Why no proper dvd of QPR 1975?

[birdoffire]

Wouldn't it be great if they released a great dvd of this wonderful document? I think this is the best available Yes video document and it certainly deserves a better presentation than these rough Hong Kong DVDs. There has to be better audio of this show somewhere (remember Sweet Dreams on The Word Is Live). The soundboard they used for "Live at QPR Parts 1 and 2" is really bad in some parts. They should restore the whole thing as best as possible and put it out on a carefully produced DVD (of course one product, not these stupid single dvds). Nobody expects it to be perfect like the Led Zeppelin DVD, but a proper and definitive document of Yes' greatest days is really missing so far, I think.
So: A big PLEASE to anybody reponsible!
Maybe the addition of Yessongs would be great, too.

birdoffire,
making his first post on this nice forums

[Scottie]

Welcome to the site birdoffire.

Having read so many poor opinions on this DVD I have steered clear of it. I would certainly welcome a proper release in a heartbeat.

[Simon B]

...but then there is the classic shot of Patrick tripping over his stack heels to see.. release, realease!!

[Simon B]

...er I've got Yessongs on DVD (see AMAZON!) - but 5 old guys have written all over it!

[Scottie]

...er I've got Yessongs on DVD (see AMAZON!) - but 5 old guys have written all over it!
I too have Yessongs but the audio in PCM Stereo sux. Although if those old fogies signed my copy it would look nice framed and displayed :winknudge

[Frumious B]

I think that the main stumbling block would be whether or not actual multitrack tapes of the show exist so that the sound could be fixed. I agree that QPR is the single best live Yes performance available on video. If the the mix could be fixed and then some cool extras added then you could have a DVD monster on your hands that would rivial the Led Zeppelin DVD for the "Most Badass Music DVD Ever" award.

[birdoffire]

So what source does Sweet Dreams on The Word Is Live come from? It doesn't sound fantastic, but would be alright for me if there's nothing better.

@ Total Mass: Yes, I'm aware of the Yessongs dvd, but don't have it. I thought maybe the possible dvd project could be a bigger thing and include more footage apart from QPR. I'm thinking of an extensive archival release.
Isn't there proshot video from 1977 or 1978?

[khalpin]

So what source does Sweet Dreams on The Word Is Live come from? It doesn't sound fantastic, but would be alright for me if there's nothing better.

Isn't there proshot video from 1977 or 1978?


The Sweet Dreams comes from the same source. Steve has said that no multitrack source exists, hence why they never released it. Actually, I don't think it's even in stereo (is it?) But different instruments are at different volumes. It's not even that Steve is too quiet, or Patrick is too loud. It's that Steve's Telecaster is mixed low, the Gibson SG(I think?) is normal, some of Patrick's keys are way too loud, another is barely audible. Unfortunately Squire is barely audible throughout almost the whole show.

Sweet Dreams is one of the few tracks where all the instruments are at pretty much the same level.

A lot of people consider the Glasgow '77 show to be a pro-shot, but it's still only a single camera, on a tri-pod. When I think pro-shot, I think multiple camera angles, but whatever... I doubt it'll ever be released.

[Simon B]

I too have Yessongs but the audio in PCM Stereo sux. Although if those old fogies signed my copy it would look nice framed and displayed :winknudge

Yep, it looks great framed and displayed!!

[Melissa]

If you look at the credit, Eddie Offord mixed it!

My understanding is that the first part was a soundboard issue -- mixed all wrong.

Can it be restored all you who know about such things?

[khalpin]

STEVE HOWE INTERVIEW by Mike Tiano
Copyright © 1993 Notes From The Edge #80/Jeff Hunnicutt and Mike Tiano.
All rights reserved.
(Used with permission)
[Howe] And QPR was a wonderful show we did with the other act [which] should have been filmed because it was Seals and Crofts, on that show. And so QPR gets released, it's never been remixed from the original monaural mixes, I don't expect that I or whoever it was didn't know and we said it was a good job at the time, but it wouldn't please any of us now, so it doesn't please me.

I wouldn't say it's an embarrassment. I treat retro stuff sometimes as I have to. If people can't find the master tapes or remix it a lot of people would say, why the hell put it out then? And I think that's a fair comment--I didn't ask to have it let out. And this isn't the end of it; this kind of stuff goes on between bootlegs and other sort of grandly moral releases that maybe should be finished up back over it, but nobody want spends the money to do it, and there's no money to make it anyway.

[Nick Green]

Unfortunately, I do not think the multi-track masters exist anymore....the BBC mixed it down to mono for their TV broadcast without any thought to remix it properly and that was that.

I have contacted them about it but I was ignored so what ya gonna do.

But, despite the the sound problems it still is an essential document of the period and as good as it gets when compared with either the really tatty looking Yessongs or the equally screwed with Philadelphia DVD.

[Doctor Flang]

Now that Voiceprint has promised to release lots of Yes and Yes-related releases, one would hope to see an official DVD release of QPR 1975. Even if they can't find the multitracks or better mixed two-track, it would still be great!

If only they could release Yessongs re-edited with remixed audio...

[YesJen357]

If only they could release Yessongs re-edited with remixed audio...
AMEN!

