“Like Ritchie Blackmore, Jan Akkerman was a freak with the sequence of notes he played. His style was all crazy turns and weaving parts - you could never be sure where he was going to go. I think that really helped make Hocus Pocus so exciting.

"The whole song is kind of insane all the way through, but the solo is just out the door. It’s all in his right hand, the way he picks. Jan plays almost like a jazz guy, picking every note with incredible accuracy. But there’s real emotion in what he does. I know Hocus Pocus was supposed to be a spoof, but I think it's a great song in its own right. It's up to you whether it’s funny or not. In my opinion, it‘s the best thing the band ever did.”

Listen: Focus - Hocus Pocus (solo by Jan Akkerman)