dirkschneider during the verses. It was the first single released from the album and was designed to appeal to the American market, with a timeless and memorable video clip. We continue with the accessible and commercial line with " Up to the Limit ". A sweeping and bouncy song, with an airy and simple riff and with steady and strong bass work by Peter Baltes, that holds the song all together, especially during the verses. " Wrong Is Right " takes us back in time to the old and familiar "Accept", with the fast and powerful double bass drum of Stefan Kaufmann. The guitar collaboration between Jörg Fischer and Wolf Hoffmann is simply amazing and the melodic guitar solo is completely influenced by Ritchie Blackmore , especially in his days of "Rainbow". The song that seals the first side of the album " Screaming for a Love-Bite ", presents the more mainstream side of "Accept". It's probably the most accessible song on the entire album, consisting of simple and catchy riffs. The song was released as the second single from the album. The title of song " Too High to Get It Right ", that opens the other side of the vinyl, simply revelas its content. It documents one of "high pitched" Udo Dirkschneider's vocal moments, and we're talking about him touching particularly high notes. The vocal harmonies and "chorus singing" of all the band members in this song, are noteworthy and it's already become its hallmark. The album continues with high-level honed songs such as the dynamic " Dogs on Leads " with quiet verses and a bursting chorus and the anthem " Living for Tonite ", which is a representative sample of the album's common denominator. Captivating, accessible and overwhelming! The only exception on the album is " Teach Us to Survive ". Without a doubt one of the strangest in the repertoire of "Accept", which was even crowned as a "jazz metal" track. Indeed, the band is having fun here with jazz based on the amazing bass work by Peter Baltes and a high level of playing by all the band members. The ending track " Bound To Fail " also opens up with a classic intro, much like the opening track of the album, thus giving this album a sense of one perfect piece with a beginning and end, that correspond with each other. Despite the more commercially accessible sound and even though we think it's one of the band's better albums, this album sold less well than its predecessor " Balls to the Wall ", in America. Udo Dirkschneider remembers the time of creating the album as one in which the band was at its peak and its members got along really well together. This idyll will turn out to be fragile, as the first cracks in the band's solidarity will soon appear. 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 the musician Jason Newsted... (Photo: Ragnar Singsaas) 1. He was born on March 4, 1963, in Battle Creek Michigan as Jason Curtis Newsted. 2. He grew up in a musical family, his mother was a piano teacher and one of his brothers played the trumpet. 3. The first instrument he played was the guitar. He started playing at the age of nine. 4. He switched to bass guitar only at the age of 14. 5. The bassists who have influenced him the most are Geezer Butler , Steve Harris , Geddy Lee , and Lemmy  Kilmister . 6. The first album he released was "Doomsday for the Deceiver" as part of the band "Flotsam and Jetsam", it was in 1986 and Jason wrote most of the lyrics to the album's songs. (Photo: Last.FM) 7. The fourth song on the album was called "Fade to Black", but it is not a cover version of a song of the same name by "Metallica". 8. By chance "Fade to Black" is also the" Metallica" song that Jason loves the most. 9. After the tragic death of Cliff Burton , "Metallica" auditioned about 50 different bass players, including Les Claypool and David Ellefson. Newsted was recommended to "Metallica" by Metal Blade president Brian Slagel and was the one who was finally accepted into the band in the fall of 1986. 10. Cliff Burton's parents were involved in the decision. They were also part of the press release revealing the new bassist of the band. 11. His first appearance with "Metallica" was on November 6, 1986, in Reseda California. 12. Newsted's first release with "Metallica" was the mini-album "The $ 5.98 E.P .: Garage Days Re-Revisited" . 13. His first full album with "Metallica" was "...And Justice For All" from 1988. 14. During his 14 years with "Metallica", Newsted has played on six of the band's albums: "...And Justice For All" , "Metallica" , "Load" , "Re-Load" , "Garage Inc" and "S&M" . He has performed with it on more than 1,000 shows around the world. 15. Newsted's last appearance with "Metallica" took place on November 30, 2000, during a performance at the VH1 Music Awards. 16. He officially left Metallica on January 17, 2001 . 17. After leaving "Metallica" he focused on his side project - "Echobrain" which also formed the seed of controversy that caused him to leave "Metallica". The band's first album, also named after it, was released in 2002, and later released another EP and a second studio album in which Newsted served as producer. 