Track by track 209 Positano

Main Album: Focus 12

Title: Positano

Track number: 9

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental

Studio: Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum, Netherlands

Length: 3:28

Composer: Thijs van Leer

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Piano, Flute; Menno Gootjes – Guitars; Udo Pannekeet - Bass, synthesisers; Pierre van der Linden - Drums

Producer: Udo Pannekeet and Menno Gootjes

Label: Spirit of the Unicorn

Date of recording/release: July 2024

Alternative recording: None

Notes: We begin with a pleasant acoustic guitar piano piece (00:00-01:15) followed by 20 seconds or so of electronically treated synthesised flute. A beat then brews up beneath that until at the two minute mark a yearning electric guitar-led band breaks in with a fresh rock tune. After 40 seconds of this the lead is taken on by the flute. At the very end the synthesised flute pattern is isolated and plays out for the last 15 seconds.

Positano is a village on the beautiful Amalfi Coast (Province of Salerno), in Campania, Italy, mainly in an enclave in the hills leading down to the coast. It has a long history back before Roman times. Modern era Positano became a wealthy market port from the 15-17th century and has only continued to grow in popularity over time. Back then they traded food such as fish and other resources. By the mid-19th century, however, the town had fallen on hard times. More than half the population emigrated, mostly to the USA, it seems. It began to attract a large number of tourists in the 1950s, especially after John Steinbeck published his essay about Positano in Harper's Bazaar in May 1953: "Positano Bites Deep". Steinbeck wrote, "It is a dream place that isn't quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone." VAn Leer has a friend who owns property there.

Track by track 204 Meta Indefinita

Main Album: Focus 12

Title: Meta Indefinita

Track number: 4

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental

Studio: Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum, Netherlands

Length: 4:36

Composer: Pierre van der Linden

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, flute; Menno Gootjes – Guitars; Udo Panekeet – Bass; Pierre van der Linden – Drums

Producer: Udo Pannekeet and Menno Gootjes

Label: Spirit of the Unicorn

Date of recording/release: July 2024

Alternative recording: None

Notes: The atmospheric track, said to be improvised, begins with a solo reverberating guitar. At around 00:20 a flute joins in and a bass guitar, mostly harmonics. The cymbals and drums are also heard from around 01:10 and begin to dominate but with guitar chords too and then flute and bass. From 03:31 the guitar is briefly 'violined'. Everything slows down after that and the piece drifts out much the way it drifted in. The title is the equivalent to something like no limits.

Track by Track 202 Focus 13

Main Album: Focus 12

Title: Focus 13

Track number: 2

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental

Studio: Wisseloord Studios, Hilversum, Netherlands

Length: 5:09

Composer: Thijs van Leer

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ; Menno Gootjes – Guitars; Udo Panekeet – Bass; Pierre van der Linden – Drums

Producer: Udo Pannekeet and Menno Gootjes

Label: Spirit of the Unicorn

Date of recording/release: July 2024

Alternative recording: None

Notes: A few seconds of drums introduce the whole guitar-led band playing the main slow theme. Around 02:30 there is a ritardando and at 03:37 the briefest of caesurae, then a brisk new theme comes in until 03:21 when a further development breaks in as guitar and hammond organ swap the lead. At 04:04 a frenetic guitar riff lead comes in and takes things on to the end with several reverbed siren-like elements.

Track by track 128 Victoria

Archive number: 128

Title: Victoria

Main Album: Focus X

Track number: 3

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental

Studio: Fieldwork Studios, Schoten, Belgium (Mixed at B-Spot Studio; mastered at Tube Mastering)

Length: 5' 28"

Composer: Thijs van Leer

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, piano, flute; Menno Gootjes – Guitars, Vocals; Bobby Jacobs – Bass; Pierre van der Linden – Drums

Producer: Bobby Jacobs, Geert Scheijgrond

Mastered: Andy Jackson

Mixed: Bram Bol

Label: Eastworld Recordings 

Date of recording/release: November 2012

Alternative version: This track was originally recorded in 1970 with a vocal in Dutch penned by Lennaert Herman Nijgh. The lyric tells the story of a man accused of rape who is knifed by the girl's father! An edited version of the instrumental appears on The Focus Family Album

Notes: The track begins with a solo piano intro. At 00:10 the drums break in and then the guitar led band when the chorus comes (00:52-01:16). The chorus features a background vocal repeating the name Victoria. The verse (to 01:55) and chorus (to 02:18) are then repeated. The break down then comes, featuring organ, flute and a little muted flute before returning to the theme just before the three minute mark. A verse and some chorus work follow until 03:56 when a jam comes in with real jazz flute and some guitar. This plays out to the end of the track.

