Focus - Sylvia (1973)

[kolonelklink1001]

Remember hearing this in Belgium during Mid '72. Was dating a chick called Sylvia at the time. Happy Days!!

[xXxgriefelementxXx]

LOL ON THA THUMBNAIL, IT LOOKS LIKE HUGH JACKMAN.

[mothertown]

Gibson Les Paul with Singlecoil Pickup? Cool

[Rich6Brew]

@mothertown

Not all Les Pauls have humbuckers. Some models have P90 pickups, which are single coil design.

[JaakkoTop]

Awesome, the legendary sound, the best thing I've heard from -70

[victorsaint2]

SO COOL

[zimbumbacchio]

Splendid video and song

[erblonder]

una rola clasica del rock progresivo es la cancion con la que despierta Dios de su cama

[Santangelo5]

@erblonder Y te aseguro que tambien al diablo y al cualquier persona a quien les guste la musica original de este grupo.

[01arsonist]

2 dislikes are reason to wear condoms.

[Dm3qXY]

@01arsonist you're a good man, man...

[evkin117]

the piano player looks like wolverines cousin 

[blafaard]

This melody will amaze people until the end of days. I'm suprised no big act have picked it up.

[polaroidboekelo1]

@blafaard Focus was a big act!!!

[stellitha88]

exelente musica de los 70

[JismCasanovaDurden]

1:41

priceless. 

[idle44]

The problem in those days was that live Studio Sound was often over-loud and uncontrollable. The solution was to record the performance, wipe the sound and dub on the studio sound.

[ThanBraun]

Jammer dat er een of andere geestelijk gestoorde door dit nummer heen zit te krijssen.

[Gozzillacia]

Hypnotically beautiful - almost an religious experience hearing this - if God did not speak through this guitar he never spoke.

[screminr]

just travelled in the time

[bodywiseproducts]

Is Thijs playing a Hammond-L series organ?

[noddyspuncture]

@bodywiseproducts  It looks like an M series.

[ashie259]

Very nice footage indeed. Surprised to see the kids headbanging down the front.

[Rich6Brew]

@ashie259

The head-banging segment is to a different song. The BBC had two cameramen at the venue and they made silent footage of two songs: Hocus Pocus and Sylvia. The footage was later cut together for transmission on Top of the Pops in 1973.

The fact that the sound was not recorded on the night and the studio track married up to it later has given rise to speculation that they mimed it. They did not. I was at the gig and even appear in the film at 1.47.

[TheMic609]

Lol i think i hear a Piano Playing the Organ Chords and the Bass line Still It is Good i have always liked Focus Good Band

[zedster911]

I bet no one has heard this played on the accordian at 100mph as Dave Duckett once claimed???? well Im that person.... LOL

[mel120357]

If you compare this classic footage with that of Hawkwind 'Silver Machine' in 1972 you'll see that the style of camerawork is very similar. Likewise HW performed 'live' to the Silver Machine recording being played over the PA and thus being filmed to very good effect. Focus have done the same here......methinks.

[draklorian]

does anyone know the notes for piano i cant bloody read music : ( perhaps if someone could make a tutorial video or tell me the notes to play : ) much would be appreciated

[ragnor56]

who cares wether mimed or not its still brilliant !!!! this will be remembered as one of the all time greats in rock anthems foreget the amatuer crap this is how it should sound the 70s rocked !!!!!!!!!

[petekay62]

@ragnor56 Too right!!!!!! Good music never dates. Just a shame that todays youngsters didn't have the good luck to hear it 'back in the day'

[Shitpickable]

@ragnor56 yeah, I dont think they used playback in the 70s xD

[tespiii]

@Shitpickable Actually what you said is false. Artists used "playback", backing track for vocals and/or pieces of music, even back in the 50's and 60's.. 70's & 80's were the golden age of backing track usage, aside of 21st century ofc.

[bigmagic96]

@ragnor56

Amen to that. So great to be a teenager in the 70s

[gibbonduder182]

actually its live, you can hear the crowd applauding in the break near the end, doesnt happen on the proper version

[Abrohill]

Caminaba por pucón con mi madre enferma escuchando esta canción, mis ojos se llenaban de lágrimas pues veía el celuloide de toda su vida y sabía que moriría luego. Hoy es primera vez que la escucho despues de su muerte. Gracias.

[Kwupples]

the organist is so talented

[cricketbat08]

Focus are one of the best bands ever!

[Mrchilipalmer14]

@cricketbat08 Yes, they're at least in the top 100,000 bands of the 70's.

[Llarosy]

the best of the best

[harrymulder]

Saw and heared Jan Akkermans in Royal Albert Hall in London last october it was Fantastic!!!!!!

[suberza]

Nice headbanging!

[malcolmbryant]

Have you ever seen anyone happier in their work than van Leer appears here? It makes me feel happy just seeing him so!

[buttonrecords]

they are miming: see at 2:39: bass no playing........but , footage is awesome, this is one of a few favorite groups mine, everything is important for me..thanks..

[Rich6Brew]

They are not miming. For the purpose of reducing costs the film was shot without a soundtrack: just two guys with cameras at the gig. Recording the live soundtrack at the same time would be a lot more involved. The audio from the commercial release was added a few days later to be used on TV. Just because the two don't marry-up here and there does not mean they mimed to the music on stage.

[buttonrecords]

I see, I understand now, wow! some cut was inserted in other place for more visual movement, I think. I use this trick more and more....is idificult aniway..

