REACTION: Focus: Hocus Pocus (Hilarious) Ep:19

George has given me Hocus Pocus Live in 73 to react to... OMG Hilarious.
Best song EVA! Complete madness
#reaction #70srock #Dutchrock #hocuspocus #focus #Yoddeling #Stoneddutchdudes #thamesmen
Thijs van Leer - Vox, Flute, Organ
Jan Akkerman - Guitar (-god!)
Bert Ruiter - Bass
Pierre van der Linden - Drums
No copyright infringement intended, copyright belongs to this Artist and their associates. Used within the fair use clause for criticism and comment.

[@bucketheadistheman]

Jan Akkerman was voted best guitarist alive in 1973. You witnessed a very famous, world-class performance.

[@TheThamesmen]

I'm stupid... Igonre me

[@annebokma4637]

@@TheThamesmen at least now you're right 👍 🤣🤣

[@melissakhalar1842]

These guys are great musicians and this was also extremely entertaining. The guitarist is amazing, the drummer is spot on the bass is as well. The vocalist and keyboardist is special and unique. I love this performance.

[@TheThamesmen]

Couldn't agree more!

[@guido1111]

@@TheThamesmen do you know that the guitarist Jan Akkerman was considered to be one of the best guitar players of the world and was chosen to be the best guitar player in 1973 by readers of the famous magazine Melody Maker

[@TheThamesmen]

@@guido1111 that is quite a honor. He sure could play!

[@jaapblaauw3735]

This song got them in the US top 10 single charts back in the day.

[@TheThamesmen]

Its a great song and musicianship being top-shelf - I was just astounded by yodeling. Not sure I've ever heard YodelRock until then

[@stevemurrell6167]

They do not regret this song....it put them on the global map. Focus were one of THE most talented bands in their time.

[@TheThamesmen]

They absolutely have a great talent. George here, I love that song

[@michaelbastraw1493]

Due to Midnight Special time constraints, they had to play it much faster than the original studio recording for the first time. Best. Leo.

[@TheThamesmen]

Thanks Leo.... Be well!

[@michelelaraia7358]

From 3:15

[@39thala]

That guitar player's fingers, wow...fast! And that was pretty impressive that the guy yodeling actually modulated to another key!

[@L0wki]

every Musician is a Master in his art but Thijs tops it all with his vocals. This is realey one of the unique and best songs in an era of outstanding an unique Songs and Bands.

[@annebokma4637]

Little green bag, george baker selection.... Used by Quentin Tarantino... The follow up of that song is a full 180.

[@freddykhd]

Just one of the best band's in those day's, who were saying to take it all not too serious.

[@davidmandelstamm8725]

That comment about coming into Los Angeles cracked me up. Arlo Guthrie song, from the Woodstock album... late 1960's!

[@TheThamesmen]

Yep!!! Cheers Alex

[@georgeknox1822]

One of my fav life performances EVER

[@TheThamesmen]

It is insanely brilliant

[@ruudg3565]

A 1.1 from the dude on the right! The musicianship alone is worth an 9.

[@TheThamesmen]

I'm the dude on the right.... You're right. They are amazing. Yodeling has a strange effect when mixed with rock! You get focused on the Pocus and you lose the Hocus.... If I could go back in time I'd change it! Are there any other tracks you think we need to see?

[@ruudg3565]

@@TheThamesmen Hi dude on the right (you are Alex, I know) I’m not a fan of the yodeling either but it certainly made the song stand out. I believe Hocus Pocus was meant as sort of a joke (don’t know the whole story behind it) but it unexpectedly became a hit. The ‘1.1’ aside I liked the comments of you guys. At least you have some humor and, also recommendable, you have something to say (which certainly isn’t the case with some other reactors). There are some pretty good Dutch rock bands nowadays. Not well known internationaly but you could check out the Kensington&direct gig on ‘Vrienden van Amstel live’ in 2020. It’s an epic 16 minute performance before a 15000 strong crowd with covers (of course they have their own music too) of Nirvana, Oasis, Blur and Rage Against the Machine. And while I am at it: There is some amazing music made in Japan nowadays. If you like rock (I’m pretty sure you do) you should check out ‘Band Maid’. It’s a group of five girls dressed up as maids. Don’t be fooled, what you see is not what you get. They are very skilled musicians. They are one of the few bands that are live even better then on studio recordings. There are loads of videos on KZbin of them but some great ones are ‘Domination’ (the official live video), ‘Warning’ (official video), ‘Manners’ (official video), ‘Real existance’ (live) and the instrumental ‘Onset’ (official live video). Anyway, keep up the good work!

[@TheThamesmen]

Ruud... You are the dude. Many thanks (Alex here). I was joking on the 1.1 and in hindsight overlooked the amazing musicianship., don't take me too seriously. Many many thanks for the suggestions. I will go and check each one out! Also Japan eh. I will go and check those out as well. You seem to be a well of knowledge and you are right, I do love rock. I am very fond to a guitar solo. Hope all is well and thanks so much for passing this over. Take care Ruud and be well. Peace. Alex

[@montag4516]

The drummer was swingin' old school style on that kit.

