10 Well known Rockstars and their lesser known musical brothers

1. Pete and Simon Townshend
2. Mick and Chris Jagger
3. Paul and Mike McCartney
4. Eddie and Paul Simon
5. Carmine and Vinny Appice
6. Steve and Muff Winwood
7. Ray and Dave Davies
8. Roy and Grady Lee Orbison
9. Paul and Joe Rodgers
10. David and Mark Knopfler

(Also, Frank, Maarten and Thijs van Leer and Jan and Cocky Akkerman)

Thijs van Leer - Rondo (Grand Gala 1974)

The brilliant Thijs van Leer is 75 today. Hope to see him and his band this month

(Conductor the late Rogier van Otterloo; voice the late Letty de Jong)

Bojoura - Everybody s Day

Some great music in the sixties without doubt. Thijs van Leer on flute, of course.

New Thijs van Leer Album

I thought it unlikely that Thijs van Leer would have been doing nothing during the pandemic. His new album is out today. All in French, Parce que is a set of ten vocal numbers with piano and flute from the maestro. Downloaded it this morning and am enjoying it, though the vibe is more an evening than a morning one.

Two LPs

My sister was going through her LP collection the other day and spotted these two albums (a pink one and a blue one) which she knew were mine. They are Thijs van Leer's unique 1975 solo album O my love! and the 1985 reunion album featuring van Leer and Jan Akkerman. The pictures of van Leer on the two albums tells a sad story of apparent physical decline. I hadn't really thought of O my love! in this way but with its gatefold sleeve and with Paul Buckmaster playing a role similar to that of George Flynn on Tabernakel, it can be seen as something of a reply to Akkerman's statement of the previous year. On both we have entirely solo efforts - Akkerman on Lute and van Leer on piano - as well as the expected group efforts with fine session musicians. Both albums were recorded in America - Akkerman's in New York on Atlantic and van Leer's in Los Angeles on Philips. They even both feature pictures of their wives of the time, Lammy and Roselie Peters. I love both albums but van Leer's is a rather curious one on the whole.

365 Albums The Final Ten in the Series

1. The Bells of Dublin The Chieftains 1991
2. Winter Carols Blackmore's Night 2006
3. Kerstconcert met dochters Thijs van Leer 2000
4. Keep Walking Emily Maguire 2007
5. El Greco Vangelis 1998 *
6. Rosetta Vangelis 2016
7. The Long Black Veil The Chieftains 1995
8. Down The Old Plank Road The Chieftains 2002
9. Focus Live in Europe Focus 2019
10. Tin Whistles Paddy Moloney & Sean Potts 1973

365 Albums 330-345

1. Hymns - Lullabies Page CXVI 2012*
2. And Winter came Enya 2008
3. Drive the cold winter away Horslips 1985
4. Christmas Variations Rick Wakeman 2000*
5. The Jethro Tull Christmas Album Jethro Tull 2003
6. Music per la Notte de Natale Thijs v Leer, Louis van Dijk, Rogier van Otterloo 1976*
7. We Three kings The Roches 1990
8. Chris Squire's Swiss Choir Chris Squire 2007
9. The Christmas Album Keith Emerson 1999
10. December The Moody Blues 2003
11. The Dawn of Grace Sixpence None the Richer 2008
12. While Mortals Sleep Kate Rusby 2011
13. Kerst met Thijs van Leer en Elly Ameling in de Grote Kerk Te Monickendam Thijs v Leer & Elly Ameling 1979* 
14. Carols & Capers Maddy Prior & The Carnival Band 1991
15. A Tapestry of Carols Maddy Prior & The Carnival Band 1986

365 Albums 226-240

1. Hand me down Kate Rusby 2020
2. Seth Lakeman A Pilgrim's Tale 2020
3. What we did on our holidays Fairport Convention 1969
4. Focus 11 Focus 2019
5. The Focus Family Album Focus etc 2017
6. A Hard Days Night The Beatles 1964
7. Pendulum Creedence Clearwater Revival 1970
8. Full House Fairport Convention 1970
9. Liege and Lief Fairport Convention 1969
10. Unhalfbricking Fairport Convention 1969
11. Past Masters Vol 1 Vol 2 The Beatles 1988
12. The Glorious Album Thijs van Leer 1999*
13. Fairport Convention Fairport Convention 1968
14. Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme Simon & Garfunkel 1966
15. Focus 8.5 (Old Skin) Focus 2005

365 Albums 181-195

1. Renaissance Thijs van Leer 1986* 
2. Watermark Enya 1988 
3. Ghost Kate Rusby 2014
4. New beginning Tracy Chapman 1995 
5. O my love! Thijs van Leer 1975 
6. My people were fair ... Tyrannosaurus Rex 1968 
7. Minor Details Jan Akkerman 2011 
8. Presence Chuck Loeb 2007
9. alterum Julie Fowlis 2017 
10. Meditation Tony Soctt ft Jan Akkerman 1977
11. Force Majeure Tangerine Dream 1978 
12. Albedo 0.39 Vangelis 1976 
13. Sergeant Pepper The Beatles 1967
14. A Day Without Rain Enya 2000
15. Piano Portraits Rick Wakeman 2017*

