A Mark In Time
General Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: qjamesfloyd on March 30, 2023, 02:01:05 PM
-
I have long talked about my love of Mike Oldfield, but I wondered if there any other fans here, some people might have only heard of Tubular Bells, and that famous piano intro, but, for me that overshadows him and his career, he has made 26 albums over a 50 year plus career, and has covered lots of different genres and styles, he has made long and short instrumental music, generic vocal songs, film music, his ability for playing different instruments to a high standard is legendary, but his true voice is with the guitar, like Mark he plays a unique fingerstyle, it's classical in nature, and he has a great violin like vibrato. The reason my signature mentions Knopfler, Gilmour and Oldfield is because of the melody and emotion they all bring to their playing, and Oldfield in particular, for me, hits those height more than most. He has many greats tracks and albums to enjoy. He is also a fan of Mark, I have mentioned before he owns an MK Signature Strat, and used it on his last album, he has also said he rarely listens to other peoples music, but did say he heard Private Investigations on the radio and loved it.
-
I love Mike Oldfield too
I like very much his 1973-1984 era. From Tubular Bells till Discovery
I teach rock history in a school, and I often talk about Tubular bells during my lessons. Not only about the famous piano intro, but also about the finale, based on the Ravel's Bolero structure.
After Discovery, I must admit I haven't listened that much of his discography.
I wrote several chronicles about him. There will be more with albums-anniversaries. This year I will write about Tubular Bells and Crises.
https://textes-blog-rock-n-roll.fr/mike-oldfield/
-
I like Mike Oldfield too. My favorite albums: Ommadawn, The Songs of Distant Earth, Voyager, Guitars and of course Tubular Bells :)
-
Platinum and QE2 for me.
-
It's great to see some fellow fans. I don't have a favourite era, to me there is great stuff from Mike throughout his career, just like with Mark. This May will mark the 50th anniversary of Tubular Bells, it is also my 50th year too, that album is so special for me, when I first started to hear music properly, and not just chart stuff, this is one of the 3 big albums that made their mark on me, alongside Brothers in Arms and Dark Side of The Moon, it really is a unique album, and it still amazes me that it was written and nearly all played by one person so young!!! and also someone who was so introverted and shy, he was not prepared for the fame at all.
It's also interesting that in this era of making perfect recordings, with computer software etc, Tubular Bells is far from perfect, some of it is badly played, out of time, etc, but it doesn't matter, it all adds up to an astonishing finished product, there are good reasons for that of course because of the limitations he had to record it. I understand him wanting to re-record it in 2003 and it does sonically sound a lot better, and better played, but nothing would have been able to surpass that original album.
What do people think about this incredible album?
JP, I though you would be fan, as I had already written your pieces, and I look forward to your Tubular Bells and Crises articles too.
-
Just announced is the 50th anniversary re=release of Tubular Bells, including the album mixed into Dolby Atmos, Tubular Bells/In Dulci Jubilo (Music for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games, which is stunning, but there is also this bad news:
Of particular interest brand new eight-minute track Tubular Bells 4 Intro, which may well be the last thing ever recorded by Oldfield.
Mike Oldfield retired from releasing music in 2018, after giving up touring many years previously. In the months after his last album, Return To Ommadawn in 2017, Oldfield toyed with going the whole way and making a fourth and final instalment of Tubular Bells in time for its 50th anniversary. Work began in earnest, and Mike felt he had finally cracked the secret of being able to successfully return to and rework the opening motif. A fascinating eight-minute taster was sent to his A&R team. And then, nothing. Mike decided against continuing. Five years later, this final paragraph of the Tubular Bells story is being released as part of this 50th anniversary celebration.
It is great to have 8 minutes of new Tubular music, but has he really retired from releasing music :disbelief This is so sad.
-
Northstar is one of my favourite song period
Platinum has some strange things on it but any live version of the whole concept I'll listen from start to finish.
I love the rythm part MO plays on that track live
-
I love the rythm part MO plays on that track live
:thumbsup :thumbsup
-
Yes, the live version of the whole Platinum suite is better than the album version for ne.
