On October 11, 1985, "Rush" released "Power Windows", their 11th studio album. This album continues the change in the musical line of the band, which began with the 1982 album "Signals" and continued with the 1984 album "Grace Under Pressure", further deepening Rush's entry into the digital age of the 1980s. If you thought the use of synthesizers on "Grace Under Pressure" was excessive, then "Power Windows" took it even a step further, and beyond the use of synthesizers and electronic drums, which was part of the previous album, the band first introduced samplers, strings and even a choir, To expand the range of instruments and sounds used. Drummer Neil Peart said that this album was different from all its predecessors, partly because the band decided not to limit itself, in terms of the use of musical instruments and effects. Neil explained that while on previous albums the band thought during writing about the ability to play the songs live, this time they decided to go wild at the writing stage, leaving the concern for how the songs will be performed live without the help of guest musicians, for a later stage. Indeed the sound on this album was different and richer than all its predecessors. Layer upon layer of musical instruments and effects created a "wall of sound" if we use the expression and ideas of renowned producer Phil Spector. To fulfill its vision, the band is assisted (for the first time) by several outside musicians who helped to build the "wall of sound" that exists on this album. Andy Richards plays keyboards alongside Geddy Lee and is in charge of the synthesizer programming, Jim Burgess is also in charge of programming, Anne Dudley is the conductor of the string ensemble and Andrew Jackman is the conductor and arranger of the choir. The result really does not sound like anything else the band has done up to that point. A combination of instruments and effects that blend into each other and create a fluid stream of cascading sounds that make up the album's so unique sound. The clean and clear production of Peter Collins is without a doubt one of the best of the band's albums, and unlike the previous album, the balance between keyboards and guitars, in this case, is simply amazing and gives Alex Lifeson much more room to experiment and develop. The album opens powerfully with "The Big Money", featuring Geddy Lee's trumpet-like synthesizers, Neil Peart's electronic drums storm, and Alex Lifeson's experimental guitar layers, which very quickly leave the song's lead to Geddy Lee's frantic bass technique. It is interesting to note that a sample of Neil Peart's voice is heard in this song and is triggered through his drum set. The name of the song is taken from the third book in the USA trilogy by writer John Dos Passos bearing the same name. Neil Peart who is a fan of Passos was influenced by him writing another song of the band - "The Camera Eye" from the album "Moving Pictures". The lyrics to "The Big Money" speak of the power of "the big money" and trade in the modern economy, especially in the 1980s. It is interesting to note that the connecting thread between most of the songs on the album is the word "Power" and in this case, as mentioned, the power of money. We slow down a bit with "Grand Designs" which opens with a synthesizer effect and continues with Alex Lifeson's "power chords" and Neil Peart's minimalist and smart drumming. The use of synthesizers is really what drives this song. This is really a Geddy Lee track. His synthesizer playing, bass playing, and excellent voice are the leading force in this track, and at the same time, Lifeson gives a great and emotional guitar solo here. This song also has a "power" motif that can be found in the words: "So much poison in power…" The third track is one of the most beautiful and special songs on the album - "Manhattan Project". The song is about the "Manhattan Project" which was the code name for the development and production of the first nuclear bomb during World War II. Neil Peart wrote the lyrics after reading literature on the subject. He, Geddy, and Alex managed to create a short musical story on the subject. The song opens with the military drumming of Neil Peart and the arpeggio chord of Alex Lifeson as the playing during the verses is very minimalist and allows Geddy Lee to tell the story of the act. In this song, you can hear the beautiful work of the string ensemble which numbered 30 members and took the lead in a melodic and beautiful solo (3:20 minute). The bass section of this song is played by Andy Richards using a Roland JP-8 synthesizer and to recreate that sound in the show, it was necessary to sample this sound to a Geddy Lee's keyboard. The song ends with the bombing of the "Enola Gay" plane in Hiroshima and the very strong statement that the invention of the doomsday weapon changed the course of history forever, and the connection to the "power" that connects the album's songs is clear. "The pilot of "Enola Gay", flying out of the shockwave on that August day. All the powers that be, and the course of history. Would be changed forevermore..." The first side of the album ends with the excellent "Marathon", which ostensibly talks about a person who faces the difficulties of running a marathon as a metaphor for life and that they are full of difficulties and obstacles that require endurance and dedication to pass them. The song features fantastic music from the three members, especially Geddy Lee's baseline during the verses. In this song, you can hear the 25-member choir, accompanying the instruments and enriching the sound (especially from the fifth minute of the song). Also, the guitar-bass-drums section starting at about 2:50 is completely reminiscent of Rush's good old sound that pops out from under the rich production and sound layers. The other side of the album opens with "Territories" which once again expresses the use of force, this time for the conquest of more and more land. Neil Peart did an excellent job writing and conveying the message against wars and conquest of lands with a slight wink to China and its policy regarding the territories around Hong Kong. Geddy Lee's bass work and Alex Lifeson's guitar in the transition section starting at 4:00 are just amazing and the words there just cut like a knife through the leaders' hearts: "They shoot without shame In the name of a piece of dirt For a change of accent Or the color of your shirt" And when Alex Lifeson comes out of the transition section starting at 5:20 his playing and his guitar sound are simply reminiscent of those of The Edge from "U2". It is interesting to note that Peart plays this song without the snare drum and that the song includes a sample of Geddy Lee saying the words "Round and round". The song "Middletown Dreams" is a relatively quiet song written following Neil Peart's visit to several American towns during the previous album's tour. Neil used to spend his days between shows riding a bike through towns that the band visited along the way. He said that when you pass a town by bike you see much more than by car. He examined the people and tried to imagine what they think about, what they went through in the past, and what they dream of in the future and hence the idea for the song. Musically the song includes one of Alex Lifeson's beautiful solos on the album and on the other hand the most "poppy" synthesizers of all the songs in it, starting at 2:00. The song "Emotion Detector" was born out of the band's intention to create a ballad. It didn't really work because the lyrics Neil wrote with the intention of fitting a ballad, fitted in nicely with a relatively rhythmic musical piece that Geddy and Alex had already written. The song may have opened up slowly with a synthesizer sound that was imported from the Far East, but later the rhythm rises to the sounds of Neil Peart's electronic notes and Alex Lifeson's arpeggio. The song that seals the album "Mystic Rhythms" was crowned by Geddy Lee as the most "synthetic" song on the album. All the instruments in its sound "synthesized" like Alex Lifeson's acoustic guitar painted with a synthesizer effect, but there are great rhythms, beautiful melodies, and clever lyrics in this song. In conclusion, on this album "Rush" is definitely taking a big step into the new wave and increasing the use of synthesizers and electronic equipment, while fundamentally changing the band's sound. This is an album that veteran Rush fans had a very hard time digesting at first, but it is definitely an excellent album that includes some of the special moments of this so-diverse band, an album we always enjoy going back to. More than 30 years later it can be said that this album has much more than what was seen at first. Even the band, which almost completely ignored it in their setlists during the 90s and 2000s, learned to appreciate it more over the years and gave it the respect it deserves by right and not by grace, when during a tour that accompanied the album "Clockwork Angels", five of the album's eight tracks starred in the setlists: "Middletown Dreams", "Grand Designs", "The Big Money" and "Manhattan Project". "Territories" was also included in that tour. This tour, which also included a string ensemble that accompanied "Rush" on stage for the first time, was recorded on the double live album "Clockwork Angels Tour" and we recommend you to hear the very special live versions of these songs from it. For listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On October 11, 2005, the live album "Live In Cuba", by the band "Audioslave", was released. The album documents the band's performance which took place on May 6th of that year in front of an audience of 70,000 spectators at the José Martí