Track by Track 126 Father Bacchus

Archive number: 126

Title: Father Bacchus

Main Album: Focus X 

Track number: 1

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental

Studio: Fieldwork Studios, Schoten, Belgium  

(Mixed at B-Spot Studio; mastered at Tube Mastering)

Length: 4:03

Composer: Menno Gootjes

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, piano, flute, spoken word; Menno Gootjes – Guitar; Bobby Jacobs – Bass; Pierre van der Linden – Drums

Producer: Bobby Jacobs, Geert Scheijgrond
Mastered: Andy Jackson
Mixed: Bram Bol
Label: Eastworld Recordings
Date of release: November 2012

Alternative version: None
Notes: The track begins with drums, then the whole band give a Hocus Pocus style riff at frenetic pace before (00:12) a flute led section slows things slightly until things kick off again with the band (00:23). At this point van Leer gives a voice over as follows

"And ladies and gentlemen proudly we present Focus
Fo- cus F O C U S
Hahaa! Beautiful!"

At 00:33 the band riff comes in for another 11 seconds and then the flute section follows, this time extended as far as 01:23, where the guitar takes up the lead. At 01:42 the flute returns to interweave with the guitar until 01:55 where there is a brief drum break backed up by the repeated flute riff. At 02:12 a new bassy band Hocus Pocus type riff begins. The guitar leads for a while over this until the flute returns at 02:42, becoming playful ten seconds in as a flute-led acoustic ensemble plays out to a slow fade.
NB This title echoes the earlier instrumental Father Bach (on Mother Focus) by way of reference to the Roman god Bacchus, the equivalent of the Greek god Dionysius, who Wikipedia says is the god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, of ritual madness, fertility, theatre and religious ecstasy in ancient Greek religion and myth.

Track by track 125 It takes 2 2 tango

Archive number: 125

Title: It takes 2 2 tango

Main Album: Focus 9 (New Skin)

Track number: 13

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental

Studio: Fieldwork Studios, Schoten, Belgium

Length: 07:57

Composer: Thijs van Leer

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, piano, flute; Niels van der Steenhoven – Guitars; Bobby Jacobs – Bass; Pierre van der Linden – Drums

Producer: Bobby Jacobs and Thijs van Leer

Engineer: Han Nuijten

Label: Red Bullet

Date of recording/release: Summer 2006

Alternative version: None

Notes: This further exploration of the tango form is quite slow for the most part. The band handle the first five minutes or so like a jazz quartet but with the familiar Focus rises and falls. There are some very attractive guitar phrases here as it somehow tells a story without words. Just when you have forgotten the tango title, tango rhythms break in first at 05:07-05:40 and then again at 06:08-06:42. In both cases the piano leads, followed by organ, then drums and then flute. The old theme soon reasserts itself (05:40-06:07 and 06:43-07:57), The whole closes on a suitably dramatic and extended note.

Track by track 124 Pim

Archive number: 124

Title: Pim

Main Album: Focus 9 (New Skin)

Track number: 12

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental

Studio: Fieldwork Studios, Schoten, Belgium

Length: 02:57

Composer: Thijs van Leer

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, piano; Niels van der Steenhoven – Guitars; Bobby Jacobs – Bass; Pierre van der Linden – Drums

Producer: Bobby Jacobs and Thijs van Leer

Engineer: Han Nuijten

Label: Red Bullet

Date of recording/release: Summer 2006

Alternative version: None

Notes: The guitar leads the band in a jaunty bit of rock with a bright and pretty sound that celebrates the birth of van Leer's grandson. He appropriately whistles (01:48-02:00) before the guitar takes over with renewed strength and the band head for the simple close.

