The new "Focus 2000" - article from a Dutch newspaper
The new "Focus 2000" - article from a Dutch newspaper
06 / mar / 99
OUT NOW CD IN CONTINUATION TO "INTROSPECTION"
THIJS PLAYS THE FLUTE MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN EVER
THIJS VAN LEER went back to the source of all his successes, with INTROSPECTION amongst others, his flute.
In the last few days a beautiful cd was released: THIJS VAN LEER, THE GLORIOUS ALBUM. It is more or less a continuation of his INTROSPECTION SERIES, which he recorded between 1972 and 1992. Thijs: "Of the first Introspection album millions of copies were sold all over the world. It is also the only record that stayed in the hitparade in The Netherlands for 132 weeks." With that fact Thijs van Leer beat the Beatles and any other Dutch record idol. This time the pianist and record producer JAN MULDER knew how to persuade Thijs to make a continuation to Introspection. Jan: "I admire Thijs for years, just like Rogier van Otterloo who died 11 years ago this year.
I just thought that Thijs' talents deserved a well produced cd and that's what The Glorious Album has become."
It is an expensive production. Jan enlisted the musicians of the New Symphony orchestra. At this moment already there is a great interest from Germany where the cd will be released by Philips Classic. THIJS VAN LEER: "It has become a beautiful cd on which I'm really at my best." Thijs van Leer is also looking forward to the definitive return of his successful formation FOCUS. In the past several attempts were made to let the band revive. Just last year this failed again. Thijs: "The reason was that I came into conflict with bassist Bert Ruiter a former member of FOCUS. We had been rehearsing for a long time, enough materials had been made. When the moment of recording a cd had come Bert thought that we were not ready yet. I disagreed with him. That's why the tour that we were going to do and also the recording of the cd never took place."
For a moment it seemed that Focus would always remain a name from the past, but this weekend Thijs is able to announce another Focus revival, but with a different line-up. Besides Thijs who will play keyboard and flute, FOCUS 2000 will be formed by BOBBY JACOBS, MENNO GOOTJES, HANS CLEUVER and MIKE DEL FERRO. "We will bring new songs, but also old successes", Thijs said.
Note from Irene: Bobby Jacobs is Thijs' stepson. Mike del Ferro is a (jazz) pianist. This article was published in last Monday's "Telegraaf".
Article kindly translated and sent by Irene Heinicke - march, 06, 1999
Electronic Mail
Date: Sunday, 10 / May / 1998
From: IN:showbiz@wxs.nl
To: Motherfocus
Topic: Focus
Dear Rodrigo, Thank you for your beautiful Focus Web site. As you know by now,
Focus will start a new tour during winter 1998 starting in the Netherlands and
having their opening night on october 3, at the Amsterdam RAI Congresscenter.
As Focus was very popular during their glorious years in the past in South America,
we are looking for booking agents in South America who are able to start up a tour
in teh U.S and South America. Do you have any suggestions for reliable management
companies overthere or can you be our intermediate for giving us names. Maybe you
can let me know via e-mail your suggestions.
Thank you in advance.
Showbiz Events Maurice Hermans, management Focus.
Electronic Mail
Date: Thursday, 02 / April / 1998
From: IN:showbiz@wxs.nl
To: Motherfocus
Topic: FOCUS
To all Focus Fans all over the world. Hi. everybody. I am very happy to inform
all of you fans, that on monday evening 17.30 hrs at the Holland Experience Theater
in Amsterdam, Jodenbreestraat 6-8, we will celebrate the first Press presentation
of the NEW FOCUS THEATER TOUR 1998. Exclusive contracts were signed with Thijs van Leer,
Hans Cleuver, Bert Ruiter and Menno Gootjes to start a theater tour beginning
september 1998 and ending august 1999. The management of Focus for this tour
and other concert bookings will be done by: SHOWBIZ EVENTS,P.O.BOX 816, 12OO AV HILVERSUM
(THE NETHERLANDS) E-MAIL SHOWBIZ@WXS.NL. A new start, with a new sound and a new face.
Please do contact the management with your questions or tour info.
In the meantime we say 'hello' to al friends of Focus. signed: Thijs, Menno, Bert, Hans
manager: Maurice Hermans
Christmas' concert, Leeuwarden (Netherlands), december 1997
17 / jan / 98
To my knowledge nothing of Focus as a group was released last year here. If anything comes out I will let you know as soon as possible, of course. With this e-mail I attach a photo of the great Christmasconcert in Leeuwarden that I told you about. It's in jpg format as you can see. I hope you will be able to locate Focus' new guitarist Menno Gootjes on the left (with the guitar) en right of the center you see Thijs (with his flute). The picture is from a companynewspaper, so it is hard to get a sharp view.
Irene Heinicke (Netherlands)
06 / jan / 98
In December last year I went to A Christmas concert in Leeuwarden in which Thijs participated. He played on the 300 year old curchorgan and played some tunes of Bach and Haendel on flute it was beautiful! He also introduced the new Focus guitarplayer Menno Gootjes, he played a new song called Focus VII, accompanied by Thijs on piano, that was really magnificent! Later Thijs played the flute again and Menno accompanied him on the piano in Rondo (from Introspection I) and a Mozart flute concerto. They also participated in songs from other artists. I enjoyed it very much! Bye the way in the new Focus are also Hans Cleuver on drums and Bert Ruiter on baseguitar. They are at the moment working on a new album, I have heard.
Irene Heinicke
20 / July / 97
Hello, Here is a reaction on your homepage because I have some great news about Focus. Maybe you've heard the rumours about Focus getting back together. I can confirm that's 100% true and therefore I sent you this e-mail with hot information about their first performance. The fact is that after Thijs van Leer announced the great news two months ago on Dutch television, we made contact to ask him if he was interested in helding the first official performance of Focus in the residence where Thijs lives at the moment, Mill (The Netherlands). You can find Mill on the map about 25 kilometers south to Nijmegen. And for about two weeks we know it for sure, on Saturday the 30th of august 1997, Focus will perform after many, many years for the first time since so it will be the first performance worldwide (and it will not be a try-out!!!) I think that this information is interesting enough to place it on your homepage. If we have any further information I will send it to you by e-mail and I've also made a simple homepage in Dutch, which you can find at: worldonline . It contains information about their first performance and other performances of bands in that weekend. For questions and suggestions you can always mail me.
"FOCUS IS BACK" Adri Damen, member of the organisation - July/20/97
P.s.1: there will be a release of a new c.d. coming soon, Thijs confirmed us P.S.2: I hope this e-mail contains not too much grammatical mistakes because it's been a very long time ago I've done something in the English language
08 / July / 97
Hi Rodrigo I like your web site. I met Jan Akkerman in London a couple of weeks ago where he was performing at a music show. He has just released a double live CD on the Patio Label called '10,000 clowns on a rainy day' which is a must for all Focus fans. His band includes bass and drums plus a guy on a Hammond organ and he plays Eruption, Focus 2, Focus 3, No Hangups, Sylvia, Hocus Pocus and Focus IV. The playing throughout is excellent. If you have problems getting a copy then let me know. Apparently Thijs van Leer's new version of Focus are touring in Holland later this year. You should also check out a Thijs van Leer album called Pedal Point which features re-worked Focus tunes and the Van Leer Band. Keep up the good work.
Tim Baugh - July/08/97