Dick Seacup Posted February 6, 2008 Posted February 6, 2008 As soon as you said yodeling, I knew it was going to be Focus! Was that a young Oprah introducing them?
cosmikdebriis Posted February 6, 2008 Posted February 6, 2008 Not sure about the Oprah thing... Fine guitarist though, keeps his coat on throughout the entire performance 8) then, when it's all over, calmly unplugs his guitar an F***s off. 8) 8) 8) They're still going, minus Yan Akkerman unfortunately. They played a local pub not so long ago but I had to miss it as I was working :'(
yoslate Posted February 6, 2008 Posted February 6, 2008 Not sure about the Oprah thing...Fine guitarist though, keeps his coat on throughout the entire performance 8) then, when it's all over, calmly unplugs his guitar an F***s off. 8) 8) 8) They're still going, minus Yan Akkerman unfortunately. They played a local pub not so long ago but I had to miss it as I was working :'( I'm only getting half the story here; I have dial up at home, so I can't download youtube stuff...won't live that long, and it's blocked here at work. But is Jan Akkerman the topic of conversation? A few weeks ago there was a thread about jazz players, and I held Akkerman up as an example of obscure greatness. No, not for the Focus material, but rather his solo work. I stumbled on a disc Jan Akkerman - Live, on Atlantic records, many years ago. Still one of my fave discs. It was recorded at The Montreaux Jazz Festival. I also have some of his classical and lute material on record...masterful. On the Montreaux disc he'd dumped the black LP and was playing a Gretsch; the pic is all "arty" and I can't tell what model, but his tone is marvelous. Major Player!!! 8)
cosmikdebriis Posted February 6, 2008 Posted February 6, 2008 Such a pity you can't view the video. It's a real classic. Some amazing playing from Jan and an almost unbelievable performance by Mr Leer. Think of the album version at 33rpm and imagine playing it at 45rpm ;D Thanks for the heads up on his other stuff. I will give it a listen. As a footnote, and to keep this thread a little guitar based, (though perhaps a bit early for a Heritage)!!! In this clip I believe he's playing a Framus. They've since produced a signature model to cash in on the signature model bandwagon. What with Fender and G****n amongst others producing Signature models, I'm amazed the kids know what to buy anymore.
jacques Posted February 10, 2008 Posted February 10, 2008 As far as the George baker Selection AND Focus are concerned, I was there when they happened, being a Dutchman. (Which does not imply that any of their respective light would shine on me.. ) To my friends and me The George Baker Selection was a big fraud. We never understood what that guy with the Les Paul was doing there and hated the whole situation of horrible commercial stuff on expensive gear we could never afford. The song Una Paloma Blanca puts Little green bag in the right perspective: utter bullshit! I firmly believe Quentin Tarantino chose the song in the same ironic vein as the whole movie was conceived. Jan Akkerman and Focus were a great band - for a short period. The two main band members, Jan Akkerman and Thijs van Leer were just too different. Akkerman was working class and Van Leer a classically trained child of well-to-do parents. Which of the two backgrounds is the better is for you guys to decide, but Jan Akkerman is still playing credible music and is a well respected member of the Dutch and -for some countries, like Germany- international music scene. Thijs van Leer is still 'milking' (as we Dutch call this) the Focus concept. Maybe it was a good thing our Cosmic friend missed them when they played in England. The only positive thing is guitarist Niels van der Steenhoven who owns a Heritage H150 (but never seems to play it on any footage I can find - why are Heritages NEVER played live by all these pros?) but looking at recent pictures of Van Leer says enough imo. Akkerman does know the Heritage - I've seen him play one of their jazz boxes on a picture. But he also is never seen with one. He is mainly a Gibson man and also tries out custom made models from Dutch luthiers every once in a while.
cosmikdebriis Posted February 10, 2008 Posted February 10, 2008 The George Baker Selection was a big fraud. We never understood what that guy with the Les Paul was doing there and hated the whole situation of horrible commercial stuff on expensive gear we could never afford. Thijs van Leer is still 'milking' (as we Dutch call this) the Focus concept. Well. I thought this thread was dead... Or at least would have been "Mooved" by now as, for some time now, it's had nothing to do with Chinese Heritage copies. (Well, perhaps very tenuously occasionally) ;D I'm afraid the world is full of bands playing horrible music on instruments I can't afford. Only saving grace is that If I could afford them, and you were forced to listen to me play, then I'd be the subject of your vitriol !!! As for "Milking it", or as I like to call it the "Unigate tour" (For anyone that's not a clue what I'm on about, Unigate are a milk distributor on England. We have, or more rightly used to have, Milkmen with Milk Floats who delivered milk to your doorstep). This inspired the equally dreadful song "Ernie" by, and you Americans will have heard of this guy, Benny Hill. Some of you may have noticed my earlier misspelling of Moved as MOOved. That was in homage to Ernie (The fastest milkman in the west). She said she'd like to bathe in milk He said alright sweetheart And when he finished work one night He loaded up the cart He said you wanted pasturised Coz pasturised is best She says Ernie I'll be happy If it comes up to me chest Anyway, I digress... Milking it... 50% of the bands on tour nowadays are "Milking it" I work in the business and I see them all the time. "The Four Tops".... Make that One top and three impostors ;D "We're only in it for the money" Fz. Anyone else want to waffle some rubbish here, or is this thread dead :'(
SouthpawGuy Posted February 10, 2008 Posted February 10, 2008 Anyone else want to waffle some rubbish here, or is this thread dead Feel free to continue, you're making a perfectly good solo effort ;D
Dick Seacup Posted February 10, 2008 Posted February 10, 2008 Benny Hill is/was hilarious. Very funny stuff. George Sunday has nothing on Benny Hill.
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