The 11th album of "The Smashing Pumpkins" was released on November 27, 2020 and is called "Cyr". This is the band's first double album since " Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness " released in 1995. It includes 20 songs that were filtered out of 35 sketches that Billy Corgan sent to drummer Jimmy Chamberlin back in 2019, to work on their drum sound. In early 2020 Billy Corgan noted that he has 23 new songs the band is working on, which will likely be split into two different albums. Later that number was reduced to 20 songs that Corgan promised will sound different than the band's albums. Although we are dealing with 3/4 of the original band members, listening to the songs on the album reveals that Billy Corgan , James Iha and Jimmy Chamberlin have indeed taken it in a completely different direction... The rough guitars were replaced with synthesizers and electronic beats and the roaring drums shrank to a muffled, dry sound that Chamberlain noted was influenced by the Progressive Rock bands of the 70s, is it do? It is interesting to note that the album abounds in the synthesized sound even though on paper the band has two guitarists. James Ayah who returned to the band in 2018 and guitarist Jeff Schroeder who replaced him in 2007 and remained as a member of the band. The one who took over the production craft this time, from the legendary Rick Rubin, is Billy Corgan who noted that he forced himself to work outside his comfort zone. Billy Corgan also added that he thought of bands like "Siouxsie and the Banshees", "Sisters of Mercy" and "Joy Division" during the production and on how they used modern technology to achieve their sound. For Listening: Spotify "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On November 27, 1991, "The Friends of Natasha" made history with one of the most complete and perfect albums released in Israel, "Changes in Screaming Habits" (Shinuim Be-hergelei Hatzricha). Stay with us for more coverage in the "Class of 91'" series, on the masterpiece albums released in that wonderful year. If "The Friends of Natasha" debut album from 1989 presented the potential inherent in the band, then on this album that talent simply exploded. Those who were present at the competition of young bands at the exhibition grounds in Tel Aviv in the summer of 1987, surely noticed the potential of "The Friends of Natasha". We witness it with our own eyes. there was a spark that could not be missed. Danny Bassan, who was one of the judges of the competition, also saw it, and even though the band did not win the competition, he recommended them to his friend from the band "Tislam", Yair Nitsani, who was then the CEO of "Hed Artzi" record company and was responsible for finding talents such as "Noar Sholim" Adam and more. Even in this case, Nitsani did not miss a second and hurried to sign them up on a recording contract. He invited another member of "Tislam" - Yizhar Ashdot to produce one of the successful debut albums, released in Israel. "The Friends of Natasha" released in 1989 sold about 40,000 copies and produced successful songs such as "Melancholy", "At Lo", "Shir Acher", "Neemar Kvar Hakol", "Yesh Zman", "Yesh Bach" and more. In 1990, drummer Jean-Paul Zimbris joined the band, and the classic line-up of the band, which included Arkadi Duchin (vocals and keyboards), Micah Shitrit (vocals and guitar), Miki Harari (lead guitar), and Shlomo (Kozo) Almakis (bass) was completed. At the end of 1990, "The Friends of Natasha" and "Hed Artzi" parted ways and the band began to look for a producer for their next album, based on the initial materials they had started writing. They were helped by a former employee of Hed Artzi who introduced them to Dani Tamir, who came from the business world. Dani was the owner of "Creative Thinking Ltd", one of the centers in consulting in the fields of investment banking and IPOs, and chairman and CEO of "Tibon Veal" (Meat) who had a seat on various boards of directors. But more than anything, Dani had a great love affair with music, he played the piano and really liked the first record of "The Friends of Natasha", so he immediately enlisted to help. At the beginning of 1991, when Saddam Hussein decided to test the strength of the sealed rooms in Tel Aviv, "The Friends of Natasha" appeared armed with AV masks and a tape with song sketches at Dani's house, and after about two hours the production started. Some understandings were formed between "The Friends of Natasha" and Dani. Dani asked that 20 songs will be formulated during the rehearsal period, of which 12 will be selected for the album, and that a rehearsal room will be rented, to formulate the piece before entering the recording rooms. The band rented a rehearsal room on the edge of "Carmel" Market in Tel Aviv, where they rehearsed, day and night, for over 7 weeks until they had concluded the song ready for the recording. The creative process was accompanied by the "First Gulf War". Missiles, gas, masks, sealed rooms, and Scud missiles, undoubtedly contributed to the final result. The resulting album is less depressive than its predecessor, more romantic, and even ironic. A more mature album, with brilliant texts and catchy and melodious tunes, by Shitrit and Duchin, who included the formula of the debut album into musical perfection. The band did not succumb to the global trends of "alternative" and grunge" that dominated the music market in 1991 and decided to combine several musical styles whose common denominator is "classic rock". But with all the amazing writing ability of Shitrit and Duchin, this album probably wouldn't have sounded like it is without its music producer - Yossi Elephant, who was suggested to the band by Dani Tamir. Musician, guitarist, arranger, and music producer known among others from "Rhetoric Band", who played, produced, and was a member of Ehud Banai's "Refugees" band, participated in the rock opera "Mami" and had a tremendous record as someone who worked with Fortis-Sakharof, Gidi Gov and more. An understanding was formed between Dani and Elephant on how to manage the project and divide the duties between them. Elephant was not just a producer. He became an integral part of the band. He advised, directed, guided, and even participated in writing one of the album's songs. He pulled the band towards greater use of guitars, with one of the most prominent examples of this being "Seder Olami Hadash" which Elephant also participated in writing. Elephant's influence was so substantial that it seems to have left a mark on the band's musical development. Dani's contribution to the creation was also substantial. He brought the idea for the orchestral arrangements that hover over the album's songs and add