18. At the same time, Newsted was a member of the Canadian band "Voivod" with whom he released three albums, from the album named after the band from 2003 to the "Infini" album from 2006. 19. With bassist Robert Trujillo joining Metallica , Newsted replaced him as Ozzy Osbourne 's bassist, until the end of the 2003 Ozfest Festival. 20. In 2006 he joined the reality show Rockstar: Supernova , to select the singer for the band of the season of the same name which he formed together with guitarist Gilby Clarke ("Guns") and drummer Tommy Lee ("Motley Crue"). Following the selection of singer Lucas Rossi, the band released one album in 2006. 21. On October 23, 2006, Newsted was injured while trying to grab a bass amp head. The accident caused a tear in his left shoulder and right arm. He underwent a lengthy recovery process during which he began painting. He was later reported to have been addicted to painkillers. 22. In 2009 he entered with "Metallica" into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. 23. In October 2009, Newsted joined Tony Iommi , Ian Gillan , Jon Lord , and Nicko McBrain to form the "WhoCares" supergroup. 24. This supergroup released in 2011 the single "Out of my Mind" and later also released a full album to raise funds for the rehabilitation of Armenia, after the earthquake that befell it in the late 1980s. 25. In 2012 he set up his own band called "Newsted". In 2013 the band released an EP as well as an album called "Heavy Metal Music". (Photo: Newsted) 26. Newsted also collaborated with the following ensembles: Sepultura, Unkle, Papa Wheelie, Moss Brothers, Gov't Mule, and more. 27. In 2019, Newsted announced that his doctors had ordered him to stop doing "headbanging" during the shows since he had caused himself neck injuries (whiplash). 28. Jason was known for the background vocals, or rather the background roars in his performances with "Metallica", and ironically among other things in the song "Whiplash". "This is a series of guitar picks that I caught from Jason Newsted himself! These are some shows I've been to since 1992 or so... there's only one pick, the one with the snake, that I got in a direct handshake from Jason when I was at Snake Pit's. Metallica! Club members participated in the raffle, and whoever had a ticket to the show, entered the raffle to get a badge in a domain area on the stage itself! So I got the pick from Jason. " "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On March 4, 1983 "Thin Lizzy" released their 12th album - "Thunder And Lightning". This is the band's last album and also the heaviest album they released during their career. 3 years after the release of this album, Phil Lynott died and closed the door on the possibility that the band would continue to work together and produce new material. The fact that this album is considered the band's heaviest album is mainly due to the inclusion of guitarist John Sykes , who replaced Snowy White, who left the band due to a lack of clarity as to whether the album sessions were aimed at a "Thin Lizzy" album or a Phil Lynott solo album. White believed that if these were sessions for Lynott's solo album, then he should be paid for his contribution as a hired session player. Although most of the material for the album was written before the addition of guitarist John Sykes , his presence is very noticeable in the sound and style of the album. As you may remember, Sykes started his musical career in 1980 in the band "Streetfighter" and after a short time moved to the band "Tygers of PanTang", with which he released two full studio albums and guested on the third. In 1982 he successfully auditioned for the band "Thin Lizzy" and became its lead guitarist alongside Scott Gorham. The joining of John Sykes turned out to be the right decision, which helped the sound of "Thin Lizzy" to be updated to the metal spirit of the time. His guitar playing was heavier than anything previously recorded by the band, with neo-classical influences. Although the band has been based over the years on the trademark of Twin Guitar sound, veteran guitarist Scott Gorham allowed Sykes to play more lead parts, with the entire band inspired by the freshness and innovation of their new recruit, not to mention Sykes' powerful playing. What was very beautiful about the addition of Sykes, was that his performance pushed Gorham to upgrade his playing as well. As it turned out, the guitars of Gorham and Sykes on this album are aggressive and heavy. The riffs and solos are sharp, catchy, and heavy, while "Thin Lizzy" simply reinvents itself, but at the same time preserves its unique sound. Another addition that influenced the sound and style of the album, was related to keyboardist Darren Wharton, who participated in writing many of the songs on the album, including " Some Day She Is Going to Hit Back " and the last single " The Sun Goes Down ", thus contributing to the special style. At times, Wharton's keyboard work contrasts and complements the heavy riffs of the guitars, but adds depth to the songs, as can be heard, among others, in the song " The Holy War ". Besides the twin guitar sound and keyboard influence, this album features Phil Lynott 's excellent bass work and Brian Downey's steady and versatile