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| Yes - YesSpeak |
  PAL / NTSC Released: 2003/2004 Label: Classic Pictures Cat. No.: DVD7065X (PAL) / DVD7065XNTSC (NTSC) Total Time: ~190:00 | |
Reviewed by: Stephanie Sollow, February 2004 Yes have been together for 35 years and this DVD celebrates that and Yes' legacy. Rather than a straight concert video, live footage is interspersed with interview footage of Jon Anderson, Rick Wakeman, Steve Howe, Alan White and Chris Squire talking about the band why it works and themselves. There is a candid casualness to the interviews, showing the members quite relaxed. One feels they are having a conversation with each one over lunch or a beer. Anderson, for the most part, is interviewed sitting on a hammock, swinging gently; Howe sitting back on a couch; White on a boat, that often rocks violently (though but for one instance, White seems unperturbed); Wakeman in an all white room; and Squire in his home (a rocky wall to his right or left side of the screen suggests the seaside) Because they look comfortable, they feel comfortable. That isn't to suggest the members engage in gossip, but that they feel free to speak, as I said, candidly. One finds that this is a band with a great deal of humour, especially Rick Wakeman. And it humanizes a band that is often seen as something bigger than itself though in a good way. The DVD is divided into 10 segments, 5 of them focusing on each member of the band, the other five more general looks at the band. All of this narrated off-screen by Roger Daltrey (vocalist with The Who) who does a good job, speaking animatedly when appropriate. The sound quality is very clear, there is no question of being able to hear what each is saying. However, the mix between background music and the interview, at least on this promotional copy, is out of balance. That is, the music often makes what is being said hard to hear if French, Spanish, Dutch, or Italian is either your native language, or one you can read, there are subtitles (I didn't test to see if closed captioning works). Since neither Keith nor Bobo mention this out-of-balance mix, I will assume it is my copy. When only one audio element is playing, though, the sound is excellent. The picture, too, is perfectly clear and sharp, making the visuals easy to watch. I'll review the audio-only component separately as an addendum to this review, but I will mention now that it is the entire Yes concert seen in snippets through the main video. It does seem strange, on a DVD, to make this audio only, since one cannot play it on their CD player, which means you are limited to listening to it in one location (barring copying). If you are interested in seeing deeper into the hearts and minds of the members of Yes, then this is the DVD to get. You gain an understanding of each member, and just why this band at least in one form or another has continued to make music for more than 35 years. Rating: 5/5 [See also Bobo's and Keith's reviews -ed.] More about YesSpeak: Track Listing: Siberian Khatru / Magnification / Dont Kill The Whale / In The Presence Of / We Have Heaven / South Side Of The Sky / And You And I / To Be Over Clap / Show Me / Rick Wakeman Solo / Heart Of The Sunrise / Long Distance Runaround / The Fish / Awaken / Ive Seen All Good People / Roundabout / Yours Is No Disgrace / No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed Musicians: Contact: Website: www.yesworld.com Discography
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