Track by track 123 European Rap(sody)

Archive number: 123

Title: European Rap(sody)

Main Album: Focus 9 (New Skin)

Track number: 11

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental

Studio: Fieldwork Studios, Schoten, Belgium

Length: 10:19

Composer: Thijs van Leer, Gordon Taylor

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Piano, voice, handclaps, synthesiser, organ, flute; Niels van der Steenhoven – Guitars; Bobby Jacobs – Bass; Pierre van der Linden – Drums

Producer: Bobby Jacobs and Thijs van Leer

Engineer: Han Nuijten

Label: Red Bullet

Date of recording/release: Summer 2006

Alternative version: None (although there is a clip of a Focus jam in Kasteel Groeneveld on Youtube where they play something similar to one of the sections)

Notes: This song is in several parts. First comes a slow, even halting part led by the guitar backed by piano and keyboard set to choral (00:00-00:42). It leads into a second slow part, backed by the organ (00:43-01:07). We then turn east for an increasingly fast, Russian style dance tune led by the flute with the guitar and backed by the rhythm section (01:08-02:10). This is further developed from 02:11 with the use of the voice and handclaps, the guitar giving balalaika-type riffs. At 02:37 a shout or laugh takes us back to the flute-led tune, this being brought to an end by a couple of piano arpeggios (02:38-02:59). The slow and introspective guitar then leads off again followed by the cymbals, organ, bass and then piano too (03:00-03:34). This segues into the next part, still slow, led first by piano then with guitar and backing from the rhythm section and organ (03:35-05:20).

A crash of cymbals abruptly announces a new and jaunty fast section, which features a first litany of about 12 titles of previous Focus tracks from van Leer (05:21-06:27). The list with the few additional words is as follows:

Spoke the Lord Creator, Can't believe my eyes, Out of Vesuvius, Red sky at night, Round goes the gossip, (of) Eruption, Well done, Dayglow (to break), (Creating) Moving Waves (for how long?), Answers, questions ..., (of) Love remembered, … Questions, Answers, Ship of memories, ??? (06:28-06:13)

This is followed by an instrumental section in the same vein (06:14-06:28)

At 06:29 we come into a new section that begins slowly then becomes jaunty again but this time we are looking west and the style is very French, the keyboards in a very accordion-like mode. At 07:33 this comes to an end with the same slow piano, cymbals and bass conclusion as before, ending at 07:47.

A crash of cymbals announces the second part of the litany. This time we have around 35 further tracks

Carnival Fugue, (on an) Endless Road, (it's an) Early birth, (like a fugue of the) Sneezing Bull, Hocus Pocus (and) Birth (and Birth, and Birth), No Hang ups, (with the) Russian Roulette, (surely) Harem Scarem (dreams, dream), (and a) Cathedrale de Strasbourg, Anonymus (it seems), Maximum, (or) Medium, (or) One for the Road (but) Someone's Crying … what? (in the) House of the King, (it's a) Happy nightmare, Altogether … Oh that!, (Let's) Focus (on) Who's calling?, (Is it) Beethoven's Revenge, (or may be) Father Bach, (is it) Tommy, Benny, Eddy (or) Judy or Sylvia, My Sweetheart (My Sweetheart), It's an Indian Summer, (I'm the) Glider, The Tango, (with) Tokyo Rose, Night flight (with a) Black Beauty, (such a) Tropic Bird, (With movement, with movement, with movement; that's the Lord, that's the Lord, that's the Lord) (07:48-09:15)

We then play out with the band led by van Leer's rocking flute (09:16-10:10). The closing nine seconds are left to the solo flute.

Track by track 117 Niels Skin

Archive number: 117
Title: Niels' skin
Main Album: Focus 9 (New Skin)
Track number: 5
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Studio: Fieldwork Studios, Schoten, Belgium
Length: 06:02
Composer: Niels van der Steenhoven
Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, piano; Niels van der Steenhoven – Guitars; Bobby Jacobs – Bass; Pierre van der Linden - Drums
Producer: Bobby Jacobs and Thijs van Leer
Engineer: Han Nuijten
Label: Red Bullet
Date of recording/release: Summer 2006
Alternative version: None

Notes: The introduction is played on drums (00:00-00:18) and is followed by a series of alternating sections. The first is a choppy guitar riff led section backed by the organ and speeding up at the end (00:18-00:46 and 00:51-01:19). The second is a pleasant guitar led theme (00:46-00:51 and 01:20-01:44) that begins to yearn second time around. When the choppy riff comes in the third time it leads into an organ solo with the band still backing (01:45-02:58). This third time the guitar has a dreamy quality when the theme is played, 02:59-03:43. At 03:44 we return pronouncedly to the choppy section again beginning a little slower with lots of bass and leading into a heavy and fairly wild guitar-led segment. This goes on until 05:15 where the choppy section comes in seamlessly for the final time and the piece comes to a united close at 06:02.

