Focus: don't miss them...
Posted by: MarkEJ on 02 October 2004
Surprise to some perhaps, but Focus are touring.
Of course, this isn't quite the original band but actually when you look at the history, it's fairly debatable exactly which of the various line-ups should count as "definitive". At first glance, the biggest omission from the current incarnation is Jan Akkerman, but Jan Dumeé's contribution is very significant. Historic drummer Pierre van der Linden has just rejoined.
We caught them on Thursday at the Fleece in Bristol. I expected to be entertained as I'm a fan from way back, but I didn't expect to be as thoroughly blown away as I was. What we got was four guys who walked onto the stage and simply launched into a more or less continuous stream of tight, gutsy, romantic and very eclectic music, easily mixing stuff from the dark ages with very recent compositions, with that consumate ease, confidence and obvious enjoyment that comes from simply having a terrific time. Lots of influences (Miles D and Santana come to mind) and yes, the old Dutchman can still do it. Actually in many respects he's better than ever, now having the dexterity to manage a Hammond B3, a flute, a microphone and big toasty one all at the same time. An absolutely brilliant evening.
If they're within reach, don't miss them -- strongly recommended. Their site is at:
http://www.officialfocushomepage.nl/ (turn up the sound before you go there -- you get a few bars of a recent track as it loads).
Gig list for October follows.
Best;
Mark
02.10
Oakwood Leisure - Rotherham - UK
Drummer: Hans van Oosterhout
03.10
Renfrew Ferry - Glasgow - UK
Drummer: Hans van Oosterhout
04.10
Lemon Tree - Aberdeen - UK
Drummer: Hans van Oosterhout
06.10
New: Alexanders - Chester - UK
Drummer: Hans van Oosterhout
07.10
Buttermarket - Shrewsbury - UK
Drummer: Pierre van der Linden
09.10
Underworld - London - UK
Drummer: Pierre van der Linden
10.10
Change of location: Rescue Rooms - Nottingham - UK
Drummer: Pierre van der Linden
11.10
Huntingdon Hall - Worcester - UK
Drummer: Pierre van der Linden
29.10
Zaal Duinoord - Jan Verfailleweg 622 - Den Helder - NL
Focus will play two sets from 22:00 onwards.
Drummer: Pierre van der Linden
tel: 0223 - 619222
30.10
De Brink, Dorpsstraat 153 - Obdam - NL
Focus plays as the first at 21:45 on the Nederbeat Festival, together with the Bintangs, who will close the evening.
Drummer: Pierre van der Linden
tel: 0226 - 451791
Posted on: 02 October 2004 by bhazen
Mark -
Have you heard the new album Focus 8? I've been eyeing it warily at CD shops for awhile...thought I'd wait for the opinion of a true fan!
BTW I think Focus were one of the most musical of the 70's Prog bands - they were the only ones to seamlessly integrate Bach with earthy rock & funk. Cruelly underrated in recent times because most people only remember the "Hocus Pocus" yodelling. Sort of like judging Procol Harum having only heard "A Whiter Shade of Pale" (thousands do).
Er...what's a "big toasty one"?
Posted on: 02 October 2004 by J.N.
Thanks Mark; I had no idea that the band were still going.
'Moving Waves' and 'III' are two of my all time favourite albums; and are still regularly enjoyed.
I was a bit shocked to see what Thijs van Leer looks like now though!
I might just check out the new album.
Posted on: 03 October 2004 by MarkEJ
quote:
Originally posted by bhazen:
Have you heard the new album _Focus 8_? I've been eyeing it warily at CD shops for awhile...thought I'd wait for the opinion of a true fan!
Sore point -- ordered it from Amazon a month ago, and it hadn't arrived in time for the gig (and still bloody hasn't -- grinds teeth). Judging by the pieces they played which came from it, I would say it's a mandatory purchase.
quote:
BTW I think Focus were one of the most _musical_ of the 70's Prog bands - they were the only ones to seamlessly integrate Bach with earthy rock & funk. Cruelly underrated in recent times because most people only remember the "Hocus Pocus" yodelling. Sort of like judging Procol Harum having only heard "A Whiter Shade of Pale" (thousands do).
I know exactly what you mean and agree wholeheartedly. They know exactly how to play quietly enough that the loud bits seem louder. Right in the middle of the gig, T van L delivered a flute solo from the middle of a darkened stage. What he played wasn't particularly complex or flashy, but judging by the sighs & gasps from the audience it simply connected with everyone, which (to me anyway) is what it's all about. Even the random chords played while tuning up seemed to twist my diaphragm. How do they do that????
quote:
Er...what's a "big toasty one"?
