Search - Focus :: Greatest Hits

HOCUS POCUS....Surprise !!!

Lloyd Ouellette | Sudbury, ON. Canada | 10/06/2004

(1 out of 5 stars)

"Other than Van Leer...who are the guys playing on this 2 CD Set ?? Disc One is old songs Re-done and Disc Two is Live !!! Buyers Beware this is NOT the group you learned to love !!! The best rating I can give it is 1 Star.....and then wave my magic wand....HOCUS POCUS...GONE !!!"

The guy from Canada is sooo right!

Linda Stewart | 03/09/2005

(1 out of 5 stars)

"I read the reviews for this CD, but unfortunately went ahead and ordered this CD set. I should've paid attention to the last review listed, the one from Canada. I wasted my money on this CD. It is just as bad as he said it was. Next time I will pay attention to the negative reviews."

Not the original band, but still nice music

kireviewer | Sunnyvale, Ca United States | 02/10/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Beware: this music is available on several other CD's with different names. This is a 2 CD set. It was previously released with the title, Live Legends. The second CD was released by itself as Live In America.



This is the 2002 to 2003 version of Focus. It is Thijs Van Leer plus 3 unknowns. Rumor has it that they were a Focus tribute band that Van Leer heard, liked and began to tour with (Keith Emerson has done a similar thing). They also did a studio album called Focus 8.



The first CD is just under 60 minutes long, and apparently comes from several different live performances. The sound quality varies across the CD from marginal to OK. The second CD comes from one concert, is over 70 minutes long and has fairly good sound quality, although, I don't think the mix is that good.



This CD set basically consists of all the classic Focus compositions (except Questions? Answers! Answers! Questions?). It focuses on the progressive, artrock portion of Focus's career. There are no vocals (other than yodelling and whistling), or the jazz or blues compositions from Mother Focus or Focus con Proby. There are two new, but short tracks at the end of the first CD.



It is just a very nice 2 hours of nonstop progressive music. Van Leer is great as always, with wonderful keyboard and flute solos.



The back up band is OK. Unlike the original Focus line ups, the drums and bass just form a background rhythm section and never really come up front. The guitarist is adequate, but is not Jan Akkerman or Philip Catherine. He does have some very nice solos and is the main driver on a number of the tracks. But, there are parts where it appears as if he can't keep up with Van Leer.



Is this CD just another sad attempt of one member of a classic band trying to milk some money out of long time fans, by forming dinosaur relic of its past glories? Maybe so, but this CD is very enjoyable. The music is played differently than on the original albums. It is interesting and energetic. I would give it between 3 and 4 stars.



Is it fair for Van Leer to call this band Focus without Jan Akkerman? Akkerman was not in the original Focus line up, but did join before the first album was recorded. Akkerman did leave after the 5th studio album and Focus did record one more album without him."