Van's the man: A look at a new Van Morrison documentary
By Darryl Duer

While it bears the seemingly controversial, ominous "unauthorized" moniker, a new DVD looking at the early decade of Van Morrison's career might as well be called "Van's the Man."

The DVD, right around two hours worth, is essentially a love fest of rock critics queueing up in rather interesting clothing to comment on Van and to heap praise upon the then-young Irish singer in ways that are so laudatory they sound nearly sarcastic. But that’s the thing about critics; they love what they love so much. They really mean it! Van’s the man!

But just when you think it’s going to be a full on parade of rather wearying and oft dizzying praise, some of the music segments begin, and the documentary begins to happen.

Part history, part investigation, the video begins to demonstrate some of the actuals related to Van’s early life and formative musical upbringing. It’s good. You like seeing these Irish places and scenery and hearing his music, it’s confirmation in plain sight.

This DVD basically forges into a medley of one Van song after another. You want them to last a bit longer than they do.

That Van listened to a variety of musical styles is not really news. It’s in his own music for all to hear. Anybody who calls his band the Caledonia Soul Orchestra, well, that says something wide in scope, doesn’t it? From time to time, his albums have been lyrically autobiographical. Van has even developed a particularly personal style of folk fusion he materialized on the indispensable Astral Weeks.

But Van’s story, both personal and musical, is there in the music and is clear to hear and appreciate. He often uses place names (Orangefield, Cypress Avenue) and the names of poets (Rimbaud, Kerouac) and musicians (Sidney Bechet) in frequent places both as a tribute and clear evidence of his affections and his identity. He’s not hiding in some lyrical obscurity, he’s telling you where he is, what he’s reading and what he's listening to. He’s the uber-confessional “front man.”

There are a few pieces of interesting details. Consider: “Brown Eyed Girl was almost “Brown Skinned Girl.” That’s kind of neat, huh? But the real treasures of this DVD are the variety of stages where you see Van working, playing, sweating and enjoying himself wrapped up in the music. That the DVD limits itself to the first 10 years of his musical career is understandable. The scope of the entire Van Morrison journey is the subject of a DVD Box set, right?

posted [5.13.08]

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