drumming, which together form the rhythm section so unique to the band's sound. Downey's performance falls into two. On the one hand, the sophisticated and melodic transitions and on the other hand the aggressive and heavy drumming, which together create one of the high points of his career. And of course, it is impossible not to mention Lynott's perfect voice, which knows how to be deep, melodic, or even romantic in love songs, but also furious and powerful when needed. It is interesting to note, that the two heaviest tracks were chosen to be the leading singles from it, each "heavy" in its own way. The first, " Cold Sweat ", which is the only song in which guitarist John Sykes participated in the writing, as he joined the band after most of the album had already been written. The song was written in the studio while the album was being recorded and became the biggest single from it. It is characterized by Sykes' powerful playing and the use of the tapping technique during the solo. It is interesting to note, that quite a few cover versions of this song have been recorded, among them "Megadeth" on the album "Super Collider" from 2013 and "Helloween's" which was released as a b-side to the single "Perfect Gentleman" in 1994. The second, " The Sun Goes Down ". This is the only slow number on the album, a deep and meaningful song. But the quieter it is, the more powerful it is!!! A simply great song written by Phil Lynott and keyboardist Darren Wharton, so it's no surprise that it leans on Lynott's mesmerizing bass playing and Wharton's soaring keyboard atmosphere. And what an amazing and sweeping solo John Sykes tailormade to this song. Pay attention to his crazy playing in the live performance version in the clip below, starting at minute 5:05 of the song. It would be the band's last single ever, and is undoubtedly one of Lynott's finest works. Beyond the two singles we mentioned above, the album is a pure pleasure of classic hard rock and heavy metal. From the opening and theme song of the album " Thunder And Lightning ", which is powerful and furious, and sets the tone for the rest of the album, to " Heart Attack " which leaves us with a taste for more, this album illustrates all the good that this great band has to offer. Despite the heaviness and innovation compared to the band's previous albums, Lynott and his band members managed to maintain their typical playing style. The classic sound of "Thin Lizzy" is well preserved here and it combines melody with fast playing and harmonies produced by the twin guitars. On the other hand, "Lizzy" also shows here a darker, heavier, rougher, and angrier side with darker lyrics. This contrast is maintained even in a love song like " Baby Please Don't Go ". "Thunder And Lightning" was undoubtedly a radical change of direction for the band. It featured a more aggressive and heavier sound that the band had not shown before. It was a risky bet for the band, but "Thin Lizzy" proved that it paid off in a big way. They renewed but did not forget their past and thus produced an album that will be written in the pages of history as an excellent album that was the "swan song" of a wonderful band. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

He's an icon, he started as a dancer but very quickly became the face of one of the biggest bands in the world of electronic music, but he is also an integral part of our world !! (Photo: Andy Sheppard) 1. His full name is Keith Charles Flint, he was born on September 17, 1969 and passed away on March 4, 2019. 2. He was born in Redbridge, London and had an unhappy childhood when his parents regularly quarreled until the moment they separated when he was young. 3. Although he was a brilliant boy, he suffered from dyslexia and was thrown out of school when he was 15 years old. 4. He started working as a "roofer" and at the same time fell in love with music and began practicing it. 5. When we say practicing, we do not mean writing and playing, but dancing. He was very strong in the rave scene that developed in England and was a dancer and DJ in clubs. 6. In 1990, Flint met a DJ named Liam Howlett, the two teamed up and Liam gave Flint a tape containing original pieces he had created. On the tape he engraved the word "Prodigy". 7. Flint loved Liam's music and literally pushed him to create a band in which Liam plays his music and Flint and his friend Leeroy Thornhill dance on stage. 8. The three teamed up with another dancer named MC Maxim Reality and formed the band "The Prodigy". (Photo: Phil Nicholls) 9. In 1992 came out the band's debut album "Experience", the album was a success in the rave and underground clubs in England. 10. In 1994 the band's second album "Music for the Jilted Generation" was released. This is the band's international breakthrough album which was a crazy success. The most interesting thing is that songs from the album were played in electronic music clubs but also in rock and metal clubs. 11. We are sure that many of you that were in the relevant age danced to the sound of the song "No Good (Start the Dance)" in clubs, alongside "Metallica", "Guns", "Nirvana", "Pearl Jam" and more... 12. Starting with the third album "The Fat of the Land" released in 1997, Flint moved to the forefront not only as a dancer but also as a singer. 