Focus Plays Focus is the first studio album by Dutch rock band Focus, released in September 1970 on Imperial Records. It is the only album recorded by the group's original line-up consisting of organist and vocalist Thijs van Leer, bassist Martijn Dresden, drummer Hans Cleuver, and guitarist Jan Akkerman. It was renamed In and Out of Focus for the international re-release of the album from 1971 onwards which included their debut single "House of the King".
| Focus Plays Focus | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 1970 | |||
| Recorded | January 1970 | |||
| Studio | Sound Techniques (Chelsea, London) | |||
| Genre | Progressive rock[1] | |||
| Length | 33:30 (UK edition 35:50) | |||
| Label | Imperial (5C 054-24192)[2] | |||
| Producer | Hubert Terheggen | |||
| Focus chronology | ||||
| ||||
Musical style
editAllMusic'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".[3]
Track listing
editOriginal release
editSource:[2]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Focus" (Instrumental) | Thijs van Leer | 9:45 |
| 2. | "Why Dream" | van Leer, Erik Cleuver | 3:57 |
| 3. | "Happy Nightmare" | van Leer, Martin Dresden, Mike Hayes | 3:56 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Anonymus" | van Leer, Jan Akkerman, Dresden, Hans Cleuver | 7:00 |
| 2. | "Black Beauty" | van Leer, Cleuver | 3:05 |
| 3. | "Sugar Island" | van Leer, Dresden, Jan Staal | 3:03 |
| 4. | "Focus" (Vocal Version) | van Leer, Cleuver | 2:44 |
1971 reissue
editSource:[4]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Focus" (Instrumental) | van Leer, Cleuver | 9:45 |
| 2. | "Why Dream" | van Leer, Cleuver | 3:57 |
| 3. | "Happy Nightmare" | van Leer, Dresden, Hayes | 3:56 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Anonymus" | van Leer, Akkerman, Dresden | 7:00 |
| 2. | "Black Beauty" | van Leer, Cleuver | 3:05 |
| 3. | "Sugar Island" | van Leer, Dresden, Jan Staal | 3:03 |
| 4. | "House of the King" | Akkerman | 2:15 |
1971 UK issue (Polydor 2344 003)
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Focus" (Vocal) | van Leer, Cleuver | 2:44 |
| 2. | "Black Beauty" | van Leer, Cleuver | 3:05 |
| 3. | "Sugar Island" | van Leer, Dresden, Staal | 3:56 |
| 4. | "Anonymous" | van Leer, Akkerman, Dresden | 7:00 |
| 5. | "House of the King" | Akkerman | 2:20 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Happy Nightmare (Mescaline)" | van Leer, Dresden, Hayes | 3:59 |
| 2. | "Why Dream?" | van Leer, Cleuver | 3:57 |
| 3. | "Focus (instrumental)" | van Leer, Cleuver | 9:45 |
Personnel
editCredits adapted from the album's 1970 liner notes.[2]
Focus
- Thijs van Leer – lead vocals ("Why Dream," "Black Beauty," "Sugar Island," "Focus (Vocal)"), flute, Hammond organ, piano, electric piano, mellotron, harpsichord, vibraphone
- Jan Akkerman – guitars
- Martijn Dresden – bass guitar, trumpet, lead vocals ("Happy Nightmare"), backing vocals ("Why Dream," "Sugar Island")
- Hans Cleuver – drums, bongos, backing vocals ("Why Dream," "Black Beauty," "Sugar Island")
- Wouter Möller – cello ("Happy Nightmare") [5]
Production
- Hubert Terheggen – production
- Jerry Boys – engineering
Charts
edit| Chart (1973) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[6] | 104 |
References
edit- ^ "In and Out of Focus - Focus | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ^ a b c Focus Plays Focus (Media notes). Imperial Records. 1970. 5C 054-24192.
- ^ Unterberger, Richie. "In and Out of Focus - AllMusic". Allmusic. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
- ^ In and Out of Focus (Media notes). Imperial Records. 1971. 5C 054-24192.
- ^ Bessels, Wouter (2020). 50 Years: Anthology 1970-1976 (Booklet). Focus. Hilversum: Red Bullet.
- ^ "Focus Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
External links
edit- "Discography". Focus. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
- "Focus (2) - In And Out Of Focus". Discogs. Retrieved 13 July 2010.
- "Focus (2) – 50 Years: Anthology 1970-1976". Discogs – See NOTES: Hans Cleuver's father, Erik Cleuver, is the lyricist/writer, not Hans. This error started to appear around 1999/2000. Retrieved 24 January 2022.