"Hamburger Concerto"
Printed From: Progarchives.com
Category: Progressive Music Lounges
Forum Name: Prog Recommendations/Featured albums
Forum Description: Make or seek recommendations and discuss specific prog albums
URL: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=98069
Printed Date: February 21 2025 at 22:45
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Topic: "Hamburger Concerto"
Posted By: Floydian42
Subject: "Hamburger Concerto"
Date Posted: April 28 2014 at 09:13
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I don't often post on this site, but I occasionally snoop around to keep my finger on the pulse on the progsphere, and to get a sense of people's general opinion on bands/albums/etc. This one, I just need to know peoples input. I figured I'd check out "Focus," since I never have listened to them before but heard their name so often. Let me just say, that yodeling-esque vocal over that 70's metal-ish backdrop was hysterical. I sincerely hope they're intent was to be humorous, because they succeeded. But as I was glancing over the reviews, I came over one that said something like "Hamburger Concerto was better and slightly more mature." My jaw has dropped. There is a twenty minute prog epic called "Hamburger Concerto!" That is the best thing I have ever heard. I just want to know what people think about that. Let's put the music aside for a moment and consider what that reflects about the genre/70's prog movement as a whole! I think this can actually be used as an opening for a very self reflective discussion. As prog fans, we are all well aware of the hammer over our heads that used against prog that is "it's pretentious." You can skirt around it all you want, and say "no, it's not pretentious, its just intelligent and sophisticated, and trying something different," but when it comes to something like "Hamburger Concerto," it's sort of hard to hide from that. I guess what I'm saying is that, yes, Prog is pretentious, and ridiculous, and over the top, but that shouldn't be used against it, it should absolutely be embraced. Just a quote to remember from Tyrion Lannister, from something that's currently popular yet equally pretentious, "Let me give you some advise, b*****d. Never forget what you are, the rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor and it can never be used to hurt you."
*sorry if this all seems ramblish, I just put my thoughts out there as they came* |
Replies:
Posted By: twosteves
Date Posted: April 28 2014 at 09:38
| Love Hamburger Concerto---think it is their masterpiece or most perfect record---Love the tongue in cheek title--they always had a sense of humor and at the same time did some serious music---as far as pretentious goes--I think lot's of rock music and "rock stars" are full of themselves and pretentious in their own way---I mean there is a Genesis lyric that goes something like--"If you think this is pretentious, you've been taken for a ride--look across the mirror before that you decide" Prog music has classical, jazz, new age, and all sorts of influences so many think that alone in the rock genre make it pretentious. |
Posted By: tszirmay
Date Posted: April 28 2014 at 11:03
Having witnessed the turbulent glory days of the late 70s , when music rags MNE, MM and Creem got on the punk bandwagon and dissed intensely anything progressive as being 'bloated, pompous, pretentious and overblown', I can certainly comment on a first hand basis. Lester Bangs (Not RIP) was the lead cheerleader and his dedication to two chord riffs, dirty clothes, no talent and puerile attitude is well recorded.  The irony of course is that the punk movement also gentrified itself, as more talented 'musicians' got to explore the style and they created "New Wave" which, by extension, provided Marillion with the opportunity to reboot progressive rock from the nadir. I distinctly remember my punkier friends showing up with Thomas Dolby, Ultravox and Magazine albums and then pulling out Script from a Jester's Tear, claiming this to be the next Big thing!  .Hamburger Concerto was a kitschy title but if ever one has seen Focus live as I have, the first thing they will remember is that Van Leer was a crazy dude, grimacing, making all kinds of humorous anecdotes and having FUN! Akkerman was the serious one! The suite is tongue and cheek (okay, a little saliva  ) attempt to make it sound like a J.S. Bach epic. The only outrageously pretentious prog moments was the Montreal Olympic stadium shows by ELP and Pink Floyd (both notoriously famous for poor attitudes by Lake and Waters respectively), completely overblown events that ultimately was the bell of doom for prog, as the press (both musical and otherwise) leaped on the negatives. Finally, talented 70-80s rock musicians are viewed today with the same reverence as classical composers. What is the problem?
