He's one of the most famous drummers, he has something to say about everything and he made history in the world of music with the only band he is playing with, ladies and gentlemen please welcome: Lars Ulrich !!! (Photo: ultimate-guitar) = Born on December 26, 1963, in Gentofte, Denmark, he hails from a family with diverse roots—his mother has Jewish heritage, while his father's roots trace back to Germany. Tennis prowess runs in his family, as both his father and grandfather actively participated in official competitions as professional tennis players. = In accordance with his parents' wishes, Lars embarked on the same path as them, delving into the realm of tennis like his father. Following in their footsteps, he attained professional status as a player and quickly emerged as one of the promising talents in the sport. = When he was just 9 years old, his father introduced him to the world of music by taking him to a "Deep Purple" concert in Copenhagen. This experience marked Lars' crucial and early connection with the realm of music. = At the age of 13, his father bought him his first drum set which was a Ludwig set. = Upon reaching the age of 17, he relocated with his family to California, USA, primarily to further his professional tennis aspirations. However, his attempt to join the school's tennis team ended in disappointment as he failed to qualify. This setback marked a pivotal moment, redirecting the course of his journey. = A pivotal moment shaping his musical destiny occurred when Lars attended a performance by the band "Diamond Head" in London, a group he was a fan of. Inspired by the experience, upon returning to the US, he made the decision to establish his own band. To kickstart the process, he placed a "job" advertisement in a local newspaper called The Recycler. = The ad said: "Drummer looking for other metal musicians to jam with Tygers of Pan Tang, Diamond Head, and Iron Maiden." Two guitarists responded to the ad, James Hetfield and, Hugh Tanner, guess who took the "job"...? It is also interesting that Dave Mustaine later responded to the same ad... = In 1981 the band "Metallica" was formed by Lars and James. Lars took the name from his friend Ron Quintana who was looking for a name for his band and was debating between Metallica and Metal Mania. (Photo: Paul Natkin) = The musical style of the band has solidified its place among the "Big Four" bands credited with founding the Thrash Metal genre, alongside "Slayer," "Megadeth," and "Anthrax." Additionally, we include a fifth band that arrived slightly later, namely "Testament." = Lars and James serve as the primary songwriters and leaders of the band. While James contributes to the creative process, Lars is the strategic mind overseeing all aspects of the band's operations, playing a crucial role in its business and marketing success. The inaugural song co-written by the duo and performed for the first time was "Hit The Lights." = Metallica has released 11 studio albums to date: Kill 'Em All (1983), Ride the Lightning (1984), Master of Puppets (1986), ... And Justice for All (1988), Metallica (1991), Load (1996 ), Reload (1997), St. Anger (2003), Death Magnetic (2008), Hardwired...to Self-Destruct (2016) and 72 Seasons (2023). = In addition to the studio albums, the band also released the mini-album The $ 5.98 E.P .: Garage Days Re-Revisited whose recordings began in the garage of Lars' home, and the double album Garage Inc which included cover versions for bands that Lars and the band adored. = In addition, the band has released a large number of live albums. Two albums we must mention and in our opinion constitute huge moments in the band's history are the S&M duo. The first took place in 1999 and the second in 2020, a performance in which the band combines its music with the San Francisco Orchestra. This is how you combine rock music with a symphony !! = After Metallica's initial albums, Lars ascended to become one of the preeminent drummers in the metal realm. His mastery of fast rhythms, adept use of double bass, and skillful performance of intricate songs on his expansive drum set garnered him numerous accolades and titles. = In the early days of Metallica, Lars used a drum set made by the Japanese company "Camco." However, during a concert tour in 1984, one of the band's trucks was stolen, along with all the equipment including Lars' drum set. A member of the band's management team who had connections with the band "Rush" introduced Lars to their drummer Neil Peart for assistance. Neil suggested Lars try out drum sets from the Tama company and facilitated an introduction between Lars and the company's representatives, leading to a lasting friendship that continues to this day. = With the release of the "Black Album," Lars underwent a transformation in his drumming style, coinciding with a shift in the band's overall musical approach. The rhythms took on a slower pace, marked by simpler transitions and a more straightforward song structure—a stark departure from the initial style. While the band's recent albums exhibit a partial return to the earlier style, the evolution has been noticeable, showcasing a dynamic range in Metallica's musical journey. (Photo: Elektra) = In reference to the "Black Album," it's noteworthy that one of the initially considered names for the album was "Married To Metal," reflecting the personal and musical transformations experienced by Kirk, Lars, and Jason during its recording. = Beyond the band's first four albums, which are widely regarded as milestones in the music world, three other albums stand out as significant landmarks, not just for the band but also for Lars personally and musically. = The "Black Album" is particularly renowned for its groundbreaking drum sound. The drumming on this album marked a revolution, transitioning from flat and concise sounds to explosive and sustained ones. Each strike on the tom-tom, snare, bass drum, or cymbals carried an unprecedented depth, volume, and continuity. Every component of the drum set exuded a scandalous power factor, providing the drums with a sonic quality that had not been experienced before. = Another interesting fact about the drums on the "Black Album" is that Lars recorded the album using a Gretsch Maple Kit drum, which is the Gretsch drums company, rather than the Tama drums he is usually associated with. Additionally, the cymbals he used in the album were by the Sabian brand, not Zildjian, which he is also commonly associated with. The only Tama item featured on this album was the "Terminator" - the Tama Bell Brass 6.5x14 snare drum, which was highly popular at the time. It is important to mention that despite this, Lars uses a Tama drum kit and Zildjian cymbals in all his live performances. (Photo: Unknown) = The second album in question is "St. Anger." The band was grappling with a significant crisis and sought to overcome it by implementing changes in processes, work dynamics, and musical style. In this period, Lars experimented with something novel. For technical clarity, underneath the snare drum, there are iron coils that normally attach to the bottom of the drum when stretched by a lever, creating the typical snare sound. However, during a rehearsal, Lars unintentionally left the lever open, allowing the coils to remain loose. When he started playing, he was captivated by the resulting sound—a blend of a tom-tom drum with a metallic echo. Struck by this unexpected discovery, he chose to maintain this unique sound throughout the recording of the "St. Anger" album, a moment he is unlikely to forget. = The third album is " LuLu " , Metallica's famous and infamous project with singer and musician Lou Reed . Both sides were moved to tears by the work and the result of the album, Metallica members said they were excited every day to work with Lou Reid in the studio, and Lou Reid said Metallica got the best out of him. We are left speechless... Lars, known for his articulate nature, assumed the role of the band's spokesperson, a role that became especially pronounced during the Metallica v. Napster , Inc. controversy. Metallica took legal action against Napster for copyright infringement, as the platform facilitated the sharing of the band's songs. The decision drew substantial criticism from fans and the wider audience, with Lars, in particular, facing significant backlash for the band's stance. In retrospect, Lars expresses regret for his and the band's conduct in the case. (Photo: Metallica PR) = In 1998, Lars co-founded a record company named Music Company with the band's accountant, Tim Duffy. Unfortunately, the venture was not successful and closed its operations in 2002. = A significant milestone in Lars' career came in 2009 when Metallica, and subsequently Lars himself, became the first Dane to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Notably, in 