For Jan Akkerman fans...Then and Now

[W1GUH]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=fvwp&NR=1&v=g4ouPGGLI6Q



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy-27U13jHc

[PA5COR]

Thanks, have most of his stuff, he actually lives 10 miles away from me, visited him a few times in his rebuild farm/studio.
Good guy, excellent musician, like the rest of the guy's from Focus the group.

[W1GUH]

Thanks, Cor. OMFG!!! You mean you've met those guys! My hat is off to you. Watching Jan in his current years is such a joy. Looks like he's enjoying it every bit as much he always has, and he really comes across as the Nice Guy you say he is. Watched a few more of his videos on Youtube...Streetwalker, Mr. Akkerman playing lute, and another. They all are incredible videos and show off his incredibly well developed technique.

Lots more to be seen/heard on Youtube.

Maybe you can confirm something. I read somewhere that Focus started out as the stage band for the Dutch version of Hair?

[PA5COR]

Classic schooled Thijs van Leer and Jan Akkerman did indeed play in Hair as musicians.
They were quite popular n the time i loved groups like The Golden Earring(s) which i met too and spoke with and they came from my birthtown The Hague too.

Some more groups i liked the Tee Set http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVxZMKL-aSE
Shocking Blue with Venus http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8LhkyyCvUHk met her too.
Cuby and the Blizzards http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NdKHoNXSrc He passed away last year.
Still like Rythm&Blues... and the Who and... and... ;)
The Shoes still active after 50 years http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykpyM_LAXb0&feature=related
Brainbox with Jan Akkerman: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_TQjdwaxFGs&feature=related
Jan Akkerman with While my guitar gently weepstribute to Gearge Harrison passing away http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32X_vMgloow&feature=related
Focus with Sylvia 1973 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4V26-oscwDU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMhDwdqLcGE&feature=related
The last linky
This song is from the 1971 album MOVING WAVES the 2nd album from the Dutch group. It is the sixth part of a 23 minute song called "Eruption" that spans the whole second side of that album. It is an adaptation of Jacopo Peri's opera "Euridice". This small section of the song was written by Tommy Barlage a sax player for a fellow Dutch band named Solution.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlIT4Z7gfaE&feature=related
Live Hocus Focus Pokus.
The Outsiders http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B012MQhqt88&feature=related and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0FDAFpqIRU&feature=related
Q65 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgNhe1PwfCw&feature=related and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVGRuD5zSa0&feature=related
The Bintangs, travelling in the USA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7L_1-F62pGI&feature=related
Ekseption http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0kyWnEqnzI&feature=related
The Motions, wasted words http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwjEW66V-RM&feature=related


Thanks for bringing back old loved memories ;)

[W1GUH]

Beloved memories for me, too. Looks like once you started looking for videos, you couldn't stop either!

[PA5COR]

LOL I realised i become a sentimental old git..... ;)

[W1GUH]

Classic schooled Thijs van Leer and Jan Akkerman


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQs2ensxUzk

[suddenseer]

Where's my bong?

[PA5COR]

^LOL ;)

[WX7P]

Focus is Thijs van Leer against his parents for the piano lessons at an early age.

I know this one. I had a violin shoved in my face at age 8. I did a mean knock off of ELO's Roll over Beethoven at age 13.

My mother hated it...

[PA5COR]

Thijs van Leer and Jan Akkerman also wanted to bring the classic music to the kids in a new way.
Just like the guy's of Exception did putting the classic music in a new beat to tthe kids, and were quite succesfull here.
It was a time i was young Her Majesties Customs officer at Schiphol airport and in that work met a lot of these peeps, and so got to talk to them or was invited to their place for a longer chat, some i visited for many times, till i went my way in life like marrying kid etc... you know the drill.

Jan Akkerman is still a virtuoso on every instrument he wants to play, i still drift away when i was at his house/studio and hear him jamming seing him go up completely in the music, gifted people they are.
In that time, 60's 70's our country was awash with talented musicians, and groups and with the UK groups dominated the charts.
Now we "export"our D.J's etc.