Tag Archives: Thijs van Leer

Feature: Call Collect – An introduction to Christmas (rock) Music

Posted on December 4, 2021 by GRTR! HQ

Christmas comes but once a year, and with it the usual mixed bag of toons. But not for us the familiar stylings of ‘Do They Know It’s Christmas’ or ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’. We like to dig deep, a bit like … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Call Collect, FEATURES | Tagged Alan Davey, album, carols, Christmas, feature, Hawkestrel, Hawkwind, instrumental, Jethro Tull, playlist, review, Rick Wakeman, Thea Gilmore, Thijs van Leer, Xmas | Leave a comment

Book review: Decades – Focus in the 1970s (Stephen Lambe)

Posted on April 26, 2021 by GRTR! HQ

Sonicbond Publishing [Publication date 30.04.21] At the outset I should declare an interest. As an inveterate Focus-watcher since the early 1970s, author of articles about the band for Record Collector magazine, liner notes, and the first book about Jan Akkerman … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, BOOK REVIEWS | Tagged book, Focus, Focus In The 1970s, Jan Akkerman, Mike Vernon, prog, Progressive Rock, review, Stephen Lambe, Thijs van Leer | Leave a comment

Album review: LESZEK CICHONSKI AND FRIENDS – Thanks Jimi Symphonic

Posted on February 22, 2021 by petefeenstra

Ledzek Cichonski And Friends - Thanks Jimi Symphonic

Pete Feenstra chatted to Leszek Cichonski for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, including the background to his album, world record-breaking and the Hendrix festivals. First broadcast 21 February 2021. Luna Music [Release date 26.06.2o] From the guitar and orchestral intro … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview | Tagged album, Dave Gilmour, Focus, guitar, Jerry Kosek, Jimi Hendrix, Jorgas Skolias, Leszek Cichonski, Leszek Cichonski And Friends, Lukasz Krywicki, Malford Milligan, Nelson Riddle, NFM Worclaw Philharmonic, orchestra, Ravel, review, Robert Jarmuzek, Storyville, Thanks Jimi Symphonic, Thijs van Leer, Tim Rose, Tomasz Grabowy, vocal, Wojciech Bulinki | Leave a comment

Feature: Call Collect: An introduction to FOCUS

Posted on April 1, 2020 by GRTR! HQ

Focus - Hard Rock Hell Prog, Pwllheli, 21-22 March 2014

David Randall developed the groundbreaking website Akkernet in 1996 during the Internet’s infancy and went on to manage several UK tours for Jan Akkerman before writing the original biography published in 2003. Here he recalls Focus and the key recordings. … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, Call Collect, FEATURES | Tagged Bert Ruiter, Dutch, feature, Focus, Holland, introduction, Jan Akkerman, Pierre van der Linden, prog, Progressive Rock, Thijs van Leer | Leave a comment

Gig review: FOCUS/Chantel McGregor – Under the Bridge, London, 25 October 2019

Posted on November 3, 2019 by andynathan

This show in one of London’s more enjoyably upscale venues was an opportunity for me to kill two birds with one stone, as well as bringing together two contrasting acts in an interesting pairing. Chantel McGregor has been a rising … Continue reading →

Posted in ALL POSTS, GIG REVIEWS | Tagged 25 October 2019, blues rock, Chantel McGregor, classic rock, Focus, gig, London, Menno Gootjes, Pierre van der Linden, prog, Progressive Rock, review, Thijs van Leer, Under the Bridge | Leave a comment

Album review: AYREON – Into The Electric Castle

Posted on October 11, 2018 by petefeenstra

Music Theories Recordings [Release date 26.10.18] Aside from being the 20th anniversary of its release and a long overdue vinyl release, the most significant thing about the Arjen Lucassen’s remixed and re-mastered 1998 Ayreon project, is the way it successfully … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album review, Anneke van Giersbergen, Arjen Lucassen, Asia, Ayreon, blues, Bob Calvert, Clive Nolan, Ed Warby, electronica, Fish, folk, gothic funk, Into The Electric Castle, Jon Anderson, metal, Peter Gabriel, Pink Floyd, pop, prog, psychedelia, rock, SPARKS, Thijs van Leer, Todd Rudgren, Uriah Heep, Yes | Leave a comment

Album review: URIAH HEEP – The Classic Rock Years (6 Disc Box Set)

Posted on July 3, 2016 by GRTR! HQ

In June 2014 David Randall chatted to Bernie Shaw for Get Ready to ROCK! Radio and in this exclusive edit Bernie chats about setlists and his own early involvement with the band. (6:21) The Store For Music [Release date 24.06.16] … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS, INTERVIEWS, Radio interview, Reissues | Tagged Acoustically Driven, album, Bernie Shaw, Between Two Worlds, box set, DVD, heavy rock, Ian Anderson, interview, John Lawton, Ken Hensley, Lee Kerslake, live, Live In Sofia, Live In The USA, Mick Box, Phil Lanzon, review, Sailing The Sea Of Light, The Classic Rock Years, The Magician's Birthday Party, Thijs van Leer, Trevor Bolder, Uriah Heep | Leave a comment

Album review: THE ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA – Plays Prog Rock Classics

Posted on April 10, 2015 by GRTR! HQ

Purple Pyramid/Cleopatra [Release date 20.04.15] Classical rock is an often maligned genre, when done well it can bring new dimension to time-worn classics, done badly and it can fail to enhance the originals. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra have always done … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged Adrian Smith, ELP, Focus, Genesis, Gentle Giant, Guthrie Govan, Ian Bairnson, Jethro Tull, Jimmy Greenspoon, King Crimson, Mark Feltham, Moody Blues, Patrick Moraz, Pink Floyd, Plays Prog Rock Classics, Richard Harvey, Rush, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Thijs van Leer, Yes | Leave a comment

Album review: FOCUS – Golden Oldies

Posted on May 24, 2014 by GRTR! HQ

In And Out Of Focus Records [Release date 14.04.14] They say rock is dead, the endless process of reinvention now limited, and the pioneers now ageing. There is no doubt that a great chasm will open within the next 10 … Continue reading →

Posted in ALBUM REVIEWS, ALBUM REVIEWS (Mobile), ALL POSTS | Tagged album, compilation, Focus, Golden Oldies, Pierre van der Linden, prog, progressive, re-recording, review, rock, Thijs van Leer | Leave a comment

FOCUS – X

Posted on October 17, 2012 by GRTR! HQ

Eastworld Recordings (2012) One of the great rejuvenations of recent years has been the Thijs van Leer version of Focus, things seemed to click with the arrival – in 2006 – of original drummer Pierre van der Linden and they’ve … Continue reading →