Pearl Jam's fifth album was released on February 3, 1998 and is a slightly different and special album as the atmosphere inside and outside the house began to change... After in 1996 Pearl Jam released the album "No Code" and failed to promote it with an impressive tour, in light of the confrontation with Ticketmaster but rather something more minimal. The band members returned to their "hometown" tired, mature and hungry going in to the mythical recording studio Studio X in Seattle. So what has changed inside the house...? After three commercially successful albums, the members took a step back with "No Code". over the years Eddie Vedder has transformed from being the new kid in the bunch and the one who adapts himself to the materials written by the rest of the band, to the one who leads the writing and creation. Eddie is the one who, in addition to writing the lyrics, also composed the structure of the songs, the melody and the arrangement, as he slowly took the lead from the rest of the band. After recording the album "No Code", Eddie approached the rest of the band and told them that he was tired of leading the creation and that it was difficult for him to cope with all the stress and load that the writing lead brings with it. He asked them that in the next album everyone would already come up with prepared materials of songs and that everyone would be partners in writing and making decisions. The band members, plus the "new" drummer Jack Irons who also featured on the previous album (and this is his latest album with the band), and producer Brendan O'Brien, all contributed to writing the materials for the album. The atmosphere was very cooperative and open, which the band members testified did not really exist in the past. Eddie openly accepted the ideas of others and worked first on their materials and only then on his. Make no mistakes, not everything was done on bed of roses, there were arguments, there was competition and there were also disagreements. This is how it is when working in a democratic way and everyone wants to express what they have in order for it to be released on the album. There is a nice documentary called "Single Video Theory" that documents the recordings for the album where you can watch the dynamics between the band members. So what has changed outside the house...? From the previous album, the music industry began to change, although the album reached number one on Billboard, it dropped very quickly. At the same time, Nirvana disappeared from the scene in light of Kurt Cobain 's suicide, Soundgarden releases their latest album to that dat and Alice also shrinks, with all of these giants leaving Pearl Jam alone in the turret as the last band in the Seattle grunge scene. Thus, this album came by force of energy to the first place on Billboard, but crashed very quickly. And as Eddie said in an interview: "We're not the same people we were five years ago. There's 'cool' and 'cynical,' which to me is dull and boring…I'm a little more positive about the whole trip now. We've had time to count some blessings. I'm in a tremendous position, being in a band and making music. I'd be an idiot not to enjoy the opportunity." If you ask the band's fans, most of them will say that this album is a kind of return to the origins, to the style of "Ten" , a rough, direct and strong rock and roll. True, there are some tracks on the album that sound like the last two albums but mostly sounds like the early 1990s Seattle. Listen to the album at: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On February 3, 1986 "The Firm" released their second and last album "Mean Business". As well known, "The Firm" is a supergroup consisting of guitarist Jimmy Page , singer Paul Rodgers , bassist Tony Franklin and drummer Chris Slade. The group released their successful debut album "The Firm" in 1985 and the expectation of the record company was to produce a follow-up album that would maintain the streak, as soon as possible. This album did not succeed in surpassing its predecessor, but it is still a good album that is worth listening to, after all, this is a tremendous collection of talents that are responsible for this work and we are here to convince you to give it a try. One of the reasons that this album was not as successful as the previous one, was because of the band itself. The members of "The Firm" decided to break up shortly after the release of the album, thereby conveying a message to the audience and critics, that even we do not believe in our work. It's a bit strange that this wonderful supergroup didn't give itself a chance and performed a quick "Hara-kiri", especially considering the fact that the name of the album is intended to convey exactly the opposite, with a double meaning in which "Mean Business" can be interpreted as the music market is a "tough business" and on the other hand can be interpreted that the band "Mean Business" (The Firm Mean Business). At first listen, this album seems to be less flowing and more uniform than its predecessor. There are some songs that feel underdeveloped and some that feel overproduced. But with each listen, every song seems to get better and better and slowly we discover that this album is actually quite good and original in its own right. (Photo: Spotify) The album opens with " Fortune Hunter ", a song originally written for another supergroup called "XYZ", in 1981. It was a short-lived project formed following the death of drummer John Bonham and the breakup of "Led Zeppelin". Robert Plant and Jimmy Page decided to join forces with Chris Squire and Alan White from "Yes". Where the name of the supergroup alludes to the two "mother bands" (XYZ = eX Yes, Zeppelin). However, this promising supergroup disbanded within a year without producing any recorded material. " Fortune Hunter " is a song from that project, originally written by Jimmy Page and Chris Squire and reworked for the album. A song that faithfully represents the band's sound. Strong and well-known riffs by Jimmy Page , powerful and effortful vocals by Paul Rodgers , the frenzied bass guitar of Tony Franklin who is also responsible for playing the keyboards and the steady and solid drumming of Chris Slade who a few years later will join "AC/DC" to create the album " The Razors Edge ". This is followed by " Cadillac " written by Page and Rodgers, with Franklin's "doped up" fretless bass, a slow trance-like blues fueled by Page's moaning guitars, which we like to call "stoner blues". This is without a doubt one of the more interesting songs on the first side of the album, which is held by the rhythm unit of Franklin and Slade. Singer Paul Rodgers contributes the next two great songs - " All the King's Horses " which is probably the "hit" of the album. A catchy and beautiful pop-rock song driven by Franklin's synthesizers and the beautiful melody in Rodgers' voice, but leaning quite a bit on Page's beautiful guitar work (although there is no solo here at all) and especially on his four-note arpeggio right before entering the chorus. " Live in Peace " closes the first side of the vinyl with a strong and clear message. The song opens with the piano playing of Paul Rodgers which creates an atmosphere that is very reminiscent of "Bad Company", especially in view of his sweeping vocals. Page's strong and surprising guitar blasts, his crazy solo and Franklin's very special bass work enhance the enjoyment of this special song. Interestingly, the song was originally recorded for Paul Rodgers ' first solo album from 1983 - "Cut Loose". The versions differ mainly in the rhythm of Chris Slade playing the mid-pace here compared to the original version, except for the end of the song, but this is actually the strength of the current version, as it adds the necessary drama to the song. Apart from that, it is clear that the accompaniment of three professional musicians is far superior to the Rogers version, who insisted on playing most of the instruments himself on his solo album. Rogers also released a new version of the song on his compilation album "Live in Peace". The second side of the vinyl opens up with " Tear Down the Walls " written by Page and Rodgers. A good and catchy pop-rock song that could have been the next hit from the album, had it been released as a single. In this case, the song leans on the rhythm division of Slade and Franklin when Page pads the song by playing an acoustic guitar that wraps around the streetcar sound from all directions. Next comes the jazzy " Dreaming " written by Tony Franklin whose guitar work and general vibe, for some reason, reminded us of "King Crimson" and Robert Fripp . This is undoubtedly the unique gem of the album, which contains some very surprising turns. It is interesting to note, that in the solos of the last three songs (" Live in Peace ", " Tear Down the Walls ", " Dreaming ") Jimmy Page uses a special device that is mounted on his Fender Telecaster guitar and is called a B-Bender. This is a device originally used by country and country-rock artists to mimic the sound of a pedal steel. This rig gives Page the ability to bend his guitar's B string up a whole note and provide a smoother sound in his solos. We come to a close with " Free to Live " which starts with another Jimmy Page rooted riff, but immediately takes a turn with bass work, vocals and a beat very reminiscent of "Bad Company". " Spirit of Love " written by Paul Rodgers was chosen to close the album, and it is very clear to us why this choice was made. It's a song that opens in an epic way with Rodgers' piano work, but also closes in an even more epic way with the chorus and the choir that accompanies Rodgers until the end and creates a "rock opera" atmosphere. This is probably the song that Page had the least influence on this album, although it does feature a number of solos. In conclusion, although it probably doesn't quite reach the level of the debut album "The Firm" from 1985 "Mean Business" is without a doubt an album worth listening to. It's an excellent rock album with many strengthsת that left a taste for more from the excellent supergroup that could and should have done more and last longer than its short life. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