Track by track 116 Sylvia's Stepson UbaTuba

Archive number: 116

Title: Sylvia's stepson Ubatuba

Main Album: Focus 9 (New Skin)

Track number: 4

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental

Studio: Fieldwork Studios, Schoten, Belgium

Length: 04:46

Composer: Bobby Jacobs

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, voice; Niels van der Steenhoven – Guitars; Bobby Jacobs - Bass; Pierre van der Linden - Drums

Producer: Bobby Jacobs and Thijs van Leer

Engineer: Han Nuijten

Label: Red Bullet

Date of recording/release: Summer 2006

Alternative version: None

Notes: Organ and guitar begin together, backed by bass and cymbals, as this beautiful piece is introduced (00:00-00:31). The drums announce the main theme, a typical piece of Focus guitar - slow, yearning and thoughtful - with occasional volume swells or violining (00:32-02:00) before quiet (02:01-02:10) then louder (02:11-02:24) guitar-led sections. At 02:25-02:56 we have the “ubatuba” section featuring guitar and “ubatubing” from van Leer's voice. A caesura at 02:57 announces the return of the yearning guitar lead with some exquisite finger work from van der Steenhoven, especially towards the end (02:58-04:14). Finally, we have a quieter section (04:15-04:35) that is rounded off with a coda of 10 violined harmonics (04:36-04:46).

Track by track 114 Focus 7

Archive number: 114

Title: Focus 7

Main Album: Focus 9 (New Skin)

Track number: 2

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental

Studio: Fieldwork Studios, Schoten, Belgium

Length: 05:18

Composer: van Leer

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, piano; Niels van der Steenhoven – Guitars; Bobby Jacobs - Bass; Pierre van der Linden - Drums

Producer: Bobby Jacobs and Thijs van Leer

Engineer: Han Nuijten

Label: Red Bullet

Date of recording/release: Summer 2006

Alternative version: Later on Completely Focussed album

Notes: We begin with an introduction just on the Hammond organ until at 00:37 a bass note brings in the guitar led band with an exquisite statement of the main theme (00:38-01:10). The theme is restated slightly more stridently (01:11-01:47) before the typically more yearning and heavier version of it comes in (01:48-02:25). It then reverts to something more like the first statement, but helped in due time by the flute (02:26-03:11), which also features in the following stormy version of the more strident element (03:12-03:48). From 03:49 it is quiet again, rising a little before more or less repeating from about 04:27. The piano is quite prominent in these final sections alongside the organ. A live sounding end comes around 05:18, the Hammond going on for at least 10 seconds after the close.

Track by track 111 Hello

Archive number: 111 [u]

Title: Hello

Main Album: Unreleased

Track number: 5

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental

Studio: Fieldwork Studios, Schoten, Belgium

Length: 06' 30”

Composer: Jan Dumee

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, Voice; Jan Dumee – Electric Guitar; Bobby Jacobs – Bass, Voice; Pierre van der Linden – Drums.

Producer: Bobby Jacobs and Thijs van Leer

Engineer: Han Nuijten

Label: None

Date of recording/release: This track was recorded in 2006 at the start of preparations for the album Focus 9 – after the departure of Bert Smaak but before the departure of Jan Dumee. It is in the Old Skin collection and has been made available on Jan Dumee's website.

Alternative version: A vocal version by John Lawton with Dumee

Note: The track announces its presence with the sound of a cymbal and two lots of four notes on electric guitar with organ, bass and drums backing (00:01-00:18). We then move into a plaintive guitar led section (00:19-01:09) that becomes perhaps a little more brilliant (01:10) then more quiet (01:33). Dumee seems to be groping for a melody that does not really develop much. At 2:12 a sudden spark of life appears as van Leer adds an onomatapoeic voice. This continues to 2:30 where the plaintive guitar returns. The voice returns for a longer run, 03:52-06:16. In this section the guitar and band get a little wilder. The piece then tails off with a drawn out voice and organ ending.