so much to its charm. He held a series of meetings with Arkadi, which were devoted, among other things, to the idea of ​​incorporating string instruments into the record. Dani took Arkady to a concert by the "Rishon LeTzyon Orchestra" at the Tel Aviv Museum, and thus Arkadi's original idea of ​​combining 4 instruments led to the combination of 13 string players. Dani Tamir took Arkadi's sketches to Nir Brand, a conductor who graduated from the Academy of Music, who turned them into scores that were incorporated into the recordings. The band members said that the recording process was empowering and fulfilling. The atmosphere was good and it felt like a kind of release for them to leave the sealed rooms and gas masks and enter the studio and it undoubtedly affected the result. This is one of the most beautiful albums released in Israel. One of those one-off albums, where all the circumstances come together in a masterful way and become a perfect creation. Almost every song on this album is a "bomb". Even when you're sure you've just listened to the best song on the album, the next one comes along and makes you think differently. An amazing and unimaginable sequence of songs that have become part of the Israeli soundtrack and will remain here forever. The album that begins with the mesmerizing "Bedaka Achat Shfuya" and ends with "Im Kvar Levad" with the orchestral arrangement reminiscent of that of George Martin with "the Beatles" (thanks to Dani Tamir's advice), feels like one complete and perfect work, one that wraps Concept albums of the sixties and seventies. This "classic rock" atmosphere runs through all the songs on the album. "Bedaka Achat Shfuya" ("Pink Floyd"), the Billy Joel's piano, "The Byrds" guitar effect, and the orchestral arrangements in "Al Titpashti Li". The folk-Irish guitar and country banjo of "Ani Ohev Otach", the open chords and vocal harmonies of "Od Negia", the bouncy rock 'n' roll and backing vocals of "Asi Li Et HaMavet", the old organ sound influenced by "Procol Harum" on "Shnei Sipurei Ahava Ktanim", the arpeggios in "Al Kav Hazinuk", the pulsating bass rhythm and the harmonic violins in "Ish Bli Netzach" and more. Unfortunately, Elephant died of a heart attack about two months after the end of the recordings and did not get to see the fruits of his labor and the tremendous success of the album. With Yossi's death and to express a special tribute to him, it was decided to include a track in the album that Arkadi wrote and played and which Arkadi and Dani named "Kimat Optimi". The piece was recorded aftElephant'sant death and is dedicated to his memory and is the shortest piece recorded on an album in Israel. The cover of the album was formed from the idea of ​​Dani who noticed that Kozo draws on matchboxes. Dani suggested that the album cover be based on Kozo's paintings and so it was done. The band chose to shoot the inside album cover with the late photographer Micah Kirchner, who suggested that they be shot at the old labor camp in the Dead Sea. And so the "friends" went down for two days of mess, vacation, and photos that appear on the album. We are willing to bet, that there is no chance that a music lover (whatever the style) who lives and grows up in Israel does not know at least one of the songs of this masterful album, and we believe that this fact alone is a testament to its greatness. An album deeply engraved in the history of Israeli music for generations. After more than 30 years after its release, it can already be clearly said that "Changes in the Screaming Habits" is one of the perfect albums created in Israel. An album in which all the circumstances that surrounded it combined into a single, special, rare, and great artistic magic. Simply an eternal classic Made In Israel. For Listening: Spotify, Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook / Instagram or Subscribe to our website

On November 26, 1989, the mythical show, which has given us so many magical musical moments over the years, "MTV Unplugged" was premiered. This may come to some of you as a surprise, but it seems that we all owe a great debt of gratitude to Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora , who are much responsible for the existence of MTV Unplugged's all-too-successful format. When the two sat down in September 1989 on the chairs with their acoustic guitars at the 1989 MTV Music Awards and played " Livin 'On A Prayer " or " Wanted Dead Or Alive ", it proved how much power and magic an acoustic rock have and gave MTV The idea for the exemplary Unplugged series. About two months later, on November 26, 1989, the first episode of the MTV Unplugged series appeared, featuring performances by "Squeeze", Syd Straw and Elliot Easton. The series initially featured 13 episodes that featured, among others, "Aerosmith", Elton John, Sinéad O'Connor, "Poison," Joe Satriani and Stevie Ray Vaughan . The show aired regularly on MTV from 1989 to 1999 and later less frequently from 2000 to 2009, when the series was called "MTV Unplugged No. 2.0". Since 2009 we have won a single number of shows, mostly specials, some of which have been streamed over the internet. The first to turn the unplugged show into an album was Paul McCartney , who in May 1991 released the album "Unplugged (The Official Bootleg)". Over the years this exemplary series has produced some of the greatest moments in the history of music. Starting with Eric Clapton 's " Unplugged " album which became the best-selling live album of all time, through the masterpiece shows " Nirvana - MTV Unplugged " and " Alice In Chains - MTV Unplugged " which entered the pantheon of live performances, the unplugged show of "Kiss" which brought to the reunion of the band, " Jimmy Page and Robert Plant - No Quarter " which united Robert Plant and Jimmy Page and more. And of course, there are other memorable moments we did not mention, like "10,000 Maniacs" with their cover of "Because The Night" that even beat Patti Smith's cover in the charts, Neil Young 's " Unplugged " show that had to be recorded twice, the "Oasis" show in which Noel Gallagher was forced to perform without his brother Liam Gallagher due to a deep conflict between them, "REM" Who did this show twice in 1991 and 2001 and more and more. It was a kind of "test of courage" that any self-respecting artist did not want to miss. Artists like "The Cure", "Pearl Jam", "Queensrÿche", Bruce Springsteen , Rod Stewart , "Stone Temple Pilots", " Korn ", Alanis Morissette and many more wanted to be included in the list of artists who passed the test successfully. And this time we invite you to listen to a series for 3 "Unplugged" shows that we broadcast in 2019. First Part: H ere . Second Part: H ere . Third Part: