Focus 9 / New Skin

Last updated
Focus 9 / New Skin
Focus Focus 9 New Skin.jpg
Studio album by
Focus
ReleasedSeptember 25, 2006
Genre Progressive rock, instrumental rock , jazz fusion , baroque rock [1]
Length68:16
Label Red Bullit
Producer Geert Scheijgrond
Focus chronology
Focus 8
(2002)		Focus 9 / New Skin
(2006)		 Focus X
(2012)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [2]
DPRPStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [3]

Focus 9 / New Skin is the ninth studio album by the Dutch progressive rock band Focus, released in 2006. This time Pierre van der Linden (drummer of the classic 1970s Focus lineup) joins Thijs van Leer with Bobby Jacobs remaining on bass and Niels van der Steenhoven replacing guitarist Jan Dumée.

Progressive rock is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States throughout the mid to late 1960s. Initially termed "progressive pop", the style was an outgrowth of psychedelic bands who abandoned standard pop traditions in favour of instrumentation and compositional techniques more frequently associated with jazz, folk, or classical music. Additional elements contributed to its "progressive" label: lyrics were more poetic, technology was harnessed for new sounds, music approached the condition of "art", and the studio, rather than the stage, became the focus of musical activity, which often involved creating music for listening, not dancing.

Focus (band) Dutch rock band

Focus are a Dutch progressive rock band formed in Amsterdam in 1969 by keyboardist, vocalist, and flautist Thijs van Leer. The band have undergone numerous formations in its history. Since December 2016, it has comprised van Leer, drummer Pierre van der Linden, guitarist Menno Gootjes, and bassist Udo Pannekeet. Past members include guitarist Jan Akkerman, drummer Hans Cleuver and bassists Martijn Dresden, Bert Ruiter and Bobby Jacobs. They have sold one million RIAA-certified albums in the United States.

Pierre van der Linden Dutch musician

Pierre van der Linden is a Dutch drummer and songwriter who gained prominence as a member of the rock band Focus from 1970 to 1973. He returned in 1975 and 1990, and has recorded and toured with the group since 2004.

Contents

Track listing

  1. "Black Beauty" (Thijs van Leer) – 4:14
  2. "Focus 7" (van Leer) – 5:23
  3. "Hurkey Turkey 2" (van Leer) – 4:05
  4. "Sylvia's Stepson - Ubatuba" (Bobby Jacobs) – 4:50
  5. "Niels' Skin" (Niels van der Steenhoven) – 6:05
  6. "Just Like Eddy" (Rosalie Peters, van Leer) – 5:09
  7. "Aya-Yuppie-Hippie-Yee" (Jacobs, van Leer) – 5:18
  8. "Focus 9" (van Leer) – 7:57
  9. "Curtain Call" (van Leer) – 4:36
  10. "Ode to Venus" (van Leer) – 4:30
  11. "European Rap(sody)" (van Leer) – 10:23
  12. "Pim" (van Leer) – 3:01
  13. "It Takes 2 2 Tango" (van Leer) – 8:03

Personnel

Thijs van Leer Dutch musician

Thijs van Leer is a Dutch musician, singer, songwriter, composer and producer, best known as the founding member of the rock band Focus as its primary vocalist, keyboardist, and flautist. Born and raised in Amsterdam among a musical family, van Leer took up the piano and flute as a child and pursued them at university and music academies.

Hammond organ electric organ

The Hammond organ is an electric organ, invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Various models have been produced, most of which use sliding drawbars to specify a variety of sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs generated sound by creating an electric current from rotating a metal tonewheel near an electromagnetic pickup, and then strengthening the signal with an amplifier so it can drive a speaker cabinet. Around two million Hammond organs have been manufactured. The organ is commonly used with, and associated with, the Leslie speaker.

Piano musical instrument

The piano is an acoustic, stringed musical instrument invented in Italy by Bartolomeo Cristofori around the year 1700, in which the strings are struck by hammers. It is played using a keyboard, which is a row of keys that the performer presses down or strikes with the fingers and thumbs of both hands to cause the hammers to strike the strings.

Related Research Articles

Jan Akkerman Dutch guitarist

Jan Akkerman is a Dutch guitarist. He first found international commercial success with the band Focus, which he co-founded with Thijs van Leer. After leaving Focus, he continued as a solo musician, adding jazz fusion influences.

<i>Focus 3</i> 1972 studio album by Focus

Focus 3 or Focus III is the third studio album by Dutch rock band Focus, released as a double album in November 1972 on Imperial Records. Recorded after touring in supporting their previous album, Focus II (1971), the album saw the band write extended pieces and is their first with bassist Bert Ruiter in the group's line-up.

<i>Focus II</i> 1971 studio album by Focus

Moving Waves is the second studio album from the Dutch rock band Focus, released in October 1971 on Imperial Records. Following the departure of Martin Dresden and Hans Cleuver in 1970, the band recruited Cyril Havermans on bass and Pierre van der Linden on drums and proceeded to work on new material. The album includes "Hocus Pocus", the group's most successful single, and "Eruption", a 23-minute track based on the opera Euridice by Jacopo Peri.

