Tubular Bells cover on a stamp
The iconic Tubular Bells-cover will be released on a first class stamp by UK’s Royal Mail. It is a part of a series featuring classic album covers. The stamp will be released on January 7th 2010.
You can see the stamp art here. Source: Tubular.net
The Terry Oldfield Classic Collection
Over the last year New Earth Records has released eight titles from Terry Oldfield’s back catalogue, published under the Terry Oldfield Classic Collection name.
There is no doubt in my mind; these titles are some of the finest new age music ever released, and Terry is most probably the best flutist in the business.
In connection with the Classic Collection New Earth has a small biography and interview with Terry.
New Earth: You talk quite openly on your website about yourself and your life and you seem very clear about what is important to you. Do you think that music has helped you to find this clarity and a connection to spirit? Or has it been the other way round?
Terry: My own personal dissatisfaction with the more acceptable viewpoints of reality has enabled me to write music that other people in like position can relate to. By going into this malaise I discover a longing that expresses itself beautifully through music because it cuts through the very thing that creates the problem – the process of thinking.
And, as always, when talking about either Terry or Sally their little brother Mike has to be mentioned. Here from Terry’s biography:
Terry: There was a fun period when my brother Mike and myself started a band called Barefoot. I enjoyed the atmosphere of that a lot. We played quite heavy stuff in various clubs but I couldn’t play the guitar for toffee! Mike later went on to become a megastar.
Well, around here Terry and Sally are megastars too 
Read the biography and interview here – and here are the eight albums.
New music by Mike Oldfield in Space Movie
Everyone is looking out in space today with the Apollo 11 anniversary. To celebrate this The National Film Theatre on London’s South Bank will be showing The Space Movie, which is a classic documentary featuring previously unseen footage from NASA – and this new edition also contains unreleased music by Mike Oldfield. The documentary was made at the request of NASA to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Apollo 11 in 1979 – and now it got some new music too. It will be shown on the 28th and 29th of July.
It is not known if this music will be released on CD or as a digital download. More information about the documentary here. Source: Tubular.net
In the shadow of moonlight
Below is a picture of Maggie Reilly performing Mike Oldfield’s Moonlight Shadow on Norwegian TV2’s sing-along program Allsang paa grensen. It sounded almost as good as when it was the legendary second track on Oldfield’s Crisis (1983).
Signed Tubular Bells Ultimate Edition Controversy
A lot of dedicated Mike Oldfield fans rushed to the official site Tubularbells2009.com and ordered the exclusive signed Tubular Bells Ultimate Edition as soon as the offer was posted on the page. As it turns out, many fans have not received their signed copy. According to Tubular.net:
The main problems appear to be:
- Items still not despatched, despite credit cards having been charged as far back as mid May.
- Inadequate packaging leading to damage in transit, despite a premium having been charged for postage and packaging due to the item’s value and weight.
- Signed copies arriving without signed certificates, possibly linked to…
- Signed copies being sold by Amazon, contradicting the claim that they would only be available through the official website.
If you have experienced similar problems be sure to contact Tubular.net. They are looking into the matter.
As of 6 July: please check Tubular.net about feedbacks from the publisher.
Mike Oldfield on the Radcliffe & Maconie Show
Yesterday Mike Oldfield was interviewed on the Radcliffe & Maconie Show on BBC Radio 2. You can listen to the whole interview here. Be quick because the interview is only available for 7 days. The interview starts around 1 hour 20 minutes in the show.
Mike talks about the recording of Tubular Bells and the things that lead to its release. The reason for the interview is the re-release of his first album.
By the way, here is a recent private interview with Mike from the Bahamas. It is raining, it is really pouring down!
Interview with Mike Oldfield
Mike Oldfield was recently interviewed on Johnnie Walker’s hits from the 70s show on BBC. Mike Oldfield joined the show via telephone from Fort Lauderdale, FL, where he was staying while having his sailing yacht repaired. He talks with Walker about the recording of Tubular Bells. The occasion for the interview is of course the re-release of his first and most popular album. Mike sounds happy and relaxed!
The interview is no longer on BBCs homepage, but a recording of it can be found on the Tubular.net forum (scroll down).