And this morning we'll tell you about the album that predicted the symptoms of the Covid-19 virus back in 1981 (well, not really). We are referring to the album "Difficult to Cure" the fifth studio album by "Rainbow", which was released on February 3, 1981. This album continues the trend that started after the album " Long Live Rock 'n' Roll " from the Ronnie James Dio era and passed through the previous album "Down To Earth". A trend led by the vision of "The Man in Black", Ritchie Blackmore , who frantically sought a hit that would conquer the world's radio stations. The change in perception comes to Blackmore after " Long Live Rock 'n' Roll " who manages to enter the top ten on the UK charts and even spawn some singles with minor hits like "LA Connection" and of course the theme song. Blackmore was not content with the aforementioned minor success and sought to make significant changes in the sound and direction of the band. As a result, Blackmore and Dio parted ways. Dio later joined "Black Sabbath", while Blackmore began realizing his vision. It started with the addition of singer Graham Bonnet and a reunion with his longtime friend Roger Glover who took the bass role. The changes Blackmore made and the friendlier sound adopted by the band paid off, with the 1979 album " Down to Earth " producing two radio hits in the form of "Since You Have Gone" and "All Night Long", which help the album climb to sixth place in the British chart. But as you're already guessing, Blackmore was still not content with the relative success of that album and push the band even in a more commercial direction, with one of the role models for hin being "Foreigner". Cozy Powell smelled the commercial change and was the first to "abandon ship". He managed to hold on for one more album after Dio left, but was no longer willing to accept the fundamental change in style and sound. Immediately after, singer Graham Bonnet also left the band, both of whom will eventually find their way to the "Michael Schenker Group". Work on the material for the album begins while singer Graham Bonnet is still in the band. There is even an early version of the song " I Surrender " with Bonnet on vocals. But it was precisely this song that created the controversy between Bonnet and Blackmore and would eventually lead Graham to leave the band. The musicians selected to replace Powell and Bonnet, are drummer Bob Rondinelli and singer Joe Lynn Turner , both of whom were fairly anonymous until then. Turner's band "Fandango" from New York just broke up and he wandered between auditions and studios in search of a new lineup. One day he got a call from a guy named Barry Ambrosio who started asking him questions about "Deep Purple" and "Rainbow." It seemed strange to Turner and he asked Berry why he was asking him all these questions. Berry replied that he was currently standing next to Ritchie Blackmore asking to find out if he would be willing to audition. Turner thought he was laying with him, but Ritchie Blackmore grabbed the phone and a few days later Turner had already arrived at the Long Island studio where he met Blackmore and Glover. The two played him songs intended for the album and ten minutes later he had already started singing them. He knew his performance was good because he saw Glover and Blackmore beyond the studio glass shaking their heads in a positive way. They later asked him to sing " I Surrender ". He asked if he could improvise and Glover and Blackmore confirmed. After his performance, Blackmore walked into the studio with some beers and told Turner he got the job. When singer Joe Lynn Turner joined the band, most of the musical parts, that were tuned to Bonnet's voice had already been recorded. As a result, Turner was forced to sing in a higher-than-usual tone and only because of this he deserves a compliment for his performance on this album. It can be said that Ritchie Blackmore 's vision came true, as the album became one of the band's most successful, not least thanks to the excellent production of Roger Glover who not only played bass, but also sharpened and crystalized the songs in his role as producer. This album produced Rainbow's most successful single of all time - " I Surrender ", which also won a nice clip and reached number three on the UK charts. This song was written by musician Russ Ballard who even helped "Rainbow" create another hit from the previous album - "Since You've Been Gone". It is interesting to note that according to a version given by Biff Byford from "Saxon", Russ Ballard first offered the song to the producer of "Saxon", but in the end, it was sold to "Rainbow". But the album is certainly not just the hit " I Surrender ". It features other worthy songs like " Spotlight Kid " written by Ritchie Blackmore in collaboration with Roger Glover and features excellent drumming by Rondinelli. The song with the fast pace was Ritchie Blackmore 's favorite opener in the band's shows. Blackmore's guitar playing is wonderful and his solos are classic, brilliant and amazing. All is left to wonder, whether the lyrics are a sort of autobiography about "The Man in Black". " No Release " starts with a cool intro full of reverb combined with distortion. It develops into a number with "Zeppelin" influences. Turner's singing in the first verse reminds us of Paul Rodgers 's. Overall this song seems to have much more potential if Blackmore had given up the unnecessary applause section in the middle of it. " Magic " is simply a sweet and melodic "magic", on the verge of Pop, with amazing singing by Turner. It is also the third single released from the album, written by Brian Moran. The instrumental piece " Vielleicht Das Nächste Mal " is a bluesy, weepy piece that manages to excite, with perfect Blackmore playing and excellent keyboard work by Don Airey, who also co-wrote it with Ritchie Blackmore . This is not the only instrumental track on the album. There's also the theme track " Difficult to Cure ", which is a kind of reproduction of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, which has even received writing credit here. Ritchie Blackmore used to improvise on this piece at length during the band's performances. At the band's performance at Budokan, Japan in 1984, this piece was even played accompaniment by an entire orchestra, a sort of nod to "Deep Purple's" " Concerto for Group and Orchestra ". If we have already mentioned the mother band, then this piece was also played at "Depp Purple's" performances, after their reunion. " Can't Happen Here " opens up the second side of the vinyl in a storm, with its catchy riff and rhythmic and sweeping chorus, that includes vocal harmonies with a gospel scent. This is the second single released from the album and the choice was clear and in line with Ritchie Blackmore 's ambitions to break through into the mainstream. The song was written by Ritchie Blackmore and its lyrics are a kind of sarcastic protest on environmental issues. It is interesting to note that the b-side chosen for this song is " Jealous Lover ", an excellent track that was recorded after the album's release and was not included in it. The lyrics to the song recorded on Ritchie Blackmore 's 36th birthday, were written by Joe Lynn Turner in five minutes, during an argument between him and Blackmore over another song. It was also released later that year as part of an EP of the same name and includes another new instrumental track that was not included on the album "Weiss Heim". " Freedom Fighter " continues the commercial line, influenced by 1980s Rock. This is the first song that singer Joe Lynn Turner wrote lyrics for. In contrast, in the song " Midtown Tunnel Vision " written by Turner, Blackmore and Glover, has a scent of "Rainbow" from the days of Ronnie James Dio . The album cover looks very relevant in the face of the Covid-19 virus. It was initially offered to "Black Sabbath" for their " Never Say Die! " album, but was rejected. It is interesting to note that the recording technician on the album is Flemming Rasmusse, who was then only 23 years old. Fleming was also one of the owners of the studio where the album was recorded in Copenhagen, Denmark, and his work on this album would earn him world fame. "Metallica" who was enthusiastic about the sound of this album, will come to this studio three years later and ask to record the masterpiece album " Ride The Lightning " with Flemming as a producer. Fleming will also produce Metallica's next two albums, " Master Of Puppets " and " ...And Justice For All ". For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

He is part of one of the most important and big bands of the 90s. Robert DeLeo was born on February 2, 1966, and yes, he is the brother of Dean DeLeo !! (Photo: Jeff Berting) = He and his brother were born and raised in New Jersey, his brother is 5 years older than him. = Besides music Robert started surfing at the age of 9 and was also on the Point Pleasant Beach skateboarding team. = Although he grew up in a beach town and his soul always tried to take him there he had to pursue his musical destiny and after graduating high school he moved to Los Angeles. = Since he had no money or friends he lived in his car for a year trying to break into the Los Angeles music scene and form a band. = In 1985, Robert met Scott Weiland in a Black Flag show. While talking about music and other things, fate wanted and they found out they are in a relationship with the same woman !! After the (lucky) girl left and moved to Texas, the two decided to take her apartment in San Diego, live together and try to form a band. = They added drummer Eric Kretz and Robert embarked on a campaign to persuade his brother to join the band, although it was not easy, Dean finally agreed and joined the band. = They gave her the name "Mighty Joe Young" inspired by the movie of the same name. They began appearing in bars throughout San Diego and the Hollywood area, eventually signing a record deal with Atlantic Records in 1992. (Photo: John Eder) = But they had to change their name because it was already taken by a blues musician. Scott is the one who brought the name "Stone Temple Pilots" just because of the "cool" acronyms taken from the oil company STP, the initial name was generally "Shirley Temple's Pussy", the band members said that there is no meaning at all it just matched the acronyms. = At the