Met Thys and the band about 15 or so years ago. They were playing in my local town. He was in the foyer at the venue selling cd's, I had a good chat with him for about 10 mins. I asked him about Pierre Van der linden and his varied time signatures. Thys said come to changing rooms after the show to ask him person. I thought he's taking the .... So I thought, well, what have I got to lose. So I knocked on the door and Thys opened the door introduced me to Pierre ! I was given a bottle of Peroni and talked to the whole band for approx 45 mins. They are so friendly they all signed their cd I had purchased. And Pierre, what a lovely guy, A night to remember!!!!!!
Just so you know, it's Thijs. The IJ/ij is treated as a single vowel (or rather, vowel sound) in Dutch, but is in actuality a two-letter combination. (It is pronounced exactly the same as the ei letter combination.) It may look like it when written (or signed!), but it is not a y with two dots over top of it. It is in fact the letters i+j combined. When a place name begins with I+J, both letters are capitalized. IJsland (Iceland), for example, or the river IJ. Thijs is short for Matthijs (in the same way that Matt is short for Matthew.) Very cool that you got to meet Thijs and Pierre. I think it's awesome that he and Pierre are still performing together after all these years. I would love to see them before it's too late. Check out the version of Hocus Pocus that is featured on my channel. It's the best version I have heard.
they are still all Good and original musicians - ( and funny ) even some original member have change - it is a pleasure to see them again. you've made a real contribution to the music. they're special.
It was listening to Focus that inspired me to become a guitarist, but I sucked, so I became a professional photographer, with which focus is critical. So I got that goin' for me, which is nice.
Dont´t worry that he can´t make the high notes, but he´s a living legend and is a sadness that now I don´t know a band or singers with these great talent
Great to see him still at it. So, maybe he cannot hit those high notes anymore, but still, just as great. Very well done. - AND, I really enjoyed the flute solo at the beginning, was pretty incredible,. 📻🙂
Fortunate to see Focus in concert in November 2023 at the Waterside Arts Centre in Sale, UK, and they did this set. Truly incredible! I got to meet Thijs afterwards, too - he and I are both 75!
zig jahre spaeter und ............... noch besser, gitarist ist super, schlagzeuger extraklasse bassist ebenfalls sehr gut und...... senger & multi musiker organist .......... ohne worte fuer die ewigkeit !!!!!!!!!! bravo !!!!!!!!!!
I love listening to Focus, especially 'Silvia'. Actually, I hadn't known Focus until I was introduced by my friend who loves progressive rock. There are many progressive rock groups that perform progressive rock, but I didn't know the progressive band which come from the Netherlands. In my hometown, there were little records of progressive rock groups except being performed by British's groups that were sold in Japan, and I had seldom heard the genre even it was on the radio. The friend has heard their live show in Tokyo.I also want to hear their concert someday.Thank you for posting!
Omg!!! Yes!! This took me right back to 1973 when I was 16!! The first time my friends and I heard this we lost our minds! We screamed and yelled and jumped up and down!! This was my favorite song for years!! It was always and still is in my top 15!! I am so happy to see you still at it! I love you Thijs and Pierre!! ❤ ~ Sandy from Pennsylvania USA 🇺🇸
@@sandyaw3057 Very cool story,... I've had similar experiences like that although mine usually occur when I hear a masterful performance/musicianship. I was so impressed by the bass playing of Steve Harris and Getty Lee, (Bass players from Iron Maiden and Rush), that the first time I heard them, (both on the same day), I dropped the "New Wave" music I learned to play the bass from, and am a grateful lifelong fan of almost all music now, (just can't do country,... sorry), lol.
@@NeilCrouse99 Steve Harris and Getty Lee are incredible! I always loved Rush and Iron Maiden. I also have an eclectic taste in music thanks to my mother, she loved almost everything and exposed me to music at a very young age. She had a beautiful voice but never did anything professional. I sang in choirs, garage bands and a local band off and on. This was years ago when I was young and healthy! Now I can’t sing because I have several autoimmune diseases that attacked my lungs, heart and to a lesser extent, kidneys. I had to retire early from my job as a lab tech and phlebotomist. I was one semester away from obtaining my RN. Sorry..didn’t mean to ramble! lol. No worries about not liking country music, I don’t either! I’m not a rap fan either..except old school. Have a good night..or day as the case may be!
I have mixed feelings about these groups that reform after 40 plus years and play these old classic hits from the early 70s. Yes it's great to hear them, but it's sad that they are in decline.
Its not about the 40 years. Its about if they can still convey the essence of the music. Difficult one for this song, as it was already about stretching the limits then. But still happy to see they rock on, so I (born 69, but Eighties Child) can pay my sincere respects. 🤘🏼🤟🏻
The ONLY reason why song classics like this are in DECLINE is because NOBODY CARES & young people only listen to the crap coming out now and don't have the gumption to discover music like this from the best age in rock music.
