LAKE FOREST, CA (ANS) -- Mildred Wakeman, the mother of Rick (Richard Christopher) Wakeman sat next to me at Wembley Arena, in London, UK, on an evening in 1977 with her hands covering her ears at the first-ever YES concert I (and she) attended. I was with my wife Norma and our two sons, Andrew and Peter.

Andrew, Peter and Norma Wooding backstage with Rick Wakeman after a YES Concert

Mildred’s keyboard supremo son had recently joined YES and they were  putting on an incredible show which was opened by Donovan, but Mrs. Wakeman was determined not to enjoy a minute of it and her face grimaced as parts of the “loud” music seeped through to her hearing.

Mrs. Wakeman had never wanted her son to be a rock musician, but rather a classical pianist and this night she was on a mission, not about the music, but to talk to him about a pressing matter.

“Can you get me backstage as I have something to say to Richard,” she asked me at the end of the show at which YES had received several standing ovations.

I approached Harvey Goldsmith, the promoter and he took us all backstage.

Mildred found Rick's dressing room and the last thing I heard was her hammering on its door and shouting, “Richard, it’s your mother. Let me in!”

She had discovered that Rick was splitting up with his first wife Ros and she wanted, as a devout Methodist, to tell him that she didn’t approve of divorce.

Later an ashen faced Rick emerged from the dressing room and came to meet my family after receiving a telling-off from his dear Mum. It took him a few minutes to gather his rock star composure.

Years later, when Rick moved to the Isle of Man, after the death of his father, Cyril, he moved Mildred to the island and they became firm friends until her death.

Cover of the new DVD

So what has this got to do with a marvelous new two-disc DVD called YES - THE DIRECTOR'S CUT (written and directed by Robert Garofalo) for Classic Media Group.

Well, I have just watched it with my wife Norma and it brought back memories of that first YES concert we saw and we both came to the conclusion that the band has got even better with age.

Dan and Andrew Wooding with Rick Wakeman after the Birmingham YES concert in 2003

The DVD features two full length concert performances featuring the Classic line-up of YES -- Jon Anderson, Steve Howe, Chris Squire, Alan White and Rick Wakeman.

The footage is taken from the 2003 world tour that didn’t make into the

original edit, and again, my whole family attended the Birmingham concert from which much of the footage if taken, but sadly Mildred wasn’t with us to see her talented son perform his keyboard magic once again.

In her later years, Mildred grew to appreciate the band and also the extraordinary skills her son exhibited on stage and it had made her happy that she had paid for his early piano lessons from Mrs. Symes and his later stint at the Royal College of Music in London.

This release is the “wondrous” songs and the “wondrous” stories of YES, the world’s finest progressive band. Featuring behind-the-scenes footage and previously unreleased live performances at the N.I.A, Birmingham and The Glastonbury Festival, which have only been seen before in edited clips and now due to the demand from fans, have been included in full in this new “DIRECTOR'S CUT.”

Mildred, I know you are no longer with us, but I know that Richard Christopher Wakeman would wish to dedicate this DVD to you and your wonderful husband, Cyril Wakeman. You both did a marvelous job in bringing such talent to the world.

Note: A Google search will reveal where you can purchase YES - THE DIRECTOR'S CUT.

Dan Wooding, 67, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma of 45 years. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS); and US Bureau Chief for the Missionaries News Service (www.missionariesnews.tv) and Safe Worlds IPTV’s Christian News Services. He was, for ten years, a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC. Wooding He is also the author of some 42 books, the latest of which is his autobiography, "From Tabloid to Truth", which is published by Theatron Books. To order a copy, go to www.fromtabloidtotruth.com. E-mail: danjuma1@aol.com.