MIKE OLDFIELD | "TUBULAR BELLS" (reaction)

Check out Sight After Dark (Singer Sifa Graffiti and Guitarist Dan Berg) reacting to “Tubular Bells Pt. 1” by Mike Oldfield.
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Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use. No copyright infringement intended. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS

[@elizabethalexander8712]

Yes ,Mike played all the instruments! He was 19 years old at the time! He did so many brilliant albums. I am always amazed when people don't know who he is. My favorite artist and I have heard them all.

[@bline5891]

Yep it amazes me too, a brilliant composer imo

[@samsonau8205]

He actually composed most of it when he was 17 and only got to record it properly a couple years later.

[@michaelbaucom4019]

You need more than one listen to fully get this(and listen to part two with it), it isn't just notes/pieces of music strung together randomly. This was/is a template for prog rock

[@garri5108]

It was first album on Virgin Records which later made this record is multi billionaire company, Richard Branson was very lucky to choose this as their debut album. Mike played by himself on most of the instruments, he wrote this piece when he was 17 y.o. and recorded it 2 years later. I'm actually envy you that you ron't know Mike Oldfield. He is genius composer. If you want to know the scale of his influence just know that on Olympic 2012 just before Queen Elizabeth arrived at the stadium Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells was played by himself. If you want more, check out Ommadawn pt1, you will not be dissapointed, anyway thanks for the video. P.S. of course you will not remember everything that happened in this song, it's not that genre to absorb everything for the first time listening, you will not do this with Mozart symphonies too, on contrary pieces like this is for listening for your whole life and always finding out smth new, insteresting and beatiful. And when you familiar with every note of the song it becomes much more enjoyable then listening it blindly

[@thomasvieth578]

I love it for fifty years by now and I still play it every so often

[@paulfenwick8767]

This is so quintessentially English for me. Reserved, restrained genius. He even had the manners to introduce all the instruments for the American audience 😜 Mike recorded this when he was 19. He plays almost every instrument on the album. No record label would touch this though until Richard Branson and his new Virgin label took it on and made it their 1st album release. Launched Branson's multi billion empire. Massive for Oldfield too though TBH, had difficulty living up to this monster epic debut the rest of his career It was released in 1973 and quite ground breaking with the layering from just, mainly, one musician, to create something so deep and full. Many have used this template since. I bought this the first week it was released and loved it ever since 🙂 Fantastic and well listened S.A.D., lol

[@jayburdification]

Hey, some Americans actually know what a glockenspiel is, you know. We’re not all a bunch of uncultured nincompoops, bruh.

[@paulfenwick8767]

@@jayburdification Was just having a bit of leg pulling, hence the wink

[@jayburdification]

@@paulfenwick8767 well, the whole thing is a bit of a wink in the first place, considering it’s Vivian Stanshall, the OG Death Cab For Cutie guy doing the narration. I think it’s aimed more at British youth in 1973 than anything else.

[@michaelfoster5577]

Sadly Viv Stanshall (of the Bonzo Dog Doo-dah Band) was never paid for his narration, and refused to appear on Tubular Bells II as a result!

[@SightAfterDark]

Thanks so much for sharing Paul!

[@HareDeLune]

This may not be 100% accurate, but it's the way I remember the story. When Mike Oldfield was twelve, his sister gave him an acoustic guitar to "give him something to do". A week later she went to check on his progress and found him playing arpeggios very quickly up and down the scale. Five years later, at the age of seventeen, he recorded this album. This happened at a traumatic time in his life, as among other things his mother was very ill, and he would sit in the studio between recording tracks, crying and smoking cigarettes. The album was recordrd in an old English mansion that was rented from his friend's aunt. He managed to get access to all the instruments by renting the recording space to other bands, and would use instruments that they left in the studio between recording sessions. He got access to the tubular bells by asking about them as they were being hauled away. He did the composition himself, and also played all (or most) of the instruments. This, after only five years playing guitar, or any instrument really. The record company was started by one of his friends, and the album became a success mostly through word of mouth. When the producers of The Exorcist decided to use a snippet of the music for their film, the album became a huge International phenomenon. When he was pressured to go on tour, Mike Oldfield balked and completely refused. He had to be convinced to do it, and afterward hated the performance because it had so many mistakes in it. The audience, however, felt otherwise; and so Mike Oldfield became a huge reclusive success in the 1970's. I learned all this from a wonderful BBC documentary about him that can be found here on YT. If you're interested, you can get more accurate details from it.

