Rocks is the fourth album by American rock band Aerosmith, released May 3, 1976. Allmusic described Rocks as having "captured Aerosmith at their most raw and rocking".^[1] Rocks was ranked #176 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. It has greatly influenced many people in the hard rock and heavy metal community, including Guns N' Roses and Metallica.^[4][5] The album was a commercial success, charting three singles on the Billboard Hot 100, two of which reached the Top 40 ("Back in the Saddle" and "Last Child"). The album was one of the first albums to ship platinum when it was released. The album has since gone quadruple platinum.^[6]

Song information[link]

"Back in the Saddle"[link]

The song features Joe Perry playing a six-string bass,^[2] and was released as a single on March 22, 1977.^[3] The song was covered by former Skid Row-vocalist Sebastian Bach on his 2007 album Angel Down, as a duet with Guns N' Roses-singer Axl Rose.

"Last Child"[link]

A blues and funk -fused tune, which was partly written by lead singer Steven Tyler and guitarist Brad Whitford. The lyrics contain many double-entendre lyrics from Tyler. The song wasn't a hit, but remains a favorite among many Aerosmith fans.^[7] It is said that Brad Whitford created the riff after listening to The Meters, and that the band wrote the rest in the studio. Live, Whitford plays lead guitar on the song. The song was also included in the music rhythm game Guitar Hero II. The song was released as a single on May 27, 1976^[3] and features Paul Prestopino playing a banjo.^[2]

"Rats in the Cellar"[link]

Written as Tom Hamilton describes it, "taking this thing The Yardbirds created, and making it balls to the wall", it was also conceived as a counterpart to Toys in the Attic. It was also inspired by the death of the group's drug dealer.

"Combination"[link]

This song features Joe Perry on co-lead vocals with Steven Tyler.

"Sick as a Dog"[link]

"Sick as a Dog" is the only song on Rocks that features Tom Hamilton playing a guitar instead of an electric bass and features both Joe Perry (during the main part of the song) and Steven Tyler (during the ending guitar solo) on electric bass.^[2] According to an interview with Tom Hamilton, during the recording, Joe Perry handed over the bass to Steven Tyler at a pause near the end of the song, so that Joe Perry could switch over to lead guitar. ^[8]

"Nobody's Fault"[link]

With "Back in the Saddle", one of the heaviest songs on the album (as "Round and Round" had been on Toys in the Attic), "Nobody's Fault" is one of former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash's favorite Aerosmith songs, as well as that of Metallica leader James Hetfield.^[9] Thrash metal band Testament covered this song on their 1988 album, The New Order, as well as L.A. Guns contributing a cover of the song for their 2004 covers album Rips the Covers Off. Mötley Crüe vocalist Vince Neil covered this song on his 2010 solo album Tattoos & Tequila.

This song is an important contribution to the band's catalogue by Brad Whitford, who cites it as his favorite Aerosmith song.^[10] Joey Kramer has also cited "Nobody's Fault" as his favorite Aerosmith song (along with "Lord of the Thighs).^[11] It has also been said that the song is about earthquakes.^[10]

"Lick and a Promise"[link]

"Lick and a Promise" is a hard rocking song about "going out there and putting on a great show."^[12] The Stone Temple Pilots were joined onstage in 1996 by Steven Tyler and Joe Perry, performing the song along with "Sweet Emotion".

"Home Tonight"[link]

This song features Joe Perry on a lap steel guitar and has Joey Kramer, Tom Hamilton and Jack Douglas performing background vocals.^[3]

Influence[link]

• Slash says that "Rocks" was the album that inspired him to learn guitar.^[12]
• Rocks was one of Kurt Cobain's favorite albums, as he listed in his Journals.^[13]
• In 2003, the album was ranked number 176 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.^[14]
• Mötley Crüe songwriter and bassist Nikki Sixx refers to it frequently in his book The Heroin Diaries.
• Metallica leader James Hetfield has identified "Rocks", as well as Aerosmith, to have been important influences in his music, stating that Aerosmith was the reason why he wanted to learn guitar.

