Focus - Hocus Pocus (Live) REACTION & REVIEW! FIRST TIME WATCHING!

[@toddstevens13]

Only full audience standing ovation in the 9 years of The Midnight Special.

[@littleraven28]

They were asked to cut the song to 4 minutes because of the commercials. Instead they decided to play the whole song at 1,5 times the speed. It actually shows what a great musicians they are, they never really had it played this this way, yet they still pulled it off. 🤘🏽

[@Kgio-2112]

They always play it faster live. Most bands do when playing live... adrenaline

[@willem-janageling3907]

This is a myth

[@module79l28]

@@willem-janageling3907 - Exactly, this is an edited version of the full version, which is only slightly shorter than the original.

[@annebokma4637]

​@@willem-janageling3907what's not to love about a good myth? 😂

[@angharaddenby3389]

There is actually another version if this same performance that has an additional part included that was edited out by someone before they poted THIS version. It is worth finding that longer version of this performance.

[@cyberpotato63]

Yes, About 30 seconds toward the end was edited out of this to make it fit into the TV schedule. They edited out the section with the stuck-yodel joke. The full length version is on the official Midnight Special channel.

[@annebokma4637]

It is even better

[@rolandconnor575]

Oh David, you are so young. Imagine being 15 years old in 1970 and the music that was emerging at that time. I saw Focus Live in 1972. Jan Akkerman had just been voted "World's Best Living Guitarist"by Melody Maker Magazine. The three guitar runs in the studio six minute version of this song are some of the cleanest, imaginative solos in extant. There was an edited shorter version for radio airplay, but there was also another version (not edited) but a shorter remake that was done faster like this live version on a B side. So this live version may not have felt as rushed for them as you might think, just more variation. I appreciate your passion for music and still to this day admit your Ghost Love Score reaction was the best of all time.

[@medinasb1074]

The full live version is 6 minutes long and was recently posted by the MIdnight Special channel. Whoever edited this video to 4 minutes did a great job, tricking all of us for years.

[@NinoMit87]

The 4min version is what was shown on tv because of time limit. The full 6min performance was part of an around 20min uncut set they played before they cut it down for commercial breaks.

[@annebokma4637]

The full live is amazing, glad they released it

[@Glynthepin]

For me, this is another example of the quality of the musicians back in the 1960's and 1970's. There was not the affordable range of effects pedals, backing tapes, quality of microphones/amplifiers etc. As you mention pitch correction, the list goes on. Nor did they have digital mixing desks to help with sound balance etc. Taking this even further, today we have wonderfully produced live BluRay discs that sound perfect. These old recordings obviously don't have the modern day audio clarity and it makes me wonder how many of todays successful rock and metal bands would sound using the equipment available from this earlier era? For me, this is why, so many budding musicians had to practice for hour after hour using analogue equipment and tape backing tracks. To get a full sound back then you had to be an excellent musician. Very different today. I agree that this is better than the studio version.

[@davidsimpson5569]

They were asked to play a shorter song for Tv purposes. But they said its fine we'll just play our biggest hit faster. 😂

[@pieterpopster5549]

That's a nice story but simply not true. The 6.04 minute version (with 2 missing verses) is now also online on the Midnight Special KZbin channel. It doesn't show Gladys Knight but that song version is better. (and complete)

[@davidsimpson5569]

@pieterpopster5549 Yep I've just seen it 😳 Still amazing and at that tempo. That version has been hidden for ages then.

[@RanetkiFan]

David you are correct! The song with speed it up purposely because of TV time constraints. At first the TV station told them to cut down the six and a half minutes long to 5 minutes by reducing some of the parts in the song. The man said we can't do that but we can speed it up with the same effect LOL so they took it upon themselves to speed it up about one and a half times it's speed. They were in a hurry to get out of there because it was 2:59 a.m. and the last song on The Midnight Special plus the drummer and the rest of the band must have some kind of Tiff beforehand as the drummer left the band for good that night after that performance LOL

[@rhondanighman]

The smokin guitar & drums…unreal ..🤘🤘

[@obud3777]

Jan Akkerman !!! 🎸🔥🤘

[@mitchbuchannon6637]

The goat

[@keithwatkins7908]

Thanks for the reaction. This live video is very popular on KZbin, and I love it. Talented musicians able to adapt to television show requirements, and able to provide a brilliant performance. Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull vocalizes using the flute, highly recommend. Excellent group and music.

[@Ashtoni001]

I saw Jethro Tull on a 45th anniversary tour of the Aqualung album. Ian Anderson is a hugely entertaining front man.

[@bmepdoc9675]

@@Ashtoni001 Was at 'Bursting Out' 8/15/1976 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. One word: 'Epic'

[@mitchbuchannon6637]

Love this version, also Jan Akkerman mite just be the greatest guitarist of all time, was Jeff becks fav

[@caucasianbulldog6057]

Your right, the TV people did tell them to hustle because time was precious. All of these guys were stellar musicians. Thijs Van Lear was a genius on keys and flute; Jan Akkerman is legendary amongst guitar players generally. His chord changes were turbocharged and solos were scorching. Burt Ruiter was a beast of a bass player; and Pierre Van Der Linden was an absolute monster of a drummer.

