British guitarist reacts to some live MAGIC by Focus on Hocus Pocus!
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- Опубліковано 13 сер 2018
- Tonight I'm taking a look at Jan Akkerman from Focus! Look out for Thijs van Leer's crazy cool vocal work too!
Original video - • Focus - Sylvia / Hocus...
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Jan Akkerman was incorporating sweep picking in his play in the early 70's - something that you only saw in jazz players up to then. He was really ahead of his time and it's sad that he doesn't really get the credit he deserves.
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We used to call it 'economy picking'.
In 1973 readers of Melody Makers voted for him as the best guitarist in the world (for what it's worth) but you're probably right. As long as it doesn't come from the Uk or the US it's a lot harder to be well known.
foggy4180
And what did Clapton say? Why give it to him, he’s just a Dutch country bumpkin. Jan is for the purists, Clapton is for the masses.
@RD400D78
Clapton was incognito with a cap on his head,back in the days,when Jan akkerman played in Brainbox.
Yes,,,,,,,,,, spying hahahahhahahahhahahhahaha.
He knew he was les then Jan.
Jan can make me smile and cry in the same song. Unreal. Nobody expresses mood in music as well as him.
Don't be fooled by the novelty of the yodeling, there is a lot of skill and talent going on here!
Jan Akkerman blew me away when I first heard his playing in '70s. If you go and look at recent videos on UA-cam of his playing he is even better now. Amazing player!
Akkerman is a great guitarist. Nice phrasing an groovy licks. Great guy as well
One of the best, under-rated bands in the world, except among those who know so to speak.
There is a lot to be said about the talent of these guys but one little fun fact might be the most impressive of them all.
As you might know, the original song (Hocus Pocus) isnt exactly a short song with some live versions easily hitting the 8 minute mark.
In 1973 they were invited to play "Hocus Pocus" at the popular NBC music tv show "Midnight Special" in the USA, hosted by Gladys Knight.
Their song being in the region of 7 minutes, they were asked to cut it down to 4 minutes due to time restraint on the show.
Focus said "no, we wont cut it short, but... we can play it faster if you want?"
And that is exactly what they did, they sped up the song into an epic 4 minute FULL version, mind you.. the original song isnt exactly a slow song, yet they pretty much doubled the tempo.
ua-cam.com/video/g4ouPGGLI6Q/v-deo.html
What this showed, and gave us was.. how talented they actually were, and it turned into one of the best and most ridiculous (the good kind) live performances ever recorded.
Think about it, not too many bands today, could pull of playing "Hocus Pocus" live, at its regular tempo, so i'd challenge them to double down on the tempo and give that a try..... its pretty much mindblowing.
Thnx for the react Fil :D
As a Dutch kid, my high school music teacher introduced us to this band. Our lives were never the same.
@@Yvolve As a brazilian kid from Rio de Janeiro, my basic school music teacher played Sylvia and Focus II in 1977, but fortunately I had already been introduced to those guys.
BHAM BHAM
AT 45rpm 😁
Weed Me
GOT TO SEE IT
WHEN AIRED
THAT NIGHT...
AUDIENCE ALL
STANDING 😁
I never really liked the song "Hocus Pocus" so the band Focus never really did it for me. I have always loved some of Jan Akkerman's solo-albums thought, especially Eli.
From Dutch '70s prog bands, I like Supersister over Focus.
BTW, for some older music from Jan Akkerman & Kaz Lux, I also enjoy the 1970 album "Brainbox" from the band "Brainbox". Focus-drummer Pierre van der Linden also plays on that album.
@@TimvanderLeeuw i forgot about Supersister (ty for the reminder), but i actually have Brainbox on vinyl and it a truly great album.
Jan Akkerman is one of those guitarists that I describe as shredding before shredding was even a thing. Such a great player!
Amen!
Yes. With the exception his phrasing was more jazz like not the monotonous tripe covered in exaggerated vibrato that was later to be known as shred.
Him and Ollie Halsall. Check out 'Loud Green Song' by Patto for a great example. Allan Holdsworth was great, too.