Media appearances[link]

• The song "Last Child" is a playable song in the video game Guitar Hero II.
• Also released as a 4-channel quadraphonic mix.
• "Back in the Saddle", "Nobody's Fault", "Rats in the Cellar" and "Combination" are playable songs on Guitar Hero: Aerosmith. "Back in the Saddle" is the only playable song from Guitar Hero: Aerosmith that appears in Guitar Hero: Smash Hits.
• Professional wrestler Chris Benoit used "Back in the Saddle" as his entrance theme in Extreme Championship Wrestling from 1994 to 1995.
• "Back in the Saddle" was featured in the movies Shanghai Noon, Red and The Fighter.

Reception[link]

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]
Blender	[15]
Robert Christgau	A−[16]
Rolling Stone	(mixed)[17]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[18]

Greg Prato of Allmusic said that the best songs on Rocks were "Back in the Saddle" and "Last Child", he compared the Joe Perry composition, "Combination", to a Rolling Stones song, he also said the album was more "raw" than Toys in the Attic, and thinks overall Rocks is better than its predecessor.^[1] Ben Mitchell of Blender magazine, said that the group members drug-use actually helped Rocks and he also called the album "raw."^[15] Robert Christgau said that with Rocks, Aerosmith was doing a good job imitating Led Zeppelin and after Rocks the band began to lose steam.^[16]

Track listing[link]

Personnel[link]

Per sleeve notes^[2]

Charts[link]

Album

Singles

Certifications[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

Rocks at MusicBrainz

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (November 2010)

Balanced Rock stands in Garden of the Gods park in Colorado Springs, CO.

In geology, rock or stone is a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals and/or mineraloids.

The Earth's outer solid layer, the lithosphere, is made of rock. Three majors groups of rocks are defined: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. The scientific study of rocks is called petrology, which is an essential component of geology.

Rock classification[link]

Rock outcrop along a mountain creek near Orosí, Costa Rica.

Rocks are generally classified by mineral and chemical composition, by the texture of the constituent particles and by the processes that formed them. These indicators separate rocks into three types: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. They are further classified according to particle size. The transformation of one rock type to another is described by the geological model called the rock cycle.

Sample of igneous gabbro

Igneous rocks are formed when molten magma cools and are divided into two main categories: plutonic rock and volcanic. Plutonic or intrusive rocks result when magma cools and crystallizes slowly within the Earth's crust (example granite), while volcanic or extrusive rocks result from magma reaching the surface either as lava or fragmental ejecta (examples pumice and basalt).^[1]

Sedimentary sandstone with iron oxide bands

Sedimentary rocks are formed by deposition of either clastic sediments, organic matter, or chemical precipitates (evaporites), followed by compaction of the particulate matter and cementation during diagenesis. Sedimentary rocks form at or near the Earth's surface. Mud rocks comprise 65% (mudstone, shale and siltstone); sandstones 20 to 25% and carbonate rocks 10 to 15% (limestone and dolostone).^[1]

Metamorphic banded gneiss

Metamorphic rocks are formed by subjecting any rock type (including previously formed metamorphic rock) to different temperature and pressure conditions than those in which the original rock was formed. These temperatures and pressures are always higher than those at the Earth's surface and must be sufficiently high so as to change the original minerals into other mineral types or else into other forms of the same minerals (e.g. by recrystallization).^[1]

The three classes of rocks—the igneous, the sedimentary and the metamorphic—are subdivided into many groups. There are, however, no hard and fast boundaries between allied rocks. By increase or decrease in the proportions of their constituent minerals they pass by every gradation into one another, the distinctive structures also of one kind of rock may often be traced gradually merging into those of another. Hence the definitions adopted in establishing rock nomenclature merely correspond to selected points (more or less arbitrary) in a continuously graduated series.^[2]

Igneous rocks[link]

Igneous rock (derived from the Latin word igneus meaning of fire, from ignis meaning fire) forms through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava. Igneous rock may form with or without crystallization, either below the surface as intrusive (plutonic) rocks or on the surface as extrusive (volcanic) rocks. This magma can be derived from partial melts of pre-existing rocks in either a planet's mantle or crust. Typically, the melting is caused by one or more of three processes: an increase in temperature, a decrease in pressure, or a change in composition. Over 700 types of igneous rocks have been described, most of them having formed beneath the surface of Earth's crust. These have diverse properties, depending on their composition and how they were formed.