beginning of the band's career Robert worked for "Schecter Guitar Research"ת which was a company that manufactures guitar parts. During his time there, Robert built his first bass guitar, which was a prototype and eventually became a Signature Guitar. = In September 1992, the band released their debut album " Core " . It was the band's breakthrough album, one of the best-selling debut albums of all time, with sales of over 8 million copies. Twice as much as the album " Dirt " by "Alice in Chains", which was released the same day. In light of the style and musical sound of the album the band automatically joined the grunge scene that conquered the world at the time. = But despite this, the band received quite a bit of criticism and slander from critics who called it an impersonator or imitation as it was not part of Seattle's music roots. But this of course did not affect the listeners themselves who voted with their ears and raised the band to the top of the charts. = In 1994 "STP" broke through the "Second Album Syndrome" when its second album "Purple " was also a huge success. The band did so while taking a risk, which involved a conscious decision not to repeat the winning recipe from the previous album. While changing and diversifying the musical material that this time included influences of psychedelic, progressive, folk, funk, southern rock, blues, and even jazz. = Even during the recordings, Scott's condition began to deteriorate as drug and alcohol use increased significantly. Due to its poor performance, the band decided to take a break until the third album "Tiny Music... Songs from the Vatican Gift Shop" was released in 1996. It is an album that was a turning point in the band's musical style as it abandons the grunge sound and explores other areas, one step ahead of what began on the previous album. = The rift between Scott and the other members widened and reached its peak after the album's release, Scott's growing addiction, behavioral problems, and inability to function pushed the other three members to set up a side project in the meantime, hoping they could return to function as a band. Together with singer Dave Coutts from the band In Inch Man, they formed a new band called Talk Show and even released an album bearing the band's name in 1997. (Photo: John Eden) = Apparently time really heals the wounds because the four members managed to transcend themselves, resolve their differences and return to work together in early 1998. The reunion put positive energies in the band that the four members poured into the writing process, with all the songs written by all members together in the studio. The legendary producer who regularly worked with the band, Brendan O'Brien, pushed them to put their heart and soul into the album and in 1999 released their fourth album " No. 4" = Two years later the band releases their fifth album " Shangri-La Dee Da " . The album also produced by Brendan O'Brien, is the band's most experimental album, it cruises between genres of rock, psychedelia and even pop, with influences from The Doors, The Beatles, and even Bowie. It is very different from their previous album but resembles the album "Tiny Music". = In light of the ongoing rift that only widened between Scott and the rest of the band, the band officially disbanded in 2002. = In 2003 the DeLeo brothers reunite with other artists and this time together with the singer Richard Patrick from the band Filter and the drummer Ray Luzier from the band "Korn" who formed the band Army of Anyone. They released one album bearing the band's name in 2006, which did receive great reviews and love from fans of the parent band but did not yield significant sales or commercial success. (Photo: Army of Anyone) = In the same year, the DeLeo brothers produced the album "TruANT", the third album by the band Alien Ant Farm. = In 2007 Robert collaborated with the Japanese rock band "B'z", he recorded with them two songs on the album "Action" and five songs on the album "New Love" which also featured guitarist Joe Perry = In 2008 the band was invited to perform privately at a fundraising event, as history teaches us in these events, this "one-time" event reignited the spark of the four members and they went on a tour to celebrate the reunion. = In 2010, 9 years after their fifth album, the band releases their sixth album bearing the band's name. This album was mostly influenced by the country style as well as the 60s rock style. The album reached No. 2 on the Billboard 200. (Photo: STPLegacy) = After the release of the album and for three years the band suffered from extreme instability. Tough internal struggles and confrontations between the three band members and Scott began to intensify and take on different and weird forms. Scott was accused of preferring his solo career over the band, drug, and alcohol use was a regular theme in the fights and also his ability to perform on stage was a point of confrontation. In 2013 Scott was officially fired from the band, after some legal battles they managed to gain the rights of holding and performing under the band name. = In May of that year, a veteran but not anonymous fan named Chester Bennington fulfilled his long-time dream as he took the stage with the idols of his youth, Stone Temple Pilots. A few months later Chester becomes the band's official singer and they release an EP with five songs called "High Rise" , all songs were written by Chester, and "STP". But this love story does not last long and ends in 2015 in light of Chester's commitments to "Linkin Park". = In February 2016, the band launched an online campaign to recruit a new lead singer for the band, they requested the audience to send a recorded demo and performed a number of auditions when the singer Jeff Gutt was finally selected. = In 2018 the band released its seventh album which also bears its name, with its new singer Jeff, where the album marked the band's new beginning. (Photo: Michelle Shiers) = In 2020 the band released their eighth album "Perdida " . This is not a typical "STP" album and you will not hear even one rough riff or a small power cord for medicine here. True, there is nothing different or innovative here, but there is still an album that manages to evoke in us longings for other and beautiful times, manages to elaborate on the capillaries of emotion, and reminds us how fun it is sometimes to suddenly press the brake, a magical pause, in the middle of all the hustle and bustle. = Robert is a talented musician who has been a full partner in writing, arranging, and producing the band's albums and other bands. Listen to the band's latest album " Perdida " on: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

He formed "The Hollies", he was part of the supergroup "Crosby, Stills & Nash", he was inducted twice into the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame", he is an officer of the British Empire Order and he holds four honorary doctorates. Here are some facts about singer and musician Graham Nash. (Photo: mubi.com) 1. He was born on 2 Feb 1942 in Blackpool Lancashire, England. His full name is Graham William Nash. 2. In 1962 he formed "The Hollies", with his classmate Allan Clarke. He immediately became its lead songwriter along with its guitar player and vocalist. 3. The band's first album was released in 1964. By 1967 Nash would release along with "The Hollies" 7 studio albums before leaving the band. 4. Later, in 1983, Nash returned to "The Hollies" to mark the 20th anniversary, releasing two more albums, "What Goes Around" and "Reunion". 5. In 1965, Nash, Clark and guitarist Tony Hicks formed a private label called "Gralto Music Ltd", through which they managed the songs they wrote. The label also signed young Elton John on a recording contract, after being featured on "The Hollies" recordings from 1969-1970. 6. During Nash's visit to the United States, with "The Hollies" in 1966, he first met David Crosby and Stephen Stills . 7. In July 1968 he met them again, in a private party held at Joni Mitchell's home. The two played a new song written by Stills and Nash joined them singing a third harmony. Right at that moment it was clear to the three of them, that there was an amazing vocal chemistry between them, that could not be ignored. 8. The crazy vocal chemistry and the special connection between the three, caused Nash to leave "The Hollies" and join the emerging "Supergroup" which will be called "Crosby, Stills and Nash". (Photo: Michael Ochs Archives) 9. In May 1969, the supergroup's first album " Crosby, Stills & Nash ", was released. 10. About three months after the release of their debut album, "CSN" has already appeared at the legendary Woodstock Festival. It was only their second live show ever. 11. Neil Young will take the stage and join the trio in the second and more "electric" part of the show. This moment will be the trigger that will turn the trio into the quartet "CSNY", when Neil Young joins them as a full member. 12. Already at the early days of the supergroup, Nash wrote some of its beautiful and successful songs such as: "Marrakesh Express", "Our House", "Teach Your Children" and more. 13. He wrote the song "Our House" about his then-girlfriend, singer Joni Mitchell. 14. In 1971 Nash released his first solo album "Songs for Beginners". Nash will later release 5 more studio albums, the most recent being "This Path Tonight" from 2016. 15. In 1972, during the hiatus of "CSNY" Nash and David Crosby worked as a duo to release four studio albums, including the excellent debut named after them: "Graham Nash David Crosby". 16. Nash is known to be very socially active. This is reflected, among other things, in the songs he has written, such as "Military Madness", "Chicago" and "Immigration Man". In 1979 he also founded the Association of Musicians for Safe Energy, while opposing the expansion of nuclear power in the world. 17. In 1997 Nash was inducted into the "Rock & Roll Hall of Fame", as a member of the "Crosby, Stills & Nash". 18. In 2005 he collaborated with "A-Ha" on the song "Over the Treetops". 19. In 2006 he and David Crosby were featured on David Gilmour's " On an Island " album. Later the two also accompanied Gilmour in his performances. 