[@trisibo]

Some corrections: The recording studio/mansion (The Manor) belonged to Richard Branson (it was her aunt who lent him the money to buy it), which wasn't a friend of him at the time; Mike was there playing for other band, and he gave the demo to one of the sound engineers, who convinced Branson to record it (a year later). Branson put the money to rent the instruments. Mike was 19 years old. Since no record company wanted it, Branson made Virgin a record company with Tubular Bells as their first album.

[@SightAfterDark]

Thanks for the info!

[@heavenlysonshine]

I heard he would often remark how much he enjoyed strawberry jam and toast, stareing at the wall and contemplating nirvana.

[@routemaster19]

He is definitely more well known in Europe (Spain and Germany particularly) and over the last 50 years since Tubular Bells was first released he pops up every now and again does something interesting then disappears for a bit. His background is Folk but growing up in the 1960's obviously influenced his style and he has dabbled in many different genres over the years - some with success - some decidedly not. Tubular Bells is a collection of ideas and fragments hanging together with the loosest of transitions and cohesion - really because at the time Mike was a nobody, a jobbing session guitarist and by chance whilst working at the newly created Manor Studios in 1972 got given the chance to lay down these passages professionally in one week of studio down time. What you listened to was all done in one week on a 16 track tape machine and analogue mixer. no pre-sets, no memory, no automation. Part 2 was done over a couple of months - again in between paid sessions of other artists recordings. No-one, and certainly not Mike himself had any inkling of how huge and successful the album would become - as far as Mike knew this was probably his only chance to put his ideas down on to tape professionally and might serve as a show reel of what he was capable of to be hired by other artists and musicians. The next 3 albums follow the long one side epic parts then he started doing shorter instrumentals, songs (both originals and covers), novelty tracks (you mentioned "froggy" the B side to his first single, I kid you not, was a folk ditty called "Froggy Went A Courting"!, a film score (The Killing Fields), sequels to Tubular Bells, chill out and ambient, and so on - a musical chameleon - you never knew what he was going to come up with next. You will probably stumble upon him every now and again the more you keep reacting to stuff - he only retired a few years ago - his last album in 2017 "Return to Ommadawn" a sequel to his third album 1975's "Ommadawn" which is considered by many to be his best work, was a return to his roots of side long epic instrumental music hand playing all the instruments.

[@donaldb1]

btw the announcer at the end is noted (at the time) English eccentric, raconteur and comedian Vivian Stanshall, leading member of the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band.

[@jayburdification]

Wow, that’s Viv? I did not know that.

[@Macilmoyle]

@@jayburdification On the "Boxed" set released back in '76, there's a live version of the Sailors's Hornpipe recorded one night at the Manor Studios when Viv and Mike were smashed out of their skulls with Viv describing their suroundings in the style of Sir Kenneth Clark.

[@galandirofrivendell4740]

Interestingly, in Tubular Bells 2, the introducer of the instruments is the late Alan Rickman. And in a later rerecording of Tubular Bells, John Cleese of Monty Python fame handles those duties.

[@reneelyons6836]

This piece of music is OUTSTANDING!!!! Love you guys!! Happy Holidays!

[@SightAfterDark]

Thanks so much! Happy Holidays!

[@reneelyons6836]

Your Welcome. You guys ROCK. Love that about you!!@@SightAfterDark

[@Artificialintelligentle]

@@SightAfterDark Bit of music nostalgia for you: Did you know Frank Zappa produced and recorded the Overnight sensation album on the same month when this was first recorded?

