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Mike Oldfield


Post Posted Sat Feb 04, 2017 11:56 pm
Velodynamic


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Well I can tell you I haven't bought a musical album in a real live shop and in cash for like 15 years or so. :wink:
"The worst thing in any form of art is to be betrayed by your own habits."
- JEAN MICHEL JARRE
Post Posted Fri Sep 08, 2017 2:38 pm
Velodynamic


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I usually don't pray much. This time I think I do.
Somehow I kind of whish they got away from there in time...with TB4 masters.

Image
"The worst thing in any form of art is to be betrayed by your own habits."
- JEAN MICHEL JARRE
Post Posted Fri Mar 31, 2023 2:19 pm
Dr_Jones


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Just got this in the mail:
Presenting the 50th anniversary edition of Tubular Bells, available on 2LP and 1CD.

The 50th anniversary edition includes the last-ever recording from Mike heard for the first time; the stunning 8-minute track “Tubular Bells 4 Intro”. In addition, a second album that unites several beguiling versions of Oldfield’s master work for the first time.

The 2LP includes the brand-new Abbey Road half-speed master of the original album alongside “Tubular X”, the 1998 recording for the “X-Files” album receiving its first outing on vinyl.

Pre-order the 50th anniversary edition of Tubular Bells on any format from recordstore.co.uk before 23:59 on the 30th April 2023 to be in a chance of winning 2x tickets to the Dolby Atmos listening party on 22nd May 2023.

https://recordstore.co.uk/collections/mike-oldfield
The description on the 50th anniversary edtion itself:
In 1973, a young, largely unknown 20-year-old released his debut album, the first release on a brand-new label. The artist was Mike Oldfield, the album Tubular Bells and the label, Virgin Records. The album became a phenomenon, topping the UK charts, winning a Grammy; giving a green light to his career. Its popularity and notoriety was secured by its main theme being featured in The Exorcist, the film which became a global sensation.

This 50th Anniversary celebration edition of Tubular Bells, overseen by Mike Oldfield, contains a brand new half-speed Abbey Road master of the original album, plus a second album that unites several beguiling versions of Oldfield’s masterwork for the first time.

Receiving its first outing on vinyl is Tubular X, that Mike recorded in 1998 for an X-Files album*; Mike’s remix collaboration with York, the original Mike Oldfield’s Single (Theme From Tubular Bells)* and, for the first time since a very limited run in 2012, Mike’s stunning Tubular Bells/In Dulci Jubilo (Music for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games).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 installment 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.
So no more Tubular Bells 4 but we'll get the first 8 minutes he composed for it... No more Mike Oldfield music after this :-(
Post Posted Fri Mar 31, 2023 3:07 pm
nexxxus


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me too, this newsletter and not a good new for my money ;-)
But a "Tubular Bells 4 intro" means a new album... no?
cross the fingers... Only time will tell
Post Posted Fri Mar 31, 2023 4:05 pm
Dr_Jones


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nexxxus wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 3:07 pm me too, this newsletter and not a good new for my money ;-)
But a "Tubular Bells 4 intro" means a new album... no?
cross the fingers... Only time will tell
No, he abandoned the project and decided to retire. This is the only music we'll get from that project. Sad, but it was bound to happen.

SuperDeluxeEdition is releasing a Dolby Atmos Blu-ray of Tubular Bells:
https://superdeluxeedition.com/news/mik ... e-blu-ray/

This SDE release reminds me that they have to release Oxymore on Dolby Atmos Bluray.
Post Posted Fri Mar 31, 2023 5:35 pm
nexxxus


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Dr_Jones wrote: Fri Mar 31, 2023 4:05 pm SuperDeluxeEdition is releasing a Dolby Atmos Blu-ray of Tubular Bells:
https://superdeluxeedition.com/news/mik ... e-blu-ray/
very cool
Is this an official item ?
Post Posted Fri Mar 31, 2023 6:01 pm
Dr_Jones