@@wingsofpegasus Only 2 others that were in the same year that could do this were Uli Roth(Scorpions) and Phil Keaggy(Glass Harp) ahead of their time
shredding these days doesn’t come close to what Jan was doing which was much more musical
"Sylvia" is my favorite tune by them. The song is a masterclass in harmony.
BTW, "Thijs" is the Dutch equivalent of "Matt" - short for Mathijs/Matthew.
One of the most understated guitarist
Hocus Pocus is a big favourite with my kids aged 4 and 7. They call this "The Crazy Song" when they ask for it. :)
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I'm Dutch and proud that this band did this in the early seventys. I agree with you Fil. This is rediciously good. I guess lot of bands listened very good to Focus. Thanks for your very nice reaction.
I still almost can't believe it, but I actually met Jan Akkerman once, a long time ago. I was already a fan of his early solo LP's, and one day, he unexpectedly was at my door to say goodbye before he brought a fellow musician of him and a friend of us both to the airport. Legend at my door, there's blast from the past I'll never forget, you can imagine. I still feel honoured by this short personal meeting with Akkerman.
Cool!
Jan Akkerman was always full of surprises. Just when he was lulling you with some Gary Rossington kind of pentatonic groove, then he would blister your ears with some lightning-fast chunk that sounded classical. Amazing talent. Equipment notes on Jan: he did have a Gretsch Filtertron in the neck of that LP Custom. Later on he had a luthier customize that guitar with an overlay of flamed maple. The guy even bent thin maple around the sides of the guitar and finished it in a light brown sunburst. The guitar body ended up being about an inch bigger all round, and the maple overlay, along with the pickups being rewound for more treble, gave him his characteristic sound. He also had a midrange cut circuit put in the guitar, so he was probably one of the first guys out there scooping his mids. He played on .008 to .038 strings, claiming that it forced him to keep a very light and precise touch. He can be seen and heard playing this souped-up guitar on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, which is still up on UA-cam. Thanks again, Fil, for a listen to a really fine band from the 1970s!
I remember the very day I heard this song. I was about 7 years old and at the swimming pool at our apartments in St. Augustine Fla. I was captivated by the yodeling and whistling parts. When I hear it today it takes me back to that day. As a kid I missed what was actually going on. When I got older I saw it for the jam that it was, and today I can appreciate the actual technique and talent of the band. For me, Hocus Pocus did age like a fine wine.
What is often overlooked is that Jan Akkerman is not only an unbelievable soloist in technique and frasing, but that he is also one of the best rythm guitarist I ever heard
His guitar playing is so melodic that the tune has been used in a lot of TV commercials, movies, and shows
I've been to a couple of Jan Akkerman concerts. Both in small venues, Huntington Hall, Worcester, UK and De Kade, Zaandam, The Netherlands. Both events were incredible. I'm planning on seeing him again at, P60 in Amstelveen, The Netherlands on 11Sept 2020. It should be a great night out. Jan Akkerman is without question a virtuoso and great to see in small venues. Het wordt gezellig 😃!
As a vocalist, Van Leers vocal range is just amazing! As is his manipulation of his vocal chords. A truly blessed specimen of vocal talent!!!
Excellent Fil! I've always liked Focus. Akkerman was indeed amazing. I still have the Moving Waves album, purchased in the '70s. It's hard to fathom why they did not receive commercial success or greater appreciation in the U.S. Same with another excellent band from the Netherlands...Golden Earring.
Yep, Golden Earring! Oldest band in the world (formed 1961). I challenge anyone in here to list a string of consecutive masterpiece hard rock/progressive albums such as the ones Kooymans and co. released from 1970 through 1976 (Golden Earring, Seven tears, Together, Moontan, Switch, To the hilt, Contraband). "Live" from 1977 is my favourite live album of all times. Speaking of Kooymans, his guitarsolo on "you're better off free" off Seven tears, 1971, is just mind boggling! As are his various live solos on Vanilla Queen! The Dutch had it going for them in the seventies!