Anti-Imperialist Platform in Havana, Cuba. This show has greater historical significance than the musical imprint it left, as it is the first performance by an American "Rock" band on Cuban soil. The emphasis is on "Band" and "Rock" as back in 1979 Billy Joel and Stephen Stills performed in Cuba as part of the "Havana Jam" music festival, which lasted three days, and in 1981 the band "Fabulous Titans", which came from the reggae field, performed in Cuba. A decade after the concert, on July 20, 2015, the United States and Cuba restored diplomatic relations and elevated their respective Interests Sections to embassies. The American building in Havana had operated as an Interests Section since 1977; it had not been closed throughout 1977-2005. The original "Live In Cuba" release was a concert DVD with a documentary filmed during the visit. The special edition added an audio CD of Sessions@AOL recordings, rather than a complete audio album of the Cuban concert. (Photo: Alejandro Ernesto) At the beginning of the documentary, guitarist Tom Morello addresses the citizens of Cuba and invites them to a free performance and he promises two promises: 1. This is going to be the longest performance that "Audioslave" has ever made. 2. It will also be the best show the band has ever played. At least the first half of Morello's promise was fulfilled without a doubt. The band played a set of nearly two and a half hours, reported at the time as 26 songs, while the DVD contains 18 tracks mainly from the band's first two albums, a relatively long set considering the fact that the band's second album "Out of Exile" was released only a few weeks after the show. In addition, the show includes songs by the mother bands "Soundgarden" and "Rage Against The Machine", which the band previously refused to play as a supergroup, as it thought it would damage "Audioslave's" identity as a band, but in honor of the historic event, the band went out of its way. As you probably already understand, despite the blind admiration we have for "Audioslave" and Chris Cornell, and even though it's an amazing band, there is no musical innovation on this album and it is certainly not one of the best performances by this great supergroup. We say these things with a heavy heart but the mediocre result of this performance is mainly attributed to the performance of Chris Cornell, who in most of the songs does not sound his best. Maybe it's the excitement of the historic event, maybe it was the equipment glitches that accompanied the show from the beginning (the show started with a glitch on Brad Wilk's monitor that delayed the show for long minutes), or maybe it was just not his day. No matter how you look at it and even though we write things down with trembling fingers, Chris was the weak link in this show when all the other members definitely sounded great. At the same time, it is still an important historical record of the single appearance of one of the great ensembles and probably also the great supergroup of the 21st century. And this time here are some videos of the historic show: "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On October 11, 1990, Dave Grohl made his first appearance as the drummer of "Nirvana". (Photo: Thelegendsofmusic Instegram) The performance took place at the "North Shore Surf" club in the city of Olympia (located south of Seattle), in the state of Washington, USA. In the three years of the band's existence, until the fall of 1990, "Nirvana" changed no less than five different drummers, until it came to rest with Dave Grohl. The first meeting of Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic with Dave Grohl was at a "Scream" concert held in San Francisco. Grohl, who was the drummer for "Scream", greatly impressed the two, and when his band broke up shortly after, Kurt and Krist invited Dave to jam with them. The "click" was of course immediate and after several weeks of rehearsals, Grohl held his first "baptism of fire" with "Nirvana". It was on 11/10/1990 at the "North Shore Surf Club", south of Seattle. The footage below features four songs: "Love Buzz", a cover of "Shocking Blue", and "Scoff" from the debut album "Bleach"; "Sliver", released as a single in September 1990 and later included on "Incesticide"; and "Turn Around", a "Devo" cover whose studio recording appeared on the "Hormoaning" EP in 1992. Dave Grohl later said that Kurt and Krist also chose him because of the fact that he could sing. Less than a year after this historic event, "Nirvana" will completely change the face of the music world when they release the masterful album "Nevermind". "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

He may be known to you as the energetic frontman of "Van Halen" but he is much more than that. Singer David Lee Roth is celebrating his birthday today and we are here to tell you some interesting facts about him: (Photo: Larry Hulst) 1. He was born in Bloomington, Indiana, the USA on October 10, 1954, to a traditional Jewish family. 2. David Lee Roth is a wild and energetic stage animal. He started performing as a teenager. One of the first bands was the "Red Ball Jets". 3. In 1973 he joined "Mammoth" formed a year earlier by the brothers - guitarist Eddie Van Halen and drummer Alex Van Halen. (Photo: Wallpapersden.com) 4. In 1974 the band changed its name to "Van Halen". It was David who suggested the name to the brothers. He thought this name would create a long-term identity as a brand name with artistic and marketing advantages. 5. The band has begun to establish its name in the Los Angeles club and pub scene, thanks to Dave's performance and guitarist Eddie Van Halen's unique playing. 6. In 1976, Gene Simmons of "Kiss" discovered them and decided to produce a demo tape for them. Simmons passed the tape with a recommendation to the "Kiss" record company, but they foolishly replied that the band had no chance of succeeding. 7. In 1977, "Warner Bros." decided to Sign them on a recording contract. 8. The debut album "Van Halen" was released in 1978 and created a big sensation in the music world. 9. The attention the band received gave them the role of warm-up band in the tour of "Journey" and later of "Black Sabbath". They even managed to "steal the show" from both bands. 10. On the tour with "Journey" Dave managed to make singer Steve Perry cry, after a food fight that took place behind the scenes. 11. In the 1980s he belonged to a group that called itself "Jungle Studs" and went on extreme adventures around the world, including in the Amazon and Nepal. 12. In the late 1990s David was trained as a paramedic (EMT) and engaged in it also in the 2000s. In 2004 he even mentioned it in an interview with "People" magazine saying that being an EMT is a perfect job. 13. He is an eternal bachelor who has never married. He lived the life of a "Rock Star" to the end and not for nothing created the persona of "Diamond Dave". 14. He had a "bonus program" for his tour staff. He allowed each of them to hand out five backstage tickets. The person who handed out the ticket to someone Dave slept with won $ 100. 15. As a reckless bachelor he held an insurance policy for his semen. The policy is intended to indemnify him in the event of an unwanted pregnancy for a sum of one million dollars. Lloyds' London insurance is designed to cover child support in case Dave accidentally gets someone pregnant. 16. To maintain the body of a wild “rock star,” Dave did a lot of sports and among other things ran and finished the New York Marathon. 17. He also specializes in several martial arts, including "jujitsu", "kenjutsu" (sword fighting), and more. 18. Despite this, in 2003 he stopped an intruder who broke into his home with a shotgun. He detained him until the police arrived. 19. He wrote the lyrics to the hit "Jump" after watching the news about someone who threatened to commit suicide by jumping from a tall building. 20. David was the lead singer of "Van Halen" from 1974 to 1985, again in 1996, and from 2006 until its dissolution in 2020. During his membership in the band, he released 7 studio albums and a compilation album that included 2 new songs that were not included in any album. 21. In 2007 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame along with the band "Van Halen". 22. In addition, he has released 6 studio albums and an EP during his solo career. Throughout his career, he has surrounded himself with talented musicians including guitarists Jason Becker and Steve Vai and bassist Billy Sheehan. (Photo: Fanart.tv) 23. Roth is also a businessman. He has a line of skincare products that protect tattooed skin. 24. Dave is also a visual artist who paints and executes and makes drawings in his spare time. In November 2020 he even released a 17-chapter online comic book called "The Roth Project", written and illustrated by him, and also painted the cover of the single "Giddy-Up" released from it. 25. In October 2021 David announced his retirement from the world of music, probably due to medical issues. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