Sedimentary rocks[link]

Sedimentary rocks are types of rock that are formed by the deposition of material at the Earth's surface and within bodies of water. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause mineral and/or organic particles (detritus) to settle and accumulate or for minerals to precipitate from a solution. Particles that form a sedimentary rock by accumulating are called sediment. Before being deposited, sediment was formed by weathering and erosion in a source area, and then transported to the place of deposition by water, wind, ice, mass movement or glaciers which are called agents of denudation.

Metamorphic rocks[link]

Metamorphic rocks arise from the transformation of existing rock types, in a process calledmetamorphism, which means "change in form". The original rock (protolith) is subjected to heat and pressure, (temperatures greater than 150 to 200 °C and pressures of 1500 bars^[3]) causing profound physical and/or chemical change. The protolith may be sedimentary rock, igneous rock or another older metamorphic rock.

Human use[link]

This unreferenced section requires citations to ensure verifiability.

This section requires expansion.

Ceremonial cairn of rocks, an ovoo, from Mongolia

Uranium mine near Moab, Utah

The use of rocks has had a huge impact on the cultural and technological development of the human race. Rocks have been used by humans and other hominids for more than 2 million years. Lithic technology marks some of the oldest and continuously used technologies. The mining of rocks for their metal ore content has been one of the most important factors of human advancement, which has progressed at different rates in different places in part because of the kind of metals available from the rocks of a region.

The prehistory and history of civilization is classified into the Stone Age, Bronze Age, and Iron Age. Although the Stone Age has ended virtually everywhere, rocks continue to be used to construct buildings and infrastructure. When so used, rocks are called dimension stone.

Mining[link]

Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or (coal) seam. This term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal,diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock salt and potash. Mining is required to obtain any material that cannot be grown through agricultural processes, or created artificially in a laboratory or factory. Mining in a wider sense comprises extraction of any non-renewable resource (e.g.,petroleum, natural gas, or even water).

Mining of stone and metal has been done since pre-historic times. Modern mining processes involve prospecting for ore bodies, analysis of the profit potential of a proposed mine, extraction of the desired materials and finally reclamation of the land to prepare it for other uses once the mine is closed.

The nature of mining processes creates a potential negative impact on the environment both during the mining operations and for years after the mine is closed. This impact has led to most of the world's nations adopting regulations to moderate the negative effects of mining operations. Safety has long been a concern as well, though modern practices have improved safety in mines significantly.

See also[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: rocks

Look up rock in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Geologic time scale
• Geomorphology
• List of rock types
• Oldest rock
• Quarry
• Riprap
• Rock balancing

References[link]

Il Divo
From left to right, Sébastien Izambard, Carlos Marín, David Miller and Urs Bühler.
Background information
Genres	Operatic pop, vocal
Years active	2004–present
Labels	Syco Music, Columbia
Associated acts	Celine Dion
Website	ildivo.com
Members
Urs Bühler Sébastien Izambard David Miller Carlos Marín

Il Divo ("divine male performer" in Italian) is a multinational operatic pop vocal group created by music manager, executive, and reality TV star Simon Cowell. Formed in the United Kingdom, they are also signed to Cowell's record label, Syco Music.^[1] Il Divo is a group of four male singers: French pop singer Sébastien Izambard, Spanish baritone Carlos Marín, American tenor David Miller, and Swiss tenor Urs Bühler. To date, they have sold more than 26 million albums worldwide.^[2]