[@absolutelypositively]

@@Artificialintelligentleso what. In 1973, Frank would have written and conducted Mr. Oldfield out of the park. And his music is completely different. Not trying to start a war here. Interestingly enough, up til now nobody has even mentioned’The Exorcist’ except the hosts. That I find a little odd. That movie was HUGE and scared me but good. When this song would play on the radio my mind would and still brings the exorcist to mind. And only my humble opinion, but I’ll take a FZ composition any day any month any year. He was a true composer.

[@scottmcgregor4829]

​​@@ArtificialintelligentleI agree. But Mike was only 19 and composed quite a bit of it when he was 17 and he played a lot of the instruments himself. Mike is as far away from Zappa that you can get. Compositionally he is probably closer to minimalist composer Steve Reich.

[@fleatronic4062]

I remember getting lost in this a kid, listening to it for hours and hours off in an imaginary world

[@tobytanzer]

When this came out I was floored. As were the local DJs at CHOM-FM in Montreal. They played the whole thing several times a day for weeks. During those days of album rock was common to play full sides of albums. It's association with the Exorcist movie came later. Richard Branson made his first million from this album, and it was the first release on Virgin Records. Apparently, he pushed poor Michael for a repeat, and sadly he could not take the pressure. He made several good records after this one, but IMO this was his best. Thanks guys for reacting to this!

[@mikedonow3304]

Stationed in Germany in 80s I saw Oldfield in concert 3x His guitar sound is super unique See the documentary on Mike

[@willrichardson519]

One of the unique, top notch, undeservingly underrated guitarists, along with Richard, Thompson

[@MrSinnerBOFH]

Mike thought that this would be his first and last record, so he composed it at 17 as a mixture of classical music with modern instruments, and as a showcase of what he was able to play (so he could be hired and have a job). Most of this was recorded on single takes, along a month, when the studio wasn’t being used. He played most of the instruments, such a brilliant guy! Such an important piece of music, with massive influences to everybody that came behind. Like, without Tubular Bells there would be no Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen). If for any reason y’all don’t want to listen to Part 2, go and listen to Mike’s “Ommadawn (Part 1)” , and then Part 2. Wowza!

[@michaelfoster5577]

I remember borrowing a folk album from our local library in SE London in 1969. It was on the Transatlantic label, called Sallyangie and featured Mike and his sister Sally. I was quite amazed when I realised that Tubular Bells, when I heard it in 1974, was by the same man!

[@michaelfoster5577]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/j32nap1qZ6l3d5Isi=NvgcWQy8A5nupcSy

[@sneakyfox4651]

I have that album. It's actually very good. Okay, Mike could have been a better singer, but then again, he was only 14 years old when they recorded it and already then he was a stellar guitarist.

[@perge_music]

Will never forget hearing this for the first time for what seems like a thousand years ago, it completely changed my world. I was trying to learn the guitar and finding it a little boring as I wanted to create a symphony but doing it all by myself wasn't possible. I didn't know about multi-track tapes and realising this person existed and he'd played everything himself. I heard Jean-Michel Jarre's Oxygene at the same time and I then realised that I was into multi-tracked synths and started to create my worlds. I find it interesting when you see young people that don't know the history of how music used to be created/recorded and seeing how they interpret it.

[@tobiasware]

One of the things that emotively affect listeners of this work of art is the 15/8 timing, almost throughout the piece. It builds an unresolved tension until the end. Also, the main theme runs entirely through the piece even though it may not seem like it on the first listen. You mention you'd possibly listen to it again once more, I've been listening to this track almost every week since it came out around 1973.

[@SightAfterDark]

Woahhhh 15/8 is crazy. Thanks for the info!

[@thomaswhite7783]

That someone could conceive, compose, and play all the instruments at the age of 19 is amazing.

[@galandirofrivendell4740]

Tubular Bells was composed independently from The Exorcist. Director William Friedkin had hired someone else to score the picture, but he hated the result. Someone then asked him if he had heard Tubular Bells, and Friedkin used a tiny portion of Oldfield's opus for use in the picture having never even met Oldfield or discussed the matter with him. It is a testament to the talents of both men that these two works are now inextricably linked in the minds of the public. Oldfield's early works are masterpieces of long-form musical compositions. I particularly like his third studio album, Ommadawn. Not long after that, he began composing more mainstream music, but he would return to those long compositions with Return to Ommadawn, which includes some variations of the earlier work. Thanks for the wonderful reaction. Hope you continue your journey into Oldfield's early repertoire.