[rememberer]

I thought I read somewhere around here that part of the QPR performance ending up on The Word Is Live meant the tapes had resurfaced after having been missing for a long time, something like that. If I could find my TWIL right this minute, I would double-check and see if that's right. :-)

So maybe there is hope of an upgrade (?), but even as-is I adore the QPR dvd. What a thrill it is just to see To Be Over and Sound Chaser performed, not to mention the rest of it.

[Doctor Flang]

I thought I read somewhere around here that part of the QPR performance ending up on The Word Is Live meant the tapes had resurfaced after having been missing for a long time

"Sweet Dreams" on TWiL is from the QPR, but it's clearly the same mix that was released before. So, i guess no multitracks exists anymore.

It's very strange that Yes recorded so many shows on multitracks, and even filmed a few, and nowadays everything seems to be lost. Even most of the stuff on TWiL seemed to come from 2-track soundboards or 70's stereo mix-downs.

[YESSOUP]

Does a CD of better audio quality exist for the Live in Philadelphia 1979 DVD? How can you produce such a show and have such horrible audio?

[electricfreedom]

Well does any one remember the little blurb on Yesworld about a CP Cases employee finder an assortment of YES live tapes? If not, this is what I found in researching a bit reported in April of 1998:

The Lost Yes Tapes?

During most of the 1970s CP Cases provided flight cases for Yes' tours. When Yes finally disbanded much of the equipment and old cases were returned to CP's factory, where they have remained in storage. Recently CP employee Peter Ross unpacked what he referred to as "these ancient relics", and discovered reels of live Yes recordings. These included performances recorded throughout 1972--some of which ended up in YESSONGS-- and what may be from QPR in 1975. In all over a dozen reels were found.

Peter and other longtime CP employees presented one of the boxes to the band on April 24 at the Hammersmith Apollo in London, the last show of their European tour. The tapes themselves may have been in a fragile state and were later delivered directly to the band's storage location.


It could be a possibility that YES has the tapes to QPR and it was the same as the BBC master. That or that the QPR tapes were one of those as being described in a fragile state.

[Ernie90125]

I remember this article, it included some images of the band being presented with the tapes.

These sorts of finds are so significant, and I'm pleased those who found them thought to ensure they were returned. Who knows how many things over the years have just been thrown out ?

Now, someone find some of Jon's old flight cases for me !!!!!!

[InverYes]

Peter and other longtime CP employees presented one of the boxes to the band

One of.......?

Interesting............

[Orbert]

Interesting indeed. It sounds like presenting one of the boxes was kinduv ceremonial or something. They couldn't really say "Okay, hold out your arms. Here's one... here's another... here's... I'm sorry, is it getting a bit too heavy for you?"

But I wonder how many cases of live tapes there were altogether. Wow!

[Scottie]

One of.......?

Interesting............
We need Hed on the case ;)

I had a “Flights of Icarus” poster as a teen. What ever happened to it I’ll never know….

[electricfreedom]

According to the blurb there were about over a dozen cases of reels that were discovered.

Perhaps the original master of side b to Close to the Edge is lingering in there for a complete 5.1 Remix?

[Steve Mahoney]

A Tales Live show on dvd would be cool as well.

Steve

[Faceintheplace]

It's a shame we don't have more footage of the Dean Brothers' stage sets going full tilt boogie.

[Hed G.]

We need Hed on the case ;)




I've tried. All of my contacts to the band and their archives
(people like Ernie90125 or Smatt) have come back with the
same answer: the band doesn't know, or won't tell.

[Bo Locks]

Play.com have a release date of 24/09 for "Yes: The Gates Of QPR 2".

[relayeire]

unless the multitude of sound problems are fixed, I don't see the point in such a release... they may feel the same way(?)

[crackedactor]

I think most groups look at things like this (QPR 75) as something that long gone and unimportant.If they've a resonable account of the period(period being say 5 years)on album or video they see it as covered.Yessongs does this.Its the same with Floyd,Genesis etc etc.If you think of the hoards of Floyd,Genesis stuff theyre must be around yet no one in the bands seems intrested in releasing it....Led Zepp apart.

[relayeire]

Interesting indeed. It sounds like presenting one of the boxes was kinduv ceremonial or something. They couldn't really say "Okay, hold out your arms. Here's one... here's another... here's... I'm sorry, is it getting a bit too heavy for you?"

But I wonder how many cases of live tapes there were altogether. Wow!


the band, or someone they choose, really ought to put together a Yessongs II from those tapes...

[Bo Locks]

I think most groups look at things like this (QPR 75) as something that long gone and unimportant.Probably. But that doesn't stop companies like classicpictures putting out the Yes EP DVD. This has got to be minority interest stuff even for YesFans yet it's out there on the shelves (fortunately for us).

I only have a bootleg QPR so I wait with interest.

[crackedactor]

Probably. But that doesn't stop companies like classicpictures putting out the Yes EP DVD. This has got to be minority interest stuff even for YesFans yet it's out there on the shelves (fortunately for us).

I only have a bootleg QPR so I wait with interest.

i've got some good floyd DVD's which are Bootlegs San Tropez being one if it was cleaned up it would be fantastic but i cant see that happening