H ere . "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On November 26, 2021 "Turning To Crime", "Deep Purple"'s first studio album made entirely of cover songs for other artists, was released. Well, it's no secret that lead singer Ian Gillan has a weakness for rock 'n' roll and oldies songs. In 2018 he even revived his first band “The Javelins”, which released a cover album that included cover versions of the artists on which Gillan grew up including: Chuck Berry, The Drifters, Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Charles, Buddy Holly, Bo Diddley and more. This album also featured keyboardist Don Airey who was apparently also swept away by the waves of nostalgia that spawned the current album. It's also no secret that "Deep Purple" actually started as a cover band when their first four singles were by other artists: Joe South, Neil Diamond, Ike & Tina Turner and "the Beatles" and we didn't even mention Donovan's "Lalena". Now add to that the boredom of the covid-19 lockdowns and here you have fertile ground on which this album has grown. The band members said that in order to pass the time during the lockdowns they decided to record cover versions of the songs they love. Each of the members chose a few songs and they started recording it in a "remote control" method. The album features 12 tracks that you would not necessarily expect to hear from "Deep Purple". Choices like " Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu " by Huey "Piano" Smith, " Dixie Chicken " by "Little Feat" or " Let the Good Times Roll " by Louis Jordan are quite surprising. Also Bob Dylan 's " Watching the River Flow " and Jimmy Driftwood's " The Battle of New Orleans " is not exactly the ones you would expect to hear from "The Purples". But there are also some surprises and psychedelic variety of "Love's " 7 and 7 Is ", "Yardbirds" classic " Shapes of Things " or "Creem" " White Room " that go well with the band's repertoire. Other interesting tracks are "Lucifer " by "Bob Seger, the masterful blues " Oh Well " by "Fleetwood Mac" and the long closing track " Caught in the Act ", which combines five classics from the 60's into an amazing medley: " Going Down " by " Jeff Beck Group", the instrumental " Green Onions " by "Booker T. & the MG's" the southern blues " Hot 'Lanta " by "Allman Brothers Band", the heavy blues " Dazed and Confused " by "Led Zeppelin" and the hit " Gimme Some Lovin' " of the "Spencer Davis Group". The person behind the console is Bob Ezrin, who, among other things, also produced their latest excellent album " Whoosh !", Which was released last year. Song list: 01. 7 And 7 Is (LOVE) 02. Rockin' Pneumonia And The Boogie Woogie Flu (Huey "Piano" Smith) 03. Oh Well (FLEETWOOD MAC) 04. Jenny Take A Ride! (MITCH RYDER & THE DETROIT WHEELS) 05. Watching The River Flow (Bob Dylan) 06. Let The Good Times Roll (Ray Charles & Quincy Jones) 07. Dixie Chicken (LITTLE FEAT) 08. Shapes Of Things (THE YARDBIRDS) 09. The Battle Of New Orleans (Lonnie Donegan/Johnny Horton) 10. Lucifer (BOB SEGER SYSTEM) 11. White Room (CREAM) 12. Caught In The Act (Medley) For listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

One of the greatest Israeli singers, Arik Einstein was also an innovative and leading composer who greatly influenced Israeli culture. It is not for nothing that Yoav Kutner wrote about him: "Arik Einstein is more than the greatest Israeli singer. Einstein is the real country of Israel." So let's have some facts about Arik Einstein: Photo: Yaakov Saar (Wikimedia) 1. He was born on January 3, 1939, in Tel Aviv as Arie Leib Einstein. 2. Arik was the only son of Deborah and Jacob Einstein - a theater actor. 3. In his youth, Arik was an outstanding athlete and, among other things, was the Israeli youth champion in an iron ball and high jump, he held the Israeli record for youth in the high jump for about 10 years. In 1956 he also won the Israeli Senior Championships in the high jump and was also a basketball player in the youth team of Hapoel Tel Aviv. 4. Due to his love of sports, Arik planned to be a sports instructor in the army, but due to the fact that he was short-sighted, he finally auditioned with the encouragement of his father to the Nahal Chorus and passed successfully. 5. In the Nahal Chorus, Arik sang songs such as "Ya Yerach", "Ruach Stav" and "Dina Barzilai" which he sings, among others, alongside Yehoram Gaon, who was also a member of the Chorus at the time. 6. In 1959 he was discharged from the army and joined the "Sambation Theater". 7. In 1960 he released his first mini solo album which included four songs, including "White City" written about Tel Aviv. 8. That same year he joined the "Green Onion" band, which included members such as Uri Zohar, Haim Topol, and others. 9. From that year Arik began to simultaneously develop his acting career, playing in several plays and even in one film alongside his father. 10. In 1962, Einstein formed the "Matches" duo with singer Ilana Rubina. That same year he also starred in the play "Irma La Dos" in one of the lead roles. 11. In 1963 he participated in the filming of the iconic film "Salah Shabati" which was released in 1964. He played the character of Ziggy who fell in love with Salah's daughter. One of the exciting moments in the film includes the song "Me and You" he sings. 12. At the end of 1963, together with Yehoram Gaon and Benny Amdursky they formed the "Yarkon Bridge Trio". The band's debut album was released in 1965 and included a large number of hits such as: "Do not go alone", "Night at Achziv Beach", "Ayelet Ahavim", "Love of the Construction Workers", "What a Beautiful Day" and more. 13. In early 1964 he began to participate in the Singing and Choral Festival when he won first place in 1965 with the song "Ayelet Chen" and in 1966 with the song "Autumn Night". 14. In 1966 he released his first full-length solo album "Sing for You". 15. In 1966, together with Shmulik Krauss and Josie Katz, he formed the band "The High Windows". The band released in 1967 their only album that became an asset of Israeli music and included immortal songs such as: "You Can't", "Soft Singer", "The Golden Doll", "Ezekiel", "Chocolate Soldier", "All Week to You" and "So what", the last two were written by Arik Einstein. 16. Later in 1967, Arik met Shalom Hanoch and was very impressed with his abilities. The two released a mini-album that year, featuring four songs composed by Shalom Hanoch. 