Focus: What do I listen to next? |
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anoopanunya
Forum Groupie Joined: June 12 2020 Location: new york Status: Offline Points: 44 |
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Posted: August 09 2020 at 18:16 |
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So long story short I知 a millenial who just got into prog rock a year or so ago. I absolutely loved Moving Waves (especially Eruption, I知 a drummer lol) and I知 not sure where to go next in terms of their discography. What would you suggest?
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dr wu23
Forum Senior Member Joined: August 22 2010 Location: Indiana Status: Offline Points: 20451 |
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Most would say Hamburger Concerto for the next Focus lp
...but if you are a drummer you need to listen to ELP...the first one to hear Carl Palmer. And then this ....Close To The Edge to hear Bill Bruford.... And I'm sure the other PA members will recommend other things...
Edited by dr wu23 - August 09 2020 at 18:52 |
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One does nothing yet nothing is left undone.
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moshkito
Forum Senior Member Joined: January 04 2007 Location: Grok City Status: Offline Points: 16148 |
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Hi,
HC is probably right ... but for a drummer? I think that listening to the early Guru Guru is probably the best idea ... to see how a drummer who likes to say that he doesn't drum with anyone except the music, and I like to think that often this is not something that most players are used to ... since in Guru Guru, for the first 6 albums (through Tango Fango), it is not exactly about the rhythm ... specially in the early days of the experiments and stuff that Ax Gernrich did with them. How do you drum to the LSD march? You kinda don't ... you just add touches to it! Not "drumming". Nowadays, you would get a strict time keeper that could not let off his snare drum, and ruin the freedom of the music by sticking it to plastic! I would recommend Bill Bruford, btw, but not in the early days ... what he does in YES is nowhere near as good as some of his work in KC ... and then later when he was able to do complete improvisations with a guitar player and they never discussed anything they would do or did ... move along to something else ... and knowing, feeling, and wanting to "color" those moments is what the music is about ... not time keeping ... Berklee music can not get its head around that yet! And then ... there is one drummer, that does not use his snare a lot ... he uses a circle of toms instead ... but this is probably too advanced to suggest to a "drummer" maybe? I would rather suggest you hear someone like Steve Gadd, and what he does for Rickie Lee Jones (early albums), and many years later to Kate Bush (Snow) ... and in this last one, there is no "format" or time keeping, because she is already on to the next phase or section of a song, that is continuous and not "time" tied! At that point ... it is all ... what do you do when you should NOT be keeping time ... something that most drummers have no idea how to do and refuse to learn! In one example, this group had a marvelous piece of music, and one of the saddest drummers I have ever heard ... it's like he was hitting the snare hard to ask the band to return to the beat ... and he did not know how to color anything, except hit the snare ... it was by far, one of the saddest exercises in drumming I have ever seen ... and his drumming was the same the whole thing through. Carl Palmer is something special, and it's hard to not look at his impact in ELP ... his work is about helping the ACCENTS in the lyrics and how Greg Lake sings them, and then help Keith maintain the solo ... but strict time keeping as most drummers do today, would ruin the flavor of the music ... think about this ... "don't tell me lies" ... boom boom boom ... quick silence ... not snare drum ... you have to think outside your beat keeping to add to the music ... and this is a good learning thing from CP ... and in a lot of ELP's work. All depends on how you look at things ... develop into something special or just go back to high school tempo and time! Edited by moshkito - August 09 2020 at 19:27 |
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AFlowerKingCrimson
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Those are good suggestions by Dr. Wu. However, if he has been into prog for a year my guess would be has already heard close to the edge and ELP by now. ;) At least I hope so. I would think most would discover those before Focus.
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kenethlevine
Special Collaborator Prog-Folk Team Joined: December 06 2006 Location: New England Status: Offline Points: 8851 |
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I just love this oddly titled closing track from Sebastian Hardie's "Four Moments" album. Recommended for Focus fans
Edited by kenethlevine - August 09 2020 at 20:19 |
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HackettFan
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Focus 3. Hamburger Concerto is great quality material, but I always found it too brief, especially after Focus 3, which was a double album. I'd recommend Focus 3, but that's me. In and Out of Focus is their first album and a must listen. It alternates Prog pieces with more accessible pieces. Both of those albums also have the same drummer, Pierre Van Der Linden, who you heard on Moving Waves. Hamburger Concerto does not.
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A curse upon the heads of those who seek their fortunes in a lie. The truth is always waiting when there's nothing left to try. - Colin Henson, Jade Warrior (Now)
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Awesoreno
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If we're talking drummers, I second Steve Gadd. The group he's in with Michael Brecker is great (Steps Ahead). One of the greatest drummers of all time in my opinion is Vinnie Colaiuta. He can be heard on plenty of albums. He played with Zappa from 1978-1980 (so he HAS to be good, it's a requirement), and he played on one of my favorite Allan Holdsworth albums, Secrets. In general, I think any drummer needs to hear the playing on Zappa's records, particularly from his 70s and 80s output (including posthumously released live albums, his groups were better live). Aynsley Dunbar, Ralph Humphrey, Chester Thompson, Terry Bozzio, Vinnie, Chad Wackerman, all essential.
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Psychedelic Paul
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The ideal solution would be to give the Dutch band Solution a listen. I think you'll like them.
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Cactus Choir
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Hamburger Concerto is maybe the best Focus album in terms of material, but if you're a drummer you might want to try Focus 3 first as that's a double album with longer arrangements and features some great work by Pierre van der Linden, especially on Anonymous II.
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"And now...on the drums...Mick Underwooooooooood!!!"
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Cactus Choir
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"And now...on the drums...Mick Underwooooooooood!!!"
"He's up the pub" |
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SouthSideoftheSky
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Hamburger Concerto is excellent. And the live album Live in England is fantastic. |
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cstack3
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Welcome! Please enjoy this recent recording by Jan Akerman, a reprise of a song on Moving Waves: |
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Hercules
Prog Reviewer Joined: June 14 2007 Location: Near York UK Status: Offline Points: 7024 |
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Absolutely. Stunning music (vocals less so, but most of their stuff is instrumental) and the musicianship is stellar. I'd also give Moonmadness a listen: Andy Ward is a stelllar drummer.
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Man With Hat
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Focus 3 and Hamburger Concerto.
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Dig me...But don't...Bury me
I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
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JD
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Any of the first 4 Triumvirat releases.
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Thank you for supporting independently produced music
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someone_else
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A good suggestion actually; there is a connection with Moving Waves: The 6th part of Eruption, Tommy, is a guitar adaptation of Solution's Divergence, written by Tom Barlage.
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friso
Prog Reviewer Joined: October 24 2007 Location: Netherlands Status: Offline Points: 2505 |
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I wouldn't skip on 'Ship of Memories' as well, perhaps my favorite Focus record. A bit more jazz/fusion-like, but the compositions are quite diverse and intense.
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I'm guitarist and songwriter for the prog-related band Mother Bass. Find us at http://www.motherbass.com. I also enter stages throughout the Netherlands performing my poetry.
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dr wu23
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Love that one..recommended it on another thread recently. |
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One does nothing yet nothing is left undone.
Haquin |
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kenethlevine
Special Collaborator Prog-Folk Team Joined: December 06 2006 Location: New England Status: Offline Points: 8851 |
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yeah it captures such a wonderful almost pastoral mood. And, well, the mellotron solo is to die for
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dougmcauliffe
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Focus 3, their best album
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