[@willrichardson519]

He has pretty good songwriting, particularly for women, as a, substantial string to his bow, I think.

[@sneakyfox4651]

You forgot "Incantations" before he started writing "mainstream" music. "Guilty" was played quite often on radio, but as it had no text, it never really caught on. "Family Man" from "Five Miles Out" did somewhat better, but it wasn't until "Moonlight Shadow" from "Crisis" that he made a world hit. I've got all his "old era" albums, except Incantations, but I kind of lost interest in the albums after "Amarok" and switched mainly to Camel. "Return to Ommadawn" isn't bad, though.

[@jonathanroberts8981]

Amarok is a late-period masterpiece. rather that theme-and-variations, he lays out a bunch of themes over the course of about 15 minutes, and only then begins working the variations. Then it’s capped off with a very different section using African rhythms. First-rate.

[@garyrobb5341]

I believe that the music was selected for the movie not made for it. 😊

[@Kotro]

Dan might enjoy Ommadawn, it's another of Mike's long pieces, but more focused, better produced and more guitar heavy than TB.

[@tgcrowson]

Ommadawn is definitely my favourite of Mike’s albums. Also, check out the clip on KZbin of Mike recording the theme tune to the BBC TV children’s program’Blue Peter’. It gives an insight into his production techniques

[@jonathanroberts8981]

Part 3 of “Incantations” is some of my favorite sustained guitar work by Mike.

[@tonyharmon8512]

Say rather that this is all one suite as each section has elements of previous sections repeating under the new elements. I bought the vinyl of this when it was first released and still have that copy on near mint condition. Love this composition.

[@magirusdeutzjupiter2234]

I can not think of any 19 year old who could play all these instruments, with music on a complete scale of its own of this high standard, and all original. 15 million copies sold of this album, as of late, and back in 1973 when it was released, it was right up there with Dark Side of the Moon Pink Floyd album which is phenomenal. Recorded in one week, and a massive amount of work. Thanks both.

[@philipmilner9638]

On You tube there's a documentary where he played it on BBC, that was good watching him play all the different instruments...

[@KNOPFLERSGOD]

Mike Oldfield is a genius, this is hus debut album, and he has made 26 now. This was released in 1973 Mike was 19 and played almost all the instruments himself, the story of this album is long and legendary. Mike is one of the greatest guitarists and composers of all time, he music is unique and he has his own genre, which is called Oldfield Progressive. He was painfully insecure when he made this album, and the success of it made him want to get away from it all, so, he retreated to the Welsh hills to make his 2nd album. Don't forget, you have only heard Pt. 1 there is Pt. 2 after that I would suggest Ommadawn Pt. 1 you will hear how he had developed as a guitarist, producer, arranger.

[@chazblitz]

Don't know why the live version wasn't requested. It's a lot easier to watch the whole thing unfold plus he had a freakin all star cast for that performance. Oh well. Still cool.

[@paulfenwick8767]

agree that the live version is great but I like this the best as it's basically just him...he doesn't need anyone else, lol.

[@HisboiLRoi]

I generally prefer live versions, but given that Tubular Bells was essentially a solo album, I think the studio version is the appropriate place to start

[@RonaldWilliams-qh7zc]

This is my first time ever sitting back and really listening to this whole tubular bells all the way through because it scares the s*** out of me every time I hear this because the first thing that runs through my mind is the exorcist and it scared the s*** out of me back then and still to this day I'm kind of spooked from that movie lol oh wow this just took a whole 360° turn on the sound especially with those electric cords! You know I have a whole different perspective on this instrumental now that I've actually heard it all the way through the middle section in the ending had a very calm demeanor it was like I wasn't even listening to tubular bells but the beginning of this track no !!