13. Flint's breakthrough song was “Firestarter,” a crazy song that exploded on every possible radio station and won many broadcasts on MTV. With the looks and sound of a punk rock singer, Flint has become an iconic figure in the music world. 14. Another single that came out of the album and made "waves", was "Breathe", also in which Flint took the singing role alongside background vocals from Maxim Reality. 15. The band has released four more albums "Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned"(2004), "Invaders Must Die" (2009), "The Day Is My Enemy"(2015) and "No Tourists" (2018). Apart from the fourth album, Flint sings a number of songs on each of the other albums. (Photo: Mystic Production) 16. In 2002, Flint formed a Punk Rock band called "Flint" with Jim Davies, Kieron Peppe, Rob Holliday, and Tony Howlett. They released one album in 2003 and have performed briefly at a number of festivals. 17. He is a die-hard "two-wheeled" enthusiast. Not only does he ride a professional road motorcycle and even competed in a number of races in England, but he formed a racing team called "Team Traction Control" and competed with it in the "Supersport" League and the British "Superbike" League. 18. In addition he reached an impressive achievement when together with his team rider Ian Hutchinson they won four "Isle of Man TT" races in 2015 and 2016. Anyone who knows these races knows that they are hallucinatory, insanely dangerous and terribly difficult tracks, very few individuals manage to ride these races unharmed and only riders who are semi-god manage to finish them. 19. He was also a well-known "MotoGP" fan and visited quite a few races. He had a track in his yard, where he would ride the fleet of special motorcycles in his possession. 20. In a long period of his life he suffered from depression and consumed drugs and alcohol regularly, they often had negative effects on his life. Despite his delicate and pleasant nature, on stage he was a restrained beast with energies that made the band's performances to something divine. Yes Divine! We experienced one of these on May 29, 2014 at the Tel Aviv Exhibition Center (their fourth and final show in Israel). (Photo: Mirrorpix) 21. On March 4, 2019, Flint was found dead. He hang himself at his home, the police officially announced that he had committed suicide and on March 29, 2019 his funeral took place. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Evanescence's debut album "Fallen", released on March 4, 2003, is the band's best-selling album to date. They have since released four more albums, the fifth was released in March 2021. It is considered one of the best-selling albums of the 21st century, reaching number one on the charts in more than ten countries around the world. A year after its release it gave the band five Grammy nominations and won two categories: Best Hard Rock Performance and Best New Artist. The album was recorded in five different studios across California, with three band members being regulars and the rest of the musicians changing as needed. Amy Lee on vocals and piano, Ben Moody on guitars, and David Hodges on keyboards. The band released four singles from the album, each of which was more successful than the other: "Bring Me to Life", "My Immortal", "Going Under" and "Everybody's Fool". Our language editor, Uri Anavi , shares his feelings about the album. This is an album I really love. As fits the name of the album, it has quite a few songs that can knock you down and even smash you apart. This is the band's debut album and the only one of their albums that I have heard and listen to again and again. It has some of the band's biggest hits alongside lesser-known songs. I got to read a few things behind the scenes of some of the songs and decided... enough, ignore it and focus on my personal interpretation. My feeling is that this band is identified (at least in the country) with the whole “emo” segment, probably because of some of its audience. There's a bit of truth to that, but to me, it's just a good rock band (without going into all sorts of sub-genres). You are more than welcome and feel free to "dive" with me into this wonderful album. (Photo: Evanescence.com) It's not particularly surprising that an album titled "Fallen" opens with a dive down, not to mention a crash. Indeed, the first song on the album, "Going Under" , is a glorious crash and a dive straight into the gut of the album. Already at the opening of the song and the album, there are two of my favorite elements in the band's songs: distortion as sassy and the heavenly voice of the amazing Amy Lee. In this song, there are no assumptions and it gives head already in the opening, according to the "crembo doctrine": start the strongest and slowly increase. Amy's singing in this song is furious and almost "hands-free". It's a song full of an open letter to a toxic person, maybe a spouse. From the very first line ("Now I will tell you what I've done for you") and even more so from the next line ("50 thousand tears I've cried") you can see