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Focus (band)
Focus is a Dutch progressive rock band formed in Amsterdam in 1969 by keyboardist, vocalist, and flutist Thijs van Leer, drummer Hans Cleuver, bassist Martijn Dresden, and guitarist Jan Akkerman. The band has undergone numerous formations in its history; since December 2016, it has comprised Van Leer, drummer Pierre van der Linden, guitarist Menno Gootjes, and bassist Udo Pannekeet. They have sold one million RIAA-certified albums in the United States. After the addition of Akkerman to Van Leer's rock trio in late 1969, the band named themselves ''Focus'' and initially worked for a Dutch production of the rock musical ''Hair''. Their debut album ''Focus Plays Focus'' (1970) gained little attention but the follow-up, '' Moving Waves'' (1971), and its lead single " Hocus Pocus", earned the band international recognition. Their success continued with ''Focus 3'' (1972) and ''Hamburger Concerto'' (1974), the former containing their second hit single, " Sylvia". After recording two al ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thijs Van Leer
Thijs van Leer (pronounced: ; born 31 March 1948) is a Dutch singer and keyboardist, best known as the founding member of the rock band Focus as its primary vocalist, keyboardist, and flautist. Born and raised in Amsterdam among a musical family, van Leer took up the piano and flute as a child and pursued them at university and music academies. From 1967 to 1969, van Leer performed in a theatre cabaret act headed by Ramses Shaffy as his backing vocalist and musician, recorded singles as a solo artist, and produced, arranged, and conducted music for Bojoura. He formed Trio Thijs van Leer, a three-piece rock band which evolved into Focus in late 1969 following the addition of guitarist Jan Akkerman. Focus achieved international success following the release of '' Moving Waves'' (1971) and its lead single, " Hocus Pocus", which features van Leer's yodelling and whistling. After several albums with various line-ups, van Leer disbanded Focus in 1978; he reformed the band in 2002. V ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Band Members
Band or BAND may refer to: Places *Bánd, a village in Hungary *Band, Iran, a village in Urmia County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran *Band, Mureș, a commune in Romania * Band-e Majid Khan, a village in Bukan County, West Azerbaijan Province, Iran People *Band (surname), various people with the surname Arts, entertainment, and media Music *Musical ensemble, a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music **Band (rock and pop), a small ensemble that plays rock or pop **Concert band, an ensemble of woodwind, brass, and percussion instruments **Dansband, band playing popular music for a partner-dancing audience **Jazz band, a musical ensemble that plays jazz music **Marching band, a group of instrumental musicians who generally perform outdoors **School band, a group of student musicians who rehearse and perform instrumental music * The Band, a Canadian-American rock and roll group ** ''The Band'' (album), The Band's eponymous 1969 album * "Bands" (song), by American rap ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Steve Smith (musician)
Steven Bruce Smith (born August 21, 1954) is an American drummer best known as a member of the rock band Journey across three stints: 1978 to 1985, 1995 to 1998 and 2015 to 2020. ''Modern Drummer'' magazine readers have voted him the No. 1 All-Around Drummer five years in a row. In 2001, the publication named Smith one of the Top 25 Drummers of All Time, and in 2002 he was voted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Journey on April 7, 2017. Early life Smith received his first drum kit at age two and in 1963 he began taking formal lessons with local Boston area drum teacher Bill Flanagan, who played in big bands in the swing era. Smith got his first "real" drum set when he was 12 years old. On many nights, Steve could be heard practicing in a small shed in the backyard of his Harvard Street home. Smith performed in the usual school band program and garage bands while in his teens, including Clyde, a South Shore s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David Kemper
David Law Kemper (born 1947/8 in Chicago, Illinois) is an American rock drummer who was a member of the Jerry Garcia Band (1983–1994) and Bob Dylan's band (1996–2001). He was with the Jerry Garcia Band from 1983 until January 1994, when he was suddenly dismissed for reasons still unknown to him. He went on to spend five years as Bob Dylan's drummer. Kemper joined Dutch progressive rock band Focus from 1975 to 1977, playing both on the ''Mother Focus'' album and tour. He has played with Mike Stinson, Elkie Brooks, Dennis Wilson (on the ''Bambu'' sessions) and Bernie Leadon. He played double drums with Jim Gordon on Barry McGuire Barry McGuire (born October 15, 1935) is an American singer-songwriter primarily known for his 1965 hit " Eve of Destruction". Later he would pioneer as a singer and songwriter of Contemporary Christian music. Early life McGuire was born in O ...'s "Don't Blame God" from his ''Lighten Up'' album in 1974.Played on Joan Armatrading's 1977 album, " ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Colin Allen
Colin Eric Allen (born 9 May 1938) is an English blues drummer and songwriter. Career Allen spent the first ten years of his adult life working in aircraft engineering. He became interested in jazz at the age of 16 and two years later started playing drums. He studied drumming with local drummer Jack Horwood for two years and for a short period with Philly Joe Jones. Allen's first stage performance was in a skiffle contest at a cinema. He went on to play with jazz musicians in Bournemouth. During 1963 he became a member of Zoot Money's Big Roll Band, which included Andy Summers (later of The Police). For a few years ago he played occasionally at The Bull's Head, Barnes with the Big Roll Band when visiting London. Allen moved to London on 1 January 1964 with Andy Summers. Allen has worked with Bob Dylan, John Lee Hooker, Sonny Boy Williamson, Memphis Slim, Solomon Burke, John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, Mick Taylor, Focus, Donovan, Stone The Crows, Georgie Fame, Brian Joseph ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Phillip Catherine