Here is one of my favourite performances from Mike, Maya Gold from the Tubular Bells 2 premier concert in Edinburgh, such emotional playing, and a lovely guitar tone.
https://youtu.be/f4TkefAW-Vs
-
Happy 70th birthday Mike. You have given a lifetime of incredible music. A true musical genius, and a legendary composer and guitarist.
-
Tonight (maybe in the night) I will definitely listen to "The Songs of Distant Earth" I love this album.
-
Great idea, it's a wonderful album.
-
Great idea, it's a wonderful album.
:thumbsup
-
Tubular Bells was released 50 years ago today, happy birthday. A landmark album, there has been nothing quite like it since. Here is an amazing fact about the album and Mike. In surpassing Hergest Ridge(his 2nd album) for the number one album, Oldfield became only the second artist in history to replace himself at the top of the UK album chart, after the Beatles in 1963, and again in 1964. The feat was later achieved by Michael Jackson and David Bowie, although on both occasions this followed the death of the artist. Prior to the 2020s, the album had re-entered the charts in every decade since its release, most recently appearing in the week ending 22 March 2018 (its 287th week in total) As it has just been re-released again, I expect it will enter the chart in the 2020's too, quite a thing for an instrumental album, a debut album too, recorded by a then unknown 19 year old.
-
The first music I heard as a small kid was probably english folk music and Tubular Bells. Apparently my mum would swing me round and round to the Sailors Hornpipe, the finale of side 2. It was probably around the release of TB2 that I started listening to his other stuff, HR, EM, HO etc. Cant say he ever superseded my love for DS/MK but I certainly have a deep respect for his work....
-
here is my chronicle about Tubular Bells :
https://textes-blog-rock-n-roll.fr/tubular-bells-de-mike-oldfield-a-50-ans/
-
Thanks for your coverage JP, just a slight correction, Amarok was released in 1990 This is a unique album, and it will always hold a special place in my heart, for not only introducing me to Mike Oldfield, but to the prog genre, it also introduced me to a unique guitar player, and someone who I feel has a lot in common with Mark Knopfler. I have own every Mike Oldfield album, and I would say 90% of it is amazing, some of it like the obscure song Don Alfonso is always redeemed by Mike's wonderful guitar playing. I think Tubular Bells 2 is a very worthy follow up, and stands on it's own too, it is great we have the full live premier concert from Edinburgh available to watch, it shows how good a musician Mike is, with his playing varies instruments, and his wonderful guitar playing, as a side note, it also has a certain Ian Thomas playing drums!! I attended the live premier concert for Tubular Bells 3 in London in 1998 in the pouring rain.
-
Thanks for your coverage JP, just a slight correction, Amarok was released in 1990 This is a unique album, and it will always hold a special place in my heart, for not only introducing me to Mike Oldfield, but to the prog genre, it also introduced me to a unique guitar player, and someone who I feel has a lot in common with Mark Knopfler. I have own every Mike Oldfield album, and I would say 90% of it is amazing, some of it like the obscure song Don Alfonso is always redeemed by Mike's wonderful guitar playing. I think Tubular Bells 2 is a very worthy follow up, and stands on it's own too, it is great we have the full live premier concert from Edinburgh available to watch, it shows how good a musician Mike is, with his playing varies instruments, and his wonderful guitar playing, as a side note, it also has a certain Ian Thomas playing drums!! I attended the live premier concert for Tubular Bells 3 in London in 1998 in the pouring rain.
thanks for the precision, I fixed it :)
-
Crises was released on May 27th 1983
here is my chronicle :
https://textes-blog-rock-n-roll.fr/mike-oldfield-sortait-crises-il-y-a-40-ans/
-
https://www.bournemouthpavilion.co.uk/events/tubular-bells-2023
-
That's a great piece about Crises JP, it is a really good album, with really good production and top class performances, the track Crises is stunning, with Mike playing wonderful guitar and Simon Phillips displaying some really full on drumming. Moonlight Shadow is of course Mike's best known song with vocals, and has some very Knopfler like soloing, indeed, Mike even put in Mark's "twiddly bits"when playing the song live in the late 90's. That clip of Mike playing Taurus 3/Amarok Bits is some of the most impressing guitar playing I have ever seen!! Every time I watch it, I can't believe why Mike is not recognized more for his playing, it's real virtuoso stuff, it's from 2 different albums, but actually works well together.
