Jan Akkerman Focus In Time

Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music
I remembered way back as a kid hearing "Hocus Pocus" on the radio, this must be around 1979 or 1980, on the FM dial. Around 1989, I heard this song again and found out it was "Hocus Pocus" and the group was called FOCUS.

Excellent addition to any prog rock music collection.
I always read terrible reviews about this album something with I don't agree, of course is not one of their masterpieces, but the quality of the music and the selection of songs is outstanding.

Essential: a masterpiece of progressive rock music.
Focus has always been a band with sense of humor, not only for the strange sounds and yodeling emitted by Thijs Van Leer but also for the jokes they made of sacred cows.

DVD material comprises of an In Concert performance of 1974's Hamburger Concerto and a Medley from the band's appearance on UK TV's Old Grey Whistle Test, the performance of course, that helped break Focus in the U.K…

Cozy Powell and Ray Fenwick are joined by Jan Akkerman (Focus) and Tony Martin (Black Sabbath) amongst others to deliver another powerful rocker. The CD contains two extra tracks not available on the other formats. Formed in 1987, Forcefield’s ever-changing line-up brought together the mainstays of some of the biggest 80s rock bands. The original members were Pete Prescott, Ray Fenwick and Cozy Powell. Amongst guitarist Fenwick’s credits were The Spencer Davis Group, Fancy and The Ian Gillan Band, while drummer Powell had been a key figure in bands of the calibre of Black Sabbath, Rainbow and Whitesnake and is widely regarded as an all-time rock great.

Formed in the winter of 1968, Brainbox was a legendary dutch rock group that featured star guitarist Jan Akkerman and vocalist Kaz Lux within their ranks. The band's debut album featured such incredible work as Dark Rose, Summertime, Scarborough Fair and the epic 17 minute track Sea Of Delight. Inspired by British acts of the day, Brainbox were equal to the talent of groups such as Taste and Jethro Tull and their debut album secured a world wide release by EMI in 1969. Soon after the album appeared Jan Akkerman departed to join Focus, but Brianbox continued to record a host of classic singles and a second LP with drummer Pierre Van Der Linden also joining Focus. This Esoteric recordings re-mastered edition is the first ever UK CD release of the album and features eleven bonus tracks taken from the band single releases of 1969 and 1970.

Brainbox is usually remembered as Dutch heavy progressive band with guitarist Jan Akkerman and drummer Pierre van der Linden - just before they have founded fame in Focus. Many fans still even remember the vocalist Kaz Lux, but nobody ever mentions ‘Parts’ - an official 2nd album recorded by completely revamped line-up (with the exception of drummer Frank Smit) and released by EMI Harvest in 1972. This unjustly forgotten, but great record (now on CD for the first time!) was completely ignored at the time of release, which surely was a big mistake! LP featured very eclectic, mostly progressive and sometimes truly experimental tracks characterized by changing moods and clever arrangements - in many ways similar in style to Wishbone Ash, Livin’ Blues, Fleetwood Mac and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

PFM were never a group prone to stand still, or repeat themselves from one project to another. Their second international album release, The World Became the World, was a case in point – rather than continuing in the same precise direction as its predecessor, Photos of Ghosts (1973), it presented a serious challenge to their existing fans even as it pushed the envelope of their sound. There are still places where the band's lyrical side, strongly in evidence throughout Photos of Ghosts, comes through, especially on the softer tunes such as "Just Look Away."…

PFM were never a group prone to stand still, or repeat themselves from one project to another. Their second international album release, The World Became the World, was a case in point – rather than continuing in the same precise direction as its predecessor, Photos of Ghosts (1973), it presented a serious challenge to their existing fans even as it pushed the envelope of their sound. There are still places where the band's lyrical side, strongly in evidence throughout Photos of Ghosts, comes through, especially on the softer tunes such as "Just Look Away."…