Focus are the first continental European progressive rock band that I got into, having found Moving Waves in early 1984 during my freshman year of college. Used records were a new concept to me then, and opened up an entire world that I was previously unaware of. For that alone they will always have a special place in my collection. This page will also includes artists and groups associated with Focus.
Brainbox (1969)
Here's an album I first discovered in my earliest forays into the continental European underground. Not long after discovering Focus, I found a US Capitol version of Brainbox. This would be the summer of 1984 IIRC. Kept it for about 10 years and sold it back into the marketplace. Hadn't thought about it since when I ran into this sealed copy at a Denver record store for dirt cheap ($4). That's just a good flipper if nothing else. But of course I wanted to hear it again first. The opening original composition reminds me a lot of Ahora Mazda on their fine sole album. Great flute from Tom Barlacher (Tom Barlage of Solution) and guitar from Jan Akkerman. B2, B3, and A1 are your throwaway cover songs of blues and folk. They're all short, under three minutes each. 'Scarborough Fair' and 'Summertime' are both excellent choices for cover songs, and Brainbox's arrangements are excellent in each case. This leads us to the other original track, the 17 minute 'Sea of Delight'. It's a very good example of the long form jam that was just beginning to appear on the progressive rock horizon. Some of it is filler which includes a drum solo, but there's also some fine jamming here with a few thematic shifts. I'll keep this one for the memories.
Ownership: 2021 Music on Vinyl (purple LP). If I find a nice Capitol copy out in the wilds (it's not a rare or expensive album) then I'll probably swap it out. This LP reissue is a brick with no other information or bonus tracks. I could care less what color the vinyl is. Black always works for me.
6//1984 (first listen); 1995; 2/12/25 (review)
Hocus Pocus / Hocus Pocus II (1973)
I've recently decided to pick up singles of tracks that I already have on LP, and just store it with the LP. No need for me to discuss the A) side as it's a classic and one of the tracks that got me into the entire continental European prog scene in the first place. But I didn't have the second version, which is a bit faster and includes more improvisation, as little as it is.
Ownership: 1973 Sire (SP)
1/28/25 (review)
Moving Waves (1971)
This was the very first Euro Prog album I'd acquired, and as such, is very foundational to my overall music development. Despite having owned this for almost 40 years, I enjoyed a +1 listen. It's easy to be distracted by 'Hocus Pocus' which is close to a novelty hit, though that's an unfortunate stigma since there's some great hard rock buried in that tune. But the rest of the album is excellent symphonic prog, especially side 2.
Ownership: 1971 Sire (LP)
Anonymous adds: "I bought the Focus Anthology box a couple of years ago and it contains two fantastic live versions of Eruption (37 and 46 min!)"
1//84 (first listen); 1995; 2/1/23 (review)
Jan Akkerman - Profile (1972)
Profile is a somewhat bizarre solo album from Akkerman, coming at a time when his band Focus was at its commercial peak. One side is mostly sleepy acoustic numbers, though well done and a certain respect should be appropriately afforded. 'Blue Boy' and 'Stick' point to the earlier blues based Talent For Sale, but are livelier and much more kinetic. 'Maybe Just a Dream' sounds like any one of the Focus 'x' instrumentals. And then there's the side long 'Fresh Air'. Which sounds like Brainbox playing 'Anonymous II' from Focus 3, and is quite the exhilarating psychedelic tour de force. Akkerman's guitar is superb here, and is perhaps his finest moment on record.
Ownership: 1983 EMI (LP)
8/26/84 (first listen); 7/27/16 (review)
Focus 3 is a relatively well known title that the UMR enthusiastically recommends. Focus were at the peak of their career here with Akkerman's blazing solos, and Van Leer's flute and organ forays. 26 minute long jam misspelled 'Anonymus 2' needed to be trimmed down by about half, with the annoying drum solo sucking the life out of the disc by the end, but still remains an excellent album overall.
Ownership: 1972 Sire (LP)
9//1984 (first listen); 1996; 3/19/10 (review); 11/4/19
3/19/10 (new entry)
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