Tubular Bells was a word-of-mouth phenomena, this is how it became a hit. It was a “must play” in any 70’s gathering. Just wonderful. First time I listened to Tubular Bells I said to myself “this is Classical Music played with contemporary instruments”. And it has passed the test of time (50 years!) with flying colors. Cheers!
Not just " awesome" : a masterpiece. Mike composed this thing when he was 18!! This guy is the Mozart of progressive rock music, so talented, so good that we're not likely to see the like of him in decades. Happy retirement, Mike!
My dad used to put this album on, and we would light a candle and set it on the speaker. Then dad and us kids would lay on the floor in the dark, and as the candle softened, it would flicker in time to the music. Special memory. And in college we played it as party music. Plus Jarre, Laurie Anderson, new wave, kate bush, yes, pink floyd and on and on. Those were the days.
I got introduced to this album by my dad, as a teen. (Along with some of the work of another music pioneer from the period - Jean-Michel Jarre, a french electronic music pioneer. I particularly loved Oxygene and Equinoxe) They both did these more groundbreaking long form, kind of experimental pieces. I was completely obsessed with all of it.
When a record executive reviewed the pre-pressed recording, he stated that it wouldn't sell if there were no vocals. Piltdown Man was Mike's response 🙂
It's his incredible compositional skills on Tubular Bells that get me every time I play this. Just a personal feeling, but I don't think it needs the Sailor's Hornpipe at the end of Side 2. The mood had been gloriously set and it had arrived at a gorgeous conclusion. Oh well, what the hell do I know? This was the start of a great career, although he didn't always enjoy it so much. Thanks Jim, a great reaction to a masterpiece.
...sounds like throat Mongolian throat singing Jim, you need to listen to The Hu and you'll see what I mean, but boy, what a album, I love Mike Oldfield's, experimenting with different instruments and vocal sounds. It's utterly delightful!
A bit late to answer but here goes, how were people listening to this in the '70s? I was listening on headphones as background while I revised for my "O" levels. I wish I could say now that listening to it reminds me of calculus, Boyle's law and the Haber process but all that comes back into my head now listening 50 plus years later are a few names of things but no details.
I was 14 when this came out and remember it being mentioned on various rock shows but rarely played. I might have heard a bit when Johnny Walker (who did an album chart run-down at the time) played snippets that caught my attention and then, when someone at school brought it in, it was a must purchase. Weirdly it didn't hit number one until after Hergest Ridge came out. In the US in particular, it had the boost of being used in The Exorcist though I don't remember that being much of a thing in the UK (though I was only 14 so didn't see the film until the home VHS era.) It's a bona fide classic. Apologies if much of this is covered in comments in Part One - for some reason, I'm listening to it arse over tip this time.
The last bit of part 2, following the craziness of the Piltdown Man section is just gloriously evocative of a hot day near the English coast to me. The guitars hint at the sea birds and then to top it all off we get the Sailor's Hornpipe.
I always remember being knocked out by this album. I mean back then nothing really had been done like this certainly on this side of the pond. I must admit that the beginning section of side 2 always has overtones of "I am the Walrus" to me.
I think originally people bought it by word of mouth. I remember my brother bought it and he was a 6th former at the time. Then everybody had it! It wasn't played on the radio - or maybe snippets were - so with no internet etc it can only really have been that way. I guess when people looked at the album charts each week and saw it there they probably decided to see what all the fuss was about. I prefer side 1 to side 2 - which apart from the Piltdown Man and Sailors Hornpipe sections are a bit noodlie for me, but there's no getting away from the overall genius - and he was what, 19? Wow.
It was a long running (and ultimately fruitless) battle with Virgin Records to get a copy of Tubular Bells in the Mike Oldfield Boxed four album set that didn't jump repeatedly due to a pressing fault that finally drove me away from vinyl into the more reliable arms of the compact disc.
Precisely, you nailed it Jim! I prefer side 1 of Tubular Bells, with Viv Stanshall’s Master of Ceremonies being the stand out part for me. Side 2 is alright, but I would prefer to skip the Caveman/Piltdown Man part if I could.
I’ve given the album a few tries back then and even bought the cd some years back to see if I would like it after all but alas, though I really appreciate his talent and the work he put into it, I don’t connect to the music. It’s not because of the mimimalism; there just doesn’t happen enough musically to keep me interested.
My knickers are in a twist about these growling vocals. I don't think they're pleasant to listen to. All the other sounds on this album are very pleasant to me. I wish he hadn't done the growling.
Tubular Bells was a word-of-mouth phenomena, this is how it became a hit. It was a “must play” in any 70’s gathering. Just wonderful.
First time I listened to Tubular Bells I said to myself “this is Classical Music played with contemporary instruments”. And it has passed the test of time (50 years!) with flying colors. Cheers!
Please more from this wonderful musician
All of his music is worth listen, he is a genius.
Not just " awesome" : a masterpiece. Mike composed this thing when he was 18!! This guy is the Mozart of progressive rock music, so talented, so good that we're not likely to see the like of him in decades. Happy retirement, Mike!
