FIRST TIME Hearing Focus - Hocus Pocus (Live 1973) || What Did I Just Watch?!

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Ай бұрын

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For the first time ever on the channel, we are checking out the band Focus with their live performance of "Hocus Pocus" in 1973. The band was incredibly talented but what really caught my attention was that lead singer! He was off the chain but so fun to watch! One minute he was playing the flute and the next minute he was hitting a whistling solo! Definitely a wild ride! Hope you enjoy! #reaction #focus #70smusic #progrock #liveperformance #musicreactions
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Пікірлер: 95

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

*To receive PRIORITY Requests for future videos, head on over to our Patreon or Buy Me a Coffee. Never expected, but always appreciated.❤Links in Description!* This band was on fire and the lead singer was off the chain!!! What a fun video!

@Knight81917 Ай бұрын

@retroreactions.... bravo for your reaction and your curiosity. They often only get attention for one Hocus Pocus song and people stop at that without knowing the hidden gems. I encourage you to continue your discovery of this fantastic group which is one of the groups, if not the most versatile group that I know. Try the moving wave album which is different and the Focus 3 album which is even more different. There is a sublime version of Strasbourg Cathedral live from this group. Good luck and good listening.🙏

@Knight81917 Ай бұрын

There is also the hamburger concerto album and many other examples. 😀

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

@@Knight81917 Appreciate it! I definitely have to check out more from them! Crazy talent!

@Knight81917 27 күн бұрын

🙏🙏@@setonhillstudios

@giuseppegiacomoscialdone4969 13 күн бұрын

These guys, what a performance everytime I listen to.

@brucefelger4015 Ай бұрын

The only standing ovation on the Midnight Special ever.

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

Oh wow! They brought the house down! 😎

@johnwarner6858 Ай бұрын

Were told they only had a certain amount of time to perform. They sped the song up to fit the time slot.

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

I liked the tempo they were sitting at! Definitely brought that energy! Have a great one! 🔥

@umarae27 Ай бұрын

That was genuine frantic

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

@@umarae27 🤣😂 💯

@johnwarner6858 Ай бұрын

@@umarae27 The Japanese band Thee Michelle Gun Elephant Has a Fast song like this. I think it is baby please go home. They go all out when they play get covered in sweat by the end of their first song and keep it up for the whole concert. TMGE

@rubykrebs9550 Ай бұрын

Jan Akkerman was my favorite guitarist growing up. I had the Moving Waves album when it came out in 1971. That album featured the song Hocus Pocus. The second side of the album was one song, Eruption, and I would fall asleep to it.

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

Appreciate the info! I definitely have to go down the rabbit hole and hear more from them!

@ronk2577 Ай бұрын

I was wondering who the guitarist was.Hes awesome

@voiceover2191 28 күн бұрын

Music Maker magazine called Akkerman in those days the best guitar player on the planet and there were some big name guitar players that agreed with that.

@geraldherrmann787 27 күн бұрын

Isn´t it crazy that the greatest guitarists of that time (Akkerman, Kath, Gallagher) - who inspired just about everyone else - aren´t really mentioned in today´s Greatest Guitarists Lists?

@stevebinning977 22 күн бұрын

Good though it is Hocus Pocus is basically a novelty track. To appreciate the band fully you should listen to some of their longer tracks such as Eruption, Anonymous 2 or Hamburger Concerto, all of which are prog masterpieces.

@ulisserossin1770 Ай бұрын

This is a short version; in the midnight special KZfaq channel there is the complete version with two other parts of the track, even more astonishing!

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

Oh wow! Definitely need to check that out! Thanks for the info!

@reallymysterious4520 Ай бұрын

Imagine this being your opening act and you had to follow this ...

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

You wouldn’t stand a chance! 🤣 You just gotta pack up and go home!

@arjanhurkmans9190 Ай бұрын

during this time they opened for Frank Zappa and Yes. That must have been wild...

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

@@arjanhurkmans9190 Shewee! I bet that was EPIC!

@marniethedyslexic6445 9 күн бұрын

This song is so much fun. It always gives me a smile and a giggle. So much talent in the strangest way possible.❤️✌️🌼

@setonhillstudios 9 күн бұрын

Well put! Such a great performance that had me rolling! 🤣

@marniethedyslexic6445 9 күн бұрын

@@setonhillstudios love watching you you know talent when you see it. You also understand that music is just for fun sometimes. it’s a lot of fun for someone to watch someone see or listen to something that they’ve known for years for the first time. you’re doing a great job and very entertaining.❤️✌️🌼

@setonhillstudios 9 күн бұрын

@@marniethedyslexic6445 That made my day! Really appreciate those kind words and we get to do this because of people like you so thank you! 🙏🏻 😁

@marniethedyslexic6445 9 күн бұрын

@@setonhillstudios you’re welcome😉 keep doing what you do you’re good at it❤️✌️👼

@umarae27 Ай бұрын

Such spunk! Instead of editing out to shorten for the time slot, they sped it up & ended with a few seconds to spare. ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

Let’s goooooo! They were rolling! 🔥

@loisr3970 Ай бұрын

Ohh my lord Momma here!! Love it the party song, it alwaus had to come out at some point!