17. Arik's first full album "Capricorn" was released in 1968 and included the songs: "Banana Bender", "Wind Spirit" and "The Long Sad Days" written by Einstein in London during the "High Windows" tour when he was out of his longing for home. 18. In 1969, Einstein released the album "Pozy" which included a collaboration with the band "The Churchills" and Shalom Hanoch. It was one of the first rock albums in Israel that included the songs "Prague", "When you cry you are not beautiful", "How hot" and more. By the way, for the song "When you cry you are not beautiful" a clip was made starring him which is considered the first Israeli music video. 19. In the same year, a "Lool" group led by Einstein, Uri Zohar, and Zvi Shissel began to form. The group's important projects were the movie "Shablool" and the TV sketch series "Lool". 20. Songs created and composed for the film "Shablool" were incorporated into the joint album of Arik and Shalom Hanoch "Shablool" which was released in 1970 and is considered one of the rock albums that influence Israeli music. The album included masterpieces such as: "Avshalom", "What do you do when you get up in the morning" and "Take a woman". 21. In December 1970, Einstein released another masterpiece album together with Shalom Hanoch "Plasticine", which included the songs "What about me", "My mother", "Write about him in the newspaper" and more. 22. After Shalom Hanoch left for England in 1971, Einstein joined guitarist Rob Huxley, whom he knew from the Churchills, and in 1971 released the children's song album "Children's Songs". 23. One of the songs on the album "I Understand" was composed by Miki Gavrielov, also from the band "The Churchills". It was the first bud of the fruitful collaboration between Einstein and Gavrielov, which began with the album "In the Grass with Avigdor" which was released in 1971 and included songs such as: "Me and You", "Turkish Coffee", "I See Her on the Way to Gymnasium" and more. 24. In November 1972, Einstein released the album "Jasmine" which included a collaboration with several artists. The album produced hits such as: "How Good You Came Home," "Don Quixote," "A Post-War Song" and "Mother Earth." 25. In the same year, the cult film "Metzitzim" was released, in which Einstein starred alongside Uri Zohar. 26. In 1974, Arik participated in the film "Big Eyes", also directed and starring Uri Zohar. 27. Later in the 1970s and 1980s, Arik released a series of five albums called "The Good Old Country of Israel", which included innovations to Hebrew songs from the Israeli classics. It is common to consider his album "Songs" from 1975 as the sixth album in the series, although it does not bear the title "The Good Old Country of Israel", since most of it included songs of Israeli classics. Photo: Yaakov Saar (Wikimedia) 28. At the same time, Einstein continued to collaborate with Miki Gavrielov on masterful albums such as "Drive Slow" from 1974 and "Armed with Glasses" from 1980. 29. In 1976, Arik collaborated with keyboardist and musician Yoni Rechter on the excellent album "Love Has Many Faces". 30. In between, Arik released two more children's albums. "Children" with Shem Tov Levy from 1976 and "Yeladodes" from 1978. 31. In 1981 Arik Einstein made his last public appearance since he simply "loved being home". 32. In 1982, Arik began his collaboration with guitarist Yitzhak Klepter on the two albums "Sitting on the Fence" from 1982 and "Fragile" from 1983. 33. In the late 1980s and 1990s, Einstein collaborated with Shem Tov Levy on the albums "Time Out" (1984), "Made in Israel" (1985), "I Have Love" (1995), "A Little Take Back" (1996), and " Where did the butterflies bloom "(1997). 34. At the same time he also collaborated with Miki Gavrielov on the albums "Loves to Be at Home" (1986) and "On the Border of Light" (1987), and with Yoni Rechter on the albums "Songs of Avraham Halafi" (1988), "I was once a child" (1989 ) and "The lion, the dove, and the blue hen" (1993). 35. By the way, the album "Time Out" included the song "He Repented" which he also wrote about the repentance of his good friend Uri Zohar. Arik's two daughters also repented and married Uri Zohar's two sons. 36. In 1991, Arik Einstein released the videotape for children "Like Adults", two years later he released the sequel "Like Adults 2". 37. In 1992 he participated in the iconic film "Cables" alongside Zvi Shissel and Moni Moshonov. 38. In 1999, thirty years after his first collaboration with him, Arik reunited with Shalom Hanoch on the album "Muscat", which included the hit "Guitar and Violin". Photo: Yaakov Saar (Wikimedia) 39. Arik also knew how to collaborate with the younger generationד like Peter Roth with whom he made the album "Moments" from 2006, "Guy Bucati" with whom he released his latest studio album "All the best in the world" in 2007, Micha Shitrit, Arkady Duchin, Aviv Geffen In the song "Journey Diary" and more. 40. Arik also released songs related to various events, such as "My Red" from 2000 in honor of Hapoel Tel Aviv winning the championship, "Now When You Are Here" in memory of Yigal Shalit's return from captivity, "Special Child" in honor of a children's fundraising evening, and more. 41. When he was offered the Israel Prize, Arik replied, "Thank you, but do not embarrass me." However, in 2013 the then Minister of Culture and Sports Limor Livnat initiated a prize called the Arik Einstein Prize. 42. In 2012, Arik collaborated with Shlomo Artzi on the song "Returning Home" from his album "Osher Express". 43. In November 2013, it was announced that Einstein would begin writing a new column in the Maariv newspaper. He finished writing the first column a few hours before his death, and it was published in a special edition that came out in his memory. 44. Two days before he died, Arik recorded a song called "A Few Years Left" to the words of Avraham Halafi. 45. Arik Einstein died on November 26, 2013, at Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv, due to an aortic aneurysm, which led to heavy internal bleeding. "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

