Archive number: 150
Title: Mosh Blues
Main Album: The Focus Family Album
Track number: 6
Genre: Prog Rock
Studio: Mosh Studios, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Length: 6:24
Composer: Thijs van Leer, Menno Gootjes, Bobby Jacobs & Pierre van der Linden
Musicians: Thijs van Leer - organ, scat, flute; Menno Gootjes - Guitar; Bobby Jacobs - Bass; Pierre van der Linden - Drums
Producer: Geert Scheijgrond
Engineer: Geert Scheigrond
Label: In and Out of Focus Recordings
Date of recording/release: 2017
Notes: The track begins with a bass and drums led band groove, the Hammond coming in from 00:27. Hammond and lead guitar swap the limelight, the guitar eventually triumphing, At 3:18 van Leer gives us about 48 seconds of scat, 28 seconds of Hammond lead and 47 seconds of breathy flute. The band then playout the rest of the song, which lasts just over a minute until the final chord.
The word Mosh refers to the recording studio in sao Paulo, which got its name from the initials of its founders: M alagutti O swaldo S antisteban H élio.
(from Wikipedia) Also known as slam dancing or simply slamming, it is a style of dance in which participants push or slam into each other, typically performed to "aggressive" live music. Moshing usually happens in the centre of the crowd, generally closer to the stage, in an area called the "pit". It is intended to be energetic and full of body contact.
The dance style originated in the hardcore punk scenes of California and Washington, DC around 1980. Through the 1980s it spread to other branches of punk rock as well as thrash metal and grunge, which exposed it to the mainstream. Since then, moshing has occasionally been performed to energetic music within a wide variety of genres, including alternative rock, EDM and hip hop, while remaining a staple at punk and heavy metal shows.
Variations of moshing exist, including "pogoing", "circle pits" and "wall of death". Dancing can be done alone as well as in groups.
While moshing is seen as a form of positive fan feedback or expression of enjoyment. It has also drawn criticism over dangerous excesses occurring in offshoots. Injuries have been reported.