-
Mike is recognized as being a truly fantastic multi instrumentist, not only as a great guitarist.
-
That's a great piece about Crises JP, it is a really good album, with really good production and top class performances, the track Crises is stunning, with Mike playing wonderful guitar and Simon Phillips displaying some really full on drumming. Moonlight Shadow is of course Mike's best known song with vocals, and has some very Knopfler like soloing, indeed, Mike even put in Mark's "twiddly bits"when playing the song live in the late 90's. That clip of Mike playing Taurus 3/Amarok Bits is some of the most impressing guitar playing I have ever seen!! Every time I watch it, I can't believe why Mike is not recognized more for his playing, it's real virtuoso stuff, it's from 2 different albums, but actually works well together.
I am JF not JP ;)
about Tarus 3, there is also this video, but I can't embed it on my blog :
https://youtu.be/ERGxFdbGOSM
-
Sorry JF :smack
That's a funny video.
This is a great one too.
https://youtu.be/FXDan5L0dBA
On another note, according to the Official Charts people, Tubular Bells is looking like charting at number 9 in the album charts, which is an amazing thing for a 50 year old album, and instrumental one too, plus great for an artist like Mike Oldfield, which proves he is still popular.
-
I'm certainly in the minority here, but I don't get "Tubular Bells" and hype around it at all. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm an absolute fan of classical music, film music, multi-instrumentalists and all, but this album can't possibly strike a chord with my heart. I find it repetitive, random, and over-analyse-friendly. Why I'm wrong?
-
I'm certainly in the minority here, but I don't get "Tubular Bells" and hype around it at all. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm an absolute fan of classical music, film music, multi-instrumentalists and all, but this album can't possibly strike a chord with my heart. I find it repetitive, random, and over-analyse-friendly. Why I'm wrong?
I'm like you, it does nothing for me, but we're not wrong, just different to those who love it. It seems to me to be in the same vein as Benjamin Britten's "A Young Persons Guide To The Orchestra".
-
I'm certainly in the minority here, but I don't get "Tubular Bells" and hype around it at all. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm an absolute fan of classical music, film music, multi-instrumentalists and all, but this album can't possibly strike a chord with my heart. I find it repetitive, random, and over-analyse-friendly. Why I'm wrong?
I'm like you, it does nothing for me, but we're not wrong, just different to those who love it. It seems to me to be in the same vein as Benjamin Britten's "A Young Persons Guide To The Orchestra".
Yeah, exactly! But I absolutely LOVE "A Young Persons Guide To The Orchestra", and how it's appropriately named, and not named "Temple Blocks".
My main gripe with Tubular Bells is that all of a sudden I feel a sound you can build a song out of, but I know it will last for a few repetitions and will be gone.
In a way, it shows you how great things in life and opportunities are short, and you need to enjoy them while you can... There, I'm already overanalysing it.
-
I'm certainly in the minority here, but I don't get "Tubular Bells" and hype around it at all. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm an absolute fan of classical music, film music, multi-instrumentalists and all, but this album can't possibly strike a chord with my heart. I find it repetitive, random, and over-analyse-friendly. Why I'm wrong?
I'm like you, it does nothing for me, but we're not wrong, just different to those who love it. It seems to me to be in the same vein as Benjamin Britten's "A Young Persons Guide To The Orchestra".
Yeah, exactly! But I absolutely LOVE "A Young Persons Guide To The Orchestra", and how it's appropriately named, and not named "Temple Blocks".
My main gripe with Tubular Bells is that all of a sudden I feel a sound you can build a song out of, but I know it will last for a few repetitions and will be gone.
In a way, it shows you how great things in life and opportunities are short, and you need to enjoy them while you can... There, I'm already overanalysing it.