------------- I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth. |
Posted By: HolyMoly
Date Posted: April 28 2014 at 13:41
------------- My other avatar is a Porsche It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle if it is lightly greased. -Kehlog Albran |
twosteves wrote:Posted By: tszirmay
Date Posted: April 28 2014 at 14:02
How true is that last statement !  . The shocking word is PRETENDING!  ------------- I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth. |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: April 28 2014 at 22:16
| I really love this album. It's the first album I heard from Focus, and it's among my first wave of prog albums that I liked... before I even knew about the genre as such. The title song is just amazing, as well as Birth, and all of the album is really very enjoyable. As for "Hocus Pocus" and Moving Waves, I do like Hamburger Concerto better than MW... in a great measure because I like better the title song over "Eruption". The one, rather slight, complaint I may have from HC is that, indeed, Hocus Pocus is a really strong song, and "Harem Scarem" rather seems like an attempt to make another Hocus Pocus like hit, though they certainly weren't able to achieve the same genious once again. |
Posted By: BarryGlibb
Date Posted: April 29 2014 at 03:13
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Got it when it was released some 40 years ago......god I'm old! Birth and the title track should be heard by every human being on this earth before they die. Those 2 pieces of music are wonderous. |
Posted By: Stool Man
Date Posted: April 29 2014 at 04:10
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http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=94882&PN=19" rel="nofollow - Here is the discussion we had about it last November.
I love Hamburger Concerto, I listened to it just a couple of days ago. ------------- rotten hound of the burnie crew |
Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: April 29 2014 at 09:58
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Hi, It has already been said, but I also love "Eruption" on their previous album. All in all a magnificent band regardless. ------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: April 29 2014 at 14:46
The ELP concert was amazing and I really wish I could have been there. Unfortunately there were technical issues that dogged that gig and absolutely nothing to do with the supposed 'bad attitude' of Greg Lake. That just seems the usual thing put out there and following a trait on this site of blaming ELP for the downfall of prog. Back to discussing Focus , must admit that this band largely passed me by. I only have Focus 3 from their early days and I might have a live DVD knocking around somewhere with Hamburger Concerto. I'm sure I'll end up getting the album it at some point. There is just too much prog music out there I still can't keep up with it!
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Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: April 30 2014 at 01:23
| Listened to both Moving Waves and Hamburger Concerto albums last night. Eruption is the track that most impressed me. Seems to be almost a Santana meets ELP/The Nice approach on that. Hamburger Concerto seems a bit unremarkable to me but I need further listens. |
Posted By: infocat
Date Posted: April 30 2014 at 01:28
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I have their first three albums, and enjoy 2 & 3 (1 less so!), but I've only heard HC once. Didn't find it remarkable, but I should give it another shot.
------------- -- Frank Swarbrick Belief is not Truth. |
Posted By: uduwudu
Date Posted: April 30 2014 at 05:24
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FWIW I heartily recommend Hamburger Concerto. Great example of symphonic of classically based progressive rock. Essential Focus recordings are all from the first to the Concerto. As for Hocus Pocus the yodelling is hysterical but it's Akkerman's killer guitar work that makes it for me. Plus it's an awesome and original idea. All IMHO just in case anyone thought it's not. ;) |
Posted By: Cactus Choir
Date Posted: April 30 2014 at 07:30
I love both Eruption and Hamburger Concerto but slightly prefer HC as it is better structured. Parts of Eruption are great but some is jamming that doesn't quite hang together so well to my ears. Hamburger is a weird one. I get the impression Jan Akkerman was on his way out the band when they made it, and his guitar parts sound "tossed off" like he was sitting down having a smoke when he played them. Despite that it works brilliantly. The One For the Road Climax is up there with anything ELP did for glorious symphonic bombast and should be listened to on headphones for the full effect! ------------- "And now...on the drums...Mick Underwooooooooood!!!" "He's up the pub" |
Posted By: moshkito
Date Posted: April 30 2014 at 12:40
I always thought that "Hamburger Concerto" was designed to make fun of classical music, and in some ways to what has become the "progressive" music. But it showed some serious inspiration, which for me, on occasion, includes having to go get me a hamburger! ------------- Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told! www.pedrosena.com |
Posted By: tszirmay
Date Posted: April 30 2014 at 13:28
I was at that show and I assure you it was overblown, too big and too cavernous to fully enjoy.The orchestra was an added touch that was just too much. I do not blame ELP at all, I clearly identify the prog murderers in my opening statement. Even local music writers got on the easy bandwagon and started the anti-prog campaign. Focus was also in their crosshairs! ------------- I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth. |
Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: April 30 2014 at 13:58
WOW you were there you lucky b*****d. Music played live is all about the experience and its a shame you didn't enjoy it. I don't understand the singling out of Lake for having a 'bad attitude'. He was always a perfectionist which is partly why Emerson 'allowed' him to wear the production hat I think .Don't remember him spitting at anyone though or trying to force out anyone from the band.
