Focus Plays Focus

Focus Plays Focus is the first studio album by Dutch rock band Focus, released in September 1970 on Imperial Records. It is the only album recorded by the group's original line-up consisting of organist and vocalist Thijs van Leer, bassist Martin Dresden, drummer Hans Cleuver, and guitarist Jan Akkerman. It was renamed In and Out of Focus for the international re-release of the album from 1971 onwards which included their debut single "House of the King".

Focus Plays Focus
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 1970
RecordedJanuary 1970
StudioSound Techniques
(Chelsea, London)
GenreProgressive rock[1]
Length33:30
LabelImperial
(5C 054-24192)[2]
ProducerHubert Terheggen
Focus chronology
Focus Plays Focus
(1970)
Focus II
(1971)

Musical style

AllMusic's Richie Unterberger called the album "a fair collection of progressive rock tunes without a clear focus" and noted prominent influences from folk rock, blues, and classical music, as well as "occasional jazzy shadings".[3]

Track listing

Original release

Source:[2]

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Focus (Instrumental)"Thijs van Leer9:45
2."Why Dream"van Leer, Hans Cleuver3:57
3."Happy Nightmare"van Leer, Martin Dresden, Mike Hayes3:56
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Anonymus"van Leer, Jan Akkerman, Dresden7:00
2."Black Beauty"van Leer, Cleuver3:05
3."Sugar Island"van Leer, Dresden, Jan Staal3:03
4."Focus (Vocal Version)"van Leer, Cleuver2:44

1971 reissue

Source:[4]

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Focus (Instrumental)"van Leer9:45
2."Why Dream"van Leer, Cleuver3:57
3."Happy Nightmare"van Leer, Dresden, Hayes3:56
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Anonymus"van Leer, Akkerman, Dresden7:00
2."Black Beauty"van Leer, Cleuver3:05
3."Sugar Island"van Leer, Dresden, Jan Staal3:03
4."House of the King"Akkerman2:15

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's 1970 liner notes.[2]

Focus

Production

  • Hubert Terheggen – production
  • Jerry Boys – engineering

References

  1. http://www.allmusic.com/album/in-and-out-of-focus-mw0000652900
  2. Focus Plays Focus (Media notes). Imperial Records. 1970. 5C 054-24192.
  3. Unterberger, Richie. "In and Out of Focus - AllMusic". Allmusic. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  4. In and Out of Focus (Media notes). Imperial Records. 1971. 5C 054-24192.
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