Tubular Bells
It was late one evening in 1973, when, with the professional musicians resident at Richard Branson's country estate The Manor finished up for the day, the unknown Mike Oldfield settled in for one night of frantic production on his debut record.
By the time dawn broke, Oldfield had created one of the most groundbreaking pieces in the history of modern music. Experimental and daring, technically advanced and sublimely crafted all at once, the phenomenon that is Tubular Bells was born.
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Hergest Ridge
Originally released in 1974 and departing from the choppy mix of prog and folk-based influences explored for the first time on Mike Oldfield's debut Tubular Bells, Oldfield's much anticipated follow up, Hergest Ridge develops for itself a unique charm entirely its own. Softer and calmer, atmospheric and haunting, Hergest Ridge is a lament to the soothing environment Oldfield enveloped himself in directly after his debut's overwhelming success.
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Ommadawn
Originally released in November 1975, Ommadawn, remains one of Oldfield’s favourite works. Recorded at his then home at Hergest Ridge, it again took the form of two lengthy suites of music, but here there are added Irish and African influences. Oldfield looked towards composition on traditional instruments; It is affecting music that acted as a precursor to the new age musical movement.
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The Orchestral Tubular Bells
Released in 1975, The Orchestral Tubular Bells is an orchestral version of Mike Oldfield's album Tubular Bells, arranged by David Bedford and recorded in 1974 by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, featuring Oldfield himself playing the guitar.
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Incantations Deluxe Edition
500 copies of the vinyl version of Incantations Deluxe Edition have been signed by Mike Oldfield. Click here to see if any are still available.
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Remastered by Oldfield himself, the 2011 packages contain a variety of rare material; and again, as with Tubular Bells, Hergest Ridge and Ommadawn, contain a brand new 5.1 mix on DVD, as well as footage from Oldfield’s 1979 concert tour that supported the album. Both CD formats also include ‘Guilty’, Oldfield’s legendary 1979 single recorded in New York City at the height of the disco movement. Few expected the man who crafted 25 minute sides of symphonic rock to hit the dancefloor with such élan.
The music of Mike Oldfield is some of the most spiritual, ethereal, reflective and sensual in rock. Oldfield himself created his own genre with his groundbreaking 1973 work, Tubular Bells, and has continued to craft highly individual works to this day which have built him a loyal international following. When Oldfield’s Virgin catalogue moved to Mercury in 2008, the label has worked closely with him to ensure the highest standard in revisiting his masterworks from the 70s and 80s.
The fourth instalment in his catalogue reissues, Incantations, is released on July 25th. Incantations, originally released in November 1978 was Oldfield’s first and only studio double album. Comprising of four parts of the title track, it was a masterpiece of minimalism, with Oldfield again playing many of the instruments, with old friends including David Bedford conducting the choir and orchestra, Pierre Moerlen on drums and Mike’s sister Sally on vocals.
With new artwork overseen by Oldfield and extensive notes, Incantations is the marvellous next instalment of Mike Oldfield’s compelling catalogue.
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Platinum
Originally released in 1979, just six years after Mike Oldfield's debut Tubular Bells, and at the height of Oldfield's subsequent emotional disquiet, Platinum is an incredibly important piece in Oldfield's musical history, as he departs from the strictly conceptual approach used on his recordings up until this point and, for the first time ever, delivers an album based around the importance of songs rather than concept.
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Exposed
Released in 1979, the album was a collection of Oldfield's tours in Spain, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and England from March to April 1979. It peaked at #16 on the UK Album Chart.
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QE2
Released in 1980, QE2 serves as Mike Oldfield's sixth studio album and comes at a time in his musical career where his move towards pop influences and stylings is well established. QE2 is home to two cover versions of original pop songs - ABBA's 'Arrival', and The Shadows' 'Wonderful Land' - both given the unmistakeable makeover of Oldfield's masterful hand.
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Five Miles Out
Released in 1982, Five Miles Out is one of the first albums in Mike Oldfield's wide-reaching musical career and it sees him take a diversion away from large-scale symphonic compositions towards the sound for which he became renowned throughout the '80s - rock and pop electronica. Five Miles Out is an vibrant album and home to Oldfield's first ever bona fide rock single, 'Family Man'.
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Crises
Crises is the 8th album by Mike Oldfield, released in 1983. Oldfield's well known Moonlight Shadow appears on the album.
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Discovery
Discovery is the 9th record album by Mike Oldfield, released in 1984. It was recorded at Oldfield's then-home in Villars-sur-Ollon in the Swiss Alps
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The Killing Fields
The Killing Fields is the 10th record album by Mike Oldfield, released in 1984. It was the soundtrack album for the film of the same name.
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Islands
Islands is the 11th album by Mike Oldfield, released in 1987. Guest singers on the album are Bonnie Tyler, Kevin Ayers, Anita Hegerland and Jim Price.
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Earth Moving
Amarok
Amarok is the 13th record album by Mike Oldfield, released in 1990. It is considered by fans to be his most distinctive work: a single sixty-minute track of continuous, uninterrupted but constantly-changing music.
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Heaven's Open
Heaven's Open is the 14th record album performed by Mike Oldfield, released in 1991. It was his last album on Virgin, and also the only album he released under the name Michael Oldfield, instead of Mike Oldfield.
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Tubular Bells II
Tubular Bells II is the 15th music album by Mike Oldfield, released in 1992, was conceived as a sequel to 1973's Tubular Bells.
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The Songs of Distant Earth
The Songs of Distant Earth is the 16th album by Mike Oldfield, released in 1994. It is based on Arthur C. Clarke's science fiction novel Songs of Distant Earth.
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Voyager
Voyager is the 17th music album by Mike Oldfield, released in 1996. It is a Celtic-themed album.
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Tubular Bells III
Tubular Bells III is the 18th album by Mike Oldfield, released in 1998. A sequel to Oldfield's 1973 Tubular Bells and his 1992 Tubular Bells II albums, it was released on the 25th anniversary of the first Tubular Bells album.
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Guitars
Guitars is a record album written and performed by Mike Oldfield, released in 1999.
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The Millennium Bell
The Millennium Bell is the 20th record album by Mike Oldfield, released in 1999. The theme of the album is a reflection of different periods of human history. The album borrows its name from the dawning of the 3rd millennium and Oldfield's Tubular Bells series of albums.
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Tr3s Lunas
Light + Shade
Released in 2005, Light + Shade is a double concept album consisting of two very differing parts. Heavily influenced by the Cafe del Mar style chill-out albums of Ibiza, Mike Oldfield takes this blueprint to create one album of ambience and another much darker, thrilling experience on the second album.
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Music of the Spheres
Released in 2008 and working with legendary composer Karl Jenkins OBE, Music Of The Spheres is Mike Oldfield's first classical release and features some of the main players from that musical world. New Zealand soprano Hayley Westenra lends her voice to the hauntingly beautiful 'On My Heart,' while the talents of Chinese pianist Lang Lang shine through on 'The Tempest' and 'Prophecy.'
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The Collection
Released in 2009, The Collection serves as a retrospective stroll through Mike Oldfield's colourful musical past. Spanning two discs - the first concentrating heavily on Oldfield's groundbreaking Tubular Bells - with glimpses at everything from his experimental roots, to the contemporary forays into classical and orchestral music, there is no Oldfield stone left unturned in a collection which in turn marks itself as an essential addition to the record collections of Oldfield beginners to hardened completists alike.
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