She's one of the greatest vocalists of our generation, and not only is she a huge singer she's also a crazy musician and guitar player!! Lzzy Hale was born on October 10, 1983, so get some interesting facts about her and her band "Halestorm"... (Photo: Stephen J. Cohen) 1. At the age of 5 she learned to play the piano when at a later stage she learned to play the Keytar (synthesizer with a track) and her brother Arejay learned to play the drums. 2. Only at the age of 16 did she learn to play the guitar. 3. In 1999 when she was 16, she and her brother released an EP called "Don't Mess With the Time Man". 4. In 2003 they added guitarist Joe Hottinger and their father Roger Hale on bass. 5. In 2004 bassist Josh Smith joined the band, a year later they signed a record deal with Atlantic Records and officially became the band Halestorm. (Photo: loudersound.com) 6. In 2006 they released their first official EP called "One and Done" which included 5 songs of a live performance. 7. In 2009 they released their debut album bearing the band's name. The first single from the album was "I Get Off" and it put the album in 40th place on the Billboard 200. 8. In 2012 the band released their second album "The Strange Case Of..." It can be said that this is the band's breakthrough album. The single "Freak Like Me" went straight to number one on the mainstream rock chart, the single "Here's to Us" was performed in the famous series Glee, and the single "Love Bites (So Do I)" gave the band a Grammy win in the Best Hard Rock / Metal Performance category. 9. This Grammy win in 2012 was the first time a band led by a woman was nominated and won the above category. 10. In March 2014, the band participated in a cover album as a tribute to Dio's works called "Ronnie James Dio - This Is Your Life". The band performed the song "Straight Through the Heart" on the album. 11. A year later the band released their third album "Into the Wild Life". The album continued the success of the previous album and reached number 5 on the Billboard 200. 12. In 2018, the band released their fourth album "Vicious". The album reached No. 8 on the Billboard 200 but topped the charts in other U.S. charts. Lzzy said it was the first album that could be felt as a band, a band made up of four people and not one person. 13. The band has released three EPs containing covers for the bands they grew up and adored. "Reanimate: The Covers EP" (2011), "Reanimate 2.0: The Covers EP" (2013), and "Reanimate 3.0: The Covers EP" (2017). 14. Lzzy is the lead writer and leader of the band, she has always said that she loves to write and create songs when she imagines them in a live show. She always likes to feel how the song will be expressed in the performance, this is what guides her in the work. 15. Talking about live shows... Halestorm is a band of live shows! They love to perform and try to perform as much as possible, their average performance per year is more than 250 performances, crazy. (Photo: ultimate-guitar.com) 16. In 2019 Gibson company created a special guitar signature named after Lzzy: Limited Edition Lzzy Hale Signature Explorer Outfit. An Epiphone Explorer model that Lzzy has used most of her career. 17. In August 2020, the band released a special EP. During the Corona period, in light of the distance, and the inability to meet and synchronize many instruments and elements, many artists took their songs, stripped them down, and created different performances on acoustic or digital instruments, performances that reveal their true talent and abilities. "Halestorm" did exactly that on the "Reimagined" EP. In this EP they take five big songs from their repertoire (and they have quite a few) and perform them in a slightly different way and style. 18. In 2021 Gibson announced Lzzy as the brand ambassador !! As the brand's ambassador, she will help create new signature models of Gibson, Epiphone, and Kramer. It has also been added to the Gibson Advisory Board, where artists present philanthropic opportunities that fulfill the Gibson Foundation’s mission to create, develop, and support non-profit organizations to promote musicians, youth-focused education, and health initiatives. 19. Lzzy is known for her collaborations with other artists, her presence and vocal and stage give a different, exciting, and mesmerizing dimension. She has collaborated with: Shinedown, Black Stone Cherry, Stone Sour, Dream Theater, In This Moment, and many more. 20. In August 2021, Halestorm released a new single upon its release, Lzzy shared her mental struggles on social media. Lzzy noted that this is a personal song written from the perspective of her mental health. She said she was really "on the edge", but instead of letting herself sink in and dive into the darkness and depression, she decided to write a hard rock song so everyone could scream with it out loud and remember they are not alone. 21. In May 2022, the band released their fifth album "Back from the Dead". Although it is only the band's fifth album, you can feel that the band has gone through a process of development. In 2025, the band released its excellent sixth album, "Everest," an album that, unlike its predecessors, was written entirely in the studio. Listen to the band's latest album on: 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 - 10.10.1994 By the end of 1993, following a landmark debut album, the music magazines had crowned "Suede" the leading band in Britain. This happened just before bands such as "Blur", "Oasis" and "Pulp" surged to the forefront. As happens to many bands that achieve meteoric success with an exceptional debut, the breakthrough brought difficulties that the members struggled to handle. In 1993, they set out to win over American audiences, with "The Cranberries" as their support act. "Suede" arrived in the United States feeling like superstars. The British press had spoiled them a little too much. During their second tour, in the autumn of 1993, they watched in surprise as "The Cranberries" found success with "Linger", moving from support act to headliner at several shows, with "Suede" going on before them. As if that were not enough, just before the second tour began, bad news arrived from Britain: Bernard Butler's father had died. The band had to cancel the first week of the American tour and fly back to London from New York. When the tour resumed, Butler, grieving for his father and now engaged to his girlfriend Elisa, distanced himself from his bandmates more than ever. According to Butler, they resented being on tour with someone who did not want to party. He even travelled separately, sometimes alone in a taxi and sometimes on "The Cranberries"' tour bus. By early 1994, as "Suede" prepared to release the standalone single "Stay Together", morale within the group had reached an all-time low. According to drummer Simon Gilbert, Butler had become intolerable and impossible to work with, and the band could no longer function together. To record their next album and escape the noise and gossip, Brett Anderson moved to a secluded flat in Highgate, north London. Anderson's new home, a garden flat on Shepherd's Hill, was chosen partly out of superstition, since 16 is the singer's lucky number, and partly to escape the rise of Britpop, a movement his band had helped pioneer. Its chronicle of distorted English life had become something "Suede" wanted no part of. Their own world was lonely and fractured by internal conflict. From this far from ideal starting point, Anderson began writing the lyrics for their next album, "Dog Man Star", released on October 10, 1994. Anderson, who had deliberately cut himself off from the media, watched countless films and attributed the album's extravagant sound to his use of psychedelic drugs. He said he was taking a great deal of acid at the time, which gave them the confidence to push boundaries. Anderson flourished in the surreal environment he inhabited during that period. Nearby lived a community of Mennonites, an Anabaptist Christian denomination with roots closely related to those of the Amish. Its members would often sing hymns during Anderson's drug binges. Shut away in Highgate, Anderson tried to match his songwriting partner's wild ambition through a diet of psychotropic drugs, old films and a wide range of reading, from Romantic visionaries such as William Blake to prophets of dystopian doom such as George Orwell and J. G. Ballard. If their previous album roamed the territory of glam rock, somewhere between David Bowie and "The Smiths", "Dog Man Star" was darker and more experimental, partly because of Butler's taste for extended solos. A prime example is the nine-minute epic "The Asphalt World". According to bassist Mat Osman, the piece originally ran for no less than 25 minutes, including an eight-minute guitar solo by Butler. It was one of the songs Anderson wrote under the influence of his relationship with his 17-year-old girlfriend Anick. He said that monogamy did not interest him at that stage, and that sexual jealousy could also inspire him. At the time, Butler was writing other complex arrangements, exploring progressive rock and appearing in a BBC programme about "Pink Floyd". Osman later expressed the feeling that Butler's compositions were too experimental, and that the musical ideas demanded more of listeners than many were prepared to give. The arguments between Butler and his bandmates that began over "The Asphalt World" spread to the rest of the album as Butler grew increasingly unhappy with Ed Buller's production. Butler wanted Buller removed so that he could produce the album himself. Butler gave the band and their management an ultimatum: either they fired Buller, or he would leave. His bandmates refused to meet his demands and decided to part ways with him before recording was finished. Butler maintained that he had been forced out, having arrived at the studio one day to discover he was not allowed in. In his account, he returned the following day to collect his guitar and was told over the intercom that it would be brought outside to him in the street. Buller disputed this version, saying the guitars had been left at the studio's reception desk. One of the album's defining qualities was its dramatic lyricism. This is hardly surprising, since Anderson adopted a stream-of-consciousness approach to writing while taking psychedelic drugs and watching a large number of film