A element of Amsterdam café culture...
quote:
Originally posted by J.N.:
I was a bit shocked to see what Thijs van Leer looks like now though!
It's even scarier with blue mirrored Oakleys... He laughs much more than he used to, though.
Best;
Mark
Posted on: 03 October 2004 by J.N.
quote:
A element of Amsterdam café culture...
I'm still none the wiser.
Posted on: 03 October 2004 by kid spatula
a joint.
a spliff.
a doob.
a coner.
a reefer.
a jazz woodbine.
a marijuana cigarette.
Posted on: 03 October 2004 by J.N.
Thanks kid.
A 'Camberwell Carrot' eh?
That term comes from one of my favourite cult films.
Can anyone name it?
Posted on: 03 October 2004 by J.N.
Thijs van Leer, as we remember him from his heyday.
And now?
He's the one on the right. I kid you not!
Scary huh?
Posted on: 03 October 2004 by Ron Brinsdon
Camberwell Carrot
Is it Withnail?
Have a good week
Ron
Posted on: 04 October 2004 by J.N.
'Withnail and I' it is Ron.
Wonderful film.
Best wishes.
John.
Posted on: 04 October 2004 by bhazen
quote:
Originally posted by J.N.:
I was a bit shocked to see what Thijs van Leer looks like now though!
Hey, any day above ground is a good day!!
This is probably fodder for a different thread in the Padded Cell, but one of the things I'm fascinated with is the aging of rock stars, and how that affects our perception of them, and our feelings about our own physical changes and mortality. Although I still love them, I've stopped going to concerts by some of my fave bands from the 60's-70's because, although I am nostalgic, the
air of nostalgia at these events is too much for me; plus, I look around at all the other grey-hairs and am confronted with the reality that
these people are me. Nontheless, I'm all for bands "keepin' on", because I think all artists have the right to continue their trade in spite of being too old for MTV.
I've also just been forced (by seeing a recent photo of myself) to realise that long hair no longer works for me (I've got Richard Nixons' hairline now). Oldie buzz cuts, here I come...
p.s. More proof of my antiquity: when I saw the reference to Amsterdam cafe culture, I immediately thought "Yum, a cappuccino".
Posted on: 04 October 2004 by jayd
quote:
Originally posted by bhazen:
This is probably fodder for a different thread in the Padded Cell, but one of the things I'm fascinated with is the aging of rock stars, and how that affects our perception of them, and our feelings about our own physical changes and mortality. Although I still love them, I've stopped going to concerts by some of my fave bands from the 60's-70's because, although I am nostalgic, the _air_ of nostalgia at these events is too much for me; plus, I look around at all the other grey-hairs and am confronted with the reality that _these people are me._ Nontheless, I'm all for bands "keepin' on", because I think all artists have the right to continue their trade in spite of being too old for MTV.
Great idea for a thread; count me in. I've thought the same sort of thing lately.
Posted on: 04 October 2004 by bhazen
Mark -
Just got Focus 8 this afternoon; listened to about 7 of the tracks. It's clearly Focus; Jan Dumee, while not Akkerman, is a fine player, with some of the same skill on acoustic as Jan A. The same Hammond organ and flute sound is evident from Thijs, even some yodelling on the first track. Stylistically, this could almost be Focus III with a 2004 recording sound; track lengths are much shorter though (no jamming like on "Anonymous II"). I'll have to hear it some more to make a judgement, but it could be one of their better albums...in 2004!
Re: those "random chords" you mentioned: Thijs has the most harmonically advanced grasp of tonality of any player in rock; he can merge jazz with Bach and make it sound like a perfect summers' afternoon in a Monet painting. When I hear one of his ballads or "Focus _" series of compositions for the first time, I'm always affected.
[This message was edited by bhazen on Tue 05 October 2004 at 3:31.]
Posted on: 05 October 2004 by MarkEJ
quote:
Originally posted by bhazen:
Thijs has the most harmonically advanced grasp of tonality of any player in rock; he can merge jazz with Bach and make it sound like a perfect summers' afternoon in a Monet painting.
Wonderfully put -- thanks for that.
Re: Jan Dumee -- no, he's not Akkerman, and IMHO this is no bad thing. Akkerman (with Focus mega-works anyway) always seemed to be me to be inconsistent, occasionally producing something very, very special, but often just filling (the lute part on "Delitae" and things like "Love Remembered" being an exception). Dumee seems to want to understand more, and as time passes will no doubt evolve his own trademark contributions. I suppose he'd probably rate Akkerman as a major influence, but thankfully he isn't just an Akkerman riff machine, even if some of the facial expressions are very close!