Cyril Havermans is a Dutch musician, best known for being in the progressive rock band, Focus.

<i>Cyril</i> (album) 1973 album

Cyril is the first solo album by Dutch singer-songwriter Cyril Havermans. It was recorded in 1973 after Havermans left Dutch progressive rock band Focus. The parting was amicable and came about partly as a result of Havermans' desire to include more vocal content. His erstwhile band-mates contribute much instrumentation to the album.

<i>Focus Plays Focus</i> 1970 studio album by Focus

Focus Plays Focus is the first studio album by Dutch rock band Focus, released in September 1970 on Imperial Records. It is the only album recorded by the group's original line-up consisting of organist and vocalist Thijs van Leer, bassist Martin Dresden, drummer Hans Cleuver, and guitarist Jan Akkerman. It was renamed In and Out of Focus for the international re-release of the album from 1971 onwards which included their debut single "House of the King".

<i>Mother Focus</i> 1975 studio album by Focus

Mother Focus is the fifth studio album by the band Focus, released in 1975 on Atco Records. Some tracks on the album mark a departure from the progressive rock style that dominated the group's prior work, and herald a funk music style with light jazz and pop at the centre. Bassist Bert Ruiter provided most of the themes, as van Leer had just recorded a solo album, O My Love, of his own music, and Jan Akkerman withheld compositions for his forthcoming solo album Eli.

<i>At the Rainbow</i> 1973 live album by Focus

At the Rainbow is the first live album from the Dutch rock band Focus, released in October 1973 on Imperial Records. The album was recorded at the Rainbow Theatre in London on 5 May 1973. A studio album was initially slated for release, but it was shelved due to disagreements within the band. At the Rainbow was released instead.

<i>Ship of Memories</i> 1976 compilation album by Focus

Ship of Memories is a compilation album from the Dutch rock band Focus, released in 1976 on EMI-Bovema, and their sixth album overall. During a period of group inactivity, longtime associate Hubert Terheggen asked their producer Mike Vernon to select previously unreleased material for official release. Chosen without any active involvement with either band member, the recordings date from January 1970 to mid-1975, and largely during unproductive recording sessions in 1973 for a follow up studio album to Focus 3 (1972).

<i>Focus con Proby</i> 1977 studio album by Focus

Focus con Proby is the seventh studio album by the Dutch rock band Focus, released in 1977 on EMI Records. It features five tracks with vocals from American singer P. J. Proby. The record also features guitarists Eef Albers and Philip Catherine, drummer Steve Smith, as well as the two Focus members from previous albums.

<i>I Hate Myself (for Loving You)</i> album by Thijs van Leer

I Hate Myself is the ninth album by Thijs van Leer, released under the name Van Leer.

<i>Focus 8</i> 2002 studio album by Focus

Focus 8 is the eighth studio album by the Dutch rock band Focus, released in 2002.

Survival is a Dutch Progressive / Symphonic rock band/project, initiated in 1981 by keyboard player & composer Jack Langevelt. Inspired by classic bands like Trace, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Ekseption, The Nice, Camel, Procol Harum and Deep Purple. The sound of Survival is characterized by strong dynamic melodies with odd time signatures and epic themes. Survival existed as a band between 1981 and 1997, although Jack continued making music under the name Survival.

<i>Focus X</i> 2012 studio album by Focus

Focus X is the tenth studio album by the Dutch progressive rock band Focus, released on 5 November 5 2012 by Eastworld Recordings.

Sylvia (Focus song) 1972 song by Dutch rock band Focus

"Sylvia" is a 1972 song by Dutch rock band Focus. It was released on their 1972 album Focus 3 and as a single on 27 January 1973. The single became the band's biggest international hit.

Golden Oldies is a compilation album by the Dutch progressive rock band Focus, released on 14 April 2014. It consists of newly recorded versions of the most popular songs from the band's back-catalogue, including "Hocus Pocus" and "Sylvia", performed by the line-up as of 2012 consisting of Thijs van Leer, Pierre van der Linden, Menno Gootjes, and Bobby Jacobs.

The Focus Family Album is a compilation album by the Dutch progressive rock band Focus. It shares the same concept with 1976's Ship of Memories. A total of 15 previously unreleased tracks and alternate versions are included on this set.

Focus 8.5 / Beyond the Horizon is a studio album by the Dutch progressive rock band Focus. It is credited to "Focus and Friends featuring Marvio Ciribelli", and was recorded during gaps in their 2005 South American tour with Brazilian musicians.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/focus-9-new-skin-mw0000735266
  2. ↑ "allmusic ((( Focus 9: New Skin > Overview )))". www.allmusic.com. Retrieved 2009-11-17.
  3. ↑ "DPRP : CD & DVD REVIEWS". www.dprp.net. Retrieved 2009-11-17.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.