2016, Lars delivered the induction speech for his teenage favorite band, Deep Purple, at the Hall of Fame. = Throughout his extensive musical journey, Lars has been exclusively associated with Metallica, with one exception. He played the song "Return of the Vampire" from the band Mercyful Fate's 1993 album "In The Shadows," a group he admired. = During the recording of the iconic album "Master Of Puppets," Lars sought a specific sound and the distinctive "Black Beauty" snare from the Ludwig drum company, despite his usual preference for Tama drums. Due to the connection between QPrime, Metallica's management company, and Def Leppard, Lars requested the same snare that Rick Allen used. This unusual request was granted, even though Lars eventually managed to locate the snare in Copenhagen. = Additional interesting facts about Lars and the "Master Of Puppets" album include his attempt to enlist Geddy Lee from Rush as the producer, taking drum lessons during the recording, and influencing Megadeth's musical direction for the album "Risk" by encouraging Dave Mustaine to take more risks. = In recognition of his contributions, Lars received the title of knight from the Queen of Denmark Margrethe II in 2017, belonging to the Order of the Dannebrog. In 1995, the AHEAD brand introduced metal drumsticks with Lars' signature. Prior to using these sticks, Lars would develop blisters on his hands during play, resorting to using plasters to wrap his fingers. (Photo: Unknown) = Lars is a famous private art curator and holds a collection of sculptures, paintings, and other works of art, by famous artists worth tens of millions of dollars. = In November 2024, the "Tama" company marked the 40th anniversary of its partnership with Lars by producing 72 drum sets inspired by his current model. Each set features Lars' signature and special endorsement, and will be distributed through a global raffle. Furthermore, a video was released showcasing Lars narrating the evolution of his drum kits from the past to the present day. = During Metallica's "M72" World Tour, supporting their album "72 Seasons," Lars utilizes four drum sets positioned around a 360-degree, ring-shaped stage. The four drum kits are strategically located in each of the four directions, allowing Ulrich to perform from various vantage points throughout the show. These drum kits are mounted on custom lifts that enable them to rise from the stage at different moments during the performance, adding a dynamic visual element to the concert. Listen to Metallica's latest album on: Spotify , Apple Music   "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Today, December 25, 1975, "Iron Maiden" was founded by Steve Harris, who was inspired by the 1939 film "The Man in the Iron Mask," which is an adaptation of a novel by Alexandre Dumas. Harris saw in the film a torture device called "Iron Maiden" and decided to use the name for his new lineup. (Photo: https://maidenrevelations.com) It all started in 1971 when Steve Harris purchased his first bass guitar, which was an imitation of Fender Precision. Harris taught himself how to play it and just ten months after later he had already joined a band called "Influence". The band later changed its name to "Gypsy's Kiss". In February 1974, Harris joined the band "Smiler", where he first met drummer Doug Sampson and singer Dennis Wilcock. Initially, the band played simple, basic Rock that directly clashed with Steve Harris' ambitions to write more complex songs. When Harris started writing material for the band, its members were not open to his "progressive" direction, which was influenced by bands like "Jethro Tull", "Wishbone Ash" and more. They rejected them due to the fact that they were too complex for their taste. That was enough for Harris to decide to form his own new band, where he would have freedom of creation and control over the musical direction. What Harris did not know when he gave the name "Iron Maiden" to the band, was that there was another British band of the same name, which had been active since the late 1960s and even released an album in 1969, called "Maiden Voyage". Old Maiden included bassist Barry Skeels who would later become the tour manager of bands like "Black Sabbath", "Saxon", "Manowar" and more. Old Maiden's style was progressive blues-rock with touches of hard rock. Steve Harris remembers getting an angry phone call from the old band, who objected his use of their bame for his band, but Harris simply informed them that he would continue to use the name. The first incarnation of "Iron Maiden" included Steve Harris who was then only 19, Dave Sullivan and Terry Rance on guitar, Ron Matthews on drums and Paul Day on vocals. This band underwent many lineup changes in the first years of its existence. Shortly after the band's formation Dennis Wilcock - Harris' friend from "Gypsy's Kiss" - will replace Paul Day as singer, since he did not have a good stage presence. (Photo: https://maidenrevelations.com) In 1976 Dave Murray would have a successful audition as the band's third guitarist, but the two guitarists Dave Sullivan and Terry Rance objected his joining to the band and gave Harris an ultimatum that would force him to prefer Dave Murray over them. But Dave Murray's days in the band were few, since he was kicked out of the band following an argument with singer Dennis Wilcock, until his return after Wilcock left the band. Three years after the formation of the first band, on December 31, 1978, Iron Maiden will release their first recording known as " The Soundhouse Tapes ". At this point the band included Steve Harris on bass, Dave Murray and Paul Cairns on guitar, Doug Sampson as drummer and Paul Di'Anno as singer. It can be summed up and said that today in 1975 "Iron Maiden" gave the music world the best Christmas present ever ... (Photo: Iron Maiden discography Photos 2020) "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Guitarist Brian May called him a "role model" stating: "totally a hero of mine, there are some people in life that no matter how old you are, you feel nervous if you meet someone, he's one of those, he's a real role model". Blues artist B.B. King said about him: "...How can you forget a guy like Jan". In 1973, he was awarded the title "Best guitarist of the world" by the magazine "Melody Maker" and surpassed great guitarists such as Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton . His music influenced bands like "Iron Maiden", "Marillion", "Helloween" and more... (Photo: Fin Costello) Today we will tell you about Jan Akkerman, known among others for his membership in the Progressive Rock band "Focus". 1. He was born in Amsterdam, Holland on December 24, 1946, into a musical family - his father played the clarinet and trumpet. 2. The first instrument he started playing when he was 3 years old, was the accordion. 3. When he was 10 years old he started playing the guitar. He studied at the Amsterdam Conservatory until he was in his teens, when the family moved to Vienna, Austria. 4. He joined his first band, "Johnny & the Cellar Rockers", in 1958, aged just 11. The band also included his childhood friend Pierre van der Linden on drums. 5. Later the two will form the instrumental group "Hunters" which was greatly influenced by "The Shadows". 6. During the late 1960s, Akkerman, Van der Linden, bassist Bert Ruiter, and singer Kaz Lux formed "Brainbox", they received a recording contract with "Parlophone Records". 7. In 1969 he founded the band "Focus" together with keyboardist, singer, and flutist Thijs van Leer. 8. In 1970 they released their debut album "Focus Plays Focus", which was not a success. 9. After the release of the album, his drummer friend Pierre van der Linden joined the band and they released the excellent album "Focus II / Moving Waves", which included the "hits" "Janis" and "Hocus Pocus". 10. The track "Hocus Pocus" will appear in several TV shows such as "Top Gear", "Saxondale", "Skins", "Supernatural", "Vinyl", "My Name is Earl" and "Shameless" as well as the 2007 film "Hot Fuzz", "Robocop" from 2014, "Baby Driver" from 2017 as well as many TV commercials including for "Nike". 11. In addition, the track will receive quite a few cover versions over the years. Among them:are Iron Maiden", "Marillion", "Helloween", Gary Hoey, "The Vandals" and Vanessa-Mae. 12. The album "Focus II / Moving Waves" was an international success and Akkerman became, overnight, a superstar guitarist, who in 1973 won, among other things, the title "Best guitarist of the world" by the magazine "Melody Maker", ahead of great guitarists such as Jeff Beck , Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton . 13. His name as a great guitarist earned him a collaboration with "Framus" guitar company, to produce one of the first "signature guitar" models. 