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Origin of Focus 6

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SouthSideoftheSky View Drop Down
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    Posted: August 24 2021 at 12:42

As everyone knows, Focus has a tradition of making self-titled tracks. This first started on their debut album, and continued with Focus II on their second album, and Focus III on their third. Focus IV came on Mother Focus, and Focus V on Ship of Memories. When the band reunited much later they released the album Focus 8 which also included a track called Focus 8. Focus 7 and 9 where released on the next album New Skin. But what about Focus 6, where is it originally from?

The newly released Completely Focussed bonus CD holds newly recorded versions of all the self-titled tracks; #1 through #11, plus a new 12th one. I don't seem to recognize Focus 6. Anybody knows?

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dr wu23 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dr wu23 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 24 2021 at 12:49

I only have them up to and including Ship Of Memories.
I wasn't aware there was ever a Focus 6 track recorded.


Edited by dr wu23 - August 24 2021 at 12:52
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SouthSideoftheSky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 24 2021 at 12:56
Originally posted by dr wu23 dr wu23 wrote:

I wasn't aware there was ever a Focus 6 track recorded.


Maybe there wasn't. But now there is.

Then, the next question is why did they skip over number six?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dr wu23 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 24 2021 at 13:00
Originally posted by SouthSideoftheSky SouthSideoftheSky wrote:

Originally posted by dr wu23 dr wu23 wrote:

I wasn't aware there was ever a Focus 6 track recorded.


Maybe there wasn't. But now there is.

Then, the next question is why did they skip over number six?

Is there any text in the collection  that explains it?
Maybe it was done just for the box set or was named something else before?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SouthSideoftheSky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 24 2021 at 13:05

I don't own this new set, so I don't know if there is any information about this in the booklet. It sounds like it could have been from the era around Ship of Memories.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dr wu23 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 24 2021 at 13:46
A you tube run through of the new cd set....he did not menttion that track, Focus 6,  on the cd.




Edited by dr wu23 - August 24 2021 at 13:49
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dellinger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 24 2021 at 18:53
All their focused titles re-recorded... it would sound like an interesting idea... if only Jan Akkerman was part of the band playing them... I'm asuming he's not.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SouthSideoftheSky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 24 2021 at 23:32
Originally posted by Dellinger Dellinger wrote:

All their focused titles re-recorded... it would sound like an interesting idea... if only Jan Akkerman was part of the band playing them... I'm asuming he's not.


Akkerman is not involved, this was done by the current line-up of the band and released as a bonus CD of the Focus50 set.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SouthSideoftheSky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 31 2021 at 11:57

Here it is now, Focus 6 from the new Completely Focussed:




Edited by SouthSideoftheSky - August 31 2021 at 12:02
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote suitkees Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 31 2021 at 12:38
Focus VI was originally issued on Thijs van Leer's album Reflections, from 1981 (and as B-side on the single Arioso).
The Discogs album page of Reflections has it mistakenly mentioned as Focus IV... (See here the discogs page concerning the single).

And of course, you can find it on youtube.



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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SouthSideoftheSky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 31 2021 at 12:44
Originally posted by suitkees suitkees wrote:

Focus VI was originally issued on Thijs van Leer's album Reflections, from 1981 (and as B-side on the single Arioso).
The Discogs album page of Reflections has it mistakenly mentioned as Focus IV... (See here the discogs page concerning the single).

And of course, you can find it on youtube.




Finally an answer to the question, thank you! Clap

I never thought of looking for it on a Thijs van Leer solo album. Hearing the original version now for the very first time...

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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 31 2021 at 13:54
If you'd like to listen to re-recordings of classic Focus songs, then their fabulous  collection of "Golden Oldies" (2014) is as good as it gets. You can find a link to the complete album on my Classic Clog Prog Blog.  Smile
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dellinger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 31 2021 at 19:56
Is that really worth the listen? I mean, I love Focus both for Thijs Van Leer and for Jan Akkerman, so I'm not sure I would apreciate listening to those versions without Akkerman.
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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 31 2021 at 22:25
Originally posted by Dellinger Dellinger wrote:

Is that really worth the listen? I mean, I love Focus both for Thijs Van Leer and for Jan Akkerman, so I'm not sure I would apreciate listening to those versions without Akkerman.

Yes, definitely. I gave Golden Oldies a 5-star rating. It's the best Focus album since Hamburger Concerto (in my opinion), even though there's no Jan Akkerman.


Edited by Psychedelic Paul - August 31 2021 at 22:26
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SouthSideoftheSky Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 01 2021 at 03:35

I perfer the new Completely Focussed album over Golden Oldes, I can definitely recommend it. Focus 1, 2, and 3 have been done a lot, and thus are less interesting. But from Focus 4 onwards it is fantastic! The guitar work is splendid and I do not miss Akkerman at all. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dellinger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 01 2021 at 20:08
Oh well, I might make up my mind to at least give those last Focus albums a listen.
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