YESYEARS (DVD)

Yes's biggest success wasn't 90125 it was Union. Perhaps it wasn't a commercial success, but it was Yes's success in transforming from a huge band into a living legend. Beyond the music, with Union it was the commercial move of bringing together all the members of the band not only for a studio album but also for a tour.

Yes became a company that generated millions in profits. For Union, there was great merchandising. I remember t-shirts with original art by Roger Dean, posters, and reissues of old albums. There was also a video that accompanied a 4-CD box set, Yesyears. I initially had Yesyears retrospective on VHS. All of it generated sales, profits, and high expectations among fans. The Union tour was already rolling and generating more than positive comments.

The Yesyears documentary surprised me from beginning to end, with an introduction showing Yes playing in 1969 with Peter Banks performing No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed live?something I had never seen or heard before. From then on, only surprises.

The documentary is the story of Yes told by its own members in their own words. We can see Chris Squire explaining how he met the other members, how he contacted Bill Bruford, Rick Wakeman, and so on, with each member of the band. They talk about the first jams, the compositions, how Fragile or Close to the Edge were created. Something that in 1991 was unthinkable and never seen before?everything was new.

It was a historical document, and for the fans, it was necessary to witness this moment in the band. The video interviews are entertaining and enjoyable. You can see a happy band that is having a great time.

Yes, it was Yes's time, and the video shows you interesting things. If you weren't a Yes fan, this documentary might convince you to become one. This video was the first of its kind. Later, other bands and solo artists would take that format to tell their story, and they would do so. Even The Beatles would follow suit when they made their famous Anthology.

Yesyears, as the VHS back cover says: "yesyears is the definitive entire musical history." exclusive interviews behind-the-scenes footage from their '91 reunion tour over two hours of rare archival footage, studio sessions, and timeless performances, including:

This video is something unique and, as history has already shown, unrepeatable. Ninety four minutes of brilliant moments, exciting things from the band, drama, and important stories never before seen by Yes fans. Perhaps there could have been something with Peter Banks or Patrick Moraz, but beyond that, it's a great historical document.

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