14. Until 1976, Jan will release 4 more studio albums with "Focus", including "Focus 3" which included the the great track "Sylvia" , "Hamburger Concerto" and "Ship of Memories", which consists of songs that the band recorded between 1970-1975 and were never released. 15. Akkerman would leave "Focus" in 1976, but would return in 1985, when the band released the album "Focus" under the name "Jan Akkerman & Thijs Van Leer". The band will reunite again in 1990 in the Dutch TV show "Goud van Oud". 16. At the same time as his membership in "Focus", Akkerman developed an extensive solo career that began back in 1968, during which he published over 30 albums. The albums combined many styles of music beyond the Progressive Rock that characterized him in the days of "Focus" and among others classical, jazz, fusion, funk, and blues. 17. Among the special albums in his solo career is "Tabernakel" from 1974, which was released after Akkerman purchased a medieval lute, taught himself to play it, and played it in half of the tracks of the album, consisting of medieval music. It was an unusual record that featured guest artists such as Tim Bogert (bass) and Carmine Appice (drums). 18. In 1976 Akkerman released the concept album "Eli" together with Kaz Lux on vocals. The album won יןצ the "Edison Award" as the best album of 1976. In this album, Akkerman experimented, among other things, with playing a 12-string guitar in a non-standard parallel fifths guitar tuning. 19. In the early 1980s, Akkerman began to experiment with a "guitar synthesizer" as in the album "Oil in the Family" from 1981 and was among the first to do so. 20. In 1992, Jan Akkerman was involved in a serious car accident, but returned to playing already in 1993. 21. Akkerman is a multi-instrumentalist who plays, among other things, guitar, bass guitar, lute, piano, accordion, and drums. ("Focus" - Photo: Michael Putland) 22. He is a unique guitarist, who is constantly experimenting with new guitars and equipment. His unique guitar sound is characterized by his pioneering use of volume swells that produce a smooth, "fluty" and sustained sound, although he is also a very fast and technical guitarist. 23. Throughout his career, Akkerman was a sought-after session player who, among others, played on albums by artists such as Peter Banks, Jack Bruce, Phil Collins , Paco de Lucía, Ice-T, and B.B. King 24. In addition, Akkerman collaborated with other artists such as former "Yes" guitarist Peter Banks, with whom he released the album "Two Sides Of Peter Banks" in 1973, which featured also Phil Collins , Steve Hackett , and John Wetton . 25. In 2005, Akkerman received the "Golden Harp" Dutch award. 26. Akkerman also wrote a column for the guitar magazine "GitaarPlus". "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

The rough voice, the Mutton Chops beard, the cowboy hat, and the hanging microphone ... Here are some interesting facts about the sharpest ace in the deck of cards - Lemmy Kilmister. (Photo: Robert John) 1. He was born on December 24 1945 in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, England as Ian Fraser Kilmister. 2. When he was 3 months old his parents divorced. When he was 10, his mother remarried a footballer named George Willis. 3. After the marriage the family moved to Wales where Lemmy attended a Welsh school, as a single Englishman. It made him experience a sense of alienation. 4. The nickname Lemmy was given to him at the same Welsh school. Some say that nickname came from the phrase "Lemmy (lend me) a quid", as Lemmy used to lend money, even though he stated that he did not remember the origin of the nickname. 5. At school he noticed a boy with a guitar and many girls surrounding him with. That was enough to make him decide to take his mother's guitar to school, even though at first he did not know how to play at all. 6. He later taught himself to play the guitar. And after his family moved to Conwy he was a member of several local bands, including "The Sundowners". 7. One of Lemmy's hobbies as a child was horseback riding. He even took riding lessons. 8. At the age of 16, he attended the "the Beatles" show at the famous "Cavern" club in Liverpool. Following that performance, he learned to play their entire first album, " Please Please Me " from beginning to end, on the guitar. 9. He later moved to the town of Stockport in the Manchester area and played in the band "the Rainmakers", of which he was a member for 3 years. 10. In 1965 Lemmy joined the band "The Rockin' Vickers" which released 3 singles after signing a contract with "CBS". 11. In 1967 he left the band and moved to London. During this time he shared an apartment with Noel Redding the bassist of "The Jimi Hendrix Experience" and with Neville Chesters the band's road manager. It helped him get a job as a stage worker and as a roadie of the Jimi Hendrix and "The Nice", which Keith Emerson was a member of. 12. In 1968 he joined the psychedelic band "Sam Gopal" under the name Ian Willis. They released the album "Escalator". Lemmy wrote some of the songs, played guitar, and sang. 13. In 1971 he successfully auditioned for the position of guitarist in the Space Rock band "Hawkwind". On the eve of his first appearance with the band, the original bassist left abruptly, so Lemmy shifted to the bassist position, without any prior experience playing the instrument. Despite his inexperience, Lemmy did great and became the band's regular bassist for 4 years. 14. On May 14, 1975, Lemmy was fired from "Hawkwind" after being caught with drugs on the Canadian border. Lemmy said it was just an excuse to fire him and that the real reason was the band singer's jealousy that the song "Silver Machine" in which Lemmy was a lead singer became a hit. 15. Rumor has it that in revenge for his dismissal from "Hawkwind" amid a tour of North America, he returned to England and slept with all the band members' spouses. 16. In 1975, when he was 30, he formed the band "Bastard which" quickly changed its name to "Motörhead", as the name of the last song he wrote and sang in "Hawkwind". 17. He wanted the band to be fast and mean and sound like the "MC5". On another occasion, he noted that the goal was for the band to be so loud that the neighbor's lawn would die when they played. 18. The original line-up included Lemmy on vocals and bass, Larry Wallis on guitar, and Lucas Fox on drums. This band recorded its debut album in 1975, but the record company was not satisfied and the album was shelved and released only after the band's success in 1979 as "On Parole". 19. The band's first official album called Simply "Motörhead", was released in 1977 and already included the classical lineup of Fast "Eddie Clarke" on guitars and Phil "Philthy Animal" Taylor on drums. 20. The band's big break came on the fourth studio album - "Ace of Spades" from 1980, which included the theme song that became a metal anthem. 21. In 1981, Lemmy and "Motörhead" collaborated with the girl band "Girlschool" as part of the mini-album "St. Valentine's Day Massacre". 22. In 1982, after the recording of the album "Iron Fist", guitarist "Fast" Eddie Clarke abruptly left the band. Lemmy recruited guitarist Brian David Robertson who was a member of "Thin Lizzy", but he did not match the style of "Motörhead" and after recording one album - "Another Perfect Day", he left the band. 23. The record company did not like the revolving door of the guitarists in the band and pushed Lemmy to release a compilation album. Lemmy was very worried that this was the end of the contract with the record company and insisted that the compilation album would also include new songs to show that the band was not "dead". He enlisted guitarist Phil Campbel l and they wrote two new songs for this collection released in 1984, called "No Remorse". The hit "Killed by Death" and the song "Snaggletooth". 24. The clip for the song "Killed By Death" was boycotted by MTV because of "excessive violence". The clip shows Lemmy driving through the wall of his girlfriend's house mounted on his motorcycle, to the amazement of her parents, riding away on the motorcycle. In the clip, Lemmy was shot by police, after a quick chase and later executed in an electric chair, only to return from the dead as he rushes from the grave on his motorcycle. 25. By the way, one of the nicknames for the band's icon that appears on most of their albums is "Snaggletooth", as the name of the second song written especially for the 1984 "No Remorse" collection. 26. There's a "Motörhead" song that even appeared in SpongeBob's movie "Spongebob Squarepants Movie". The song "You Better Swim" which is a remake of the song "You Better Run" from 1992. 27. Lemmy was a fan of the punk band "The Ramones". He wrote the song "R.A.M.O.N.E.S." From the album "1916" on them. "The Ramones" later recorded their version of the song and Lemmy joined them on stage to perform the song during their last show held in 1996. 