Focus II

50 Years: Anthology 1970-1976 is a forthcoming box set that contains the complete work of Dutch rock group Focus between 1970 and 1976.

50 Years: Anthology 1970-1976 is a forthcoming box set that contains the complete work of Dutch rock group Focus between 1970 and 1976.

The instrumental rockers of the early '70s never were any good at dulling down their musical expertise; and, indeed, it's only a matter of seconds into their first live release - Live at the Rainbow - until one realizes just how talented Focus were. Jan Akkerman, named "World's Best Guitarist" by Melody Maker in 1973 ahead of Eric Clapton and others, was amazingly on form in this performance. Thijs Van Leer, chief songwriter and performer in the band, showcased his talents on flute, vocals, and organ with unparalleled finesse. Bert Ruiter knocked out his basslines tight to Pierre Van Der Linden's drums, undoubtedly two of the finest players on their respective instruments. It would be so easy to go off on a tangent explaining the mastery that Focus had musically; suffice to say, however, the bands technical proficiency is rarely matched in the world of rock…

The album that boosted Focus into at least semi-fame outside of continental Europe, Moving Waves blasts off with their hit single, "Hocus Pocus." Built around a killer guitar hook by Jan Akkerman and a series of solo turns by the band, this instrumental replaced "Wipeout" as a staple of FM radio. The bizarrely hilarious vocal and accordion solos by Thijs van Leer – one of which absurdly concludes with rousing stadium cheers – have to be heard to be believed. After this over-the-top performance, the other tracks seem comparatively constrained: the gentle "Le Clochard" features some gorgeous classical guitar over Mellotron strings. The album concludes with "Eruption," which while mimicking the multi-suite nomenclature of Yes and King Crimson, is essentially a side-long jam session.

A rarity of 1980's Krautrock, Kontrast saw ex-Out Of Focus members: Remigius Drechsler, Ingo Schmid-Neuhaus and Moran Neumüller, working together again after having been apart for several years. Out Of Focus main-man Remigius Drechsler had been with Embryo on and off for a couple of years prior to this, and actually Kontrast was his project and not a proper band as such. In fact, one track is Remigius entirely solo, with the aid of some nifty multi-tracking! Most of the album, however, is pretty much live rockin' fusion stepping on from the second disc of Out Of Focus' Four Letter Monday Afternoon, as a refined and complex fusion, deep groove music that rattles along magnificently, characteristic of the Munich scene, with the edge on solo upon solo, experimentation and weirdness.

In the 1970s, concurrent with his role as de facto leader of the progressive rock band Focus, Thijs van Leer released several solo albums, most notably the four Introspection albums, recorded in collaboration with Rogier van Otterloo (arranger/conductor), Letty de Jong (soprano vocalist), and Ruud Jacobs (producer).
Light classical work, nice job all around and an immense succes in The Netherlands where many copies of this record (and the follow ups) were sold.

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.