Tag Archives: Thijs van Leer

Focus: Focus Play Focus

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In September 1970, “Imperial” label released “Focus Plays Focus”, the debut Focus, studio album. It was recorded in January 1970, at “Bound Techniques” in London, and was produced by Hubert Terheggen.

Personnel:

  • Thijs van Leer – lead vocals, flute, Hammond organ, piano, electric piano, mellotron, harpsichord, vibraphone
  • Jan Akkerman – guitars
  • Martijn Dresden – lead and backing vocals, bass guitar, trumpet
  • Hans Cleuver – drums, bongos, backing vocals
  • Wouter Möller – cello
  • Jerry Boys – engineer

Track listing:

  1. Focus (instrumental) – Thijs van Leer
  2. Why Dream – Thijs van Leer, Erik Cleuver
  3. Happy Nightmare – Thijs van Leer, Martin Dresden, Mike Hayes
  4. Anonymus – Thijs van Leer, Jan Akerman, Martin Dresden, Hans Cleuver
  5. Black beauty – Thijs van Leer, Erik Cleuver
  6. Sugar Island – Thijs van Leer, Martin Dresden, Jan Staal
  7. Focus (vocal version) – Thijs van Leer, Hans Cleuver

Focus: X

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On November 5, 2012, “Eastworld Recordings” label released “X”, the tenth Focus studio album. It was recorded in 2012, at “Wedgeview Studios” in Woerdense Verlaat, Netherlands, “Fieldwork Studios” in Schoten, Belgium, “Skystudio”, “Bassbob Studios”, and was produced by Bobby Jacobs, and Geert Scheijgrond.

Personnel:

  • Thijs van Leer – spoken vocal, Hammond organ, flute, vocoder
  • Pierre van der Linden – drums, percussion
  • Menno Gootjes – acoustic and electric guitars
  • Bobby Jacobs – bass guitar, mixing
  • Ivan Lins – vocals
  • Berenice van Leer – vocals
  • Geert Scheijgrond – mixing
  • Andy Jackson – mastering
  • Roger Dean – painting, design
  • Timo Reisiger – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Thijs van Leer, except where noted.

  1. Father Bacchus – Menno Gootjes
  2. Focus 10
  3. Victoria
  4. Amok in Kindergarten
  5. All Hens On Deck
  6. Birds Come Fly Over (Le Tango) – Thijs van Leer, Roselie Peters
  7. Hoeratio – words: Horatius, taken from “Ars Poetica” – Bobby Jacobs
  8. Talk of the Clown
  9. Message Magigue – Ben van der Linden
  10. Crossroads – Thijs van Leer, Roselie Peters

Focus: Focus 9 / New Skin

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On September 25, 2006, “Red Bullit” label released “Focus 9 / New Skin”, the ninth Focus studio album. It was recorded in 2006 and was produced by Geert Scheijgrond.

Personnel:

  • Thijs van Leer– vocals, Hammond organ, piano, flute
  • Niels van der Steenhoven– guitar
  • Bobby Jacobs– bass guitar
  • Pierre van der Linden– drums
  • Jo de Roeck – vocals
  • Geert Scheijgrond – mixing

Track listing:

All tracks by Thijs van Leer, except where noted.

  1. Black Beauty
  2. Focus 7
  3. Hurkey Turkey 2
  4. Sylvia’s Stepson – Ubatuba – Bobby Jacobs
  5. Niels’ Skin – Niels van der Steenhoven
  6. Just Like Eddy – Rosalie Peters, Thijs van Leer
  7. Aya-Yuppie-Hippie-Yee – Bobby Jacobs, Thijs van Leer
  8. Focus 9
  9. Curtain Call
  10. Ode to Venus
  11. European Rap (sody)
  12. Pim
  13. It Takes 2 2 Tango

 

Focus: Focus 8.5 / Beyond the Horizon

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On July 1, 2016, “Right Honourable Records” label released “Focus 8.5 / Beyond the Horizon”, the twelve Focus studio album. It is credited to “Focus and Friends featuring Marvio Ciribelli”, and was recorded in 2005, in Brazil, and was produced by Marvio Ciribelli and Geert Scheijgrond.

Personnel:

  • Thijs van Leer– vocals, Hammond organ, flute
  • Pierre van der Linden– vocals, drums, palms
  • Jan Dumée– vocals, guitars, palms
  • Arthur Maia – bass
  • Sérgio Chiavazzoli – acoustic and electric guitar
  • Marvio Cribelli – keyboard, chorus, piano, rhodes, Hammond organ
  • Marcio Lott – vocals
  • Mylena Cribelli – vocals, chorus
  • Thaís Motta – vocals, chorus
  • Marcio Bahia – vocals, drums
  • Marcelo Martins – flute
  • Amaro Júnior – drums, percussion
  • Flavio Santos – percussion, palms
  • Fabiano Segalote – vocals, trombone
  • Adalberto Miranda – palms
  • Rogério Fernandes – bass
  • David Ganc & Mário Séve – flute

Track listing:

  1. Focus Zero – Thijs van Leer, Pierre van der Linden
  2. Hola, Cómo estás? – Thijs van Leer
  3. Rock 5 – Marvio Ciribelli
  4. Millennium – Jan Dumée
  5. Înaltă – Marvio Ciribelli
  6. Talkin Rhythms – Pierre van der Linden, Marcio Bahia
  • Conversation of Drums
  • Conversation of Drummers
  1. Surrexit Christus – Thijs van Leer, Clemens Non Papa

Focus: Golden Oldies

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On April 14, 2014, “In And Out Of Focus Records” label released “Golden Oldies” the eleventh Focus studio album. It was recorded in 2014, and was produced by Bobby Jacobs.

