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 Martijn 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 (UK edition 35:50)
LabelImperial
(5C 054-24192)[2]
ProducerHubert Terheggen
Focus chronology
Focus Plays Focus
(1970)
Focus II
(1971)

Musical style

edit

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

edit

Original release

edit

Source:[2]

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Focus" (Instrumental)Thijs van Leer9:45
2."Why Dream"van Leer, Erik Cleuver3:57
3."Happy Nightmare"van Leer, Martin Dresden, Mike Hayes3:56
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Anonymus"van Leer, Jan Akkerman, Dresden, Hans Cleuver7:00
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

edit

Source:[4]

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Focus" (Instrumental)van Leer, Cleuver9:45
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

1971 UK issue (Polydor 2344 003)

edit
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Focus" (Vocal)van Leer, Cleuver2:44
2."Black Beauty"van Leer, Cleuver3:05
3."Sugar Island"van Leer, Dresden, Staal3:56
4."Anonymous"van Leer, Akkerman, Dresden7:00
5."House of the King"Akkerman2:20
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Happy Nightmare (Mescaline)"van Leer, Dresden, Hayes3:59
2."Why Dream?"van Leer, Cleuver3:57
3."Focus (instrumental)"van Leer, Cleuver9:45

Personnel

edit

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

Focus

Production

  • Hubert Terheggen – production
  • Jerry Boys – engineering

Charts

edit
Chart (1973) Peak
position
US Billboard 200[6] 104

References

edit
  1. ^ "In and Out of Focus - Focus | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  2. ^ a b c 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.
  5. ^ Bessels, Wouter (2020). 50 Years: Anthology 1970-1976 (Booklet). Focus. Hilversum: Red Bullet.
  6. ^ "Focus Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
edit