noirs during the process. The lyrics here are considerably more melodramatic than on the previous album. Take the second single, "The Wild Ones", also inspired by his girlfriend Anick. This ballad took its name from Marlon Brando's 1953 biker film, "The Wild One". Anderson described their relationship as passionate and broken, the kind you have when you are young. At the time, he was listening to singers such as Scott Walker, Édith Piaf, Frank Sinatra and Jacques Brel, musicians whose emotional and musical range could turn a song into a drama. That was the direction he wanted to pursue here. Anderson said that much of the album's sexuality was inspired by Prince. Butler, meanwhile, drew inspiration from "The Queen Is Dead" by "The Smiths", "Closer" by "Joy Division", "Torment and Toreros" by "Marc and the Mambas", and "The Righteous Brothers". Elements of Anderson's lyrics were shaped by his drug use, and he cited Blake as a major influence on his writing. He was fascinated by visions and trance-like states as a means of creation, and said much of the fragmented imagery in the opening track, "Introducing the Band", came from allowing his subconscious to take over. The song was a mantra he wrote after visiting a Buddhist temple in Japan. Lewis Carroll, the author of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland", whom Anderson was reading at the time, also influenced the lyrics. An Orwellian tone seeped into the second track and lead single, "We Are the Pigs", which depicts Anderson's visions of civil rebellion and riots in the streets. Anderson described the realisation that the grotesque house of cards they had built around themselves was collapsing, and that the only way to deal with it was to embrace and celebrate its destruction, dancing around the bonfire. His vision was of a post-apocalyptic landscape in which society had disintegrated and humanity was reduced to its primal animal form. The song's title was inspired by Anderson's old school band, "The Pigs". Other songs on the album explored personal themes such as loneliness against a backdrop of wealth and fame. "The 2 of Us" portrays a successful couple unable to connect emotionally. "This Hollywood Life" addresses that universal rule of the music business whereby an artist must sacrifice something of themselves, and sometimes humiliate themselves, to achieve success and recognition. Even James Dean's life and death enter the picture, as the singer imagines a relationship with the dead movie star in "Daddy's Speeding". At odds with the world, with reality, with Britpop and with one another, "Suede" were in a terrible place while writing and recording "Dog Man Star", an album that threatened to tear them apart. Who could have known then that it would become their most significant work? Anderson spoke of the album's title as a kind of shorthand Darwinism, reflecting his journey from the gutter to the stars. Fans, meanwhile, noted its resemblance to experimental filmmaker Stan Brakhage's 1964 film, "Dog Star Man". The album cover uses a photograph taken by American photographer Joanne Leonard in 1971, showing a naked man sprawled on a bed. The image was taken from a 1972 book titled "Frontiers of Photography". For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music Face/Off - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram and/or subscribe to the website

On October 10, 1973, "Renaissance" released their fourth album, "Ashes Are Burning", in the UK. There is a wonderful moment toward the end of this album, around the 8:30 mark of the title track, when an electric guitar enters and feels like something we have been waiting for all along. For most of the journey, the piano, bass and divine voice of Annie Haslam provide all the drama we need. The solo starts small, then releases the tension that has been building throughout the record. That is part of the magic of "Ashes Are Burning", an album that knows how far melody can take us and exactly when to let it catch fire. The road to this remarkable album ran through a band that had already undergone an almost complete change of personnel. Keith Relf and Jim McCarty, formerly of "The Yardbirds", founded "Renaissance" in 1969, but by the early seventies the original musicians had given way to a new lineup. The name remained, along with the ambition to bring rock and classical music together, but the voice that would define the band arrived with Annie Haslam. Their 1972 album, "Prologue", had already pointed toward this new direction. Here, it gained depth, confidence and, above all, a collection of songs strong enough to justify the ambition. Alongside Haslam were keyboardist John Tout, bassist and singer Jon Camp, and drummer Terry Sullivan. Following guitarist Rob Hendry’s departure, Michael Dunford returned to play acoustic guitar on the sessions as a guest, before becoming an established member of the lineup again. Dunford was already the principal composer, working with lyricist Betty Thatcher. Their partnership gave the music a language in which landscapes, light, the sea and memories became part of an inner emotional world. Even when the words are abstract, Haslam makes them feel like thoughts taking shape as she sings. The album was recorded at "De Lane Lea" studios in Wembley during 1973, with the band and Dick Plant sharing production duties. Richard Hewson added string arrangements to "Can You Understand?" and "Carpet of the Sun", broadening the band’s instrumental palette without overcrowding it. The sound leaves room for the acoustic strumming, the movement of the bass and the weight of every piano chord. The orchestra joins music that already knows how to stand on its own. Camp deserves particular attention. His bass moves between the melodies, responds to the piano and pulls the music forward. He can support the vocals and then, almost imperceptibly, become another lead voice. Sullivan leaves room for that movement, with measured drumming that knows when to add emphasis and when to let a song breathe. Above them, Haslam sings with extraordinary clarity. Her power is audible even at her quietest, and that restraint allows her soaring passages to reach so deeply. "Can You Understand?" opens with a brilliant instrumental journey lasting almost three minutes. Tout introduces a piano motif, Camp moves into it, and the band develops a momentum that carries everything forward. Then, after a brief a cappella passage, the vocals and acoustic guitar come in, and this expansive piece suddenly feels personal. The words invite us to look beyond fear and confusion, and the transition from the demanding opening to the vocal melody gives that invitation musical meaning. We are already inside the song’s world before Haslam tells us what to seek there. The piece also incorporates a theme from Maurice Jarre’s score for "Doctor Zhivago". It fits naturally into the music’s folk colouring, but what holds the composition together is the way the band connects its parts. The piano returns, the bass insists on its own movement, and the strings widen the horizon. Nearly ten minutes pass with a clear sense of a journey, of departure, distance and return. This opening has enough ideas for an entire album, yet still leaves the listener with plenty to be curious about. After that opening, "Let It Grow" brings the microphone closer to the heart. Piano and acoustic guitar accompany a melody that unfolds at its own unhurried pace, while Haslam sings about love and growth without turning them into an oversized declaration. There is something beautiful in the band’s confidence to move from such a grand opening to a relatively simple song. For us, that tenderness is essential to the album, revealing another side of the band and a slightly different shade of Haslam’s voice. "On the Frontier", composed by McCarty to Thatcher’s words, preserves a thread connecting this lineup to the band’s earlier incarnation. Camp shares the vocals with Haslam, and the meeting of their voices lends warmth to the song’s hope for a better future. This is one of the album’s most distinctly folk-oriented moments. It does not offer the same sense of discovery as the two extended pieces, but it adds a welcome human colour between those towering compositions. "Carpet of the Sun" is the album’s second high point, a small burst of light. In three and a half minutes, the acoustic strumming, strings and Haslam’s magnificent vocal performance come together with wonderful ease. The words turn our attention toward the world around us and the possibility of taking part in it, and the beautiful performance conveys that feeling effortlessly. Next comes "At the Harbour", replacing the light with sorrowful waiting. Tout opens with a passage from Claude Debussy’s "La cathédrale engloutie", and the piano creates a still, sombre space before Haslam begins to sing. The harbour, the people waiting there and the danger at sea take on the weight of loss. Haslam’s voice remains clear, but that clarity only sharpens the pain. The transition from Debussy to the song itself can feel abrupt on a first listen. With time, though, those seemingly distant worlds begin to feel closer than ever. Then comes the title piece, "Ashes Are Burning". Its images of ashes and fire invite us to read the lyrics as an encounter with a past that remains alive within us, with things that have ended but still shape how we see the future. The opening gives Haslam room to tell the story, and the music gradually expands. Tout’s organ and piano, Camp’s active bass and the increasingly adventurous vocals build a momentum that becomes difficult to contain. Every return of the melody carries more intensity than the one before it. Andy Powell of "Wishbone Ash" joins the closing section with an electric guitar solo that gives the piece the release it has been waiting for. Tout had previously appeared on the band’s album "Argus", and another connection between their worlds was forged when Powell returned the favour to "Renaissance". He plays in short guitar phrases, with expressive bends and a bluesy feel that adds grit to the refined texture. His guitar cuts through the arrangement and expands it. As we reach the fade-out, the music seems to keep developing beyond what the recording allows us to hear. This was the first "Renaissance" album to enter the American album chart, reaching No. 171. Modest numbers, perhaps, but a significant step for a band whose relationship with American audiences would continue to deepen. In concert, the title track became a space for development and improvisation. For us, "Ashes Are Burning" remains one of the best ways into the world of "Renaissance". Its melodies stay with us from the first listen, while details in the playing reveal themselves much later. It can be grand and epic, then suddenly draw us into a small phrase in Haslam’s voice. And when the electric guitar amplifier finally comes alive at the end, we feel just how beautifully the band has prepared the ground for that explosive climax. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram and/or subscribe to the website

