We are pretty sure you have not heard much about him or maybe you did not even recognize him but the guy is a talented drummer, writer, musician, and even producer. (Photo: William Burkle) 1. His full name is Thomas Scott "Flip" Phillips and he was born on February 22, 1973. 2. He was born and raised in Madison, California, and began playing drums at age 18 in a band called Crosscut. 3. He never took drum lessons and even taught himself to play the piano and saxophone. 4. In 1994 while he was a student, Mark Tremonti and Scott Stapp were forming a band, recruited more members to the band, and after several auditions joined, Brian Marshall on bass, Scott Philips on drums, and guitarist Brian Brasher (but Brian left after less than a year). (Photo: last.fm) 5. The band's debut album "My Own Prison" was released in 1997 and was a huge success with sales of over 6 million copies. Four singles were released from the album: "My Own Prison", "Torn", "What's This Life For", and "One" and all four took first place on the Billboard Rock chart. Which made the band the first to achieve this with a debut album. 6. Phillips plays the drums of course but also keyboards on all the band's albums. 7. The band's second album "Human Clay" was released in 1999, the first single released from the album "Higher" topped the charts and spent 17 weeks in the first place. With the release of the album it immediately took first place on the Billboard 200 and became an insane success as it sold over 10 million copies in the first two years and gave the band its first and only Grammy win. 8. With the success of the album, the band established its position as a hard rock leader in the post-Grunge era. 9. The band's third album "Weathered" was released in 2001 and was also a resounding success, occupying first place on Billboard and staying there for 8 weeks in a row. The tour to promote the album, which was a huge success, was in fact the band's swan song, this time due to Stapp's addiction to alcohol and painkillers. 10. The breaking point was after in December 2002 Stapp came on stage drugged and drunk and failed to fully complete one song. The show was discontinued and two years later the band officially disbanded. 11. Immediately after the official dissolution, Termonti joins the other two members of Creed to form a new band. After seeing and liking the performances of his band The Mayfield Four, the trio invited Myles Kennedy to join the band and thus formed Alter Bridge. (Photo: Dan Sturgess) 12. They released their debut album "One Day Remains" in August 2004, the album was a success and reached number five on Billboard while staying there for 14 weeks. 13. Back in the same year Phillips played the role of the drums in half of the debut album of the American hard rock band from Texas Submersed. 14. In 2007 the band released their second album (and the masterpiece to be noted) "Blackbird" . Although the album only reached number 13 on Billboard, it received rave reviews from critics and later became one of the band's biggest albums. After the release of the album, the band went on a tour to promote it and there is even a DVD called Live from Amsterdam that was recorded during the tour. Look for it... Highly recommended! (Photo: Pinterest) 15. Although Tremonti has repeatedly claimed in a fair number of interviews that Creed belongs to the past and has no future in sight, in 2009 the quartet returned and released their fourth album "Full Circle" . The album was not a great success, but one performance from the tour broke records. The band performed in September 2009 in Houston Texas in front of 239 cameras and millions of viewers, with the show being broadcast live via the Internet. There were several other Guinness World Records broken at this show. 16. In 2011 Alter Bridge released their third album "AB III" (which is also needless to say a masterpiece album). The album's lead single "Isolation" topped the US rock charts. Here too you can find a live performance from the album tour, called "Live at Wembley". 17. In 2012 the members of the Creed band started working on another album, but the album did not materialize and this was actually the last year of the band members together as Creed. 18. In the same year, Philips, along with Sevendust band members, John Connolly, Vinnie Hornsby, and Tremonti's guitarist Eric Friedman, formed the supergroup Projected. 19. They released that year their debut album "Human" and five years later they released their second, double, and final album "Ignite My Insanity". 20. In 2013, Alter released her fourth album "Fortress" . It's one of the band's most powerful and gruesome albums. 21. That same year Alter released her fifth album called "The Last Hero" , Tremonti claimed that the album was a combination of "Blackbird" and "Fortress" together. 22. In October 2019 the band released their sixth album "Walk the Sky" (we did not say this about the previous two but this is a masterful album squared). 23. In October 2022, the band released their seventh album, "Pawns & Kings", this time we will not repeat what we said about the previous album and even add, with a trepidation and anxiety, that we have a feeling that this album marks the beginning of the end. Why do you ask? Because it feels to us that in this album the band simply took all its familiar elements and put them into the album, without new experiences, without diversity, without breakthroughs or exploring new sides. The production, the arrangement, the lyrics and the riffs are simply predictable and known in advance. 24. Therefore, the following fact only strengthens our claim in the previous section (and only one of us is an attorney). In July 2023, the band "Creed" announced a reunion. The first test of the reunion should take place in April 2024, on a musical cruise initiated by the band and it is called Summer of '99. And if that's not enough, the band has also announced the "Are You Ready? Tour". (Photo: Chuck Brueckmann) 25. In July 2025, "Alter Bridge" released their eighth album, which carries the band’s name. So now you’re probably saying to yourselves, didn’t you say “this was the beginning of the end”? So how can there be another album? Well, that’s exactly the point… Why does the album bear the band’s name? History shows that albums (that aren’t debut albums) which carry the band’s name are usually milestones! We hope this is just the middle milestone… But if we relate to the album itself, or to the claim we’ve been making for quite some time now, Alter don’t really reinvent themselves. True, there are a small number of very interesting and refreshing songs on this album, but it still feels as if they’re doing a copy-paste from the past… Listen to the latest album On: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