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Also, they hold the record for the longest time with the same members. Some people claim that ZZ Top holds the record, but I maintain that it's Golden Earring. Indeed, Kooymans has always been underrated. Eelco Gelling, another underrated guitarist, played with them for a few years in the late '70s. I think the best live version of Vanilla Queen is from '75 at Winterland in San Francisco. An amazing performance! ua-cam.com/video/_xzj7umf--g/v-deo.html
The Winterland concert is just fantastic. Hope they release a remastered version of it some day. As for Vanilla Queen, I also thoroughly enjoy Kooyman's solo at the 1982 Rockpalast concert. It is totally different in feel, more melodic, perhaps less pyrotechnical than what we hear at Winterland - he also holds back for much longer until he unleashes volume and runs, but still, those last 4 minutes make my blood boil! ua-cam.com/video/G-Jco-RMgDw/v-deo.html
Have you heard Sandy Coast as well? Slightly more poppy, but very, very, good indeed. Hans Vermeulen was a near genius.
Not many rock players can bring tears to ones eyes with the sheer beauty of phrasing and way of shaping a melody. Thinking of the track Focus 2 and the soaring passages in Eruption from moving waves. Saw Focus once in 1974. Wonderful. Their drummer has such a distinctive sound. In some ways he reminds me of John Bonham. Perhaps if Bonzo had been a jazzer. Such a resonant sound and so full of invention with his fills. They were def one of the best bands of the 7O’s. Jan Akkerman .... 😮
Cool!
absolutely!
Sylvia was written by Van Leer as a song (with lyrics) but he shelved it. It was only after Akkerman joined the band that he had the idea to make it an instrumental.
Jan Akkerman is an amazing player. He was light years ahead of most everyone in the 70's. Cool, he has a Filtertron PU in the neck position of that Les Paul Custom.
Amen!
Thank you, they are truly from another planet! 🎸🎹🍾❤️
My favourite guitarist to this day.
I recently discovered your channel and have been binge watching your videos. You have such a great positive attitude, you have a new fan!
Thanks David!
@@wingsofpegasus a bit
@@nikuman9605 ????
@@wingsofpegasus Your Focus review was the most illuminating one, and really delves into the depths, rather than being distracted by the novelty of Van Leer's vocals. I appreciate your insights and will watch the hands closer. This drummer/bassist combination was phenomenal in FocusIII
I have been listening obsessively to Focus playing Hocus Pocus live on the Midnight Special show but had no idea who the guys were but I am so impressed with the musicianship of all the band members.
I also love his bends where he can adjust the emotional impact by mere milliseconds to convey a different feel.
I had forgotten about Thijs whipping out a flute and playing like a madman; just adds another level of awesome to this track.
Jan's guitar work is like singing with focus. Got the joy seeing him solo as a ten year old on the first row. That made me play the guitar
Loved this. Sylvia is beautiful. The first time l heard Hocus Pocus I was crossing the road and l stopped dead in my tracks and nearly got hit by a bike. It has that effect. There’s something so wildly pure about it, his vocals are just…it’s like listening to Catweazle sing with Queen. I loved it. Thank you Fil!❤️
I met Jan while shopping in a supermarket in Amsterdam last summer, absolutely wonderful guy to talk to. I mentioned the London shows I saw Focus in the early 70s (The Roundhouse, The Rainbow etc) and he seemed to remember those shows still... Amazing guitarist.. still is.
I smile every time I watch those old videos, thay were having so much fun.
superb intonation
Jan Akkerman is frigging awesome and plays in an awesome group.
Your review gives Focus the credit they deserve! Thanks for pointing out the rhythm section! They were key to the successes of the harmonies of Thijs and Jan.
Jan is still a beast by the way. His musclememory is still breathtaking!
The whole band was nuts! ..got this album when I was 12-ish! still on my playlist !
I do not know a soul that does not appreciate and has not rocked out to them guys! Way, way ahead of their time! Glad for analyses Fil.
Grew up listening to focus live. These guys were off the charts. Jan Ackerman is a phenomenal guitarist and turned acoustic in his later years. The early 70s let groups develop themes and expand on ideas. Awesome stuff!!!!
Amen!
