Focus are a Dutch progressive rock band formed in Amsterdam in 1969 by keyboardist, vocalist, and flutist Thijs van Leer, drummer Hans Cleuver, bassist Martijn Dresden, and guitarist Jan Akkerman. 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. They have sold one million RIAA-certified albums in the United States.
Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien, known professionally as Dusty Springfield, was an English singer and record producer whose career spanned over five decades. With her distinctive mezzo-soprano sound, she was a significant singer of blue-eyed soul, pop and dramatic ballads, with French chanson, country, and jazz also in her repertoire. During her 1960s peak she ranked among the most successful British female performers on both sides of the Atlantic and her image – marked by a peroxide blonde bouffant/beehive hairstyle, heavy makeup and evening gowns, as well as stylised, gestural performances – made her an icon of the Swinging Sixties. A fixture of British television, she presented many episodes of the hip 1963–66 British TV music series Ready Steady Go! and, between 1966 and 69, hosted her own series on the BBC and ITV. In 1966 Springfield topped the popularity polls, including Melody Maker's Best International Vocalist, and was the first UK singer to top the New Musical Express readers' poll for Female Singer. She is a member of both the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and the UK Music Hall of Fame. International polls have lauded Springfield as one of the finest female popular singers of all time.
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.
Philip Catherine is a Belgian jazz guitarist.
Philip Anthony Campbell is a Welsh rock musician, best known as the lead guitarist in Motörhead from 1984 to 2015. The band disbanded upon the death of founder and frontman Lemmy. He currently tours with his own band Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons, featuring his three sons; Todd, Dane and Tyla.
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.
Nathan Jonas Jordison was an American musician who was the drummer and co-founder of metal band Slipknot as well as guitarist for horror punk band Murderdolls.
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 support of 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.
Focus II is the second studio album by Dutch progressive rock band Focus, released in October 1971 on Imperial Records. Following the departure of original bassist Martin Dresden and drummer Hans Cleuver in 1970, the band recruited Cyril Havermans and Pierre van der Linden, respectively, and prepared material for a new album. Focus recorded Focus II in London in April and May 1971 with Mike Vernon as producer. The album features "Hocus Pocus" a hard rock song featuring keyboardist Thijs van Leer's yodelling, scat singing, and whistling, and "Eruption", a 22-minute track inspired by the opera Euridice by Italian composer Jacopo Peri.
John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman is a studio album featuring John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman released by Impulse! Records in July or August 1963. It was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2013.
Brainbox is a Dutch rock group from the late 1960s/early 1970s. The band was founded in Amsterdam by guitarist Jan Akkerman , drummer Pierre van der Linden and singer Kazimir Lux (Kaz). Their debut single was "Down Man", which established their progressive blues sound. They had several hit singles in the Netherlands, including "Between Alpha and Omega", "Doomsday Train", "Reason to Believe" and "Smile". In late 1969, soon after they released their first album, Akkerman left to join Focus, later recruiting van der Linden as well, then Brainbox bass player Cyril Havermans.
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".
The Pierces are a Los Angeles-based band consisting of sisters Allison and Catherine Pierce.
Mother Focus is the fifth studio album by the band Focus, released in 1975 on Polydor in Europe, on Atco Records in North America and on EMI in Japan. 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 Eli, his forthcoming album with Kaz Lux.
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.
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. Smith and Albers would later go on to collaborate on the first two albums of Smith's band Vital Information.
"Still in Love with You" is a song originally recorded by Thin Lizzy. The studio version was first released on their 1974 album Nightlife, and went on to be a live favourite, showcasing the guitarists, including Brian Robertson, Gary Moore and John Sykes. Live versions were released on the albums Live and Dangerous, Life, BBC Radio One Live in Concert, The Peel Sessions and One Night Only.
"Goin' Back" is a song written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King in 1966. It describes the loss of innocence that comes with adulthood, along with an attempt, on the part of the singer, to recapture that youthful innocence. The song has been recorded by many artists, including Dusty Springfield, Goldie Zelkowitz, the Byrds, Elkie Brooks, Blerta, Ricky Ross, Marianne Faithfull, Bill Drummond, Nils Lofgren, Freddie Mercury, the Move, the New Seekers, the Pretenders, Diana Ross, Richard Thompson, Phil Collins, The Icicle Works, Bon Jovi, and Bruce Springsteen, as well as by Carole King herself.
"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.
