RevieweDVD! The Doobie Brothers - Let the Music Play – the Story of the Doobie Brothers

The Doobie Brothers

Let the Music Play – the Story of the Doobie Brothers

Eagle Vision

While Let the Music Play – the Story of the Doobie Brothers doesn’t really present all that much dramatic flair, it is still a classic rock story worthy of being told, and worthy of being seen. The documentary portion of the DVD offering is much like what you’d expect, following a linear path from the bands inception and right on down the line of their existence. Various members of the band are interviewed along the way, and discuss things like the failure of the bands’ 1971 eponymous debut as well as the bands’ breakthrough with their 1972 sophomore album Toulouse Street, but the most interesting parts of Let the Music Play – the Story of the Doobie Brothers comes as Michael McDonald enters the fold, an addition that presented a seismic shift in the bands lore. It’s interesting to see how McDonald shaped the legend of the Doobie’s by not only ushering in timeless hits (“Takin’ It to the Streets,” “What A Fool Believes”), but also how his sheer celebrity brought the band to a screeching halt in the early 80’s. It’s there that the band truly became survivors as Let the Music Play – the Story of the Doobie Brothers then follows through the bands various reunions. There’s only bonus feature here, but it’s well worth your time – an undated collection of nine classic Doobie Brothers performances. While it would have been nice to know where and when these clips were taken from, they are still a sight to behold as performances of “Listen to the Music,” “Black Water,” and “China Grove” act as sort of a time capsule. Still, Let the Music Play – the Story of the Doobie Brothers is an interesting look at the Doobie Brothers, a band proof positive that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Grade: B-