365 Albums 151-165

1. War U2 1983
2. The Yes Album Yes 1970 (M31)
3. Saved Bob Dylan 1980
4. The Chieftains 5 The Chieftains 1975
5. Tanx T Rex 1973
6. Peace Eurythmics 1999
7. Paradise Found Maddy Prior & the Carnival Band 2007 * (J5)
8. Focus X Focus 2012
9. Birds Trace 1975
10. Mind Wave Cyril Havermans 1974
11. Slow Train Coming Bob Dylan 1979
12. Let it Be The Beatles 1970
13. Introspection 3 Thijs van Leer 1977 (J10)
14. Underwater Sunlight Tangerine Dream 1986
15. Ekseption 5 Ekseption 1972

365 Albums 106-120

1. Five Bridges The Nice 1970
2. Trinity Ekseption 1973
3. It's only just begun Solution 1980
4. Hymns and sacred songs Leigh Nash 2011*
5. Unforgettable Fire U2 1984
6. Boof! Tony Remy 1994
7. Pilgrimage Wishbone Ash 1971
8. John Barleycorn must die Traffic 1970
9. Ricochet Tangerine Dream 1975
10. The Chieftains 7 The Chieftains 1977
11. Rise Gabrielle 1999
12. Instrumental Hymns Thijs van Leer et al 1996*
13. Hergest Ridge Mike Oldfield 1974
14. Trilogy Emerson Lake & Palmer 1972
15. Lonesome Road Doc & Mere Watson 1977

(* Suitable for Sunday playing IMHO)

Recent celebrity deaths

There are times when it seems there are more celebrity deaths than unusual. We seem to be in such a time, although I suppose it's who you know. Most of the deaths are people of a good age. Some have been from Covid-19. I am thinking of people like Kenny Rogers, the country singer, in March. I remember buying his record Ruby as a child and miming to it with friends in a school concert.

Then there was singer and composer Bill Withers and Bob Andy of Bob and Marcia reggae fame. Bill Martin was not a name I thought I knew but martin and Coulter wrote Puppet on a String and Congratulations and much else. Also Eddie Large as he was known, the comedian. I'm sure he was hilarious although I had a fruitless search on youtube looking for evidence. Also Honor Blackman, the actress.

More recently, Tim Brooke Taylor has died. He used to live around the corner I'm told. The Goodies show was purportedly based in Cricklewood and I've often seen Bill Oddie round here. Brooke-Taylor, a very witty man was one of the writers of the famous four Yorkshiremen sketch. There was also Stirling Moss who I grew up to have the highest respect for. To give you an idea, the back of one of the tabloids had "F1's Ali and Pele". The obituary in The Times suggests he was a rather immature man but a great racing driver. Then there was Peter Bonetti, the Chelsea goalkeeper and a massive hero of mine as a child. More obscurely, the Dutch pianist Louis van Dijk has died. I am aware of him from his collabarations with Thijs van Leer from time to time.

These are the celebrities but many others are dying too such as veteran preachers and other men of God. Derek Prime, John J Murray and Norman Wells I trust you know about. All very sobering.

365 Albums 91-105

1. Profile Jan Akkerman 1972
2. Focus in Time Jan Akkerman 1996
3. Uam Julie Fowlis 2009
4. Life in a paper boat Kate Rusby 2016
5. Introspection 2 Thijs van Leer 1975*
6. Planxty Planxty 1973
7. Focus Jan Akkerman & Thijs van Leer
8. Focus 3 Focus 1972
9. Brainbox Brainbox 1969
10. Ommadawn Mike Oldfield 1975
11. Springfever Joachim Kuhn 1976
12. Lent to Maunday Thursday Page CXVI 2014*
13. Good Friday to Easter Page CXVI 2014*
14. Love Beatles 2006
15. Chieftains Tears of Stone 1999

(* Suitable for Sunday playing IMHO)

Day off Week 11 2020

I had to wait in for an hour or two for a man to fix our oven but when he arrived he did not have the spare parts so the visit was short one. Meanwhile I got on with reading (Hilary Mantel) walking (over 12,000 steps), having a coffee, listening to music, a little light blogging and so on. I also spent a while trying to sort out my large CD collection (over 400 in all I guess). I downloaded one I had not downloaded before to be my album of the day.