Guitarist Steve Rothery, known from the band "Marillion", is celebrating his birthday today !! (Photo: Wikipedia) He was born on 25 November 1959 in a village in the south of Yorkshire , England. He started playing guitar at the age of 15 and although his friends were influenced by the punk revolution that swept the UK he was actually interested in progressive rock. He noted singer Joni Mitchell and her guitar playing as a big influence on him, especially the song "A Case of You" from her 1971 masterpiece album " Blue ". On August 19, 1979, he successfully auditioned for the band "Silmarillion". At the time the band members were Mick Pointer on drums, Doug 'Rastus' Irvine on bass, and Brian Jelliman on keyboards. His first appearance with the band was on March 1, 1980, then the band also shortened its name to "Marillion". In July 1981, after singer Fish joined the band, "Marillion" recorded demos to the first versions of the songs "He Knows You Know", and "Garden Party" that would appear on the first album " Script For A Jester’s Tear " and another song that would be released as a single called "Charting the Single". The band's first opportunity came when they were invited to the "Friday Rock Show" on BBC Radio, where they played the songs "The Web", "Three Boats Down from The Candy" and "Forgotten Sons". This led to the signing of a recording contract with "EMI". The band's first single "Market Square Heroes" was released in 1982, when the song "Grendel" appeared as its b-side. The material for the first album was written by the band during their many performances. The album " Script For A Jester’s Tear " released in March 1983 received rave reviews and the band received the credit for being responsible for reviving the progressive genre that was dying out in the second half of the 1970s. The band's big break into the mainstream came with the concept album " Misplaced Childhood " from 1985, the band's third album. During his time in "Marillion", Steve focused on melodic music full of emotion and he developed a style of music playing that is a kind of combination of David Gilmour , Steve Hackett , and Andrew Latimer (Camel). To date, he has released with "Marillion" 20 studio albums and 22 live albums. In 1995 he formed the band "the Wishing Tree" together with the American folk singer Hannah Stobart. As part of the project, he released two studio albums: "Carnival of Souls" in 1996 and "Ostara" in 2009. In 2014 he released the excellent solo album "The Ghosts of Pripyat". He has been hosted by several artists such as: Steve Hackett , "Arena", "Gazpacho", and more. This time we decided to write less and let the music speak. Follow the link, we have compiled for you an hour with some of our favorite solos from Steve Rothery's rich repertoire: Click Here . "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

He was an important and significant part in the development of the grunge scene, but he also continued to develop and influence even after, the man whose voice touched many... (Photo: ABC News) 1. His full name is Mark William Lanegan and he was born on November 25, 1964 in Washington, DC, USA. 2. He grew up in a family that did not really function properly and from which he tried to escape several times. 3. By the age of 12 he had already earned the nickname of a "neighborhood alcoholic" when he was walking around drunk on the streets of his house. 4. At the age of 18 he had already started consuming drugs and even arrested for possession and drug trafficking, he went to jail for a whole year. He was wrapped in drugs and alcohol for a full decade before the start of his career, coming in and out of rehab facilities 5. After he got out of jail he went into rehab then he met brothers Gary Lee Conner (guitarist) and Van Conner (bassist). 6. In 1984 he formed with the two the band "Screaming Trees". He was the one who played the drums but because he was so bad they gave him the role of vocals and the drums moved to Mark Pickerel when he was later replaced by Barrett Martin. (Photo: Gie Knaeps) 7. Along with the scene that developed in Seattle, the band "Screaming Trees" was an integral part of that period and even constituted a significant factor in the development of the scene. 8. In 1986 the band released their first EP called "Other Worlds" and despite many courtesies from major labels they signed to "Velvetone Records" and released their debut album "Clairvoyance" that year. 9. In 1987, the band released their second album "Even If and Especially When" after which they entered the "indie music" circle and went on tour around the United States. 10. In 1988 they released their third album “Invisible Lantern” and in 1989 they released their fourth album “Buzz Factory”. 11. In 1990 he released his first solo album "The Winding Sheet" under the famous label "Sub Pop". This album started as a B-Side project where Mark Pickerel, Kurt Cobain and Krist Novoselic were partners, after the latter left, the player joined other musicians and released the album as a solo album. 12. Lanegan said that while working on the album he had to learn to play the guitar because it was difficult for him to write the lyrics without music. He learned a number of basic chords on which he wrote most of the songs. 13. The fifth album "Uncle Anesthesia" was released in 1991 and was produced by Chris Cornell . 14. In 1992, the band released their breakthrough album "Sweet Oblivion" which released dizzying singles such as: "Nearly Lost You", "Dollar Bill", "Shadow of the Season" and "Butterfly" with the video clip of the song "Nearly Lost You ”is played non-stop on MTV. 15. The same song also got a big boost from the movie “Singles,” a movie that takes place alongside the grunge scene in Seattle. 16. In 1994, after almost three years of work and after being almost thrown in the trash, Lanegan released his second solo album “Whiskey for the Holy Ghost” which was more cohesive and more mature than the previous one. 17. In 1995 he partnered to play in the wonderful and one-time project called "Mad Season" which released one and only album called “Above” . Lanegan recorded vocals in the songs: "I'm Above", "Long Gone Day", "Locomotive", "Black Book of Fear", and "Slip Away". In the deluxe version in 2013. 18. In 1996, "Screaming Trees" released their last album "Dust". The two singles came out of the album: "All I Know", and "Dying Days". 19. Although the band was a significant part of the grunge scene it did not have as much commercial success as the Big Four that came out of Seattle and since it failed to get an album contract it disbanded. 20. In 1998 Lanegan released the third solo album "Scraps at Midnight", the album was recorded on "Joshua Tree" and produced by Mike Johnson. 21. In 1999 he released his fourth album which started with B-Side sessions and developed into a full album. The album "I'll Take Care of You" included covers of songs from the world of folk, punk, and R&B that he grew up playing. 22. He made his first collaboration with "Queens Of The Stone Age" in 2000 when he participated in the band's second album "Rated R". Lanegan participated in the songs: "In the Fade", "Leg of Lamb", "Autopilot" and "I Think I Lost My Headache". (Photo: Hayley Madden / Getty Images) 23. He then became a close friend of Josh Homme and a regular member of the band which participated in the band's subsequent albums including " Songs for the Deaf " and the band's tours. Lanegan said in several interviews that it was the most satisfying lineup he had and that he just enjoyed creating and performing with his best friends. 24. In 2001 he released his fifth solo album “Field Songs”, featuring Duff McKagan and Ben Shepherd. 