that it is a song by someone who breaks a fairly long silence, someone who is tired and she decides to take out all the dirty laundry. A toxic relationship is a theme that will appear in other songs on the album. This time the point of view in the song is of someone who does not holds back and put it all out in your face. Accordingly, the melody of the song is steeped in distortion and its sound is as dirty as the above gashing out. A complete discharge of frustration and nerves that have accumulated for a long time. And I ask - is there a better way to open an album? The character in the song goes down, falls, dives crashes, drowns, whatever you want to call it. She takes with her the recipient of things and also the listeners. This is the beginning of the shaky journey that is this album. The second song on the album, "Bring Me to Life" , is one of my band's favorite songs and of course one of its best-known songs. If in the previous song, I mentioned the combination of Amy Lee's angelic voice and the distortion, this time another friend joins, who will have an important part in more songs. This is the piano. A soft piano melody opens the song and after Amy sings the first line and the witch ("How can you see into my eyes like open doors") comes a short distortion outing that is one of my favorites of the songs in general, not just of the band. The softness in the melody lasts a little longer until Amy's singing begins to add shades of musical roughness. In the chorus, the melody is already erupting in all the glory of the distortion. At this point, we also discover a surprising guest - a man's voice. This is Paul McCoy, lead singer of the band "Twelve Stones". Did I say I was going to pretty much ignore things I read about the songs on the album? So here's the place to admit that I would not have known this information without Wikipedia. As David and Lior wrote in the review of Amy Lee (recommend to read as well), the record company that signed the band tried to oblige her to add a full-time male singer. Amy Lee objected (and rightly so - it does not matter regardless of whether she is a great singer who does not need "help" from anyone) and the result was that only this song, which was the first single released from the album, there is also a male singer. Not that he contributes much, most of the singing is done by Amy and that's great. And a little more "spices" from Wikipedia: Amy Lee wrote the song following a social gathering, where she first met an acquaintance of her friends. The first thing that the guy said to her was, "Are you happy?" Of course, that was long before the opening line of Asi Cohen's character in the series "Arranged": "Do you know you have something sad in your eyes?". Amy was surprised that the guy noticed the depression she was trying to hide and following the meeting she wrote the lyrics to the song. The feeling of someone "bringing you to life" is the heart of the song. The speaker in the song has been "asleep" for a long time, perhaps even on the verge of loss. Suddenly someone arrives who "sees into her eyes like open doors." Someone sensitive, who notices that below the surface she is unhappy. It is not a secret that some of us have it and if it is fulfilled it can be a truly wonderful feeling. Happy ending All is well: Amy and that sensitive guy (for real, not like in Dudu Aharon's song) got married and we won a bomb song. One of my favorite songs on the album is "Everybody's Fool" . If in the previous song, I wrote quite a few things I read online, here is just one interesting detail I discovered that I wanted to mention: Amy Lee wrote the song inspired by her little sister's admiration for pop singers and models. Amy sat her sister down for a conversation about the importance of really being yourself. To me, in today's world, this message is becoming more and more relevant, unfortunately. When Amy Lee wrote the song there were no social media or filters on Instagram. We are today surrounded by so much forgery, both from the media and from the people themselves on social media. Before I get completely into the mode of the Prophet of Wrath (or as it is called today - Boomer), I admit that I too carefully choose the images I upload to the web and do not always present the less beautiful aspects of life. Most of us (if not all of us) do it and that's fine, up to a certain level. In the end, real life is not glowing most of the time and is full of challenges and issues that need to be addressed. Blurring and hiding these problems can make them worse and even create more problems. This can be seen in many areas related to people's interactions, like relationships, but also in simple things like food. As the forgery intensifies the importance of the truth diminishes and this is a difficult problem. In the end, people should not hide who they really are and fake a smile and a perfect life just because it does not look good. It has a price that can be very heavy. Depending on the content of the song, the melody gives in to the head properly. The distortion is celebrated here non-stop and it is wonderful. Amy Lee sings here about all those people who hide behind masks (and