This is a debut album with a lot of bells and whistles, good reviews and bad reviews, naivety, inexperience, boycotts and disgust, and one very very very... but very very famous song !! Come read about "Pablo Honey", released on February 22, 1993. This group of boys started out at Abingdon School in England, a conservative school for boys only. The five members Thom Yorke , brothers Colin Greenwood and Jonny Greenwood , Philip Selway, and Ed O'Brien used to play on Fridays in the school music room. From here they formed their own band called "On a Friday" after the day they did the rehearsals. They did not learn to play a specific instrument but they really wanted to form a band and this pushed each of them to find the place that suited him best in the ensemble and learn the instrument he had chosen. Something in this band was very special and besides the fact that they attracted a large audience, they also attracted record companies, one "Island Records" even wanted to sign them on a contract even before they recorded one demo. Since they felt immature and wanted to finish their university studies first they rejected the offer and continued on their way. During their studies, they continued to rehearse occasionally and keep the embers burning but when they graduated in 1991 they decided to reunite and rented a shared house in Oxford. They performed a lot and again attracted audiences and record companies and this time it was the turn of the EMI record company to offer the band a contract and they did sign a contract for six albums with the company. (Photo: Bob Berg) The record company asked them to change the name and they chose the name "Radiohead" which was taken from the "Talking Heads'" "Radio Head" songת from the 1986 album "True Stories". In May 1992, they released their first EP called "Drill", which had a rather jarring failure and was unsuccessful in sales or reviews. So they decided to take on producer duo Paul Kolderie and Sean Slade who worked with the "Pixies" and "Dinosaur Jr." and start working on their next album. Since the five members had a lot of material from the "Friday" period that they played in shows and rehearsals, it was very easy for them to record this album and it was recorded almost entirely in just two weeks. They even referred to it as a "Greatest Hits" album because it was a collection of their best songs at the time. But the album "Pablo Honey" was released in February 1993. You can like it or not but it's an album that got famous only because of one song - " Creep ". The song was created while testing the sound in the studio, with such a rough and tearing distortion moment created that the guitarist Johnny did it on purpose to corrupt the song. It was the jet engine that flew the band to the top of the summit. But wait, before it took off... The song came out as a single 5 months before the album and was not a huge success, it was even boycotted by the BBC radio station because it was too depressing. The album reached number 22 on the UK charts and from there just started to drop. Then we were involved, not "FaceOff" but the state of Israel... The single was widely played on local radio stations in Israel, especially thanks to Yoav Kutner , and brought great exposure to the band in the country. We have no idea how exactly this happened, but Radiohead's first appearance outside the UK was in Israel, at the "Roxanne" Club in April 1993 !! They held three shows !! By the way... In one of the shows, guitarist Johnny Greenwood met his future wife, the Israeli artist Sharona Katan. And one more thing... we (Israel) are on the map also because in 2017 the band held its longest performance here in 11 years. And if that's not enough to understand how great the song was in Israel, then here's another interesting fact. The soundtrack of the first Israeli TV commercial was playing the song " Creep ", yes, yes. With the launch of Channel 2, television commercials began on television for the first time in Israel. The Castro TV commercial was produced ahead of the channel's launch and began airing in November 1993. The TV commercial featured Yael Abacsis and Lior Miller who later also became a couple, with the video not including the original song but a cover version in which none other than Jeremy Kaplan sang, all for the purpose to avoid paying royalties due to copyright. At the same time as the band gained momentum in the country, a radio station in San Francisco also began broadcasting this single and from there the US was taken by storm. MTV gave it even more of a "boost" when it appeared on the two-star network Beavis & Butt-Head's show . Thom said that after two and a half years of touring, they could no longer stand this song, at every show and everywhere everyone was expecting and excited to hear just it !! It should be noted that the band was also asked to create a censored version of the song without the word Fucking and although it was contrary to their values, they decided to do it because they knew Sonic Youth did too so they took comfort in it. And it did not end there... the band was sued for the song " Creep " for allegedly stealing part of it from a 1974 "The Hollies" song called "The Air That I Breathe". The lawsuit was settled out of court. But despite all the bells and whistles around the song " Creep ", this album is much more than that... The amazing and dynamic opening track " You " went through several incarnations until it reached the album. It first appeared on a demo tape called "Manic Hedgehog" when the band's name was then "On a Friday". It then appeared on the band's first EP "Drill" and finally found itself eligible to open the album with a slight change in lyrics. Although many of the songs on the album are tired of the band this is one of the songs they still love and play to this day in gigs. The grunge track " How Do You? " Attacks us just like the "thugs" who harass weak children, about whom the song speaks. By the way, at 1:40 there is a phone call recording of "The Jerky Boys" - a pair of comedians from Queens New York who used to make prank phone calls to innocent people and record the conversations. The name of the album is taken from a scene of such a phone call when the caller calls the other side "Pablo, honey". The band members who heard the sketches really liked one of the sections where the sketch opens with the sentence “Pablo, honey? Please come to Florida”. And so the name was given to the album. (Photo: Bob Berg) " Stop Whispering " is a tribute to the "Pixies" which was very much loved by the band members. The whole idea of ​​a quiet and erupting and noisy house came from the "Pixies". It's one of the first songs the band wrote back in the days of "On A Friday", and it's also the one that caught the attention of Bryce Edge and Chris Hufford who became the band's directors. The quiet and acoustic section " Thinking About You " excites us to this day as it did with the release of the album. This song has a loud version that is part of the EP "Drill". Although it initially sounds like an innocent love song, Thom actually sings about "masturbation" later. It is interesting to note that Johnny Greenwood plays the harmonium here, similar to synth. " Anyone Can Play Guitar " is one of our favorites on the album. Colin Greenwood's pulsating bass, minimalism, and little touches on Johnny's guitar during the verses and his run along with Ed O'Brien in chorus, just do it for us. The combination of the guitar spiky with Thom York's aspiration to be " Jim Morrison " flips over and over again with every hearing and hearing. The idea for this line in the song came to Thom after watching Oliver Stone's film about "The Doors", with Val Kilmer. This song was released as a single even before the song "Creep", but was not a success. Rumor has it that in parts of the song, Johnny plays the guitar with a paintbrush. Come on now and enjoy the album that started it all for "Radiohead" listen on: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On February 22, 1989, a major scandal erupted during the 31st Grammy Awards. (Photo: Paul Natkin/Getty Images) This was "Metallica's" year. A few months earlier they had released the album "...And Justice For All" . It was the first album after the tragedy in which bassist Cliff Burton lost his life, and the band won a hug from the audience and critics. The music video of the song "One" was non-stop on MTV, which increased sales of the album which became the band's second best-selling album ever, after " The Black Album ". Coincidentally, that same year the Grammy Institute launched a new category that was crowned with the long name: "Best Hard Rock / Metal Performance (Vocal or Instrumental)". This category was tailor-made just for Metallica, just like a suit made for a groom on his wedding day. It was clear to everyone that Metallica was going to take the Grammy in the above category, and by far... The red carpet unfolded and "Metallica" even got to perform at the ceremony with the song " One ", as a "warm-up" to the real thing, the moment when they go on stage and pick up the small statue. Those who were nominated in the category were "AC/DC" with "Blow Up Your Video", singer Iggy Pop with the album "Cold Metal", "Jane's Addiction" with the album "Nothing's Shocking" and "Jethro Tull" with their album "Crest of a Knave". No one imagined that the "Jethro Tull" had any chance of winning this category. Everyone knew it was "Metallica's" night. The members of the "Jethro Tull" did not even bother to arrive at the ceremony, after their record company made it clear to them that in light of the fact that they have no chance of winning, it does not intend to fund their travel expenses. Ian Anderson noted that even before the ceremony, he had heard that members of "Metallica" had printed several hundred T-shirts with "Metallica - Grammy Winners" written on them. And then... one of the big scandals that happened at the music ceremonies happened. Alice Cooper and Lita Ford who introduced the nominees in the category open the envelope, and after a moment of astonishment try to stop their laughter. Alice Cooper later noted that he was sure it was a mistake and was given the wrong envelope from rehearsals done hours earlier. And the winners of the evening was "Jethro Tull". Do you get it? The band is folk, rock, progressive and if we stretch the line then at most a delicate heavy rock, the band whose golden era was almost two decades earlier, the band that released a mediocre album that year, bypasses the and takes the metal giant whose name even screams "Metal" !!! Ian Anderson and his band members were not present at the ceremony to receive the award. Anderson later noted that it seemed to him that the members of the academy made up of people from the industry - producers, musicians, representatives of record companies - simply thought that "Jethro Tull" deserved the award because they were "five nice men who had never won a Grammy before". This scandal has led to a change and split in this category that it was its first and last year. Since 1990, voting has taken place in two categories: one "Best Hard Rock Performance", and the other "Best Metal Performance", in order to prevent embarrassing cases such as these. Justice was done with "Metallica" the following year when at the 32nd Grammy Awards held in 1990 it won the "Best Metal Performance" category. What’s more, "Metallica" has become the band that has won the most times in the above category with a total of 6 different wins. It is interesting to note that in 2012 and in order to reduce the amount of awards, the academy again chose to unify the category, thus launching the "Best Hard Rock / Metal Performance" category, in which the band "Foo Fighters" first won. In 1992 "Metallica" settled the score with the academy. When the band members took the stage to receive the award for the black album, Lars Ulrich noted that he thanked "Jethro Tull" for not releasing an album that year, adding that he was happy that "Metallica" was the first to knock on the "fucking door", he said, referring to the split held in category to avoid embarrassing mistakes such as these. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Written By: Moti Kupfer Release date - 21.02.1968 Al Kooper had a daring idea: to merge rock and roll with a full horn section. The seed for that idea was planted when, as a teenager, he attended a concert by jazz trumpeter Maynard Ferguson. That experience inspired him to imagine a band that would blend soul, jazz, rhythm and blues, and rock and roll, with horns at the very center of the sound. Kooper, who had already shared high energy jam sessions with B.B. King and Jimi Hendrix, once cut his hand during a session so intensely that it bled without him noticing. From that image of passion and sweat mixed with blood came the name "Blood, Sweat & Tears". Born Alan Peter Kuperschmidt in February 1944 in Brooklyn, New York, Kooper grew up exposed to music at home, including the gospel recordings of Bessie Smith. A natural talent, he taught himself to play piano first and later guitar. By the mid fifties he was drawn to gospel, and as rock and roll began to take shape, he gravitated toward it, initially through doo wop. At just fourteen he joined "The Royal Teens" as a guitarist. In the early sixties he became a session musician and songwriter, composing for artists such as Gene Pitney and Gary Lewis & the Playboys. Ambitious and determined, Kooper understood early on that if he wanted a career in music, he had to be everywhere. That drive led him to publisher Aaron Schroeder and, more importantly, into the right rooms at the right time. When producer Tom Wilson invited him to attend the recording sessions for Bob Dylan ’s album "Highway 61 Revisited", Kooper showed up with his guitar before anyone else, plugged into an amplifier, and waited for his moment. Then he realized Dylan had brought in another guitarist, Mike Bloomfield. Knowing he could not compete with Bloomfield, Kooper improvised. He sat down at a Hammond organ that happened to be there and began to play, despite barely knowing how to operate it. Listening back to the playback, Dylan heard Kooper’s organ part and famously asked for it to be turned up in the mix. That spontaneous performance on "Like a Rolling Stone" gave Kooper the breakthrough he needed to launch himself as a serious musician. After a period playing with Dylan, Kooper joined the blues rock band "The Blues Project" as a keyboardist, again working alongside Tom Wilson. He sang and played keyboards, gradually trying to introduce his horn driven vision into the band. Guitarist Danny Kalb resisted the idea, and Kooper understood the message. He left, with no intention of returning. Toward the end of 1967 he finally set out to realize his dream. Reuniting with Steve Katz from "The Blues Project" and joined by bassist Jim Fielder, drummer Bobby Colomby, saxophonist Fred Lipsius, and, following a newspaper ad seeking horn players, trumpeters Randy Brecker and Jerry