20. In 2010 he will be inducted again into the "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame", this time as a member of the band "The Hollies". 21. At the same year he was also appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire. 22. Nash holds four honorary doctorates, one of them from NYIT University. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On January 22, 2016, “Megadeth” released their fifteenth studio album “Dystopia”. At a moment when expectations from “Megadeth” were cautious rather than enthusiastic, the album quickly revealed itself as one of the most important statements of the band’s later years. For a group so deeply associated with the golden age of thrash metal, the mid-2010s felt like uncertain territory. Lineup changes had become routine, confidence was shaken after the lukewarm reception to “Super Collider”, and yet “Dystopia” arrived sounding lean, hostile, and unexpectedly vital. This was not a band leaning on history. This was a band fighting for relevance. The period leading up to the album was marked by upheaval. Longtime members - drummer Shawn Drover and guitarist Chris Broderick departed, once again leaving Dave Mustaine  and David Ellefson as the sole constant. Instead of attempting to recreate a classic lineup, Mustaine rebuilt the band with intent. "Angra" guitarist Kiko Loureiro joined for the first time, bringing technical fluency and melodic confidence, while Chris Adler of “Lamb of God” handled drums for what would become his only appearance with the band. It was also the final Megadeth studio album to feature bassist David Ellefson. Produced by Mustaine alongside Chris Rakestraw, “Dystopia” sounds cold, tight, and unforgiving. The production strips away excess, emphasizing sharp riffs, locked-in grooves, and vocals delivered with controlled venom. There is no warmth here, only pressure. The sound mirrors the album’s worldview: rigid systems, collapsing trust, and a society driven by fear and manipulation. Lyrically, Mustaine returns to familiar territory, corrupt leadership, manufactured enemies, and the erosion of personal freedom. This time, however, the message never overwhelms the music. The paranoia is embedded within the structures themselves, rigid rhythms, abrupt shifts, and an almost mechanical sense of restraint that makes the album feel claustrophobic by design. “The Threat Is Real”  opens the album by slowly building tension before exploding into a crushing riff, immediately establishing the record’s dark and hostile atmosphere. “Dystopia”  follows with one of the band’s strongest modern hooks, aggressive and direct, balancing memorability with bite. It is undoubtly one of the bands best song in the current milennum, no wonder it won the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance at the 2017, the band's first win after 12 nominations. The lead single from the album - “Fatal Illusion”  accelerates the pace, driven by Adler’s precise drumming and Mustaine’s snarling delivery, recalling classic thrash energy (at times remencent of " Loved to Death " from " Killing Is My Business... and Business Is Good! " ) through a modern lens. The album’s emotional low point arrives with “Poisonous Shadows” , where piano (played by Kiko Loureiro) and orchestration replace speed. The song explores psychological decay and obsession, revealing a weary, theatrical side of Mustaine rarely heard in later-era "Megadeth" material. “Post American World”  sharpens the political edge, its chugging riffs and layered guitars reinforcing a sense of looming instability. The instrumental “Conquer or Die!”  serves as Kiko Loureiro’s defining statement. Rooted in neoclassical phrasing and technical precision, it highlights how vital his arrival was to the album’s identity, injecting fresh energy without breaking from the band’s core language. “Lying in State”  stands as one of the album’s most venomous statements. Built around a grinding mid tempo riff, the song channels pure distrust toward political leadership, media manipulation, and institutional decay. Near the album’s end, "Megadeth" deliver a blistering cover of “Foreign Policy” , originally recorded by the American hardcore punk band “Fear” in 1982. Stripped of its raw punk looseness and rebuilt with thrash precision, the song fits seamlessly into “Dystopia”’s ideological framework. The Japanese edition includes an additional cover version of “Melt the Ice Away”  by the Welsh power trio “Budgie”. In the broader context of “Megadeth”’s discography, “Dystopia” is widely regarded as the band’s clearest late-career revival. The album was embraced as a genuine return to form, earning mostly positive critical responses and restoring confidence after the disappointment of its predecessor. In our view, this can be attributed to three main factors: tight, aggressive songwriting that echoes the band’s classic thrash era, Dave Mustaine ’s vocals sounding focused and controlled rather than strained, and a reinvigorated lineup that injected fresh energy, particularly Kiko Loureiro, whose playing was widely praised. Commercially, its debut at number three on the Billboard 200 made it the second highest-charting album of "Megadeth’s" career in the U.S., surpassed only by “ Countdown to Extinction ”. The Grammy Award win for the title track further elevated its status, giving the album a symbolic weight unmatched by any other post-classic "Megadeth" release. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

And then they were four... On February 2, 1976, "Genesis" released "A Trick of the Tail". This is the band's seventh studio album and its first without Peter Gabriel , with Phil Collins taking his place as the lead singer. The album's story begins with a tour that accompanied the release of the double album " The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway ". In the middle of the tour, Peter Gabriel expressed his desire to leave the band. The message was received in complete shock by the other band members. Just as the band is on the rise and receiving appreciation from critics, precisely when it's at an advanced stage of its musical development, right after the double and most ambitious album, Gabriel announces that he is tired. He want's to retire and spend time with his family. Gabriel was such a theatrical, magnetizing and charismatic character. He was the band's channel of communication with the audience and did this in such a great and unique way, that the other band members were confident that his departure would simply lead to the band to its end. Immediately after touring and while confident that the band would no longer be playing together again, Steve Hackett began work on his first solo album "Voyage of the Acolyte". Hackett collaborated on this album with his "Genesis" friends, Phil Collins and Mike Rutherford . At the same time, keyboardist Tony Banks began working on materials for what he thought was going to be his solo album. And so it seemed, that in the absence of Peter Gabriel , each of the members was going his own way. But the four remaining members somehow knew that they had much more to give, creatively, as a band. And so, against all odds, in the middle of 1975 they decided to meet and start working on material for a new album. They started with the material Tony Banks wrote for what he thought would become his solo album. During the work on the new materials, the band tried to find a new singer to replace Peter Gabriel . The four friends realized they needed a dominant and charismatic singer who would be able to get into Peter Gabriel 's big shoes. At that time, no announcement was made about Gabriel's departure and the band published an anonymous ad in the "Melody Maker" newspaper which read: "a singer for a Genesis-type group". In response, the band members received hundreds of requests for auditions and found themselves listening to about 400 recordings of singers who applied for the role. The band managed to finished writing all the material for the album and began recording in October 1975, when there is still no singer to replace Gabriel. So many singers arrived at the studio to be auditioned, but no one was found suitable. At one point, the band members even considered releasing the album as an instrumental album. Phil Collins was teaching the young singers the singing parts for the newly written material, and he often found himself demonstrating to them how to sing. At one point the other members realized that Collins was doing it much better than all the other candidates, and begged him to sing the lyrics himself. Eventually, Phil Collins was convinced and sang the song " Squonk ". The performance was so good that the band members informed him right away that he is the one to step into Gabriel's shoes. Collins was very reluctant about being at the forefront of the stage, but luckily following the pressure of his bandmates he was eventually persuaded to take the role. Thus, we won "Genesis" for years to come, with some amazing albums from one of the greatest bands in Progressive Rock. Phil Collins has proven that beyond being a very talented drummer, he also deserves to serve as the frontman of "Genesis". This "Genesis" album does not fall short of the bands masterpiece from the early 1970s and if you need a stamp of approval for that, then even Peter Gabriel himself, who came to the studio at the time of the recordings said so himself. The opening song " Dance on a Volcano " is perhaps the best opening song in all "Genesis" albums. What a blast of brakes and rhythm changes. The syncopations here just do not sound like anything else heard at the time. What an amazing and crazy C part. This is simply a school for Progressive Rock. " Entangled " is one of the band's most beautiful songs ever. Phil Collins ' singing is soft and the vocal harmonies are just chilling. Tony Banks ' keyboard work here is just remarkable. An abundance of sounds that gradually evolves until they just flood the whole song with sheer bliss. The concluding section of this song is one of the greatest things "Genesis" has ever done. An excellent mix of vocals, harmonies, mellotron, 12-string guitar, frequent rhythm changes, and just one big sensory madness. " Squonk " is as mentioned the first song that Phil Collins performed in the studio. This is just unbelievable since Collins just nails it and certainly proved that