Focus Live 06

A good number of recordings have surfaced from the very busy period that the second half of 1973 was, some of them quite interesting.

Focus were supposed to begin touring America and Canada in early July 1973 but Van Leer went down with appendicitis and so the tour was delayed. Eventually they did some 27 dates in a 33 day period. While in America Akkerman hired an electric sitar, which he also used on his solo album Tabernakel recorded in between gigs in New York, October 07-28.

The sitar can be heard on Anonymous 2 in a gig recorded at the Hollywood Sportatorium in Hollywood, Florida on August 25. Either side of Anonymous 2 they play Focus 3/AQQA/Focus 2 and Hocus Pocus/Sylvia/House of the King/Hocus Pocus (reprise). That same month Focus also played back in Holland, in de Veermarkthallen in Leeuwarden. In this concert Anonymous 2 does not appear but a long version of Eruption does and this features not just the electric sitar but Akkerman playing the recently composed Hamburger Concerto riff on it.

In early September they were back in the USA and recordings exist from Arlington, University of Texas, where Van Leer distinguished himself with quite an amazing operatic riff. By late September the band had returned to Europe, appearing at the Turnhout Festival in Belgium (with Kayak, etc) on September 30. Rehearsals then began in Kasteel Groengueid, Holland for Hamburger Concerto. It is at this time that Van Der Linden quits to be replaced by Colin Allen. He plays his first gig with them in Toronto on October 29. This gig is notable for the first version of Hamburger Concerto, a 27:11 work out complete with drum break. They also played Focus 1 and the Rainbow material on this occasion.

Concerts were played back in Holland after this but on November 2 they were back in Bloomington, Indiana. It is during this concert that Van Leer mistakenly announced Pierre Van Der Linden on the drums and has to apologise and correct himself. A classic moment!

On November 10 Focus headlined an NME gig but there seems to be no recording of that.

Focus Live 05

In 1973 Focus began to break in America. A broadcast recording exists from that year. It was recorded in the Philharmonic Hall in New York on March 23. This was one of 24 venues played in this period. It has many similarites with the released recordings at the Rainbow Theatre, London of May 4 and 5 beginning with Focus 3/AQQA/Focus 2 as it does. The other tracks are similar, though we also get Anonymous 2 and the two versions of Hocus Pocus are slightly differently apportioned.

There is also a poor recording, probably from the same period, at The Sunshine Inn, New Jersey and similar recordings from the first half of 1973 at The National Stadium, Dublin, Ireland on May 9 and in Edinburgh on May 11.

Focus Live 04

An early recording for the BBC exists from the end of 1972 (November or December 12) or the beginning of 1973 (some time in January). It is sometimes known as The sky will fall on London tonight.

The compere is Bob Harris who introduces the band by saying "Hello, welcome again to another concert programme. My name's Bob Harris and, uh, tonight really does promise to be a special programme I think. It's, uh, the time of the season for saying about various bands, well, this is going to be their year and, uh, I think that statement really does apply to our guest band tonight. I've, uh, not been so much excited about a band, hearing them for the first time, as I was when I heard Moving Waves a little while ago, for a very, very long time and, uh, it's gonna be a special evening tonight, I think. Having said all that, please welcome Focus." The crowd cheer and we are straight into a 21 minute version of Anonymous 2 complete with bass and drum breaks and featuring Van Leer not only on the organ and flute but also on the electric piano.

"Remarkable playing" comments Harris, names the track and then introduces the band. He refers to their "brightest hope" award and that two albums are in the charts by this time and gives thanks on the band's behalf. he then says thank you to those who sent him eight different copies of the first album when he mentioned on air some weeks before that he did not have it. This leads into a version of Focus 1. On the recording this is immediately followed by the by now familiar trio of Focus 3, AQQA and Focus 2.

"It really is a joy to sit and listen and to watch them play" says Harris naming the track and their sources.

We finish off with a storming Hocus Pocus, very similar in style to the Rainbow version with yodelling antics and introductions, etc. It clocks in at around 7:23.