25. His sixth album “Bubblegum” released three years later has already featured a larger group of different and diverse artists like: P.J. Harvey, Josh Homme, Nick Oliveri, Greg Dulli, "Twilight Singers", Dean Ween, Duff McKagan and Izzy Stradlin This is Lanegan's most successful album to date. 26. In 2008 Lanegan released with Greg Dulli the only album "Saturnalia". The album on which the two worked for more than 5 years was a great success in the US and Europe and won many charts around the world. In the same year, the two released an EP of covers consisting of eight songs. 27. Lanegan has, a very long list of collaborations with different and varied artists in a variety of colors of the musical rainbow among which can be found: Tim Simone, "Soulsavers", Slash, Duke Garwood, "Massive Attack", "Unkle", Mark Morton, "Manic Street Preachers and many others. 28. In 2017 Lanegan released a book called “I Am the Wolf: Lyrics & Writings” which is a collection of songs he wrote and each song has an explanation. 29. Lanegan has released six more albums during his career, "Blues Funeral" (2012), "Imitations" (2013), "Phantom Radio" (2014), "Gargoyle" (2017), "Somebody’s Knocking" (2019) and "Straight Songs of Sorrow" (2020). 30. Lanegan died at his home in Killarney on the morning of February 22, 2022, at the age of 57. Listen to the latest album by Lanegan "Straight Songs of Sorrow" on: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On November 24, 1980, "Yes" released their second live album “Yesshows”. It is a sweeping document of the band’s late-70s concerts. The recordings of "Yesshows" captured between 1976 and 1978 preserved a version of "Yes" that was no longer active. By the time it appeared, Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman had already left the band, Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes of "The Buggles" were recruited as replacements on vocals and keyboards, respectively and the new lineup reheleased " Drama ". Unlike “ Yessongs ”, which documented a single moment in time, “Yesshows” is a mosaic. Chris Squire  assembled the material himself, selecting performances from two distinct lineups and three eras. The earliest recordings come from the 1976 “Relayer” tour, featuring Patrick Moraz on keyboards. The later tracks were recorded after Rick Wakeman’s return in 1977, carrying the more melodic direction of “Going for the One” and “Tormato”. Because of this, the album reflects two very different visions of "Yes". One dense, experimental, and rhythmic, the other more lyrical and bright, yet both unmistakably virtuosic. The album draws from five different concerts. The Moraz-era epics “The Gates of Delirium”  and “Ritual (Nous Sommes du Soleil)”  were taken from the 17 August 1976 show at "Cobo Arena" in Detroit during the “Relayer” tour. These recordings are delivered with fierce improvisational energy. Moraz’s fusion-leaning style intensifies the rhythmic sections, giving these versions a raw, unpredictable quality. The Wakeman-era recordings “Parallels” , “Going for the One” , and “Wonderous Stories”  come from the 24 November 1977 concert at "Ahoy-Hal" in Rotterdam on the “Going for the One” tour. The later tracks “Time and a Word”  and “Don’t Kill the Whale”  originate from the Wembley Arena concerts on the “Tormato” tour. These recordings offers a different sound that highlight the band’s shift back toward melodic structure without losing their technical edge. The other band members musicianship is implacable. Chris Squire shows his brilliant and unique playing, especially in the “Ritual Pt. 2" bass solo. Jon Anderson rises above the storm with clarity and emotional force. Steve Howe  navigates effortlessly between graceful acoustic playing and sharp electric lines, and Alan White  anchors all eras represented with inventive, confident drumming. Critical reception at the time was mixed. Because the tracks originate from different tours, venues, and mixing sessions, the album carries a patchwork character less cohesive than “Yessongs” . Yet, the album offers a broader, more revealing perspective on the band’s late-70s identity. It captures "Yes" during a transformative period still ambitious, still virtuosic exploring different identities across tours. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On November 24, 1998, "Metallica's" double cover album called "Garage Inc" was released. We just wanted to share with you some interesting facts about it: 1. This is a double album that is all made of covers that basically consist of five different parts. 2. The first part consists of 11 songs recorded in 1998 3. The second part consists of... 4. The EP released in 1987 called "The $ 5.98 E.P .: Garage Days Re-Revisited" with 5 songs 5. The B-Sides that came out with "Creeping Death" in 1984 with 2 songs 6. The third part consists of B-sides and rare tracks recorded in 1988-1993 with 5 songs. 7. The fourth part consists of "Motörheadache" which was recorded in 1996 and came out as B-Sides with the single "Hero Of The Day" with 4 songs that are all covers of the band "Motörhead". They recorded these songs as part of rehearsals they did for Lemmy Kilmister ' s 50th birthday celebrations. 8. The songs selected by "Metallica" for the album are songs by different bands from different genres that greatly influenced the band members but did not just influence... Early in their career, they performed in small clubs when half of their (if not more) setlist consisted of covers of British heavy metal bands' songs. The people who came to the shows did not know the songs or the bands and "Metallica" adopted the songs as if they were their own. The performance of the songs was also in Metallica's very special style. James said they felt a kind of commitment to those bands whose songs they "adopted" and that helped them succeed. (Photo: Metallica) 9. Kirk said that everyone brought to the table the songs and bands that influenced them, out of them they chose the songs, "chewed" them up, and "spat" them in the "Metallica" style. 10. You're probably wondering what makes a band the size of "Metallica" release a cover album and a double one. So there are 2 reasons for that. 11. The first reason is the need for change. After three heavy albums in which the band worked very seriously and invested everything they had, the band members felt they needed to do something a little light-hearted to release the atmosphere and bring back the inspiration. Just to clear the head, after the aforementioned album Metallica released " S&M " in 1999, and in 2003 the album "St. Anger" . How about that for inspiration? 