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

Haha! 🤣 It was definitely jamming! 🎉

@tskend8502 Ай бұрын

Organized Chaos. Super talented

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

Great way of putting it! Was such a fun performance to watch! Thanks for hanging out!

@user-eg2zo4kz6w Ай бұрын

This was a huge hit for them in the 70!s! You’re right crazy talented! You should do the studio version the extended version! When you listen to that, you’ll understand this performance a little more and there is some great drumming on the studio version also

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

Awesome, I’ll have to check that out! That drummer was a beast as well as the entire band! That singer was wild with it though! 😂 They are all crazy talented!

@erickvermeulen9734 Ай бұрын

@@setonhillstudios The keyboard player/flutist Thijs van Leer and drummer Pierre van der Linden still perform as Focus. Thijs van Leer also played flute at live Ayreon concerts five years ago (Electric Castle Live and Other Tales, 2019/2020) in songs like Amazing Flight and Valley of the Queens.

@snakeinthegrass7443 Ай бұрын

This was wild. I know this song bc it still gets play on the classic rock channels and I've been hearing it for decades. But I'm a little too young to catch any of the Midnight Specials so I never saw this until a few years ago, watching reactions. I was a little prepared bc I knew the song, but the way they sped things up and still kept time with each other was incredible - especially if the story being told about time constraints is true. That means this was the first and maybe only time they played it this way! You gotta hear the studio version to really appreciate what they just did there, and why this was and is a very popular song. Your reactions were wild 🤣🤣 I love seeing people watch this for the first time when they have no idea what's coming. It's like a freight train coming right at you. Talent overload! 🤘🤘

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

Haha 🤣😂 No doubt about it! I wasn’t ready in the least bit. Definitely a fun one to check out and you’re right, the talent is undeniable! 🤘🏻

@robindavis5065 9 күн бұрын

Only standing O ever on Midnight special up til this group

@setonhillstudios 9 күн бұрын

Let’s gooooo! Well deserved!

@markk.4941 Ай бұрын

You should listen to the 8 minute album version. I think it would be a fun tune for you to cover on the drums.

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

Appreciate the suggestion! Definitely have to check that out! Would be a tough one to cover for sure! The drummer has great chops and is a beast! Would be a blast though!

@tommytbone9778 14 күн бұрын

As you`ve come to find out Hocus Pocus was quite unusual in 73 for any area of America that didn`t have polka bands around but I lived in Cleveland, worked in a German sausage factory so me & the U boat captain Hans went down to see the band & frickin Hans got them to have a pint or two after the gig as in those days opening acts stuck around to watch the rest of the show.. just found your site as Utube ai is like yahoo`s a Ahole rabbithole... SO keep on rockin and giddyup Seton Hill

@setonhillstudios 14 күн бұрын

That might be the most legendary story I’ve ever heard! Yeah, KZfaq is the wild West! Glad you found us and thanks for hanging out! 😁

@hoovgroov1571 Ай бұрын

Check out the Bluegrass version of this song it's very entertaining and funny by the Cleverlys you won't regret it!

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

Thanks so much! Definitely have to check that out! Have a great one!

@erickvermeulen9734 Ай бұрын

Focus was very popular early seventies, and guitarist Jan Akkerman was pronounced by readers of a popular British music tabloid as best guitarist. Keyboard player/flutist Thijs van Leer also made several albums in the seventies with an orchestra, performing classical music (Bach and Fauré, for instance) and Focus compositions.

@theglanconer6463 Ай бұрын

So many great Dutch bands in the 1970s and Focus was one of the best. Every Dutchie who tried to master the electric guitar listened to mr. Akkerman (and then put the guitar down :)

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

Thanks for the info! He was definitely a beast! The whole band was crazy talented! 🤘🏻

@Djehutymose Ай бұрын

I prefer the one at normal speed personally.

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

I gotta check out the other version. This one was a blast though! Appreciate you hanging out and have a great day!

@josephmilitello647 27 күн бұрын

Check out live performance of Frankenstein by Edgar Winter Group. It's the only thing that comes close to this wildness. Santana's Soul Sacrifice at Woodstock maybe.

@setonhillstudios 27 күн бұрын

Awesome! Thanks for the suggestions! I loved this performance! So unique and the players were killing it! 🤘🏻🔥

@keithmoore7988 Ай бұрын

The original version is 6 minutes 42 seconds long. The producers wanted Focus to cut a couple of verses out to fit the time limit. Focus said we're not doing that and sped up the song to double time turning a 6 1/2 minute song into 3 minutes.