Weiss along with Dick Halligan on trombone and French horn, the lineup of "Blood, Sweat & Tears" was complete. Determined not to repeat past frustrations, Kooper made sure both his bandmates and Columbia Records were fully committed to his artistic direction. This would be his vision, and he would guide it. The album opens with the brief instrumental "Overture" , written by Kooper, immediately followed by the blues tribute "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know" , a heartfelt homage to Otis Redding, whom Kooper deeply admired. Steve Katz also takes on lead vocals on "Morning Glory" , his fragile and trembling voice perfectly suited to the song. Kooper was aware that his own voice was not his strongest asset. He compensated with passion and intensity, but his desire to control every aspect of the band, combined with his limited vocal range, would eventually contribute to his departure later that same year. The first serious cracks appeared when Kooper insisted on including a song he strongly believed in, despite resistance from the rest of the band. Its minimalistic arrangement, reminiscent in spirit of "Eleanor Rigby" and "Yesterday" by "The Beatles", did not fit the group’s live driven format. Still, Kooper pushed it onto the album. The song tells the story of a follower of Timothy Leary and his LSD centered philosophy, and its elegant string arrangements were crafted by producer John Simon. That decision marked the beginning of a rift that could not be repaired. Yet artistically, Kooper’s vision was fully realized here. Blues rock songs driven by bold horn arrangements and rich vocal harmonies shine throughout the record, especially on "My Days Are Numbered" , "Just One Smile" , and "So Much Love" , which closes the album. Shortly after, Al Kooper would leave to pursue a new chapter, collaborating with Mike Bloomfield and Stephen Stills . But on "Child Is Father to the Man", his revolutionary dream was captured in full, raw and ambitious, a blueprint for jazz rock fusion before the genre even had a proper name. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Editor's Choice... And today... "If I Could Only Remember My Name", David Crosby 's first solo album, released on February 22, 1971. A calm, magical, and acoustic folk-psychedelic album, with lots of open chords, unconventional guitar tunings, a wide and varied range of instruments, and amazing vocal harmonies. And what an amazing lineup of musicians is participating in it. All the who and who of the folk-rock and psychedelia scene of that era. Graham Nash , Neil Young , Jerry Garcia , Joni Mitchell, Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, Gregg Rolie, and many more. It is David Crosby's first solo album and was heavily influenced by the death of his then-girlfriend, Christine Hinton, who was killed in a car accident in 1969. Crosby and Christine were a couple in love and had a perfect relationship. A few days before the accident, the two moved to the San Francisco Bay Area. While Crosby was hosting a pool party for his friends, Christine took their cats to the vet. One of the cats was released from the cage during the ride, jumped on Christine, and attacked her wildly. Christine lost control of the vehicle, collided with another vehicle, and was killed on the spot. Crosby did not forgive himself. He sank into depression and began drinking and consuming drugs, until he lost his senses. This album was a kind of healing process for Crosby with the support of his close friends, who helped him in the creative process. " I'd Swear There Was Somebody Here " sounds just like a prayer, a lament, a requiem written by Crosby for his beloved Christine. He said he felt her presence in the studio during the recording. Crosby and his circle of support produced such an incredible album. The mesmerizing " Music Is Love " co-written with Graham Nash and Neil Young , the bluesy " Cowboy Movie " with Jerry Garcia 's "Electrifying" guitar, the amazing " Laughing " with the unconventional guitar tune and Garcia's pedal steel guitar, Joni Mitchell and Graham Nash background vocals in " Song with No Words (Tree with No Leaves) " that speaks straight to the heart without uttering a single word, and more. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music . "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Congratulations to the legendary guitarist we really love and appreciate - Akira Takasaki. (Photo: Frank Schwichtenberg) He was born on February 22, 1961 in Osaka Japan and he is the undisputed leader and the only permanent member of "Loudness". Akira is a gifted and intelligent guitarist who has the rare and ultimate combination of amazing technique enforced with great melodies and emotional playing. He also writes music with supreme grace and is also an amazing performer. When he was 14, Akira won a young talent contest that was televised. He began his musical career with the Japanese hard rock band "Lazy" which he formed in 1973 with his classmate Hironobu Kageyama. Drummer Munetaka Higuchi was also part of the band, which released 7 studio albums and three EPs. He founded "Loudness" in 1981, together with drummer Munetaka Higuchi. It was the first heavy metal band to sign with a major international label and also succeed outside of Japan. Akira is a very "abundant spring" of music. He has released to date along with "Loudness" no less than 27 studio albums, 3 mini-albums and a load bunch of other performances and compilation albums. In fact, the band continues to release albums even today (last in 2018), with all members of the original band, except drummer Munetaka Higuchi who died of liver cancer in 2008. Akira also has a glorious solo career in which he has so far released 10 studio albums. In addition he is a part of a number of projects and lineups, among them: M.T. Fuji, Misako Honjoh, Jasmine Sky and Ji-Zo. (Photo: Media Punch) Akria founded and manages the guitar company "Killer Guitars". He is also responsible for designing some of the guitars, including the one in the picture at the top of the page. So let's wish him many more years of wonderful music. We invite you to read a review of one of the greatest "Loudness" albums: H ere "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