12. The second reason is that in the past "Metallica" would have released covers as B-Sides with the singles from previous albums. This created a collection of covers scattered among different singles from different periods and they decided it was a good idea to unite them together. 13. The band members decided that now they should have fun and fool around. No stress, no boundaries, no seriousness, just go back to the roots and do it with great fun. 14. You are probably familiar with the album cover, the picture shows the band members dressed like dirty mechanics with black stains. The album's internal booklet consists of 32 pages of memorabilia photos designed by Andy Airfix, to which Lars gave "permission" to rummage through his belongings. 15. The first part was recorded by "Metallica" in the studio within 3 weeks but the only song out of the 11 that was not recorded in that session was the acoustic performance of "Tuesday's Gone" by "Lynyrd Skynyrd". The song was recorded separately as part of the KSJO station's radio program from San Jose. It was a session of 8 acoustic songs with different guests and note which guests participated in the recording of the song: Jerry Cantrell and Sean Kinney from the band "Alice In Chains", singer and guitarist Pepper Keenan from the band "Down", guitarist Jim Martin from the band "Faith No More", singer John Popper From the harmonica blues traveler Gary Rossington the guitarist and founder of "Lynyrd Skynyrd" and Les Claypool the bassist, founder and singer of "Primus". What a respectable list !! 16. We will not go into details of bands or songs but there is a long list of milestones here in the rock world. You are welcome to listen to the album on: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

He is one of the greatest singers in the history of music, but he passed away too early and he is only 45 years old. (Photo: Popperfoto) Here are some facts about the legendary singer Freddie Mercury: 1. He was born on September 5, 1946, as Farrokh Bulsara in Stone Town on the island of Zanzibar (part of Tanzania). 2. His parents were of Persian-Indian descent and members of the Zoroastrian religion - an ancient religion that has existed since the days of the kingdom of Persia. 3. He grew up in Zanzibar and India before fleeing with his parents to England as a teenager, due to the revolution that claimed the lives of thousands of Indians. 4. Mercury was born with 4 excess teeth in the jaw, which helped, with over-resonance in the mouth, to add to his mighty voice that spans no less than four octaves. 5. At the age of 7 he began to learn to play the piano. 6. He studied art and received a diploma in art and graphic design. 7. After graduating, he sold old clothes at the Kensington Market and even worked at Heathrow Airport in London as a cargo worker. 8. At the same time, he fulfills his love of music in bands such as "Ibex" from Liverpool and "Sour Milk Sea" from Oxford. 9. His favorite artists were Jimi Hendrix and Aretha Franklin. 10. In April 1970, Mercury joined Brian May and Roger Taylor as lead singers in "Smile". In 1971, bassist John Deacon joined them. 11. Freddie was the one who chose the name "Queen" for the band. 12. Freddie also designed the band's famous logo. 13. When "Queen" was founded he changed his name to Freddie Mercury. 14. Freddie announced that he had AIDS just one day before his death. 15. His funeral was conducted by the rules of the Zoroastrian religion. When his coffin was carried the song "You've Got A Friend" performed by Aretha Franklin was played in the background. 16. He recorded the song " The Show Must Go On " when he was almost unable to walk due to his illness. He sipped vodka and assured the worried Brian May that he would be able to finish the song and he did perform it in one take! 17. His last video appearance was in the clip for the song " These Are The Days Of Our Lives ", taken from the album " Innuendo " from 1991, in which he already looks skinny, weak, and sick. 18. In his Will he ordered Marie Austin, his close friend, most of his money, his house, and all his income from music. He also realized his love for Austin by writing several songs about her, the most famous of which is " Love Of My Life ". 19. The last song Freddie recorded as part of "Queen" in 1991, was " Mother Love ". After recording the first two verses he did not feel well and asked Brian to go home to rest and come back to complete the recording another day. This day has not come. The song was included on the album "Made in Heaven" which was released in 1995, after his death. 20. The last song Freddie wrote, two weeks before his death, was " A Winter's Tale ". He recorded himself with keyboards in one take. Later, the members of "Queen" added their vocals, instruments, and arrangements and released the song as part of the album "Made in Heaven". Brian May said he wanted to record the guitar solo alone at home with Freddie in his thoughts. 21. Freddie was an avid stamp collector. His stamp collection has been featured in several exhibitions around the world. 22. He wrote the song " Crazy Little Thing Called Love " taken from the album " The Game " in the bathroom. He even asked a guitar in there to compose the song. 23. In 2009 "Rolling Stone" magazine published a list of the 100 greatest singers of all time. Freddie came on the 19th. That year the "damage" was corrected when he was chosen by the readers of "Classic Rock" magazine as the best singer of all time. 24. He was a die-hard cat lover. He dedicated his first solo album, "Mr. Bad" Guy from 1985, to his cats. He also dedicated the song " Delilah " from the album " Innuendo " to his favorite cat. 25. He was a good friend of Princess Diana and used to dress her as a man so that no one would recognize her when they went out. 26. When asked what the famous song " Bohemian Rhapsody " from the album " A Night At The Opera " means, he replied that it has no meaning and everything is nonsense in rhymes. 27. Roger Daltrey , the lead singer of "The Who", claimed that Freddie is the best rock 'n' roll singer of all time, who could sing anything in every genre. 28. Freddie tried several times to collaborate with Michael Jackson but did not succeed, partly because Jackson used to bring his amusement animal (Llama) to the studio. 29. Kurt Cobain mentioned Freddie Mercury in his suicide note. He noted how much he admires him and is jealous of his ability to perform and capture the hearts of the audience. 30. He was awarded the Blue Circle, indicating English heritage sites, which were placed at his home - Gladstone Avenue, Feltham, London 22. 31. He passed away on November 24, 1991, the exact same day that Eric Carr, drummer of "KISS". 32. After his death on April 20, 1992, a tribute concert was held in his memory - Freddie Mercury Tribute Show . The show was broadcast live to 76 countries, including Israel and estimates say that more than a billion viewers watched the concert live !!! About one-fifth of the world's population as it was in those years! "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

