@@HRConsultant_Jeff One of the first technical guitar players , even Brian May was inspired by him and admited that he failed several times playing this song.
Gladys Knight as in her and her brothers, 'the Pips', as in Midnight train to Georgia and many other songs - amazing vocalist. Also, hats off to the joy of Hocus Pocus' Focus! Thanks for your reaction. 😄
yeah that was gladys knight at the start lmao and yeah focus are an incredible dutch band, the guitarist jan akkerman one of the greats! also with this performance they had to speed the song up in order to fit the whole song in the limited time slot they had to perform on the show so really the song is a bit longer/slower but this is so good i love this performance
oooo im so glad you guys are watching this. i remember being shown this vid by a friend in highschool and being blown away. Focus' guitarist Jan Akkerman was way ahead of his time using advanced techniques like sweep picking and having one of the earliest signature guitars made for him by a German guitar company in the 70s.
That show required bands to shorten their songs in order to fit in the given time slot. In an entertaining move, this band decided to play the entire song at warp speed instead of chopping it up. The recorded version is way less hectic.
If you were to listen to the album version, the live is so much faster,because they only had a small amount to play on the show, so they sped the song up. Saturday Night Special was awesome, so many different acts.
This 50-year old song was very popular and got plenty of radio play when it was first released. We really liked stuff that was unique. The studio version is slower and a little easier to listen to. The live version was sped up to confirm to the shorter play time required by most TV shows.
I love watching reactions to this, and they always make me laugh. You guys are the best so far! I was in HS when this came out. The original audio version of this is about half this speed. Midnight Special asked Focus if they could do this at a faster pace because of program time constraints, so they did. The slower version is still a decent pace, but it's way better than this version. "Hocus Pocus" was a huge hit when it was released in 1970. Focus is a Dutch progressive rock band formed in Amsterdam, Netherlands in 1969 by keyboardist, vocalist, and flutist Thijs van Leer. The band disbanded in 1978. Great reaction guys! Thanks! ✌💙✌
Me too! I graduated in 1975. I think about the “Free Bird” live video from Oakland in 1977 and can’t imagine how that crowd are now Grandma’s and Grandpa’s !!!!
Talk about an incredible vocal range! This band was so talented and ahead of their time. Love them and still listen to them. Yo gotta listen to their studio stuff. The Moving Waves album is incredible. Great reaction guys. BY the way, the announcer is Gladys Knight an amazing vocalist
Here's another suggestion that's a bit different "Crowd Sings Bohemian Rhapsody [Live in Hyde Park 2017]" if you enjoy queen then you will love this video. (Impressive) this was so creative, back in the day. I don't know how anyone couldn't see the talent this band demonstrated from the instrumentals to the yodeling, whistling, and clever flute playing, an all-round fun tune. Thanks for sharing🎶👍
I've heard this song since 1973 but never watched it live before - wow, the skills involved! Thanks for sharing your reaction. I was bouncing around like the dude in the back too!
They were not punk at all. They were symphonic rock par excellence. All highly capable musicians. Otherwise they would not have been able to perform this at almost twice the speed of the original album version. Listen to Sylvia or the original of this, and you'll see they were anything but punk.
Some of the best live performances on The Midnight Special show. You should check out Jethro Tull if ya wanna see some electric flute thrown into some good 70's rock.
Got to agree with another comment about "crowd sings Bohemian Rhapsody ". It was a Green Day concert and before the band came onstage there was music playing on the PA system, and when Bohemian Rhapsody came on the entire crowd sang every word and note. It's incredible!!!!
Well Done Guys for that reaction to those Dutch Masters. The Organist is still playing in his 70's now. I saw them around this year of 1973 in South East London. They had one other big UK hit with "Sylvia" and did many other songs but none like this. Others have ,probably,told you,that this was a 7 minute song but they were only given a 4 minute slot hence the speed that they played:)
i follow this band for 50 yrs. now..... and shared your reaction to the Nightdreamers Reacticide Discord (Nightwish).... pls note that they had to speed up this song, because they didnt wanted to shorten the song because of stupid American commercials.... grts from a dutch cheesehead, living in Germany.... btw.... no drugs were harmed prior to this performance !!