Focus Live 03

As we come into 1972 and the beginnings of Focus's international fame there are two more recordings about from Holland plus, significantly, one, possibly two, others, recorded in England.

Of the Dutch recordings, one is from March 31 at the Spinoza Lyceum in Amsterdam. This features what would be an oft repeated running order familiar from the later Rainbow album - Focus 3/AQQA (both then unreleased) with Focus 2 (now including Van Leer's meandering organ intro). These are followed by the long track Anonymous 2 with its bass and drum breaks.

The other (undated) recording is of a performance in a student centre in Wageningen. In addition to the four initial tracks played in Amsterdam there is a recording of Focus 1 before Anonymous 2 and a long version of Eruption plus versions of the St Anthony Chorale (where Van Leer begins by singing in operatic style) and House of the King. The St Anthony element seems to be looking back to the Ramses Shaffy era as much as looking forward to Hamburger Concerto. The version of Eruption includes some quite eclectic elements, including a series of so called 'Bridges' where, after a fairly long ensemble piece including elements from his solo piece Fresh Air, Akkerman is left to solo on electric guitar. Some of this is quite remarkable stuff. He appears to draw on a number of pieces that can be found on his then current and sometimes later albums. After one storming section that anticipates his Prelude:Friends Always there is a brief rendition of Andante Sostenuto. We come back to more familiar Eruption territory via Van Leer's organ in quite Bartokian mode before Van Der Linden takes his turn with a six minute drum solo. This is followed by more Bartok from the band to close.

Focus also did the Pink Festival again May 1972. The very first Focus gig in England was in 1972, and may have been to 60 people somewhere in Huddersfield. There were also free gigs at the famous Marquee Club in London. The first of the recordings from England is in August 1972 at the famous Reading Festival that was so important a break for the band in Britain. Again we have the four track sequence mentioned already. Then comes this time a rather short extract from Eruption and this time the Hocus Pocus/Sylvia/Hocus Pocus (reprise) sequence is preserved.

Recordings also exist of The Melody Maker Poll Winners Concert at the Oval Cricket Ground on September 30, 1972, when Akkerman and Van Der Linden jammed with the bassist Jack Bruce doing Powerhouse Sod. Focus also opened the show and (possibly) Bert Ruiter and Pierre Van Der Linden backed Rory Gallagher at one point.

The other recording that possibly comes from 1972 is a BBC recording introduced by whispering Bob Harris, an early champion of the group. We will consider this recording separately.

Focus Live 02

The next group of Focus extant recordings are from 1971, the year that the second album was released. Again they are from Holland. There are two undated recordings from an early and late show in Den Burg on the Isle Of Texel. It is not clear whether this is before or after Bert Ruiter succeeded Cyril Havermans.

The first show features Anonymous 2 (22:35) Eruption (23:20) and finally an Improvisation (5:55). The later show also has versions of Eruption (23:24) and Anonymous 2 (21:58). These are preceded by versions of House Of The King/Janis (4:11) and Focus ( 5:01).

Focus were also heard that year on a documentary about them called Moving Waves and currently available on DVD.

We know that Focus played the Pink pop Festival in Landgraaf in May. Havermans had left by September and so by November, Bert Ruiter was well settled in and their concert at Schouwburg, Den Bosch, on November 6, was recorded as was the one on November 12 at Club Zodiac, Amstelveen. The first begins with various Improvisations leading into Focus 1 (28:24). We also have the track that was later to appear on Focus 3 - Answers? Questions! Questions? Answers! (17:20) and Anonymous 2 (22:21) which are also on the second (16:45 and 22:35 respectively), separated by Focus 2 (7:38). The second concert also includes a version of Eruption (24:09) and the sequence that was eventually to feature on At the Rainbow - Hocus Pocus (9:13) Sylvia (4:12) Hocus Pocus Reprise (2:09).

