Focus- Hocus Pocus (First Listen)
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- Опубликовано: 28 фев 2020
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Song Link: • Focus - Hocus Pocus 
Видеоклипы
There's a live version of this from about 73 that is one of the most entertaining video's on RUclips. Also you have to admire a band that would use an amazing riff like this on a novelty record. One word....Joyful. Sylvia is a pretty guitar led instrumental from Focus.
That version is played with tempo high through the roof !
@@onsesejoo2605 This is one of a very few times I prefer the live version over the studio, even for a first time listener.
The vid is indeed much better, love the sideways glances the guitarist gives the singer (like dude wtf! lol). Anyways the one from the grey whistle test is titled "Focus performing "Hocus Pocus" on The Old Grey Whistle Test 1972" I was born that year too :)
Yes, they were told they had to cut their song down because it was too long for the allotted time. Not sure the exact time, but they played the whole thing in considerably less time, with mistakes to be sure, but it was an impressive feat.
I'll never forget seeing that TV show.
The song had not yet hit the airwaves, but it did very soon afterward.
It was The Midnight Special.
Thijs lives 14 km' s from my house and have seen him play live several times as well as Jan Akkerman separately and chosen in 1973 as 'Best Guitarist in The World' by the readers of the UK magazine, Melody Maker. His standing was such that he teamed up with manufacturer Framus to produce one of the first 'signature' guitar models. He also played alongside Alan Price, Herman Brood, Peter Banks, Phil Collins, Jack Bruce, Charlie Byrd, Ice-T, Paco De Lucia, and B.B. King.
@jimimurti To say I am jealous is the understatement of the century! How wonderful for you!
Jan Ackerman's guitar tone for the early 70s is amazing. He is an outstanding guitarist.
The most amazing thing is that this is the first time Justin has heard this song! ❤️🎶🎧
Lol! Theres gonna be a lot of that on the channel lol :D
Me toooooo
@@JustJP This and Autobahn from Kraftwerk were harbingers of something coming from 'the Continent'.
One of the coolest songs ever made. A true gem.
Best use of yodeling in a Prog rock song ever
My thoughts on the song:
One of the best pieces of pure nonsence ever created :)
Lol!
I despise novelty songs but this is the massive exception.
The live version of this on RUclips is amazing. Between the yodeling, keyboards and flute, Thijs Van Leer is almost taming the piss, with how talented he is. It’s about twice the speed of this, and Jan Akkerman is playing at Eddie Van Halen s’peed- 5 yrs before the 1st Van Halen album. Add in the drums and the bass, and it’s a phenomenal display of musical showmanship.
I couldn’t put it better myself!
@@tomfabozzi5353 Yep, that's amazing ... and just because they didn''t get the time slot for the song ... and they thought... well f**k it . The humor of that band ...
The video for this song from The Midnight Special is a must see. The producers gave them four minutes to do a six minute song, so the band did it, at breakneck speed. And the looks on the singer's face are hysterical. The standing ovation at the end is spontaneous and well deserved. Ii is much faster than the studio version, but it's all in there. Amazing.
This may be a funny song, but it's no joke song. Focus were seriously accomplished musicians and performers.
Very much so!
YES!!!!!! If you have not seen it, there is also a live version of this from The Midnight Special, where they actually played it a bit faster than this recording, plus you also get the benefit of seeing the facial expressions. Fyi, the same guy who does the yodeling, also plays the keyboards, flute, whistles and other noises
What a shock when this hit the airwaves! Yodeling? Whistling? Vicious guitar solos and a riff for all -time. Yup! FUN.
I was 8 when I heard this coming through the walls of my brother's bedroom in 71'. Just joyous.
Haha, brother had good taste then!
I always liked this song. This was a hit record in the US in 1973. It got played to death on the radio, and we used to make fun of the vocal, but the song is infectious! The rest of their music is very serious and is mostly instrumental which I discovered around 1979. I was pleasantly surprised how melodic and well constructed their music is. The guitarist, Jan Akkerman, is so talented! “Sylvia” is great and there are others I can’t think of right now that were standouts. Focus is definitely worth listening to more of.