I can't believe you guys reviewed this band and this song, because back when this came out, I was a kid, in Junior High School. I had the album. Crazy shit! I'm pretty sure that guy was a Meth addict. I could be wrong though.
the tv station told them they didnt have much time to play their song( which was somewhat long) so they decided to troll them and have fun by playing it on turbo
A+ the back story is that song was 7 (give or take) minutes on the radio…Midnight Special had a 4 minute limit for each act…these guys did it double time…to fit in the slot
Oh my God! I'm 62 years old and I still go nuts over this song! I remember the first time I heard it, but now when I go nuts with this song I throw my back out !!!
The 70s were a great time for music. The bands made it about the music and not the commercialism of it. The music was the only thing that made that era worth living in.
That was Gladis Knight that introduced them.Tae you nailed it that was the LSD days . You guys should see the crazy world of Arthur Brown song Fire. That’s the freaky deeky Dutch.
The woman who introduced them is the legend, Gladys Knight! (and the pips) My cousins and I used to air jam to this when it first came out. We would e ven do the yodeling! Idk what else they did, honestly.... but you HAD to experience this one! Too funny!! 👍
Love your reactions You should check out Edgar and Johnny Winter Tobacco Road live version, legally blind albino brothers from Texas couldn't play sports so they learned to play music Johnny's voice was one of the instruments, he'll take ya to Church...fact!
The legendary queen herself, Gladys Knight, and for Dutch people equally legendary band Focus have been entertaining us for over 50 years. The original song is slower and therefor longer, the band was asked to find a way to cut the song a bit due to time restraint, the band said "Nope, we'll just play it faster" and this performance is the result, true musicianship right there. Another fun thing to know, Jan Akkerman the guitarist, was voted best guitarist in the world twice (i believe) during a time when the guitar gods were around, he's one hell of a guitarist.
Just discovered your channel last night whilst watching your reaction to Procol Harum’s live performance in Denmark of Whiter Shade of Pale - Great reaction, to that and this one, y’all! In ‘66, my mom (now 81) discovered Progressive Rock after only knowing DooWop and Motown, and Focus is one of her favourite groups - she says I was listening to bands such as Focus, Pink Floyd, Johnny and Edgar Winter (and his two bands - The Edgar Winter Group; White Trash), Moody Blues, Rare Earth/Peter Rivera, Procol Harum, etc. Eruption (from the album Moving Waves) is a vibe - hauntingly beautiful and eerie it’s definitely worth checking out, but the piece’s overall tone/mood and its lengthy run time, it’s one to listen to when you’re by yourself or in a small, chill group. Looking forward to checking out more of your reactions! Cheers from The ATL.
I was 10 when this came out,my dad bought the Single and I remember when him and my mum went shopping, I used to sneak into the front room and blast it out on my dad's stereo.
That was Gladys Knight introducing the band. She was top of the charts back then with 'Midnight Train To Georgia'. Ya'll should check that one out. And btw Hocus Pocus is the only song like that on the Focus album "Moving Waves" The rest of the ablum is some serious 70s era prog fusion jamming. The guitarist Jan Akkerman was a top notch hero for a while.
I remember hearing this for the first time in the early 70's. My buddy bought this album and played this song for the first time at a party in his house. There were about 12 of us there. And when the song was over we all looked at each other ( much like you guys did) wondering what the f was that!? Pretty cool.
First and Only Full Standing Ovation in the 9 years of The Midnight Special. TMS was an institution. At the time there was no where else in the World to see Bands play live other then in Concert. From 1230am until 2am Friday night University Parties shut down and they and High School Students crowded around the TV, to watch the Best and the Newest Bands let it rip.
That beautiful lady introducing Focus is none other than the incomparable Gladys Knight. NOTE; like others have said, check out The Edgar Winters Band performing "Frankenstein" GOTTA BE THE LIVE VERSION FROM "The Old Grey Whistle Test!!!!. Thanks, Love you guys!