he is a soloist who is able to hold a full song like the best vocalists. This song was meant to sound like a combination of "Kashmir" and "When The Levee Breaks", by "Led Zeppelin". This is one of the favorite songs by Phil Collins , who noted that while the song may not sound quite like "Zeppelin", this was the initial intention to mimic John Bonham 's hi-hat and Jimmy Page 's heavy chords. Such a cool groove in this song ha. Tony Banks ' brilliant work with the keyboard toward the end are just mind-blowing. So much beauty and class are compressed in such a short time. The song that seals the first side of the vinyl " Mad Man Moon " starts melancholic, magical, and soft and develops into something that sounds more classic. As soon as the drums go in along with the melody in Phil Collins ' voice and Steve Hackett 's howling guitar in the background, the music just sends chills through our spine... The second side of the vinyl opens up with " Robbery, Assault and Battery ", written by Tony Banks in an attempt to mimic the humor in some of Gabriel's songs. Collins who co-wrote the song also tried to sound like the theatrical Gabriel, who used to come in and out of characters, while performing the band's songs on stage. Phil Collins said he chose to enter the character he played as a child in the musical Oliver!. It's one of the band's most unique songs featuring simple psychic key work, some of Tony Banks ' bests, great Phil Collins drumming and vocals, and a brilliant bridge. " Ripples " was initially written as a song for Collins to sing, just as "More Fool Me" from the album " Selling England By The Pound ". The song opens as a folk ballad with 12-string guitar by Mike Rutherford . The drums only come in during the second chorus and then the song becomes more classical, with one of Steve Hackett 's beautiful solos on the album, using the mesmerizing and so unique "Backward Guitar" effect. The theme song " A Trick Of The Tail " was written by Tony Banks years before the record was released, in 1972. It was originally intended for " Foxtrot ". The lyrics were inspired by a 1955 book by William Golding called "The Inheritors". It's probably the band's attempt to be more radio-friendly, with a slightly "poppy" and bouncy rhythm. Indeed it was also the band's first song to have a video clip. designed to promote it and the album. The concluding section " Los Endos " is simply a grandiose and ambitious Prog demonstration and one big musical celebration. The song was written by the entire band as Phil Collins writes the basic rhythmic structure, inspired by his work with the jazz fusion band "Brand X". The track features a number of transitions and rhythm changes, with references to the songs " Dance on a Volcano " and " Squonk . It also includes a beautiful and touching tribute to Peter Gabriel , with Collins singing a few lines from the song "Supper's Ready" during the fade out. "A" Trick of the Tail" was a great success and received rave reviews. Not only has the band proved that they are capable of surviving after the departure of Peter Gabriel , but they have also shown that they are capable of producing an album that does not fall short of their major albums, with an up-to-date and upgraded sound and with high-level of musicianship and musical material. Phil Collins also proved to be an amazing talent. By no doubt, he passed the test in the studio. Now all he had to do is pass it in front of an audience as well, and he will do it with great success, but that is already a story for another review. For Listening: Spotify , Apple music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Written By: Moti Kupfer Release date - 2.2.2004 "I love the tone that's in your laugh, Gasping for an extra breath, Waiting for the time to pass, I believe in days ahead, Don't spend another night alone, Cross and wishing you were dead" Jason Sellards did not have an easy childhood once he gradually came to understand that he was not really attracted to the opposite sex. At the age of 15, following the advice of a close friend, he “jumped into the water” and came out to his parents (his father an entrepreneur, his mother a Baptist), telling them that he was gay. In hindsight, that advice turned out to be disastrous. Sellards, born in 1978 in the city of Mesa (Spanish for “table”), a suburb of Phoenix, Arizona, did not exactly grow up in a city known for openness or acceptance of different ways of life, to put it mildly. Certainly not in 1994. In his distress, Sellards found support in a close friend named Mary Hanlon, who became an emotional anchor during his hardest moments. He later gravitated toward New York City, a place far more open to gay culture and identity, changed his name to Jake Shears, and together with Scott Hoffman (Babydaddy) formed the band "Scissor Sisters", whose debut album was released on February 2, 2004. Shears dedicated "Mary"  to Mary Hanlon, his close friend during those difficult years. The song opens as a dreamy love ballad, led by Hoffman’s keyboards, which sound as if they were lifted straight from a mid-’70s "Bee Gees" track. Yet as the song unfolds, it subtly foreshadows what is to come, hinting that Mary herself was struggling to survive the demons in her own life. A year and a half after the song’s release, Mary Hanlon tragically passed away from a brain aneurysm in April 2006. The music of "Scissor Sisters" sounds like a collision of electroclash, disco, and glam rock. Shears was deeply influenced by and openly admired "the Bee Gees", especially Robin Gibb, as well as Elton John , "ABBA", David Bowie , "Pet Shop Boys", Madonna, "the Beatles", and more. The group began to take shape in 1998, when Shears traveled to Lexington, Kentucky to visit a former classmate and met Steve Hoffman there, a gay musician from a Jewish family (his older brother Ben is a comedian and musician). The two later moved to New York and in 2000 formed "Scissor Sisters" as a kind of performance-art stunt, staging provocative and outrageous shows in clubs such as Luxx, the beating heart of the electroclash scene in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, where Shears was living at the time. Not long after, Ana Kirby joined the lineup, better known by her stage name Ana Matronic, who claimed that the band’s ultimate mission was to liberate people’s hidden fantasies and pull them out of everyday routine into a world of dreams and desires. Guitarist Del Marquis (born Derek Gruen) and drummer Paddy Boom (born Patrick Seacor) completed the lineup. Boom learned to play drums by copying the style of Larry Mullen Jr. ("U2") and later became a devoted fan of Stewart Copeland, drummer of "The Police". If elements of "the Police"’s drumming style can be heard in some "Scissor Sisters" songs, that is no coincidence. Boom was also the only openly straight member of the band and the only one with solid stage experience, having previously been part of the ’80s indie art-rock band "Sloan Rangers". After several years of grueling work in New York (including collaboration with the label A Touch of Class), "Scissor Sisters" finally found success in the UK and Ireland. Shears, known for his provocative dancing and flamboyant costumes (a legacy of his past as a go-go dancer and erotic dancer in male strip clubs), did not sit well with American audiences, especially given the band’s heavy inspiration from drag culture and LGBTQ+ themes during its early years. According to Babydaddy, their goal was to create the perfect pop-rock album that grabs you at the beginning, takes you on a journey in the middle, and brings you back to the same place at the end. The album’s opening track, "Laura" , is remembered mainly for Shears’ raw vocal delivery, his piano playing, and the song’s deliberately ambiguous lyrics. At times, Shears linked them to Laura Palmer from "Twin Peaks", while at other times the song referred to an anonymous hairdresser he once knew. Overall, it seems that Shears and Hoffman, the songwriting duo behind the band, deliberately enjoy keeping the meanings of their songs blurred, likely for good reason. In the United States, they were asked to record a toned-down version of the album, a request they refused. The second single, released just days before the album itself, is a masterclass in how to reinvent a cover song. It delivers a polished, rhythmic reworking of the slow and restrained "Comfortably Numb"  by "Pink Floyd", blended with the driving guitar lines of another Floyd classic, "Run Like Hell"  (the opening chords also echo "Bring on the Night"  by "The Police"). The original song was written about Roger Waters’ experiences, not to say hallucinations, after falling ill before a concert in Philadelphia. A doctor initially diagnosed possible food poisoning. “He didn’t listen to me,” Waters told Rolling Stone . “I later found out I had hepatitis.” Waters was given a sedative and persuaded to go on stage. After the injection, he could barely move his limbs. “God knows what he gave me, but it was a very heavy muscle relaxant.” Waters later jotted down a few lines based on the experience, frightening and claustrophobic in tone. The album’s third single, "Take Your Mama" , functions as a form of emotional compensation for Shears’ traumatic coming-out experience at the age of 15. In the song, he introduces his mother to gay nightlife in an attempt to bridge the emotional gap between them. Other standout tracks include the quiet, sorrowful ballad "Mary" , and the UK Top 5 single "Filthy / Gorgeous" , which portrays New York City from its fringes, focusing on escort services catering to the city’s elite, told from the perspective of the girls themselves. In keeping with long-standing musical tradition, the album also includes songs dealing with hard drug use. "Music Is the Victim"  and the closing track "Return to Oz"  address substance abuse in general, and more specifically within the LGBTQ+ community. The band received a Grammy nomination for "Comfortably Numb" , and the debut album proved to be a major success, particularly in the UK, where it reached number one and became the country’s best-selling album of 2004, with all five singles charting inside the UK Top 20. The album is also listed as one of the "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" list. For