of course, these are not COVID-19 masks) and think they can fool everyone. The truth is that a mask is a hiding place and in the end, those who hide behind it are the fools. To me, this is a very important message - to be who you really are, even if it is not photographed well and brings a lot of likes. The song "My Immortal" is one of the band's biggest hits, but as I read online it turned out to be the song that Amy had the least love on the album. This is the last time I will refer to the things I read about the song, because in this case, the real "story" behind the lyrics is not something, at least in my eyes. For me, it was always a complex song. It has a situation of parting or perhaps death. The relationship that preceded it was very complex and full of pain, but it also had love. Even after the relationship ends the love (or maybe it's the pain?) Does not completely disappear and is still able to leave scars. In terms of melody, the song is very "clean", as it consists mainly of a soft piano melody combined with Amy's wonderful voice. Did I mention that the piano will play an important role? So here he appears in all his glory. Who else shows her how amazing she is of course Amy, who is just a witch and a heartbreaker in her pure singing. Personally, I prefer the more "dirty" version of the song, the one where the band is involved and towards the end, the guitars and distortion also enter. I think this "outburst" of noise towards the end adds more depth to the song. Pain and beauty blend together in this song in a wonderful way, as sometimes happens in life. One of the most heartbreaking songs on the album is "Tourniquet" . Quite a few songs of the band have morbid elements and a kind of "flirtation" with death. This probably contributed to her being perceived by some people (at least from what I saw in the country) as an "emo" band. Indeed, this whole song is pure pain and a cry for real help. The distortion in the song strikes from the beginning without any mercy and already from the first line you can see what a desperate situation the speaker is in: "I tried to kill the pain but only brought more". The melody in this song is a pure and tumultuous outburst of pain, distress, and fear. The lyrics in the song also reflect exactly the same emotions and if that's not clear enough Amy Lee also screams in the middle of the song: "I want to die". The speaker's distress in the song is so great that she sees no way out other than suicide. After all, she's still trying to see if she's likely to be saved so this song is a call for help, as I wrote. This is not the place to expand on the subject of suicide and loss, but I do want to point out that if a person gets into a situation where he cries out for help just before he commits suicide out of desperation it is worth listening to him. Sometimes it will not help, sometimes it is a false alarm, but sometimes this listening can save a life. As I see it, the end of the song is an open ending and it is unclear if the speaker finally decides to commit suicide. What is certain is that this song is like an arrow straight to the heart and it is not certain that even a tourniquet will be able to stop the bleeding. The song "Imaginary" connects directly to the song before it, first of all musically. The "fade out" of the previous song merges into the opening of this song. Also in terms of words, one can find here an interesting analogy. In both songs the speaker seeks to escape from a reality of pain and suffering, only this time instead of committing suicide she has found another way. This way is an escape to a world of dreams and imagination. "Do not say I lost touch with this raging chaos, your reality" sang Amy Lee (my translation). To me, this is a wonderful sentence. The speaker in the song is well aware of the cruel reality from which she is fleeing. That's why she's running away. She knows very well what lies beyond the world of dreams and imagination she has built for herself so she strives to stay in it and not return to reality. In this song, there is a major role for strings (again - from the end of the previous song) but the guitars also give in the head properly. Our reality is not simple and sometimes even difficult. This desire to escape sometimes to a nicer world is something that is largely shared by all of us. (Photo: Album Cover) How do you finish an album? just like that! If the first song on the album was an opening to the front, the song "Whisper" is a masterpiece of ending an album (and contrary to its name - it doesn't really have whispers in it). The guitars and distortion hit us from the very first second of the song and it's delightful ("Krembo Doctrine" have we already said that?). As in previous songs on the album, this song also has a "flirtation" with death. It is not as unambiguous as in the song "Tourniquet", but very noticeable. The speaker in the song is on the verge. If the whole album was sloping in reference to things like falling, diving, crashing, and other similar terms, this song opens with the sentence: "Catch me as I fall". That is - here too there is an element of fall. The speaker feels she is on the verge of falling