[@MarcoHeijligers]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ talkin’ bout professional musicians. They nailed it! 🤩👊🤘

[@FransKoops]

In 1973 Akkerman was voted Best Guitarist in the World by readers of the UK magazine

[@douglasgonzalez7561]

If you wanna see vocal pitching whilst on the flute, may I suggest any live performance by Jethro Tull? You won’t regret it.

[@AndreSomers]

Thijs van Leer, the keyboard player and yodler, is a very well known and accomplished flutist. So yeah, he can handle that thing.

[@THESALMON8TR]

NEVER get tired of watching people react to this little known masterpiece!🥰👍

[@russellfillis6864]

They disregard a fast version on the album Dutch masters

[@markp1950]

Vocalizing into the flute. Originally by jazz player Rahsaan Roland Kirk. The best Then Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull. He gave much Credit to Roland Kirk. Even played his songs. Play Serenade to a CooCoo.... Fantastic.

[@fredscott5644]

There is a compilation album with this version on an album called "Dutch Masters".

[@jeffkistler6600]

Should have heard it smoking a doobie in my 69 pontiac Catalina on my quad 8 track back in the day. Phenomenal

[@embran8486]

The 1974 in Denmark version is yet again different. 8 minutes long live (so not rushed) and Akkerman, besides being truly in the spotlight here, friggin for a sec plays harmonica on his own guitar lol. 😆

[@Vrakom]

Always fun to see people react to that old reprobate. ''Condensed in 4 minutes, WTF?!'', well sometimes good things come in small packages.

[@module79l28]

It's not condensed, this is a 4 min cut version of the 6 min full version that they played on the show.

[@Kotic1959]

Very fun song. The only standing O ever for the Midnight Special!!! Jethro Tull does vocalizing during playing the flute. I have seen/heard him do it many times.

[@tonycook1624]

Jethro Tull is not a person. It is Ian Anderson playing flute in the band named Jethro Tull

[@Kotic1959]

@@tonycook1624 i know

[@Wagoo]

If you want to hear the album version faster you just flick your turntable to 45rpm speed :P

[@grahamkey8496]

They sure had some pretty special substances available in the early 1970s!

[@grahamsmith8648]

If you want more vocals with the flute playing you should catch Ian Anderson of Jethro tull.

[@keefsmiff]

It's a little known fact that the keyboard player Thijs Van Leer invented the window sill, what a ledge

[@verydirtyflow]

Hahahaha. I love you were asked to review this

[@autohmae]

Agreed, the tempo is great, even if it feels rushed.

[@andyturner3056]

If you want to see someone vocalising through a flute you need to watch Ian Anderson of Jethro Tull

[@mennobults6464]

Jan Akkerman is briljant.

[@abbynormal60]

Love your reviews. I do miss the 1-10 scale. I like how you seemingly suffered to come up with a number.

[@temporalwizard]

I also liked the faster version better.

[@strabel803]

Like i always said "Best postnatal alpes wave everrrrrr".😆😉

[@elricmoorcock]

I have heard that the Bass player was a stand-in. The regular Bass player couldn't make the trip. If true, good work playing the song 1.5 times faster.

[@petervandervlies6427]

I think you're right. He (Bert Ruiter),was the bassist for EARTH AND FIRE, another world famous (in the Netherlands) dutch band. 😅

[@Kgio-2112]

Check out 1975 version from Denmark.

[@mickeymayfield4192]

Imagine you had to follow this performance

[@hardcorechristopher9174]

I enjoyed it

[@annebokma4637]

Your intro is hilarious knowing the album version and the live one 😂 dont react to the song just the visuals 😂😂😂 Shame you didnt do the way better uncut live version, it came out from the "midnight Special" channel itself. Retry?

[@dirangaming4880]

I’m so disappointed this is the short version of this performance. It’s still the same pace of course, but several bit were cut from this.

[@donaldinnewmexico]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@obud3777]

Focus wasn’t allowed to play the song in normal tempo, because in a US TV-show you’re only allowed a maximum of 4 minutes, so they just speeded up the song! 🤘

[@module79l28]

That's a myth, this is a cut version. The full song they played on the show was 6+ mins.

[@verydirtyflow]

Kinda feel the next review vids should be sneezing panda and Star wars kid!

[@geoffreyhughes1]

The tempo is the key to this version

[@geoffreyhughes1]

The drummer is also a genius

[@geoffreyhughes1]

The lore is: they producers wanted to cut time off the song. The guys said no, we will just go faster

[@norair1010]

TV said you got 5 min so they did double time .

[@cyberpotato63]

They had 4 min and didn't make it. This version is edited.

[@norair1010]

@@cyberpotato63 thanks for the info.

[@RedbadvanRijn-ft3vv]

Akkerman and the drummer did play before in the Brainbox. Should hear Down-man of them.