A Sneak Peek... Do you know Saint Cecilia? Saint Cecilia is the Roman virgin martyr and and the patroness of music and musicians. November 22 is her feast day. A day later, on November 23, 2015 "Foo Fighters" released their fourth EP "Saint Cecilia". The EP includes five songs recorded in Austin, Texas, at the "Saint Cecilia Hotel", on two consecutive weekends between October 1st and 11th, 2015. During this time, the band stayed at the venue for the Austin City Limits festival and they thought of recording the songs as a tribute to their fans for the end of the tour designed to promote the album " Sonic Highways ". However, the combined terrorist attack that took place in several locations in Paris, on November 2015, especially the massacre that took place at the Bataclan theater during the performance of "Eagles of Death Metal", caused the band to stop the tour earlier than expected and release the EP for free online download, as a dedication to the victims of the attacks. After " Sonic Highways " which received mixed reviews at the time, this EP received praise and good reviews, including Krist Novoselic who described "Saint Cecilia" as a statement of intent from the "Foo Fighters" on what the biggest rock band in the world should sound like. The five songs in this mini-album are different and varied, but their common denominator is a powerful and kicking raw rock! The theme song " Saint Cecilia " is probably the best on the mini-album. A killer and incredibly addictive tune. Signature style, color and sound that are so characteristic of "Foo Fighters" and make them one of the greatest bands of our generation. " Sean " pulls more towards a rough garage-rock that brings us back a bit to the days of the debut album " Foo Fighters ". " Savior Breath " is already a fast and heavy metal piece that will surely remind some of you of "Motorhead". Then comes a twist with " Iron Rooster " which reminds us of Neil Young . The softness, the beautiful melody and the vocal harmonies with Taylor Hawkins backing Dave Grohl and playing pianoת brought us strait back to the " Harvest " days. This short album ends with another raw rocker in the form of " The Neverending Sigh ". This song was originally called "7 Corners" and was written during the sessions for the album " The Colour and the Shape ", which definitely corresponds with the style and sound. For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website

On November 23, 1993 "Guns N’ Roses" released their fifth studio album "The Spaghetti Incident?". It is a curious and polarizing entry in the band’s discography, a collection of punk and glam rock covers released in late 1993. Originally envisioned as an EP of covers in 1992 or 1993, the project evolved into a full-length album, with many tracks recorded during the ambitious " Use Your Illusion " sessions. This album marks the only studio effort to feature rhythm guitarist Gilby Clarke , who replaced original member Izzy Stradlin during the Illusion era. Interestingly, some of Stradlin’s parts—recorded during earlier sessions—were reportedly re-recorded by Clarke. The title, "The Spaghetti Incident?", is an inside joke referring to an incident involving former drummer Steven Adler ’s code word for his stash of drugs stored in a refrigerator alongside Italian food containers. The name was pulled from a lawsuit involving Adler, where his lawyer humorously referenced the "spaghetti incident." The album spans a range of punk, glam, and hard rock influences, featuring tracks by legends such as "U.K. Subs", "The Damned", "New York Dolls", "The Stooges", "Dead Boys", "Misfits", "Nazareth" and more. The album's first single " Ain’t It Fun " featured "Hanoi Rocks’" Michael Monroe. This "Dead Boys" cover is a standout. Axl Rose ’s ferocious vocals and Monroe’s haunting harmonies perfectly capture the song’s nihilistic edge, while Slash 's bluesy guitar playing is just brilliant. The second single released from the album is "Since I Don’t Have You" - the 1950s doo-wop classic by "The Skyliners". Reimagined with Axl Rose ’s distinctive vocal stylings, this song opens the album in a surprising yet captivating way. The contrast between Axl’s raw delivery and the song’s sentimental melody creates a unique dynamic. Other interesting songs are " Raw Power " - the powerful tribute to "Iggy and The Stooges", featuring co-lead vocals by Duff McKagan , " You Can’t Put Your Arms Around a Memory " with Duff McKagan steping into the spotlight with his heartfelt take on this Johnny Thunders classic, even playing drums on the track. " Duff will take lead vocals in two more songs, "The Damned" " New Rose ” and "Misfits'" “ Attitude ”. The classic " Hair of the Dog " by "Nazareth" gets a great cover here with a mesmerizing talk-box solo by Slash and a tribute to "The Beatles" at the end. In " Buick Mackane (Big Dumb Sex) " Slash takes a rare turn on co-lead vocals in a mashup of "T. Rex" and "Soundgarden". The album closes with a controversial hidden track: a cover of “ Look at Your Game, Girl ” by Charles Manson. While it was kept secret from advance reviewers, its inclusion sparked significant backlash and controversy. A fascinating moment on the album is "Down on the Farm" , a "U.K. Subs" cover that Axl delivers with a snarling, exaggerated Cockney accent, channeling the raw street-punk energy of the original. The band first performed it live at "Farm Aid 1990", a show that also marked Steven Adler ’s final performance with "Guns N’ Roses". Years later, the song unexpectedly resurfaced during the "Chinese Democracy Tour" in 2006, proving how deeply these early punk influences remained woven into the band’s identity long after the album’s release. The production by Mike Clink and the band leans heavily into a garage-band aesthetic, stripping away the grandiosity of "Use Your Illusion" in favor of a raw, unpolished sound. This approach suits the punk tracks but feels uneven when paired with glam or doo-wop elements. "The Spaghetti Incident?" debuted to mixed reviews. Fans and critics were divided, with some appreciating the band’s willingness to explore their influences, while others dismissed the album as an unnecessary side project especially when they expected another masterpiece like " Appetite for Destruction " and " Use Your Illusion ". For Listening: Spotify , Apple Music "Face/Off" - Israel's Rock Blog Follow us on Facebook  / Instagram  or Subscribe to our website