Posted on 12/30/2022 6:00:30 PM PST by FLNittany
Dutch prog-rockers Focus giving a breathtaking performance on NBC´s Midnight Special.
Thijs van Leer - Vox, Flute, Organ
Jan Akkerman - Guitar (-god!)
Bert Ruiter - Bass
Pierre van der Linden - Drums
Announced by the lovely Gladys Knight
Not much to say other that this was a group of extremely talented musicians. Akkerman was considered one of the best guitarists in the world.
The standing ovation at the end was well justified.
Great 1973 music.
Gladys was a cutie in her day.
I use to smoke pot to that album
OMg,
I mountain bike to their second album Moving Waves.
In my top 10 album list.
Akkerman is the best guitar player to come from the Netherlands, yes better than that other guy.
Bump
Love it!
My husband first turned me on to this song, I had not heard it before.
The reaction of black people to this classic song is hilarious.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_u71xGnqVI
I was 14 and my best friend (and guitar player in our band Fury which everyone kept calling Furry so we had to change it) knocked on my bedroom window to wake me up at 1a and told me he just discovered the other guy from the Netherlands and handed me a cassette - raising farce or something.
I listened to some of it and my first thought was souless.
I’ve seen him live with a couple friends who are fans - he’s fast and interesting but I wouldn’t spend money on him.
However, there is an large body of great Focus compositions under the Hocus Pocus hit.
Brought yodeling into mainstream rock
“This song was sped up (a lot) to meet the Midnight Special’s 4.5 minute max.‘
As input Focus always sped that song up when doing it live. I never understood it as the Hocus Pocus song always sounded best to me when played at the tempo of the studio track.
Have you ever seen the reaction of black people to Led Zeppelin?? It is beyond awesome:
Whole Lotta Love: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOY4XecfkcA
Achilles Last Stand (by Soul Train Bro- have to watch it all- especially after the song ends): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1uq3Kj5MxA
Heavy guitar and yodeling and some I don’t know what. It was a one of a kind.
Bkmk
Awesome! Thanks for posting.
I like Brad and Lex.
I like them both. Lex a bit more though ;)
Oops - confused Brad and Lex with NicknLex. I’ve watched a lot of both. The Lex w/ Nick is a bit smarter.
Mannn, that band is really together!
Yet another meaning to tight. The drummer was phenomenal in my mind. He made people wonder what was coming next. Same scene as in Edgar Winter’s live Frankenstein.
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