Mike Oldfield on UK Top Album Chart
Mike Oldfield is yet again climbing the UK Top 40 Albums Chart with The Mike Oldfield Collection 1974–1983. It is a double CD, where disk 1 contains a new stereo mix of Tubular Bells, and disk 2 gives some of the highlights of the first 10 years of Mike Oldfield’s career.You get to hear an excerpt from Ommadawn, Five Miles out, Taurus II and Family Man.
Tubular Bells fans will also have to check out the Deluxe Version. Here are some early clips from the recording of Tubular Bells back in 1971.
It is incredible to hear what the young Mike Oldfield managed to do without much equipment!
See the chart here.
Celebration of Tubular Bells’ re-release
On June 6th Mercury Records is holding a special event to celebrate the re-release of Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells. The event will take place at the British Music Experience, O2, in London. According to a press release, The Hand Bell Ringers of Great Britain, Europe’s largest Hand Bell and Chime Orchestra, will descend on the British Music Experience for this completely one off event. In addition to playing extracts from Tubular Bells, they will also play selections from their own repertoire and be running workshops so audience can learn about this instrument. Legendary ambient artist The Orb will also participat and perform a unique Orbular Bells DJ set!
Here is a description of the show:
This will be an afternoon of bell ringing, interactive workshops, visuals, and ambient music – as eclectic as Tubular Bells itself and an amazing experience for all the family! The BELL IS BACK afternoon is included in the price of admission to The British Music Experience – the world’s first fully interactive music visitor experience. Kids go free! Anyone entering between 2pm and 6pm can bring their adult ticket to the box office to claim their free child’s ticket.
Read all about it here
One thing is certain though; this event will create a lot of sound. Both the bells and a high number of ears will start ringing…
The search for the 500 signed copies
We have previously told you that all the copies of the Tubular Bells Ultimate Edition Box Set signed by Mike Oldfield was sold out in under 24 hrs. Now a fan community is trying to locate all the fans who have bought this special signed edition. So far 40 fans have been located. If you are the proud owner of a copy, why not come forward?
Mike Oldfield has some really dedicated fans, that’s for sure!
Signed Tubular Bells albums sold out in 24hrs
24 hours after the Tubular Bells Ultimate Edition Box Set signed by Mike Oldfield was put on sale through Universal Music’s store Tubularbells2009.com, all copies were sold out. No surprises there I guess. But luckily they have plenty of copies of the Ultimate Edition Box Set unsigned edition in stock. The box set will be dispatched in the second week of June.
And there is plenty of other Tubular Bells fan material in store here as well. Here you can get Tubular Bells Vinyl Edition, cool t-shirts and sign up for VIP updates about the upcoming album too.
Books about new age music
Sadly there aren’t many books about new age music, but below are my reviews of the books I have found about this topic. Two books are about the genre itself, while there are three artist autobiographies.
The international guide to new age music (1998)
The book called The international guide to new age music by Henk N. Werkhoven is the most ambitious work about this genre. The book came out 10 years ago, and no new editions have so far been released. But it is still a nice resource for everyone who is into new age music. It contains a heartfelt foreword by Henk N. Werkhoven, and then a nice introduction to the genre by Steven Halpern. I don’t agree with the selection of artists though. Major artists like Enya, Enigma, Tangerine Dream or Mike Oldfield are not even mentioned here, and they were just as important 10 years ago. It is almost like creating a guide to classical music and not mentioning Mozart or Bach… But I understand Werkhoven’s focus on dedicated new age music artists and labels, as a contrast to major pop artists. And that’s ok. It is still a good guide, because the artists here are indeed some of the finest.
In this book you will find biographies and discographies to artists like William Ackerman and Suzanne Doucet. The parts about record labels and radio programming are also interesting (but a little outdated of course). The included CD, with music by Cusco, Deuter and others, is very good.
Since The international guide to new age music is 10 years old, you can get the book and CD for a few dollars. A good buy indeed. Available through Amazon.
There is also a book released in 1989 called The New Age Music Guide: Profiles and Recordings of 500 Top New Age Musicians by Patti Jean Birosik. On Amazon is a presentation of it (scroll down). I haven’t read that one yet (but I will!)
Changeling (2007)
Mike Oldfield released his autobiography in 2007 on Virgin Books entitled Changeling. Here Mike tells about his childhood with an alcoholic mother and his social difficulties. But also about how he discovered music and became a guitarist (and bassist) in various bands from a young age. He also played together with his talented siblings, Terry and Sally.