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

Haha 🤣 Let’s goooooo! That’s straight rock and roll right there!

@BigMacIain Ай бұрын

You just watched Focus being given four minutes to play a seven minute song and rising to the challenge. Have a listen to the actual song to get an appreciation of how good it really is.

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

Oh wow, I’ll have to check it out!

@ronk2577 Ай бұрын

I remembered the song but never saw them,that was fun.

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

I know right! Definitely a fun tune with great musicians! 🔥

@pmR32red Ай бұрын

👍

@hassenfuttingah2744 23 күн бұрын

Pierre van der Linden stretched the song's meters ,perhaps a la Tony Williams '; that jazz drumming education paid off well.

@setonhillstudios 23 күн бұрын

Such phenomenal musicians! This was straight 🔥

@xyloplax 26 күн бұрын

I have heard in 1973 that Jan Akkerman was probably the best guitarist in the world.

@setonhillstudios 26 күн бұрын

An incredible player! Can’t wait to hear more from him and the whole band! Thanks for watching!

@voiceover2191 28 күн бұрын

The facial twitches of Thijs van Leer at the beginning are to flex his face muscles for reasons that will be clear soon enough during the song. Though I'm sure they all liked to partake in the occasional drug use, they were quite sober that night. If you listen closely, when he plays the flute he sings at the same time, that is not a trivial feat.

@Ozarkprepper643 12 күн бұрын

There's another outrageous song at about the same time, it is Frankenstein By the Edgar Winter Group. And you're now warned. 🚜🤠🐂

@setonhillstudios 12 күн бұрын

I’ll have to check it out!

@dolfvink7416 Ай бұрын

Guitarist Jan Akkerman once was chosen by the readers of "Melody Maker" as best guitarist in the world. Eric Clapton that year was second and Jimmy Page and Carlos Santana third and fourth. Keyboardist (and jodeling fluitist) Thijs Van Leer explained how the song arised. After rehersals, they started jamming and Jan Akkerman started with that riff, the drummer and bassplayer started to add their things and then Thijs took the space he got. It was a joke he said, but what a joke. Thijs explains it himself in this vid. It is in dutch, but has English subtitles. kzfaq.info/get/bejne/pKqAn9qZ1tXbeH0.html

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

Wow that’s crazy!

@geraldherrmann787 27 күн бұрын

Here´s the real-length Midnight Special-version: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/fd-ohtmLtMjdZWg.html

@setonhillstudios 27 күн бұрын

Thanks so much! Definitely have to check that out!

@reallymysterious4520 Ай бұрын

I used to think that Geddy Lee was the most talented front man in rock music but he just fell to 2nd ...

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

This dude was wild! 🤘🏻 So much fun and who knows how many instruments he can play! I wasn’t ready!!! 😆

@user-fz7sq3vu2f 11 күн бұрын

Wake up Call for sure

@setonhillstudios 11 күн бұрын

🤘🏻

@StatsJedi Ай бұрын

Want to see them do the same song LIVE in 2021? kzfaq.info/get/bejne/eZuUl6aFl6zWdH0.htmlsi=KJwTKG2cLLFYxJth

@rogerplourde1151 Ай бұрын

genius on good drugs lol

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

🤣😂🤣

@roberteatwell6827 Ай бұрын

Sadly, musical genius reduced to parody due to time constraints. Just read the comments.

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

Will do! Appreciate the insight and you swinging by the channel!

@ronk2577 Ай бұрын

Meths a hell of a drug 😅

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

😂🤣 Yeah not quite sure what was going on but that’s a great assumption!

@BostonBrian324 Ай бұрын

The drummer quit after this performance

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

Probably wore him out! 😂🤣

@rebtolentino4343 Ай бұрын

Now STUPID AUTO-TUNE... NO MORE TALENTED PURE ARTIST BAND

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

Facts! Everyone sadly does sound the same now! 🤦🏻‍♂️

@GrandmasGotGraceLW Ай бұрын

@@setonhillstudios Hey! Not everyone!

@setonhillstudios Ай бұрын

@@GrandmasGotGraceLW Fair enough! I stand corrected! If the record labels had their way but a lot of the independent artists still have creative control 😄

@GrandmasGotGraceLW Ай бұрын

@@setonhillstudios Yes...and there are being more and more independent artists (some in music & some in other categories). This is one reason that Dan Vasc does interviews with people like Eric July with YoungRippa59 -- like the following one from a couple of months back, now... Metal & Independence w/ @DanVasc | For Canon Sake Ep: 458 kzfaq.infoayo2PMMdHtk?si=OwNx4dXnR98pKtuV