Focus - Moving Waves (1971) Vinyl LP • Progressive Rock, Hocus Pocus, Eruption

Catalog Number:

SAS-7401

Musical Styles:

1970s, Art Rock, Hard Rock, Instrumental, Jazz Rock, Progressive Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Symphonic Rock

Sleeve Grade:

Very Good Plus (VG+)

Record Grade:

Excellent (EX)

Condition Details:

Vinyl plays with occasional crackles (play-graded). Cover has a few creases near edges; scuffing (front/back). Inner-sleeve is original (generic white). Spine is mostly easy-to-read with mild-wear (printed off-center). Minor shelf-wear along top-edge, slightly heavier across bottom-edge and corners. Opening is crisp with signs of light use and divots. (Not a cut-out.)

Tracks:

1. Hocus Pocus
2. Le Clochard ("Bread")
3. Janis
4. Moving Waves
5. Focus II
6. Eruption (Based On A Musical Idea By Thijs Van Leer)

About The Record:

Moving Waves by Focus is a pivotal progressive rock album that marked the Dutch band's breakthrough, blending classical, jazz, and hard rock elements with unparalleled virtuosity and eccentricity. The explosive opener Hocus Pocus remains iconic for Thijs van Leer's wild yodelling, scat singing, whistling, falsetto, and accordion-like organ riffs alongside Jan Akkerman's blistering guitar, creating one of prog rock's most unconventional yet enduring tracks. Dominating side two is the ambitious 22-minute suite Eruption, a multi-sectional adaptation drawing from Jacopo Peri's opera Euridice and the Orpheus myth, showcasing the quartet's instrumental prowess with contributions from organ, flute, mellotron, and dynamic drumming. Fan favorites include the melancholic acoustic Le Clochard, the tender flute-led Janis, and the mystical title track Moving Waves inspired by Sufi mystic Hazrat Inayat Khan. The album achieved major commercial success, peaking at No. 2 on the UK Albums Chart and No. 8 on the US Billboard 200, driven by the single Hocus Pocus which reached No. 9 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and No. 20 in the UK.