'Yes: Classic Artists' - DVD Review

If you've got the time (and I mean a lot of it) Image Entertainment is dropping a big fistful of dimes on Yes, the seminal progressive rock band. Yes: Classic Artists is a two-disc, five-and-half-hour DVD set that leaves little, if anything, to the imagination about the band's history.

Yes Backstory

To listen to the music of Yes, you'd never know that the members of the band never got along very well.

Jon Anderson (vocals) and Chris Squire (bass) formed the band in 1968, signing on drummer Bill Bruford, guitarist Peter Banks and keyboardist Tony Kaye. They were noticed by Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun and signed to a record deal in 1969.

Over the ensuing forty years, the band's lineup has changed 16 times, with various members (including all of the originals except Banks) drifting in and out of the group several times.

Other than a two year period (1981-83) during which the band was officially disbanded, Yes have been been active, with the same basic core of musicians. Today, the band includes Anderson, Squire, Steve Howe (who joined up for the first time in 1970) on guitar, Rick Wakeman on keys (his fifth stint with the group) and Alan White (since 1972) on drums.

Telling Their Story

That band members' differences have been more creative than personal is evidenced by the way they talk about them in their interviews -- straightforward, open recounting of events. And everybody gets to talk. Virtually every presnt and former member of the band is interviewed.

Even though it is an interesting story well told, the interview portion is long (almost three-and-a-half-hours) and entirely void of music until about an hour in. Although there are some interesting visuals to supplement the "talking heads" the mind begins to wander a bit.

Disc 2 non-interview treats include music videos and rehearsal footage.

As compelling as the Yes story is, I expect that this package's primary appeal will be to the hardest of hardcore Yes fans, or those who are seriously into the history of rock generally. Stylistically, it's more of a college course (albeit one of the more interesting ones) than a rockumentary.

Adding It All Up

These are extremely talented musicians, with an interesting story to tell. If your interest is more in informational content than entertainment value, you'll like this package. Otherwise, you're better off with a copy of last year's DVD release, Yes: Live at Montreux 2003.