Great reaction! I laughed when you said it was “playlist!” Love it!
Ty Cathy; I'd really like to since this one was great.
This is quite a bit of a novelty hit for them. They do have more challenging / interesting material.
Might I suggest a different Dutch progrock band from the 70s who were very quick to catch on to what King Crimson were doing: Earth & Fire. Their album Song Of The Marching Children was released in 1971 and as such was way ahead of some of the classic albums by Yes or Genesis. Check out the track Storm And Thunder (the album version not the single edit) or even better the epic side long album track. If you want a bit more accessible stuff from them you could check out Maybe Tomorrow, Maybe Tonight or the song Memories. Jerney Kaagman was one helluva female vocalist clearly influenced by Grace Slick. The band also had two brothers on keyboards and guitar who created that signature E&F sound.
Thanks for the suggestions Chris!
Another old classic... Cool.
Edit: yeah we had a blast driving the old folks nuts with stuff like this....
Sorry Dad.... But we considered it to be our revenge for Lawrence Welk.....
Speaker test time...crank it up to eleven! Bass ::check, mid range : check, Treble:::check,check, triple yodeling MFing check!
And those fucking bubbles!
Incredible song! Once you hear it for the first time you can NEVER un-hear it. But honestly, this song MUST be watched to be fully appreciated. Musicianship is off the chain. No special effects or produced sounds...Just plug 'N play-raw talent. Thanks JP for highlighting this band and this classic song.
Ty Joseph! Its great
Unrestrained, brilliant, hard rocking insanity. "Sylvia" should be next from them. Beautiful instrumental
Thijs van Leer, the composer, flute player, singer, is still active although he is his seventies now. You can see him play live in the latest Ayreon live concert called The electric castle live and other tales.
Just imagine me, as a 19 year old in 1972, watching the UK's premier rock live show at 11at night and this band come on. The first time I had heard of and heard them. They then proceed to play this live.....!! The singer also played the organ and the flute. Man, the next week end I was out and the album was in my hands. What a wonderfully fun record played by wonderful musicians. Glad that you have finally heard them. Worth giving more of them a go.
Oh I can imagine!
The guitar player Jan Akkerman was voted World’s best guitar player in - if I’m not mistaken - 1976 FYI...
From what I hear in this song, its deserved.
Every human alive needs to listen to "Eruption" (the last track from this album) at least once. At least once.
Eruption needs to be heard uninterrupted because it’s their masterpiece.
YES! That is a monumentous piece of the highest order!
Ahh, what the Dutch get up to after a few Amstels and a joint or three. A wild ride and a real treat to watch live.
Instead of Buggs Bunny I always thought it sounded like Popeye.
IamSteve C I am’s what I am’s.
True true
Popeye on crack? That's all I can stands, I can't stands no more
Thank you again Justin. You are playing the best music of my teenage years. Focus are what brought me to really love music. I have all their albums. And wow, you pronounced Thijs' name spot on!
Always loved this tune! As crazy as it was! Great guitar work
I have seen them play live and they are just magnificent!
The drummer, Pierre van der Linden, is very famous amongst fans for his very wacky non-Sunday afternoon 10 minute drum solo! He is 74 as on 5th Feb 2021, and he still does that 10 drum solo! In my humble opinion, he is one of the top drummers for long and feisty drum solos on the planet!
As for Thijs van Leer, I know of no one else who can play a Hammond and also balance a flute on one arm and play that at the same time. Very talented musicians for sure, and fun to watch!
Thank you very much for listening to my recommendation. Now my job on this planet is done. Can return to Beteigeuze. Since you are a fan of Dream Theatre you probably like Transatlantic, too. Some years ago when in Holland they covered this song live with Thijs van Leer as special guest. Thijs has come to ages. So he needed assistance in the high notes. I watched that video some days ago because you mentioned that you like to watch Mike Portnoy and I remembered it. He is indeed a great showman. One of those who have no embarrassing effect on me. The whole band seemed to have a lot of fun playing Hocus Pocus.