Track by track 110 Face to face

Archive number: 110 [u]

Title: Face to face

Main Album: Unreleased

Track number: 3

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental

Studio: Fieldwork Studios, Schoten, Belgium

Length: 06' 00”

Composer: Jan Dumee

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Flute, Hammond organ; Jan Dumee – Acoustic Guitar (slide), Electric Guitar; Bobby Jacobs – Bass; Pierre van der Linden – Drums.

Producer: Bobby Jacobs and Thijs van Leer

Engineer: Han Nuijten

Label: None

Date of recording/release: This track was recorded in 2006 at the start of preparations for the album Focus 9 – after the departure of Bert Smaak but before the departure of Jan Dumee. It has been made available on Jan Dumee's website.

Alternative version: A vocal version by John Lawton with Dumee

Note: This track is very much a Focus track though it sounds slightly strange at the beginning due to a singular use of acoustic slide guitar. We start with a signal from the high hat before the slide guitar and electric guitar set up a riff (00:00-00:05) that is later supplemented by the Hammond organ (00:06) and the band. The bass (with drums) sets up a new riff from 00:13, supplemented first by electric guitar (00:23) then organ with a drum fill (00:30). This leads into a full band performance, with the flute coming in at 00:44 with three clear blasts then more. The main band backed ten note flute riff begins at 01:04 and is repeated four times before reverting briefly to the starting riff (01:25-01:34). This pattern is then repeated (01:35-01:55/01:56-02:08). At 02:09 we return to the beginning but this time we enter a good old fashioned bass and drums section at 02:20. This goes on until 03:33 when the organ begins to come in again. At 03:51-04:03 we have the earlier electric guitar riff. From 04:04 Dumee solos on band backed electric guitar. The ten note flute riff, again repeated four times, comes in again at 04:23-04:42 and 04:54-05:14. Meanwhile, the electric guitar-led band plays out until 05:39 where a punctuated ritartando conclusion begins, closing with the band all on one unified note.

Track by track 108 Brazil Love

Archive number: 108[dl]
Title: Brazil Love
Main Album: Focus 9/New Skin
Track number: 14
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Studio: Fieldwork Studios, Schoten, Belgium
Length: 06' 10”
Composer: Jan Dumee
Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, Flute, Voice; Jan Dumee – Guitars; Bass - Bobby Jacobs; Drums – Pierre Van Der Linden
Producer: Bobby Jacobs and Thijs van Leer
Engineer: Han Nuijten
Label: None
Date of recording/release: This track was recorded in 2006 at the start of preparations for the album Focus 9 – after the departure of Bert Smaak but before that of Jan Dumee. It was available as a download on itunes with Focus 9 but was not on the CD version.
Alternative version: Opening track on an unofficial release called Old skin
Notes: The track begins with bass and drums (00:00-00:07). First the guitar then the organ dabble in putting a pattern over it (00:08-01:09) until the dreamy voice and flute of van Leer come in for the first of three sections where that dominates (01:10-01:47). We then revert briefly to the bass and drums alone (01:48-01:57) the guitar and flute coming back in (01:58-02:21) before a second flute and voice section (02:22-02:56). From 02:57-03:44 we have a section led by Dumee's guitar, the voice and flute kicking in again at 03:45-04:50. At 04:51-05:24 it's back to bass and drums before the flute comes in alone (05:25-06:07) until the final seconds where the voice is heard to die away.

Track by track 106 Blizu Tébe

Archive number: 106

Title: Blizu Tébe

Main Album: Focus 8

Track number: 10

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental

Studio: Peptide Studio, Vuren

Length: 06' 30”

Composer: Jan Dumee

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, Piano; Jan Dumee – Guitars; Bass - Bobby Jacobs; Drums - Bert Smaak

Producer: Geert Scheijgrond & Focus

Engineer: Geert Scheijgrond & Dick Kemper

Label: Musea/Red Bullet

Date of recording/release: A limited run of 500 of the album appeared in August 2002 to be followed by a general release on CD later that year. Also later on Paras and JVC Victor