He is a guitarist, he is a producer and he is a very talented songwriter. He has a name of a famous film actor and has a very special voice. His name is James Dean Bradfield and we want to tell you some interesting facts about him: (Photo: Mike Lewis Photography/Redferns) 1. He was born in Wales on February 21, 1969. 2. He is named after the film actor James Dean, the name was given to him by his father. 3. The first band he liked was "ELO", but later he was attracted to Punk Rock and especially "The Clash". 4. He is the lead singer and lead guitarist of "Manic Street Preachers", which he founded in 1986, with his cousin - drummer Sean Moore and his good friend Nicholas Jones, who later changed his name to Nicky Wire who played bass. Nicky Wire brought in Richey Edwards to play rhythm guitar. (Photo: pinterest.co.uk) 5. As part of his guitar training, he used to close all lights in his room and play Guns N’ Roses " Appetite for Destruction ", from beginning to end. 6. Already in 1988 "Manic Street Preachers" released their first single. 7. In 1990 the band released an EP called "New Art Riot E.P", Which included short and fast-paced songs that were influenced mostly by Punk Rock. 8. The band released their first full album "Generation Terrorists" in 1992. the album included a change in musical line that was still based on Punk Rock, but with additional influences of Hard Rock and Glam. The album received rave reviews from critics and was a success, with six singles released from it, including the hit " Motorcycle Emptiness ". 9. In 1993 and 1994 the band released two more albums "Gold Against the Soul" and "The Holy Bible". In these albums, they expanded the range of musical styles. These albums were also praised by critics. 10. Then, on February 1, 1995, one of the great mysteries in the world of music took place. You can read about it here: Richey Edwards Disappearance . Rhythm guitarist and a colorful character who used to be interviewed on behalf of the band - Richie Edwards just disappeared. 11. After all the searches for Richie did not succeed, the band decides to continue without him. James Dean also takes on the role of rhythm guitar and the band becomes a lineup of only three musicians. 12. With this lineup, the band will release one of their most successful albums - "Everything Must Go" from 1996. The album will reach number two on the UK Albums charts and will win many awards and accolades. Five singles were released from the album, including the excellent theme song " Everything Must Go " and " A Design for Life ". 13. But the album that will buy them huge international success will be their next one, released in 1998 - " This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours ". It will include the hits: " If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next ", " The Everlasting ", " You Stole the Sun from My Heart ", " Tsunami " and more. 14. In 2006 James Dean released his first solo album - "The Great Western". It includes the hits: " That's No Way to Tell a Lie ", " An English Gentleman " and " Still a Long Way to Go ". 15. In 2017, James Dean released the soundtrack to the movie "The Chamber". 16. In 2020 he released another solo album called "Even in Exile", whose songs are based on poems by Víctor Jara. 17. James Dean has several collaborations both as an artist and producer, including with "Massive Attack", Kylie Minogue, and Tom Jones. (Photo: Markus Unger) 18. James also writes songs to other artists, and among others wrote the song "The Girl From Tiger Bay" for singer Shirley Bassey. 19. James Dean has released a total of 14 albums with "Manic Street Preachers" and two more solo albums. 20. Although he once stated "I always get bored of the company of women really quickly", he married the band's PR agent Mylène Halsall on 11 July 2004. The couple have two children. For a playlist we've made especially for you: Click H ere . "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On 21 February 2020, Ozzy Osbourne released his 12th studio album - "Ordinary Man". This album came out 10 years after Ozzy's previous studio album - "Scream", which was released in 2010. This album was accidental, spontaneous, and unplanned, but this is also what makes it so special, giving it the added value and placing it as one of Ozzy's best albums of the 2000s. This album started with a one-off collaboration between Ozzy and rapper Post Malone, who invited Ozzy to be a guest on his song " Take What You Want ". The song was recorded for Malone's third album "Hollywood's Bleeding", which was released on September 6, 2019, and also features rapper Travis Scott. This song and album of Post Malone were produced by singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Andrew Watt. This encounter between Watt and Ozzy will be the trigger for the creation of "Ordinary Man". From there it all happened really fast, the album was written and recorded "On the Fly" and Ozzy noted that it very much reminded him of the way he worked on "Black Sabbath's" first albums. Ozzy said that at first, he thought the recorded material would be used as demos, but it all happened so fast and spontaneously, and as time went on, things seemed to crystallize into something beautiful, so it was decided to continue with the project for a full album. This is also the reason why Ozzy did not recruit his fairly regular band members, and especially guitarist Zakk Wylde . Watt was the one who connected Ozzy with Duff McKagan and with drummer Chad Smith , who played on Watt's 2015 EP. The two formed the rhythm section of this album. Ozzy said they came to the studio and jam with him during the days then he went home and worked on the songs at night. Watt was also the one who played guitar on the album, a move that seemed rather strange on the part of Ozzy, who always made sure to recruit talented and gifted "ex-men" as guitarists. Watt who may be known as a certified rap producer proved himself as a talented guitarist who was part of the supergroup " California Breed " - a power trio that also included Glenn Hughes and drummer Jason Bonham . Anyone who listens to the album will find that Watt did a great job here. He wrote some great riffs and gave proper solos, so it is not for nothing that he received credit for participating in writing all the songs on the album. Apparently, the spontaneity that was good for Sabbath's first albums did it on this album as well, and as we mentioned above, this is probably also what makes it as the best Prince of darkness album in the current millennium. The opening song " Straight To Hell " begins with a-Capella, but make no mistake, it's going to explode in your face and send you "straight to hell". Ozzy and Watt enlisted Slash for this song and does such a great job here that puts this album in high gear. The theme song " Ordinary Man " is a very personal and moving ballad in which Elton John participates in singing and playing the piano. Ozzy said that when he wrote the song it reminded him very much of some of Elton John's material and he thought it would be nice if Elton would join him on vocals. Elton of course agreed and even played the piano. This is the second song on the album to feature Slash on guitar. Ozzy wanted Slash for the song's solo because he thought its vibe and melody were close to "November Rain" and that Slash would fit in like a glove. And for all those of you who hear influences of "the Beatles", so drummer Chad Smith confirmed that there was such an intention here. Ozzy is a die-hard fan of "The Beatles" and he wanted the atmosphere to be as influenced by "The Fab Four" that he loves so much. Beyond the fact that the lyrics of the song are really moving and come straight out of Ozzy's heart, the video clip created for the song shows Ozzy watching the pictures of his life pass before his eyes, and it's very hard to remain indifferent and not cry with him. Similar to the theme song, " Holy for Tonight " and " All My Life " also show Ozzy's more sensitive side and we really like that. This also happened on his first albums, in which Ozzy put in included one ballad, even two. It worked great then and it works great even today. The song " Under the Graveyard ", which was released as the first single from the album, is so catchy and includes