Best;
Mark
Posted on: 05 October 2004 by bhazen
Listened to Focus 8 for a second time this evening; it's a keeper. Jan Dumee composed a few of the tunes, one in particular could've been on Focus III! Some people may be put off by the fact that 3 of the tracks has yodelling, maybe TvL thought it was needed to qualify it as a Focus album. Unnecessary, as some of the music is very beautiful; but evidence of that earthy Dutch sense of humour. I love the fact that they've made no attempt to "update" the sound with hip-hop loops or whatever; just guitar, bass, drums, Hammond and flute. Timeless.
A question for any members of this Forum from Holland: are Focus much remembered there, particularly among young people?
Posted on: 11 October 2004 by TomK
After reading this thread I downloaded Hocus Pocus to indulge in a bit of wacky-backy student party type nostalgia. It's still a mind-blowing riff and I ordered "Best Of Focus" from Play.com as a result of hearing it again.
Not the first time I've bought a CD after downloading and I'm sure many others on this board are the same. You don't tend to hear the record companies screaming about that though do you?
Posted on: 12 October 2004 by MarkEJ
Finally got my Focus 8 yesterday, and I agree with bhazen -- it's definitely a keeper. The sound is OK rather than outstanding, but the music is wonderful.
One of the tracks actually makes you laugh, as it deliberately quotes fragments of phrases from Focus II, and then goes slightly atonal just when you were expecting resolution. Played live, this one involved much finger-wagging at the audience from TvL, to general hilarity. The absence of pointless, pitchless bass and the presence of real instruments, rather than their plasticy sampled alternatives is quite a relief, and if this is what a lack of "updating" lends, then I'm all for it. It does indeed sound fairly undateable to my ears, although of course that may mean that it would seem incredibly old-fashioned to others, for precisely similar reasons. Above all, this is clearly music which is "designed" to be played live convincingly-- there is very little in the way of overdubs and other studio horrors. Overall timing and push is probably the best of any Focus album, with slower, denser tracks given space for their notes to sink in.
If only there were more musicians with this sort of attitude and enthusiasm (sigh). Go and buy it!
Best;
Mark
Posted on: 12 October 2004 by BigNick
Grief Roy Harper and Focus, glad I rejoined the Naim set.
My favourite album is Hamburger Concerto and Ive played one copy to death, physically and the second one I bought eX/eX was eXtremely scratched. Does anybody out there know if the collection of albums has been digitally remastered.
I shall scream silently as I saw further up the page they played my local town 10 days ago!!!!!!!!!
BigNick
Posted on: 12 October 2004 by bhazen
BigNick - no, the Focus catalogue has not been re-done; needs it too, as at least two of the CDs (the Best Of and Focus III) have incorrect track location points in places (cf. "Carnival Fugue").
According to the Focus website Focus 9 is in the works for 2005...hurray!
Posted on: 13 October 2004 by MarkEJ
All Focus releases are available on CD. All were on sale for £10 each at the live gigs, which by the standards of these things, was relatively cheap. They were also selling TvL's "Introspection" on new vinyl!
In terms of sound, the first two ("In & Out of Focus" and "Moving Waves") are significantly better than "Focus III" (IMHO), probably due to III being released in the face of enormous demand, and maybe corners were cut. A good pressing of III is also very hard to find, possibly for the same reasons. The CD version may be better, but judging from the tracks extracted to form part of the "Hocus Pocus" compilation, I doubt it. Part of the problem with Focus on vinyl is that a lot of pretty dense material tended to end up at the end of a side where the things could get pretty crowded, and they aren't alone in this.
"Live at the Rainbow" was OK for a live album of the time -- sounds pretty ropey compared with the 2002 release "Live in America", although on a par musically.
"Hamburger" was also a problem from day one, in the sense that all of it is pretty dense, and I suspect that its original mastering was not of the best. Side 1 (continuous track) is significantly over 20 minutes, and in order to get it to fit, there must have been considerable curtailment of something. Certainly sounds like it!
(Even as big a cynic as) I can't beleive that all these faults would have existed on the master tapes when they left the studio, possibly indicating that either they were almost impossible to master well for vinyl, or that nobody bothered. The end-of-side thing may be avoided on CD (don't know), but I suspect that there will be a price to pay.
While "digital remastering" has occasionally resulted in something which has advantages over the orginal, I think one should remember that no matter what, you can only subtract from the master tape -- you can never add to it. Subtracting something undesirable always carries the risk of removing music at the same time, and it seems that engineers who can tell the difference are pretty rare. Personally, I would like to see the whole catalogue remastered separately for both vinyl and CD (I'd certainly jump at the chance of buying the result), but I doubt if it's going to happen!
Best;
Mark