[DutchFord86]

Great video , Jan Akkerman just rules :P

[midianholic]

Awesome, an all time great up there with Hendrix and Gilmore.

[ThomasJ942]

i love this song sooooooooo much i got it on my phone and cd collection i love the video and i see if my dad knows this song in 1973 cause i think my dad was in the audence in 1973 lovely video <3

[tagbop]

Still sounds great after 36 years or so

[olarcial]

I feel my blood boiling in my veins every time I listen to this. My mind goes back thirty/forty years. i get insane with this song. I love it so much all these decades. From an old time it was. Focus were Great, Great, Great.

[taildragger53]

@olarcial I think you're right. Music had individuality back 40 yrs ago. Musicians like this actually PLAYED their instruments..today it's all attitude, media and fake studio "auto-tune".

-- I can't believe i'm saying this because in 1972 my parents were saying similar about their good old days of Glenn Miller!

[gdebaets]

No one, ever, will beat Jan Akkerman playing this thune..

[russellworks]

fantastic! I don't mind if they are miming.

is that John Peel on the organ? it's a long time since I saw this band play.

is that Gerard Depardieu on bass?!! far out!! oh no, he's playing guitar on this one too. great band, best thing to come out of Holland since tulips and plastic coated cheese. thanks for sharing.

[styace]

goosepimples

[wissahdahmastah]

melody is best ever, so beautyful <3

[TheReargunner]

Omnishere your,e a fucking wanker caaaannnt ,

your full of gay boy sperm up yer ian mcdowell

top banker batter boy son

[shaunyb2]

huh?

[jOntzohr]

Are they miming?

[Pontuswre]

I would'nt say they're miming. It looks like they played live, but that the sound was re-placed afterwards, like a music video.

[elsapucai]

No, they're miming. Pay attention at 0:31. Akkerman isn't playing what he's supposed to play, and he looks at the camera, nervous, and quickly takes his hand to the right place.

[63Brummie]

Let's just enjoy!

There aren't many (if any bands of this quality around now)... in those days you had to be able to play as you couldn't hide behind too much in the way of equipment.

Jan's sound is unique...

[AssimilateThis85]

Haha you're right. I'd never have noticed myself.

[Omnishere]

They are not miming - the concert footage was shot in the UK and the single version of Sylvia was overdubbed. The band were actually playing hocus pocus which is why there are some fans headbanging and why there is a sync problem.

[shaunyb2]

very interesting - I remember Steve Wright introducing it on TOTP2 by saying "Hocus pocus, it's focus!" i was confused for years afterwards.

[taildragger53]

@shaunyb2 That's right...i remember that too. I saw  Focus a few days later at The Roundhouse, Chalk Farm, London. I mistook this Bournemouth venue for it. Great days...the band members were as high as kites.

[Rich6Brew]

I can clarify the confusion here. The live footage, shot at the Village Bowl (now a ten pin bowling venue), Bournemouth, UK, was for the BBC's Top of the Pops show. Two songs were filmed: Hocus Pocus, and Sylvia, which have been cut together - the latter having the studio soundtrack added later for transmission a week later. They were not miming to the song onstage, I assure you.

I know all this as I was there, and appear in the clip.

[Nijvideo]

Very Excited to find this!

This was filmed for the UK TV show Top of the Pops at a concert in Bournemouth England.

I was there!!....I can find myself in the front row with very long hair and shaking my head (as we did back then) BRILLIANT!!

I remember very well seeing it recorded and broadcast - at the end of the clip (as used in the programme) my face was centre screen (not shown on this section)

[DirkjeA]

Wich one is you than, I can see a dozen of shaking heads.....lol

Saw them life twice in my hometown in Holland long time ago

[PMCcty]

But this track is the one they recorded in the studio back then.The footage of them playing live and the studio version is what you hear/see in this clip......

In other words: In this clip, the sound is actually the studio version..

[PMCcty]

Nice to see some footage of Jan Akkerman and Thijs van Leer in action.

I missed out on their performance of Sylvia back then ....too small to watch popmusic ...: )

[gloriaojeda]

que musica, que recuerdos, saludos desde guadalajara, mex.

[deepindercheema]

They are not miming, it looks very much like they are playing, but whatever they are playing the sound is off and the studio Sylvia is dubbed on top. Nice to see early footage of Focus on the way to the peak of normal (1972 or 1973) Jans Guitar is a Les Paul Personal that is just starting to be modified from normal.

[peg2003]

Yes, that's exactly what I believe - the studio version was dubbed over a live performance. Not sure if it was on TOTP though.

[tonymontana1974]

@peg2003 Top of the pops 2 was a spin off show from top of the pops. Top of the pops 2 was a half hour show of live performances and pop video,s.

[fabrikk60]

@deepindercheema - I think the guitar is a "Les Paul Recording", judging by the slanted oval pickups and especially by the knob on the forward top of the body. You can see this guitar much better in the Focus DVD where the band is rehearsing inside that big mansion - Jan plays an electric "Le Clochard" on it.

[YBradB]

Seen as it's on top of the pops they're most likely to be miming.

[mabbazza]

wonderful.Focus are just man pass the blow

mabazza

[bbunters]

Crazy Dutch guys. Focus FTW!

[LuisPaulo]

surely playing live.

[mantrib]

Identical to the single mix from the early '70's - which leads me to believe nicely mimed - but great nonetheless!