Focus Announce New Studio Album “FOCUS 12” Available July 5, 2024

[gopr]

Dutch Music Legends Focus Announce New Studio Album “FOCUS 12” Available July 5, 2024

Spirit of Unicorn Music are pleased to announce the forthcoming release of “FOCUS 12”, the brand new studio album from Focus.

Founded by Thijs van Leer, Focus have been at the forefront of the progressive music movement since 1969, yet they still continue to deliver engaging, innovative and skillfully crafted music. “FOCUS 12” exemplifies this and proves why they are still a firm fan favourite, the world over.

For Thijs van Leer (75) and Pierre van der Linden (78), age is nothing more than a number. Both continue to contribute to Focus with a passion. Thijs, who has written the majority of the new album, rises at 4.30 am every day in order to work on his compositions. Whilst the album boasts some of Pierre’s greatest and most energetic drum sequences to date.

Allowing the younger guard to take the audio reins for the first time, “FOCUS 12” is produced by band members Udo Pannekeet and Menno Gootjes, who also contribute two compositions on the album.

Thijs commented “How beautiful life can be when a band plays so easily and so together.”

“FOCUS 12” was recorded at the world-renowned Wisseloord Studios, in the band’s native country of the Netherlands. A first for Focus, the album features a completely improvised piece which was captured as it spontaneously took place in the studio, during the recording process. Thus, proving that more than 50 years on, the band are still excited by undertaking something new and different.

Van Leer continues, “Thanks Pierre, Udo and Menno for so much musical passion!”

The band continues their long association with legendary artist Roger Dean whose stunning artwork graces the front cover and packaging. The vinyl version features a stunning gatefold sleeve.

Focus continues to be one of the hardest working rock bands on the planet, regularly touring the globe playing live. This July, they undertake a string of live dates across the USA and Canada, as part of Asia’s Heat Of The Moment Tour.

Thijs van Leer concludes, “After all these years, Focus is in the here and now; the triumph of survival!”

“FOCUS 12” by Focus can be pre-ordered here: https://burningshed.com/store/focus

Track Listing:

1. Fjord Focus
2. Focus 13
3. Béla
4. Meta Indefinita
5. All Aboard
6. Born To Be You
7. Nura
8. Bowie
9. Positano
10. Gaia

Focus are:

Thijs van Leer: Flute, Organ, Piano, Synths
Menno Gootjes: Guitars, Piano, Synths
Pierre van der Linden: Drums
Udo Pannekeet: Bass, Synths, Programming

Produced by Menno Gootjes and Udo Pannekeet
Recorded by Danny Sykes, Udo Pannekeet and Geert Scheijgrond at Wisseloord Studios and Wedgeview Studios, Netherlands
Mixed by Udo Pannekeet
Mastered by Sander van der Heide

Heat Of The Moment 2024 Tour Dates:

Wednesday, July 3: Ridgefield Playhouse, Ridgefield, CT
Thursday, July 4: Fallsview Casino, Niagara Falls, ON
Saturday, July 6: Chevalier Theatre, Medford, MA
Sunday, July 7: The Paramount, Huntingdon, NY
Tuesday, July 9: Bergen Performing Arts Center, Englewood, NJ
Wednesday, July 10: Count Basie Center, Red Bank, NJ
Friday, July 12: Tropicana Showroom, Atlantic City, NJ
Saturday, July 13: Wind Creek Event Center, Bethlehem, PA
Sunday, July 14: American Music Theatre, Lancaster, PA
Tuesday, July 16: Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium, Spartanburg, SC
Wednesday, July 17: Ryman Auditorium, Nashville, TN
Thursday, July 18: Columbia County Performing Arts Center, Evans, GA
Saturday, July 20: Hard Rock Live, Orlando, FL
Sunday, July 21: Pompano Beach Amphitheater, Pompano Beach, FL
Monday, July 22: Seminole Hard Rock, Tampa, FL
Wednesday, July 24: North Charleston PAC, North Charleston, SC
Thursday, July 25: Macon City Auditorium, Macon, GA
Friday, July 26: Saenger Theatre, Mobile, AL
Sunday, July 28: VBC Mark Smith Concert Hall, Huntsville, AL
Tuesday, July 30: The Arcada Theatre, St Charles, IL
Wednesday, July 31: The Pabst Theater, Milwaukee, WI