I like "A Young Persons Guide" too. I remember being taken from school to hear it played at the Liverpool Philharmonic and the constant interruptions to explain what instrument was being played really irritated me - I just wanted to hear the whole thing!
-
I think the reasons you give are some of the reasons why I, and others love it, the piece is a fusion of musical styles, incorporating classical, rock, blues, folk, the repetitive nature of the opening piano intro is because Mike was influenced by the music style of Minimalism, Terry Reilly in particular, and his album A Rainbow in Curved Air, Steve Reich, Phillip Glass and others, but Oldfield took these influences and made it into something unique to him, and developed his own style which fans call Oldfield Progressive. Some people will have only heard the piano part and assume the whole album is like that, which it is not, it is an album of changing moods and instruments. The other thing is about the making of the album, which in turn is the making of Mike Oldfield, it is a legendary tale. I know this music is not for everyone, but I find it beautiful, like most of Mike's diverse musical output.
-
Lots of people hate Dire Straits. :)
-
That's very true, although they do appear to be getting new fans through reaction videos on YouTube.
Although I love Tubular Bells, I will admit it is not in my top 5 of Mike's albums, and also, probably not the greatest album to introduce someone new to his music, the intro aside, I would suggest his 3rd album, Ommadawn, and interestingly, Tubular Bells 2 from 1992 which is my favourite album of the 3 Tubular albums, and the most accessible one too. The period from 1990 - 1996 was an incredible time musically for Mike.
-
That's very true, although they do appear to be getting new fans through reaction videos on YouTube.
Although I love Tubular Bells, I will admit it is not in my top 5 of Mike's albums, and also, probably not the greatest album to introduce someone new to his music, the intro aside, I would suggest his 3rd album, Ommadawn, and interestingly, Tubular Bells 2 from 1992 which is my favourite album of the 3 Tubular albums, and the most accessible one too. The period from 1990 - 1996 was an incredible time musically for Mike.
That's a fresh one. LOL, welcome to the world! Mark is a genius, who knew?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WL1xKptii1Y
-
He has reacted to lots of DS and solo MK and really likes the songs.
-
I was listening to a podcast yesterday and a music journalist was saying that his kids complained if he put on classic rock music by the likes of Led Zeppelin, but they were very happy to listen to stuff that was easier on the ear, as examples he gave Rumours, Avalon by Roxy Music and Making Movies.
-
Here is Mike playing his most famous song, and you can hear the Sultans twiddly bits near the end of the 2nd solo.
https://youtu.be/xqr5ah5zwmU?si=9k16DvSBNsf9iOyO
-
Here is Mike playing his most famous song, and you can hear the Sultans twiddly bits near the end of the 2nd solo.
https://youtu.be/xqr5ah5zwmU?si=9k16DvSBNsf9iOyO
I remember listening to a version like this one years ago, and thinking the same. But then again, the twiddly bits in Sultans aren't so special nobody else could think the same thought.
I think this is the one I came across:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFWTMUvNcyY
-
Here is Mike playing his most famous song, and you can hear the Sultans twiddly bits near the end of the 2nd solo.
https://youtu.be/xqr5ah5zwmU?si=9k16DvSBNsf9iOyO
I remember listening to a version like this one years ago, and thinking the same. But then again, the twiddly bits in Sultans aren't so special nobody else could think the same thought.
I think this is the one I came across:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFWTMUvNcyY
Sure, Mark said he improvised the twiddly bits in the studio, so it's not like a composed piece or something. The only reason it works is because it is a constant string of fast notes, that you achieve by applying some quite basic moves, and is quite easy to play, to be honest, but it sounds just like something Van Halen would shred, so people go crazy.
-
Of course the print left by Maggie Reilly on the studio version is ungforgettable.
Here it is a live rendition and Helen “Pepsi” DeMacque is nailing it.
BTW, it is Ian Thomas on drums
-
It is a mini tribute to Mark though, Mike has stated his liking for Mark, and that Private Investigations was one of his favourites. He also owns a MK Signature Strat.