About drum solos: I love them, too. Sometimes I sit and listen to one after the other. And you are right most of them are jazz based. There are so many great drum solos out there that it is difficult to point out some of them because they are unique. Three of them come to my mind and just they are not jazz based.( Probably there are more but I cannot count further.)
1. "In a gadda da vida" by Iron Butterfly: Technically not too demanding but exactly that makes it special and it is catching the atmosphere of the song.
2. "Moby Dick" by Led Zeppelin because it is immediately recognizable and not permanently full speed.
3. And of course Yes have it: "Nous sommes du soleil" the 4th part of "Tales From Topographic Oceans" contains an immediately recognizable one.
Haha, ty Maraboo :)
For me it get little bit repetitive, but the talent of the band is awsome.
Another good track from Focus is 'Sylvia' which I believe is on the same album. It's a bit more 'conventional' but still showcases their musicianship.
Steve Hutton Sylvia is fire
Sylvia is on Focus 3.
John Woodward Sylvia also lifts a good portion of Don’t Sleep In The Subway by Petula Clark.
@@shyshift I think it is "Focus lll" that has the connection to "Don't Sleep in the Subway"
@@AndyB59 you’re correct I always get those 2 confused.
Great tune from talented folks! I have many great memories of college at UCF listening to this. Rock on, brother.
The organist/singer/ is a classical flutist originally ... That's Thijs van Leer .... and the guitarplayer is Jan Akkerman (in those years proclaimed as one of the best guitarplayers in the world) Still active, but not that much in the limelight ... They're all from the Netherlands
Dude, I really enjoyed this review. I remember when this song was on the radio and it was years ahead of its time. You have a great ear for listening, critical thinking and analyst. I learn from you, which brings to light things I've never considered in a song. I got lots of suggestions I could send you, but how can you read so many comments that must come your way. If I'd have the opportunity for suggestions just shoot me something short and I'll get back to you. As always- great review.
I was recently introduced to this band and song within the last few months. For me the song is solid and pushes all the right buttons. There's no point pointing out what's great because, it's pretty obvious what's great about the song. Spot on with the review as usual.
Got to watch the live version, absobloodylutely incredible!
I've always loved the idiosyncratic nature of this track. Great musicianship and fun.
And when they performed this live on The Midnight Special TV show, in a shortened time frame, I believe this was the only Standing O ever on the show.
I believe (I might be wrong though) that Focus started out as a pit band for the musical Hair. And although they had an album out with this track on in 1971 or 72, the track Hocus Pocus actually entered the UK Top 40 on or around the 20th January 1973. It reached about no.10. A week later they released their follow up single Sylvia (possibly from the same album) which was even more successful.
The UK charts were in the midst of their glam rock period at this time, with The Sweet at no.1 with Blockbuster.
Also notable in the top 40 were
David Bowie - The Jean Genie
Carly Simon - You're so vain
Free - Wishing well
Osmonds - Crazy horses
Cat Stevens - can't keep it in
Status Quo - Paper plane
The Temptations - Papa was a rolling Stone
Moody Blues - Nights in white satin (second time in the charts since 1969)
Thin Lizzy - Whisky in the jar
Electric Light Orchestra - Roll over Beethoven
I always feel that even though the Prog Rock movement carried on for a few more years, that 1973 was a real peak year for bands like Genesis, Yes, Pink Floyd and Emerson, Lake and Palmer.
And being a huge Genesis fan I'm really pleased that they evolved alongside the dynamic pop revolutions of glam rock, disco, punk, new wave, new romantics etc. 😊
Ridiculous and brilliant. Jan Akkerman was a great lead guitarist. Bizarrely, this was quite a big hit in the US IIRC. This is great fun for kiddies parties too. I've witnessed a hysterical crowd of 6 year olds almost demolish a house to this song!
The first time I ever heard this song was on the Midnight Special tv show.
I'll NEVER forget seeing it!