The most interesting part of the book is when Mike writes about the creation of Tubular Bells (no big surprises there). Richard Branson was the only one who believed in this long and unusual album, and he gave Mike studio time. The incredible success of Tubular Bells was the beginning of Virgin Music.
Mike also tells about his psychological problems and the backside of fame and money. The book is not very detailed when it comes to Mike’s creative side, but you get a feeling that this is an artist with a big passion for his work. For Oldfield’s many fans, this book is a great read.
Here is the book on Amazon.
Yanni In Words (2003)
Yanni’s autobiography from 2003 is called Yanni In Words. Here the Greek maestro tells his story, about how he was as a young boy, as a student and later as a musician. Success is never easy, and this was also the case for Yanni. The famous shows at Taj Mahal and Acropolis demanded a lot of work. It is also interesting to read about how he works with music, and it is obvious that he is a hard working musician.
Yanni has never been happy with his New Age Piano Player image, and I agree with him; he is almost like a classical composer. To label his music as New Age stuff is perhaps wrong. But anyway, Yanni In Words is a great read!
That’s it! Do you know about any other books about new age music? Write a comment about it.
The bells are still ringing
Now you can visit tubularbells2009.com, which Universal has just launched. At this page there is an impressive 3D model of the famous bells. And here is a buy link where you can show your interest for the Tubular Bells Ultimate Edition which will be released later this year. Here is a picture of this new edition.
Fans on Mike Oldfield never get tired of the bells, it is just the way of the world. Source: Tubular.net.
New versions of Tubular Bells in June
Great news for all Mike Oldfield fans: Universal has released details of new versions of Tubular Bells due for release on June 8th. It will be available in four different physical versions and two different digital download versions. This will include a 2 CD compilation, with a new stereo remix of Tubular Bells and a deluxe edition, with 2 CDs and a DVD, featuring the stereo remix, the original mix, a new 5.1 remix and video of the BBC Second House performance of Tubular Bells Part One. A vinyl release of the original mix will also be released.
An ultimate edition will also be released. Mercury/Universal will be promoting the release with a special event on June 6th at 6pm, where bells will be rung in locations throughout the world, footage of which will then be available on mikeoldfield.com
See all the details on Tubular.net.
2008 Top Ten New Age Albums
2008 has been a miserable year for the music business as a whole, but a great year for a niche genre like new age. The internet has made it easy to release music without the backing of a label, and in 2008 we have seen some truly amazing new artists. Many small indie labels are also doing well. It is possible that the internet-based music economy will revive a genre like new age.
Still, the major label artists have a great impact, and they too have contributed with incredible albums. 2008 has been a year where both the established artists and the newcomers tried entirely news sounds and beats, expanding the genre and giving it more prestige. Mike Oldfield recorded with the world-renowned pianist Lang Lang and a complete symphony orchestra, while Enigma surprised their millions of fans with unusual hip hop beats. And Jillian Goldin came out of nothing and showed us what new age is really all about.
Below is NewAgeMusic.nu’s top 10 list of 2008. As always it is hard to make lists. Some great albums may have been forgotten, but to my defense I can say that all albums mentioned here are incredible. If you are looking for a fresh new age album, you can’t go wrong with any of them. It is simply great music.
1. Jillian Goldin: Origins
At the very top of this year’s best of list is debut artist Jillian Goldin, who in April released Origins. Her incredible voice, the quality production and her love and understanding for the genre made this into an unforgettable album. On top of this are the album’s beautiful, emotional melodies. If you don’t believe me, you should sample the tracks Hajime or The Winds of Change. They are fantastic beyond words. And, like any serious new age artist, Goldin is also productive. In November she released a beautiful Christmas EP entitled Through Sand and Snow. I am certain that she in the future will give us a lot of great music. A big applause for Jillian!
Go to the artist’s homepage for music samples.
2. Deep Project: Deep Brasil
Deep Forest is one of this genre’s most popular and influential artists. Their last album was Music.Detected_ from 2002, and they will probably not release anything for a long time. But one of the group’s members, Eric Mouquet, launched this year Deep Projects, which will release four Deep Forest styled albums. Deep Brasil is the first one (the others are Africa, China and Sky). And wow, what an incredible album! All Deep Forest fans will feel right at home. This is like an updated version of Sweet Lullaby, with many new elements as well. Flavio Dell Isola and Michel Villain’s vocals give the album a world music feel. And this is only the beginning: we have three more albums to look forward to!