28. Who wrote lyrics to four songs on Ozzy Osbourne 's " No More Tears " album. (Photo: Metalsucks.net) 29. He noted that he received more royalties for the song "Mama, I'm Coming Home" he wrote for Ozzy, than for all the songs he wrote for "Motörhead". 30. He recorded the song "Hellraiser" which he wrote for Ozzy, and also for "Motörhead" "March Or Die" album from 1992. 31. During his days at "Motörhead", Lemmy was also part of a side project called "Head Cat", along with drummer Slim Jim Phantom from the band "Stray Cats". This is a rockabilly band that played songs by Carl Perkins, Eddie Cochran, and Buddy Holly. 32. Lemmy sings with a very high microphone while his head tilted up. He said he got used to singing like that and that initially, it was to allow him not to look at the fans during the show. 33. In the 1970s, Lemmy was asked to teach Sid Vicious of the "Sex Pistols" how to play the bass guitar. After several lessons, Lemmy gave up saying that Sid is a lost cause. 34. On Lemmy's 50th birthday, members of "Metallica" surprised him when they appeared before him at the "Whiskey A Go-Go" club in Los Angeles, as a tribute band called "The Lemmy's", playing songs by "Motörhead". The four songs played that evening were recorded by "Metallica" during rehearsals and were released as b-sides for the single "Hero Of The Day", which was released in 1996, and later also in the " Garage Inc. " collection from 1998. 35. This was not "Metallica's" only tribute to Lemmy. They dedicated the song "Murder One" from their album " Hardwired ... To Self-Destruct " to himת as well as the clip released for it. 36. In 2006, Lemmy participated in a tribute album to his beloved band "The Beatles", called "Butchering the Beatles: A Headbashing Tribute". He covered the song "Back In The USSR" along with John 5 and Eric Singer. 37. Lemmy has collaborated with many artists like Slash , "Ugly Kid Joe", "The Damned", Wendy O. Williams, Nina Hagen, Doro "The Ramones", as well as Dave Grohl 's "Probot" album. 38. Lemmy has a large collection of World War II items, including Nazi Memorabilia. He noted that the bad guys' uniforms are always more beautiful. 39. Lemmy's last appearance with "Motörhead" took place in Berlin on December 11, 2015. Two weeks later he passed away 40. Lemmy passed away four days after his 70th birthday, on December 28, 2015, as a result of complications of violent prostate cancer. He learned that he was ill with the disease only two days before his death. 41. To allow as many fans to say goodbye to Lemmy, his funeral ceremony was broadcast online through the band's YouTube channel. 42. During his 40 years of activity as part of "Motörhead", Lemmy has released 22 studio albums (23 if you take into account the album "On Parole" which was recorded in 1975 and was shelved). After Lemmy's death, the band released the album "Under Cöver" in 2017, featuring cover versions performed by Lemmy and "Motörhead" covering artists such as "the Rolling Stones", "Twisted Sister", "Metallica", Ted Nugent, David Bowie , "Judas Priest" and more. 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On December 24, 2002, Yngwie Malmsteen  released “The Genesis”, an archival album that reaches further back than any other point in his catalog, to the moment when he was barely seventeen years old and already thinking years ahead of everyone else. “The Genesis” is not a debut, not a compilation, and not a lost studio album. It is a window into Malmsteen’s adolescence as a musician, built from recordings made around 1980, long before fame, contracts, or expectations. These are the tapes of a teenage guitarist who had already absorbed classical theory, devoured hard rock, and decided that blues tradition was not enough for what he wanted to say. What we hear here is not refinement, but instinct. At that age, Malmsteen was already shaping the core of what would become neoclassical metal. Inspired by Bach, Paganini, and the dramatic guitar language of Ritchie Blackmore and of course Jimi Hendrix whose " Voodoo Child " cover is included in the album, Malmsteen was experimenting with harmonic minor scales, fast arpeggios, and violin-like phrasing at a time when most guitarists were still rooted in pentatonic comfort zones. Even in these early recordings, the guitar is not part of the band, it is the band. Earlier in 2002, bassist Marcel Jacob issued “Birth of the Sun” album under the "Rising Force" name, also based on these early recordings. Shortly afterward, Malmsteen released “The Genesis” as his own definitive statement, featuring most of the same tracks, but with Marcel Jacob's bass tracks redone by him, reworking parts of the material and reclaiming these songs as the true starting point of his musical identity. Listening closely, it becomes clear that many of the tracks on “The Genesis” are not dead ends, but seeds. Musical themes, progressions, and compositional ideas introduced here would later reappear in more developed forms across Malmsteen’s career. Riffs evolve, melodic phrases resurface, and structural concepts later blossom on his solo albums. “The Genesis” allows you to hear those ideas before they were sharpened by studio budgets and decades of perfectionism. The performances are raw and sometimes uneven, but that is precisely their value. The production is minimal, the arrangements skeletal, and the vocals (by Malmsteen himself) secondary. These recordings capture Malmsteen before discipline overtook impulse, when speed was pursued for discovery rather than display. You can hear him pushing boundaries simply to see where they break. There is no sense of calculation, only obsession. That purity makes “The Genesis” one of the most revealing documents in his discography. For Listening: Spotify "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

The “Stained Class” suicide incident is one of the most painful and defining controversies in heavy metal history, a moment when personal tragedy collided with fear, grief, and a growing cultural backlash against the genre and the day the Heavy Metal genre went on trial. Released in 1978, “Stained Class” by “Judas Priest” marked a decisive shift toward a colder, sharper, and more aggressive sound. The album explored themes of alienation, authority, and inner conflict, elements that years later would be misread and pulled into a narrative the band never intended. On December 23, 1985, two teenage fans from Nevada, Raymond Belknap and James Vance, spent the night drinking alcohol and repeatedly listening to “Stained Class”. In the early hours of the morning, Belknap died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, while Vance survived with severe injuries and later died in 1988 due to complications. The tragedy shocked the local community and left families searching for explanations and accountability. That search led to a lawsuit against “Judas Priest” and "CBS Records", claiming the album contained subliminal messages that encouraged suicide. The accusation focused on “Better By You, Better Than Me”, a cover originally written by “Spooky Tooth”, with claims that hidden commands such as “Do It” and “Let’s Be Dead” were embedded in the recording, allegedly audible when the songs were played backwards. In a broader context, this case did not occur in a vacuum. It followed a series of public confrontations surrounding heavy metal throughout the 1980s. On May 28, 1984, a civil lawsuit against Ozzy Osbourne over the song “Suicide Solution” was dismissed, with the court ruling that the song constituted artistic expression rather than a call to action, and that there was no legal basis to hold an artist responsible for listeners’ interpretations of lyrics. About a year later, on September 19, 1985, vocalist Dee Snider of “Twisted Sister” appeared before the U.S. Senate during the PMRC (Parents Music Resource Center) hearings. Contrary to expectations, Snider delivered a clear, articulate, and persuasive argument, explaining that songs express emotions, metaphors, and personal experiences rather than instructions for behavior. The outcome of the hearings was not legislation or direct censorship, but the adoption of the “Parental Advisory” label as a warning system only. While “Twisted Sister” managed to halt the battle in the public and political arena, the trial against “Judas Priest” marked a more advanced and dangerous stage, and a clear escalation of the moral panic that surrounded heavy metal during the 1980s. It represented a shift from debating the open interpretation of lyrics to an attempt to prove hidden, subliminal influence. On July 16, 1990, the trial officially began at the Washoe County District Court in Reno, Nevada. The case quickly became an international media spectacle, as prosecutors attempted to prove that the band had deliberately placed subliminal messages within the album. Rob Halford and Glenn Tipton testified, explaining recording techniques, vocal bleed, and how random sound artifacts can be perceived as words when listeners are primed to hear them. In his ruling, the judge acknowledged that certain sounds could be interpreted as subliminal phrases when isolated or reversed, but ultimately dismissed the case, stating that any such messages would not be discernible to listeners under normal listening conditions. There was no evidence of intent, and no legal basis to hold “Judas Priest” responsible for the tragedy. Although “Judas Priest” prevailed in court, the episode permanently attached itself to “Stained Class”. Over time, the trial became a landmark moment that helped define the legal limits of artistic responsibility. The album itself endured as one of the band’s most influential works, its music surviving long after the fear and misunderstanding that once surrounded it. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

