I know it's viewed by some as a bloated, pretentious prog-fest but I can't help but love this album. There's a great documentary all about it on BBC iplayer - plus it features some footage of Mick Taylor in the live studio performance of the album shot in 1974...


www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03cw8g0/Tubular_Bells_The_Mike_Oldfield_Story/

And if you fancy watching the performance in full:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00g8h9q/Mike_Oldfield_Tubular_Bells/

Apologies for those not able to access iplayer. Maybe this will find its way on to youtube if it hasn't already.

Hmm... I bought it when it came out. I played it many times, but I never loved it. I got rid of it.

I liked Tubular Bells, till I saw Mike Oldfield on the Tubular Bells II Tour in 1993. His concert was such a big disappointment, that I lost interest in his music.

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noughties
Hmm... I bought it when it came out. I played it many times, but I never loved it. I got rid of it.

Same to me.........

__________________________

Anyway - it's a good and at times quite moving documentary.

Fantastic album. Those 70's instrumental records of his are brilliant. Last good album was Songs of distant earth (1994) and after that I haven't been that keen on his newer stuff. But TB is magic. Never get tired of it.

Love the album. Who cares if it's a prog fest or not - it's a great piece of music. It sounds great in The Exorcist film and it sounds great as a stand alone album. I don't play it too often - maybe once every few years but when I do I enjoy it immensely.

I think too many people paint themselves into a corner saying 'I don't like this type of music because I prefer that kind'. Blimey, life is too short to be so selective. Open your mind a little and get to appreciate different stuff. There we go, rant over.

Richard Branson was just another record retailer until the extraordinary success of Tubular Bells.

Arguably if Tubular Bells had not sold, then there would be no Virgin empire around the world.

I bought it when it very first came out (my original vinyl label is mono printed - ie no colour printing on the lable) when it was played on the John Peel (RIP) show in the UK. Loved it. Still quite like it.

Captain Corella

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Silver Dagger


I think too many people paint themselves into a corner saying 'I don't like this type of music because I prefer that kind'. Blimey, life is too short to be so selective. Open your mind a little and get to appreciate different stuff.

Wiser words have never been spoken. I admit when I was younger I had very much that 'type' mentality, which I guess pretty much belonged to the nature of rock culture back then. Of the older music, progressive rock, fusion etc. belonged to my category of uncool music, of which I have little by little learned to get rid of... (but that said, I am rather sure that I will never warm on 'heavy rock' in any of its incarnations, as it is known from the 80's on... Anything else will do)

- Doxa



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2014-01-16 12:19 by Doxa.

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Doxa

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Silver Dagger


I think too many people paint themselves into a corner saying 'I don't like this type of music because I prefer that kind'. Blimey, life is too short to be so selective. Open your mind a little and get to appreciate different stuff.

Wiser words have never been spoken. I admit when I was younger I had very much that 'type' mentality, which I guess pretty much belonged to the nature of rock culture back then. Of the older music, progressive rock, fusion etc. belonged to my category of uncool music, of which I have little by little learned to get rid of... (but that said, I am rather sure that I will never warm on 'heavy rock' in any of its incarnations, as it is known from the 80's on... Anything else will do)

- Doxa

Well, I admit I struggle with some types of music Doxa, such as techno. At least I give them a try. Anyway, while we're on the subject of prog - do you know this band?

What's all this talk about prog? This horror movie music, infinitely cool!

This music will make your head spin.... completely around.

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stonehearted
What's all this talk about prog? This horror movie music, infinitely cool!

This music will make your head spin.... completely around.

Hang on tight everyone - it's showtime!

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Doxa

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Silver Dagger


I think too many people paint themselves into a corner saying 'I don't like this type of music because I prefer that kind'. Blimey, life is too short to be so selective. Open your mind a little and get to appreciate different stuff.

Wiser words have never been spoken. I admit when I was younger I had very much that 'type' mentality, which I guess pretty much belonged to the nature of rock culture back then. Of the older music, progressive rock, fusion etc. belonged to my category of uncool music, of which I have little by little learned to get rid of... (but that said, I am rather sure that I will never warm on 'heavy rock' in any of its incarnations, as it is known from the 80's on... Anything else will do)

- Doxa

Well, I had already made an elaborate post about hair metal, but that disappeared when I should qoute this message. I only have to try to remember it: Hair Metal is abhorrent. I didn`t even know it was happening when it did. I thought people were content listening to Disco, New Wave, Synth and New Romantics. How can people be so "bubble gum", so drenched in B-culture!

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noughties

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Doxa

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Silver Dagger


I think too many people paint themselves into a corner saying 'I don't like this type of music because I prefer that kind'. Blimey, life is too short to be so selective. Open your mind a little and get to appreciate different stuff.

Wiser words have never been spoken. I admit when I was younger I had very much that 'type' mentality, which I guess pretty much belonged to the nature of rock culture back then. Of the older music, progressive rock, fusion etc. belonged to my category of uncool music, of which I have little by little learned to get rid of... (but that said, I am rather sure that I will never warm on 'heavy rock' in any of its incarnations, as it is known from the 80's on... Anything else will do)

- Doxa

Well, I had already made an elaborate post about hair metal, but that disappeared when I should qoute this message. I only have to try to remember it: Hair Metal is abhorrent. I didn`t even know it was happening when it did. I thought people were content listening to Disco, New Wave, Synth and New Romantics. How can people be so "bubble gum", so drenched in B-culture!

I think hair metal died out because all those bands put so much gunk in their hair that they all went bald as coots. ><

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Silver Dagger

Anyway, while we're on the subject of prog - do you know this band?

Oh yeah, Wigwam is, how can you say, a classic band here in Finland. There was a strong progressive rock movement in Finland during the 70's, and Wigwam, with Tasavallan Presidentti, was the biggest name. They tried international breakthrow but ended up to some sort of 'cult' name in Mid-Europe and some hardcore prog circles ever since. May I ask how did yoou know about them?

- Doxa

An interesting album, but almost completely soulless.

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His Majesty
An interesting album, but almost completely soulless.

How do you define soul? (Now there's a question and a half!)

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Doxa

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Silver Dagger

Anyway, while we're on the subject of prog - do you know this band?

Oh yeah, Wigwam is, how can you say, a classic band here in Finland. There was a strong progressive rock movement in Finland during the 70's, and Wigwam, with Tasavallan Presidentti, was the biggest name. They tried international breakthrow but ended up to some sort of 'cult' name in Mid-Europe and some hardcore prog circles ever since. May I ask how did yoou know about them?

- Doxa

Funny story Doxa. I was working for a record shop in Richmond, west London, in the mid-70s when the album was released. It was on the Virgin label and they really wanted to push the band which led to a special promotion at the chain of record shops I worked for (Harlequin, if anyone in the UK remembers).

Anyway, we had to play that bloody record (both sides of the vinyl) every lunchtime. I hated it at the time but then grew to love this one track. One lunchtime Ian McLagan, who was visiting Ronnie Wood when he still lived at The Wick, on Richmond Hill, came in, pretty drunk. I don't think he bought the album though!

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Silver Dagger


How do you define soul? (Now there's a question and a half!)

In this context it's emotion coming from the music which moves you in some way. This record really lacks that imo.

Tubular Bells, for me, is more like an interesting exercise in music.

I've watched the BBC performance from November 1973, I believe, on YouTube several times. I enjoyed it.