[@stuckinaloop6637]

No he wasnt. Dont you ever say that about him. You should be ashamed of yourself!

[@stuckinaloop6637]

Much love

[@michelelaraia7358]

Jazzy style i red

[@pietkeizer5216]

Hey Thamesmen. Nice reaction. I was a fan of Focus since 1974, they were very popular in that time. Thijs van Leer, the flutist and keybordplayer is still playing in Focus. Then a request. Since two years I am a Huge fan of the Finnish symphonic metalband Nightwish. The female frontsinger Floor Jansen ( from Holland) is amazing, and the best singer of the world . Please react on Ghost Love Score live performance in Wacken 2013.

[@TheThamesmen]

Thanks for the info!

[@theglanconer6463]

One of the very few tracks of Dutch bands which made it into the top 10 of the American charts (the other ones were Golden Earring (Radar Love) and Shocking Blue (Venus)

[@TheThamesmen]

Know about Golden Earring but not the third band. Interesting. Thanks for sharing

[@ariedebruijn1189]

@@TheThamesmen You might know "Venus" from the cover of it made by Bananarama.

[@michelelaraia7358]

@@TheThamesmen I do

[@chanaplotke6218]

You, the guy in SF, don't like it? Well, to each their own. I think it is magnificent, brilliant! I give it a 10.

[@TheThamesmen]

We did love it and just thought it was so much fun. It does feel quite mad though!

[@felixchurchill9801]

Nice!

[@ramonazteca252]

i defy either one of these two hacks to duplicate any part of what these four men did. it was epic. homeric.

[@TheThamesmen]

You’re right. I can’t

[@Twitfilteron]

OMFG! You just gave me a terrible 70s flashback to memories of a record that was often played on 3XY, Melbourne, Australia. So much to take in. It was crazy and I didn’t even do drugs. The yodelling. But I have to give credit for the phenomenal vocal range of the lead singer/flautist/whistler. Herbie Mann and Roger Whittaker, move over!!! PS. I went to see the loudest rock band in the world, Slade, at Festival Hall, Melbourne and I left the concert with a massive migraine from the sheer noise which would almost make your ears bleed. And my chest wall was thumping from the sound waves created by speaker stacks. Focus would have to come close in terms of output.

[@TheThamesmen]

Sounds like good times if you still have your hearing! Thanks for the support

[@greendayzd6728]

AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! As a kid I couldn't change the radio station fast enough (and we only had 3)! Sometimes 2 stations at once were playing it 🤣. No, like, seriously 😒 it was like nails on a chalkboard 😱. To each, his own.✌🏻

[@TheThamesmen]

Truth

[@MrBonners]

In the 70s European Rock went in a different direction then N.American Rock. Sometimes called Alternate Rock. Germany and Netherlands were hot beds for it.

[@SteveOpstad]

Funny thing is, back in the 70s no one under the age of 30 was laughing, or thought this strange. It was just rock n roll.

[@TheThamesmen]

Good point. The pace of that version was crazy in any book!

[@Theodupreez]

Thijs van Leer is STILL performing at the age of 76. He is actually a classical trained flautist. He plays with Ayreon sometimes (another Dutch prog rock band. Here he appears at 5:38 on the song Amazing Flight (the guy with the overcoat). kzbin.info/www/bejne/qGasmqele72Wbac

[@TheThamesmen]

Cool - Will check that out

[@drazennikolic9727]

This is progresive rock....revolution of the Mind....😈🤘🎸

[@TheThamesmen]

Just astounding speed!

[@VerMaarte]

Guitarplayer was in those days proclaimed as the best of the world; Jan Akkerman. The keyboardplayer/flutist/vocalist comes from the classical world; Thijs van Leer

[@TheThamesmen]

No questions they had talent. Just think this version was pushed to its limits

[@VerMaarte]

@@TheThamesmen Yep, they were a bit annoyed that they weren't given the time. There's a version on the BBC that is also very fast but just not too fast. So it's better played. But this 'punk-version'always make me laugh. And the drummer, Pierre van der Linden is having fun with it

[@wjl2601]

Yes, Akkerman was on top of the world at the time and was recognised as the most innovative and interesting rockguitarist of his generation. Many times he was sloppy and messing around. But at his best he was sublime. After a few years he had quite enough of the limelight, the traveling and of course the yodeling of his mate Thijs van Leer. The funniest thing in this gig is when he lets his guitar 'laugh' at the end of the flute solo trying to distract to much yodeling Thijs.

[@TheThamesmen]

Great post and thanks for the information. Really interesting

[@intothemusic908]

Post-punk yodeling... LOL!

[@TheThamesmen]

@Into the music.... We have a lot to learn from you guys!!! Many thanks for the super kind support - Everyone here needs to check these guys channel out!!!

[@andreadee1567]

That was tough to listen to after Pink Floyd’s Echoes. I think I had a nervous breakdown. Maybe. I can’t remember.