out of the world/life. "This truth drives me crazy" sang Amy Lee (again - my translation). We have already talked in previous songs about the difficulty of dealing with reality. Different songs have presented different ways to do this. This time the speaker fights and tries with all her might to face reality, but is not sure she will succeed. She needs help. In terms of content, the song leaves us with no solution, only a call for help. This call is especially present in "Fade Out" at the end of the song when the choir sings in Latin: "Save us from misery, save us from evil." In terms of melody, the song gives head over almost its entire length. There have been ups and downs in intensity throughout the album, but as it opens strongly so does it end. Distortion has a respectable presence (also) in this song and there is also a guitar solo as a saffron. The strings also return here to a significant role and together with the choir he finishes the song and the album. To me, this is one of the best album-ending songs ever, one that on the one hand allows us to come to terms with the end of the album and on the other hand leaves a taste of more. I had the pleasure of writing about this great album. I hope you also enjoyed reading. Listen to the album on: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On March 4, 2022 "Marillion" released their 19th studio album "An Hour Before It's Dark". This is the band's first studio album in 6 years, since "Fuck Everyone and Run (F E A R)"ת released in September 2016. Similar to the previous album, "An Hour Before It's Dark" was recorded at Peter Gabriel 's "Real World" studios, which also provided the perfect atmosphere for the writing and recording process. Simultaneously with the recording of the album, the band shot a documentary that accompanies the creation process, behind-the-scenes footage about the creation of the album, which includes a performance of the song " Murder Machines ". In November 2021 we got our first taste of the album. The band released " Be Hard On Yourself ", the opening track of the album, which from the first listen proved there is definitely something to look forward to. A "Marillionish" typical track, exciting and complex, divided into three parts and spread over more than 9 minutes. It's interesting to note, that four of the 7 songs on the album, are complex works, each of which is divided into three to five parts. The opening piece " Be Hard On Yourself ", the track " Reprogram The Gene " which was influenced by Covid-19 and end with the question "A Cure For Us?", The musical piece " Sierra Leone " that corresponds with the protest in another band's song - "Gaza" from the album "Sounds That Can't Be Made" and of course " Care ", which seals this excellent and fascinating album. If you ask us, " Care " is perhaps the best of the 4 musical works and we will go even further and claim that it is perhaps among the best tracks of "Marillion" in recent years. A three-part track that begins in the depths of despair before rising and ending with promise and optimism. The second section of the piece "An Hour Before It's Dark", gave the album its name. The band members surpass themselves here. Pete Trewavas shows that he's still one of the best bass players in prog and maybe in general, Steve Rothery 's guitar never ceases to amaze us, especially in the third track "Every Cell". Keyboardist Mark Kelly delivers some of the magical moments and even "plays" with electronic music in the first part of the track, drummer Ian Mosley knows exactly when he needs to resist and be gentle and Hogarth, he is as exciting as ever with a voice that sometimes whispers in your ear and penetrates your bones and in other moments is deep and melts your heart. There is no doubt that this track showcases the band's impressive writing abilities. Despite the melancholy reflected in some of the tracks on the album, "An Hour Before It's Dark" is one of the most optimistic albums in "Marillion"'s career. Yes, they still criticize, protest, and write about not-so-simple topics, but even when they write about Covid-19 it is done in a much more hopeful way, which has led the band to call "An Hour Before It's Dark" their most optimistic album to date. Song List: 01. Be Hard On Yourself i. The Tear In The Big Picture ii. Lust For Luxury iii. You Can Learn 02. Reprogram The Gene i. Invincible ii. Trouble-Free Life iii. A Cure For Us? 03. Only A Kiss (Instrumental) 04. Murder Machines 05. The Crow And The Nightingale 06. Sierra Leone i. Chance In A Million ii. The White Sand iii. The Diamond iv. The Blue Warm Air v. More Than A Treasure 07. Care i. Maintenance Drugs ii. An Hour Before It's Dark iii. Every Call iv. Angels On Earth For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Written By: Moti Kupfer Release date - 03.03.1978 In an artist’s life there are moments when everything feels heavy. Moments of crisis. Times when life is painted in darker shades. On January 23, 1977, while touring in support of her second album "Radio Ethiopia", rock singer Patti Smith fell from a high stage in Tampa, Florida. The result was devastating: two cracked vertebrae, broken facial