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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20111124

Chipping Norton and Decca Studios

Focus have used a limited number of recording studios over the years.

The first two studio albums were recorded mostly at Sound Techniques (Moving Waves partly at Morgan Studios) and the third and fourth at Olympic B, both in London.

The core tracks that appear on the album Ship of Memories were recorded at Mike Vernon's studio in Chipping Norton. For Mother Focus the band recorded in Los Angeles. Since that time studio recordings have been made in Holland and Belgium at EMI Hilversum, Studio Spitsbergen in Zuidbroek, Peptide Studio in Vuren and for the last two albums at Fieldwork Studios at Schoten in Belgium.
Chipping Norton Between 1972 and 1999, Chipping Norton Recording Studios existed in the old British School on New Street in the Oxfordshire market town. The studios were set up by Mike Vernon with his brother Richard and Dave Grinsted. Focus were one of the earliest bands to record there.
Los Angeles What became known as Studio 55 was originally Decca Studios (White Xmas was recorded there) and was known in the sixties as Nashville West. It had two studios and was on the Paramount Studios lot. Owned by Howard Steele it was taken over in 1975 by Richard Perry. The building is apparently long gone.

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