[@tillflakeramm6234]

A masterpiece

[@RabbiSteve1]

Nice reaction to a masterpiece. As others have commented, this is Mike Oldfield at 19 years old playing all of the instruments. He produced and composed this. This has nothing to do with the movie THE EXORCIST originally. The director of that movie heard this after it was complete and liked that opening riff for his movie. But the piece itself stands alone as a beautiful piece of music that has nothing to do with exorcism or anything supernatural. It’s just a beautiful piece of music. So, hopefully, you cans listen to this again someday and just absorb it on your own completely divorced from the movie. It is not related except for a filmmaker using an excerpt. And it’s somewhat more like classical music in that it *is* one piece of music, but with different movements. If you listen to a symphony, for example, you could also say “this sounds like a different song”, but since it’s not a “song” per day, it is the composer playing with themes and harmonies and variations to make one solid piece of longer music. Someday, also maybe react to a piece of classical music. You could start with a piece like George Gershwin’s RHAPSODY IN BLUE. But also maybe check out THE PLANETS, which is a British classical piece by Gustav Holst, where each movement is a different planet. And Holst has been a huge influence on lots of classical composers and also prog rock artists, especially UK artists and Oldfield is British. Oldfield’s other works are also awesome. I’m partial to the two follow-ups to TUBULAR BELLS: Hergest Ridge (1974) Ommadawn (1975)

[@SightAfterDark]

Thanks for the details!

[@CHRISSSJ8]

This was recorded from the original idea in 1970 to finished and released in 1973. All instruments are real. It is an analog recording. Mike Oldfield played bass parts on a bass.

[@CHRISSSJ8]

There was no internet when this was recorded. Mike Oldfield played all the instruments.

[@lumtey561]

Hi there i saw Mike oldfield live in the late 70,s i was still at school at the time. Am in the uk

[@SightAfterDark]

Very cool

[@samsonau8205]

You may want to compare this to classical compositions where they divide things into "movements" rather than "songs". Remember, he had to play that entire finale riff repeating the entire thing at least 40 times manually in one take and keep in time while probably getting super fatigued while doing it. There is a KZbin documentary where they describe all the difficulties of recording and producing this album due to its crazy intricacies, the analog tech of the day, and the new electronic/digital equipment that was becoming available. On a final note, it is interesting that the Spanish fans are his most devoted. It seems the entire country knows his entire catalog and almost every cover band I have heard of is Spanish. EVEN TODAY, they are covering his music live. Check out Fadalak's verson of TB and Ommadawn. Amazing for a fan band...or should I say orchestra. There is still no artist that is like him through all the music history that I am aware of.

[@JeffTaylor-tr7my]

I love how great Sifa's ear is for music. I guess that's because she is just a super talented human but it is both impressive and something that gives me joy. I guess Dan is good too. /wink

[@samsonau8205]

He was 17 when he composed this...19 when he recorded/released it. I don't know many kids today who are like this. It's great that you young musicians have taken a listening to some legendary music history. After its release, there was a live TV performance that you can now find on KZbin. Other recordings include a symphonic version, many live recordings from concerts, and of course remasters. The old concerts are an interesting watch/listen as each performance can be very different from another depending on the composition of his band. He's done so many things that it will be very hard to cover everything and hear all the nuances.

[@Murfie-qe3pp]

I like the b side of the album, it’s pretty good too. Vivian Stanshall at the end of TB is a treat, God bless him.

[@helgar791]

The real genius of this era and type of music is Philip Glass, whose "Music In 12 Parts" was a tour de force in repetitive minimalism. I got to know Philip briefly during that period and he was, and remains, a true genius of the form. He is also one of the true giants of modern classical music.

[@martintayler23]

Released in May, 50 years ago it was something different to hear as a 17 year old from a new artist who was 20 years old and a multi-instrumentalist. Mike comes from a folk background and played with his sister Sally, who features in the choir on this album. I suppose, on reflection, you can consider it a composition of many pieces that Mike developed over time. It wasn't until he had an opportunity to record it at 'The Manor', Richard Branson's new studio and one of the first artists signed to his new Virgin Records, that he found some fame and at the same time had some of this music as the soundtrack to 'The Exorcist'. You could classify Mike as progressive and new age yet that doesn't do him justice considering his dexterity with instruments and arrangements. Thank you for playing Sifa & Dan.

