Focus, the Dutch progressive rock group active since 1969, has 20 people listed as members according to MusicBrainz. This list reflects the database as retrieved on 2026-10-09 and includes all members with their roles and years of activity exactly as documented in that source.
Current Members
- Thijs van Leer – flute, keyboards, lead vocals, piano, synthesizer, years: 1969–1978, 1985–1985, 1985–1985, 1985–1985, 1985–1985, 1985–1985, 1990–1990, 1990–1990, 1990–1990, 1990–1990, 1990–1990, 1997–1998, 1997–1998, 1997–1998, 1997–1998, 1997–1998, 2001–present, 2001–present, 2001–present, 2001–present, 2001–present
- Pierre van der Linden – drums, percussion, years: 1971–1973, 1975–1976, 1975–1976, 1990–1990, 1990–1990, 2004–present, 2004–present
- Menno Gootjes – guitar, years: 1997–1998, 2010–present
- Udo Pannekeet – bass, years: 2016–present
- Jo De Roeck – role(s): not listed, years: years not listed
Former Members
- Hans Cleuver – drums, lead vocals, percussion, years: 1969–1970, 1997–1998, 1997–1998, 1997–1998
- Jan Akkerman – bass, guitar, lute, percussion, years: 1969–1975, 1985–1985, 1985–1985, 1985–1985, 1985–1985, 1985–1985, 1990–1990, 1990–1990, 1990–1990, 1990–1990
- Martin Dresden – background vocals, bass, years: 1969–1970
- Bert Ruiter – background vocals, bass, years: 1971–1978, 1990–1990, 1990–1990, 1997–1998, 1997–1998
- Cyril Havermans – background vocals, bass, years: 1971–1971
- Colin Allen – drums, percussion, years: 1973–1975
- David Kemper – drums, years: 1975–1976
- Philip Catherine – guitar, years: 1976–1977
- Eef Albers – guitar, years: 1977–1978
- P.J. Proby – lead vocals, years: 1977–1978
- Steve Smith – drums, years: 1977–1978
- Bobby Jacobs – background vocals, bass, years: 2001–2016
- Jan Dumée – background vocals, guitar, years: 2001–2006
- Bert Smaak – drums, years: 2002–2003
- Niels van der Steenhoven – guitar, years: 2006–2010
Original Line-up
- Hans Cleuver
- Jan Akkerman
- Martin Dresden
- Thijs van Leer
Line-up Timeline
| Member | Role | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Hans Cleuver | drums, lead vocals, percussion | 1969–1970, 1997–1998, 1997–1998, 1997–1998 |
| Jan Akkerman | bass, guitar, lute, percussion | 1969–1975, 1985–1985, 1985–1985, 1985–1985, 1985–1985, 1985–1985, 1990–1990, 1990–1990, 1990–1990, 1990–1990 |
| Martin Dresden | background vocals, bass | 1969–1970 |
| Thijs van Leer | flute, keyboards, lead vocals, piano, synthesizer | 1969–1978, 1985–1985, 1985–1985, 1985–1985, 1985–1985, 1985–1985, 1990–1990, 1990–1990, 1990–1990, 1990–1990, 1990–1990, 1997–1998, 1997–1998, 1997–1998, 1997–1998, 1997–1998, 2001–present, 2001–present, 2001–present, 2001–present, 2001–present |
| Bert Ruiter | background vocals, bass | 1971–1978, 1990–1990, 1990–1990, 1997–1998, 1997–1998 |
| Cyril Havermans | background vocals, bass | 1971–1971 |
| Pierre van der Linden | drums, percussion | 1971–1973, 1975–1976, 1975–1976, 1990–1990, 1990–1990, 2004–present, 2004–present |
| Colin Allen | drums, percussion | 1973–1975 |
| David Kemper | drums | 1975–1976 |
| Philip Catherine | guitar | 1976–1977 |
| Eef Albers | guitar | 1977–1978 |
| P.J. Proby | lead vocals | 1977–1978 |
| Steve Smith | drums | 1977–1978 |
| Menno Gootjes | guitar | 1997–1998, 2010–present |
| Bobby Jacobs | background vocals, bass | 2001–2016 |
| Jan Dumée | background vocals, guitar | 2001–2006 |
| Bert Smaak | drums | 2002–2003 |
| Niels van der Steenhoven | guitar | 2006–2010 |
| Udo Pannekeet | bass | 2016–present |
| Jo De Roeck | role(s): not listed | years not listed |
How This List Was Compiled
This list of Focus band members is compiled exclusively from the MusicBrainz database, specifically the ‘member of band’ relations for Focus, retrieved on 2026-10-09. Only individuals with a verified member relation in MusicBrainz are included. Touring, session players, guest musicians, or collaborators who do not have a ‘member of band’ relation in MusicBrainz are not included. Roles and years are presented exactly as listed in the database without interpretation or omission.
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many members are listed for Focus?
- There are 20 people listed as members of Focus in the MusicBrainz database.
- Who are the members listed without an end date?
- Five members do not have an end date listed: Thijs van Leer, Pierre van der Linden, Menno Gootjes, Udo Pannekeet, and Jo De Roeck.
- Who does MusicBrainz mark as original members of Focus?
- MusicBrainz marks Hans Cleuver, Jan Akkerman, Martin Dresden, and Thijs van Leer as original members.
- Where does the data for this list come from?
- The data comes from MusicBrainz, retrieved on 2026-10-09, which is a community-maintained music database.
Final Thoughts
This list offers a comprehensive view of the musicians who have been part of Focus according to a reliable music database. It provides clarity on the band’s membership over time without speculation or additions beyond the verified data.
For those interested in the band’s evolving line-up, this factual record serves as a definitive resource.
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