Personnel:

  • Thijs van Leer– vocals, Hammond organ, flute, vocoder, non-lexical vocables
  • Menno Gootjes – guitar
  • Bobby Jacobs- bass guitar
  • Pierre van der Linden- drums, percussion
  • Jan Dumée– non-lexical vocables

Tracks listing:

All tracks by Thijs van Leer, except where noted.

  1. Hocus Pocus
  2. Tommy – Tom Barlage, Thijs van Leer
  3. House of the King – Jan Akerman
  4. Focus 1
  5. Sylvia
  6. Focus 3 & 2
  7. Aya – Yuppie – Hippie – Yee – Bobby Jacobs, Thijs van Leer
  8. Neurotica
  9. Brother – Roselie van Leer, Thijs van Leer

Focus: Focus con Proby

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In December 1977, “EMI Records” label released “Focus con Proby”, the seventh Focus studio album. It was recorded in 1977, and was produced by Yde De Jong.

Personnel:

  • J. Proby– vocals
  • Philip Catherine– acoustic, lead and rhythm guitar
  • Eef Albers – lead and rhythm guitar
  • Thijs van Leer– Hammond organ, piano, electric piano, Mellotron, synthesizer, flute
  • Bert Ruiter– bass guitar
  • Steve Smith– drums

Track listing:

  1. Wingless – Roselie van Leer, Thijs van Leer
  2. Orion – Eef Albers
  3. Night Flight – Eef Albers
  4. Eddy – Roselie van Leer, Thijs van Leer
  5. Sneezing Bull – Philip Catherine
  6. Brother – Roselie van Leer, Thijs van Leer
  7. Tokyo Rose – Roselie van Leer
  8. Maximum – Bert Ruiter, Thijs van Leer
  9. How Long – Roselie van Leer, Thijs van Leer

Focus: Mother Focus

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In October 1975, “Atco” label released “Mother Focus”, the fifth Focus studio album. It was recorded in 1975, and was produced by Thijs van Leer, Jan Akkerman, Bert Ruiter and David Kemper.

Personnel:

  • Thijs van Leer– vocals, keyboards, flute
  • Jan Akkerman– guitar
  • Bert Ruiter– vocals, bass guitar
  • David Kemper– drums
  • Colin Allen– drums

Track listing:

  1. Mother Focus – Jan Akkerman, Bert Ruiter, Thijs van Leer
  2. I Need a Bathroom – Bert Ruiter
  3. Bennie Helder – Thijs van Leer
  4. Soft Vanilla – Bert Ruiter
  5. Hard Vanilla – Bert Ruiter
  6. Tropical Bird – Bert Ruiter
  7. Focus IV – Thijs van Leer
  8. Someone’s Crying . . . What? – Jan Akkerman
  9. All Together . . . Oh, That! – Jan Akkerman
  10. No Hang Ups – Paul Stoppelman
  11. My Sweetheart – Jan Akkerman, Thijs van Leer
  12. Father Bach – Thijs van Leer

Focus: Focus II (Moving Waves)

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In October 1971, “Imperial” label released “Focus II” (Moving Waves), the second Focus album. It was recorded April – May 1971, at “Sound Techniques” and “Morgan Studios” in London, and was produced by Mike Vernon. The album was ranked at number 24 in “Q” and “Mojo’s” list of “40 Cosmic Rock Albums.”

Personnel:

  • Jan Akkerman– guitars, bass guitar
  • Thijs van Leer– vocals, Hammond organ, piano, mellotron, harmonium, flutes
  • Cyril Havermans– vocals, bass guitar
  • Pierre van der Linden– drums, percussion

Track listing:

  1. Hocus Pocus – Thijs van Leer, Jan Akkerman
  2. Le Clochard (Bread) – Jan Akkerman
  3. Janis – Thijs van Leer, Jan Akkerman
  4. Moving Waves – Thijs van Leer, Inayat Khan
  5. Focus II
  6. Eruption
  • Orfeus – Thijs van Leer
  • Answer – Thijs van Leer
  • Orfeus – Thijs van Leer
  • Answer – Thijs van Leer
  • Pupilla – Thijs van Leer
  • Tommy – Tom Barlage
  • Pupilla – Thijs van Leer
  • Answer – Thijs van Leer
  • The Bridge – Jan Akkerman
  • Euridice – Thijs van Leer, Eelko Nobel
  • Dayglow – Thijs van Leer
  • Endless Road – Pierre van der Linden
  • Answer – Thijs van Leer
  • Orfeus – Thijs van Leer
  • Euridice – Thijs van Leer, Eelko Nobel

Focus: Hamburger Concerto

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In April 1974, “Polydor” label released “Hamburger Concerto”, the fourth Focus studio album. It was recorded January-March 1974, at “Olympic Sound Studios” and was produced by Mike Vernon.The album title track is based on Variations on a Theme by Haydn by Johannes Brahms. “Delitae Musicae”,

Personnel:

  • Thijs van Leer– vocals, organ, flute, piano, harpsichord, Moog synthesizer
  • Jan Akkerman– guitar
  • Bert Ruiter– bass guitar
  • Colin Allen– drums

Track listing:

  1. Harem Scarem – Thijs van Leer
  2. La Cathedrale de Strasbourg – Thijs van Leer
  3. Birth – Jan Akkerman
  4. Hamburger Concerto
  • Starter – Thijs van Leer
  • Rare – Jan Akkerman
  • Medium I – Thijs van Leer
  • Medium II – Jan Akkerman
  • Well Done – Thijs van Leer
  • One for the Road – Jan Akkerman