[@SightAfterDark]

Thanks for watching!

[@cowboycamden5561]

Tubular Bells was used in The Exorcist

[@AmberPearcy]

What a trip!

[@mikelheron20]

"It's long." Very insightful.

[@SightAfterDark]

Thank you for your insightful comment :)

[@julianchristopher147]

The use of Viv Stanshall as an announcer might partly be a nod to something Viv did earlier in a Bonzos song "Intro/outro".

[@Coneman3]

Mike lived and breathed his instruments and music at the time. He had little life outside his music.

[@StevenMichals0812]

It's a great track. There is a video on KZbin of Mike Oldfield playing this with a full band. Check it out!

[@yodel_diploma2315]

Is it that where great bassman Pekka Pohjola joins the band ("Exposed"-tour)?

[@StevenMichals0812]

@@yodel_diploma2315 This is the one from the BBC 1973 kzbin.info/www/bejne/gYnEpamwjKatgrcsi=cLLzeUeMsPJA8h1g

[@philbell5774]

Mike Oldfield was born on 15th May 1953. Tubular Bells was released on 25th May 1973 just after his twentieth birthday. Incredible creativity and versatility from one so young.

[@Rabessey]

The first LP, that I bought. First 45, was Photograph by Ringo Starr

[@scottstangeland2878]

I think I was 10 when this came out and started listening to it, now I am 61 and still listen to it all the time it is in my very soul and DNA this is the beginning, he has 2 more Tubular Bells II & III, but a he has about 20 more albums............

[@undergroundwarrior70]

Mike Oldfield started to compose "Tubular Bells" when he was only 17 years old. Once he completed composing "Tubular Bells" he recorded his composition recording the majority of the instruments (he is a multi musician), and he had maybe two or three other musicians recording some of the other instruments, and his sister Sally Oldfield was one of the ladies singing the chorus at the end. When Mike Oldfield completed recording "Tubular Bells" he sent and went to various record companies to see if they were interested in recording "Tubular Bells" and distributing his composition of his recording. They were not at all interested. So, when Richard Branson just started Virgin Records, Mike Oldfield went to see if he would be interested in "Tubular Bells" and recording albums of it. Well, Richard Branson was very interested and he said yes to Mike Oldfield that he would do it. Mike Oldfield was the first music composer to ever to sign up with Virgin Records. When I first heard "Tubular Bells" in 1973, I was only 17, and I did not consider "Tubular Bells" entirely as a fully rock album, but as "Classical Rock", not "Classic Rock", and I consider Mike Oldfield as a "Classical Rock" composer, like "Classical Composers" such as Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven, only in a more rock oriented music style. And the first part of "Tubular Bells" is not the theme or titled of 'The Exorcist', the producers of the film took interest in using that particular piece of the recording for the film, and Mike Oldfield gave them permission to use it, and he did make a percentage from the film using the first part of his composition of "Tubular Bells."

[@franktyson2275]

A musical legend...Richard Branson had to give him his Rolls Royce to get him to play the whole movement live...

[@MikeB-in1nd]

Brings me back to high school when this came out love it.

[@william6682]

Tubular Bells = The Exorcist theme tune.

[@EessaTube]

Lol. You kept asking what is that instrument and what is that instrument and then when you were told by the voice over, you asked why 'he' was telling you. 😄😄

[@Trouba315]

Mike Oldfield - top artist of my father and artist of my childhood. Yes...I'm listetning him since 5th year of my life (born 1985) and still have goose bumps.

[@Slumbert]

Those two should listen to the classical version of this to get the idea.

[@glenntoplis8872]

This album turned me on to music, first heard it in 1975,my music teacher played the first side and I thought wow, I was 11 at the time and so I asked my mum to order for me and when it arrived my life changed, I still play it to this day , side two is just as good.. in my opinion.