Band history[link]

Concert in Tokyo, January 2007

The idea behind Il Divo's creation came to Cowell after hearing Andrea Bocelli singing Con te partirò while watching The Sopranos. In 2004, G4, a quartet of operatic male singers, also appeared in the UK on the Simon Cowell TV show X-factor. They finished runners-up, but were signed by Sony records. Aware of this new appreciation for lyrical voices and classical music, he decided to form a multinational quartet (the members hail from Spain, Switzerland, France, and the United States, the name being in Italian) that tried to recreate the style of The Three Tenors.

Simon Cowell conducted a worldwide search for young singers who were willing to embark on the Il Divo project, which lasted two years, from 2001 until December 2003, when the fourth member of Il Divo, American tenor David Miller, was signed. The well-established formation of Il Divo comprises a renowned Spanish baritone, Carlos Marín; two classically trained tenors, Swiss Urs Bühler and American David Miller; and a French pop singer, Sébastien Izambard.

Il Divo sings in Spanish, English, Italian, and French. Il Divo was named the Most Multinational UK No.1 Album Group in the 2006 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records.

On 25 April 2007, Il Divo performed on American Idol in one of the "Idol Gives Back" episodes, which raised money for children in the U.S. and Africa. For every vote cast during that show, Idol sponsors Coca-Cola, AT&T, and others donated money to Charity Projects Entertainment Fund (CPEF) and other groups such as Save the Children and America's Second Harvest.^[3]

On 12 December 2008, Il Divo performed their new song at the Swedish Idol 2008 finale in the Globen Arena in Stockholm.^[4]

As Barbra Streisand's guests[link]

Having just completed a six-month tour of America, Australia, and Europe, Il Divo then participated in all 20 concerts by Barbra Streisand in her North American tour as her special guests. "Streisand: The Tour" with Il Divo was ranked second for all tours for 2006, generating $92.5 million in gross sales.

2006 World Cup[link]

On 9 June 2006, Il Divo performed the 2006 FIFA World Cup official song, "The Time of Our Lives," with R&B singer Toni Braxton live, at half-time, during the opening match between Germany and Costa Rica, and again a month later at the 9 July closing ceremony.^[5][6] The song is available exclusively on the Voices from the FIFA World Cup compilation album, and on the European reissue of Braxton's album Libra, but not on any Il Divo album. A shortened version of the song is featured on the second disc of Braxton's greatest hits album.

2011 Paraguay[link]

The Paraguay show was Il Divo's biggest capacity performance ever and took place on 20 December 2011, at the Defensores del Chaco Stadium in Asuncion, for 33.900 people.^{[7] [8]}

Discography[link]

[edit] Il Divo (2004)

	"Regresa A Mi" (2004) noicon
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

Recording started in the first half of 2004 in Sweden, with producers Quiz & Larossi, Per Magnusson & David Kreuger and in the UK with producer Steve Mac. This self-titled album contained the Spanish rendition of Toni Braxton's hit "Unbreak My Heart" (Regresa a Mí), (Braxton had originally released "Regresa a Mi" as a b-side to her 1996 single, "Unbreak My Heart"); their second single and first original song "Mama"; Sinatra's "My Way" (A mi manera); "Nella Fantasia," and 1994's San Remo Festival winner "Passerà."

The album hit the #1 slot on both Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com after a career-defining appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show on 5 April 2005, where they performed "Regresa a Mi".

In the United Kingdom, the Il Divo album knocked Robbie Williams out of the number 1 spot in the UK charts, Williams allegedly said to them at the Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason film premiere, “So you are the four idiots who have forced me off my number one spot!”.^[9]

This multiplatinum-selling CD became number one in the charts in a total of 13 countries around the world, and achieved top 5 placing in 25 countries.