the recurring mantra O-Ohhho, O-Ohhho... it starts calm and develops really nicely into a Black Sabbath-like c-part towards the end. This is without a doubt one of the most beautiful songs Ozzy has written over his career. Its clip is a kind of short filmed autobiography of Ozzy's life. It is interesting to note that Ozzy Osbourne was 70 years old at the time of writing the song. He was just after recovering from severe health problems, including severe pneumonia, not a simple injury from a fall, and a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease in the background. All these intensify the feelings upon listening to the theme song and this song. " Eat Me " opens with Ozzy's harmonica playing, which reminded us of the days of "The Wizard" taken from " Black Sabbath "'s debut album. The bass and guitar riffs at the beginning of the song are also really reminiscent of the mother band. Kelly Osbourne - Ozzy's Daughter' is featured here on background vocals. The song was inspired by a true and terrifying story of "cannibalism" that took place in Germany in 2001, and here are its main facts (after censorship): A computer technician named Armin Meiwes posted an ad in "Cannibalism Cafe" A forum for people with a fetish for cannibalism. The ad stated: "looking for a normally-built 18- to 25-year-old to be slaughtered and then consumed." An engineer from Berlin named Bernd Jürgen Armando Brandes responded to the ad and the two met on the evening of March 9, 2001. Meiwes killed Brandes and then cut the victim into pieces and put them in the freezer. For the next ten months, he preyed on the body. Police arrested v in December 2002. They also discovered in his home a videotape of the killing during which Brandes clarified his consent to be eaten. This is not the first song written about the horrific event. "Mein Teil" (my dish) by "Rammstein" was also written about the same shocking incident. " Scary Little Green Men " is a song Ozzy wrote about aliens, after watching a TV show. The song features guitarist Tom Morello , who manages to put in his special touch with the sounds of the wizard's guitar. This is a melodic and beautiful piece with a really catchy chorus. " It's A Raid " features singer and rapper Post Malone, who was the trigger for the recording of the album. Here he returns a favor to Ozzy. This is the second song to feature guitarist Tom Morello . It's perhaps the fastest song on the album and for a very good reason. Ozzy noted that the song was influenced by a true story that occurred during the recording of Black "Sabbath's" " Vol. 4 " album. Ozzy was really hot and he mistakenly pressed a panic button thinking he was activating the air conditioning. The police came into the studio because of the triggered alarm. There were a lot of drugs at the studio. Ozzy panicked. He screamed "It's A Raid" and flew with a bowl full of cocaine to the bathroom where he sniffed a huge amount of the substance until the cops left. In conclusion, this album may not beat the same level as Ozzy's first albums from the 1980s and 1990s, but it is certainly one of Ozzy's greatest albums of the 2000s, if not the best of them all. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music . "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

So much has been said and written about this Grunge legend, so here are some facts you may not have known about the special man Kurt Cobain: (Photo: Michel Linssen) 1. In his suicide note, Cobain quoted Neil Young 's song "My My Hey Hey (Into The Black)" The sentence: "It's better to burn out than to fade away,". When Neil Young discovered this he was so shocked that he dedicated an entire album to Kurt. 2. He hated playing the song "Smells Like Teen Spirit" which was often omitted from the band's setlist in gigs and if played then Cobain completely corrupted it. 3. Cobain's two cousins ​​also committed suicide, they suffered from bipolar disorder. There are rumors that although it is known that Cobain's suicide was mainly due to depression caused by the life span that changed from end to end, Cobain's fear of suffering resemblance to his cousins ​​was also a reason for suicide. 4. Cobain had one tattoo he made by himself on his hand. The logo with the letter K of the Indian record company from Washington, K Records, which engraved on its banner the following motto: "Exploding the teenage underground into passionate revolt against the corporate ogre since 1982." 5. Before he began his musical career Cobain was a swimming instructor for children at the YMCA in Aberdeen. 6. After he dropped out of school his mother forced him to go to work or leave home and he started working as a maintenance janitor at the school where he attended. 7. Nirvana's bassist Krist Novoselic and Cobain were musicians in a cover band from Cobain's hometown Aberdeen, they played songs by the band "Creedence Clearwater Revival". (Photo: Martyn Goodacre) 8. Before Nirvana, Cobain formed a punk-rock band called "Fecal Matter" along with Melvin's drummer Dale Crover who played bass in this band, and Greg Hokanson on drums. The only song they recorded was "Spank Thru". 9. At the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards , Cobain had an unpleasant incident with Axl Rose that began with a misunderstanding on Axl's part, but continued with harassment from both sides, at one point Duff and Slash were shaking Cobain's RV with Courtney and their daughter Francis inside. The incident ended with Cobain spitting on the piano that Axl was supposed to perform at the event, but in the end, it turns out that with this piano Elton John comes up to perform when Axl is on the other piano. (Photo: Jesse Frohman) 10. Cobain suffered from stage anxiety and was often vomiting before going on stage. 11. Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love were married in February 1992 on the beach in Waikiki, Hawaii while wearing pajamas. Courtney was pregnant and the ceremony was attended by 8 people including Dave Grohl . (Photo: Courtney Love) 12. Cobain began using drugs following chronic abdominal pain from which he suffered almost all his life. At one point he got tired of all the medicinal medicines that did not help and he started consuming heroin. 13. The reason why in most of the photos and videos you see Cobain with long clothes and layers upon layers of fabric, is mainly because he did not like the shape of his body. He was very aware of what he looked like and would laugh at himself many times because he did not like his physique. 14. In 1993, Cobain was arrested in a completely delusional incident. Police arrested Cobain for allegedly pushing and strangling his wife Courtney Love, but Courtney claims she and Cobain heard loud music in the house when suddenly 5-6 cops broke into the house and arrested Cobain. He was released on $ 950 bail. 15. Cobain tried to commit suicide at least three times before he eventually succeeded. He tried to commit suicide twice by overdosing on drugs and in March 1994 when he locked himself in a closet with a gun and drugs, Courtney called the police who took the drugs and the gun but it did not help because a month later, in April he committed suicide by shooting himself. 