40 years on: Top 10 albums of 1980

 Top 10 albums of 1980 (in chronological order)

1. John Foxx - Metamatic
2. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
3. Genesis - Duke
4. The Human League - Travelogue
5. Gary Numan - Telekon
6. David Bowie - Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps)
7. Simple Minds - Empires & Dance
8. Japan - Gentlemen Take Polaroids
9. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark - Organisation
10. Mike Oldfield - QE2

D.M.O.

Do we look like Depeche Mode in this?

Well, possibly that's because one of us is Martin L. Gore's nephew! (not sure which!) and his name is Dean M. Oldfield (not M. as in Mike, we hope!). 

• DMO's new EP came out last October on Mute. Listen to their older stuff here.

• Depeche Mode's new single "Where's the Revolution" is out on Friday 3.02.17

• Mike Oldfield's new album Return to Ommadawn is out now.

Maggie's Italian Moonlight Affair

Tubular Belles

I shall never grow tired of this tune; or indeed of this video...

Discovery of the week

David Bedford - The Odyssey (1976)

I got to this via Bedford's connection and work with Mike Oldfield in the 70s. They were bandmates in Kevin Ayer's The Whole World , and Bedford went on to orchestrate both Tubular Bells and Hergest Ridge, Oldfield's first two studio albums.

Oldfield also plays guitar on this amazing opus by Bedford, originally released in 1976 (one track The Phaeacian Games also appeared on MO's Boxed box-set). What's amazing about it though are the keyboards and how they are used - Bedford proudly boasts playing an ARP 2600 synthesiser, Stringman string sythesiser, Hammond organ, as well as clavinet, vibraphone, cymbal, gong and, er, wine-glasses.

Bedford denied being a proficient keyboard player although this work is a masterpiece of OTT mid-70's keyboard music, complimented (but not smothered) by nifty guitar work by Oldfield and Andy Summers (months away from joining The Police).

Bedford's Odyssey was also performed live in 1977 at the RAH with no less than ten keyboard players .. surely that would've been a sight to see.

Apparently a recording exists. The hunt continues...

Sadly, Bedford died last year.

Oldfield-fest 2 / Mike Oldfield & John Peel perform Tubular Bells

Suberb bit of clangage just discovered on soundcloud (via a random "Mike Oldfield" Google search). I'd love to know when this was done.

Mike Oldfield & John Peel perform Tubular Bells

Oldfield-fest 1 / Platinum & QE2 (2012 deluxe editions)

There seems to have been another Mike Oldfield renaissance of late, mostly due to his starring role in the London 2012 Olympics opening ceremony at the end of last month, in which our Michael churned out a new Olympics-opening-ceremony version of Tubular Bells, even making the thing 'swing' ...

Aside from that however Oldfield continues the remaster-masterplan, begun with the TB remaster/re-issue in 2009, continuing with Hergest Ridge and Ommadawn (2010) and Incantations (2011), with deluxe editions of Platinum, originally released in 1979, and QE2 from 1980. Both releases see a shift forward in Oldfield's work, moving away from the folk/prog musical style of yore over to more lightweight, and dare we say it, 'radio-friendly' shorter pieces which would also also put the artist in good stead with Virgin Records in the lucrative singles market.

Platinum is a breath of fresh air and a joy to listen to even today. Side one, divided into four parts, will never leave the listener bored and was obviously intended to appeal to a wider audience. You can even dance to it. For the first time, Oldfield abandons the "album name part one, part two, etc". formula, giving each of the four tracks a name and a life of its own, culminating in a re-working of Philip Glass' North Star. Side two is split into four separate "songs" (a breakthrough for Oldfield) including (shock!) properly sung lyrics on the dreamy 'Into Wonderland' and a splendid cover version of Gershwins' 'I Got Rhythm' both gorgeously sung by Wendy Roberts. (The original track 'Sally' was swiftly removed from the album after initail copies were released apparently at the behest of Richard Branson's who thought it was rubbish). The raucous track 'Punkadiddle' can only be described as punk-meets-folk dancing with a restrained "Oi!" occasionally punctuating the jolly tune,which recalls Oldfield's roots. The remaster also offers up a live studio version of Platinum (the track), a new mix of North Star and Blue Peter, which Oldfield recorded for the kids show of the same name around the same time as the Platinum album. A second disc on the deluxe version features nine tracks recorded live in Wembley Arena in 1980, which make for an interesting documentation of Oldfield's new found live prowess, his shy Tubular Bells live debut now very much behind him.
But speaking of 'live' one wonders why Oldfield has 'skipped' re-issuing 1979's live album Exposed, (originally issued before Platinum). No re-master for that one, more's the pity.