Alternative version: None

Notes: Blizu Tebe is a second title in Bosnian-Serbian-Croatian. Meaning “closer to you” we are away from any political overtones. A slow, romantic number for the most part, it begins (00:00-00:12) and ends with the sound of seabirds, suggesting music for a TV series based by the sea. A drum beat (00:13) introduces drums, bass and keyboards as the sound effects fade (00:14-00:30). An electric guitar (00:31) takes up the first gentle and haunting theme (as far as 01:04). A more strident or yearning guitar theme comes next (01:05-01:30) before going back to something less so (01:31-01:51) then the original quiet theme (01:52-02:47). Next comes the soaring theme again (02:48-03:12). The quieter and more strident or yearning themes alternate once more (03:13-03:26/03:27-04:45) then the quieter theme comes in again (04:46-04:59) and at 05:12 to the end, being briefly interrupted for the final time by the other theme (05:00-05:11). The piano comes out at times, the organ at others, violined guitar and brushed drums too. The seabirds are heard again from 05:39 to the end at 06:30, the actual music coming to an end at 06:26.

Track by track 105 Brother

Archive number: 105

Title: Brother

Main Album: Focus 8

Track number: 9

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental

Studio: Peptide Studio, Vuren

Length: 05' 33”

Composer: Thijs van Leer, Roselie Peters

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ; Jan Dumee – Guitars; Bobby Jacobs - Bass; Bert Smaak - Drums

Producer: Geert Scheijgrond & Focus

Engineer: Geert Scheijgrond & Dick Kemper

Label: Musea/Red Bullet

Date of recording/release: A limited run of 500 of the album appeared in August 2002 to be followed by a general release on CD later that year. Also later on Paras and JVC Victor

Alternative version: Several including on Focus Con Proby

Notes: This is an instrumental version of a Focus track that first appeared on Focus Con Proby with P J Proby singing. It begins with the beautiful, classically informed (from Brahms?) but now bluesified, introduction this time on Hammond organ (00:00-00:59) and slightly extended. A drum beat (01:00) brings the band in with the slow march led this time by Dumee's electric guitar (01:01-01:56) and, for the chorus, Van Leer's flute and organ (01:57- 02:26). The pattern is repeated (02:27-03:21 and 03:22-03:56). A final Dumee-led section wrings a good deal of emotion out of the tune before a dramatic end (03:57-05:20) that ends with a 13 second quotation from Eruption to conclude.

Track by track 103 Focus 8

Archive number: 103
Title: Focus 8

Main Album: Focus 8
Track number: 6
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Studio: Peptide Studio, Vuren
Length: 06' 13”
Composer: Thijs van Leer
Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, piano, synthesiser; Jan Dumee – Guitars; Bobby Jacobs - Bass; Bert Smaak - Drums, Timpani
Producer: Geert Scheijgrond & Focus
Engineer: Geert Scheijgrond & Dick Kemper
Label: Musea/Red Bullet
Date of recording/release: A limited run of 500 of the album appeared in August 2002 to be followed by a general release on CD later that year. Also later on Paras and JVC Victor.
Alternative version: See the fiftieth anniversary CD
Notes: The title track begins with drums, then a rhythmic piano with bass and drums (00:00-00:08). An electric guitar then picks out a descending tune over the band (00:09-00:38). The main heroic guitar led theme kicks in for the first time at 00:39. Backed by piano, timpani and band, it is played several times altogether. At 01:09 there is something of a change of pace and at 01:20 something of a ritartando or slowing down only to pick up again after almost pausing at 01:21, 22. The main theme comes in a second time (01:23-02:00), closing this time with a more staccato slowing down until a piano bridge at 02:12-14. A third assault on the main theme follows (02:15-02:42). This also breaks down at 02:43-48 before a fourth round and break down (02:49-02:42/43-47). The fifth attempt follows from 02:48. This goes on until an organ dominated dip ending at 03:46. The guitar then soars more and the piano is almost lost as we head for the home strait and a final timpani/piano driven assault from 04:31 followed by a descent echoing the earlier guitar led theme with strong Hammond chords at times. The band end in unison around 06:13.