Just knew it would get you guys excited. How could it not? I remember watching this in 1973 on The Midnight Special, with Ms. Gladys Knight doing the hosting duties. The actual studio version is about six minutes long, but had to be sped up due to TV time limits.
One of the best uses of this song was the car chase scene of Baby Driver. This was played faster than the album version as they only had a 4mins slot, so their solution was to play a 7min song at a faster tempo. Legends.
The vocal guy was warning up his facial muscles for the performance. This is faster than the original version. A good site to find out what sing meanings are is called song facts.... great reaction I was busting a gut .....
Speaking of Gladys knight you will love her performance of "Neither One Of Us" along with The Pips LIVE on SOUL TRAIN (so you can see her in all her glory and with her natural hair). You will straight up fall in love with her (if you have not already)!
What do you do when you write a 7-minute song, and the TV show says you have 4 minutes?
Do it twice as fast. This was legendary.
The group played the song faster than usual because they were restricted by the TV time allowed.
It's still my favorite version, I love that they said no to cutting away a part of the song and just sped it up
From Holland. 50 years now
The only standing ovation ever on Midnight Special.
also compared to the rap at the time probs the fastest glottal transitions
One of the great guitarist who influenced so many European players. One of the first shredders and using jazz progressions in the mix- Jan Akkerman
"What if rock, but also, sweep picking?"
@@HollowGolem yeah he was doing that while playing in scales I am still trying to figure out.
@@HRConsultant_Jeff One of the first technical guitar players , even Brian May was inspired by him and admited that he failed several times playing this song.
Even FrankZappa wanted Jan Akkerman in his band .
The there was Allan Holdsworth....
WOW!! this guy's vocal octaves are insane!!
for early 70s, that guitar player is shredding like few others could.
You might know the guy, Akkermans used to be more appraised then Clapton I remember in the old days.
Focus has so many great hits. Great guitar player : Jan Akkerman. A great Dutch band. Greetings from the Netherlands. 🎸🎸🎸🎶🎶👍
That guy could shred before shredders existed. Respect to the Dutch, my favourite people as a nation 🇬🇧 🇳🇱
Gladys Knight as in her and her brothers, 'the Pips', as in Midnight train to Georgia and many other songs - amazing vocalist. Also, hats off to the joy of Hocus Pocus' Focus! Thanks for your reaction. 😄
yeah that was gladys knight at the start lmao and yeah focus are an incredible dutch band, the guitarist jan akkerman one of the greats! also with this performance they had to speed the song up in order to fit the whole song in the limited time slot they had to perform on the show so really the song is a bit longer/slower but this is so good i love this performance
This is without doubt the finest reaction vid for this tune. Well done gents for embracing it!!!
They where a Dutch group, very talented!
HUP HOLLAND!
oooo im so glad you guys are watching this. i remember being shown this vid by a friend in highschool and being blown away. Focus' guitarist Jan Akkerman was way ahead of his time using advanced techniques like sweep picking and having one of the earliest signature guitars made for him by a German guitar company in the 70s.
That show required bands to shorten their songs in order to fit in the given time slot. In an entertaining move, this band decided to play the entire song at warp speed instead of chopping it up. The recorded version is way less hectic.
If you were to listen to the album version, the live is so much faster,because they only had a small amount to play on the show, so they sped the song up. Saturday Night Special was awesome, so many different acts.
This is the best version of the song. The album version is too slow and boring.
@@HenritheHorse I like both
This is a genius performance, goofy but incredibly difficult
one of the Greatest Reactions I've Ever Seen!!!!!!!
As far as I know, they had to play the song twice as fast as it was supposed to be played because of time issues in the show :D
This 50-year old song was very popular and got plenty of radio play when it was first released. We really liked stuff that was unique.
The studio version is slower and a little easier to listen to. The live version was sped up to confirm to the shorter play time required by most TV shows.
this song is fire. and to think it came out in '73
The legendary one and only 'Focus'. I am their loyal fan 🤩
Need to do "Edgar winter group" - "Frankenstien" live on the old grey whistle test! 👌❤️
Said the same thing @muzzap21. Great minds think alike!!!