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Yes, SuperDeluxeEdition is specialized in releasing Dolby Atmos albums. Last month, they released Orbital's latest album on BluRay at the same time the official album dropped. I bought Propaganda's latest album there too which has an atmos and a 5.1 mix done by Steve Lipson himself.
Post Posted Fri Mar 31, 2023 7:46 pm
nexxxus


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The combo Blu-ray audio / 2LP is the best value with good extras !
Post Posted Fri Mar 31, 2023 11:00 pm
shadow


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While it's truly a shame we'll never get 4, after teasing it for a while and he just stopped talking about it (and the final bunch of Deluxe Editions) completely, I can't say I'm surprised whatsoever. Return to Ommadawn, while not the huge and stellar ending that I hoped for (that would've been Music for the Spheres honestly), it has its moments and still worthy as a reworking of the original. If anything, I'm disappointed we never got Amarok 2 (or even that surround sound mix) :lol:

But eight new minutes of Mike Oldfield is extremely awesome and I'm here for it (and the Atmos mix), very excited about it!

Edit: and ordered the blu-ray. The two LP set is a bit frustrating, I'd love to have the second LP, but have literally no interest in the first record. Here's hoping that a nice vinyl rip pops up for the Tubular Bells/In Dulci Jubilo (Music for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games), because the official CD version is LOUD! I take it those will be released in other places as well, since only the blu-ray seems to be exclusive.

Edit 2:
Velodynamic wrote: Fri Sep 08, 2017 2:38 pm I usually don't pray much. This time I think I do.
Somehow I kind of whish they got away from there in time...with TB4 masters.
I love that THIS was the final post before we got the announcement that 4 ain't happening!
27-11-10: Ahoy Rotterdam
22-11-16: Heineken Music Hall Amsterdam
Post Posted Fri May 05, 2023 10:42 am
1906


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his unfinished symphony is online:

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Post Posted Sat May 06, 2023 4:02 pm
nexxxus


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Tubular Bells (the first) is the album, all works and artists combined, of which I have the most versions, all media (boxed, orchestral, hdcd, DVD-Audio, anniversary versions...). Even Oxygene doesn't beat it.
So I was happy to discover Tubular Bells 2, from my generation I would say. It is a success. A true reinterpretation respecting the cutting of the original work. Afterwards, TB 3 was less good except for Secrets and Far above The Clouds. We also had Tubular World.... and The Millennium Bell !
Finally all that to say that I am disappointed after listening to TB 4 intro (edit) because there is no real work of reinterpretation... It almost sounds like a kind of clumsy plagiarism. Just slightly inverted notes, identical arrangements... Finally nothing that could not have claimed a real sequel. So it would have been better to name this piece: Tubular Legacy or whatever...

For me Amarok is a piece that will always be special... I've heard it so much. A second opus would have been difficult. I who compose music, I feel that this album can only be done once... neither replayed, nor resumed... Too complex in its structure.
So I'm listening 'Music from the Balcony' from "Heaven's Open", that could be a part 4 of Amarok because I find 3 parts finally of 20 minutes each approximately.


I'm still waiting for this ultimate edition of TB for my collection and to discover the new blu-ray mixes.
Post Posted Sat May 06, 2023 4:58 pm
Dr_Jones


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nexxxus wrote: Sat May 06, 2023 4:02 pm Tubular Bells (the first) is the album, all works and artists combined, of which I have the most versions, all media (boxed, orchestral, hdcd, DVD-Audio, anniversary versions...). Even Oxygene doesn't beat it.
So I was happy to discover Tubular Bells 2, from my generation I would say. It is a success. A true reinterpretation respecting the cutting of the original work. Afterwards, TB 3 was less good except for Secrets and Far above The Clouds. We also had Tubular World.... and The Millennium Bell !
Finally all that to say that I am disappointed after listening to TB 4 intro (edit) because there is no real work of reinterpretation... It almost sounds like a kind of clumsy plagiarism. Just slightly inverted notes, identical arrangements... Finally nothing that could not have claimed a real sequel. So it would have been better to name this piece: Tubular Legacy or whatever...

