Moving Waves

Product Information

After releasing their debut album Focus Plays Focus (1970), the group suffered a setback when Akkerman requested that van Leer fire Dresden and Cleuver so his former Brainbox bandmate, drummer Pierre van der Linden, could join the band. But if “Hocus Pocus” isn’t the greatest song ever, I never hear it without an admixture of mirth, awe and admiration.

The guitar playing by Jan Akkerman is sublime as is the keyboard work of Thijs Van Leer and it is driven along by the superb Bass of Cyril Havermans and drums of Pierre Van Der Linden. Aquí se incluye su tema más representativo, "Hocus Pocus", una maravilla que no se puede describir en palabras, pues siempre nos quedaríamos cortos. The Dutch quartet’s second full-length album, Moving Waves —alternately titled Focus II —is one of the least-probable success stories of the early part of the 1970s. Following the departure of original bassist Martin Dresden and drummer Hans Cleuver in 1970, the band recruited Cyril Havermans and Pierre van der Linden, respectively, and prepared material for a new album.Focus II was released to a mostly positive response and remains one of their most commercially successful albums, reaching No. The passages Thijs has created roll out as a giant canvas for Jan Akkerman to color upon with bombastic tones as loud and punchy as an atomic blast yet fully in Jan's control as the blast settles into particles of drifting dust swirling and swaying, drifting and dancing back to earth.

Focus was formed in Amsterdam in 1969 by keyboardist, vocalist, and flautist Thijs van Leer, bassist Martin Dresden, drummer Hans Cleuver, and guitarist Jan Akkerman. In truth, the riff on “Hocus Pocus” is enough to make the case, but Moving Waves is a masterwork in its own right, and Decibel is proud to recognize the influence of these prog shamans. I have a copy with matrix markings 2431011 A//1 Having recently seen the new incarnation of Focus in a recent gig (with Thijs and Pierre), I promptly bought a stack of Focus CDs and would recommend this to any Focus and indeed non-Focus fan as it simply exudes fantastic musicianship.No one in English and America, and I’m including Frank Zappa, could have created a song so utterly off the wall. Euridice" is a classical lied which segues into the Gregorian-inspired "Dayglow" and followed by van der Linden's drum solo, "Endless Road". The Focus sound of Hammond organ, guitar and flute complete with yodelling and Thijs's vocal acrobatics are just so different and combine to produce one of the best and most underrated groups of the 1970s. Jan Akkerman's Segovia like "Le Clochard" provides a mellower contrast before the multi-tracked flute lead ballad "Janis" which adorned the B side of the "Hocus Pocus" single. From that point forward, Focus largely became an instrumental act, composed of highly compulsive personalities, seemingly hellbent on breaking down barriers between genres.

Of course, Akkerman and van Leer were exceptional in writing to each others’ strengths as musicians: Akkerman’s “Janis” is really a showcase for van Leer’s multitracked flute parts, while Akkerman totally steals the show with his guitar arpeggios on van Leer’s fusion track “Focus II.

Formed by Thijs van Leer, Hans Cleuver, Martijn Dresden and Jan Akkerman (whom had left his previous band Brainbox to pursue Focus), the band went on to become one of the most influential Dutch rock bands. Focus II (better known by its international title, Moving Waves) is the second studio album by Dutch progressive rock band Focus, released in October 1971 on Imperial Records.

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I bought this CD to save any further wear on my original vinyl LP which I bought in the early 70's just after the shortened single version of "Hocus Pocus" had been a belated hit in the UK.