Go to the artist’s homepage for music samples.
3. Mike Oldfield: Music of the Spheres
First I must say that Music of the Spheres is in many respects in a class of its own. With pianist Lang Lang, soprano Hayley Westenra and the complete Euskadiko Orkestra Sinfonikoa, the scene at Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao was set for the performance of Music of the Spheres, the first classical album by Mike Oldfield. It is a beautiful and powerful piece of music, and a sign that Mike still has it. The reason Music of the Spheres is not on the top of this list, is that Mike has created several better albums before, like Tubular Bells, Ommadawn and Amarok. Still, it is an impressive effort. I hope that Mike will do more classical music in the future.
Go to the artist’s homepage for music samples.
4. Enigma: Seven Lives Many Faces
Enigma’s seventh album entitled Seven Lives Many Faces was, as mentioned above, a big surprise to their fans. Hip hops beats have not usually been a part of a new age music soundscape. But perhaps this will change now with hit singles like La Puerta Del Cielo and Seven Lives? Michael Cretu is always looking for new samples, loops and sounds. This time he succeeded in creating something entirely new, and breathed new life into the Enigma project as well. The album also has a great EP with songs that didn’t make the cut.
Go to the artist’s homepage for music samples.
5. Medwyn Goodall: Amun Ra
Amun Ra is Medwyn Goodall’s first Egypt album. It has a fresh, warm sound and an epic theme. Goodall’s use of exotic instruments are both interesting and creative. When listening to the album you feel like you are in front of a pyramid, and the desert is all around you. There are not many Egypt themed new age albums on the market (one by Diane Arkenstone and one by Phil Thornton & Hossam Ramzy). Hopefully there will be more Egypt albums soon, and Goodall has with Amun Ra shown the way through the desert. A brilliant album!
Go to the artist’s homepage for music samples.
6. Marc Enfroy: Unbounded
Unbounded is a Cinematic Piano album by debut artist Marc Enfroy. It is a collection of gentle piano melodies with orchestral arrangements, and all of the album’s 12 songs are rich with feelings and emotions. It is a very promising debut. Powerful and beautiful at the same time.
Go to the artist’s homepage for music samples.
7. David Arkenstone: Echoes of Light and Shadow
Echoes of Light and Shadow is one of David Arkenstone’s most personal albums. From the black/white photograph of the artist on the cover to the gentle melodies, is has a personal touch that is rare in this genre. Several songs on this album will in time perhaps be considered classics, like the positive Lightdance and the emotional Secret on the moors. Arkenstone also released an interesting Christmas album this year with a fresh lounge sound.
Go to the artist’s homepage for music samples.
8. Al Conti: Scheherazade
Scheherazade has taken the new age music scene with storm. Al Conti’s third album has been on top of the internet radio play lists for several months now, and the success will probably continue because it is an incredible, epic album. The story of Scheherazade comes from the One Thousand And One Arabian Nights. It is an unforgettable voyage in time and space.
Go to the artist’s homepage for music samples.
9. Kindred: Kevin Wood
Kindred is a relaxing, uplifting and somewhat different album. It is Kevin Wood’s third release. Kindred has an interesting ethnic approach, but the sound is much like Wood’s previous albums. He uses rich synth pads, a beat box like drum and additional layers of piano, strings and vocals. This is music with a message: we all have a lot in common, regardless of race, ethnicity and religion. Yes, we are all kindred. Yet another beautiful album from Kevin Wood! Perfection at every level.
Go to the artist’s homepage for music samples.
10. Kevin Kendle: Light From The Pleiades
Kevin Kendle’s Light From The Pleiades is the third installment it the popular Deep Skies series. This is ambient electronica at its very best. There is this incredible feeling of distance and weightlessness in Kendle’s space music. My favorite track is the last one, Celaeno, which has a beautiful ambient melody. The sound of retro synths and powerful pads make Light From The Pleiades to one of the finest albums in the space music genre ever.
Go to the artist’s homepage for music samples.
And now 2009 is here! I am sure some truly great music will be released this year too. Stay tuned!
Photo copyright BigStockPhoto
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