Written by: Moti Kupfer Release date - 10.10.1995 Joseph Campbell, the American thinker and writer, argued that we must be willing to let go of the life we have planned in order to embrace the life waiting for us. That idea beautifully captures the journey of an obscure ska band from Anaheim, California. Radio stations ignored them, and one programmer famously suggested that only divine intervention could get them on the air. Yet they would go on to release an album that sold around 16 million copies worldwide. This is the story of "Tragic Kingdom", the third album by "No Doubt", released on October 10, 1995. It is the mid-1980s, and keyboardist Eric Stefani enters himself and his sister, Gwen Stefani, in a school talent show in Anaheim, California. Their song of choice is "On My Radio", the 1979 hit by ska band "The Selecter". Gwen wears a homemade dress modeled on the one Julie Andrews wore in "The Sound of Music", her favorite musical. It is the starting point for the siblings' musical adventure. In 1986, they form a band with John Spence, their coworker at the American fast-food chain "Dairy Queen". Spence's habitual expression, no doubt, inspires the band's name. He shares vocal duties with Gwen, adding his rough-edged voice to hers. Inspired by British ska bands such as "The Selecter", "Madness" and "The Specials", the members of "No Doubt" give their everyday frustrations a musical outlet. Feeling trapped in sun-drenched Orange County, home to Disneyland, they begin playing local parties and quickly build a following. Along the way, bassist Tony Kanal joins the band and soon begins secretly dating Gwen. But tragedy strikes in 1987, when Spence takes his own life. It is the first of three upheavals that will change the course of "No Doubt", a band whose future will become inseparable from its personal dramas. After Alan Meade, the trumpeter who had become a co-lead vocalist, leaves "No Doubt", Gwen is ready to front the band on her own. By 1990, the lineup has taken shape with drummer Adrian Young and local metal guitarist Tom Dumont, both fans before becoming members, alongside a strong horn section. Their popularity in Southern California's clubs and colleges grows until they catch the attention of Tony Ferguson, a talent scout at "Interscope". He brings renowned record executive Jimmy Iovine to a "No Doubt" show. Iovine predicts that the girl will be a star within five years. How right he turns out to be. For the moment, though, "No Doubt" has a difficult start at Interscope. Their debut is a cabaret-flavored ska-pop album, written largely by Gwen's brother Eric, at a time when grunge reigns supreme. Poor sales make Interscope hesitate over a follow-up. The label takes a firmer hand in shaping the band's sound, particularly through the new producer it assigns them, singer Matthew Wilder. Who remembers his "Break My Stride"? Eric dislikes the arrangement and gradually withdraws from the band, even though rehearsals take place at his house. After leaving in 1994 to work as an animator on "The Simpsons", he leaves the other members to take on the songwriting responsibilities. Around the same time, bassist Tony ends his seven-year relationship with singer Gwen. Until then, Gwen has little experience writing lyrics, but the difficulties of those years suddenly leave her with an enormous reservoir of pain. She is confused and disappointed, unable to understand why the men in her life seem to be leaving her all at once. In many ways, she has traditional values. In interviews from the period, she expresses surprise at having joined a band and become famous when her natural inclination had been to start a family. Some of her songs express that longing for a simple life. They evoke a modest young woman raised with a clearly defined future in mind. Yet that impression is misleading, nowhere near an adequate account of the desires and growing independence of a forceful woman who proves, throughout the album, that vulnerability and strength can coexist. Our first encounter with "Tragic Kingdom" comes through "Spiderwebs", an exhilarating song about a woman screening calls from a man who keeps pestering her. A real caller inspired it. Gwen explained that she had always had a boyfriend, so she had never needed to deal with men trying to ask her out. She recalled giving her number to a man who would call in the middle of the night and try to sing to her or play acoustic guitar over the phone for fifteen minutes. She had no idea how to make him stop. According to Tony, he and Gwen were trying for something in the spirit of "Blondie"'s cover of "The Tide Is High", with a change in tempo between the introduction and the main section. The chorus, asking callers to leave a message and promising to call back, later became a popular answering-machine greeting. An interesting detail: in the United States, "Just a Girl" was the only track from "Tragic Kingdom" released as a commercial physical single. Other songs went to radio and appeared as singles in other markets, but if you wanted to buy "Spiderwebs" in the US, you had to buy the whole album. On "Excuse Me Mr.", Gwen presents the opposite of the assertive woman in "Spiderwebs", actively trying to capture a man's attention. According to Tony, the original version was softer and more melodic, but the band preferred the harder arrangement. "No Doubt" disagreed with producer Wilder, who wanted them to record a country-style version. Adrian recalled that they had been playing the song with a heavier approach, but Wilder wanted something closer to a country shuffle, so they tried it. They later decided they disliked his version. By then, however, their own arrangement had been erased from the tape, forcing them to return and record it again the way they were used to playing it. The album's only US commercial physical single was, as mentioned, "Just a Girl". Gwen wrote it out of frustration with her father, who was overly protective of her while giving her brother Eric much greater freedom. Gwen explained that she would not trade being a woman for anything, but that men did not understand how burdensome it could sometimes be. The song became an anthem of female empowerment, although that had not been her intention when she wrote it. She was in a band with men, and all her friends were men. She wanted to write from that personal perspective, which she felt captured who she was better than anything else. The video, directed by Mark Kohr, gave most fans their first glimpse of Gwen. It established her image in the minds of many young admirers who would try to emulate her. Kohr was known for directing videos for bands such as "Green Day", including "Longview" and "Basket Case". He also directed videos for strong, self-assured female performers, among them Alanis Morissette's "Hand in My Pocket" and Shakira's "Ojos Así". By the time the album came out, Gwen and Tony's relationship was already history. Several songs tell its story from her perspective, sometimes as the heartbroken partner and sometimes as an ex plotting the perfect revenge, as on "Happy Now?". Tony wrote the music with guitarist Tom without fully processing that it was a revenge song aimed at him. That realization came later, when he heard it on the radio and the presenter introduced it as a pointed jab in his direction. One of Gwen's earliest compositions was "Different People". In an interview, she explained that discovering songwriting had made her feel like a different person. Before that, she had felt there was nothing she was particularly good at. Suddenly, she had something she cared deeply about. She remembered her father listening to their earliest recordings on his way to work, telling her they were good and encouraging her to keep going. The song celebrates a wide variety of people coming together in a natural world full of wonders. A celebration of human diversity, it even appeared on Barack Obama's playlist for the 2012 election campaign. Gwen described how strange and exciting it was to discover that one of her earliest songs had found its way onto the president's playlist. On "Sixteen", she addresses teenagers and the anxieties of growing up. The opening riff differs from much of the album, leaning toward a more rebellious sound. A spoken interlude just before the guitar solo gives a knowing nod to young listeners who feel misunderstood. One of the