For more information, please contact:
Sarah Ewing at TASK Agency, for Spirit Of Unicorn Music
sarah@taskagency.co.uk

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 828-350-8158 (USA), glassonyonpr@gmail.com

[Lopez]

Looking forward to hearing some of this on July 6 in Medford.

[SteveSly]

Nice!

[Koreabruce]

Great to see they're still at it. This looks like it will be an all-instrumental album since there is no mention of vocals.

[Sputnik]

Looking forward to hearing some of this on July 6 in Medford.

ALERT!

I also looked up the show on 7/6 in Medford, and it turns out, it's a fucking ASIA show, not Focus. Like, "Heat of the Moment" ASIA. Yikes! There's either something wonky in the OP, or the venues have something completely wrong. I sense it's the former, but in any case, beware before you buy tickets, my friend.

Bill

[Dan Roth]

ALERT!

I also looked up the show on 7/6 in Medford, and it turns out, it's a fucking ASIA show, not Focus. Like, "Heat of the Moment" ASIA. Yikes! There's either something wonky in the OP, or the venues have something completely wrong. I sense it's the former, but in any case, beware before you buy tickets, my friend.

Bill

You may want to catch up on this thread:
https://www.progressiveears.org/foru...URVED-AIR-tour

[Sputnik]

You may want to catch up on this thread:
https://www.progressiveears.org/foru...URVED-AIR-tour

OK, but the Chevalier Theater notice says nothing about the other bands, so it's still confusing.

Bill

[Lopez]

OK, but the Chevalier Theater notice says nothing about the other bands, so it's still confusing.

Bill

Hi Bill,

You are right; the Chevalier Theater site lists only Asia, so it is mighty confusing. However, this link (https://originalasia.com/the-heat-of...ent-tour-2024/) shows all four bands (Asia, Focus, Martin Turner, Curved Air). I got tickets this past Friday at the box office, so I avoided the exorbitant fees. I got seats (for my daughter and me) a couple rows behind the high-priced section for much less. I am aware that these bands have only one original member each, except Focus, which has two, but to see them all together at once is not so bad for the price, and the music is still good.

According to the theater's seating chart, tickets seem to be moving rather slowly. Hopefully, that will pick up to make the show worth putting on. I do worry about that with bands like this. About a dozen or so years ago, I bought a ticket to see the Keith Emerson band at the Regent Theatre in Arlington, MA. The show was canceled due to lack of ticket sales. I was amazed. Here's a guy who sold out stadiums and arenas in the early to mid 70s and then couldn't sell enough tickets to warrant a show in a 500-seat theater.

[Sputnik]

Hi Bill,

You are right; the Chevalier Theater site lists only Asia, so it is mighty confusing. However, this link (https://originalasia.com/the-heat-of...ent-tour-2024/) shows all four bands (Asia, Focus, Martin Turner, Curved Air). I got tickets this past Friday at the box office, so I avoided the exorbitant fees. I got seats (for my daughter and me) a couple rows behind the high-priced section for much less. I am aware that these bands have only one original member each, except Focus, which has two, but to see them all together at once is not so bad for the price, and the music is still good.

Of these, Focus is the only one of any interest to me. Given there are four bands on the bill, none of them will likely play that long, so I'm probably going to take a pass. If it was a full Focus show, I'd go for sure.

Bill

[rapidfirerob]

We’re flying out to Milwaukee to catch the last show of the tour. Eighth row seats. Not an Asia fan, but excited about the other three acts. I’ll be buying the new Focus album.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dan Roth]

[rapidfirerob]

Sounds great!!!

[D.Eric]

Sounds great!!!

Yes. Also like the (presumed) pun.