16. Cobain took his place at the 27th Club known as "Forever Club 27" which has members including Jimi Hendrix , Janis Joplin , Amy Winehouse , and Jim Morrison . 17. At the end of the episode of "Saturday Night Live" in which "Nirvana" appeared, Chris and Dave started flirting during the subtitles on stage, Cobain who noticed what was happening joined the two and started kissing Chris. The director cut off the section in the editing. 18. While "Nirvana" became a dizzying success Cobain was interested in performing at the International Pop Underground festival in the city of Olympia. An underground festival for young bands, which was an integral part of his childhood and the music scene on which he grew up. But since "Nirvana" was too big for the festival, the organizers refused Cobain's offer and he was very hurt by the rejection. 19. Cobain wanted to give "Nirvana's" latest album, released in 1993 under the name "In Utero" , the name "I Hate Myself and I Want to Die". 20. When he was 9 his parents divorced. The event was very difficult for him as he felt that his mother hated his father, his father hated his mother and they both hated him. 21. Because of heavy pressure from fans and various assassination theories, Seattle police decided to reopen the case of Cobain's suicide investigation in 2014. They were able to create clearer images of that incident and finally determined he died as a result of suicide and no other reason. 22. Guns N' Roses bassist Duff McKagan was among the last to see Kurt alive. He was with him on the same flight to Seattle, he saw that his mental state was poor and invited him to his home. Kurt refused, and two days later he committed suicide. 23. In April 2015, HBO released a documentary about Cobain's life called "Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck" . The same documentary was released with a soundtrack consisting of songs that Cobain recorded at his home. Listen to the soundtrack Montage Of Heck: The Home Recordings . 24. Kurt Cobain was born on February 20, 1967, in Aberdeen, Washington. His full name is Kurt Donald Cobain. Cobain's body was discovered on April 8, 1994, but according to the investigation report, he committed suicide on April 5. 25. In February 2025, a team of private investigators who analyzed all the evidence surrounding Kurt’s death claimed that it was not the result of suicide, but rather a murder. The report points to a series of inconsistencies at the crime scene that, according to the investigators, appear to be a failed attempt to stage a suicide. The investigators argue that based on the amount of heroin found in his body, as well as the position of the rifle and the angle of the shell casing, it would have been impossible for Kurt to have pulled the trigger himself. The Seattle Police rejected the report. 26. In an interview with his friend Dave Grohl in February 2021 on the release of Foo Fighters' tenth album, he noted that Cobain's death was one of the most painful events of his life and that Kurt was one of the greatest songwriters of our generation: " It is one of my life’s greatest heartbreaks that Kurt isn’t still here to write more amazing songs because it’s pretty clear that he was blessed with a gift. I think it’s safe to say that he was the greatest songwriter of our generation" "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Editor's Choice... And this time, "Roots", the sixth studio album by the "Sepultura", released on February 20, 1996. Let’s start with the fact that Dave Grohl noted that this album was the most powerful album he had ever heard, the album that made all the other stuff sound like a “flea fart”. This is such an ingenious definition, that we must bring it to you in Dave's own words: "The most powerful album I had ever heard. Made everything else sound like a flea fart" Grohl also noted that this album set the standard for all of the "Foo Fighters" studio albums, for ten years. This album continues with the line of the previous album " Chaos A.D. ", Which included a change in Sepultura's musical direction towards Groove Metal, with the addition of Brazilian motifs. This album is exactly as its name implies. A journey of an experienced and mature band back to its "roots". A retrospective looks at the band members on the Brazilian roots from which they came from. The band that started exploring the Brazilian heritage in tracks like "Kaiowas" from the previous album - " Chaos A.D. ", went deeper into the Brazilian rhythms and the "tribal" and unconventional percussion instruments, on this album. In order to reach the rooted Brazilian sound, the band is assisted by the Brazilian musician Carlinhos Brown. The band's first encounter with him on stage, was at "Sepultura's" performance on MTV Brazil, in 1995, where the band performed "Kaiowas", accompanied by many musicians, including Brown. (Photo: Mick Hutson) Singer and guitarist Max Cavalera noted, that right at the end of the show he knew that Brown was the man the band needed to work with on the next album and that this was the musical direction that "Sepultura" needed to continue exploring. And what an amazing combination of sound and style this album has. Something completely different that was not heard until that time. An authentic mix of heavy music with strong elements of Nu-Metal, Thrash Metal, and Groove Metal, combined with Brazilian tribal music and Brazilian folk music. Just one big crazy madness. The album features 16 tracks spanning over 70 minutes, including three instrumental tracks. Three singles were released from the album. The first, is the opening track which is also one of the familiar songs of the band " Roots Bloody Roots ". Max Cavalera noted that the words speak of the need to be proud of your roots, your heritage, and the place you came from. He wrote the music so that it would sound as simple and repetitive as a "mantra," with the riff played on only one string. The title of the song is a homage to " Sabbath Bloody Sabbath ". Max is a big fan of Tony Iommi and he is his favorite riff writer. The clip was shot in Brazil, the country of origin of the band members. The second track " Attitude " is the second single released from the album. The lyrics were written by Max's stepson, Dana Wells, who also came up with the idea for the music video. Dana was killed in a car accident shortly after the release of the album, and this tragedy was one of the reasons why Max would leave "Sepultura" and form "Soulfly". It is interesting to note, that "Soulfly" performs another version of the song, called "The Song Remains Insane". Over the years this song has become a kind of tribute to Dana Wells. The third single released from the album " Ratamahatta ", is also one of the band's most recognizable and powerful songs. This track best illustrates the combination of "tribal" and Brazilian rhythms with metal. The lyrics, all in Portuguese, tell of life in the pavilions, the slums of Brazil, and especially the stories of outlaws like Zé do Caixão and Lampião, a gang leader from the beginning of the last century, captured and tortured. The song features Brazilian Carlinhos Brown and drummer David Silveria who was then a member of "Korn". " Ambush " was written as a tribute to Chico Mendes. An environmental activist who fights for the conservation of rainforests in the Amazon