Hocus Pocus

The Golden Boy · #1 04-18-2005, 11:26 AM

I was over at a friend's house on Saturday, and he showed me a couple of video files that he had saved on his PC. One was a gloriously tacky video for the song "Apache" by some 70's band.

The other thing that commanded my attention was jawdroppingly amazing was a live performance of "Hocus Pocus" by Focus. It was from some early 70's show with Gladys Knight introducing them. Has anyone ever seen them or seen any footage of them? The keyboard/flutist/yodeler guy is a cross between Bobcat Goldthwait and Andrew W.K. (looked like Bobcat, facial expressions like Andrew W.K.) The rest of the band is a bunch of 70's lookin' guys, but it was a stunning performance for sure. At the end the audience was standing up and applauding.

**Thor** · #2 04-18-2005, 11:40 AM

Yeah, that was a killer cut!

DigMe · #3 04-18-2005, 12:19 PM

They have some decent stuff. I had a couple of their records before I sold my record collection.

brad cook

**Thor** · #4 04-18-2005, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DigMe

They have some decent stuff. I had a couple of their records before I sold my record collection.
brad cook

-11

Tell me there was no female involved there somehow ...

I'm never selling mine, ever! I am gonna have a Viking
funeral and the records are gonna burn with my basses
and the rest of the stuff I will need in Valhalla.

DaveDeVille · #5 04-18-2005, 01:37 PM

i saw them back in the '70's ...

R.E.O. Speedwagon was the opening band , followed by
The James Gang { Joe Walsh } , followed by Focus .

outstanding music really , too bad i never bought any of
their albums ...

chimp · #6 04-18-2005, 02:00 PM

Listening to it right now. Even though im a jazz listener myself i always have a spot for 70's rock. love the yoodling(sp?)

**Thor** · #7 04-18-2005, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by david meissner

i saw them back in the '70's ...

R.E.O. Speedwagon was the opening band , followed by
The James Gang { Joe Walsh } , followed by Focus .

outstanding music really , too bad i never bought any of
their albums ...

Interesting lineup.

I am still suffering tinnitus from my last James Gang show.

The Golden Boy · #8 04-18-2005, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thor

Interesting lineup.

I am still suffering tinnitus from my last James Gang show.

...30 years ago...

**Thor** · #9 04-18-2005, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Golden Boy

...30 years ago...

Try 35 ...

DigMe · #10 04-18-2005, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thor

-11

Tell me there was no female involved there somehow ...

Aw HELL naw!

I've never been a stickler for vinyl or a serious collector or anything. I just used to buy records casually because you could get obscure stuff for cheap. I haven't had a record player for several years though and I just decided to get rid of them. I only had about 90. I've got tons of CDs anyway.

brad cook

JimK · #11 04-18-2005, 03:38 PM

I recall seeing Focus on one of those old In Concert shows...they came on at 11:30 Friday nights; I used to go to bed early & hadda set my alarm. Anyway, Focus ROCKED! IIRC, the album with "Hocus Pocus" had 2 different covers...when they got pseudo-popular, a different cover appeared.

I really wish the powers-to-be would issue those In Concert shows into a DVD set. I would love to relive those times with The Allman Brothers, Stevie Wonder, Doobies, Curtis Mayfield, Seals & Crofts, Steve Miller, Jethro Tull, etc.
The Alice Cooper show? My area pulled the plug...I do recall sitting there thinking "*** happened"? I think our local affiliate turned the switch bak on to catch Shawn Phillips. Oh, boy.

I saw The James Gang(w/ Tommy Bolin) back in '75; they opened for the Edgar Winter Group w/ Rick Derringer. On the James Gang's 1st number("Ride The Wind"? from Bang), some hot, hot, ultra-hot blonde in a white Summer dress climbed onto the stage & kissed Roy Kenner for the entire tune.
Killer show...my 1st real concert.

**Thor** · #12 04-18-2005, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DigMe

Aw HELL naw!

I've never been a stickler for vinyl or a serious collector or anything. I just used to buy records casually because you could get obscure stuff for cheap. I haven't had a record player for several years though and I just decided to get rid of them. I only had about 90. I've got tons of CDs anyway.

brad cook

Cool
+11 then.

I use the 300+ I have when I want to mine obscure covers
to work out. At least half the stuff has not been reissued
to my knowledge.

I knew one guy whose wife got rid of all his albums.
I don't think they are married anymore.

( No, not Tim Cole ...

)

Bob Lee (QSC) · #13 04-18-2005, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimK

I recall seeing Focus on one of those old In Concert shows...they came on at 11:30 Friday nights; I used to go to bed early & hadda set my alarm. Anyway, Focus ROCKED! IIRC, the album with "Hocus Pocus" had 2 different covers...when they got pseudo-popular, a different cover appeared.

I really wish the powers-to-be would issue those In Concert shows into a DVD set. I would love to relive those times with The Allman Brothers, Stevie Wonder, Doobies, Curtis Mayfield, Seals & Crofts, Steve Miller, Jethro Tull, etc.
The Alice Cooper show? My area pulled the plug...I do recall sitting there thinking "*** happened"? I think our local affiliate turned the switch bak on to catch Shawn Phillips. Oh, boy.

I saw The James Gang(w/ Tommy Bolin) back in '75; they opened for the Edgar Winter Group w/ Rick Derringer. On the James Gang's 1st number("Ride The Wind"? from Bang), some hot, hot, ultra-hot blonde in a white Summer dress climbed onto the stage & kissed Roy Kenner for the entire tune.
Killer show...my 1st real concert.

+Avogadro's number

kobass · #14 04-20-2005, 01:12 PM

I saw them live back in the 70's, but it was back in the 70's, so I don't really remember much...

ONYX · #15 04-20-2005, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Golden Boy

I was over at a friend's house on Saturday, and he showed me a couple of video files that he had saved on his PC. One was a gloriously tacky video for the song "Apache" by some 70's band.

For those of us who are wondering who did "Apache" , I'm going to go out on a limb and guess ( if memory serves me correct--and it usually does

) that it was none other than The Shadows. It was a hit for them in the 60's.

Bob Lee (QSC) · #16 04-20-2005, 01:40 PM

Fatboy Slim did a killer cover of "Apache" a few years ago.

The Golden Boy · #17 04-20-2005, 01:46 PM

It wasn't the Shadows.

I mean, yes, the Shadows did the song "Apache," but the film clip that I saw was not the Shadows performing it. It was "???? Band" written on the kick drum, but I couldn't read it. (the kind of font on Badfinger's "Straight Up" album) Might have began with S. Like "Sugarloaf Band" or something.

I'm tempted to say this was from around 76 or so. They had early 70's hairstyles, but 'grooved' like they hung out at Studio 54. In buckskins.

bassicinstinct · #18 04-20-2005, 01:52 PM

Edgar Broughton Band methinks?

The Golden Boy · #19 04-20-2005, 02:06 PM

I don't think it was the Edward Broughton Band. They look really cool, why haven't I ever heard of them?

In any case the focal point of the clip was the keyboardist (in buckskins) doing the "vocals," which it looks like the focal point of the EBB was EB himself. Just guessing.

Richard Lindsey · #20 04-20-2005, 02:50 PM

Nobody's mentioned the guy's name in this thread yet, but the original guitarist for Focus, Jan Akkerman, was excellent. He's still around and still recording, though I haven't caught any of his stuff lately. The guy who came in after him, Philip Catherine, was great too. He's also still around.

IIRC the flutist/keyboardist/yodeler was named Thijs van Leer.