Various - Under The Covers


Year of Release: 2003
Label: Lightyear
Catalog Number: n/a
Format: DVD
Total Time: 88:00:00

The title Under The Covers made me think of a daytime soap opera, not a DVD about rock music. Actually, this DVD is about much more than music. Henry Diltz, world-renowned photographer, and artist Gary Burden take you on a trip through some of the most famous album covers ever made. Through their combined efforts, they managed to work with some of the most popular acts in the music business in '60's and '70s and in the process created rock 'n' roll artwork for the ages.

I learned quite a bit about music and the people that made it by watching this fascinating documentary. Diltz and Burden still look like a couple of dope smoking hippies (just a few years older), in fact, they light up with a smile at the end of this DVD and drive off. Even though their lifestyles are a carry over to some degree of that time, they are very much in touch with their lives and work and how it affected the music business and the artists. That is quite evident as you follow each album's story and the entire process that each man went through to see a project through. The artwork was such an important link to so many classic albums over the years. Since the demise of the LP, that aspect of buying music has all but disappeared. Instead of walking down the street to your local record store to buy albums or 45's, you have to go to specialized Internet sites to find the vinyl you are seeking now.

There some are wonderful tales spun throughout this DVD that give you a birds-eye view that you probably would never had the opportunity to experience before. I particular enjoyed the story of how Mama Cass Elliot got Crosby, Stills and Nash together. Diltz and Burden go on desert sojourns with the Eagles and America, complete with roaring fires, videos, and pictures shot while they were all tripping on peyote buttons (with the Eagles). They also show how they filmed the video for their album Desperado. What I also found very interesting and entertaining was the development of Richard Pryor's famous native album cover then the subsequent reaction of National Geographic (notice the similarity to the magazine's border on the DVD cover). The always-articulate Ray Manzarek gives his colorful description of how he and his wife found a hotel named Morrison Hotel while cruising around the LA area. Then Diltz goes into how he ended up photographing The Doors in the hotel lobby for the album cover of Morrison Hotel. He then shows some homemade 8mm movies of the band on a beach, walking around drinking with a pack of dogs following them. These events and many more unfold in detail on this DVD.

The culture and music of this era go hand in hand, while all the events that took place during the times seem to fit like a glove. This was one of the most original and unusual music DVDs that I have ever viewed and I enjoyed it immeasurably. You want to talk about a slice of music history ? check out this DVD, its great!


Tracklisting:
Introduction / Mama Cass / Crosby, Stills & Nash / Jackson Browne / The Doors / Steppenwolf / Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young / Laurel Canyon / Joni Mitchell / Woodstock / Eagles / Jimmy Webb / David Cassidy / America / Richard Pryor / Eagles-Desperado / Steve Poltz

Extras: Interviews, Exclusive photographs, rare home movies, photo album

Musicians:


Discography:


Genre: Others

Origin VA

Added: July 7th 2003
Reviewer: Keith "Muzikman" Hannaleck
Score:
Artist website:
Hits: 1969
Language: english

  

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