and advocates for the human rights of Brazilian farmers and natives. He was murdered by a farmer on December 22, 1988. Another song on the album that deals with the destruction of nature and the extinction of animals as a direct result of non-conservation of the environment is " Endangered Species ". " Dictatorshit " just explodes on us with a fast and furious Crossover-Punk. The song refers to the military coup that took place in Brazil with the support of the United States in 1964. The "angry" track " Cut Throat "ת is the band's revenge song against "Epic Records", which was "Sepultura's" record label up until the previous album "Chaos A.D". The song ends with four words whose initials form the word "Epic": "Enslavement, Pathetic, Ignorant, Corporations" This album features guest musicians, among others, Jonathan Davis , David Silveria, and Mike Patton who also wrote the lyrics to the song " Lookaway " and more ... Listening to this wonderful madness is the sole responsibility of the listener: 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 - 20.02.1984 The year is 1950, Los Angeles, USA. Seventeen-year-old Jerry Leiber leaves the record store where he worked on Fairfax Avenue and makes his way to the home of seventeen-year-old Mike Stoller. Earlier that day, while talking in the shop, they realized they shared a deep connection and a mutual love for rhythm and blues. Leiber arrives at Stoller’s doorstep. That moment marked the beginning of a 61-year songwriting partnership that produced around 70 chart hits, including “Hound Dog” later recorded by Elvis Presley, “Stand By Me”, and “Jailhouse Rock.” Thirty-two years later, Johnny Marr  would echo Leiber’s gesture. Together with his friend Steve Pomfret, he stood on the doorstep of Morrissey in Stratford, Manchester, determined to form a band. Marr, then 18, had first met Morrissey at a Patti Smith concert at Manchester’s Apollo Theatre on August 31, 1978. They bonded over a shared love of poetry and literature. Marr, a fan of the New York Dolls, was impressed that Morrissey had written a book about the band. Inspired, he visited Morrissey at home, setting in motion a partnership that would last only four years but influence countless musicians. Their debut album, “The Smiths,” was released on February 20, 1984. Morrissey and Marr held their first rehearsal in Marr’s rented attic room in Bowdon. By the end of 1982, Morrissey had chosen the band’s name. He later said, “It was the most ordinary name and I thought it was time that the ordinary folk of the world should show their faces.” Around the time the band formed, Morrissey decided he would be known publicly only by his surname. He forbade those around him from using “Steven,” a name he reportedly despised. After a few rehearsals, Pomfret left and was replaced by bassist Dale Hibbert, who worked at Manchester’s Decibel Studios, where Marr met him while recording a Freak Party demo. Hibbert did not last long either, and Marr’s old school friend Andy Rourke was brought in to fill the role. After several demo recordings and three shows at Manchester’s The Haçienda, the band secured a contract with Rough Trade Records, having previously been rejected by EMI. In May 1983, the band released their debut single, “Hand in Glove,”  which reached number three on the UK Indie Chart. Shortly afterward, John Walters, producer of broadcaster and journalist John Peel, saw them perform in London and invited them to record a session for his show. Peel famously said: “You couldn’t quite work out which records The Smiths had been listening to. That’s fairly unusual, very rare indeed… and it was that aspect of The Smiths that I found most impressive.”If you would like, I can verify the exact wording from a primary source. Following their exposure on Peel’s program, "The Smiths" received their first interviews in the music magazines NME and Sounds. The band initially entered the studio with Troy Tate of The Teardrop Explodes producing. Rough Trade were dissatisfied with the result, and Morrissey hinted that the entire album should be shelved. The label insisted on further recording and mixing, this time with producer John Porter, known for work with "Roxy Music" and "Killing Joke". Although the band were not fully satisfied with the second mix either, the label’s insistence on releasing the album proved correct. Critics hailed it as one of the most important albums of the 1980s. Not that it ever particularly mattered to Morrissey what people thought of him. The album itself is simple, direct and grounded, filled with classic Smiths post-punk: bitter, cynical and melancholic. Morrissey stands at the center as an enigmatic, peacock-like poet, while Johnny Marr emerges as both modern guitar hero and astonishingly articulate instrumental architect. The collection of songs balances pop immediacy with emotional weight, energetic bounce with lingering unease. “Reel Around the Fountain”  opens the album with themes of lost innocence. Some interpreted it as referencing child abuse, but Morrissey, characteristically, leaves meanings deliberately ambiguous.  Johnny Marr has stated that the melody for the song came to him while he was attempting to play the 1959 R&B song "Handy Man" by Jimmy Jones. On “You’ve Got Everything Now,”  Morrissey looks sideways at former classmates who have climbed the social ladder since leaving school. “Pretty Girls Make Graves”  tells the story of a teenage boy and his girlfriend, set against the backdrop of their sexual relationship. The title is a quotation from Jack Kerouac’s 1958 novel “The Dharma Bums.” The closing tracks “What Difference Does It Make?”  and “Suffer Little Children”  focus on child murderers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley. The band faced heavy criticism over the latter and were forced to clarify its true intent. In October 1983, four months before the album’s release, the second single “This Charming Man”  was issued. It did not appear on the earliest pressings of the album but was added later. It became The Smiths’ first UK Top 40 hit. For Listening : Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

A Sneak Peek... On February 19, 1995, the Foo Fighters made their debut show !! (Photo: Foo Fighters) The performance, which was private only for friends and family, took place over the West Marine store on Mercer Street in Seattle. Their first public performance took place four days later at the Jambalaya Club located in Arcata, California. In celebration of the band's 20 years, Dave Grohl and the band members released demos and rare tapes from the past, but only one, rare and special tape was not found. The recording of that first show, they tried for years to get it but to this day they do not know who holds it and where it is !! In addition to the semi-familiar list, the amazing thing is that apart from drummer William Goldsmith the other members who played in the same show are members of the band even today: Dave Grohl , Nate Mendel and Pat Smear . And this is the set list played at the show: 1. Floaty 2. I'll Stick Around 3. This Is A Call 4. Big Me 5. Wattershed 6. For All The Cows 7. Butterflies 8. Winnebago 9. Alone + Easy Target 10. Podunk 11. Exhausted "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website