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Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: April 30 2014 at 20:51
I agree about Eruption. However, about HC, I don't really find any flaw on the guitars, on the contrary, I find them really wonderful. |
Posted By: twosteves
Date Posted: April 30 2014 at 22:54
Love Akkerman on Hamburger Concerto---interesting fact---in the very prestigious Melody Maker Readers Poll in the 70's---the only year Best Guitarist was not won by either Howe, Page or Clapton--was the year Akkerman won Best Guitarist the year Concerto came out--- another interesting fact--Hackett never won the poll but always came in second or third
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Posted By: richardh
Date Posted: May 01 2014 at 01:09
from what I remember these poll results were often dictated by when an album was released and how fresh it was in people's minds Yes and ELP dominated the MM polls during the 'prog years'. Carl Palmer won every drummer poll from 1971 to 1977 which doesn't tally with the generally accepted idea that Bruford was the best prog drummer of that time or that Bonham was the best heavy rock drummer .
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Posted By: Cactus Choir
Date Posted: May 01 2014 at 02:12
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^ It's amazing how Proggers have been written out of rock history since the 70s. If I had to pick a Top 5 greatest rock guitarists of all time, Jan Akkerman and Steve Howe would certainly be in there - if there are any better players I would love to hear them. There have been some recent Top 100 Guitarist polls where Howe comes way down the list and Akkerman doesn't event get in! ------------- "And now...on the drums...Mick Underwooooooooood!!!" "He's up the pub" |
Posted By: Cactus Choir
Date Posted: May 01 2014 at 08:32
I love the guitar parts on Hamburger too, particularly the solo on La Cathedrale de Strasbourg and the Leslie-treated main riff on the title track. It's just that Akkerman's playing on the album seems to have a slightly "distracted" air, and sounds very different to his super-wired playing on Moving Waves. ------------- "And now...on the drums...Mick Underwooooooooood!!!" "He's up the pub" |
Posted By: tszirmay
Date Posted: May 01 2014 at 12:07
The Jan Akkerman solo on Birth is among my favorite musical moments ever, 'distracted'  , effusive, slow dazzle and phosphorescent. ------------- I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth. |
Posted By: Prog 74
Date Posted: May 03 2014 at 08:13
| Have not yet heard Hamburger Concerto, but recently purchased Moving Waves which I am enjoying a lot. In fact I like it so much I was going to buy Hamburger Concerto next! |
Posted By: Dellinger
Date Posted: May 03 2014 at 17:23
I love that solo on Birth too... but let's not forget the flute solos too... it's that interplay between guitar and flute that makes that song so amazing for me. |
Posted By: musitron
Date Posted: May 05 2014 at 15:44
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Love Akkerman and he's at his best on that one. Moving waves is also really good. ------------- “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” Dark Side Radio - Best new Prog 2015 mixed with good old stuff. - www.live365.com/stations/young_gun |
Posted By: Ruby900
Date Posted: May 06 2014 at 09:23
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Great album - love it! Akkerman on that album he is in top form and not as out of control as he at times on Moving waves and Focus 3 ------------- "I always say that it’s about breaking the rules. But the secret of breaking rules in a way that works is understanding what the rules are in the first place". Rick Wakeman |
Posted By: musitron
Date Posted: May 06 2014 at 09:43
Me too. But the solo on Tommy, part of side two of moving waves, is pretty good as well. ------------- “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” Dark Side Radio - Best new Prog 2015 mixed with good old stuff. - www.live365.com/stations/young_gun |
Posted By: BarryGlibb
Date Posted: May 07 2014 at 03:09
PRETTY GOOD! IMHO the Tommy guitar break/solo by Akkerman is the most spine tingling guitar break In the history of modern music!! Brings tear to my eyes.......Literally!
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