Once they have hit Frankenstien they should hit up Tobacco Road by Edgar Winter too that is also fire.
I love watching reactions to this, and they always make me laugh. You guys are the best so far! I was in HS when this came out. The original audio version of this is about half this speed. Midnight Special asked Focus if they could do this at a faster pace because of program time constraints, so they did. The slower version is still a decent pace, but it's way better than this version. "Hocus Pocus" was a huge hit when it was released in 1970. Focus is a Dutch progressive rock band formed in Amsterdam, Netherlands in 1969 by keyboardist, vocalist, and flutist Thijs van Leer. The band disbanded in 1978. Great reaction guys! Thanks! ✌💙✌
Well, they reunited als still perform! The keyboard player is still in the band.
I heard they were asked to shorten the song, and Focus had a better idea, hence this well deserved standing ovation performance
They crack me up too. Crying, laughing at this!!
Me too! I graduated in 1975. I think about the “Free Bird” live video from Oakland in 1977 and can’t imagine how that crowd are now Grandma’s and Grandpa’s !!!!
@@tvoost7296 they don't have the heart of the band without the keyboard guy.
Talk about an incredible vocal range! This band was so talented and ahead of their time. Love them and still listen to them. Yo gotta listen to their studio stuff. The Moving Waves album is incredible. Great reaction guys. BY the way, the announcer is Gladys Knight an amazing vocalist
Which few pays attention to.
The only Midnight Special standing Ovation EVER
unique ,original ,bizarre, weird ,hilarious,fun
HEY from HOLLAND...(yep the Netherlands)YOU'RE REACTION WAS 🔥HILARIOUS!!!🔥🤣👍🏻🧯 😜👌 THANKS you GUY'S...Cheers from this Dutch girl 😉
Outstanding musicians!
Here's another suggestion that's a bit different "Crowd Sings Bohemian Rhapsody [Live in Hyde Park 2017]" if you enjoy queen then you will love this video. (Impressive) this was so creative, back in the day. I don't know how anyone couldn't see the talent this band demonstrated from the instrumentals to the yodeling, whistling, and clever flute playing, an all-round fun tune. Thanks for sharing🎶👍
😂😂😂 I love how y’all just went with it. Great reaction ❤
And the sole standing ovation from the public!
This recording will still make people happy 50 years from now....
The musicianship for this chaos is incredible! Always great to see folks react to the yodelshredbeatfest!
This has got to be one of my favorite reactions that I've seen so far. Cartier Family, you guys rock! Keep em coming ;)
I've heard this song since 1973 but never watched it live before - wow, the skills involved! Thanks for sharing your reaction. I was bouncing around like the dude in the back too!
"Oh yeah, he different" couldn't have said it better.
One of the best group ever!!!❤❤❤
Punk rock group from the Netherlands. The yodeling, the flute, the whistling!!
They were not punk at all. They were symphonic rock par excellence. All highly capable musicians. Otherwise they would not have been able to perform this at almost twice the speed of the original album version. Listen to Sylvia or the original of this, and you'll see they were anything but punk.
OMG this is the first time I've ever heard this song and watching you all react to it and all your facial expressions had me on the floor HAHA
Can you imagine guys when I heard for the first time this song back in 1974? After 50 years don't realize the impact of these guys back then
Some of the best live performances on The Midnight Special show. You should check out Jethro Tull if ya wanna see some electric flute thrown into some good 70's rock.
When I was a kid, I always liked when this song came on FM radio. I had no idea how frenetic the lead singer was.
That was the legendary Gladys Knight introducing them.
I’ve seen this so many times but I HAD to watch it with you guys!!!
Got to agree with another comment about "crowd sings Bohemian Rhapsody ". It was a Green Day concert and before the band came onstage there was music playing on the PA system, and when Bohemian Rhapsody came on the entire crowd sang every word and note. It's incredible!!!!
Exactly how me and my friends responded to this in 1973. I still haven’t wiped the smile off my face.
This is some good music! Crazy stuff! Enjoy all your vids!
Truly amazing to experience this in 1973 and still great ...
