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Focus: What do I listen to next?

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AFlowerKingCrimson View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AFlowerKingCrimson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 10 2020 at 15:47
I recommend the dutch prog band from the 70's called Finch. Please tell me I'm not the only one on here who knows them. Tongue
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote irrelevant Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 10 2020 at 19:59
Originally posted by friso friso wrote:

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.

Yep! Might be my favourite Focus album too. Glad to see someone else put it at #1. Thumbs Up
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dellinger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 10 2020 at 23:02
I also think their best is Hamburger Concerto, though indeed by then they had changed the drummer they had on Moving Waves, and it's just not the same on that department. However, the music is just fantastic. As for other drummers, my favourites are Bill Brufford and Carl Palmer.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Progosopher Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 10 2020 at 23:29
Jan Akkerman's first two solo albums.

The world of sound is certainly capable of infinite variety and, were our sense developed, of infinite extensions. -- George Santayana, "The Sense of Beauty"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BrufordFreak Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 11 2020 at 08:20
Originally posted by dougmcauliffe dougmcauliffe wrote:

Focus 3, their best album

I second this.

In terms of other drummers worth exploring, I second the recommendations of Steve Gadd and Vinnie Colaiuta--I love Steve's play on Chick Corea's 1977 release The Mad Hatter.


I am always blown away by Vinnie's drumming on Antoine Fafard's 2014 album Ad Perpetuum.



And then there is Bill Bruford. For his purest stylings I always go back to 1977-80--the Bruford band albums or the self-titled UK debut release from 1978.



Edited by BrufordFreak - August 11 2020 at 08:25
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote suitkees Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 11 2020 at 08:36
Originally posted by AFlowerKingCrimson AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

I recommend the dutch prog band from the 70's called Finch. Please tell me I'm not the only one on here who knows them. Tongue

You're not the only one, but it's a hell of a time that I didn't listen to Glory of the Inner Force. But to me it's no competition with Focus.
Regarding Focus I think that Focus 3 is indeed the album to go, followed by Hamburger Concerto. Pierre van der Linden returned to the drums on Focus 9, X and 11 - nice listens too, but they don't have the power and originality of the aforementioned albums.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AFlowerKingCrimson Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 11 2020 at 09:01
Originally posted by suitkees suitkees wrote:

Originally posted by AFlowerKingCrimson AFlowerKingCrimson wrote:

I recommend the dutch prog band from the 70's called Finch. Please tell me I'm not the only one on here who knows them. Tongue

You're not the only one, but it's a hell of a time that I didn't listen to Glory of the Inner Force. But to me it's no competition with Focus.
Regarding Focus I think that Focus 3 is indeed the album to go, followed by Hamburger Concerto. Pierre van der Linden returned to the drums on Focus 9, X and 11 - nice listens too, but they don't have the power and originality of the aforementioned albums.

It's not a competition. I wasn't trying to make it one or at least not more than anyone else on here(although I seriously doubt they were either). You mentioned the word competition so to me that makes me think you see it as one but it isn't. It's just about recommending stuff that others would like that is similar to Focus. Others were mentioning Triumvirat, Solution, Sebastian Hardie and other artists so I thought I would mention one too. Wink


Edited by AFlowerKingCrimson - August 11 2020 at 09:02
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote suitkees Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 11 2020 at 09:06
You're absolutely right to recommend them. "No competition" was my way to say that I prefer Focus by far, but Finch deserve to be explored (especially in regard of the list of bands mentioned). Beer

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote kenethlevine Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 11 2020 at 09:32
hmm I wonder if Anyone's Daughter might interest you.  A group that kind of played neo prog before neo prog, and also were sometimes called the German Camel.  Their live albums tend to have the best versions of their songs, though the one DVD I saw showed them to be overly stiff and serious on stage.  Still, the music!


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote friso Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 11 2020 at 12:47
Originally posted by irrelevant irrelevant wrote:

Originally posted by friso friso wrote:

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.