He is a musician, singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and producer best known as the guitarist and singer of "King Crimson", but he has played and collaborated with artists of all shades of the musical spectrum, including: Frank Zappa , David Bowie , "Talking Heads", "Nine Inch Nails", Paul Simon. (Photo by Greg Cristman) Here are some interesting facts about Adrian Belewת who celebrates his birthday today: 1. He was born in the city of "Covington" in "Kentucky" USA on December 23, 1949, named Robert Steven Belew. 2. The first instrument he played as a child was drums. He was also part of the elementary school orchestra. 3. In high school he started a cover band called "The Denems". 4. Inspired by Jimi Hendrix he started playing the guitar, it was very close to him for months when he was at home due to mononucleosis. At the age of 17, he was further inspired by a performance by blues rock guitarist Lonnie Mack, who later also became a close friend. 5. The first concert he ever saw at "Crosley Field", Cincinnati, in 1966 was by "The Beatles". He would later state that Paul McCartney is his favorite artist of all time. 6. Belew taught himself to play the guitar mainly by listening to records. He was able to find ways to imitate the produced and effect-rich sounds of those records himself, using unusual playing techniques. 7. He developed a very unique playing style and managed to make his guitar play non-standard sounds and imitate different effects and sounds such as car horns, animal noises or industrial sounds. 8. In the mid-1970s, Belew adopted the first name "Adrian" and moved to Nashville in search of a career as a professional musician, while at the same time playing in the cover band "Sweetheart". 9. In 1977 he was discovered by Frank Zappa at a "Sweetheart" concert. After a year, he received an invitation from Zappa for an audition. After he faild his first audition, he managed to convince Zappa to give him a second chance. It was an intimate experience in Zappa's living room, and in the end Zappa was impressed and accepted Belew to his band. 10. Belew accompanied Zappa in concerts and even got to sing solo in two songs. He was also a part of the 1979 "Sheik Yerbouti" album. 11. Adrian would describe the time he spent with Zappa as "Frank Zappa's school of rock". It was a crash course in music theory due to the rigorous rehearsals and technically demanding music of Zappa. 12. On the other hand, Frank Zappa would later say the following iconic sentence about Belew: "“Adrian Belew reinvented the electric guitar!”. 13. At the same time and on Brian Eno's recommendation, Belew received an offer to join David Bowie 's band. Bowie and Iggy Pop were waiting for him in the hotel lobby after his concert with Frank Zappa in Berlin. 14. Bowie picked him up from the hotel lobby in a limousine to a restaurant, where by chance Frank Zappa also dined. When Bowie tried to get a response from Zappa about his offer to Belew Zappa said: "Fuck you Captain Tom". 15. Belew recorded the live album "Stage" from 1978 and the studio album "Lodger" from 1979, with Bowie. Later he would return to work with Bowie as musical manager, guitar player and vocalist, on the "Sound+Vision" tour from 1990. 16. In 1980 he founded the band "GaGa", where he served as a singer, guitarist, songwriter and even as a drummer in the studio recordings. 17. At that time, Belew became friends with members of the "Talking Heads" band. He was invited to join their performance of the song "Psycho Killer" on stage and impressed them with his wild and unconventional guitar solo. Adrian will later be invited by the band to also play on the excellent album "Remain in Light" from 1980 and will later also play on the side projects of the bands members. 18. From 1981 until 2009 Belew was the singer, second guitarist and occasional drummer of "King Crimson". This is the longest continuous membership of a member of the band other than Robert Fripp of course. 19. One of Belew's conditions for joining the new "King Crimson" lineup was that Robert Fripp would allow him to continue developing his new solo career, Fripp of course agreed. 20. The new lineup of "King Crimson" also included former drummer Bill Bruford, and bassist Tony Levin. Belew became the first guitarist to officially play alongside Robert Fripp in "King Crimson" as equal guitarist (although Ian McDonald and John Wetton also occasionally contributed additional guitar on recordings). He was also the first singer of "King Crimson" to write all the lyrics by himself. 21. Belew will participate in 6 "King Crimson" albums, starting with the excellent trilogy of the 1980s: "Discipline", "Beat" and "Three of a Perfect Pair", through the excellent 1995 album " Thrak " to the last studio album "The Power to Believe" from 2003. 22. At the same time, Belew developed a solo career that began with the album "Lone Rhino" from 1982. To date, he has released no less than 18 studio albums as part of his solo career, the latest being "Elevator" from 2022. 23. During the hiatus taken by "King Crimson" beginning in the mid-1980s, Belew founded the pop band "The Bears", along with fellow guitarist and singer Rob Fetters, drummer Chris Arduser, and bassist Bob Nyswonger. 24. The band recorded and released two albums, "The Bears" from 1987 and "Rise and Shine" from 1988, but after three years of recording and touring the band broke up in 1989. 25. In 2005 his single "Beat Box Guitar" was nominated for a Grammy Award. 26. In 2006, Belew formed a trio that his fans called "The Adrian Belew Power Trio", which also made one performance at the "Barby" club, Tel Aviv, in 2016. Two years earlier, he appeared in Tel Aviv with the the "Crimson Project". 27. Belew collaborated with so many artists, which the canvas is too short to mention. Among them: Paul Simon in the albums "Graceland" and "The Rhythm of the Saints", "Nine Inch Nails" in four albums including "The Downward Spiral", "Porcupine Tree" in the album "Deadwing", Cyndi Lauper in the album "True Colors", Joe Cocker and even Jean Michel Jarre and Mike Oldfield . 28. Belew created his unique effects application called "FLUX", which contains over three hundred different sounds which he describes as sounds that you cannot achieve with any other equipment. The apps have received significant recognition in the music industry, including two 2015 Webby Awards and 2015 Red Dot Design Awards. 29. Belew is considered a pioneer in the use of the guitar synthesizer effect, as he was one of the first players to bring them into popular music and use them consistently. 30. Belew also designed custom models for guitars, among others "Fly" model with "Parker" company. 