For me Amarok is a piece that will always be special... I've heard it so much. A second opus would have been difficult. I who compose music, I feel that this album can only be done once... neither replayed, nor resumed... Too complex in its structure.
So I'm listening 'Music from the Balcony' from "Heaven's Open", that could be a part 4 of Amarok because I find 3 parts finally of 20 minutes each approximately.


I'm still waiting for this ultimate edition of TB for my collection and to discover the new blu-ray mixes.
Tubular Bells 2 was my real introduction to Mike. I am a big fan of Trevor Horn and he produced Tubular Bells 2. After that, I got most of his work but TB2 will remain quite special for me. I think the 90s were fantastic for Mike Oldfield fans (starting with Amarok), most of his output was very good in those years.

The TB4 edit sounds rough to me, the press release does state it's a demo. And I agree that it's a bit like a reinterpretation with the same build-up as the first TB did. TB2 and TB3 were different in that respect.

And yes, Amarok is fantastic. I was baffled to hear it the first time. It's relentless.

And for you as a collector of TB: I just saw a Record Store Day vinyl release of Opus One, the demo version of Tubular Bells which could also be found on the 2009 box release of TB.
Post Posted Sat May 06, 2023 5:27 pm
nexxxus


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Dr_Jones wrote: Sat May 06, 2023 4:58 pm [And for you as a collector of TB: I just saw a Record Store Day vinyl release of Opus One, the demo version of Tubular Bells which could also be found on the 2009 box release of TB.
Yes I had seen for Opus One and I regret not having been able to find a copy of it even if this version exists otherwise. Not new but the idea was cool.
Post Posted Sun May 07, 2023 10:44 pm
shadow


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1906 wrote: Fri May 05, 2023 10:42 am his unfinished symphony is online:

I want to listen to it, but man... I rather just wait for the full (or the eight minute piece anyway) release. Really curious though!


And regarding Opus One, I bought the record and it's just an analogue version of the demo released years ago. Audio drops and all (which I assume are inherent to the source). What little quality there was on those tapes, was already completely pulled out of them on the original release. It's great for a collector, but not much else.
And on the subject of introductions: my 'unofficial' introduction to Oldfield was Tubular Bells, as for most, but as a Dutchie it was through Bassie en Adriaan and I bought the album back in around 2011 in a digibook format for a tenner iirc.
Bought Incantations shortly afterwards and expanded my way through the rest. As much love as Tubular Bells get, honestly, Ommadawn is the one true masterpiece with Amarok a close second.
Really wish we'd gotten those Island and Amarok surround sound mixes. Just ending it on Discovery and The Killing Fields is such an odd decision. Even if the man doesn't want to do the surround sound mixes himself, it's a shame he apparently doesn't even feel like giving others a shot at it. Islands, Amarok and Music From The Balcony would've been awesome to have gotten a surround sound mix to finish off the original Deluxe line :(
27-11-10: Ahoy Rotterdam
22-11-16: Heineken Music Hall Amsterdam
Post Posted Tue Jun 06, 2023 1:12 pm
shadow


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Finally got my blu-ray of the 50th Anniversary in and gave the new 2023 Stereo mix a go, it's a lovely new mix and I greatly prefer it over the 2009 mix that Oldfield did himself in all honesty. I've always opted for the original '72 mix, but the new mix is honestly really good and might be my go to version from now on. The Atmos mix will have to wait until the day I can actually listen to the whole thing in actual Atmos rather than stereo.

And that Tubular Bells 4 piece... This... This is what he decides to end his career on? Where's the rest?! This is too good to just randomly end on! Image
27-11-10: Ahoy Rotterdam
22-11-16: Heineken Music Hall Amsterdam







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