Listening : Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On February 2, 1981, Iron Maiden's second studio album, "Killers", was released, and it's definitely an album we're willing to "kill" for. There are rare musical moments that manage to burn deep into the visual memory as well. When this happens, every time you listen to the same song you will not be able to do so without the same images running in your memory, flashing before your eyes. For us, the opening sequence of "Killers" and more precisely the instrumental track " Ides Of March " and the song " Wrathchild ", are just one of those music-visual moments. In the early '80s, a videotape of Maiden's mythical performance " Live At The Rainbow " was released in Israel. This historic and rare item (at the time), was recorded before the release of "Killers", during a performance held on December 21, 1980. This live show was one of Adrian Smith 's first appearances with the band. We got lucky and a pirated copy of that show on a VHS tape fell into our hands. It became the focus of a pilgrimage of organized screenings held for members of our friends, all "Heavy Rock" fans. For hours on end, we sat in the small living room and watched the tape to the displeasure of our parents and neighbors. This show opens with " Ides Of March " in the background as Paul Di'Anno and the band are in their final moments before the show. Paul straps on the thick pin belt and the band march towards the stage to the final notes of " Ides Of March " and then... an explosion! with the pulsating bass of Steve Harris , we are witnessing one of the band's greatest songs from the Di'Anno era - " Wrathchild ". The mentioned video tape and album were our entrance ticket to the wonderful world of "Iron Maiden" and since then, for almost forty years, these images will be burned in our memory as the founding moment in which we knew the faces behind the sounds. (Photo: Robert Ellis) What complemented the visual experience that accompanied the amazing music heard from the speakers in that little house in Ramat Gan, was the gloomy and frightening album cover, painted by Derek Riggs. A cover that simply spoke for itself and shouted out the sounds of music hidden inside. "Maiden" came to prove that they are simply a "killer" band that threatens to devour the world. A band that is going to easily skip the second album syndrome and is here to stay, lead and make an impact on the music world for many years to come. The musical style on this album is not much different from Iron Maiden's debut album " Iron Maiden ". The reason for this is probably because most of the album's songs were written in the band's early days. All the songs on the album except " Murders in the Rue Morgue " and " Prodigal Son ", were written before the release of the band's debut album - " Iron Maiden ". Moreover, a version of the "killer" song " Wrathchild " was recorded by the band for the compilation album "Metal for Muthas" back in 1979. The amazing instrumental track opening the album - " The Ides of March ", was written in 1977 By Steve Harris and "Samson" drummer known as "Thunderstick", who was a member of "Iron Maiden" at the time. This track was recorded and released about a year earlier by "Samson" on their second album "Head On", there it was called "Thunderburst". "Samson" (including Bruce Dickinson ), gave credit to Steve Harris on their album, but Harris did not return them a favor on "Maiden's" album and took all the credit for himself. Although the album's musical style was not much different from the band's debut album - " Iron Maiden ", this album still has a positive development in terms of sound compared to the previous album. This development is mainly attributed to two factors. First, the addition of guitarist Adrian Smith - Dave Murray 's childhood friend. Second, the recruitment of super producer Martin Birch , who by then managed to work with "Deep Purple", "Rainbow", "Sabbath" and more, that from this album on will populate the console position at "Maiden" albums For long and good years. Both of these factors greatly influenced the sound on this album, which became tighter, rougher, and thicker than the previous one. Another factor that influenced the sound and style is undoubtedly Paul Di'Anno. He just reflected on what happened in those years in the UK in the style and music. He introduced the band to punk and thus influenced the musical style, especially his more aggressive singing and also the band's look and appearance. Just before the huge success, that will come a year later with the addition of Bruce Dickinson , some memorable moments on this album put it at the top of the list for some of the band's fans. The third track - " Murders In The Rue Morgue " is one of the best songs on the album. A quiet and melodic opening with the arpeggio chords and Harris bass line that connects to the short solo... All this just prepares us for an explosion that comes later. Paul is at his best and proves how great a singer he is. Clive Burr 's drumming is wonderful throughout the song and fits well with the "chase" atmosphere of the poor Englishman suspected of a murder he did not commit and escaped from the police on the streets of Paris, just as in the story of Edgar Allan Poe. It is interesting to note that this song connects to another song on the album " Innocent Exile ", which opens up with Steve Harris ' bass intro and continues the chase story of that escaped Englishman. This chase atmosphere also exists in the theme song " Killers ", but this time the killer is chasing the victim. Harris' pounding bass overture, Di'Anno's screams, and Dave and Adrian's mysterious guitars, have a sense of frightening atmosphere, that makes us feel like we're running away from the serial killer mentioned in the song's opening words. And what an amazing playing of all the band members, starting at the 1:00 minute entry. Dave and Adrian's whistling guitars, Clive's precise drumming that helps Steve deliver a steady, fast rhythm, and Paul's excellent and versatile vocals all make this song perfect! A live version of this song exists in the same " Live At The Rainbow " video, which we mentioned above. As stated, the live version was taped before the song was recorded for the album. The melody was there, but the lyrics were not yet completed by Paul. Despite this, Harris insisted on performing the song and Di'Anno had to improvise a bit. Those with a keen ear will probably notice that the words are slightly different from those on the album. The amazing " Purgatory " - is the second and final single released from the album. This is a version of an old song by the band called "Floating", which become more rhythmic, probably the fastest song on the album. The song explodes seconds after it starts as all the band members rush forward. Di'Anno tries to keep up the fast pace and still manages to produce a nice melody and interesting dynamics. It is impossible not to refer to " Prodigal Son " which is without a doubt one of the unique songs in the vast repertoire of "Maiden". We can count on one hand the beautiful melodies, amazing and interesting singing by Paul, and a crazy instrumental piece in the middle, with delightful solos by Dave and Adrian. There are no filler tracks on this album. Dave Murray and Adrian Smith 's frequent rhythm changes and guitar work in the song " Another Life " blow our minds, the blues break starting at 1:27 in " Drifter " destroys our health and even the instrumental piece " Genghis Khan " meant to add time to the album to change the definition of the album to an LP, is an excellent and interesting piece, which manages to sweep us and put us in the right atmosphere of the Mongolian Genghis Khan story, even though there is not a single word there. By the way, this track makes "Killers" as the only "Maiden" album to include two instrumental tracks. It's Interesting to note that the original version of the album also does not include the song " Twilight Zone ". This song was released as a single about a month after the album was released and was later included in the American version. Adrian Smith noted he wrote the harmonies of the song, but did not get credit for it and that the rhythm was so fast that it was difficult for the band to play it. "Killers" is an excellent album, but it marked the end of the Di'Anno era. His drug and alcohol problems will lead him out of the band, with Bruce Dickinson taking his place and marching the band into its golden age. Although the band's big break will only begin on the next album, "Killers" is still an excellent, unique, and different album, which undoubtedly has a place of honor somewhere at the top of the "Maiden" catalog. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

We want to share something with you. There are albums that have accompanied us in so many moments in life, that affected us so much, that we are just trembling with excitement to write about them. Neil Young 's masterpiece album "Harvest", released on February 15 (other sources Feb. 1st), 1972, is one of them! So this time too, we decided to do it differently. Let's do it together, leave everything aside for a moment, put on headphones, close your eyes, click on the link and let's get started: Deezer Bass bass, snare, bass bass, snare, boom boom, tah, boom boom tah, acoustic: E Bm, E Bm, harmonica blowing ... and.... wooooosh we are in the front seat of Neil Young's pick-up, on our way to a weekend in L.A., with the ultimate travel song - " Out on the Weekend " playing in the background. This is how this masterful album, opens up. The album which is considered by fans and critics as one of Neil Young's greatest albums. The album that exposed him to the masses and brought him great commercial success, the one that sold more than any album in his mighty repertoire and the one that became the best-selling album in the US in 1972, starts small, minimalist, simple and yet so beautiful, ice melting, and timeless! It may sound strange to you, but this album is one of Neil Young's most "messy "albums. An eclectic collection of acoustic, electric, live songs. Rock, Country, Folk and even Classical symphony. This album is so mixed up that on paper it was supposed to be doomed to failure. So how did it happen that such uneven album becomes Young's