album's most beloved songs is "Sunday Morning", also released as its fourth single. Gwen sings about believing she knew her partner, Tony, so well, only to be taken by surprise when he left her. It is an upbeat song in which she looks back on that delicate situation with clarity and a measure of acceptance. The song that follows, "Don't Speak", presents the same Gwen from the painful perspective of a former partner. She wrote it with her brother Eric before he left the band. Originally a love song, it became a song of heartbreak after Tony ended their relationship. On "World Go 'Round", we step away from the album's central subject to look at the planet through a wider lens. Gwen sings about being so caught up in our own lives that we forget to appreciate what surrounds us, adding that it is time to take care of ourselves and the Earth before it is too late. The definitive breakup song, "End It on This", again portrays a woman deeply in love with her partner who begins to realize that he does not share her enthusiasm. She decides to take matters into her own hands and end the relationship, knowing there is nothing left to salvage. On the final track, we see how heartbreak can take many forms. It is angry, sad, confusing and tense, and Gwen throws it all in our faces. The title track, "Tragic Kingdom", plays on Disneyland's Magic Kingdom nickname. Although its criticism is directed at the park itself, it can also serve as a metaphor for corruption in the wider world. The album takes its name from the unflattering nickname Tom's seventh-grade teacher gave Disneyland. Here, it reflects how the members of "No Doubt" see the world around them. With 16 million copies sold worldwide by 2004, there is a good chance their view of the world has changed a little since then. The album cover and portraits were shot by photographer and artist Daniel Arsenault. Gwen stands in the foreground in a red dress, while the other band members appear in an orange grove behind her. The red dress Gwen wears on the cover was later loaned to the "Hard Rock Cafe" and subsequently displayed in an exhibition at the Fullerton Museum Center. Valued at $5,000, it was stolen from the exhibition in January 2005. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music Face/Off - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram and/or subscribe to the website

On November 7, 1975 (October 10, 1975, according to some sources), "Come Taste the Band" was released in the UK. It was "Deep Purple"'s tenth studio album and the only one recorded by the Mark IV lineup, with Tommy Bolin on guitar. It is hard to imagine a tougher test for a young guitarist than joining a band whose audience is still waiting to hear Ritchie Blackmore. But Tommy Bolin arrived with enough ideas and talent to give "Deep Purple" a good reason to carry on. This album brims with life, rhythm and an appetite for playing. Listen without searching for the departed guitarist in every solo, and you discover just how much wonderful music this short-lived lineup left behind. The crisis followed "Stormbringer". The soul and funk influences championed by David Coverdale and bassist and singer Glenn Hughes had taken the band away from the direction Ritchie Blackmore wanted. In 1975, he left and formed "Rainbow". Keyboardist Jon Lord and drummer Ian Paice considered calling it a day, but David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes wanted to continue. The two remaining founders now faced a double challenge, finding a guitarist who could hold his own on that stage and discovering whether the new lineup had something of its own to say. Tommy Bolin was an intriguing choice. The American guitarist, whose previous bands included "Zephyr" and "James Gang", had already delivered dazzling playing on Billy Cobham's fusion album "Spectrum". He had speed and technique, but also a strong rhythmic feel, a blues sensibility and a knack for settling his guitar into a groove. His audition became a jam that made the chemistry clear. He did not share the band's historical baggage, and that distance gave him a freedom its veteran members were finding increasingly difficult to recover. Recording took place at "Musicland" studios in Munich, from August 3 to September 1, 1975. Martin Birch produced the album with the band, and Ian Paice joined him for the mix. Tommy Bolin co-wrote seven of the nine tracks, mostly with David Coverdale, rather than simply adding solos to finished material. His layered guitars and effects gave the album a richer palette, while the drums retained an open sound and a natural sense of movement. Even within short, focused songs, you can hear musicians responding to one another. That creative atmosphere did not erase the problems around them. Glenn Hughes was struggling with cocaine addiction, while Tommy Bolin's drug use would only grow worse. Once those problems reached the stage, the cost would be considerable. In the studio, at least much of the time, they managed to channel their connection into good music. The gap between the record's vitality and what followed makes listening to it all the more moving. "Comin' Home" opens with a rush of drums and guitar, punctuated by guitar and keyboard feedback. David Coverdale sings about returning home after life on the road, while Ian Paice drives the song with that remarkable lightness that allows him to sound powerful without weighing the music down. Tommy Bolin plays bass here as well as guitar. His solo is sharp, loose and full of momentum, making the track an excellent introduction to the new lineup. The new chemistry comes through even more clearly on "Gettin' Tighter". Glenn Hughes takes the microphone, bass and drums lock into a tight groove, and Tommy Bolin's guitar darts between them in short, syncopated phrases. The lyrics invite us to let go and lose ourselves in the music, and the performance does exactly that. Glenn Hughes can soar into the upper register, but here he also knows how to sit back on the beat and turn his voice into another instrument within the band. It is one of those moments when funk and rock come together completely naturally, with neither losing its bite. Alongside that pleasure comes "Dealer", bringing a more unsettling dimension to the sound. Beneath the riff and melodic arrangement lies a warning about someone who sells promises and leads the buyer towards ruin. Tommy Bolin also contributes a vocal passage, lending the song a different shade from David Coverdale's delivery. It is difficult to hear the words without thinking about what the musicians were going through, but even without that knowledge, this is an excellent song whose shifts keep us on edge. The album is uneven. There are moments when "I Need Love" relies more on the groove and David Coverdale's confidence than on a convincing melodic idea. On the other hand, "Lady Luck", which Tommy Bolin brought from his days in "Energy" and for which David Coverdale wrote new lyrics, shows how effective the band can be when it packs everything into less than three minutes. On the second side, "Drifter" restores the grit and drive of hard rock, while "Love Child" gives Jon Lord a more prominent role. His rough-edged keyboards against Tommy Bolin's guitar remind us that the fruitful clash between the two instruments survived the Ritchie Blackmore era. It simply speaks a different musical language now. Throughout this album, Jon Lord leaves considerable room for the guitar, and when he steps forward, we understand how important his presence is even when he is not in the spotlight. The most delicate moment arrives with "This Time Around". Jon Lord builds a soft keyboard accompaniment, and Glenn Hughes sings of fear, loneliness and the desire for another chance. After all the movement and heat, this quiet allows us to hear the vulnerability in his voice. The music then flows into "Owed to 'G'", Tommy Bolin's instrumental tribute to George Gershwin. The guitar has room to stretch its phrases and change direction, with Ian Paice's drums supplying momentum. Together, the two sections reveal another side of the lineup, sensitive and refined, with the freedom of fusion musicians. Then comes "You Keep on Moving", the closing track that makes it worth staying until the very last note. David Coverdale and Glenn Hughes wrote it before Tommy Bolin joined, and their voices come together in a way that almost single-handedly justifies the band's decision to continue. The bass line, keyboards and guitar create a slow, almost hypnotic sense of movement, while the lyrics drift between distance, longing and the hope of meeting again. David Coverdale's deep voice and Glenn Hughes's higher register complement each other without competing for space. The beauty of "You Keep on Moving" also lies in its restraint. Tommy Bolin is in no hurry to crowd the arrangement, and when his guitar opens up, it carries forward the emotional tension the vocals have already created. Jon Lord sustains the atmosphere, while Ian Paice knows when to add power and when to leave room to breathe. There is something of a farewell in this ending, even though the song was written before anyone knew how this chapter would end. In hindsight, it feels like one last moment when all the pieces fall perfectly into place. Commercially, the album reached number 19 in the UK and number 43 in the United States. These were modest results compared with the band's earlier peaks, and the new sound divided its audience. The tour exposed the lineup's instability, and its final performance took place in March 1976. The band broke up, and on December 4 that year, Tommy Bolin died at the age of 25. His album "Teaser", released around the same time as "Come Taste the Band", offers another poignant glimpse of the range of possibilities that had been open to him. The 35th anniversary edition, released in 2010, included a remaster, a new mix by Kevin Shirley and two previously unreleased instrumental tracks. It offered another opportunity to hear the details and the connection between the musicians. Even if some songs are less compelling, there are too many good ideas and outstanding performances here to dismiss the album as a mere "footnote". For us, "Come Taste the Band" deserves a place of its own in the story of "Deep Purple". It captures an established band briefly enjoying the chance to start again, and a young guitarist who manages to bring so much of himself into it. The sadness of what followed does not erase that pleasure. It only makes us wish they had been able to do more with it. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram and/or subscribe to the website

