*IMAGES:
The Focus Image Bank is a complete image database, since the early years
till nowadays
(And Roskilde, Night of the Guitars, Songbook photos, etc.)
Texel are back with their new album “Metropolitan”.
The music cooperative formed and fronted by
Danish Keyboard player Steffen Staugaard and UK Guitarist Neil
Gowland have invited a variety of great musicians to play on
this release.
“Metropolitan” also features special guests;
former Focus guitarist Niels van der Steenhoven, world renowned
drummer Marco Minnemann and Tigermoth Tales Peter Jones on
vocals.
Metropolitan is composed of 10 brand new
instrumental tracks and 1 vocal song.
FOCUS - HOCUS-POCUS
The Life & Journey Of Music's Dutch Masters
by Peet Johnson
The first fully comprehensive chronological and biographical
record of the innovative and hugely influential group, Focus -
from its infancy in 1969 right through to the present day.
Compiled from more than 180 exclusive interviews with past and
present band members and associates.
This 340 page book documents the dramatic roller-coaster ride
from early struggles, meteoric global success, hits, misses,
break-ups, tragedies, bitter law suits and eventual
resurrection.
Also includes 20 pages of - many never before published -
photographs.
FROM BOURNEMOUTH TO BEVERLY HILLS: TALES OF A TUB-THUMPER by Colin Allen
Why did I write my
memoirs?
It’s an idea I had toyed with over the last several years -
people would sometimes say, “You’ve lived a pretty interesting
life and you've made old bones - you should write a book". Also
after almost fifty years of lyric writing and other
compositional chores related to the music business,
I thought it was something I might be able to pull off and at
the same time, find some enjoyment in the process. I finally
started to pound the QWERTY shortly after my daughter remarked,
"Yeah Papps, you should write a book - I want to know what you
got up to".
So….. eighty years that followed my birth just prior to WWII,
growing up during the "ration book" era in a southern seaside
resort,
then an apprenticeship in the aircraft industry during which
time I discovered a love for jazz and consequently, a passionate
interest in the art of playing the drums, as well as - like most
men - being partial to the company of the fairer sex. I
travelled the world, lived in three different countries, finally
settling in Stockholm and can honestly say, I had a job I really
enjoyed - perhaps that is the much sought after, "Secret of
Life".
Images and Information on this Site was kindly sent by Tim Baugh, Steffen Staugaard, Peet
Johnson, Chuck Cobb, Tom Watson, Pat Towey, Nico van der Linden,
Irene Heinicke and many others.
The Focus Tribute Homepage will always be grateful to them.
Conceived and produced by Rodrigo Mantovani.