Focus Live 01

Focus must have played many hundreds of concerts as Focus over the years. In most cases, certainly in the early years, recordings of these performances are quite rare. Where there are recordings these sometimes leave a lot to be desired technically and can be difficult to get hold of in some cases. Some of these concerts have been released on CD and DVD, many remain as bootleg items only.

There are three main official live recordings of Focus available - one from the early period (Rainbow) one from the Philp Catherine period (BBC) and one from this more recent period (America). There are also one or two other official live albums such as Live in South America (2002) and early material such as that found on Masters from the vaults and Gold/Greatest Hits or Living Legends.

Perhaps the very earliest extant recording is a good quality one from Saturday April 4, 1970, featuring Van Leer, Akkerman, Dresden and Cleuver. This is would be well after the Amsterdam and London recordings of the first album. Two tracks were recorded at 'Studio 7' Club in Amsterdam on that occasion.

One lasts for 10:31. This is a version of Steamin/So What as made famous by Miles Davis. Van Leer is on an upright piano and the feel is very much a jazz one. Focus rarely sound quite as jazzy again but this element does resurface at various points in their later career.

The second track lasts for 17:18. This is Scarborough Fair, a traditional song arranged and made famous by Simon and Garfunkel in 1966 (Paul Simon got the song from Martin Carthy). Versions by The Ventures, Wes Montgomery and Charlie Byrd may have influenced this one. It was featured on the self-titled Brainbox Album of 1969 (with Akkerman on acoustic guitar and Van Der Linden on drums). While still quite jazzy in feel we are much more in Prog Rock territory here. Van Leer plays flute as well as piano.

The lack of audience reaction may suggest this was a run through prior to performing.

We know that focus also played in Breda on April 30 1970 (with Golden Earring and the George Baker Selection) and at Terborg on August 6 but we are unaware of recordings.

Track by track 96

Archive number: 96
Title: Hocus Pocus (Live)
Main Album: Focus Live In America
Track number: 9
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Venue: Patriots Theater, 1 Memorial Drive, Trenton, New Jersey, USA
Length: 12' 57”
Composer: Thijs Van Leer
Musicians: Thijs Van Leer – Hammond organ, Flute, Voice, Whistling; Jan Dumee – Guitar, Voice; Bass - Bobby Jacobs; Drums – Bert Smaak
Producer: Gavin Bott/Bob Carruthers
Engineer: Mike Potter (Orion Sound) Mix (Total audio)
Label: Classical Rock Legends Limited
Date of recording/release: October 2002 (part of a two day Uriah Heep led classic rock legend festival that also featured Nektar, Mostly Autumn and Asia). Released on DVD and CD (edited) in 2003.
Alternative version: One of the most famous and oft repeated Focus tracks, it appeared first on the Moving Waves album.
Notes: On the DVD the flute improvisation that precedes it is separately credited. Beginning with organ too, the flute is mostly solo. This takes us to 02:35 when the organ comes in and Van Leer begins on a sort of priestly singing in tongues. This then transmutes (to a loud cheer from the audience) into the famous yodel. Unable to get the high notes these days Van Leer switches to a harsh whistling sound, supplemented by Dumee's voice. We are then into the main riff, complete with high volume (sometimes squealing) guitar. This is broken up twice by the yodel and scream, then the strange voice and scream. Third time round we have the low (Van Leer) and high (Dumee) voices. Next time it's the flute then the extended yodel (not quite as long as it used to be). The guitar is frenetic by this point but things cool down for the intros – Bobby Jacobs, Bertie Smaak, Jan Dumee and the man himself on organ and flute. We come out of that with a great driving bass and one more blast from the band ending in unison at 09:13. The crowd then cheer (one man's "Oh yeah" is very distinct), Van Leer says thank you very much for the final time and that is the end – though on the CD we have edited in the intro for what is there the final track (Focus 3).

