Yes - Yesspeak 2003 [2xDVD5 - PAL] (oan)

 
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As one of the pioneers of progressive rock, YES celebrated their 35th Anniversary with an
extensive tour, a ‘best of’ album reaching the top ten of the UK album charts and this DVD
shot during their 35th Anniversary year. Back with what most YES fans would consider to be
the classic line up of Rick Wakeman, Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire and Alan
White, the band has never been in better shape musically.

As might be deduced from the title of this DVD, it is not a straight ‘live in concert’ affair,
though music and footage of the tour feature throughout. This top-notch production is split
into a series of ten ‘chapters’; the band members talk about the music and tell us their
thoughts about the past, present and future in an informal and often amusing manner. Rick
tells us his reasons for leaving the band on a couple of occasions and expresses his views on
Topographic Oceans (well said that man!) and casts a humorous aspersion regarding a blow
up doll; Steve tells us that he has slept with his beloved Gibson guitar though he doesn’t
mention the chat up lines used; Alan was a pianist before he became a drummer, and talks
about how that influences his playing; Chris recalls the time when he mimed to a Beatles
number in front of ‘an audience; and Jon concludes that the reason the band has survived the
changing fashions in music in because of their ever live presence. This last point makes a lot
of sense. The best way to promote music is to regularly perform live. That way, in the
absence of airplay, you stand a chance of attracting new fans. If you give up touring, you
have to rely on your existing fanbase and that is bound to decline in time. Back to the DVD,
whilst the chaps are talking, the music of YES plays on in the background, occasionally
breaking to shots of the live performance.

The Who frontman and rock legend, Roger Daltrey, provides voice over commentary links
which is a nice touch even though it is often obvious from the tone of his voice that he is
reading from a script. Perhaps someone like Bob Harris or Alan Freeman (illness permitting)
would have made a more authoritative narrator considering the genre.
YESSPEAK is split between two discs and has a running time of around three hours. Also
included on disc 2 is an audio feature of the live set which has a slide show displaying whilst
you listen appropriately designed so that, for example, when Rick is performing his solo
medley, pictures of the keyboard wizard appear.

Technical Aspects

Sound and picture quality is state of the art for the main feature with a choice of Dolby 5.1 or
DTS though the audio of the live set is 5.1 only. On our review set up using a Toshiba SD-
330 DVD player and Yamaha RX-V630 a/v receiver, DTS really shines and the drop to 5.1 for
the audio section is very noticeable. If you have noticed a difference in sound quality
between DTS and 5.1 on your system we would recommend that if you listen to the main
feature in DTS, you listen to the audio section another time so that the difference in sound is
not so perceptible.


Package Features

The menu sections are very easy to navigate with options to play the entire feature or select
individual chapters. Before selecting ‘play’ on the DVD, move across to the audio option to
choose either Dolby 5.1 (default) or DTS. If you have attended one too many concerts over
the years, there is a subtitle function, which, I suppose, is also useful if you are watching late
at night when the rest of the household are asleep

YES is not getting any younger yet the chaps still perform with the energy befitting a band in
their prime. The return to the classic line-up appears to have revived an excitement within
the band together with a desire to return to the musical depth of their early work and produce
new music on a par with Close To The Edge. Only time will tell, but with Rick stating that he
will be with the band until the end and Jon saying he has a list of things he wants to achieve
in the next ten years, the future looks promising for YES. Progressive rock has a strong
underground following with many new prog bands forming every year, but the genre needs
bands of the stature of YES to keep flying the flag. YESSPEAK is an essential documentary
of a band whose following today, after 35 years, is greater than most bands could ever dream
of and shows that age and looks are irrelevant as far as good music is concerned. Let’s hope
that YES are able to keep going for many years to come.

Jem Jedrzejewski

 
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TRACKS INCLUDED

01. Siberian Khatru
02. Magnification
03. Don't Kill the Whale
04. In the Presence of
05. We Have Heaven
06. South Side of the Sky
07. And You and I
08. To Be Over ~ Clap
09. Show Me
10. Rick Wakeman Solo
11. Heart of the Sunrise
12. Long Distance Runaround
13. The Fish
14. Awaken
15. I've Seen All Good People
16. Roundabout
17. Yours Is No Disgrace
18. 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

PERSONNEL

Jon Anderson: vocals, guitar, percussion
Steve Howe: guitar, vocals
Rick Wakeman: keyboards
Chris Squire: bass, vocals
Alan White: drums