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On December 23 1987, Nikki Sixx was pronounced dead for 2 minutes, after a heroin overdose. ( Photo: Markus Cuff ) For the story behind this extreme event, read here: In 1987 the members of "Mötley Crüe" were on the roof of the world. Sales of millions of copies of their albums, sold-out shows, private jets and a life of debauchery and hedonism that broke even the definitions of "Rock Stars". But the band's wild lifestyle has begun to take its toll. On December 8, 1984, singer Vince Neil got into his car under the influence of drugs and alcohol. He collided violently with another vehicle causing the death of Razzle, drummer "Hanoi Rocks", who was sitting beside him in the vehicle, as well as a brain damage to the two passengers who were in the injured vehicle. This horrific accident was supposed to serve as a "warning sign" for members of "Mötley Crüe", but the exact opposite seemed to have happened. Nikki Sixx deepened his heroin addiction and it peaked on the night of December 23, 1987. During an unstoppable drug and alcohol party attended by, among others, Slash and Steven Adler from "Guns N' Roses", as well as Robbin Crosby from "Ratt", Nicky injected himself with an overdose of heroin and lost consciousness. Not that it hadn’t happened before, but this time Nikki turned blue and his friends couldn’t wake him up. Slash 's girlfriend at the time, Sally McLaughlin, tried to resuscitate him, but without success. When Nikki got into the ambulance he was already pronounced dead. The TV channels even broadcasted news of his death. But one of the paramedics refused to give up and continued to "work' on Nikki , injecting into his heart two adrenaline syringes that managed to bring him back to life. He then said he had an out-of-body experience following his death and when he woke up he still saw the two syringes stuck in his heart. The scene from the Netflix movie "The Dirt" released in 2019, describes very well of those difficult moments: Nikki went into rehab and managed to be part of the recordings of the band's next album "Dr. Feelgood", which was released in 1989. Nikki was even relatively "clean", and wrote the song "Kickstart My Heart" following that horrific event. It became the band's best-selling album and it's only single to reach number one on the Billboard 200. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Although he is not one of the main writers of "Iron Maiden", he is one of the two stable and permanent pillars of the band, which has been part of each and every one of its albums and has significantly influenced its sound. (Photo: Kevin RC Wilson) Here are some interesting facts about guitarist Dave Murray: 1. He was born in Edmonton in north London England on 23 December 1956 as David Michael Murray. 2. He grew up in a poor family which often moved from place to place throughout London. His father was not in good the health, so his mother was the main provider. 3. Poverty led to a lot of quarrels at home and this caused Dave a lot of frustration. Therefore, as a teenager he often wandered the streets, he was part of the "Skin Heads" gang, and was often involved in street fights. 4. Eventually the family settled in the "Clapton" area and Dave grew up nearby guitarist Adrian Smith who became his childhood friend. 5. Dave became interested in music at the age of 15, after hearing Jimi Hendrix 's "Voodoo Chile" on the radio. He said that since then everything has changed for him. He left school, and began to grow his hair, he was roaming through record stores, and listening to a lot of music, while at the same time he began to play the guitar. 6. Among the artists that Dave listened to and influenced most of all is "Thin Lizzy", "Deep Purple", "Black Sabbath", "UFO", "Queen", "Free", "Judas Priest", "Wishbone Ash" And more. 7. At the age of 16 he formed the trio "Stone Free" with Adrian Smith . Dave played guitar and Smith served as the singer. (Photo: Breavewords.com) 8. After Smith saw the attention Dave was getting from the girl fans, he decided to learn to play the guitar and purchased Dave's old guitar for £ 5. 9. In 1972, Dave and Adrian Smith formed the band "Evil Ways" which later changed its name to "Urchin". 10. In 1974 Dave left the band and joined "Electric Gas". Later he moved to the punk band "The Secret", with which he recorded his first single "The Young Ones" and later the demo "Café De Dance" under the pseudonym "Reggie Mental". 11. In 1976 he successfully auditioned for "Iron Maiden", but the two guitarists who were then in the band Dave Sullivan and Terry Rance objected and gave bassist Steve Harris an ultimatum. Harris preferred Murray over the two. He noted that Sullivan and Rance left him no choice because Dave was the best guitarist he ever worked with. 12. Unfortunately after a few months Murray was kicked out of the band following an argument with singer Dennis Wilcock. During this time Dave returned to "Urchin" and was privileged to record the single "She's a Roller" with them. 13. Shortly afterward Dave returned to "Iron Maiden" after singer Dennis Wilcock left the band. Since then he had become a regular and permanent member of "Iron Maiden". 14. Murray was the one responsible for recruiting Adrian Smith to "Iron Maiden". In 1979 Smith received an offer to join Iron Maiden but "Urchin" had just signed a recording contract with "EMI" and Smith rejected the offer. After "Urchin" broke up in 1980 Murray and Harris met Adrian Smith and again offered him to join "Iron Maiden". After a successful audition, he was accepted into the band. 15. Murray is the only member of "Iron Maiden", along with Steve Harris, who appears on all of the band's albums. 16. Although he is not one of the main songwriters of "Iron Maiden", his influence on its sound is tremendous. 17. His contribution to writing is usually made together with other members of the band. In fact, the only song he wrote exclusively for "Iron Maiden", is "Charlotte the Harlot", which appears on the band's debut album. 18. Other songs he co-wrote are: "Still Life", "Deja Vu", "Chains of Misery", "Judas Be My Guide", "Brave New World", "The Nomad", "The Thin Line Between Love, and Hate", "Rainmaker", "Age of Innocence", "The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breege" and more. (Photo: ironmaidenordie.tumblr.com) 19. Dave is mainly characterized by the use of the Legato guitar playing technique. Dave's solos are fast, fluid, and clean where you can hear every note. 20. He is mostly identified with the Fender Stratocaster guitar, but has also made use of Gibson Les Paul, most notably in recording the " The Book of Souls " album from 2015. 21. One of his most famous guitars - the black fender Stratocaster with a body from 1963 and a neck from 1957, used to belong to guitarist Paul Kossoff who is known, among other things, from the band "Free". 22. In 1985 Dave was a guest on the song "Stars", from the charity project " Hear 'n Aid " by the best metal artists of the era, under the supervision of Ronnie James Dio . 23. Dave is featured on the song "With You Again" from the 1997 album "Welcome to the World" by the band "Psycho Motel" - Adrian Smith 's band formed in 1995. 24. He appears alongside Adrian Smith in the list of the 10 greatest guitar players in metal by Gibson Guitars. 25. One of his main hobbies is playing golf which he tends to share among others with drummer Nicko McBrain during the band tours. 26. Some days of the year he lives on the island of Maui in Hawaii. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

He's one of the great singers, he's one of the great songwriters, he's one of the great performers and in addition to all that he is a multi-instrumentalist, dear friends please welcome Eddie Vedder... (Photo: Danny Clinch) = He was born on December 23, 1964, in Evanston, Illinois. A year after he was born his parents divorced and his father left home. His mother married very quickly and introduced the new husband as Eddie's biological father. = His mother decided to adopt 7 more children and create a lifestyle of a shared home, but in the early 1970s, Eddie, his mother, and three other half-brothers left for San Diego. = When he was 12 his mother bought him a guitar and Eddie who found solace in music began to focus on it and on surfing. He said he felt alone all the time, except for the moments he was with the music. = His mother divorced for the second time and moved with the rest of his brothers back to Chicago, but Eddie decided to stay with his father to finish school. At that time he discovered that his current father was not his biological father but his stepfather, Eddie did not have a chance to meet his biological father who had passed away several years earlier. = Eddie tried to support himself and live alone, but was not really successful. He worked in a number of jobs such as gas stations, pharmacies, and even security. He eventually collapsed under the load, left school, and soon returned to his mother in Chicago. (Photo: Unknown) = In 1984 Eddie returned to San Diego and began to spend most of his time in music, he wrote, played, created, and recorded various demos. Five years later he joined a funk band called "Bad Radio" and began his musical career. = In the late 1990s, Eddie received from his friend Jack Irons (the drummer of the Chilies) with whom he played basketball a tape containing songs of a band in the making from Seattle. He listened to the tape and immediately (after a surfing session) wrote the lyrics and recorded vocals for each of the three songs In the tape. These songs will later become what we know today as "Footsteps", "Once" and "Alive". = The tape returned back to the hands of Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament (from the band in the making), who immediately invited the anonymous