Posted June 26, 20231 yr https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https:...A4UQ9QF6BAgLEAQ TUBULAR BELLS - Mike Oldfield (1973) It's 50 years old the other week, and it certainly blew me away when I first heard this album (sorry Ive no idea how to insert the album cover so the link above might help): Picture this: Lower 6th, Chosenhill Comprehensive 6th form building, autumn 1974, and a fellow 6th former bought the album in on cassette tape to play, with a bit of a riff having become famous as a soundtrack the scariest horror film of all-time (I hadn't seen it, I was too young for X-Rated films) but the "sample" music from The Exorcist had been on TV. Most of the music on the album though was unfamiliar and it was like something landing from another planet, no tracks, just side 1 and side 2, a sort of New Age folkrockclassical adventure. The follow-up album had also just come out and that got played too, Hergest Ridge being in the same vein. The "money-shot" though was the end of side 1 of Tubular Bells, the build up to a climax, each instrument announced by the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band's Viv Stanshill. Just magnificent. The Bonzo's were a must in those days, theyd had a hit with Urban Spaceman in late '68 (I was mad on it) and songwriter Neil Innes was about to get more fame as brain behind The Rutles, the ultimate Beatles career parody. Just to put Tubular Bells into historical context, Mike Oldfield was a troubled prodigy teenager who created the album on his own after he got signed to Virgin Records and had access to a recording studio, the new record label by a record shop entrepreneur named Richard Branson. This record made the record label, and whole business empire possible. Mike had a great career with many folkpopgems and influenced the development of popular music.
June 27, 20231 yr I don't have this album. The last few minutes of side 1 are on a 'Rock Milestones' double CD I bought in 1989 shortly after buying my first CD player. I downloaded the whole of side 1 about 15 years ago so I know that half a lot better than side 2 which I might have only heard once. I'll have another listen to side 2 this week.
June 27, 20231 yr Oh this is definitely a good choice! Another I've never heard as a full album and have always been intrigued to listen to
June 27, 20231 yr Ooh I added this album to my vinyl collection a couple of years ago :wub: nice pick
June 30, 20231 yr I was also introduced to the album by a school friend, before The Exorcist raised its profile in my case. Twelve-year-old me thought it was amazing and 62-year-old me still thinks it's a great album.
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