My dad used to put this album on, and we would light a candle and set it on the speaker. Then dad and us kids would lay on the floor in the dark, and as the candle softened, it would flicker in time to the music. Special memory. And in college we played it as party music. Plus Jarre, Laurie Anderson, new wave, kate bush, yes, pink floyd and on and on. Those were the days.
check out mike oldfields album ...songs of distant earth...just brilliant
Progressive Music at its loveliness!!
I got introduced to this album by my dad, as a teen. (Along with some of the work of another music pioneer from the period - Jean-Michel Jarre, a french electronic music pioneer. I particularly loved Oxygene and Equinoxe) They both did these more groundbreaking long form, kind of experimental pieces. I was completely obsessed with all of it.
Same here, only I was 6 years old.
When a record executive reviewed the pre-pressed recording, he stated that it wouldn't sell if there were no vocals. Piltdown Man was Mike's response 🙂
Amarok is definitely worth a listen
It's his incredible compositional skills on Tubular Bells that get me every time I play this. Just a personal feeling, but I don't think it needs the Sailor's Hornpipe at the end of Side 2. The mood had been gloriously set and it had arrived at a gorgeous conclusion. Oh well, what the hell do I know? This was the start of a great career, although he didn't always enjoy it so much. Thanks Jim, a great reaction to a masterpiece.
The Sailor’s Hornpipe was included because that’s what Mike used to play at the end of his “Pub concerts” at the time.
...sounds like throat Mongolian throat singing Jim, you need to listen to The Hu and you'll see what I mean, but boy, what a album, I love Mike Oldfield's, experimenting with different instruments and vocal sounds. It's utterly delightful!
A bit late to answer but here goes, how were people listening to this in the '70s? I was listening on headphones as background while I revised for my "O" levels. I wish I could say now that listening to it reminds me of calculus, Boyle's law and the Haber process but all that comes back into my head now listening 50 plus years later are a few names of things but no details.
I was 14 when this came out and remember it being mentioned on various rock shows but rarely played. I might have heard a bit when Johnny Walker (who did an album chart run-down at the time) played snippets that caught my attention and then, when someone at school brought it in, it was a must purchase. Weirdly it didn't hit number one until after Hergest Ridge came out. In the US in particular, it had the boost of being used in The Exorcist though I don't remember that being much of a thing in the UK (though I was only 14 so didn't see the film until the home VHS era.) It's a bona fide classic.
Apologies if much of this is covered in comments in Part One - for some reason, I'm listening to it arse over tip this time.
The last bit of part 2, following the craziness of the Piltdown Man section is just gloriously evocative of a hot day near the English coast to me. The guitars hint at the sea birds and then to top it all off we get the Sailor's Hornpipe.
Ommadawn and Incantations are must have by Mike. My favorite piece of his work is Ommadawn pt.1 and Idk why
wonderful
What percentage of viewers were here at least in part for ‘I want to see his reaction to Piltdown Man’?
I always remember being knocked out by this album. I mean back then nothing really had been done like this certainly on this side of the pond. I must admit that the beginning section of side 2 always has overtones of "I am the Walrus" to me.
I actually like Part 2 a bit more than Part 1 as it's a bit moodier and almost like a seascape.
I think originally people bought it by word of mouth. I remember my brother bought it and he was a 6th former at the time. Then everybody had it! It wasn't played on the radio - or maybe snippets were - so with no internet etc it can only really have been that way. I guess when people looked at the album charts each week and saw it there they probably decided to see what all the fuss was about. I prefer side 1 to side 2 - which apart from the Piltdown Man and Sailors Hornpipe sections are a bit noodlie for me, but there's no getting away from the overall genius - and he was what, 19? Wow.
It was a long running (and ultimately fruitless) battle with Virgin Records to get a copy of Tubular Bells in the Mike Oldfield Boxed four album set that didn't jump repeatedly due to a pressing fault that finally drove me away from vinyl into the more reliable arms of the compact disc.
ommadawn and return to ommadawn
And Amarok, also known as “Ommadawn 2”
Super video Jim! I'll wait for the day you do his Incantations album...
Precisely, you nailed it Jim!
I prefer side 1 of Tubular Bells, with Viv Stanshall’s Master of Ceremonies being the stand out part for me. Side 2 is alright, but I would prefer to skip the Caveman/Piltdown Man part if I could.
I’ve given the album a few tries back then and even bought the cd some years back to see if I would like it after all but alas, though I really appreciate his talent and the work he put into it, I don’t connect to the music. It’s not because of the mimimalism; there just doesn’t happen enough musically to keep me interested.
My knickers are in a twist about these growling vocals. I don't think they're pleasant to listen to. All the other sounds on this album are very pleasant to me. I wish he hadn't done the growling.
If you want to blame it on something, it's Richard Branson (who wanted "singing" on it) and (I think it was a half a bottle of) whiskey =D