Saw this band live in a venue in Leeuwarden (The Netherlands) with my dad 6 years ago. AMAZING!
Well Done Guys for that reaction to those Dutch Masters. The Organist is still playing in his 70's now.
I saw them around this year of 1973 in South East London.
They had one other big UK hit with "Sylvia" and did many other songs but none like this.
Others have ,probably,told you,that this was a 7 minute song but they were only given a 4 minute slot hence the speed that they played:)
The drummer Pierre van der Linden has also rejoined a while back and they just released FOCUS 50, for their 50th Anniversary. Give it a listen.
@@toddstevens13 Thanks Todd..
At the time there were 2 great late night music shows Don Kirshners in Concert and this show Midnight Special. Some great performances on both
Midnight Special NEVER gave standing Os. But they got one!
Loved watching you guys react to this. It was probably how I reacted when I first heard it way back in 1973.
Great reaction and greetzzz from the country where this song came from…
i follow this band for 50 yrs. now..... and shared your reaction to the Nightdreamers Reacticide Discord (Nightwish).... pls note that they had to speed up this song, because they didnt wanted to shorten the song because of stupid American commercials.... grts from a dutch cheesehead, living in Germany.... btw.... no drugs were harmed prior to this performance !!
I can't believe you guys reviewed this band and this song, because back when this came out, I was a kid, in Junior High School. I had the album.
Crazy shit! I'm pretty sure that guy was a Meth addict. I could be wrong though.
the tv station told them they didnt have much time to play their song( which was somewhat long) so they decided to troll them and have fun by playing it on turbo
I love this song.
Nike even used this song in a very long soccer commercial. Easy to find on TH-cam. Check it out!
A+ the back story is that song was 7 (give or take) minutes on the radio…Midnight Special had a 4 minute limit for each act…these guys did it double time…to fit in the slot
Love your reactions, you guys should react to Pink Floyd Echoes - Live at Pompeii
Oh my God! I'm 62 years old and I still go nuts over this song! I remember the first time I heard it, but now when I go nuts with this song I throw my back out !!!
The 70s were a great time for music. The bands made it about the music and not the commercialism of it. The music was the only thing that made that era worth living in.
Rolling Stones rock and roll circus has some good performances! Dirty mac - Yer Blues! Great solo from Clapton! 👌❤️
so glad you guys got to see this. Love this song. Great content, keep it up
I LOOOOVVVE HOCUS POCUS BY FOCUS!!!!❤❤❤❤❤❤
The Guy at the back in the Grey Hoodie Bloody Priceless ❤
I remember that being on the radio all the time. I had forgotten about this song. What a childhood flashback !
This was a hit in the UK, you guys are hilarious 😂 funny 😆👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🇬🇧xx
That was Gladis Knight that introduced them.Tae you nailed it that was the LSD days . You guys should see the crazy world of Arthur Brown song Fire. That’s the freaky deeky Dutch.
It was a very unique and technically difficult song.
And this live version was a lot faster than the original studio version.
The woman who introduced them is the legend, Gladys Knight! (and the pips) My cousins and I used to air jam to this when it first came out. We would e ven do the yodeling! Idk what else they did, honestly.... but you HAD to experience this one! Too funny!! 👍
They performed this song, which is actually much longer, in double time, in order to fit it into the time allowed by the television studio.
Always fun to watch reactions to this song - but your reactions were some of the best!
Love your reactions
You should check out Edgar and Johnny Winter Tobacco Road live version, legally blind albino brothers from Texas couldn't play sports so they learned to play music Johnny's voice was one of the instruments, he'll take ya to Church...fact!
Another Amazing Instrumental from the 1970's Edgar winter group" - "Frankenstien"
*LIVE* on the old grey whistle test
The legendary queen herself, Gladys Knight, and for Dutch people equally legendary band Focus have been entertaining us for over 50 years.
The original song is slower and therefor longer, the band was asked to find a way to cut the song a bit due to time restraint, the band said "Nope, we'll just play it faster" and this performance is the result, true musicianship right there.