[@TheThamesmen]

Yup that was a track!

[@steviesellers]

check out their apperance on TOGWT i enjoyed that also , vive le differance lol

[@TheThamesmen]

Just watched it again myself. Fantastic pace. Just crazy. Love it

[@lukagovorcin3610]

PLEASE I WANT YOU TO LISTEN SYLVIA SONG FROM THEM! UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT FROM THIS SONG,BUT I LIKE THIS SPECIALLY!!

[@TheThamesmen]

Noted Luka. Thanks for supporting us and visiting our little channel!!

[@ThirstyTunaTaco]

Dude on the right doesn't even mention the guitarist.. WELL... I quote: "In 1973 Akkerman was voted Best Guitarist in the World by readers of the UK magazine Melody Maker. With manufacturer Framus he helped produce one of the first signature guitar model" I mean.. When Paco de Lucia the king of flamenco loves to play with him and describes him as the GREATEST rock guitarist ever you must do SOMETHING good.. SO>>> UP YOURS MR ON THE RIGHT.. Gilmore never achieved that with his simple wining relatively easy to play guitar solo's.

[@TheThamesmen]

Good info and maybe we should check out more of his guitar work. On that track he had a rough start but hardly surprising considering the tempo they set off at!

[@wjl2601]

@@TheThamesmen Jan Akkerman was always very sloppy when doing these gigs. Many times he did it at purpose. He was fed up with that yodelstuf, didn't like the fuzz and stardom at all. He left the band for those reasons. But at his best he was awesome and recognised as a maestro: belonging to the top of the rock and roll scene and beyond at the time. He was the trendsetter with his superfast tapping/picking technique. The guys from the Who, the Stones, Clapton and etc attended the first shows in London just to see this Maestro Jan Akkerman live. He was making name in the sixties with the band 'the Hunters' followed by the very underrated band 'Brainbox', had major succes with 'Focus' in the seventies and ended up as a solo artist just doing his own thing in the Dutch margins.

[@martinaalderink7773]

@@TheThamesmen In The actual words of Brian May ( Yes from Queen ) about Jan Akkerman : "i tried.... and failed. " His words. You can find that on youtube.

[@SuperDutchjohn]

@@wjl2601 He started with Johnny and the Cellar Rockers fyi!!

[@straymusictracksfromdavoro6510]

Yes, it seems quite unfortunate that so many people have a very “Gilmourcentric” view of guitar playing. I find Gilmour's playing fantastic, full of feel and emotion but that doesn’t mean every time I hear a guitarist I have to compare them or their playing to Gilmour live. There are and have been many, many incredible guitar players over the years, Clapton, Santana, Jeff Beck, Kim Symonds, Robin Trower, Robben Ford, Ronnie Earl, Alvin Lee, Joe Satriani, Arsen Shomakhov, Arlen Roth, Duke Robbilard, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Roy Buchanan, Buddy Guy, Dave Alvin……and on and on and on, (with too many to name and many fairly obscure), and Jan Akkerman is definitely one of them. If you reacted to Gilmour live and made the comment that well the other day I saw Jeff Beck or whoever live and you know somehow that depreciates Gilmour’s playing now in my eyes that would be just as unfair as holding up Gilmour as somehow an example of unchallenged excellence to which everyone must be compared every time you see another guitarist no matter what their style. Once Jan Akkerman got going in the video which was flat out mad and brilliant at the same time, his playing was three things, accurate, precise and extraordinarily fast, who cares if it doesn’t fit the Gilmour mould?

[@VerMaarte]

They are still touring. Without Jan Akkerman; but he's also still playing.

[@TheThamesmen]

Wow, how cool. Great how some bands can keep it going.

[@sandyhickey8236]

He has a full set of teeth, it was the way he was holding his lips over them to do that whistle

[@TheThamesmen]

Brilliant!

[@ajc.1012]

The guitar player was okay? He was voted the best guitar player of the world in 1973.

[@TheThamesmen]

Noted!!

[@abihagar]

The song is originally 6.40 long but they squeezed it into 4 minutes😀😀. You should listen to the original, it's so much better. Super band from the 70's

[@TheThamesmen]

It is exhausting! Amazing how they sped it up😀

[@Raysboss302]

Still no Earring reaction guys

[@TheThamesmen]

George here, I am completely up for Golden Earring as really like them. Alex needs persuading so which track would you think best for that?

[@mcasualjacques]

it's the one foolish track on that record, try the rest of the album you will be pleased

[@richardlonnberg7938]

It's of course a matter of taste if you like this or not but you should at least notice that the singer covers over 3 octaves in the second yodeling part..

[@TheThamesmen]

Hi Richard. Alex here, I was being flippant. These guys are amazing all round!!

[@danielv9459]

Jan akkerman voted world's greatest guitarist at one point but he's not good. Brian may rates him as one of the best of all time but he's not that good 🙄 ok then.

[@HelgeKS]

Dude on the right comes across as staggeringly ignorant.

[@TheThamesmen]

Yodeling can be like that.