On October 10, 1969 "King Crimson" made history with their masterful debut album "In The Court Of The Crimson King". This album is nothing less than a Masterpiece. A simply perfect album in every way, which even after more than 50 sounds different, innovative, bold, and special as it sounds when it came out. It is one of the first albums in progressive rock and certainly one of the most important and influential in the genre. An album that no matter what style of music you like, you must have in your music library, period! It's hard to pinpoint one reason that makes this album so magical and special, because there is no such one. It was simply a cosmic, meteoric, and one-time encounter between several factors, which spawned this amazing and historic work. The combination of Robert Fripp's insane genius, Greg Lake's heavenly and caressing voice, Ian McDonald's velvety mellotron sounds, and Michael Giles' mesmerizing drumming, is a musical miracle narrated through Peter Sinfield's dystopian and imaginative lyrics about a chaotic, cold, and alienated world. A meteoric fusion, between classical music, rock, psychedelia, blues, and jazz, that created the "big bang" that gave birth to the progressive rock genre. This album is so important and influential that even the members of "Genesis" hung it on the rehearsal room wall to constantly remind them where they should aim. (Photo: Michael Ochs) The album opens powerfully with "21st Century Schizoid Man" and the crazy riff that combines Fripp's guitar and McDonald's brass instruments. The Riff was written by Lake and McDonald's even though all four members received credit for it. This riff accompanies us to Greg Lake's powerful entrance with his monotonous singing that sounds as if it has gone through a distortion effect, but has actually been achieved by maximizing the gain on the console. Peter Sinfield's words are a combination of unrelated sentences that put us in the mind of a troubled person with dark images and references to the Vietnam War as follows: "Politicians' funeral pyre / Innocence raped with napalm fire". This song features an improvised and special passage called "Mirrors" and features one of Robert Fripp's interesting solos on this album, which even former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said is his all-time favorite solo. Hard to believe but this song was recorded in one take after a strenuous rehearsal performed by the band. It is interesting to note that rapper Kanye West sampled this song as part of the song "Power" on his fifth album "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy", which was released in 2010. The album cover painted by a good friend of Sinfield - Barry Godber probably shows the same Schizoid Man. Barry first listened to the recordings from the album and only then turned to paint the cover, having been inspired by his own reflection in front of his bathroom mirror. This is one of the most impressive and famous covers in the world of music which has really become a cultural icon and is synonymous with the album. "The Screaming Face", "The Album with the Face" or "The Screaming Red Face", that's what we used to call this masterful album thanks to that shaky cover. The second track "I Talk to the Wind" is the perfect negative for the opening song. A quiet, calm, pastoral, and mesmerizing song, which Ian McDonald composed to the words of Peter Sinfield. The song introduces us for the first time to the soft and caressing voice of Greg Lake and it opens with the flutes of McDonald's, who also plays the clarinet and piano as singing background vocals. Robert Fripp's guitar touches with the palm-muted strings, provide minimalist and ingenious accompaniment to the bass and flute, and Michael Giles' drums seem to hover over them all. At the center of the song is an amazing flute solo by Ian McDonald, who also accompanies us with another solo until the end of the song. It is interesting to note that two different and early versions of the song exist in the demo called "The Brondesbury Tapes (1968)" recorded by Fripp's previous project "Giles, Giles and Fripp", in one of them Judy Dyble from the band "Fairport Convention" is the singer. Watch McDonald perform the magical song and solo with John Wetton who will become a member of the band in 1972, drummer Chester Thompson (Genesis), and guitarist Steve Hackett: The first side of the album ends with "Epitaph", an immortal, magical and mesmerizing piece, which is without a doubt one of the most unique and stunning pieces in the progressive rock genre. The song, which opens with the timpani drums, rolling and erupting like thunder on a rainy day, also introduces us for the first time to the heavy use of the Mellotron, a special instrument that will become one of the hallmarks that will define the band's sound and the progressive rock genre. The dystopian lyrics refer to the writer's fears about the content of the inscription on his tombstone. Greg Lake noted that this song is just a confused look at a world that has gone crazy. The other side of the album opens with "Moonchild", a 12-minute piece consisting of two parts: "The Dream" and "The Illusion". The first piece is a sort of short ballad that lasts about two and a half minutes and is led by the mellotron and vibraphone sounds of Ian McDonald, combined with Robert Fripp's howling guitar. Michael Giles' drumming and his cymbals work here are simply noteworthy. The song's second part is a long instrumental improvisation that lasts until the end. It is interesting to note that the "Doves" used a composition from the first part of the song as part of the song "M62 Song", which was included on their second album "The Last Broadcast". The album is sealed with a powerful climax with the theme song and masterpiece "The Court of the Crimson King". The song, written by Peter Sinfield and composed by Ian McDonald, is a sweeping musical celebration. Rivers of mellotron, with flute currents, string falls, and dripping drums and cymbals that carry the listener along with the current, into a world full of magic. The main part of the song consists of four verses and an instrumental section called "The Return of the Fire Witch", which is cut with the famous drum dribble (eighth minute) and leads us to the ending climax which ends abruptly followed by a short reprise called "The Dance of the Puppets". Watch this amazing song performed by McDonald, John Wetton, Chester Thompson, and Steve Hackett: We assume you've heard it before in the context of quite a few albums, but in this case, it's not a cliché. This phenomenal album has of course shaped the prog genre for generations, but it has also changed the whole world of music. It was a meteoric and one-time encounter between mighty musicians who created this wondrous and eternal magic. Robert Fripp's innovative and crazy music, Greg Lake's divine vocals, Ian McDonald's genius that was hidden in Fripp's shadow but his contribution to this album was tremendous and of course, Michael Giles whose drumming style on this album is still an influence to young drummers. We know you already know it by heart, but if only for its anniversary, click Play and come listen to this Masterpiece: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On October 9, 1978, "Judas Priest" released their fifth studio album, "Killing Machine", which arrived in the United States in February 28, 1979 under the title "Hell Bent for Leather". There comes a point when a band realizes just how much it can say in three minutes. After the drama, complexity and dark atmosphere of "Stained Class", "Judas Priest" began writing songs with a clear sense of direction. The riffs grew leaner, the choruses sharper, and the guitars had more room to bite. Along the way, the band also developed a look that now feels inseparable from metal. Black leather, studs and stage confidence suited music that was shedding anything standing between the band and its audience. The Birmingham band had an especially busy 1978. "Stained Class" came out in February, and just a few months later they were recording another album. Singer Rob Halford, guitarists K. K. Downing and Glenn Tipton, bassist Ian Hill and drummer Les Binks brought experience earned on the road and a clear ambition to reach more listeners. The interplay between the two guitars was already central to their sound, but here they learned to make it work within focused songs that audiences could grasp on the first listen. Recording took place in August 1978 at London's "Utopia" and "CBS" studios, with James Guthrie producing and engineering alongside the band as co-producers. The sound lets us hear the change without making the album excessively glossy. Hill's bass has weight, Binks' drums have movement, and there is enough space between the guitars to hear the details. Tipton and