Another fun thing to know, Jan Akkerman the guitarist, was voted best guitarist in the world twice (i believe) during a time when the guitar gods were around, he's one hell of a guitarist.
Love that you guys love this! Next up try Edgar Winters *Frankenstein* 🔥
Dutch Scandinavian rock of Europe.... wild crazy and you have to look if ya want to or not ... enjoy
One of the hardest sounds for 1970
Jan Akkerman the best gitar player off the world 1978...
1973
speed that tune up almost 2 times to get it on tv and damn it rocked and was FUN
Just discovered your channel last night whilst watching your reaction to Procol Harum’s live performance in Denmark of Whiter Shade of Pale - Great reaction, to that and this one, y’all!
In ‘66, my mom (now 81) discovered Progressive Rock after only knowing DooWop and Motown, and Focus is one of her favourite groups - she says I was listening to bands such as Focus, Pink Floyd, Johnny and Edgar Winter (and his two bands - The Edgar Winter Group; White Trash), Moody Blues, Rare Earth/Peter Rivera, Procol Harum, etc.
Eruption (from the album Moving Waves) is a vibe - hauntingly beautiful and eerie it’s definitely worth checking out, but the piece’s overall tone/mood and its lengthy run time, it’s one to listen to when you’re by yourself or in a small, chill group.
Looking forward to checking out more of your reactions!
Cheers from The ATL.
I was 10 when this came out,my dad bought the Single and I remember when him and my mum went shopping, I used to sneak into the front room and blast it out on my dad's stereo.
LOVE THE KILL BILL POSTER🖤💛
Impossible not to experience the energy they are putting out.
3:20
Thijs' face makes me smile...every....single....time!
💪✌️
Damn. Is the right word. Love these guys
This reaction was fun to watch👏😊
First concert I ever went to...follow band was Spirit...great night.
That was Gladys Knight introducing the band. She was top of the charts back then with 'Midnight Train To Georgia'. Ya'll should check that one out. And btw Hocus Pocus is the only song like that on the Focus album "Moving Waves" The rest of the ablum is some serious 70s era prog fusion jamming. The guitarist Jan Akkerman was a top notch hero for a while.
I remember hearing this for the first time in the early 70's. My buddy bought this album and played this song for the first time at a party in his house. There were about 12 of us there. And when the song was over we all looked at each other ( much like you guys did) wondering what the f was that!? Pretty cool.
First and Only Full Standing Ovation in the 9 years of The Midnight Special. TMS was an institution. At the time there was no where else in the World to see Bands play live other then in Concert. From 1230am until 2am Friday night University Parties shut down and they and High School Students crowded around the TV, to watch the Best and the Newest Bands let it rip.
My man in the back was vibin'!! Great reaction gentlemen!
That beautiful lady introducing Focus is none other than the incomparable Gladys Knight. NOTE; like others have said, check out The Edgar Winters Band performing "Frankenstein" GOTTA BE THE LIVE VERSION FROM "The Old Grey Whistle Test!!!!. Thanks, Love you guys!
Y'all killing me. That ain't Oprah. That is Gladys Knight (as is of "The Pips"). You should listen to her "Midnight Train to Georgia."
Just knew it would get you guys excited. How could it not? I remember watching this in 1973 on The Midnight Special, with Ms. Gladys Knight doing the hosting duties. The actual studio version is about six minutes long, but had to be sped up due to TV time limits.
One of the best uses of this song was the car chase scene of Baby Driver.
This was played faster than the album version as they only had a 4mins slot, so their solution was to play a 7min song at a faster tempo. Legends.
The vocal guy was warning up his facial muscles for the performance. This is faster than the original version. A good site to find out what sing meanings are is called song facts.... great reaction I was busting a gut .....
The MC was Gladys Knight for chrissakes! Anyway, yeah that was batshit crazy. You guys are up for anything and I love it!
Speaking of Gladys knight you will love her performance of "Neither One Of Us" along with The Pips LIVE on SOUL TRAIN (so you can see her in all her glory and with her natural hair). You will straight up fall in love with her (if you have not already)!
THAT SONG IS REALLY GOOD FROM THE ALBUM