You've gotta check out that video.
Is easy to find.
Host Gladys Knight does the intro.
I've always loved this song, three really nice guitar solos.
I havn't heard this before. loved it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The legendary 4 star! :D
This is one you should def watch the video. It's mouth dropping crazy great. That so is whistling!!!
It's sooo much fun to see someone listening to this great piece for his first time having so much fun! :-)
Keep in mind the title "Hocus Pocus" - so it's all about witches, probably many of them meeting, having party and going crazy. So with this picture in my mind this song makes totally sense to me.
Just a great badass jam from my teenage years.
It's a Dutch band. The guitar player Jan Akkerman was once listed (1973) as one of the greatest guitar players around.
Yes!
This is *fun* music
Very fun!
Hello JP ; Yes : very good progress in the discovery of progressive music ; you will certainly love this Band .
They also played songs in a " classical mood " , may I say , f e : " La Cathédrale De Strasbourg "
Tonight you make me want to listen for the 500th time " Hamburger Concerto " and play Keyboard ( as I can ? ) at the same time ( 20 ' classical melody with a "beatles rif" in it , Dutch Christmas song , chromatic end …… ! )
Thx for the info Eric!
Great reaction. I think you might like the band Gong. Check out the Angels Egg LP, especially from Flute Salad on. Again, stellar musicians with a sense of humor.
Worth it, to see your face when the yodelling starts!
🤣
I heard this song on the radio when I was a little kid in the '70s and was obsessed-searched for it for well over a decade, unable to articulate what I was looking for. Fortunately, once I reached "going to the record shop" age, my search resulted in clerks recommending Yes, which I came to love as my favorite band. I actually didn't learn the name of the tune until it came on the radio again out of a VW Beetle's stereo while drinking beers with friends in a park at a Naval Air Station in Hawaii, prob 1989. I made everybody shut up and scrounge for something to write on until the DJ came back on, and listed off the past few songs. That was like popping the biggest brain zit ever!
Lol! That's quite the journey, but it paid off in the end!
Haha. Gotta laugh every time I hear this song. And your reaction. Haha. Love the mainly instrumental music of Focus. This “novelty” song got a lot of airplay back in the day. The shorter tracks Sylvia and Tommy (Steve Hackett does a great cover) are also a good starting point before diving into their longer epics (although Tommy is part of the longer Eruption).
Great tune
Takes me right back to High School. Everyone knew of this song, but none of us actually owned a Focus album. Thanks for the review.
in that live version, the show ran short on time. so the band decided to increase the tempo of the song to fit the time limit. this tempo increase made the guitar solos exceptionally fast and the antics of the singer were very entertaining. i urge you to revisit the live version. i heard them first in a hospital in south east asia in 1973 when i was in the air force.
Thanks! Yup I saw it, it was crazy! And still SO good
This blew me away when I heard this as a kid! So many various artists who experimented with genres,Focus were of the best! So many great artists all over the world, that you have to experience.One big suggestion is Mike Oldfield the live B.B.C. production of Tubular Bells, featuring Steve Hackett among many others! It is quite long but over before you would want!Peace from ferretfret in CT.
Wrong Steve on BBC Tubular Bells, it was Steve Hillage .
My mistake, lack of sleep and old age.No excuse though give credit where its due! Still Justin should experience the composition and performance, imo Remarkable! Thank you sir for the correction.Peace.
You passed the test...lol. From the first day I bought this album in '71, every single person had a smile on their face when they heard it. It is a "never fails" feel good song.
Haha, awesome! Ty Eric
This sheer madness helped me blow off so much stress as a teenager in the 70's. The album was stolen out of my dorm room around 1980 with the rest of my vinyl collection.
