Ship of Memories | ||||
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Compilation album by | ||||
Released | 1976 | |||
Recorded | January 1970 – mid-1975 in various locations | |||
Genre | Progressive rock, instrumental rock, jazz fusion | |||
Length | 36:22 | |||
Label | EMi-Bovema | |||
Producer | Hubert Terheggen, Mike Vernon | |||
Focus chronology | ||||
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Ship of Memories is a compilation album from the Dutch rock band Focus, released in 1976 on EMI-Bovema. During a period of group inactivity, longtime associate Hubert Terheggen asked their producer Mike Vernon to select previously unreleased material for official release. Compiled without any active involvement by any 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).
The first four songs were recorded in May 1973 at Chipping Norton Recording Studios in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire. "P.'s March", though seemingly a pun on "peace march", was meant to be "Pierre's March" in honour of the drummer, Pierre van der Linden. The second, or "B" motif first appeared as a "B" motif in the song, "Carmen Elysium", on Thijs van Leer's "Introspection 2" album. Written in the classical style by Thijs van Leer, but performed with rock arrangements, this song alternates between uptempo, major key choruses, with melody stated on flute and piccolo, and minor key Bachian verses, with melody stated on electric guitar. "Can't Believe My Eyes", originally entitled "Can't Believe My Ears" and subtitled "Dance Macabre", is a bleak, hard rock instrumental written by Jan Akkerman. In stark contrast is van Leer's gentle jazz ballad "Focus V." "Out of Vesuvius" is an excerpt from a 1973 jam session, which would eventually evolve into a long composition like "Eruption". "Glider" marked a move into disco-funk territory, and was recorded in Brussels, Belgium with drum machine and electric sitar amongst the instrumentation. The song was later rearranged and recorded as "Mother Focus". "Red Sky at Night" features synthesised bass parts, and was recorded with vocals as "O Avondrood" (Oh Evening glow) on a Dutch music compilation. Recorded in 1970, "Spoke the Lord Creator" was the band's first attempt at using "Brahms Variations on a Theme by Haydn" in a rock music context. It was later recorded as "Starter" on the 1974 Hamburger Concerto album. "Crackers" is another disco-funk instrumental with extended chords more common to jazz. Lastly, "Ship of Memories" is an excerpt of an instrumental on drums and harmonium written and performed by Pierre van der Linden.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Recorded | Length |
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1. | "P's March" | Thijs van Leer | May 1973 | 4:43 |
2. | "Can't Believe My Eyes" | Jan Akkerman | May 1973 | 5:17 |
3. | "Focus V" | van Leer | May 1973 | 3:02 |
4. | "Out of Vesuvius" | Akkerman, Bert Ruiter, Pierre van der Linden, van Leer | May 1973 | 5:50 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Recorded | Length |
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1. | "Glider" | Akkerman | May 1973 | 4:38 |
2. | "Red Sky at Night" | Akkerman, van Leer | May 1975 | 5:50 |
3. | "Spoke the Lord Creator" | van Leer | January 26, 1970 | 2:32 |
4. | "Crackers" | Akkerman | May 1975 | 2:42 |
5. | "Ship of Memories" | van der Linden | May 1973 | 1:48 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Recorded | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "P's March" | Thijs van Leer | May 1973 | 4:48 |
2. | "Can't Believe My Eyes" | Jan Akkerman | May 1973 | 5:23 |
3. | "Focus V" | van Leer | May 1973 | 3:02 |
4. | "Out of Vesuvius" | Akkerman, Bert Ruiter, Pierre van der Linden, van Leer | May 1973 | 5:50 |
5. | "Glider" | Akkerman | May 1973 | 4:39 |
6. | "Red Sky at Night" | Akkerman, van Leer | May 1975 | 5:52 |
7. | "Spoke the Lord Creator" | van Leer | January 26, 1970 | 2:33 |
8. | "Crackers" | Akkerman | May 1975 | 2:44 |
9. | "Ship of Memories" | van der Linden | May 1973 | 1:47 |
10. | "Hocus Pocus (US Single Version, bonus track)" | van Leer,Akkerman | December 13, 1972 | 3:25 |
Total length: | 40:06 |
Recording dates as given in the liner notes of the 50 Years: Anthology 1970-1976 box set. [3] The cover art shows the German World War II heavy cruiser "Admiral Hipper" recovering an Arado Ar 196 plane.
Focus are a Dutch progressive rock band formed in Amsterdam in 1969 by keyboardist, vocalist, and flautist Thijs van Leer, drummer Hans Cleuver, bassist Martijn Dresden, and guitarist Jan Akkerman. The band has 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.
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.
Thijs van Leer is a Dutch singer and keyboardist, 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.
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, Moving Waves (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.
Cyril Havermans is a Dutch musician, best known for being in the progressive rock band Focus.
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.
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".
Hamburger Concerto is the fourth studio album by the Dutch progressive rock band Focus, released in April 1974. It peaked at No. 20 on the UK charts. The title track is based on Variations on a Theme by Haydn by Johannes Brahms. The composition also incorporates the first two verses of the Dutch Christmas carol O Kerstnacht, schoner dan de dagen at around 15 min. The first track is based on a Gaillarde of Joachim van den Hove of his work Delitae Musicae.
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.
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 by The Pye Mobile Unit, recording engineer Alan Perkins. 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 sixth studio album by the Dutch rock band Focus, released in 1978 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.
Survival is a Dutch Progressive / Symphonic rock band/project, initiated in 1981 by keyboard player and composer Jack Langevelt and 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.
Focus X is the tenth studio album by the Dutch progressive rock band Focus, released on 5 November 5, 2012 by Eastworld Recordings.
"Sylvia" is a 1972 song by Dutch progressive rock band Focus. It was released on their 1972 album Focus 3 and as a UK single on 27 January 1973. The single became the band's biggest international hit, reaching number 4 in the UK Singles Chart and number 89 in the US Billboard chart.
The Focus Family Album is a compilation album by the Dutch progressive rock band Focus. It's a compilation album, and 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 11 is the thirteenth studio album by Dutch progressive rock band Focus, released in November 2018 on in and Out of Focus Records. It is their first album to feature bassist Udo Pannekeet, who replaced Bobby Jacobs in 2016.
Live at the BBC is a live album by the Dutch progressive rock group Focus, recorded on 21 March 1976, and broadcast on Radio 1 in the BBC Concert Series, but released only in 2004 by Hux Records, in CD format.
"House of the King" is an instrumental by the Dutch rock band Focus. It was released as a single in January 1971 and reached No. 10 on the Dutch charts and sold well across Europe. In the UK, it was issued on both the group's first album, In And Out of Focus and the 1972 double album Focus 3.