Track by track 95

Archive number: 95
Title: Focus 7 (Live)
Main Album: Focus Live In America
Track number: 8
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Venue: Patriots Theater, 1 Memorial Drive, Trenton, New Jersey, USA
Length: 09' 55”
Composer: Thijs Van Leer
Musicians: Thijs Van Leer – Hammond organ; Jan Dumee – Gibson Marauder Guitar; Bass - Bobby Jacobs; Drums – Bert Smaak
Producer: Gavin Bott/Bob Carruthers
Engineer: Mike Potter (Orion Sound) Mix (Total audio)
Label: Classical Rock Legends Limited
Date of recording/release: October 2002 (part of a two day Uriah Heep led classic rock legend festival that also featured Nektar, Mostly Autumn and Asia). Released on DVD and CD (edited) in 2003.
Alternative version: This track eventually appeared on the Focus 9 album.
Notes: The introductory words from the previous track on the CD are “We go to a number which we actually wanted to record on our latest album, Focus 8, which is hopefully still available here - I don't know - but we didn't. Finally, we didn't make mix of it and so it's still in the air. It's called Focus number 7.” The track, which ends in electric guitar meltdown pretty much anticipates what was eventually to appear on the Focus 9 album with a different guitarist. We hope to give more analysis there.

Track by track 94 [DVD]

Archive number: 94 [DVD only]
Title: Harem Scarem (Live)
Main Album: Focus Live In America
Track number: 10 (DVD). Not on CD.
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Venue: Patriots Theater, 1 Memorial Drive, Trenton, New Jersey, USA
Length: 12' 02”
Composer: Thijs Van Leer
Musicians: Thijs Van Leer – Hammond organ, Voice, Whistling; Jan Dumee – Guitars (Gibson Marauder and Fender Stratocaster), Voice; Bass - Bobby Jacobs; Drums – Bert Smaak
Producer: Gavin Bott/Bob Carruthers
Engineer: Mike Potter (Orion Sound) Mix (Total audio)
Label: Classical Rock Legends Limited
Date of recording/release: October 2002 (part of a two day Uriah Heep led classic rock legend festival that also featured Nektar, Mostly Autumn and Asia). Released on DVD and CD (edited) in 2003.
Alternative version: This track originally appeared on the Hamburger Concerto album
Notes: The song is not included on the CD. It is introduced with the words “Here's a song I wrote in the pub in Belgium. It's called Harem Scarem.” Bert Smaak counts the band in with his sticks. Both Dumee and Van Leer are involved in the “yeah, yeahs”. Van Leer again does his French whistling. Bobby Jacobs uses some sort of foot pedal with his bass to produce a fine bass solo from 08:20 to around 10:40. For some reason Dumee takes opportunity to change guitar during this solo – changing from the marauder to a black Fender stratocaster. Van Leer then leads them into the end at 11:47. He announces Bobby Jacobs name and says thanks before introducing the next track (see there).

Track by track 93

Archive number: 93
Title: Cathedrale de Strasbourg (Live)
Main Album: Focus Live In America
Track number: 7
Genre: Progressive Rock Vocal

Venue: Patriots Theater, 1 Memorial Drive, Trenton, New Jersey, USA
Length: 12' 57”
Composer: Thijs Van Leer
Musicians: Thijs Van Leer – Hammond organ, Vocals, Whistling; Jan Dumee – Gibson Marauder Guitar; Bass - Bobby Jacobs; Drums – Bert Smaak
Producer: Gavin Bott/Bob Carruthers
Engineer: Mike Potter (Orion Sound) Mix (Total audio)
Label: Classical Rock Legends Limited
Date of recording/release: October 2002 (part of a two day Uriah Heep led classic rock legend festival that also featured Nektar, Mostly Autumn and Asia). Released on DVD and CD (edited) in 2003.
Alternative version: This track originally appeared on the Hamburger Concerto album
Notes: The data about this track is found on the previous track - “We've got another slow song for you. It's like a nostalgic feel I had thinking of the bells of the Cathedral of Stratzburg, which is a town in France on the frontiers with Germany and those bells had a very, very beautiful sound and I was a very little boy and I was more than impressed. So here's the impression. It's a little lyric sung in French.” The track itself begins with bell like organ tones. The band then join in. It was once unusual for this track to be played live and so again makes it easier for Dumee who plays well. Van Leer does slightly better with the vocals this time, the style suiting him better and whistles well (both in French!) as on the original (02:25-04:00). His voice is also heard near the end (05:38-06:10). The track closes (06:22) with the sound of the audience and Van Leer's thanks. The CD then has the words “we go to a number which we call Focus number 7” Harem Scarem being edited out of the CD version. On the DVD he says “Here's a song I wrote in the pub in Belgium. It's called Harem Scarem."