The Live version, which looks like it was in a TV studio, is very entertaining... It's already a fast paced song, but when it gets even faster and the singer seems to be running out of gas, it's hilarious! ...spoiler: plenty of gas! ;-)
Justin, great reaction! I got to see Focus live a couple of times back in the day...They were the opening act both times to far less-talented bands who were more popular. Focus recorded one of my favorite albums, "Hamburger Concerto" in 1974. IMO, it's on a par with Pink Floyd's "Meddle". One side of the album is 5 or 6 medium-length songs, all totally different musical styles, unique and great. The second side is "Hamburger Concerto", basically a suite that lasts the entire side. Reminiscent of "Echoes" in structure but totally different in content. Worth a listen.
Hahahaha !! Always loved this ... makes me smile every time ... looks like it made you smile too ;)
Yes it did :)
"I don't hear a lot of yodeling." I burst out laughing when Justin said that.
In the live song on TV they were told to perform in less than 4 minutes so instead of cutting any out they just sped up their performance.
Deliciously crazy. One suggestion: live version!
Also, the guitar solo overdubs are just sick.
This song was always nice to hear from the perspective of a novelty albeit serious music mixed in..I remember when this song was in rotation in WNEW and later WCBS (oldies station). Nice shirt Justin!!!
Ty Ron!
Incredible 🎸 guitar solo by Jan Akkerman
FOCUS!! Top 5 band for me - the band that got me into prog. They make music for the love of music, and that passion is hard to resist.
Hocus Pocus is a great tune, but it does lead some people to dismiss them as a "novelty" act. I'm so pleased you were able to appreciate the humour in the way it's intended and see beyond it to the extraordinary musicianship on display.
Where next? "Sylvia" and "House of the King" are their other big hits and they couldn't be more different to Hocus Pocus, so I'd love to see you try them next.
Beyond that, maybe one of their longer suites like Eruption from this album (Moving Waves) or the title track on Hamburger Concerto?
PS - Caught them in Leeds last year and I'm happy to report they're still going strong, fifty years on! Thjis is a wonderful, eccentric, welcoming soul and Pierre remains an absolute monster on the drums.
Appreciate the direction David! I'm looking for my next hit of Focus
I was waiting to see how you were going to react to the first couple yodels. I’ve seen other reactors jaws drop or crack up laughing. I thought you would at least chuckle but you kept it together. Very catchy riff and some scorching guitar solos in that song.
I was taken back slightly, but it sounds great tbh
These guys were like our Björk, weird but, beautiful... crazy virtuosos.
You have reacted in just the way we did in the 70s. Yes, it’s fun but also so clever, but so many today react with sniggering ridicule as their minds seem closed to anything outside the musical diet fed them by the industry. It’s refreshing to have an intelligent and open-minded man reviewing music.
This band produced amazing Prog Rock albums - all of them: variations on Haydn, and the like. The '73 Live Midnight Special performance of this song was not double time, it was triple time!!!
You have got to watch them play this live - it's even more amazing.
Dude. You have GOT to listen to their song "Eruption" from the same album. Genuine masterpiece. It's 23 minutes long!
They were kinda one hit wonders. The yodelling keyboard player was still using the Focus name a few year’s ago.i saw them playing a local bar doing his thing
I think these guys are Swedish or Norwegian. As funny as this video is, you must admit, as musicians they are very good. I was about 15 when this came out in the 70s, I'm now 64 and it brings back memories of smoking weed and listening to the great and sometimes crazy music of the 1970s. Thanks man.
Haha, awesome. Ty dusty
Their other big hit was Sylvia. Think you have already clocked that one. They do tracks called Focus II and Focus III which are more jazzy - they tend to ramble and drift. The best bit for me, is side 2 of this album a long piece called Eruption. It's broken down into parts. Including a fantastic guitar piece called Tommy, and a a brilliant drum solo called Euridice, I think. The whole 20 min should be listened to in one go, because it all connects. Give yourself a treat!
More Focus, yes!
Oh, you must hear "Carnival Fugue", Just JP, you must. It's a bit slow starting, but it's the sound of the Rio Carnival - or a Dutch Kermesse, seeing as they are Dutch - waking up. Just imagine it from 06.00am to 11.00am. It's purely an instrumental, but that's part of it's charm. It's the sound of friendliness and joie de vivre in music.