Thijs van Leer's name has the T followed by H, but the Dutch don't use the sound for that combination that is used in the English language. So it is pronounced like you'd say; Tice. Jan Akkerman is from Amsterdam, but lived quite near me in Friesland for a good few years.
Thanks Phil. Another huge Akkerman fan here. Seen him live many times and go with the opinion that had he been English or American, he would be another member of the holy 5 of Hendrix, Blackmore, Page, Beck and Clapton. There is NO other player that has his diverse range of styles and musical genres. Classical, Jazz, Blues, Rock, Disco, Dance, Rock, Prog, Renaissance, Orchestral etc etc. And name me anyone else that has graced the stage with Ice T, Paco and BB King !!!!
Cool!
Zappa liked him too.
He blows Clapton etc away 🙏🎼
The skills of the guitarist is phenomenal! Totally mesmerizing to watch ( and to listen to 🔥🎸). The voice is so distinctive it’s all great: completely original and melodic. ! Thanks fil for another spot in analysis !
Thank you for this great special! Jan is one of the greatest.
No problem ☺
Not many bands these days would have the balls to play live on TV ..real musicians eh? Cheers fil
Exactly, and try taking on this track with that vocal!
I was only 12 years old when this band hit the charts, loved them ever since.
I was 10 when I first heard it on the radio, and was like, "What the hell is that?"
@@scubadiva666 I assume after thinking that, you couldn’t stop listening to their songs?
@@yunarukami14 Fortunately I came back to them.
@@scubadiva666 Awesome
My brother was one of the few that bought the Quadraphonic Stereo System. And yes he had this album in Qudraphonic. Something I brag about.
MAGIC indeed! I first heard Focus in the 70s. Their first four albums are progressive masterpieces with Hamburger Concerto being the absolute pinnacle of their achievements. Akkerman just blew me away, he STILL does! He can play absolutely everything under the sun: Jazz, blues, hard rock, heck, even the classical lute. If you want to dig deep, check out pre focus bands The Hunters and Brainbox, as well as his prolific solo work up to this day. It's a career spanning 55 unparallelled years. I haven't seen or heard his like.
Yeah there's a reason Brian May is still starstruck to this day!
I find most of his post focus work lazy compared to this
Still my favourite guitarist,I spent hours trying to play Jan's licks off side one of his profile album,some truly bizarre sounds on there.
Moving Waves, a true classic, and a great introduction to yodelling!
Jan Ackerman blows the likes of Clapton’May away he’s phenomenal Phil 🎼🙏
Don't worry, it took us all by surprise back in the day as well!
I was watching that when it broadcast live. It was truly unique, and the most original thing I'd heard since The Beatles.
Jab Akkerman was voted Best Guitarist in the World by readers of Melody Maker in 1973, above people like Clapton, Page, Gallagher and Ronson who were all producing the best of their careers at the time.
Still one of the best channels on YT.
No bs, and looks at different genres.
Excellent.
Thanks!
YES,I AM VERY HAPPY THAT YOU KNOW ALL THIS WHAT YOU HEAR AND SAY! THIS BAND AND ACKERMAN IS FANTASTIC AND UNIQUE!! I AM SO GLAD THAT YOU HEAR THIS MASTERS OF PLAYERS!! BIG GREATINGS FROM CROATIA FROM ROCK PIANO 🎹 PLAYER! I PLAY THIS THINGS ON PIANO AND AC/DC,AND IRON MAIDEN,FEAR OF THE DARK! ON PIANO!!?? HIHIHI
Great pick Phil this one! Not only his left hand technique is great but you can see in this clip right from the beginning that his right hand is exeptional too. Perfect feel for timing and phrasing. The nice thing thing with Jan is it never gets dull, he never plays a solo the same way twice on stage but always another phrasing or timing, every time a new approach, just look at some other clips of the same song. That's how you recognize the great players. He's more than 70 years now but still rocking the stage.
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@@wingsofpegasus 72 years young!!