[edit] Ancora (2005)

This was recorded in both Sweden and London with producers Per Magnusson, David Kreuger and Steve Mac, who were also the producers of their first album. Released on 7 November 2005 in the UK, it hit number one both in the UK and Australia within one week. Ancora was released in the US on 24 January 2006. It entered the Billboard albums chart at number 1, selling more than 150,000 copies during its first week of sales.

Highlights include "Isabel," "I Believe In You (Je crois en toi)," a duet with Céline Dion, a Spanish version of Secret Garden's "You Raise Me Up" (Por ti seré), and a Spanish cover of Eric Carmen's "All by Myself." Two of the tracks on the non-American release of this CD, "O Holy Night" and a version of Schubert's "Ave Maria," also appear on 2005's The Christmas Collection.

[edit] The Christmas Collection (2005)

Recorded in 2005, the album is a collection of Christmas and holiday-inspired songs.

[edit] Voices (2006)

Is a collection of songs released at the time of the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

[edit] Siempre (2006)

Released on 21 November 2006 in the United States and one week later in the rest of the world.

[edit] The Promise (2008)

The album was released globally on 10 November 2008, except in the US and Canada, where it was released on 18 November 2008, Ireland where it was released on 7 November 2008, and Japan, on 26 November 2008. ^[10] The album reached the No.1 spot in the UK on 16 November 2008. The album was produced by Steve Mac. According to the credits on the DVDs, the bagpipes in Amazing Grace, both on this album and in the performance in the In the Coliseum DVD, are played by Robert White.^[11]

[edit] Wicked Game (2011)

According to Sony Music International the upcoming album is scheduled for release on 28 November 2011. Il Divo premiered the first song from the album, "Dove L'Amore", in a live performance at the Classical Brit Awards on Sunday 12 May 2011. At the same event Il Divo received the award for 'Artist of the Decade'. Recently, IL Divo have been on a worldwide promotional tour with Wicked Game in readiness for their fourth world tour which starts next year.

DVDs[link]

[edit] Mama (2005)

The Il Divo released Mama – The Video, which included exclusive footage of the "Making of the Video," a live recording of "Mama – Live In New York," plus a photo gallery.

[edit] Encore (2005)

An open air "live" concert filmed at the Teatro Romano, which is part of the "Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida" World Heritage site in Mérida, Spain, 2005 and was released as DVD on 24 January 2006. The DVD features 8 tracks, including:

Concert

• "Si Tu Me Amas"
• "Isabel"
• "O Holy Night"
• "Heroe"
• "All By Myself (Solo Otra Vez)"

Extras

• Il Divo Revealed (documentary interspersed with concert songs)
• "Regresa A Mi (Unbreak My Heart)" (Music video)
• "Mama" (Music video)

[edit] Live at the Greek Theater (2006)

The second official DVD release of Il Divo, this contains the full live concert performed on 27 June 2006 at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles, California as part of their World Tour 2006. This recording captures all the songs that have established the group's popularity, such as their breakthrough hit "Regresa A Mi" through to their original songs such as "Mama," "Si Tu Me Amas," and the only song taken from their Christmas album, "Rejoice." They also performed a previously unreleased rendition of the iconic song "Somewhere" as featured in the musical West Side Story. Most releases in the United States of America do not have "Everytime I Look At You" on it as a major music distributor bought the rights to it in order to promote this song as a bonus track on their release of the DVD, despite the tracklisting on the back-covers still listing the track.

Setlist (in order)

• Regresa a mi
• All by myself (Solo otra vez)
• Passerà
• Isabel
• Nella fantasia
• Rejoice
• Pour que tu m'aimes encore
• I Believe In You (Je crois en toi)
• Unchained Melody (Senza catene)
• Every Time I Look At You
• Si tú me amas
• Feelings
• Mama
• Somewhere
• Hero
• My Way (A mi manera)

Extras

• The Time of our Lives video - performed with Toni Braxton as the official 2006 FIFA World Cup song. It features three versions in English, German and the International one.
• Up-close and personal interview - focuses on the group's reflections of their success so far.

