That
mid to late 1970s wasn’t too kind to The Rolling Stones.
Following the tragic, senseless death of Brian Jones during
the early summer of 1969, the Stones rebounded with Sticky Fingers
but much of the magic of the 1960’s Stones heyday was gone.
Even, so following the Mick Taylor years that ended with It’s
Only Rock & Roll in 1975, The Stones rebounded again, this
time with guitarist Ron Wood. That period of The Rolling Stones
is explored on a 2012 DVD on the MVD distributed Sexy Intellectual
label entitled Rolling Stones Under Review - 1975-1983: The
Ronnie Wood Years Part 1. England’s Sexy Intellectual
label are truly amazing at uncovering music history from the biggest
names in rock history, and they leave no Stone unturned on The
Ronnie Wood Years. There’s tons of interviews and partial
vintage video clips of the late ‘70s / early 1980s Stones’
era on this incredible nearly two hour DVD. There’s also lots
of interview segments with rock historians including Robert Christgau
and Mark Paytress that also helps to elevate the festivities.
Also from Sexy Intellectual in 2012 is David Bowie - The Calm
Before The Storm. Subtitled Under Review 1969-1971,
the 65 minute DVD takes a look at Bowie’s music before 1972
and Ziggy Stardust and the results provide a fascinating glimpse
into Bowie’s muse during what many call his most creative period.
Albums discussed include the 1969 release of Man Of Words, Man
Of Music (a/k/a Space Oddity), the 1970 album The Man
Who Sold The World and 1971’s Hunky Dory. As is par
for the course with Sexy Intellectual DVD release, their Bowie video
is a fascinating look back at the most creative period in Bowie’s
(then) soon to be skyrocketing career. Also during 2012 Sexy Intellectual
released a fine documentary on The Beach Boys, and specifically their
founder Brian Wilson entitled Songwriter 1969-1982.
That least understood period in Brian Wilson’s career is
given the Sexy Intellectual treatment on a DVD that clocks in at 134
minutes. Filled with historical musical performances, archival interviews
and rare photographs, the DVD is 
filled
out with interviews from Wilson / Beach Boys producers, friends and
even managers as well as a variety of bonus DVD features. All in all
Songwriter 1969-1982 makes a fitting companion to Sexy Intellectual’s
first Wilson documentary 1962-1969. Another label distributed
by MVD, Chrome Dreams, a division of Sexy Intellectual, is also based
in the U.K. and in 2012 they released Bob Dylan And The Band
- Down In The Flood. Subtitled Associations And
Collaborations, the nearly two hour DVD takes a looks at Dylan’s
work with Robbie Robertson and The Band during the mid
to late 1960s, a period when half of Dylan’s fans were angry
that he was moving into rock and roll following his rootsy early folk
years. The DVD features a wealth of insights into Dylan’s mindset
from that heady era including interviews with numerous Dylan associates
and Band member Garth Hudson, one of The Band’s now surviving
members. MVD Entertainment Group has their own DVD brand and up and
out on MVD visual in 2012 are a number of DVD titles including a documentary
on American rock legends The Replacements. Color Me Obsessed:
A Film About The Replacements takes a look at the Replacements’
12 year career. Produced and directed by Gorman Bechard, the
123 minute DVD is packed with numerous extras including nineteen deleted
scenes, lengthy interviews, commentaries and four trailers. With its
extensive look at this rock legend, The Village Voice has described
this documentary as being ‘The rock version of Rashamon.’
Rock & Soul legends Ike & Tina Turner are recalled
on an 81 minute DVD on MVD visual called Ike & Tina: On
The Road: 1971-72. Filmed by rock photographer legend
Bob Gruen and his wife Nadya, On The Road takes a look
at the dynamic duo of Ike & Tina performing live as well as in
the studio and rare behind the scenes footage. The DVD is humbly dedicated
to the late Ike Turner who passed away in 2007. 
Also
out on the MVD distributed XXL Media, The Kinks - Paris 1965
- Broadcast Archives features rock icons The Kinks performing
eight early Kinks classics live on French television, including “You
Really Got Me”, “All Day And All Of The Night” and
much more. Clocking in at 36 minutes, it’s a bit short on time,
but Kinks Kompleteists will love it. MVD also distribute the newly
enacted Cherry Red Films and in 2012 MVD / Cherry Red Films offers
American ears and eyes a 52 minute DVD documentary on Allman Brothers
founder Gregg Allman. I’m No Angel - Live On Stage
that captures Gregg Allman on stage during a
concert in November 1988. The ten track live DVD concert video features
Allman and company performing a number of Allman Brothers classics
including “One Way Out”, “Statesboro’ Blues”
and much more. MVD is also doing a spectacular job making a number
of DVD and CD titles available from the MIG DVD label from Germany,
who are releasing a number of titles from the famous German music
TV show called “Rockpalast”. New from MIG / MVD in 2012
is a double DVD set from American rock greats Kid Creole &
The Coconuts entitled Live At Rockpalast 1982.
With nearly four hours of video footage spread over 2 DVDs, Kid
Creole’s Live At Rockpalast features Kid Creole himself,
August Darnell and company (including a ten piece band) at
the height of their early 1980s powers. This double DVD is also represented
on a double CD set. With the German’s never ending fascination
for documenting the world’s vast music history, I’m sure
there will be much more from MIG’s Rockpalast series. Last but
not least from MVD is The Edgar Broughton Band
- Live In Hamburg. Popular on the classic U.K. progressive
rock label, Harvest Records, Edgar Broughton Band combined
progressive rock and blues rock and in a way they made them kind of
the precursor for jam band groups. Subtitled The Fabrik Concert
1973 and released on the Sireena Records label and distributed
by MVD audio, the 76 minute CD features excellent packaging and detailed
booklet featuring July 2012 liner notes by Edgar’s brother Steve
Broughton. Vinyl freaks may also want to check out a number of
vinyl LP reissues on Sireena / MVD from prog-rock legends YES including
a 180 gram double album version of 1997’s YES classic Open
Your Eyes. One of the truly great YES albums, Open
Your Eyes finally makes it to vinyl with Sireena’s 2012 reissue.
YES fans who collect vinyl will want to keep their eyes open for Magnification—Sireena’s
vinyl version of the last album (so far) with YES featuring lead singer
Jon Anderson. www.MVDb2b.com
/ www.SeeOfSound.com