QE2 takes the 'easy-listening' and indeed radio-friendly Oldfield a few steps further with a series of shorter stand-alone tracks, although without any 'proper' singing this time. The album even featured two cover versions: Abba's Arrival and The Shadows' Wonderful Land, both issued as singles with modest chart results. There's a lighter, more sparse production even compared to Platinum, which however is not always so well suited to Oldfield's ply-instrumental style, although an extensive use of electronics (synths, drum machines, vocoders etc.) is very much starte-of-the-art and is usually put to good effect. OK, Gary Numan it ain't but it's clear that Oldfield wasn't just investing his money in guitar strings at this point.
The deluxe re-issue is again complemented with a couple of rare tracks, available in digital formats for the first time, as well as a new version of Sheba called Shiva. Again, a live bonus disc is included in the deluxe, this one recorded in Essen, April 1981.

Both lbums available from Universal Music or usual outlets.

Oldfield-fest to be continued....

Clangage!

Countdown To Christmas : Mike Oldfield - In Dulci Jubilo

Always thought this was more of a Pagan type song but turns out it is a bona fide traditional Christian tune, dating back to the Middle Ages, no less with 'Ii dulci jubilo' and the rest of the original words being a maceronic (good word) mix of Latin and German.
In 1975 ye good olde 'trad Dad' Mike Oldfield brought the tune into ye moderne age - forgetting all about the words - with this jolly interpretation of In Dulci Jubilo which gets duly pulled out at folkie Christmas gatherings, and quite rightly too. Our Mike does so like to do things all on his own, and here's a classic video performance using 'modern' film techniques to show him playing all the instruments at the same time. Must have been hell to synch back in the 70s.
So, good Christian men (and women).. Rejoice! .. and jig around a bit too to the multi-instrumental talents of Sir Mike of Oldfield....take it away Mike:

Tubular Bells by the Brooklyn Organ Synth Orchestra

Benge .. if you're reading, I know you're gonna love this.....

Incantado

A remastered edition of Mike Oldfield's Incantations album is re-released this week, complete with some unreleased material and brand spanking new stereo remixing, new cover art and stuff. The best format would seem to tbe the 'de-luxe' edition with 2 CDs and a DVD with 5.1 remasters and some video material too. Details here at the official shop

I've always really liked Incantations since it came out in 1978. It's long (originally a double LP), complex, and just a tad pretentious. Perfect.

Although it continues Oldfield's characteristic mainly instrumental style (save for the Hiawatha recital-singing bit and a few choirs here and there), it's a departure from the more hippy-folky Tubular Bells-Hergest Ridge-Ommadawn mould. In fact its the album our Michael made after undergoing his Exegesis coming out of his shell therapy. He even went so far as to cut his hair, shave his beard off and wear a jacket for the photo on the cover of Incantations,which has sadly been replaced by an iceberg thingy (which is actually shaped like the rock on the original). No matter - the music's ace.

It's also the period he went and did a disco single called "Guilty" which is apparently based on Incantations too, but you can jig around to it and shout 'I'm guilty!' for no apparent reason. Bring it on Mike!

Mike Oldfield in non-Tubular Bells album shock

This one nearly passed me by. Mike Oldfield has re-released two of his 70's albums Ommadawn and Hergest Ridge in deluxe version each comprised of two CDs and DVD. The CDs have the original album remastered plus bonus tracks and previously unreleased demo versions of the respective oeuvres. The DVDs have the 5.1 mixes.

Originally released in 1974 Hergest Ridge was the follow up to Tubular Bells and basically established Oldfield's style as instrumental hippy prog-rock featuring all manner of instruments, mostly played by the introspective Mike himself. Hergest Ridge is a real place in my native Herefordshire by the way although sadly I've never been there. Amazingly the album went straight to number one on release although was knocked off the top spot by Tubular Bells. According to wikipedia "The original 1974 vinyl mix is now available on the 2010 reissue of the album, along with a 2010 remix which sounds close to this 1974 mix, therefore making the radically different 1976 something of an oddity should the single disc CD be deleted." Got that?

Ommadawn was the follow up album in 1975 and although the style remains basically the same I find this one a bit more listenable with respect to its predecessor, oh and I love the uillean pipes bit on side 2. Ommadawn also features the wonderfully batty ditty On Horseback (which I hadn't realised was on the original vinyl too) and the deluxe edish also includes great little single-friendly Oldfield tunes like the Christmassy In Dulci Jubilo, Argiers and Portsmouth. Perhaps a better buy, but get them both at amazon or wherever you prefer.