Sounds interesting Robert, thank you!
“Eruption” by Focus.
Before Focus,Jan Akkerman and van Pierre van der Linden played in brainbox.
ruclips.net/video/dJWLVYK9zk4/видео.html
Note,,,Ritchie Blackmore was incognito spying them,on Pinkpop Netherlands 1968.
I saw them live in my town in 2008 :D Got to greet Leer and the boys, and he signed some Focus cds.
Focus has written one of progs really epic songs! The over 20 mins Hamburger Concerto, and they have a very varied catalogue! Focus 1-2 and 3 are well worth a listen, and The Hamburger Concerto album is their best in my opinion.
Superb analysis from a first listen
Ty🙂
Haha love this song, it's so weird! Oh hey, and they're Dutch! :D
no shit sherlock.
saw them live in rotterdam AND amsterdam in '73.
Magnificent,and the band were pretty damn good too.
@@TheCornishCockney yeah, wasn't really alive yet back then
1973:
Shredding is not a thing!
Jan Akkerman (guitar):
It is now!
Jan Akkerman was waaaaay ahead of his time, he played the guitar as no one else was doing at the time. Please remeber this happened in the early '70es. You'd be able to hear such incredible solos much later when people like Van Halen became famous.
Mother Focus is another great album/song. Gets more into the jazzy side.
Ty Jay!
Recommendations: Eruption, Harem Scarem, Sylvia, Round Goes the Gossip, Birth, Hamburger Concerto, House of the King, La Cathedrale de Strasbourg, Focus IV.
I love round goes the gossip.....wonderful song
Sylvia is a beautiful instrumental by them - it was a small hit and got huge airplay even in South Africa in 1973.
Thijs van Leer said the song came about as the result of a jamming session - but it's no less stunning for that. But you might also be interested in the song "Round Goes the Gossip", from their album Focus III, and Happy Nightmare is worth a listen too - very 60s sort of vibe. If you like van der Linden's drum solos, the later part of the Moving Waves album is a must, where the band plays around with themes inspired by the story of Orpheus and Eurydice.
Thanks so much Andrew!
An interesting song to hear for the first time. It is usually NOT what people expect. I remember when it was new...it was not what I expected!
Its the best kind of surprising
@@JustJP Indeed!!
Dude...the look on your face. It's what I imagine my face must of looked like when i first heard this quircky song, nearly half a century back. One of the best bands to come out of the Netherlands.
😁
Nice reaction and observations of their song. You should see the live version.
Nice song....i remember listening this when i was 6 or 7 (1971/72) and loved it instantly^^. I ahve a suggestion for something else for you: Stretch-Why did you do it....i think you will like that too.
Ty Kai!
My Aunt had this album on vinyl and played this song on our record player when I was six years old. I remember I was in my room taking a nap and this song woke me up immediately. It quickly became my new favorite song. She made a mix tape for me with this song on it and I listened to it over and over again. I dare say this song is the reason I became such a proghead. Moving Waves was the first CD I ever purchased (I literally bought it the day it came out on CD in 1989) and I played this album so many times that my sisters started to hate it. But I still love this album and go back to it frequently. Check out Eruption, the side 2 epic. It's excellent.
Lol, thats awesome. Thanks Drakus
Good song, unique use of yodeling, something very new and different 50 years ago (still today). Ultimately though, a novelty hit. That doesn't mean the band wasn't talented and deserved more respect, it's just that the hit was so big and unique that it over shadowed their other work. Also note that Tull- like flute!!
One hit wonder! Focus made their career on this song. This is the album version. The single edit cut the less mainstream parts.
Hi JP. Greetings from the UK! I highly recommend you add the band Wishbone Ash to your list, the songs Time Was and Blowin Free would be great on here!
Hey Neal! Ty so much :D
You need to see them playing this song live to truly enjoy it ;)
Oh this was metal back in 71 that guitar riff was always in my mind walking to school i might have ben wearing some slacks like your shirt
Listen to the whole album. It's beautiful.