most successful album and the best-selling in the US on 1972? Apparently it's the pure sincerity and honesty (and the Spotify scandal teaches that not just the musically) of Neil Young, that makes this album sound fresh, up to date and relevant even today, 50 years later. But all this musical and cultural beauty, all this dizzying success, would not have happened had it not been for an unplanned coincidence and a burst of spontaneity of Neil Young . The end result is that Neil Young disliked the success of this album. This meteoric success is mainly attributed to one song - " Heart Of Gold ", about which Young wrote the following words in his double compilation album "Decade", from 1977: "This song put me in the middle of the road. Traveling there soon became a bore so I headed for the ditch. A rougher ride but I saw more interesting people there." And evidently, Neil Young who did not feel comfortable with the success of the song, completely ignored the song and refused to play it live in his performances for years. Did we say a burst of spontaneity and an unplanned coincidence? So this album would probably have sounded completely different, had it not been for the strong back pains Neil Young had at the time, which caused him to give up his electric guitar, sit on the stool and concoct songs for an acoustic show. Thus, in the midst of the acoustic tour, in early February 1971, Neil Young arrived to Nashville, Tennessee, the ultimate Country music capital, to be a guest on the Johnny Cash Show. That weekend Young met producer Elliot Mazer, who worked with Bob Dylan and others. Mazer just opened "Quadrafonic Sound Studios" at the time, and invited Young to dinner on Saturday, February 6, 1971, in an attempt to persuade him to record in his new studio. The spontaneous Neil Young was convinced and arrived at the studio that same evening. Young, who really liked the studio players "Area Code 615", wanted to work with them on the new songs he wrote especially for the acoustic tour. The first versions of which can be found on the album "Live at Massey Hall 1971". All that Young asked of Mazer so he can start the recordings was a drummer, a bass player and a pedal steel guitar player. (Photo: Classic Album Sundays) Since most of the musicians were occupied in live shows that evening, Mazer had to "scratch" three musicians who became Young's backing band - "The Stray Gators". Drummer Kenny Buttrey, bassist Tim Drummond (who is rumored to have just walked down the street before mazer dragged him to the studio) and guitarist Ben Keith. That same evening, the three already recorded the basic channels for three songs with Young, including " Old Man ", which Young wrote about Louis Avila, the old man who was in charge of the "Broken Arrow" farm, which he bought in 1970. Drummer Kenny Buttrey said that Young Asked him to play only with his left hand and not touch the Hai-Hat cymbals at all. Kenny thought it was idiotic but did exactly what Young asked him to do. The next night, Sunday, February 7, 1971, Young was a guest on Johnny Cash's show, where he met Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor. After the show Young invited them to the studio, where they recorded the background vocals for the songs " Heart of Gold " and " Old Man ". James Taylor later recorded the beautiful banjo for the song " Old Man ". Regarding the song " Heart of Gold ", Young emphasized that it was precisely spontaneity that made this song what it is. The band members did not know the song beforehand and recorded it live in just two takes. The musicians said that when Young played it to them they already knew that this song was going to be huge. The songs " A Man Needs a Maid " and " There's a World " were recorded by Young in March 1971 in London, where he arrived as part of an acoustic tour. During his stay there he turned to conductor Jack Nitzsche who was also a keyboardist on "The Rolling Stones" albums and told him he was interested in recording the songs with an orchestra. Nietzsche organized the "London Philharmonic Orchestra" for the recordings that were held at "Barking Assembly Hall". As for the song " A Man Needs a Maid ", it is interesting to note that it was interpreted as a chauvinistic song, but it was not so, at all. Young wrote it after watching the 1970 film "Diary of a Housewife," starring actress Carrie Snodgress. Neil Young who fell in love with Curry wrote about his feelings in the third verse of the song as follows: "A while ago somewhere I don't know when I was watchin' a movie with a friend I fell in love with the actress She was playin' a part that I could understand" Young eventually married Carrie and the two had a son named Zeke. In April, Neil Young returned to "Quadroponic" Studios to record two more songs from the album, the opening song " Out on the Weekend " and the theme song " Harvest ", which was also inspired by Carrie Snodgressת who was Young's girlfriend back then. The song refers to Carrie's mother Carolyn Snodgress who was an alcoholic. In April, Neil Young 's condition worsened and his back pain did not allow him to continue the recordings. He eventually underwent surgery, in August, due to a herniated disc in his back. The surgery was crowned a success and Young returned shortly afterward to work on the album. Since Young's back problems were solved, he was able to go back and hang his electric guitar on his shoulder, so the songs recorded in the following sessions were more "electric". In September the recordings were moved to a barn at Young's farm. Mazer scattered speakers and monitors in the barn, which gave the recordings a "live" sound, as each microphone placed in the barn also recorded additional instruments. During these sessions, three songs were recorded using a mobile studio: " Are You Ready for the Country ", " Alabama " and " Words ". The background vocals in these three songs were performed by David Crosby , Graham Nash and Stephen Stills . (Photo: Joel Bernstein) " Alabama " corresponds with the song "Southern Man" from the album " After the Gold Rush ". As mentioned, these two songs are Young's protest songs against black racism in southern United States. The songs angered members of "Lynyrd Skynyrd", who adored Neil Young . They literally saw these songs as a personal insult. In response they wrote their big hit "Sweet Home Alabama", that included the following words: "Well, I heard Mister Young sing about her Well, I heard ol' Neil put her down Well, I hope Neil Young will remember A Southern man don't need him around anyhow" In an interview with him from 1976, Neil Young responded and said he was proud that his name was mentioned in a "Skynyrds" song. He also used to perform the song in his live shows. The only song from the album that was not recorded in the studio is " The Needle and the Damage Done ". The song was recorded in a live performance at UCLA University, on January 30, 1971, before all the sessions mentioned above even started. The song was written about Danny Whitten, "Crazy Horse" guitarist and his addiction to heroin. After the release of "Harvest", Young invited Whitten to play on a tour designed to promote the album. However, soon Young realized it was a mistake, since Danny was unable to play because of his addiction. This forced Young to fire him from the band. Young placed a $ 50 bill and a plane ticket in Danny's hands and sent it off. With the money Young gave him, Danny bought the last and deadly dose of heroin that finally killed him on November 18, 1972. This left Neil Young heartbroken and with terrible guilt. The severe trauma and deep depression will be the trigger for three melancholy and depressing albums named "The Ditch Trilogy", the first of which is " Tonight’s The Night ". Deliberately or unintentionally, "Harvest" and the circumstances that followed led Young from the middle of the road down to the ditch, just as he initially wanted ... For Listening: Deezer , Apple Music , Spotify "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Editor's Choice.... And this time, "Frontiers" - Journey's eighth studio album, released on February 1, 1983. A little over a year after " Escape ", which became the band's most successful studio album, with sales of over 9 million copies in the US alone, "Journey" returns with this excellent album, that proved that sometimes lightning can strike twice in the same place. The album reached number two on the US charts and garnered 6 times platinum status in the US, i.e., sales of over 6 million copies. It also became the band's most successful album in the UK, with 4 singles charting at the top of of the charts. The keyboardist and rhythm guitarist Jonathan Cain who replaced Gregg Rolie in 1980, has already been revealed as a talented songwriter on the previous album. He joined the band's lead writers duo, singer Steve Perry and guitarist Neal Schon . This time, however, Cain surpassed himself, as he co-wrote all the songs on the album and exclusively wrote one of the greatest hits from it - " Faithfully ". four successful singles that topped the charts, were released from the album : The first, the insane opening song " Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) ", with the amazing synthesizer riff, courtesy of Jonathan Cain, who simply propels this song forward, along with Neal Schon 's guitar playing. The song was written by Cain and Perry who had just experienced tremendous difficulties in their married life, in part due to the sheer intensity that accompanied the band tours. Cain began writing the lead riff on a small Casio synthesizer in his hotel room. The next day the band had already finished writing it during the sound check, before one of their performances. The second single, is the ballad " Send Her My Love " with the bluesy scent led by Steve Perry 's moving and touching vocals. Cain wrote the song at a time he was listening to a lot of "Beatles" albums and claimed that this influenced the song as well. Cain invited Steve Perry to his home and he immediately pulled out the special melody of the song. The third single " After The Fal l" features bassist Randy Jackson. This song was later part of the soundtrack to the movie "Risky Business" with Tom Cruise and Rebecca de Mornay. The fourth single, is the ballad " Faithfully " that