Looking at the music of Dutch rock band Focus, started in the late sixties by Thijs van Leer (b /31/03/48) with Jan Akkerman (b 24/12/46). Van Leer still performs and records under the name today (official site here). Akkerman's site here.

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20080712

Track by track 68 Hocus Pocus (Live) BBC

Archive number: 68
Title: Hocus Pocus (Live)
ain Album: Live at the BBC
Track number: 9
Genre: Live Progressive Rock Instrumental
Venue: New Victoria Theatre, 17 Wilton Road, London SW1V 1LL (now Apollo Victoria)
Length: 5' 45”
Composer: Thijs van Leer/Jan Akkerman
Musicians: Philip Catherine - Electric guitars; Thijs van Leer – Electric piano, Mellotron, Vocal, Voice; Bert Ruiter – Bass; David Kemper – Drums
Producer: BBC
Engineer: BBC
Label: Hux Records
Date of recording/release: Recorded March 21 1976 but only released (on CD) June 1 2004
Alternative versions: There are many of these
Notes: This somewhat unusual rendition of Hocus Pocus is an encore. Philip Catherine had only been playing it around a month at the time so all the emphasis is on van Leer's antics. All the changes are rung, beginning, unusually, with a yodel and scream (00:00-00:16) then interleaving frenetic band work outs, followed by drum breaks, with a second yodel and scream (00:38-00:51), the strange voice and scream (01:14-01:26), a slightly extended yodel with a low then high voice (01:47-02:08), the flute (02:30-02:38), an extended yodel and scream (03:01-03:26), some whistling (03:47-04:08) and introductions (04:30-05:02) ending with “Thijs van Leeeeeeeer”. Then we have the final riff and close (05:03-05:34) with applause to close the album (05:35-05:45).

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