Focus Plays Focus
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| Focus Plays Focus (In And Out Of Focus) |
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| Studio album by Focus | ||||||||||||
| Released | 1970 | |||||||||||
| Recorded | Sound Techniques Studios, London, England | |||||||||||
| Genre | Progressive rock[1] | |||||||||||
| Length | 33:30 | |||||||||||
| Label | Imperial | |||||||||||
| Producer | Hubert Terheggen | |||||||||||
| Focus chronology | ||||||||||||
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Focus Plays Focus (also known as In and Out of Focus) is the debut studio album from the Dutch rock band Focus. Released in 1970, the album was recorded at the Sound Techniques Studios in London, England and produced by Hubert Terheggen. It was the first and only album by the band to feature the original line-up of Thijs van Leer (organ, flute), Jan Akkerman (guitar), Martin Dresden (bass guitar, vocals) and Hans Cleuver (drums, vocals).
Musical style
AllMusic's Richie Unterberger called the album "a fair collection of progressive rock tunes without a clear focus" and noted prominent influences from folk rock, blues, and classical music, as well as "occasional jazzy shadings".[2]
Track listing
| Original Dutch version (Imperial 5C 180-24572) / Original UK version (Polydor 2344 003) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 1. | "Focus" (instrumental version) | Thijs van Leer | 9:45 |
| 2. | "Why Dream" | van Leer, Hans Cleuver | 3:57 |
| 3. | "Happy Nightmare (Mescaline)" | van Leer, Martin Dresden, Mike Hayes | 3:56 |
| 4. | "Anonymus" | van Leer, Jan Akkerman, Dresden | 7:00 |
| 5. | "Black Beauty" | van Leer, Cleuver | 3:05 |
| 6. | "Sugar Island" | van Leer, Dresden, Jan Staal | 3:03 |
| 7. | "Focus" (vocal version) | van Leer, Cleuver | 2:44 |
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Total length:
|
33:30 | ||
| Original German version (Polydor 2459 328) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 1. | "Focus" (instrumental version) | van Leer | 9:45 |
| 2. | "House of the King" | Akkerman | 2:20 |
| 3. | "Why Dream" | van Leer, Cleuver | 3:57 |
| 4. | "Happy Nightmare (Mescaline)" | van Leer, Dresden, Hayes | 3:56 |
| 5. | "Anonymous" | van Leer, Akkerman, Dresden | 7:00 |
| 6. | "Black Beauty" | van Leer, Cleuver | 3:05 |
| 7. | "Sugar Island" | van Leer, Dresden, Staal | 3:03 |
| 8. | "Focus" (vocal version) | van Leer, Cleuver | 2:44 |
|
Total length:
|
35:50 | ||
| United States version; Japanese 2006 reissue (Polydor 2344 003; Victor VICP-63663; Red Bullet RB-66.187) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 1. | "Focus" (vocal version) | van Leer, Cleuver | 2:44 |
| 2. | "Black Beauty" | van Leer, Cleuver | 3:05 |
| 3. | "Sugar Island" | van Leer, Dresden, Staal | 3:03 |
| 4. | "Anonymous" | van Leer, Akkerman, Dresden | 7:00 |
| 5. | "House of the King" | Akkerman | 2:20 |
| 6. | "Happy Nightmare (Mescaline)" | van Leer, Dresden, Hayes | 3:56 |
| 7. | "Why Dream" | van Leer, Cleuver | 3:57 |
| 8. | "Focus" (instrumental version) | van Leer | 9:45 |
|
Total length:
|
35:50 | ||
| United States 1973 reissue (Sire SAS 7404) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
| 1. | "Focus" (instrumental version) | van Leer | 9:45 |
| 2. | "Why Dream" | van Leer, Cleuver | 3:57 |
| 3. | "Happy Nightmare (Mescaline)" | van Leer, Dresden, Hayes | 3:56 |
| 4. | "Anonymous" | van Leer, Akkerman, Dresden | 7:00 |
| 5. | "Black Beauty" | van Leer, Cleuver | 3:05 |
| 6. | "Sugar Island" | van Leer, Dresden, Staal | 3:03 |
| 7. | "House of the King" | Akkerman | 2:15 |
|
Total length:
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33:01 | ||
Personnel
- Band members
- Thijs van Leer – vocals, flute, organ, piano, electric piano, mellotron, harpsichord, vibraphone, trumpet
- Jan Akkerman – guitars, acoustic guitars
- Martin Dresden – bass guitar, vocals (tracks 2, 3, 5, 6, 7)
- Hans Cleuver – drums, bongos, vocals (tracks 2, 3, 5, 6, 7)
- Additional personnel
- Hubert Terheggen – production
- Jerry Boys – engineering
References
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- ↑ http://www.allmusic.com/album/in-and-out-of-focus-mw0000652900
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
