Ship of Memories
1976 compilation album by Focus
Ship of Memories is a compilation album from the Dutch rock band Focus, released in 1976 on EMI-Bovema. During a period of group inactivity, longtime associate Hubert Terheggen asked their producer Mike Vernon to select previously unreleased material for official release. Compiled without any active involvement by any band member, the recordings date from January 1970 to mid-1975, and largely during unproductive recording sessions in 1973 for a follow-up studio album to Focus 3 (1972).
Production
The first four songs were recorded in May 1973 at Chipping Norton Recording Studios in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire. "P.'s March", though seemingly a pun on "peace march", was meant to be "Pierre's March" in honour of the drummer, Pierre van der Linden. The second, or "B" motif first appeared as a "B" motif in the song, "Carmen Elysium", on Thijs van Leer's "Introspection 2" album. Written in the classical style by Thijs van Leer, but performed with rock arrangements, this song alternates between uptempo, major key choruses, with melody stated on flute and piccolo, and minor key Bachian verses, with melody stated on electric guitar. "Can't Believe My Eyes", originally entitled "Can't Believe My Ears" and subtitled "Dance Macabre", is a bleak, hard rock instrumental written by Jan Akkerman. In stark contrast is van Leer's gentle jazz ballad "Focus V." "Out of Vesuvius" is an excerpt from a 1973 jam session, which would eventually evolve into a long composition like "Eruption". "Glider" marked a move into disco-funk territory, and was recorded in Brussels, Belgium with drum machine and electric sitar amongst the instrumentation.
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