Yep! Might be my favourite Focus album too. Glad to see someone else put it at #1. Thumbs Up


Yeah.. just those frantic solo's of Akkerman on the first track make it a must-have album.
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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Cosmiclawnmower Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 11 2020 at 15:35
Colin Allen was the drummer on 'Hamburger Concerto' and had previously played with Brit-blues outfit 'Stone the crows' and before that, John Mayell's blues breakers. Therefore Hamburger Concerto doesn't have as much of the jazzy-tinged work that PVDL put onto earlier Focus lps but has a steady, solidness that swings which gives HC a slightly different vibe but its a very good and thoroughly enjoyable album. Like many others here, i'd still say 'Focus 3' is the bees knees as focus albums go.

I'm sure you've listened to them already (bit like Yes & ELP) but give Jethro Tull- particularly 'Thick as a Brick' a go..

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Awesoreno Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 11 2020 at 23:12
Originally posted by BrufordFreak BrufordFreak wrote:

Originally posted by dougmcauliffe dougmcauliffe wrote:

Focus 3, their best album

I second this.

In terms of other drummers worth exploring, I second the recommendations of Steve Gadd and Vinnie Colaiuta--I love Steve's play on Chick Corea's 1977 release The Mad Hatter.


I am always blown away by Vinnie's drumming on Antoine Fafard's 2014 album Ad Perpetuum.



And then there is Bill Bruford. For his purest stylings I always go back to 1977-80--the Bruford band albums or the self-titled UK debut release from 1978.


I've said it before: CHICK COREA DESERVES TO BE ON THIS SITE. His Elektric Band is on here, but not him. If Miles and Herbie are on here based on some of their albums from the 70s, Chick should be too. In fact, his mid-70s output is probably "proggier" than either of the aforementioned geniuses, as well as Mahavishnu, AND Weather Report.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote BrufordFreak Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 12 2020 at 08:45
Originally posted by Awesoreno Awesoreno wrote:

Originally posted by BrufordFreak BrufordFreak wrote:

Originally posted by dougmcauliffe dougmcauliffe wrote:

Focus 3, their best album

I second this.

In terms of other drummers worth exploring, I second the recommendations of Steve Gadd and Vinnie Colaiuta--I love Steve's play on Chick Corea's 1977 release The Mad Hatter.


I am always blown away by Vinnie's drumming on Antoine Fafard's 2014 album Ad Perpetuum.



And then there is Bill Bruford. For his purest stylings I always go back to 1977-80--the Bruford band albums or the self-titled UK debut release from 1978.


I've said it before: CHICK COREA DESERVES TO BE ON THIS SITE. His Elektric Band is on here, but not him. If Miles and Herbie are on here based on some of their albums from the 70s, Chick should be too. In fact, his mid-70s output is probably "proggier" than either of the aforementioned geniuses, as well as Mahavishnu, AND Weather Report.

Weird. I just assumed he's on here as RTF, Bill Connors, Al DiMeola, Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, Herbie Hancock, and Miles Davis are all on here with their own pages.

WHY IS Chick Corea NOT DESERVING OF HIS OWN PAGE?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Slartibartfast Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 12 2020 at 14:38
Keep on going with suggestions already made.  Personally I wouldn't overlook the lesser rated onesss.  And Thijis has been putting out new ones that are quite good.  Also don't overlook Akkerman's albums after he split off.  There is some good stuff and some meh stuff.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Psychedelic Paul Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 12 2020 at 16:05
You could focus on the Dutch rock band Ekseption next. They're ekseptional! Smile
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote richardh Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 12 2020 at 23:29
Maybe check out some Greenslade.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote cstack3 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 13 2020 at 00:31
Jan Akermann contributed to this amazing solo LP by the late, great Peter Banks....check it out! 


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Droxford Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 23 2020 at 13:33
I have only just started to listen to Focus . I remember 'Hocus Pocus' ,  and 'Sylvia' as being chart hits when I was about 12, and 'In The House of The King'  was the theme tune for a quiz show at the time. 
I have ordered 'Focus 3', 'Moving Waves' and 'Hamburger Concerto'  but with such a body of work over the year  been reading this discussion looking for other recommended Focus work. 

You might be interested in this recent interview with Thijs Van Leer on the Communication Breakdown Youtube  channel 


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