bones, and 22 stitches to close the wounds on her head. Miraculously, she did not break her neck. The tour was abruptly canceled, and Smith was forced into a long recovery. But she refused to surrender. “You decide your fate, whether you will crumble into pieces or gather yourself up and move on,” Smith noted. And she did exactly that. She gathered the pieces, quite literally, joined forces with producer Jimmy Iovine, and a year later released her third album, "Easter", on March 3, 1978. It was an album that reinforced her status as an uncompromising, independent creator, while for the first time also granting her recognition among a broader audience. Iovine, who three years earlier had worked with Bruce Springsteen  on his breakthrough album "Born to Run" as an engineer and mixing supervisor, knew that “The Boss” had a song that could perfectly suit Patti Smith, even though it had been written from a male perspective. Iovine called Springsteen and asked him to give a song to a rock singer he was producing. At the time, Springsteen was nearing the end of a legal battle against his former manager Mike Appel, a dispute that had prevented him from releasing an album for three years. He agreed. The rest, as they say, is history. "Because the Night"  became the first, and ultimately the only major chart hit of a singer who was also a poet, painter, author, and songwriter who challenged social conventions. With that song, she became a defining symbol of female punk rock before such a label even truly existed. Patricia Lee Smith was born on December 30, 1946, at Grant Hospital in Chicago, to Beverly Smith, a former jazz singer, and Grant Smith, a mechanic. She spent most of her childhood in Philadelphia and New Jersey, and at an early age was exposed to the records of Harry Belafonte and Bob Dylan . In 1964, after graduating high school, she gave birth to her first child, whom she placed for adoption, and began studying at Glassboro State College in New Jersey. Three years later, Smith left college and moved to New York. While working at a bookstore she met photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, who later became her partner. Smith regarded him as one of the most important and influential figures in her life. He photographed the cover of her debut album "Horses" and contributed images that appeared inside "Easter". In 1969, Smith traveled to Paris with her sister, where she began working in performance art. She later returned to Manhattan and appeared in plays such as Femme Fatale  and in the play "Island" as part of the St. Mark’s Poetry Project. In the early seventies, Smith immersed herself in painting, writing, and performing poetry, until in 1971 she met guitarist Lenny Kaye, who accompanied her on electric guitar at her first poetry performance. In 1973, Kaye and Smith were joined by pianist Richard Sohl, Czech bassist Ivan Kral, and drummer Jay Dee Daugherty, completing the lineup that would become the "Patti Smith Group". After signing with Arista Records, Smith released her debut album "Horses", issued under her own name without the band’s name, produced by John Cale. Less than a year later came "Radio Ethiopia", which struggled commercially, in part due to the abrupt cancellation of the tour following her injury. Before recording her third album, Smith understood that Arista expected her to reveal a more accessible side, songs that would speak to the masses and sell records. So she did what a strong-willed artist does in such a moment. She wrote a bold, exposed, confrontational album, touching sacred cows and daring to title the track intended as a single "Rock N Roll Nigger" . Needless to say, it was ultimately not released as a single. "Easter" blends a wide range of musical styles: solid rock in "Till Victory" , classic rock and roll in "25th Floor" , folk in "Ghost Dance" , and spoken word in "Babelogue" . Beyond the apparent provocation of "Rock N Roll Nigger" , she pushes boundaries in "Space Monkey" , which ends with male moans that leave little to the imagination. True to its title, "Easter" is filled with specific biblical and Christian imagery. "Privilege (Set Me Free)"  draws on words from the Book of Psalms, while the closing track "Easter"  evokes Catholic imagery of baptism. "Ghost Dance"  refers to the late 19th-century Native American religious revival movement. Beyond the hit "Because the Night" , which she initially resisted adopting due to her desire to determine her own destiny through her own songs, Smith offers a glimpse into the life of a poet who is a strong woman unafraid to live within emotional complexity. "We Three"  was written about her relationship with keyboardist Allen Lanier of "Blue Öyster Cult", while she was simultaneously drawn to her musician friend Tom Verlaine. The album cover, photographed by Lynn Goldsmith, became part of Smith’s ongoing challenge to the establishment. She appears with visible underarm hair, something that at the time did not conform to the accepted model of feminine beauty, another quiet but powerful rebellion that perfectly fit the spirit of "Easter". For Listening : Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website