Thijs van Leer: organ, harmonium, mellotron, soprano and alto flute, piano, lead vocals
Jan Akkerman: lead guitar, acoustic, bass guitar
Cyriel Havermans: bass guitar, vocals
Pierre Van der Linden: drums and percussion
Of all the groups in the 1970s that combined elements of rock and classical music, FOCUS is, without a doubt, the most notable Dutch group widely known outside the Netherlands. This band has created excitement all over the world during the past few years with their unique sound and musical approach. The two main musicians in the band were flutist/keyboardist/singer Thjis Van LEER and guitarist Jan AKKERMAN. They played a stylishly inventive rock with flutes, keyboards & dazzling guitar, defining the Dutch prog sound. An inspiration to FINCH, TRACE & numerous others. In 1978, the group finally split up, without making too much noise.
Best albums are "Moving Waves" (1972), "3" (1973), "Live at the Rainbow" (1973), and "Hamburger Concerto" (1974). "Waves" and "3" represent the best of the band’s earlier intensely progressive period with plenty of sidelong tracks and healthly extended solos. Most will agree that "Live at the Rainbow" and "Hamburger Concerto" (last good album) were their best, moving into a period of more pure classical and jazz influence.
"Focus 8" marks the return of Thjis Van LEER in the true nature of music: tuneful, memorable and a little bit rocky when they want to be. This album contains everything you might want from a FOCUS album ... plenty of flute and keyboards from Thijs, tasty guitar playing from Jan DUMÉE and even some yodeling vocals. Perhaps in summary, the band could have veered a little from the safety of the FOCUS blueprint but "Focus 9" may yet further develop their own voice. No doubt about it, we’ll have to count on FOCUS in the new millennium to all of the true Progressive Rock lovers.
Check out our newest mixtape officially hosted by a Major Artist! Just click the cover to download all the Coast 2 Coast Mixtapes for free at www.coast2coastmixtapes.com!
Artists click below to submit your music to be considered for the next Coast 2 Coast Mixtape hosted by a Major Artist!
Check out our newest mixtape officially hosted by a Major Artist! Just click the cover to download all the Coast 2 Coast Mixtapes for free at www.coast2coastmixtapes.com!
Artists click below to submit your music to be considered for the next Coast 2 Coast Mixtape hosted by a Major Artist!
Juste pour vous annoncer que des extraits de notre nouvel album sont disponibles sur Myspace... J'espère que vous aurez la curiosité d'y poser une oreille ! Amitié
Just to tell you that some extracts of our new album is now available on myspace ! Hope you 'll have the curiosity to listen our stuff ! Cheers
We’d like to take this opportunity to thank you and to thank all musicians everywhere for the inspiration that we draw upon. We must all remember that we stand upon the shoulders of giants and to those that have come before us. Streams of thought run into rivers of creativity which then flow into the ocean of general consciousness. We are all more than what we seem.
And now for more mundane matters concerning self promotion,
Check out the “Sher Delight” Show on www. hgrnj. org tomorrow, this Tuesday, February 3rd between 12 noon and 3pm Eastern Time (5-8pm England or 6-9pm Central Europe Time) for a preview from our new CD, “It’s All So Clear From Here”.
Juste pour vous annoncer que notre prochain album sera bientôt en ligne gratuitement sur myspace et sur notre site internet avec un concert de promotion au FIL de Saint Etienne (France) le 21 février à 20h30(entrée libre). En vous remerciant encore pour votre amitié et vos encouragements. Cheers
Just to tell you that our next album will be coming soon for free on myspace and on our website with a concert promotion to the FIL Saint Etienne (France) on February 21st at 8.30PM (free entry). Thank you again for your friendship and your support. Cheers
The ROBOTS FROM MARS have a new song, “Spaceship Earth”
“Better plug your ears so that your brains don’t leak out…” Johnny Air Guitar.
Visit their My Space page to experience the #1 song from the Red Planet. The reviews have begun to come in:
“Spaceship Earth is destined to become the worst song of all time!” The Psychic News Network
“Spaceship Earth sounds like it was played by a bunch of drunken robots…” The Snob Blog & Party Hearty Militia
“Can’t wait to jam with the Robots From Mars!” Bill Clinton
“Yuck Yuck…The Robots From Mars sound like Devo on uppers…” George W.
“The Robots From Mars are incredibly boring in a heavy handed low brow sort of way.” Dick Cheney
“Spaceship Earth will take you to a place that you don’t want to go!” Barak Obama
“Just like some Democrats we know,” John McCain
“If you are really really BUZZED and you squint really really hard, the Robots From Mars don’t SOUND half bad,” Bender, “And it shouldn’t matter that they paid me to say that… I still get to keep the money, right?”
“SPACESHIP EARTH” By Some Dumb Robot From Mars
Build yourself up from the ground. When you fall down you rebound. There’s always more than one side. Are you along for the ride?
Trust the friends that you know When you’re caught in the undertow.
This spaceship This blue world That we call home Can we close our eyes like we’re alone?
On the late great planet Earth When we make war what’s love worth? Why choose the grave over life? Hard to make friends with a knife. Care for the people that you know When you’re rockin’ to-and-fro.
This spaceship This blue world That we call home Can we close our eyes like we’re alone?
Is there paradise on the Moon?
Is there Heaven in this world?
Why try harder if there’s destiny? Does God hold us in his hand? This spaceship This blue world That we call home Can we close our eyes like we’re alone? Build yourself up from the ground.
INTERGALLACTIC PROTEST LAUNCHED BY THE ROBOTS FROM MARS!
The Robots From Mars have launched a protest with the Beetlejuice Gaming Commission. The major issue focuses on the disadvantage that metallic robots have when playing Pong since most robots tend to light up when struck by the game ball. “But that all depends on the size of the game ball verses the size of the robot,” the Great Butbot advised, “there’s a proper ratio with these things.” Johnny Air-Guitar, “Getting struck by a ball of light is a real and constant danger…if I light up I’ll give my position away.” Rob “Rainbow” Marley, “I light up if I’m within six feet of a Pong match. I think it is a radiation thing.” “You’d light up anyway,” Johnny Air-Guitar added. “You’re always smoking.” This reporter noted that most of the beings attending the protest in the office of the Beetlejuice Gaming Commission took some of these comments by the Robots From Mars as a joke. But I’m not convinced. I never met a synthetic that had a sense of humor.
ZZ Van Hendrix, “Bowling is even worse than Pong. What robotic ten pin wants to stand around with 9 of his buddies just to get knocked down so that he has to continually pick himself back up again? It’s a senseless stupid ritual! And who gains…some fat old hippie in a tie-dyed T-shirt? Bowling and Pong are both barbaric. They should be outlawed!”
Reported by Texas Rose & the Lone Stranger For the Martian Blog and Neitherworld News Service
Hello, If you have time, come and listen my track "Ne pas s'asseoir S.V.P." (Don't Sit Down, Please), in the little red player, on the left of "my friends". Give me your opinion. Thanks, One Sug' Salut, Si vous avez un peu de temps, venez écouter "Ne pas s'asseoir S.V.P.", dans le petit lecteur rouge, à gauche des "mes amis". Donnez-moi votre avis. Merci, One Sug'
Hello, - Come and listen "Pandora's Box" and give me your opinion, please. (in the little red player, on the bottom, on the left of my friends). Thanks, One Sug' - Venez écouter "La Boite de Pandore" et donnez moi votre avis, S.V.P. (dans le petit lecteur rouge, en bas, à gauche des mes amis). Merci, One Sug'
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