Mellotronists

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Brundage, Jim" <jpb@...>
To: "Mellotronists" <Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, August 18, 2006 4:07 PM
Subject: RE: [Mellotronists] Focus


> Thjis had a white M400 in his live rig for at least a few years. They
> first used it on "in and out of Focus" in 1970 but live footage from
> that time is almost non-existent. No tron at the "live at the Rainbow"
> show in '73 but definitely on the Old Grey Whistle Test footage in '74.
> I have seen Thjis with the M400 after Jan Akkerman left the band and
> Phillip Catherine joined making it as late as 1976 or 1977 that he
> toured with one.

A-ha... Thanks for that, Jim! Thijs used my M400 at a London gig a few years
ago, too, but disappointingly, barely touched it - just a few chords on
'Eruption'. Some twat of a roadie also stuck a monitor on top of it while I
was in the pub.  :-(

Jan Akkerman was and is a monster! Voted best guitar
> player in 1973 by guitar player magazine beating out Clapton, Terry Kath
> and others at the time.  Phillip was another great guitar player.

Akkerman was stunning, but I refused to join in with those who reckoned the
recent reformation was redundant without him. His replacement was excellent,
whereas Akkerman was pretty dull when I saw him a few years ago, obviously
getting amusement out of deliberately playing Focus stuff badly.

Andy T.