[edit] Live at the Coliseum (2008)

The DVD was released in the UK on 1 December 2008, but the show was at the Pula Arena in Pula, Croatia.

It features performances of:

• Amazing Grace
• The Power Of Love (La Fuerza Mayor)
• Hallelujah (Alleluia)
• The Winner Takes It All (Va Todo Al Ganador)
• Adagio

With an in-depth 30 minute interview entitled 'The Promise – Il Divo In Conversation.'

[edit] An Evening With Il Divo - Live In Barcelona (2009)

While partaking in their largest worldwide tour, Il Divo recorded and released An Evening With Il Divo – Live In Barcelona, a live DVD with an accompanying 10-track CD with songs from the concert. It was recorded at Il Divo’s largest capacity performance in Europe and took place at Palau Sant Jordi on 3 April 2009 with attendance of 20 000 people. Added to the setlist are two previously unrecorded songs by the band, Bridge Over Troubled Water and The Impossible Dream. Extras include a "behind the scenes footage/making of the tour" interview with Il Divo.
Disc 1: The CD

• Unbreak My Heart (Regresa A Mi)
• Unchained Melody (Senza Catene)
• La Promessa
• Adagio
• Somewhere
• Nights in White Satin (Notte Di Luce)
• Without You (Desde El Dia Que Te Fuiste)
• Hallelujah (Aleluya)
• Amazing Grace
• My Way (A Mi Manera)

Disc 2: The DVD

• Somewhere
• Unbreak My Heart (Regresa A Mi)
• La Promessa
• Angelina
• Isabel
• Bridge Over Troubled Water
• She
• Passera
• Unchained Melody (Senza Catene)
• Mama
• Nights In White Satin (Notte Di Luce)
• The Winner Takes It All (Va Toda Al Ganador)
• Without You (Desde El Dia Que Te Fuiste)
• Pour Que Tu M'Aimes Encore
• Everytime I Look At You
• Hallelujah (Aleluya)
• Adagio
• La Vida Sin Amor
• Caruso
• The Power Of Love (La Fuerza Mayor)
• My Way (A Mi Manera)
• Amazing Grace
• The Impossible Dream

Extras

• On Tour With Il Divo

[edit] Live in London (2011)

Setlist (in order)

• Come What May (Te Amare)
• Dov'è L'Amore
• Adagio
• Nella Fantasia
• La Vida Sin Amor
• Everytime I Look At You
• Passerà
• Unchained Melody (Senza Catene)
• My Way (A Mi Manera)
• Wicked Game (Melanchonia)
• Si Tú Me Amas
• Mama
• Hallelujah (Aleluya)
• Crying (Llorando)
• Unbreak My Heart (Regresa a Mí)
• Without You (Desde El Dia Que Te Fuiste)
• Pour Que Tu M'Aimes Encore
• Somewhere
• Time to Say Goodbye (Con Te Partirò)

Bonus Content

• Countdown to the Coliseum
• At The Classic Brits
• At The Photoshoot
• In The Studio
• At The Coliseum
• Wicked Game - Track by Track
• Wicked Game Album Trailer

Bibliography[link]

[edit] Romancing The World (2005)

Author: Allegra Rossi
Format: Hardback 128 pages
Date of publication: 10 November 2005
Publisher: Orion
ISBN 978-0-7528-7519-4

[edit] Our Music, Our Journey, Our Words (2007)

Author: Il Divo
Format: Paperback 192 pages
Data of publication: 6 September 2007
Editor: Headline Book Publishing
ISBN 978-0-7553-1657-1

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Il Divo

• Official website
• LiveJournal Fan Community
• Il Divo Belgium website
• Spanish website
• Il Divo profile on the C Music TV channel
• Il Divo section on ClassicalX
• Belgium Il Divo Fansite
• Belgium Il Divo Forum
• Il Divo Brazilian Fanclub
• Il Divo Kingdom ru
• Il Divo Italian Web Site it
• Il Divo Lithuanian forum