Track by track 92

Archive number: 92
Title: Focus 5 (Live)
Main Album: Focus Live In America
Track number: 6
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Venue: Patriots Theater, 1 Memorial Drive, Trenton, New Jersey, USA
Length: 04' 37”
Composer: Thijs Van Leer
Musicians: Thijs Van Leer – Hammond organ; Jan Dumee – Gibson Marauder Guitar; Bass - Bobby Jacobs; Drums – Bert Smaak
Producer: Gavin Bott/Bob Carruthers
Engineer: Mike Potter (Orion Sound) Mix (Total audio)
Label: Classical Rock Legends Limited
Date of recording/release: October 2002 (part of a two day Uriah Heep led classic rock legend festival that also featured Nektar, Mostly Autumn and Asia). Released on DVD and CD (edited) in 2003.
Alternative version: This track appears originally on the Ship of Memories album
Notes: On the previous track we have the introduction from Van Leer “We'd like to continue with a piece that Focus actually never performed so it's one of the first times we do this now. It's called Focus 5.” The performance is similar to that found on Ship of Memories (from the abortive Chipping Norton sessions) but live. Being much less familiar than other tracks, it gives Dumee opportunity to shine almost in his own right. The rest of the band do well too. At 03:43 it slows it right down to halt at 03:58. We then have a thank you and the data for the next track – for which see the next track.

Track by track 91

Notes: Archive number: 91
Title: Sylvia (Live)
Main Album: Focus Live In America
Track number: 5
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Venue: Patriots Theater, 1 Memorial Drive, Trenton, New Jersey, USA
Length: 04' 33”
Composer: Thijs Van Leer
Musicians: Thijs Van Leer – Hammond organ, Voice; Jan Dumee – Gibson Marauder Guitar; Bass - Bobby Jacobs; Drums – Bert Smaak
Producer: Gavin Bott/Bob Carruthers
Engineer: Mike Potter (Orion Sound) Mix (Total audio)
Label: Classical Rock Legends Limited
Date of recording/release: October 2002 (part of a two day Uriah Heep led classic rock legend festival that also featured Nektar, Mostly Autumn and Asia). Released on DVD and CD (edited) in 2003.
Alternative version: Written way back for Sylvia Alberts, the track was first on the album Focus 3.
Notes: On the DVD Van Leer says before this track, “We'd like to play for you a short version of number Focus 3 and then specially for you it's a song called Brother.” Not a bad stab, this effort reprises what is essentially the Rainbow version. Dumee provides the high voice parts alongside Van Leer's lower ones. The piece actually closes at 03:38 and band introductions from Van Leer follow. These reveal this to be an afternoon performance. He calls himself "your organ player" with no reference to his flute here. He then introduces the next track for which see that track.