Cain wrote solely in just half an hour, when he was on the band's bus on the way to the show. The song addresses Cain's difficulties and longings for his family, during the demanding tour. This is the first song the band has released a video clip for. When singer and musician Prince finished writing the song "Purple Rain", he immediately called Cain, sent him the song and asked for his approval, because he thought that there is much resemblance between the two. Cain gave his blessing, even though the two songs include only 4 overlapping chords. The album features other excellent songs. " Chain Reaction " which became a hit even though it was not released as a single and features a heavy riff and catchy chorus. " Edge of the Blade " whose guitar sound cuts you off like a "blade"." " Back Talk " with Steve Smith's rolling drums and a guitar riff and vocal reminiscent of "Led Zeppelin" and more. It is interesting to note, that the album included two songs that were replaced right at the last minute, before its release. " Ask the Lonely " which was included in the soundtrack of the movie "Two of a Kind" with John Travolta and Olivia Newton John and " Only the Young ", which was part of the soundtrack for the film "Vision Quest". The two songs that replaced them were " Back Talk " and " Troubled Child ". During the sessions the band recorded another song " All That Really Matters " in which keyboardist Jonathan Cain serves as the lead singer. The song was not released until the 1992 in triple compilation album "Time3". In 2005 the album "Frontiers" entered the list of the 500 greatest albums in rock and metal of "Rock Hard" magazine. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

By the time Grunge began its fall or rather sunk, a "semi" anonymous trio from Easy Bay, California began creating an album that would change the world of rock and take the throne from Grunge to Punk Rock !! The album "Dookie" was released on February 1, 1994. The trio that included Billie Joe Armstrong , Mike Dirnt, and Tré Cool began their journey as Sweet Children in the music scene in the East Bay. They would frequent the place of pilgrimage of many bands, the Gilman Club, which was run and maintained by music lovers and did not belong to a private owner or management. In 1990 they signed with a local and independent label called Lookout! And released two EPs, the first "1,000 Hours" and the second "Slappy". These two short albums caught the attention of big record companies, who were looking for the next thing with the decline of Grunge, but it was not enough. They released their debut album "39 / Smooth" in the same year, but only a year later with the release of their second album "Kerplunk", it was powerful and attractive enough. Many record labels began to chase after the trio and try to sign them to a record deal. Luxurious restaurants, pampering homes, and even a trip to Disneyland were offered as a temptation to sign a contract. But that is not what seduced this young, rebellious, independent, and talented trio. Only one person managed to get their attention, Rob Cavallo, who was a representative of the record company Reprise. They really liked the work he did as a producer with the punk rock band "The Muffs" so they agreed to sign a contract with his label. They said he was the only person with whom they felt connected and that he conveyed authenticity. (Photo: Catherine McGann) For the fans, the signing did not go smoothly, the move from an independent local label that represented the underground music scene in the East Bay to a large and commercial label, turned the band members into commercial "traitors". They were even banned from performing and entering the Gilman Club and fans simply boycotted all of their shows. In a number of interviews, Billy said it did hurt them, but he knew the band's place was in the big league and not something small and underground. He felt they were a punk-rock band that would fill stadiums and not just smoky clubs. The band members who were very afraid of a hostile takeover and the intervention of the record company decided to put on the role of producer Cavallo with whom they had a connection, and in addition, they came to the recordings when they were already formed and ready to record. Billy said they did not want to get into the recording studio with unfinished materials or demos, and thus allow the label to influence or manipulate them. They wanted to come perfectly prepared, they worked hard on the album even before entering the studio. They wrote, composed, and arranged all the songs in advance and entered the studio with all the roles down to the smallest detail, all you had to do was press the record button. They recorded the album in only two months (including the mix done twice). At the end of the recordings, mixing and mastering, on February 1, 1994, the album came out with the first single - "Longview" , a song named after a city of the same name in Washington state, where "Green Day" first performed in. The song describes the boredom that a young boy goes through, as he spends his days at home and his agenda ranges from masturbation to smoking marijuana, the song earned an amazing breakthrough. It aired on all California radio stations and MTV aired its music video frequently throughout the day. Mike said he wrote the Bass Riff when he was under the influence of the drug LSD and that's what he and Billy managed to remember from it the next morning. The single was rated by Rolling Stone magazine, as third on the list of best singles for 1994. In addition, it gave the band four Grammy Award nominations in 1995. In August 1994, the second single from the album, "Basket Case" was released. With a music video shot in a real mental health institution and won non-stop air time on MTV. It very quickly became the anthem of the album and the band. The song was written by Billy about the struggle he had from a young age with anxiety attacks. When he was only 10 years old he lost his father to cancer. As a child, he was lost and did not know why and how. No one told him or shared with him what happened and it put him in a state of panic. He said he got lost, did not understand what was happening to him, and thought he was going crazy. He did not understand why he was experiencing anxiety attacks and how to control them, the only thing that saved him was the music. It was the writing of the songs that gave him the ability to unload and deal with the heavy loads. This song also had an insane success, was ranked high on the Billboard charts, and even received a Grammy nomination. In October 1994, the third single from the album "Welcome To Paradise" was released. This is a song from the band's second album "Kerplunk" which was re-recorded. Billy wrote the song about the time the band members left their homes and moved to an abandoned warehouse in Oakland, California. He said it was scary to walk around there at night. The warehouse was inhabited by a variety of different and strange types of musicians, painters, homeless people, drug addicts, and criminals, but despite this, they all lived together in harmony and for them it was paradise. In January 1995, the fourth single from the album "When I Come Around" was released. This is the band's second most successful single to date after "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)", it took over the charts in the US and also gained high exposure and rating in many countries around the world. Although it was not re-recorded, the band performed with it back in 1992. The song was written about a child who is in a temporary relationship that he does not believe in, because of his insecurity and low self-esteem, when his partner actually wants something serious and deep. In May 1995, the fifth and final single from the album "She" was released. Billy wrote the song inspired by his then-girlfriend "Amanda" who introduced him to a feminist song called "She". After he heard the song, he wrote a song himself and gave it the same name, but after he played it to Amanda, she dumped him and moved to Ecuador. This song is regularly in the band's stylist and Billy said he would never stop performing it because it is an integral part of it. The album has 10 other songs, except the two, "All By Myself" written by Cole and "Emenius Sleepus" written by Mike, all written by Billy. All the songs are based on experiences and memories that Billy had during his life and talk about topics like anxiety, relationships, sexuality, and loneliness. As you probably know, the album was a resounding success not only in the US but worldwide. Apart from many Grammy nominations and winning the Best Alternative Album award, it topped the charts around the world when it was in the top five. It is also ranked 193rd on the list of 500 greatest albums of all time by Rolling Stone magazine. This album was officially crowned as responsible for introducing punk rock to the mainstream and crowning "Green Day" as an international phenomenon !! (Photo: Chapman Baehler) Wait... but what exactly is a Dookie ??? So, Dookie is the nickname given by the band members to their "diarrhea". Yes, you heard right! During the tour, the band members would eat a lot of junk food that was often expired, which would cause them to have a lot of diarrhea and to that, they gave the nickname "Liquid Dookie". Since the phrase sounded too awful, they were content to just use "Dookie"! And what about the album cover ??? So the cover is the work of the artist Richie Bucher who, at Billy's request, painted a homage to the East Bay. The cover is a drawing of bombs falling on a replica of Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley (San Francisco), on people and buildings. Inside the painting are hidden many figures from the lives of the trio in the music scene in the East Bay. Listen to the album on: Spotify , Apple Music "On the celebration of the 25th anniversary of "Dookie's" release, a guitar pedal was released with an effect that recreates the dirty and so unique sound that Billy Joe Armstrong used on the album. This pedal is magic, and it does not move from my pedal board. It combines the sounds of two combined effects for one step box with a harmonious and deep sound range. " "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website