That video is from the live premier of Tubular Bells 3 in London, I was at that show, and it rained, A LOT, which was apt though, as one of the tracks from Tubular Bells 3 is called Man in The Rain, in which actually samples the drums from Moonlight Shadow.
Ian Thomas played drums for Mike at the live premier of Tubular Bells 2 at Edinburgh Castle. Ian is lucky to have played with my 3 favourite guitar players, Knopfler, Oldfield and Gilmour.
-
Here is Mike playing his most famous song, and you can hear the Sultans twiddly bits near the end of the 2nd solo.
https://youtu.be/xqr5ah5zwmU?si=9k16DvSBNsf9iOyO
I remember listening to a version like this one years ago, and thinking the same. But then again, the twiddly bits in Sultans aren't so special nobody else could think the same thought.
I think this is the one I came across:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFWTMUvNcyY
Sure, Mark said he improvised the twiddly bits in the studio, so it's not like a composed piece or something. The only reason it works is because it is a constant string of fast notes, that you achieve by applying some quite basic moves, and is quite easy to play, to be honest, but it sounds just like something Van Halen would shred, so people go crazy.
Does anyone believe he improvised that solo in the studio?!
-
Here is Mike playing his most famous song, and you can hear the Sultans twiddly bits near the end of the 2nd solo.
https://youtu.be/xqr5ah5zwmU?si=9k16DvSBNsf9iOyO
I remember listening to a version like this one years ago, and thinking the same. But then again, the twiddly bits in Sultans aren't so special nobody else could think the same thought.
I think this is the one I came across:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFWTMUvNcyY
Sure, Mark said he improvised the twiddly bits in the studio, so it's not like a composed piece or something. The only reason it works is because it is a constant string of fast notes, that you achieve by applying some quite basic moves, and is quite easy to play, to be honest, but it sounds just like something Van Halen would shred, so people go crazy.
Does anyone believe he improvised that solo in the studio?!
I wouldn't be surprised. The difficult part isn't to come up with the idea, but to execute it in a good way. I mean, compare it with something like the MFN riff or the ending solos in Tunnel of love or Telegraph road. I can't see those being improvised, as there are just too many things that have to be musically connected. The "Sultans twiddly bit" thingy sounds more of a show-off exercise, and it has no purpose to the song itself. I think Mark himself has said that sometimes, the guitar is a continuation of the spoken words (something along those lines). That is the case with ToL and TR (and BIA for that matter), but the ending bits of sultans? At least I don't see (hear) it. But it's fine, I won't slam anyone for just showing off a little now and then.
-
This year sees the 50th Anniversary of Mike's 2nd album Hergest Ridge, this is a more pastoral album than his debut, Tubular Bells. After the madness of Tubular Bells Mike couldn't deal with the success and adulation he was getting, he was naturally a shy person back then, so, it was hard to suddenly be on the world stage with so many people wanting to talk to him, he also had panic attacks and so wanted to get away from it, he found the small town of Kington on the England/Wales border, he bought a house, The Beacon and set upon writing the next album, the result being Hergest Ridge, which is named after a local hill. It is another long form instrumental album, two tracks, Part 1 and Part 2 It is a great album that has lots of beautiful moments and inspired guitar playing.
-
Happy 71st birthday to Mike Oldfield, an incredible composer and stunning guitar player and musician.
-
Happy 71st birthday to Mike Oldfield, an incredible composer and stunning guitar player and musician.
Funny that he's so young compared to a lot of the other birthdays that have been coming up recently! He was have been incredibly young when he made TB.
-
Yes, he was 19 when he made it, but has been a working musician since he was 16 :o He even released a duo album with his sister Sally 4 years before Tubular Bells.
-
Happy 72nd birthday Mike.
-
Happy 72nd birthday Mike.
:thumbsup
https://www.facebook.com/TextBlogRNRoll/posts/pfbid02pyad8JbwRMm6LBiZk7YigXzCgPPNqDjHy5SM4Ha1926rUifqo2QhYsLucnAXGDBsl
-
Wow, that was brilliant JF. Great to see people keeping Mike's spirit alive, like with Robert Reed.