Track by track 90 [DVD]

Archive number: 90 [DVD only]
Title: Brother (Live)
Main Album: Focus Live In America DVD
Track number: 6 (DVD) not on CD
Genre: Jazz Rock Vocal
Venue: Patriots Theater, 1 Memorial Drive, Trenton, New Jersey, USA
Length: 12' 57”
Composer: Thijs Van Leer
Musicians: Thijs Van Leer – Hammond organ, Vocal; Jan Dumee – Gibson Marauder Guitar; Bass - Bobby Jacobs; Drums – Bert Smaak
Producer: Gavin Bott/Bob Carruthers
Engineer: Mike Potter (Orion Sound) Mix (Total audio)
Label: Classical Rock Legends Limited
Date of recording/release: October 2002 (part of a two day Uriah Heep led classic rock legend festival that also featured Nektar, Mostly Autumn and Asia). Released on DVD and CD (edited) in 2003.
Alternative version: Instrumental versions can be found on Van Leer's solo album Introspection 3 and later on Focus 8. P J Proby sings it on Focus Con Proby.
Notes: Perhaps Van Leer was keen to include this when performing in America as it is essentially an American song. It includes a nice introduction on organ (as written for the Con Proby album), rather poor vocal work from Van Leer and, most interestingly, a guitar coda quoting Eruption. It was rightly left off the CD.

Track by track 89

Notes: Archive number: 89
Title: Focus 3 (Live)
Main Album: Focus Live In America
Track number: 10 of 10 (CD) 5 (DVD)
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Venue: Patriots Theater, 1 Memorial Drive, Trenton, New Jersey, USA
Length: 04' 43”
Composer: Thijs Van Leer
Musicians: Thijs Van Leer – Hammond organ; Jan Dumee – Gibson Marauder Guitar; Bass - Bobby Jacobs; Drums – Bert Smaak
Producer: Gavin Bott/Bob Carruthers
Engineer: Mike Potter (Orion Sound) Mix (Total audio)
Label: Classical Rock Legends Limited
Date of recording/release: October 2002 (part of a two day Uriah Heep led classic rock legend festival that also featured Nektar, Mostly Autumn and Asia). Released on DVD and CD (edited) in 2003.
Alternative version: The original is on the Focus 3 album
Notes: Performed after Eruption on the night, the CD moves it to the end. This is a fairly competent rendition of the number but, despite Dumee's best efforts, loses some of the subtlety of the best Akkerman versions. The music ends at 4:22 and is followed by applause and cheers.

Track by track 88

Notes: Archive number: 88
Title: Eruption (Live)
Main Album: Focus Live In America
Track number: 4
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Venue: Patriots Theater, 1 Memorial Drive, Trenton, New Jersey, USA
Length: 16' 27”
Composer: Thijs Van Leer
Musicians: Thijs Van Leer – Hammond organ, Flute, Whistling, Voice; Jan Dumee – Gibson Marauder Guitar; Bass - Bobby Jacobs; Drums – Bert Smaak
Producer: Gavin Bott/Bob Carruthers
Engineer: Mike Potter (Orion Sound) Mix (Total audio)
Label: Classical Rock Legends Limited
Date of recording/release: October 2002 (part of a two day Uriah Heep led classic rock legend festival that also featured Nektar, Mostly Autumn and Asia). Released on DVD and CD (edited) in 2003.
Alternative version: The full original is found on the album Moving Waves
Notes: The announcment for this track is on the previous track. Van Leer says there “Now we'd like to take you to the second side, B side, of our album - actually the first album to break here in the States - that was Moving Waves. And it was a title called Eruption.” Here we start with 'violined' guitar the fare is quite standard until around 04:45 when Van Leer comes in first with the flute then some lovely whistling. This leads into a creditable Tommy (from 05:50). Then, after a little more whistling, we have more of the familiar live stuff, allowing Dumee to shine. There is some brief scat from Van Leer, mainly at 12:40-13:17, but recurring over the next minute or so after that and including something of a variation on the theme. There is also a jazzy flute-led break at 13:55-14:31 and an organ-led one at 14:32-15:34 which again features Van Leer's scat voice at certain points. There is then an abrupt return to the slow original theme (15:35-15:55) to round off. Applause and speech follow from 15:56-16:27. Van Leer says “Thank you so much ... Thanks ... We'd like to do a song that was once dedicated to a girl named Sylvia.” This is an edit, however, as it is clear from the DVD that before Sylvia another two tracks intervened (Focus 3 – at the end of the CD) and Brother (omitted from the CD).