Saw Focus around this time frame on LI, NYC. In addition to being blown away by Jan's blinding speed was the band was VERY LOUD! Jan with multiple stacked Marshalls. I had been to my share of loud shows by that time, but these guys were off the charts...Great analysis, Fil. Half the fun of these vids is watching you enjoy them so much!
Thanks!
I remember when Hocus Pocus came out. It got a lot of airplay and was definitely UNIQUE! I remember thinking Jethro Tull on steroids 💥
Great answer!
When I was growing up my older brother had there "In and Out of Focus" and Moving Waves" albums. They blew my away. So original and still so melodic. Love Focus. I owe a lot to my brother for my musical tastes. Thanks Joe, you done good.
So true about a great lead guitarist needing a solid rhythm for context. People today focus on learning a solo, and that's fine for practice, but a bare solo pales beside a solo in a song's proper context. That's where fills and solo playing becomes integral and spectacular.
"Hocus Pocus " studio version is phenomenal Fil. Big time stuff.
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The Grey Whistle videos are great! Hocus Pocus taught me how to swear, first time I heard it in the 70s I said Holy $hit!
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after this appearance on whistle test, their record label had dedicate an entire pressing plant to produce the album, such was the demand
Interesting and unique Focus rediscovered on channels like this one keeping the music alive :)
readers of British magazine Melody Makers voted Jan Akkerman as 'Best Guitar Player in the World' in 1973
I really like how you have a very fair approach to each member's contribution. Brilliant. Thanks. :)
Going to see them live tonight March 25th 2022
I remember I was 6 and my 14 year old brother playing this non stop back in 72/73.....great memories
Before Satriani there was Jan Akkerman. Nobody minded Thijs van Lear's vocals because they were pretty trippy at the time. Hocus-Pocus hit the charts around 1971. I just heard the song during a Chase scene in the movie Baby Driver. He's still around and pretty active according to Wikipedia keeping most of his work in Europe and the UK.
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And Bill Nelson
I loved Hocus Pocus and Edgar Winter's Frankenstein. Two great progressive instrumentals from a time when the radio played a much greater variety.
Focus were an amazing group of top notch players Fil. Jan was incredible and the track 'Hocus Pocus' was the Prog headbangers standard fair with my mates and I in the 70's lol
Haha cool!
Astounding competence on every level .
I always come away thinking that I've learned something , in addition to being thoroughly entertained .
That is what 'art' - by definition - ought to look like .
I LOVE this clip, perfect prog fix and a hoot with that silly singing! Jan Akkerman's playing is beautiful, he's one of the great underrated guitar heroes. Gotta love the 70's.
l had forgotten this song (Silvia) completely ... l'd have been 10 or 11 y/o when it came out. Thank you for reminding me.
Jools Holland l remember from Squeeze, and his tv show was where l first heard KT Tunstall perform Black Horse and the Cherry Tree. Also first heard Diana Krall there too.
Great Band and good comment I enjoy Focus always and your make s me learn more of the music. best regards
Yeah, I come from that time. There was a guy and his name was Guy and he played exactly like Jan. We were all jamming and when Guy started his solo , all of us stopped and were in awe.
Who else besides me heard guitarist Jan include part of "Stars and Stripes Forever" in his "Sylvia" solo?
All Focus members were incredibly talented.
Hocus Pocus Focus was a long version in America and a lot of it was fast. But that guys voice was just insane. Us hippy freaks loved it but we never heard anything from them again.
Fil, the glass in my windows just broke mate !! I loved this growing up. Hell I don't think I've heard it since JR. High school. Enjoyed this very much !! Thank you. \m/✌
No problem!