singer to Seattle to audition for their new band. = During the flight to Seattle, Eddie wrote one of the band's most moving, if not the most moving songs, the song "Black". = At the time, Ament and Gossard were working with Chris Cornell , guitarist Mike McCready and drummer Matt Cameron on a tribute album to the death of their friend Andrew Wood , which would later become the immortal album and ensemble "Temple Of The Dog" . Eddie walks into the studio in the middle of the recordings and right away he is "thrown into the water", Chris asked him to sing background vocals in the chorus to the song "Hunger Strike". Eddie who stunned everyone in the room including Chris himself finally performed a significant part of the song instead of just background vocals. Eddie stayed for the rest of the recordings and performed background vocals for more songs on the album. = In 1991 came out the only album of this band bearing the band name "Temple Of The Dog". This is Eddie's first recording album and it's also the first time he's heard himself sing on a record. Eddie said it was one of his favorite songs. = At that time Eddie lived in the basement of Kelly Curtis who would later become the band's first Manager, his partner in the basement was Jerry Cantrell (Alice In Chains). = Mike, Jeff, Stone, Eddie, and temporary drummer Dave Krusen went down into a small basement in Seattle, filled with heavy wooden tables and rusty tools, and within a week of rehearsals, they wrote 11 songs. The chemistry and dynamics between the guys happened quickly and brought out the best of the group in that basement. = Immediately afterward they sign a contract with the record company "Epic" and enter the "London Bridge Studios" in Seattle with producer Rick Parashar, to record their debut album. The recording of the album lasted only one month and was done on a minor budget of about $ 70,000. = The band's first name was "Mookie Blaylock", named after a famous basketball player who carried the number ten on his shirt. Since this had legal implications, the label forced the band to change the name and it was changed to "Pearl Jam". = One of the defining moments in Eddie's life was the moment Chris loaded him on his shoulders and took him on stage to start the "Mookie Blaylock's" show. Eddie said he had a very hard time getting on stage, he felt like a foreigner coming from another city straight into Seattle’s music culture, a place where everyone knew everyone and everyone played with everyone. When in addition Andrew's death is still hovering in the air. Chris brought him on stage, introduced him to the audience, and gave him his blessing in front of the audience in Seattle. (Photo: YouTube) = This event was the beginning of a wonderful and long-standing friendship between two huge singers and composers, but also between two fragile and wounded souls. Eddie said Chris was more than a best friend, he was a role model, the friend you look up to, admire, and love. = In August 1991, the band releases their debut album "Ten" . Although initially, the album was not very successful, towards the end of 1992 it got a significant breakthrough. It comes in second place on the Billboard 200, receives two Grammy nominations, and sweeps a bunch of awards on MTV. The album soon became one of the greatest albums to come out of the grunge scene and one of the greatest of the 1990s, and in general. (Photo: PR) = The album brought to the young group a huge success at a lightning speed, straight into the lives of the young and innocent bunch. Everyone had a hard time dealing with it but Eddie was extremely difficult. The issue of success, commercialism, and admiration will accompany him throughout his life and will cause quite a bit of frustration, anger, and a great deal of criticism towards the industry. The hardest thing for him to carry is the dependence or expectations of the fans. Eddie said he felt that many people began to believe that he could change their lives or even save their lives, and they created such big and heavy expectations that just tore him apart. = Already on this album Eddie turns out to be a songwriter in every sense of the word, his ability to write songs and the way he presents them is phenomenal. He is ranked at No.7 in Rolling Stone's best vocals of all time whereas Chris is ranked at No.9 (Just saying). = In 1993 the band's second album "Vs" was released. The album soared on the waves of success straight to number one on the Billboard 200 and stayed there for 5 weeks breaking weekly sales records. = Did we mention Eddie's aversion to success and fame? So in October 1993, a picture of Eddie appeared on the cover of the famous "Time" magazine. His photo was published as part of the article on the rise of the Grunge scene from Seattle. Eddie was very upset about the magazine and claimed he had nothing to do with the publication. = The band releases 9 more albums: "Vitalogy" (1994), "No Code" (1996), "Yield" (1998), "Binaural" (2000), "Riot Act" (2002), "Pearl Jam" (2006), "Backspacer" (2009), "Lightning Bolt" (2013) and the last album released in 2020 "Gigaton" that really got us back to the beginning, we fell in love with the band again following the album! = Eddie has also written materials for the soundtracks of many films including "Dead Man Walking" (1995), "I Am Sam" (2001), "A Brokedown Melody" (2004), "Body of War" (2007), and more ... = In 2007 Eddie released his first solo album "Into The Wild" which is the soundtrack to a Sean Penn movie of the same name. The album consists of 11 songs, two of which are "Hard Sun" and "Society" covers. Sean gave Eddie the freedom to create but asked him to accompany the script and Eddie for his part liked the idea that someone was outlining for him the storyline according to which he should write. = In 2011 Eddie released his second solo album "Ukulele Songs". An album consisting of 16 songs, five of them covers, all performed on a Ukulele. The album was accompanied by a short and intimate tour that Eddie performed in small clubs across the United States. = Eddie is a huge singer and performer and has a very, very, very long list of collaborations with artists of all shapes and genders, including: Ramones, Neil Young , REM, Neil Finn, Bad Religion, Mark Seymour, Cat Power, Mike Watt, Fastbacks, Wellwater Conspiracy and more ... and more ... and more ... = We said, performer... He has two regular customs during the band's performances where he interacts with the audience. The first (which is good that no longer exists) is to perform spiraling exercises on anything that allows it on stage, pillars, cranes, lighting, cameras/photographers, and anything that can be climbed on and then jump from headfirst into the audience. The second is communication, everywhere in the world where the band performed, Eddie would write a letter in the local language, study it, and read it to the audience during the show. = Eddie is very active socially and politically. He espouses the notion that music is a way of conveying a message and he uses the stage in order to influence and express his opinions. A very famous event took place during a band performance on MTV Unplugged. During the show, Eddie took a black marker and wrote on his hand "Pro-Choice" which is the name of an organization that supports women's right to have an abortion. (Photo: SAMIR HUSSEIN) = In 2010, the Vedder's founded an "EB Research Partnership", a worldwide organization dedicated to funding research aimed at treating epidermolysis bolus (EB), a destructive group of life-threatening skin diseases that affect children from birth. = This time we will also send you to see three important films. The first is "Hype!", A film that tells the true story of the '90s in Seattle and how the Grunge scene rose. The other is "Singles" , a Hollywood film made during the time of the Grunge scene in Seattle that features many of the band's members including Eddie. The third is "Pearl Jam 20", a documentary about the band's 20 years of existence = In February 2022 Eddie releases his third solo album "Earthing", a very diverse album in which many famous guests participate such as: Elton John , Ringo Starr , Stevie Wonder, and many others. Listen to Eddie's third and latest solo album on: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Today we will tell you about the singer Joe Cocker known for his gritty, bluesy, and powerful voice. (Photo: John Macpherson) 1. He was born on 20 May 1944 in Sheffield England. His name at birth was John Robert "Joe" Cocker. 2. He formed his first band in 1959 when he was only 14. They were called "The Cavaliers" and he played drums and harmonica. 3. His first live show, this time already as a singer, was at the age of 15, with a local band called "The Avengers", then he already took on the stage name Vance Arnold. 