Thunderbird Club

[Bassmike62]

My favorite coffee:
Link Removed

Yup, that works. Lately, been into this:

 

[MCF]

So here it is Epiphone 60s Thunderbird number 4!

Love it! Nice shirt too.

 

[JIO]

'70s Ibanez "Big Ed" ss tele bass clone
View attachment 5162174

Not "Big Ed" - "Big Stud"... possibly named Ed

 

[JIO]

I have to admit that Thjis Van Leer's vocalizing gets on my nerves a bit. It was alright in "Hocus Pocus" and "Sylvia" too but for example "Harem Scarem" is unlistenable to me because of his riff doubling.
That said I like Focus and especially songs like "Focus II" and "Focus III" (the double album of the same name is my favourite). Great players all of them.

Um.., yah... I got through about a minute and 1/2 before my laughing drowned him out. Talented musicians for sure, but no LZ.

 

[GonePlaid]

Yup, that works. Lately, been into this:

View attachment 5164922

 

[Blazer]

Every player in that band is rock solid! It's when the lead vocal opens his mouth that I cringe. I'm not slagging on the band, they really are fantastic, but IMHO if Led Zeppelin replaced Robert Plant with Weird Al Yankovic they'd sound like Focus.

The lead singer on Focus has an amazing vocal range and is incredibly talented on keys and apparently flute as well, maybe more. But his style of singing borders on comical or satire. In other words, he's perfectly capable of ruining the mood and feel of an otherwise seriously great song. Instrumentally, I love this band. Vocally, I laugh at them. Just my opinion, that and three bucks will get you a grande at Starbucks.

Thijs Van Leer (and here's how to pronounce that name: Tice Van Lair) is a classically trained flautist and pianist who cut his teeth backing the Netherlands' premier cabaret artists. Which is what he brought to the table with Focus.

"Cantate" by Ramses Shaffy, Van Leer isn't in this clip but he did play on the album

Of course, he carried that legacy on when Focus came to be.

This song for example was written for a musical but the singer (Whose name is also the title) refused to sing it. It's VERY much a Broadway style grand entrance song.


"House of the King" was written by Guitarist Jan Akkerman, it's very deceptively simple. Until you try to play along...

And err... don't forget that we're talking about PROG ROCK. Thijs van Leer was hardly the weirdest lead vocalist out there...

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Having never been in a Starbucks, I couldn't begin to tell you what things cost.

that Topless Doughnuts in south Lauderdale still around?…

 

[dagrev]

Having never been in a Starbucks, I couldn't begin to tell you what things cost.

That means there's at lease two of us on earth that have never been to one. I'm not going break my winning streak.

 

[Gaolee]

Did someone say 7ender? Gig started at 6 pm we definitely should have put the bass solo after dark when the booze kicked in.

Bass solo is how you get 'em to the bar so the booze will kick in.

 

[Bassmike62]

that Topless Doughnuts in south Lauderdale still around?…

HUH ?!?
that was a thing ?

 

[GBassNorth]

Thijs Van Leer (and here's how to pronounce that name: Tice Van Lair) is a classically trained flautist and pianist who cut his teeth backing the Netherlands' premier cabaret artists. Which is what he brought to the table with Focus.

"Cantate" by Ramses Shaffy, Van Leer isn't in this clip but he did play on the album

Of course, he carried that legacy on when Focus came to be.

This song for example was written for a musical but the singer (Whose name is also the title) refused to sing it. It's VERY much a Broadway style grand entrance song.


"House of the King" was written by Guitarist Jan Akkerman, it's very deceptively simple. Until you try to play along...

And err... don't forget that we're talking about PROG ROCK. Thijs van Leer was hardly the weirdest lead vocalist out there...

That's nice. Now if the band could just find a way to keep him from singing I could enjoy their music.
Twoeechiezone, YMMV, One size does not fit all, and Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, all fit here.

 

[dagrev]

HUH ?!?
that was a thing ?

I bet you want pics to prove it, don't you?

 

[GonePlaid]

that Topless Doughnuts in south Lauderdale still around?…

Long gone. There was also a nude donut place in West Palm Beach. Also long gone.
BTW, I went once. It weren't no Krispy Kreme.

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

HUH ?!?
that was a thing ?

bien sûr, mauvais beignets but loads of candy pour les yeux….

 

[Chucky Stiletti]

Long gone. There was also a nude donut place in West Palm Beach. Also long gone.
BTW, I went once. It weren't no Krispy Kreme.

yeah like I explained to Bassmike, the doughnuts svcked…

 

[JJR58]

I bet you want pics to prove it, don't you?

I do.

 

[GonePlaid]

I do.

 

[PhR75]

And err... don't forget that we're talking about PROG ROCK. Thijs van Leer was hardly the weirdest lead vocalist out there...

Well, Gabriel and Ian Anderson only looked weird at times. Both were and are exceptional vocalists (IA not so much anymore 'though) and I'm sure Van Leer can sing beautifully too. In Focus his voice was used as an instrument and that mostly grates me as it is usually over the top. "Round Goes The Gossip" is one example where he does *not* overdo it and there must be others too.

 

[BklynKen]

I do.

Here's your topless donuts.

 

[godofthunder59]

Bass solo is how you get 'em to the bar so the booze will kick in.

You're not wrong!