"Ommadawn ye say? You hum it, I'll play it...."- a uillean pipes-player, yesterday

Listen: Mike Oldfield - Portsmouth

First day (album) covers

Royal Mail will be issuing a set of stamps on January 7th 2010 featuring classic British album covers, including New Order / Peter Saville's 'Power Corruption & Lies' (after Henri Fantin Latour) and the original 'Tubular Bells' LP covers. Other covers featured include Blur's Parklife and Coldplay's A Rush of Blood to the Head. As well as the cover image each stamp features a vinyl disc which appears outside the die-cut of the stamp. As I gave up collecting FDC's with the Beatles' album covers a couple of years ago these might be worth getting.

source: norphil.co.uk

Power, corruption and bells .. two of Royal Mail's classic album covers series

2009 bells

Well, we couldn't have had another year go by without another Tubular Bells record from Mike Oldfield.
After Tubby Bells 2 / 3 / remaster / re-issue / DVD / live / complete / re-recorded / orchestral / piano / boxset / collection etc etc at last we have Tubular Bells "de-luxe edition". This new issue contains a new mix of the original TB, the original TB (as if you didn't have it already) on CD, and a 5.1 surround mix and live 70s TV performance of Part 1 on DVD. Perhaps the whole thing is worth it tho for Viv Stanshall's rioutous and drunken Sailor's Hornpipe, which I believe has only been available as a bootleg up to now. All that for only 12 quid from amazon so definitely worth it. Mind you the TB Ultimate Version is pretty tempting too...
Says Mike on writing his his opera omnia "It was as if something had invaded me spiritually and made me afraid and uncomfortable."

Oldfield circa 1973: "Ha!Ha! .....whaddya mean I'll still be mixing this in 36 years time!?!?!"




Mike Oldfield - The Sailor's Hornpipe

Box set boys

I've noticed how very expensive box set editions of new albums seem to be cropping up more and more. Is it newly revived, or is just that artists and music who gain my attention have recently caught on to this medium? Anyways not since my mate at school got Mike Oldfield's aptly named Boxed box set - went green with envy - have they been more attractive.

Anyway a quick round up of box sets, in order of apprearance:

1. John Foxx - Cinemascope

- the least pricey of the bunch but also perhaps the most 'economically' made. Features 5 albums forn the grandaddy of electro-rock, plus a DVD of his Cathedral Oceans music/image project and six 'small art prints' by Foxx himself. Strongly recommended for those who want to catch up with the man's work as it features albums originally issued from 2003 - 2006 both in the electronica and ambient style. Discs come in cardboard sleeves. It's art.
Get it from Townsend Records a real bargain at £19.99

2. Franz Ferdinand - Tonight

- not their best album but certianly their most expensive issue to date at around 40 - 45 quid for their box. You get quite a lot for your money though with said box containing:
1. 6 x Jukebox 7" singles of the album
2. The album on CD (plus an album of dub mixes on CD).
3. A DVD containing a forty min documentary of the making of the album.
4. 4 filmed live performances.
5. A 24 page hardback booklet featuring photos & lyrics.
6. A dink to play the 7"s on standard record players.
A must for fans, especially the dink.
source: recordStore.uk

3. Pet Shop Boys - Yes
- apart from the standard CD, download etc. there's also a double CD edition with dub tracks and an exclusive recording 'The Used to Be the Future' featuring Phil Oakey on vocals. Quite hard to come by, apparently, so why not plump for the special box set containing, among other things, "11 super heavyweight 200-gram vinyl records pressed on the classic EMI 1400, each featuring ‘Yes’ album track plus exclusive b-side instrumental version" plus so much other stuff, ...actually. Just as well as it costs a whopping £300.00 (say, three hundred pounds). I wouldn't normally buy this kind of thing.
Ships from 27th April - order at the vinyl factory

4. Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
- yes the dizzy Deps are back again this year with new album and a 'tour of the universe' no less and home by Christmas! While pirate copies of the album begin to circulate, snub the common-or-garden CD, and order your "Deluxe 4 disc" 'SOTU' box set now to ensure your copy and get 3CDs plus a DVD. "Bonus songs and remixes, as well as 14 exclusive demos..." are promised together with "Two 84-page hardback books" to leave lying around on your coffee table. Impress friends and become popular! Prices from £56.79 on amazon and others (choose country or planet here).










Mike Oldfield: he started it.