------------------------------------------------------- DECEMBER 2003 ------------------------------------------------------- Source: Progressive World http://www.progressiveworld.net/yesvid5.html By: John "BoBo" Bollenberg I expected this DVD release to deliver footage from the band’s 35th Anniversary tour, and although this string of concerts runs through the entire duration of this release, in no way can you compare it with Yessongs or Yes Symphonic Live. Instead you get a documentary that tackles all kinds of aspects from the band’s lengthy career, whilst bits and pieces from live recordings from the last tour are interspersed throughout the footage. The material is spread over ten different chapters that each deliver a look on a certain aspect of Yes. In “Sacred Ground” narrator Roger Daltrey (The Who singer who also sang on Wakeman’s soundtrack for the Lisztomania film) takes us behind the scenes and into the private lives of each of the members. We see Chris Squire, his parents and family in Ibiza. We visit Steve Howe in his home in Devon. Rick Wakeman greets us in Tenerife, Alan White goes boating, and Jon Anderson talks to us from the comfort of his hammock. It’s with images like this that you understand just how difficult it has to be to get these five individuals together in a studio as a band. In “Full Circle” Jon Anderson and Chris Squire talk us through the very early beginnings of Yes in 1968 with Mabel Greer’s Toyshop and the famous rock temple in London: the Marquee Club. It was Peter Banks who suggested the name Yes. Squire tells us that it was the British postal strike which led Yes to the number one slot of the album charts, a situation that really launched the band on an international level. Wakeman talks about his dislike for Tales From Topographic Oceans being the main reason for him leaving the band for the first time, and him reuniting Yes for the Going For The One album. The band talks about the importance of graphic designer Roger Dean, who had to visualize the band’s music. The DVD continues with an indepth "spotlight" on each of the five individual members. Wakeman (who else) says that during the Chris Squire bass solo, he and his roadie Stuart Sawney have a cup of tea and a biscuit together. They have their own tray that also contains a vase and some flowers together with a candle. How zany can you get? Jon performs some acoustic harp and guitar in the comfort of his own home and admits having smoked Gitanes and Camel cigarettes without filter in order to get a different voice. All he got though was a cough! Steve Howe tells us that his father coughed up 40 or 60 pounds so he could put a deposit on a Gibson ES175D, a guitar that for Steve simply is THE guitar. Howe once even slept with the instrument and regularly pays an airplane ticket so the guitar can sit next to him even when he flew on the Concorde! Then the tickets were reserved for Mister Howe and Mister Gibson! Rick then goes on to tell how he always got bigger limousines than Yes when he was selling millions of albums on his own. We see life on the road and the joy that brings this unique blend of musical influences together, which in the end becomes Yes music. So all in all, Yesspeak is an interesting documentary on both Yes as a band and the five individual members. Often Roger Daltrey’s commentary is backed by music which is mixed a little too loud. Although an entire Yes concert is also included as an extra audio file, augmented with video stills, it’s a pity that no hybrid DVDs were made so as to enable the owner of this package to also play the audio files on his/her hi-fi. As it is, you can only enjoy the music without visuals when you pop the DVD in your DVD-player. So don’t be mistaken into thinking that Yesspeak is a nice souvenir of the recent world tour containing a full concert like you did when you purchased Yes Symphonic Live. This time around you get an indepth well documented view on one of the most important bands in the history of progressive rock, but due to the lack of an actual live concert, I’m afraid people will only watch these images once or twice, which is a shame, as the package itself is very well put together. Maybe it will act as a teaser for the forthcoming tour which we simply can’t miss. More about YesSpeak: Track Listing: Siberian Khatru / Magnification / Don’t 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 / I’ve Seen All Good People / Roundabout / Yours Is No Disgrace / No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed Chapter selection: Part One : Sacred Ground / Part Two : Full Circle / Part Three : There’s Always Been A Yes / Part Four : Spotlight On Chris / Part Five : Spotlight On Jon / Part Six : Spotlight On Steve / Part Seven : Spotlight On Alan / Part Eight : Spotlight On Rick / Part Nine : On The Road / Part Ten : Yes Music Special features: The entire live set is captured in dynamic 5.1 Dolby stereo Musicians: Jon Anderson - vocals, guitars Steve Howe - guitars, vocals Chris Squire - bass, vocals Rick Wakeman - keyboards Alan White - drums, percussion Close Window YesInThePress.com For site comments, problems, corrections, or additions, contact YesinthePress@aol.com