Philip Catherine (born 27 October 1942) is a Belgian jazz guitarist. Biography Philip Catherine was born in London, England, to an English mother and Belgian father, and was raised in Brussels, Belgium. His grandfather was a violinist in the London Symphony Orchestra. Catherine started on guitar in his teens, and by seventeen he was performing professionally at local venues. He released his debut album, ''Stream'', in 1972. During the next few years, he studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston and with Mick Goodrick and George Russell. In 1976, he and guitarist Larry Coryell recorded and toured as an acoustic duo. The same year, when Jan Akkerman abruptly left Focus, Catherine replaced him in the band. The following year, he recorded with Charles Mingus, who dubbed him "Young Django". In the early 1980s, he toured briefly with Benny Goodman. He was in trio with Didier Lockwood and Christian Escoudé, then in a trio with Chet Baker. During the 1990s, he recorded three a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sylvia (Focus Song)
"Sylvia" is a 1972 song by Dutch progressive rock band Focus. It was released on their 1972 album ''Focus 3'' and as a UK single on 27 January 1973. The single became the band's biggest international hit, reaching number 4 in the UK Singles Chart and number 89 in the US Billboard chart. Background First released as a single in The Netherlands in April 1972, the song was subsequently included on the album ''Focus 3'' in November. On 12 December, the band recorded a session for the BBC's ''The Old Grey Whistle Test'', including "Sylvia" segueing into the yodeling of " Hocus Pocus". Aside from Thijs van Leer's short section of falsetto vocalising, the song is instrumental. In 1968, while in the four-piece backing band and vocal group ''Shaffy Chantant'' with lead singer Ramses Shaffy, Thijs composed the melody of the song with words by Linda Van Dijck for Sylvia Alberts to sing. It had the long winded title "''I Thought I Could Do Everything On My Own, I Was Always Stripping Th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hamburger Concerto
''Hamburger Concerto'' is the fourth studio album by the Dutch progressive rock band Focus, released in April 1974. It peaked at #20 on the UK charts. The title track is based on ''Variations on a Theme by Haydn'' by Johannes Brahms. The composition also incorporates the first two verses of the Dutch Christmas carol '' O Kerstnacht, schoner dan de dagen'' at around 15 min. The first track is based on a Gaillarde of Joachim van den Hove of his work Delitae Musicae. Track listing Vinyl release, 1974 CD release, 1988 Personnel ;Focus *Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, flute, piano, harpsichord, moog, ARP synthesizer, recorder, mellotron, accordion, pipe organ, the organ of St.Mary the Virgin, Barnes, vocals *Jan Akkerman – guitars, lute, timpani, handclaps * Bert Ruiter – bass guitar, autoharp, triangles, finger cymbals, bells, handclaps *Colin Allen – drums, congas, tambourine, castanets, cabasa, wood block, gong, timpani, handclaps, flexatone The fle ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Focus 3
''Focus 3'' or ''Focus III'' is the third studio album by Dutch rock band Focus, released as a double album in November 1972 on Imperial Records. Recorded after touring in support of their previous album, '' Moving Waves'' (1971), the album saw the band write extended pieces and is their first with bassist Bert Ruiter in the group's line-up. ''Focus 3'' received a positive reception upon its release. It went to No. 1 in the Netherlands for one week and reached No. 6 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 35 on the US ''Billboard'' 200. " Sylvia" was released as the album's sole single, which reached No. 4 in the UK and No. 89 in the US. The album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America for selling in excess of 500,000 copies. Production Recording By 1972, Focus had stabilised with a line-up of organist and vocalist Thijs van Leer, guitarist Jan Akkerman, drummer Pierre van der Linden, and bassist Bert Ruiter. In July 1972, after touring in supporting their p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Focus II
''Focus II'' (better known by its international title, ''Moving Waves'') is the second studio album by Dutch progressive rock band Focus, released in October 1971 on Imperial Records. Following the departure of original bassist Martin Dresden and drummer Hans Cleuver in 1970, the band recruited Cyril Havermans and Pierre van der Linden, respectively, and prepared material for a new album. Focus recorded ''Focus II'' in London in April and May 1971 with Mike Vernon as producer. The album features " Hocus Pocus" a hard rock song featuring keyboardist Thijs van Leer's yodelling, scat singing, and whistling, and "Eruption", a 22-minute track inspired by the opera '' Euridice'' by Italian composer Jacopo Peri. ''Focus II'' was released to a mostly positive response and remains one of their most commercially successful albums, reaching No. 2 in the UK, No. 4 in the Netherlands, and No. 8 in the US. "Hocus Pocus" was released as a single in the Netherlands in July 1971, followed by its i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Focus Plays Focus
''Focus Plays Focus'' is the first studio album by Dutch rock band Focus, released in September 1970 on Imperial Records. It is the only album recorded by the group's original line-up consisting of organist and vocalist Thijs van Leer, bassist Martin Dresden, drummer Hans Cleuver, and guitarist Jan Akkerman. It was renamed ''In and Out of Focus'' for the international re-release of the album from 1971 onwards which included their debut single "House of the King". Musical style AllMusic's Richie Unterberger called the album "a fair collection of progressive rock tunes without a clear focus" and noted prominent influences from folk rock, blues, and classical music, as well as "occasional jazzy shadings". Track listing Original release Source: 1971 reissue Source: 1971 UK issue (Polydor 2344 003) Personnel Credits adapted from the album's 1970 liner notes. Focus * Thijs van Leer – vocals (tracks 2, 5, 6), flute, Hammond organ, piano, electric piano, mellotron, harpsic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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