Customer Reviews

Ten Summoner's Tales [VHS]

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Ten Summoner's Tales video was filmed in Sting's Wiltshire home, Lake House, at the time of recording the album. This was his first venture as a video album and the release won a Grammy award in 1994 for "Best Long Form Video Of The Year". The video does appear to have slightly different versions of the songs to those that appeared on the album, and all the album tracks are featured apart from 'Everybody Laughed But You', which was omitted from the US release of album. The video is particularly interesting not just for the live nature of the tracks but for the between song clips of Lake House and it's grounds, the band, and for little snippets like the bass falling over during Love Is Stronger Than Justice. The most interesting clip is arguably of the band performing 'Something The Boy Said', a great song which has reputedly never been played live in concert. END

This is a really cool documentary/performance of the album Ten Summoner's Tales. It gives us a look at Sting's incredible old house and where and as he recorded it. Lover's of this album will find delight in watching it performed and also rehearsed. The insights into Sting's life are fun and interesting. There are even bits of recording mishap like when Sting almost tips over his stand up bass. It is also really cool to watch Dominic Miller, Vinnie Coilutta, and David Sanctious do there magic on this album.

Please release this on DVD!

This is a great sounding recording. Top notch musicians, in a nearly flawless performance.

It is recorded in Sting's private recording studio. I believe these are the same cuts he uses on the album. The ablum had some editing done but this is pure before editing live performance.

I love all the 7/8 and odd meter that Sting uses and he pulls them off flawlessly and smoothly. Kudos to a great band, great songs great performance and great documentation.

This is a beautiful representation of one of Sting's best albums. Filmed in a lush rich style at Sting's English Lakehouse over a 24hour period. Apparently there is a lot of lip sync work in this presentation but I can't tell where. Some of the vocals are a different or extended version to the original album which gives the project a true live feel. Also, as a drummer myself I love to watch closely the brilliant work of Vinnie C as he plays. Again it looks like a live performance to me. If it's mimed then it's very well done...... and it's definately not all mimed because they've done the new versions.
Also, filming the project over 24hours gives it a real sense of weight and purpose. It's not just a collection of music videos but an event. At 3 or 4 in the morning working through the last few songs there is such a great sense ot atmosphere. Then finally it's dawn and time for the final track "nothing about me".

My only complaint is that there is still no DVD of this piece of musical history. I so wish the people behind the scenes who have control of such matters had some understanding of the importance of preserving stuff like this. Great literature/movies/music should be timeless. Summoners Tales should not be simply left to deteriorate in some film vault. It deserves a full DVD restoration with DTS sound.

I was hoping to see this released in DVD, as I used to have it in Laser Disc. This is one of my very favorite Sting recordings.....

One of Stings best albums put on video. Great music but not much
going on except 24hrs of taping and recording this album at Stings home near Wiltshire {Lakehouse} in England. The musicians are some of the best in the business, Dominic Miller,
who is a wizard on the guitar shows some lightheartedness.
Maybe a little subdued for Rockers but all in all a must see
for die hard Sting fans and the music is some of the best songs
Sting has written, including Fields Of Gold, Shape of My Heart,
and Probably Me.

This video is great and I watch it at least once every few weeks but you should know that it is NOT a live performance. I unknowingly purchased this video thinking it would be of live footage of them recording Ten Tales. Rather it is the band lip-synching to the album. But three of the tracks were recorded live as a 4 piece and either cut directly to tape or recorded live and then the band lip-synched to those new "live" performances. The three re-recorded songs are Seven Days (a phenomenal performance worth the price of the video itself), shape of my heart, and fields of gold.
As a musician and a Sting fan I recommend this highly as it is very inspiring to see how such an accomplished musician and brilliant songwriter records a whole album in an old castle. But I still wish I would have gotten an entire albums worth of live material...or at least some interviews. Cheery-oh Guvnah!!

I LOVE classic Sting - especially back in these days when he and Vinnie still worked together (Mercury Falling was the last good album). Anyway, the songs are, or course well written, well performed, well recorded, well mixed and well mastered. The video editing is loathsome, disgusting, and frustrating at best. Especially if one has ANY interest in seeing the musicians PLAYING THEIR INSTRUMENTS!!! Mostly you see Sting's face. The seconds you can catch are worth the price.

This is Sting and studio musicians at his home doing the live version of one of his best albums. And since this VHS is no longer being produced, I felt lucky to have found it. To my knowledge, there is no DVD of this music video album. The tape was shipped promptly, arrived in short order and was in excellent shape. I would purchase from this seller again.

This video puts another whole dimension to the album when watching it performed. The audio and video production qualities are excellent and for years now I have been waiting and watching for it to be re-released in DVD format. I am still waiting!!!!!!!!