4. In 1963 "Vance Arnold and the Avengers" were already the opening act for none other than "The Rolling Stones". 5. That same year he joined a local blues band called "The Big Blues". Three years later he retired from the band in favor of "The Grease Band". 6. His first commercially successful hit was the cover version of The Beatles' "With A Little Help From My Friends", which was released in 1969 as part of his debut album of the same name. 7. The one who played the guitar in the song was none other than Jimmy Page . 8. Not many know, but this was not the first "Beatles" song that Cocker covered. The first song of "The Fab Four" he covered was "I'll Cry Instead", which Cocker released in 1964. Jimmy Page played on this song too. He was then nicknamed "Little Jim". 9. Later, Cocker will release additional cover versions of "The Beatles" songs, including "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away" and "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window," which he released even before "The Beatles". 10. Already in the same year his first solo album was released, Cocker participated in the " Woodstock " festival. 11. Cocker also opened the Saturday show of the 1994 Woodstock Festival and was among the only artists to perform both there and at the original festival. 12. At the end of 1969, Cocker went on a tour in the United States, accompanied by a large band that included about 30 musicians, among them: Leon Russell and Rita Coolidge. This tour will produce the excellent live album "Mad Dogs & Englishmen". 13. Cocker's live performances were extroverted and full of spasms all over his body. He's probably one of the first in music to use "Air Guitar" as part of the show. He noted that it helped him feel the music. (Photo: Carl Lender) 14. His addiction to drugs and alcohol began already at the end of the 1960s. The combination of these two with massive cigarette smoking affected his already rough voice, but also his musical career, which suffered cancellations. 15. Joe Cocker struggled with addictions with the help of his second wife. He managed to make a big comeback to the stages and the global music market in the early 80s. 16. One of his big hits after his return was "Up Where We Belong", which he performed together with the American singer Jennifer Warnes for the soundtrack of the movie "An Officer and a Gentleman". 17. This is the best-selling song that even won him an Oscar under the category of "Best Theme Song of a Movie". 18. This was not the only soundtrack to which Cocker contributed songs. One of the other famous movies was "9½ Weeks" for which Cocker contributed the hit "You Can Leave Your Hat On." 19. Most of Cocker's big hits are actually cover versions of other artists. Among them: "Unchain My Heart" by Ray Charles, "You Can Leave Your Hat On" by Randy Newman, "You Are So Beautiful" by Billy Preston, "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" by "The Beasts", "The Letter" by "Box Tops"," Feelin' Alright" by "Traffic" and of course "With A Little Help From My Friends" by "The Beatles". 20. In 2007 he was awarded the title of Officer of the British Order for his contribution to music. 21. He is one of the artists who appeared before both the Queen of England and the President of the United States. In 1989 he appeared before President George H. W. Bush at the coronation of his second term, and in 2002 at Buckingham Palace on the occasion of Queen Elizabeth's Golden Jubilee, with Phil Collins on drums and Brian May on guitar. 22. He is on the list of the 100 greatest singers of all time by "Rolling Stone" magazine. 23. Joe Cocker has performed several times in Israel, most recently at the "Gilboa Festival" in August 2008. 24. During his musical career, Cocker has released over 40 albums, including 22 studio albums. 25. Cocker passed away on December 22, 2014, after a long battle with lung cancer. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

His roots are not in the "Rock", but he influenced artists from this genre. Today we'll share with you some interesting facts about an undoubtedly talented guitarist called Eddie Hazel: (Photo: "Games Dames And Guitar Thangs" Rhino 2004 CD release) 1. He was born on April 10, 1950, as Edward Earl Hazel in Brooklyn New York. He grew up in New Jersey because his mother wanted him to grow up in an environment free of crime and drugs. 2. From a very young age he began to sing in church and also play the guitar given to him as a Christmas present by his older brother. 3. At the age of 12 he met Billy "Bass" Nelson who would later collaborate with him for most of his career, including in the bands "Parliament" and "Funkadelic". 4. On the recommendation of Billy Nelson, Hazel joined George Clinton's touring band - "The Parliaments", in 1967. 5. During a performance by "The Parliaments" in Philadelphia, Hazel met Tiki Fulwood who will replace the drummer bands' drummer. 6. Eddie Hazel and Fulwood will form the basis of "Funkadelic", which served as the accompaniment band of "the Parliaments". 7. The move from "The Parliaments" to "Funkadelic" has been completed with the addition of rhythm guitarist Tawl Ross and keyboardist Bernie Worrell. 8. This was also accompanied by a music style change from Soul and Doo Wop towards a more Psychedelic direction combined with Funk, with influences from Jimi Hendrix on the one hand and "Sly Stone" on the other. 9. Eddie played both bands at the same time, "The Parliaments" had a lighter music approach, and "Funkadelic" had more complex and heavy music. 10. "Funkadelic" released their first album in 1970. 11. Eddie Hazel will be an integral part of "Funkadelic" also on the next two albums "Free Your Mind ... And Your Ass Will Follow" (1970) and "Maggot Brain" (1971). 12. "Maggot Brain" was a masterpiece that won rave reviews and also entered the list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, by "Rolling Stone" magazine and the list of " 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die ". 13. Amazingly the opening song of the album and the theme song "Maggot Brain", has an amazing solo piece by Eddie Hazel, who came up with this chilling solo with the help of his bandmate George Clinton. George asked him to close his eyes and play the solo as if he was just been notified of his mother's death. Clinton later asked Hazel to play the latter part of the solo as if he had just been informed that his mother was alive, and thus this amazing masterpiece was created. (Photo: Bruce W. Talamon) 14. This solo reached number 60 on "Rolling Stone" magazine's 100 greatest guitar solos of all time. 15. In 1971 Eddie and Nelson left the band following financial disagreements they had with Clinton. 16. Although he officially left the band, Eddie continued to contribute to "Funkadelic" on the next albums "Eats Its Young" (1972) and "Cosmic Slop" (1973). 17. In 1973, Nelson and Hazel began working with "The Temptations", appearing on the band's 1973 and 1975 albums. 18. In 1974, "Funkadelic" released "Standing on the Verge of Getting It On". Eddie Hazel will co-write all of the album's songs, with 6 of them receiving credit for Grace Cook - his mother's name. 19. In the same year, Hazel will participate in "The Parliaments" "Up For The Down Stroke" album. 20. That same year Hazel was convicted of assaulting a flight attendant and was sent to jail. During this time another guitarist was recruited to replace him in "Funkadelic" and "Parliament". (Photo: IMDB) 21. After his release from prison, Hazel returned to work with the band but his contribution was minor, except for the song "Comin' Round the Mountain" from the 1976 album "Hardcore Jollies". 22. In 1977, Hazel released his first and only solo album "Game, Dames and Guitar Thangs", which featured his bandmates from "Funkadelic" and "Parliament". 23. Hazel passed away on December 23, 1992, due to liver failure and internal bleeding caused as a result. 24. At his funeral his masterful guitar piece "Maggot Brain" was played. 25. After his death the album "Rest in P" was released and included unreleased material by Hazel. 26. Following his death, Hazel was highly recognized and appreciated by several artists, including "Primal Scream" who included a picture of him on the cover of the album "Give Out But Don't Give Up" and John Frusciante who recorded the track "Before the Beginning" from his album "The Empyrean" as a tribute to Hazel's "Maggot Brain". 27. Hazel appears on "Rolling Stone" magazine's list of the 100 greatest guitar players of all time. 28. He influenced quite a few guitarists such as J. Mascis from "Dinosaur Jr.", Mike McCready from "Pearl Jam", and Lenny Kravitz . And now you can enjoy a special playlist we made for you of Eddie Hazel's best moment: Click HERE . "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website