Track by track 102 De Ti O De Mi

Archive number: 102

Title: De Ti O De Mi

Main Album: Focus 8

Track number: 5

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental

Studio: Peptide Studio, Vuren Length: 06' 22”

Composer: Bobby Jacobs

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ; Jan Dumee – Guitars; Bobby Jacobs - Bass; Bert Smaak - Drums

Producer: Geert Scheijgrond & Focus

Engineer: Geert Scheijgrond & Dick Kemper Label: Musea/Red Bullet

Date of recording/release: A limited run of 500 of the album appeared in August 2002 to be followed by a general release on CD later that year. Also later on Paras and JVC Victor Alternative version: None Notes: We begin with a dark bass riff backed by drums then organ (from about 00:26). At 00:46 an electric guitar takes up the lead with a yearning jazz melody that when eventually about to build at 01:21 reverts to the sparse bass riff. At 01:39 drums re-introduce the organ and a cleaner electric guitar sound and (from 02:01) the jazz guitar melody. It builds a little more this time until panning out with an organ backed development leading to a caesura at 02:59 and 03:00. For the remainder of the track the guitar-led melody is allowed to develop further, this time eventually taking off to some extent, though still meandering a little and later getting quite earnest. The section eventually begins to fade at 05:55 and ends around 06' 22”.

Track by track 101 Hurkey Turkey

Archive number: 101

Title: Hurkey Turkey

Main Album: Focus 8

Track number: 4

Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental

Studio: Peptide Studio, Vuren

Length: 4' 07”

Composer: T van der Kaaij, Thijs van Leer

Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, Voices; Jan Dumee – Guitars; Bobby Jacobs - Bass; Bert Smaak - Drums; Geert Scheigrond - Additional guitars.

Producer: Geert Scheijgrond & Focus

Engineer: Geert Scheijgrond & Dick Kemper Label: Musea/Red Bullet

Date of recording/release: A limited run of 500 of the album appeared in August 2002 to be followed by a general release on CD later that year. Also later on Paras and JVC Victor Alternative version: None

Notes: The studio version of Hurkey Turkey starts very distinctively with 8 slightly odd notes on electric guitars followed by a longer ninth one that also features a crash cymbal (00:00-00:08). We then get another two and one then one and one twice and the drums crash in before one of two main themes starts at 00:15 - a bassy riff thing. This is played several times with van Leer's voice in the background and Dumee going up and down the fretboard. At 01:00 there is a slight change of pace announced by the guitar which then takes up more of a lead with the other contrasting theme. This ends at 01:32 when the first theme returns led this time by the Hammond organ (01:33-02:03). We then go back to the guitar-led second theme (02:04-02:34) before the original theme returns with van Leer's voice more prominent at first. This section slows down around 02:44 and from 02:51-03:12 we have a 'scat' section where van Leer's voice is multi-tracked over just drums, one voice providing a jazzy “danga danga danga dang dumdiddy” style and the other a rather crazy turkey voice! The band then come back, with the guitar getting pretty wild and ending with a fade around 04:07.

Track by track 99 Tamara's Move

Archive number: 99
Title: Tamara's move (Allegro-adagio-allegro)

Main Album: Focus 8
Track number: 2
Genre: Progressive Rock Instrumental
Studio: Peptide Studio, Vuren
Length: 5' 14”
Composer: Jan Dumee
Musicians: Thijs van Leer – Hammond organ, Flute, synthesisers, hanclaps; Jan Dumee –Guitars including Spanish guitar, Vocal; Guitar; Bobby Jacobs - Bass; Bert Smaak - Drums
Producer: Geert Scheijgrond & Focus
Engineer: Geert Scheijgrond & Dick Kemper
Label: Musea/Red Bullet
Date of recording/release: A limited run of 500 of the album appeared in August 2002 to be followed by a general release on CD later that year. Also later on Paras and JVC Victor
Alternative version: None
Notes: The piece is in three sections – allegro, adagio, allegro. The first allegro section is from 00:00-02:12. It begins with double tracked acoustic guitars (00:00-00:07) soon accompanied by the rhythm section, which includes a distinctive synthesised mouth tom tom sound at certain points (00:08-00:00:18). The flute (multi-tracked at certain points) then takes up the lead in joyful style as far as 02:12, with a note held around 01:08 and handclaps from both speakers from 01:36.
The adagio section (02:13-03:34) has two parts. First, a mournful organ and synthesiser backed vocal section that ends at 02:49 with a timpani sound. The words are indistinct but appear to be

Don't let a thing respond,
No breath for you too.
Just signs of trying to forget you,
To exorcise you.
Leave me in your thoughts
But don't you miss the sight.

A drum roll immediately follows (02:50-02:57) and we are into a rather grand instrumental version of the same tune led by guitar with organ that ends at 03:34.
The third section is the flute-led allegro again. The handclaps begin at 04:03, the mouth tom toms are there and the Spanish guitar has a much more prominent role from 04:24.