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Arthur Edward Waite, The Book of Black Magic, 1898

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Once the terror of dreams surpasses the day’s dirty promise We’ll rise from our blankets and bend over meekly

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New York Daily News. Winter in New York City. 1936

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Armée de L'Apocalypse (Révélation 9:15-19)

“ L'Apocalypse de welles l'Angleterre ca. 1310 (BL, royal 15 d II, fol). 143 R)

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Good morning.

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…people’s memories are maybe the fuel they burn to stay alive. Whether those memories have any actual importance or not, it doesn’t matter as far as the maintenance of life is concerned. They’re all just fuel. Advertising fillers in the newspaper, philosophy books, dirty pictures in a magazine, a bundle of ten-thousand-yen bills: when you feed ‘em to the fire, they’re all just paper.

– Haruki Murakami

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Simona Kossak (1943-2007) was a polish scientist, an ecologist, an author of films and books and an university professor. People called her “witch” because she was very close to wild animals, and it looked like she understand their language. She believed that the key to happiness is living simple and close to nature.. - more: culture.pl

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A.T.F.B.

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In the Year of Ash

galaxies of embers

sprawled across the ruins

take teardrops of molten glass

polish them as they cool

carve niches in a charred crossbeam

set them within

when it's all been taken away

reconstruct beauty

from whatever is left

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Focus photos, London 1972 - 1973 (Michael Putland)

https://gr.pinterest.com/SoundSpaceStation/focus-amsterdam-netherlands/

First photo 

Focus, Westminster Bridge, London, 1972, left to right : Jan Akkerman, Bert Ruiter, Thijs van Leer, Pierre van der Linden. (Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images)

Second photo 

Focus, the south bank by Westminster Bridge, London, 1972, left to right Pierre van der Linden, Bert Ruiter, Jan Akkerman, Thijs van Leer. (Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images)

Third photo

Focus, Westminster Bridge, London, 1972, left to right : Pierre van der Linden, Bert Ruiter, Jan Akkerman, Thijs van Leer. (Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images)

Fourth photo

Thijs van Leer and Jan Akkerman of Focus perform on stage at the Edmonton Sundown, London, 13th January 1973. (Photo by Michael Putland/Getty Images)

Focus, band formed in Amsterdam, Netherlands, 1969

Focus are a Dutch progressive rock band formed in Amsterdam in 1969 by keyboardist, vocalist, and flautist Thijs van Leer, drummer Hans Cleuver, bassist Martijn Dresden, and guitarist Jan Akkerman. The band have undergone numerous formations in its history; since December 2016, it has comprised van Leer, drummer Pierre van der Linden, guitarist Menno Gootjes, and bassist Udo Pannekeet. They have sold one million RIAA-certified albums in the United States.

After the addition of Akkerman to van Leer’s rock trio in late 1969, the band named themselves Focus and initially worked in the band for a Dutch production of the rock musical Hair. Their debut album Focus Plays Focus (1970) gained little attention but the follow-up, Moving Waves (1971), and its lead single “Hocus Pocus”, earned the band international recognition. Their success continued with Focus 3 (1972) and Hamburger Concerto (1974), the former containing their second hit single, “Sylvia”. After recording two albums with various musicians, including guitarist Phillip Catherine, singer P. J. Proby, and drummers Colin Allen, David Kemper, and Steve Smith, Focus dissolved in 1978. They briefly reunited in 1990 and 1997.

In 2002, van Leer reformed Focus with a new line-up that saw van der Linden rejoining the group in 2004. The albums Focus 8 (2002), Focus 9 / New Skin (2006) and Focus X (2012) were well received, and Focus continue to perform worldwide. Their most recent album is Focus 11 (2018). They received a renewed interest after Nike used “Hocus Pocus” in its 2010 World Cup commercial Write The Future. Focus remain one of the most successful and influential rock bands from the Netherlands.

With their unique brand of progressive rock, Focus manifested themselves at the start of the ‘70s as the most successful and appreciated of all the Dutch pop-rock exports. Fronted by founding member Thijs Van Leer, and best known for their hits “Hocus Pocus”, “House of The King” and “Sylvia”, as well as critically acclaimed albums 'Moving Waves’, 'Focus 3’ and 'Hamburger Concerto’, the iconic Dutch music masters are back with their tenth album, which is guaranteed to please their legions of fans!   

 After a comeback in the early 2000’s, which resulted in the well-received albums 'Focus 8’ and 'Focus 9’, the band regrouped with a fantastic new line-up. Along with Thijs van Leer on vocals, flute and keyboards, back on the drums is famed Focus drummer Pierre van der Linden, who joined the group on their second album 'Moving Waves’ in 1972. Internationally renowned for his rhythmic skills, Pierre remains a defining factor in the Focus sound. Guitarist Menno Gootjes, who participated in Focus at an earlier stage, and acclaimed bass player Udo Pannekeet, complete the band’s current line-up. Recently, Focus’s biggest hit “Hocus Pocus” was used in a 4-minute Nike commercial before the World Cup broadcast. Focus music can be regularly heard on Top Gear and Saxondale on TV in the UK. A new Focus era has arrived! There is a rejuvenated passion amongst the band as they released the first studio album for 6 years, Focus 11, in early 2019.  They toured the world in in support of the new album, and are now building up to its 50th Anniversary. Unfortunately the world situation has halted the 50th Anniversary celebrations, but have no fear, as soon as they are able Focus will be back on stage where they belong and love to be. 

(source : “Wikipedia”, FocusTheBand”)

Current members :

Thijs van Leer – keyboards, flute, vocals (1969–1978, 1990, 1993-1995, 1998, 2001–present)

Pierre van der Linden – drums, percussion  (1971–1973, 1975, 1990, 2004–present)

Menno Gootjes – guitar, backing vocals (1998, 2010 - present)

Udo Pannekeet – bass (2016 - present)

Michael Putland photographer

Michael Putland (27th May 1947 – 18th November 2019) was an English music photographer who “didn’t have a day off in the seventies. At least that’s how it seemed to him at the time”. He photographed thousands of artists, from ABBA to Zappa.

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Keith after being electrocuted, I still don't understand how he survived