Downing still trade barbs and solos, but now every addition has to serve the song. This is an album driven less by intricate structures than by character. "Delivering the Goods" opens with an unmistakable statement of intent. The guitars ride a greasy, swaggering riff, while the rhythm section leaves it plenty of room to swing. Halford sings as though he can already see the packed hall in front of him, moving from gritty lows to piercing high screams without losing his sense of enjoyment. The lyrics promise power, noise and uncompromising delivery, and the band backs up every word. There is still plenty of rock and roll here, which is exactly its appeal. Before their metal becomes a fully tuned machine, we get to hear it dance. Written by Tipton, "Hell Bent for Leather" packs one of the band's most recognizable calling cards into less than three minutes. The rhythmic riff races ahead, Halford describes a mysterious figure speeding down the highway, and the solo intensifies the sense of pursuit. Not a second is wasted. Even without seeing the motorcycle onstage, you can almost hear the engine. Its association with the band's live shows made it much more than another strong track, but the recording itself endures through precise songwriting and a performance brimming with momentum. "Take On the World" shows where the ambition to reach a broader audience could lead. The emphatic drums, easy-to-follow beat and communal chorus recall the thinking behind "Queen"'s "We Will Rock You". Musical twists give way to a call for unity and strength in numbers. When the single reached number 14 in Britain in early 1979, "Priest" proved that their voice could carry beyond the circle of metal fans. Some of the album's most interesting colors emerge between the grand statements. "Evening Star" leans more heavily on melody and a sense of longing, while "Burnin' Up" makes room for groove, heat and tension. "Running Wild", meanwhile, sends the pulse racing again with energetic guitars and a spirit of release. These tracks do not all sound like early rehearsals for "British Steel". They capture a band still enjoying the freedom to move between hard rock, metal and songs with the makings of successful singles. The title track, "Killing Machine", adds a more unsettling dimension. Beneath its direct riff is a narrator who treats violence as a job and money as sufficient justification. Halford does not need to turn the performance into a horror show to convey that coldness. It is one of those moments that remind us that even as the band becomes more accessible, it has not entirely abandoned the darkness. "Before the Dawn" is the moment when all that leather and metal give way to vulnerability. The acoustic guitar and melodic electric guitar create a small, intimate space, while Halford lowers the intensity and asks someone who is about to leave to stay a little longer. The solo does not try to conquer the pain through speed, but carries it forward in short phrases. It is a beautiful ballad, and above all a reminder that Halford's greatness also lies in his ability to hold his voice back. It is important to distinguish between the two releases. The original British edition contained ten tracks. When the album reached the United States in 1979, "Columbia" released it as "Hell Bent for Leather" and added "The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown)", written by Peter Green for "Fleetwood Mac". The track also appears on later editions of "Killing Machine", making it easy to assume it was there from the beginning. The 2001 edition also added "Fight for Your Life" and a live version of "Riding on the Wind", later additions that should not be confused with the original recordings. "Priest"'s version of "The Green Manalishi (With the Two-Pronged Crown)" is simply immense!!! The guitars double the riff's power, while the vocal harmonies give it an almost ritualistic feel. Green wrote a dark song that already contained those raw materials, and the band knew how to bring them to the surface in their own way. It is a superb example of a cover that respects the original while developing a personality of its own, and one of the songs they would carry onto the stage, culminating in a definitive, timeless performance on "Unleashed in the East". Rosław Szaybo's cover artwork conveys the change without needing an explanation. The face, glasses, leather and studs create a figure that invites us to feel its menace and allure rather than get to know the person behind it. Around this time, Halford brought a leather look influenced by gay club culture onto the stage. Audiences embraced the image without necessarily knowing its origins, and it would eventually become part of metal's visual language. Commercially, the album reached number 32 in Britain, while the success of "Take On the World" gave the band valuable exposure. It was also their last studio album with Binks, whose style lends the songs flexibility. "Unleashed in the East" would follow in 1979, and in 1980 "British Steel" would turn this direct approach into one of the band's greatest triumphs. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or subscribe to our website

On October 9, 1990, "Slayer" released "Seasons in the Abyss", their fifth studio album. Starting with the fast and furious opening "War Ensemble" reminiscent of the "Reign in Blood" album, and ending with "Seasons in the Abyss", whose heaviness corresponds with "Black Sabbath" and its opening riff could have been included on an "Alice In Chains" album, This is the album that best represents the amazing abilities and musical diversity of the band. Although the album "Reign in Blood" is considered the band's musical peak, we often debate with ourselves as to whether "Seasons in the Abyss" deserves this title more, if only because it proves the band's musical maturity and its writing and performance abilities, that have only improved since "Reign in Blood ". So let's tell you a few facts about this excellent album: 1. This is the band's fifth studio album and its third consecutive album produced by Rick Rubin. Andy Wallace co-produced, engineered and mixed the record. 2. It is also the band's first album to enter the Top 40 of the US Billboard 200. 3. And also the band's third consecutive album which reached gold album status, and it even did so faster than the other two. 4. The album combines elements and style from the band's two previous albums, while also in terms of its speed and rhythms it is a kind of average between the fast "Reign in Blood" and the more relaxed "South Of Heaven". 5. The theme song "Seasons in the Abyss" written by guitarist Jeff Hanneman and bassist/singer Tom Araya, is also the band's first song to win a video clip that aired heavily on MTV, especially "Headbangers Ball". The clip was shot, among other places, near the pyramids in Giza, Egypt. 6. The punk metal band "S.O.D." Homage the song and album with their own song called "Seasoning the Obese". 7. The second clip released by the band from the album is "War Ensemble". This Clip too, won a rotation on the "Headbangers Ball". 8. The song "Blood Red" is a song that talks about civilians rebelling against totalitarian regimes. Araya noted that he thought about the events of Tiananmen Square in China and when he wrote the song, he saw before his eyes the picture of the student standing proudly in front of the Chinese tank. 9. "Spirit in Black" is written about the angel of death and the evil spirits that take people's souls. 10. The Track “Expendable Youth” refers to gang wars and the fact that they cause unnecessary death of young children. 11. "Dead Skin Mask" was written about the serial killer Ed Gein, who used to shed his victim's skin and wear it as a garment. At the end of the song you can hear words like "I do not want to play anymore, Mr. Gein." And "LET ME OUT!" 12. The lyrics to the song "Hallowed Point" were written by bassist and singer Tom Araya on the type of bullet called a "hollow point" that does a lot of damage to a person's internal organs when it penetrates the body. He was asked if it was a song against guns and said he was not against but also not in favor, and that he holds a weapon. 13. "Temptation" contains two different vocal takes by Tom Araya, one sung his way and the other according to Kerry King's suggestion. The two takes were accidentally played back together. King liked the result, and both were retained on the record. 14. Reproducing the two vocal parts of "Temptation" live was a challenge. The song had already been performed in the early 1990s and returned in 2010 when the band played "Seasons in the Abyss" in full. 15. "Born of Fire" was supposed to be instrumental. Guitarist Kerry King improvised lyrics while recording, the band loved it and the instrumental section became a song. 16. The song "Skeletons Of Society" is about the evils in society, the decline of civilization, and the eventual Armageddon we are headed for. 17. In 2014 the band released a special Christmas greeting card featuring the album cover after undergoing a Santa Claus-inspired change. 18. Henkka Seppälä, bassist of "Children of Bodom", described it to "Metal Hammer" in 1998 as his choice for the greatest metal album of all time. 19. At the 1991 "Foundations Forum", the "Seasons in the Abyss" video shared the Best Video award with "Jane's Addiction"'s "Been Caught Stealing". It was a tie, rather than a victory over the other video. 20. "Loudwire" magazine ranked the album second among Slayer's albums, the first being of course "Reign in Blood". For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music Follow us on Facebook or Subscribe to our website "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog & Podcast