365 Albums 46-60

1. Beard of Stars Tyrannosaurus Rex 1970
2. Bach for a New Age Thijs van Leer 1999*
3. Renaissance of the Celtic Harp Alan Stivell 1972
4. The Tain Horslips 1973
5. The Chieftains 4 The Chieftains 1973
6. Me Myself I Joan Armatrading 1980
7. Guitar From the Heart Live in Raalte Thomas Blug Band 2005
8. Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman 1988
9. In Another land Larry Norman 1976*
10. Final Straw Snow Patrol 2003
11. Six wives of Henry VIII Rick Wakeman 1973
12. Blue on Blue Leigh Nash 2006
13. Penguin Cafe Orchestra PCO 1981
14. Shot of Love Bob Dylan 1981
15. Hopes And Fears Keane 2004

(* Suitable for Sunday playing IMHO)

365 Albums 31-45

1. Inside Llewyn Davies Soundtrack 2013
2. Joshua Tree U2 1987
3. Cuilidh Julie Fowlis 2007
4. 6 6 6 Aphrodite's Child 1972
5. Sing Lustily and with Good Courage Maddy Prior & The Carnival Band 1990*
6. Epsilon in Malaysian Pale Edgar Froese 1975
7. Trace Trace 1974
8. Tales from the Book of Time Catherine Lambert and the Lore Liege Ensemble 2003
9. The Chirping Crickets The Crickets 1957
10. Hamburger Concerto Focus 1974
11. Dona Nobis Pacem Pedal Point 1983*
12. Guitars Philip Catherine 1975
13. Regatta de Blanc The Police 1979
14. Long Player Late Bloomer Ron Sexsmith 2010
15. The Unfortunate Cup of Tea Horslips 1975

(* Suitable for Sunday playing IMHO)

365 Albums 1-15

I'm trying to listen to 365 albums this year. Here are 15 I've already listened to.

1. Argus Wishbone Ash 1972
2. Introspection Thijs van Leer 1972*
3. Aranjuez Jan Akkerman Claus Ogerman 1978*
4. T Rex T Rex 1970
5. Please please me The Beatles 1963
6. Guitars Mike Oldfield 1999
7. Heaven and Hell Vangelis 1975
8. Antarctica Vangelis 1983*
9. Titanium Flag Colin Harper 2017
10. Ekseption Ekseption 1969
11. Stratosfear Tangerine Dream 1976
12. American Pie Don McLean 1971
13. Hymns Page CXVI 2009*
14. Close to the Edge Yes 1972
15. Emerson Lake and Palmer Emerson Lake and Palmer 1970

(* Suitable for Sunday playing IMHO)

New Focus Album - Focus 11

My autographed copy

I have had opportunity now to listen to the new Focus album several times. It is difficult to review a Focus album early on as their stuff usually repays many, many plays and it is often not until the umpteenth play that the full subtleties of a recording are sometimes appreciated. So far one is very positive certainly.

There are appropriately 11 tracks on the album. As usual, most tracks are entirely instrumental but with one vocal track. This time it is How many miles? a sort of pop song with fairly juvenile English lyrics but a good track. Two tracks were previewed on the previous stop gap album Focus Family - Clair-Obscur and Winnie. I think they are exactly the same as on the previous album. The other retreads are the opening track Who's calling? a reworking with a nice opening riff of the final track on the 1985 album called Focus and featuring Akkerman and van Leer. The second track, Heaven, will be familiar to some as a reworking of the original version of My sweetheart. This track is on the final Focus Akkerman album Mother Focus but first saw the light of day coupled with Love Remembered in 1974 at a concert in Japan.

The other seven tracks appear to be brand new. The stand out at the moment is Focus 11, the closing track, which keeps up the strong tradition of excellence those tracks all have. All the tracks on the album are van Leer compositions except for Mare Nostrum by the new bass player Udo Pannekeet. Palindrome appears to be a musical experiment that might well have come off. Mazzel is a rare reference to things Jewish. In general, the tracks feature the usual mix of bass, drums, guitars, organ, flute, lots of piano and some occasional vocalisations from van Leer.

Thijs van Leer on Radio 2

There was a brief interview with Thijs van Leer on Radio 2 yesterday evening. You can access the clip here.

Focus at The Scene Swansea 2016

I was able to catch Focus one again at The Scene in Swansea last night. The set list was fairly typical in that we started with the oldest material (Focus 1 with Anonymus and House of the King from the first album) followed by a very long and varied exposition of the Eruption theme (Eruption appears on the second album). We then had the famous Sylvia (from Focus 3) and (more unusually) excellent renditions of All Hens on Deck (from Focus X) and Hurkey Turkey 2 and Le Tango (from Focus 8 - the first not a track I recall being covered in a long while). We then had La Cathedrale and Harem Scarem (I am still not convinced about all that goes on under this heading but Menno Gootjes' violining was of a high order). We finished with Hocus Pocus, introduced by some excellent solo Bach flute. Pierre van der Linden appears to have another new  drum kit and somehow he was able to notch things up even further once again in an amazing solo that beggars belief. (How it happens that a piece surely made for the guitarist to show us his skills in becomes a drum tour de force I have complained about many times in the past). As so often in the past this was familiar but excellent stuff and certainly not a simple rehash of past glories. Several songs had been worked on afresh. I had never heard the recording of the bells of Strasbourg play as they were last night, for example. Thijs may not be able to reach the high notes any more but he gets deeper and deeper with those low notes as the years go by. For a 68 year old he is pretty remarkable. As ever he was a good showman and full of self-effacement in his presentation. It was good to shake his hand after the gig and get him to sign my copy of Focus 8.5 on sale at the gig. (I had bumped into Bobby the bassist earlier in the loos!).