These guys were never really that popular in the U.S., but I always liked their style! So cool and different! Thanks for the video, Fil!👍😎🎸🎶
No problem!
brad zybola hey Brad! I love seeing bands in small clubs! I used to go out a lot years ago and saw so many great bands in little clubs...so much better than big arenas and stadiums! I'm not real familiar with Big Country, but if I'm correct, isn't that the era when pop artists actually were musicians and played instruments! Lol...I can't stand pop music now, but back in the 80's, there were a lot of great pop bands I really liked. They played great music and had catchy lyrics. My youngest is into pop music and it's hideous! Seems like it's all electronic! Even their voices are auto tuned! Hopefully she'll grow out if this stage and find real music! Take care!☺
brad zybola ya...there's a few rap songs I can handle, but like you, after a few, I'm done. I wish your cousin good luck! I'll check out that video. Things were really different back in the day! A guy like Fil could be touring the country. If not his own band, at least as a guitarist in a good band! Fil and guys like him have so much talent, but these days it's difficult to go anywhere with it! I hope he can get a break...he deserves it! I'd like to go see a show or two before I get in too bad if shape to do it. My sister and her husband still travel all over seeing top bands...the older guys mostly, like Springsteen, Clapton, etc. I can't think of any newer bands I'd want to see...they're out there, for sure. Just harder to find these days!😀
The drummer is a maniac. ✌️
The lyrics really spoke to me.
I had forgotten how excellent all of these guys were, haven't heard this in years and it was a pleasure!
Love Jan Ammerman's work with Flamenco Maestro Paco DeLucia .
I doubt that Ackerman has ever played the anything the same way twice. I was lucky enough to see him in a three piece at Bush Hall a handful of years ago and he does it with the biggest of smiles too. Focus remind me of Patto. Brilliant, well matched players who can move as one.
I remember this song quite well back when I was in high school in Denver, Colorado. I and many of my friends were really impressed with this unique style. The accelerated rock pace and the yodeling really was revolutionary.
Yeah it's very cool!
I'm so glad you have highlighted what a great guitarist Akkerman is and what a brilliant band Focus are. The first album I ever bought was Moving Waves, in about 1973 and the first live gig I ever went to was Focus at the Glasgow Apollo in May 1974. I am still listening to them all these later. It was a pleasure to listen to your analysis and to have you point out things about their playing that I hadn't noticed.
Highly recommend anyone who does'nt know about Focus to check the linked video out. They were all outstanding.
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I remember Hocus Pocus being some of my earliest childhood memories on AM, yes AM, radio. This was one of those songs I was truly frightened of. (I was four.) But anyway, truly an exceptional band on Grey Whistle Test. Insane to watch really. So glad we at-will video access vs. a (single) 6” speaker in Datsun B-210. Solid review, sir!
Love your Videos, you always get it on point, and good taste, it is touching that these heroes of my youth are not forgotten by some of the younger generation.
Great band, great memories , great vid Fil !!! They were uniquely different and bloody awesome!! I Remember when I was a kid playing guitar with the lads,hocus pocus was one the first riffs l learnt!!! Still listen to their music today!!!!
Thanks!
Well ahead of his time,string skipping and shredding,jazz fusion,on Hocus Pocus ,and this beautiful piece ,just love the melody[and yodels] classic ,still sounds good. Nice to hear you appreciate this ,Fil,
Such an experimental and unique time for music. Bombastic rock sounds coupled with melodic and complex arrangements.
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The smile on Fils face on the opening riff of Sylvia is priceless and it just gets bigger as the video goes on
Best live musicians on this planet
Jan Akkerman's solo debut album 'Talent for sale' is still on my playlist today. His palet of guitar skills was/ is so broad it never bores me. He did some solo stuff with much too much synth stuff to please my taste and he can be quite the character, I understand. Anyways he's much more than just the guitar shredder of Focus.
They did Anonymous II in that OGWT session, too. Astonishing.
The OGWT was the reason I found ,so many great bands ,and musicians ,films from the U.S.[Joe walsh Kansas, boston,and many more,and live performances ,too miss Bob Harris ,and such a great show,
Thank you for this video.
Focus has always been one of my favorite bands.
Very Good Guitar work
I agree.great player Jan
Fantastic drums and bass
Focus drew from Rock, Jazz and classical to great effect . Jan is amazing Tys is incredible not to mention top notch bass and drums. This was amazing era in popular music is was so interesting so creative so out side the box. Fabulous stuff !
Brain may was inspired by Jan both are fabulous melodic players
Saw Focus again last week in Basingstoke. Still awesome after 40+ years despite different lead and bass players.