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Artist
Focus
12+ albums
Progressive rockclassic rockdutchrockProgressive
about
There is more than one artist with this name. 1. Focus is a Dutch progressive rock band formed in Amsterdam in 1969 by keyboardist, vocalist, and flautist Thijs van Leer, drummer Hans Cleuver, bassist Martijn Dresden, and guitarist Jan Akkerman. The band has undergone numerous line-up changes; since December 2016, it has comprised Van Leer, drummer Pierre van der Linden, guitarist Menno Gootjes, and bassist Udo Pannekeet. They have sold one million RIAA-certified albums in the United States. After Akkerman joined Van Leer's rock trio in late 1969, the group named themselves Focus and initially worked for a Dutch production of the rock musical "Hair". Their debut album, "Focus Plays Focus" (1970), received little attention, but the follow-up, "Moving Waves" (1971), and its lead single "Hocus Pocus" brought international recognition. Their success continued with "Focus 3" (1972) and "Hamburger Concerto" (1974), the former containing their second hit single, "Sylvia". After recording two albums with various musicians, including guitarist Phillip Catherine, singer P. J. Proby, and drummers Colin Allen, David Kemper, and Steve Smith, Focus dissolved in 1978, briefly reuniting in 1990 and 1997. In 2002, Van Leer reformed Focus with a new line-up, with Van der Linden rejoining the group in 2004. The albums "Focus 8" (2002), "Focus 9 / New Skin" (2006), and "Focus X" (2012) were well received, and the band continue to perform worldwide. Their most recent album is "Focus 12" (2024)
