YES on dvd (1 Viewer)

[Brett G]

Philip,

As a bass player as well, I was very impressed with Berlin's performance. I figured he had just recently learned the parts since you can see him reading the charts quite a bit. A true professional.

I must confess that I didn't get into Yes until 1989. A drummer friend of mine asked me if I wanted to go see a great band called Anderson - Bruford - Wakeman - Howe. I laughed at him and asked what kind of a name was that? Hey, I was only 15 and not too educated in the world of Yes. Well he went and saw the show without me (10th row, I might add) and then came back and played me the CD. Let's just say I kicked my own arse and then bought ABWH and all the early Yes CD's I could find.

I did get to see the Union tour (thank God) and that was great. I sure would love to get my hands on that DVD.

-Brett

 

[Darren H]

Brett, if it makes you feel any better, I can tell you that I saw the ABWH tour twice, once at an outdoor pavillion, the other at D.A.R Constitution Hall in D.C, where I sat in the second row on Rick Wakeman's and Tony Levin's side. Pretty amazing show.
Levin actually looked down at my friend and me and laughed. He must have been a bit surprised to see two 18-year-olds singing along with "Close to the Edge."
"A seasoned witch could call you from the depths of your disgrace,
And rearrange your liver to the solid mental grace,
And achieve it all with music that came quickly from afar,
Then taste the fruit of man recorded losing all against the hour."
Huh? I can't believe I still know that. Sad, really.

 

[Brett G]

where I sat in the second row on Rick Wakeman's and Tony Levin's side. Pretty amazing show.

That does not make me feel any better at all!!!! Curse you.

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

Speaking of bass playing, does anyone know if those finger sticks Levin uses are a commercially available item, or if they are exclusive to him? They are pretty trippy.

My first awareness of Yes was while stumbling rather intoxicated through our University campus one night (I was in high school at the time) and there was a cover band playing outside. After a ripping rendition of Heart's Magic man, they proceed with Roundabout, and the drummer blew me away. I bought the entire Yes LP library within the next week, at least all the early stuff.

The one thing I miss from the LP days are those awesome gatefold covers we used to get on Yes albums. I bought the Yeshows LP long after the CD just for the quad fold cover.

 

[Dan M]

The one thing I miss from the LP days are those awesome gatefold covers we used to get on Yes albums. I bought the Yeshows LP long after the CD just for the quad fold cover.

Good point. I've always felt the whole Roger Dean image was an intregal part of the group. I think during the 70's bands had more control over things like that. However GOING FOR THE ONE has one of the ugliest covers that ever graced a YES album. It doesn't compliment the music of YES at all.
I wish they had made more of a tradition of having Dean covers all along. Except maybe during the 80's which was basically the Trevor Rabin Show. KEYS and THE LADDER look gorgeous while OPEN YOUR EYES looks generic. Not too impressed with the MAGNIFICATION cover either minus the classic logo.

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

You think Going For The One is bad, how about Tormato? I agree that Dean's packaging was a significant part of my attraction to Yes, and I'm glad they have returned to the styling. The Rabin era covers were butt ugly: Big Generator? Ewww.

One thing that puzzles me - prior to its release, there was word that The Ladder was going to be released on DVD in 5.1, since it was recorded that way at Little Mountain. The CD came out and has all but vanished up here. Did anyone else hear about a DVD of that album? I put off buying the CD as a result.

 

[Darren H]

Speaking of bass playing, does anyone know if those finger sticks Levin uses are a commercially available item, or if they are exclusive to him?

Levin used to sell them from his personal web page, but I don't see them there anymore:
http://www.tonylevin.com

 

[Michael St. Clair]

To me, Berlin did a fair job on the ABWH tour, but Levin was better for the material. A shame they didn't release an official recording of one of his shows.
There is a Bruford/Levin jam from that tour here:
http://www.tonylevin.com/audio/brulev.mp3
They did a jam every night.

 

[Aaron Silverman]

Is Levin playing the Chapman Stick, or is it something else? The Chapman is readily available!

 

[Michael St. Clair]

Is Levin playing the Chapman Stick, or is it something else? The Chapman is readily available!

Yes, he still plays Stick (and bass), but I think they were talking about 'Funk Fingers' (wooden finger extensions for tapping and slapping).

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

I'm referring to the sticks he uses on his two fingers. The Chapman is a pretty funky device as well, but kinda pricey.

 

[Brett G]

but I think they were talking about 'Funk Fingers' (wooden finger extensions for tapping and slapping).

Exactly. They almost look like small drumsticks attached to the index and middle fingers of the picking hand. Quite strange but produce an unmistakable sound.

-Brett