[@surferles589]

He recorded this over 18 months. He got free studio time as he worked in between sessions. No synths. Just instruments and pedals. No loop repeats too. Everything was live. The instruments were announced because (back then) nobody believed that one man played everything.

[@glyngasson8450]

Yes, he played almost all the instruments at age 19 and composed it at age 16/17. Richard Branson started Virgin Records to release this album because 12 record labels turned it down and his entire business career is based on the success of this

[@SightAfterDark]

That’s awesome! Thanks for the knowledge!

[@SequentialCircuitProphet5]

U have listening the 1973 first version. Mike remixed the master few years ago. Why? To hear the instruments better, more clear. He is right but that change a bit the innocence of the first pressing. Sold in 1980 more than 10 millions copies, near 16 now. Hear it more than 1 time alone and cool down ur sofa (and clean). A marvellous trip 😊

[@ErlingL]

Richard Brandon financed this - and it sold so crazy it actually became a basic financial part of the Virgin empire. I bought the record when I was 15. My first record ever. Played in on my old Lenco L75 turntable and I loved it... still do.

[@andyshan]

Very much of it's time but still important. Thanks for your reaction. He goes one better on the next album Hergest Ridge. Mike is huge !

[@bassanniocollis6215]

I take you didn't read the back of the record sleve he played the keyboards, the string instruments, the percussions, but not the wind instruments. The record came out before the film. I love watching him play live.

[@johnmcdonald7849]

A one time listen, I've been listening for 50 years, and don't say get a life . I have Mike Oldfields full catalogue. He is today's Beethoven.

[@williambell8282]

The person who 'spoke' was Vivian Stanshall, member of the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band and famous English eccentric...

[@bobclarke1815]

Other great artists in a similar vein are Jean Michelle Jarre, Rick Wakeman and the Brilliant Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues version of " The War of the Worlds.

[@SightAfterDark]

Thanks Bob!

[@zofo666]

Just incredible,if i only had one album it would be this.

[@NedKelly1967]

A 19 yr old playing every single instrument, Mike was just a genius

[@thelyricologist9568]

And that's how a young boy of 19 and a billionnaire-to-be met. ;-)

[@stevedotwood]

Amazing album. by coincidence, yesterday, I was listening to his "Amarok"album for the first time. Very interesting album. More dynamic than his first, but less coherent. Yes, you have to listen again and again to absorb it. He was given Carte Blanche by Richard Branson who would pay for it and had access to any instrument he needed. Mike was a very timid and introvert young man then. Before that time Mike was a bassplayer in Kevin Ayers' band. Definitely an interesting musician as well from that era.

[@amarok9097]

Amarok takes a few listens. A juxtaposition of madness and sheer beauty 😮

[@jonathanroberts8981]

Key to “Amarok” is that the structure is a cycle.

[@samsonau8205]

Amarok was a protest composition...and it was brilliant!

[@eliasmontanez]

Damn!! You guys are doing tubular bells?!

[@thomasvieth578]

One more remark. You seemed to be put off by the announcement of the different instruments. First, it has become a cult of sorts. And second, think of Zappa mentioning his band members and their instruments at the end of a show

[@steveeggleton876]

and it was done on tape, one layer at a time.

[@Coneman3]

You should hear the live version on Exposed. I prefer that, it has a nicer vibe to it.

[@Mannizilla]

"one or two time listen" 😭

[@Mediawatcher2023]

This album Celebrates its 50th Anniversery This year 1974 incredible

[@Stephenconder]

Hi guys I’m back . Is that George Harrrison on piano ?? Seriously this is extremely good .. Magicians at work 😀

[@donaldb1]

This is probably peak English prog. Precocious teen genius knocks it out as a debut piece and plays (almost) all the instruments himself. Also, this launched Virgin records (their first release).

[@christopherhuot2826]

If you're talking, you're not listening 😢

[@paulfenwick8767]

true, but if it's not constant, most people are capable of multi tasking, lol.

[@jessealvarado2167]

OLDFIELD performed 'tubular bells' at the London Olympics in honor of the National Health Service. Tubular Bells appears only once in the '73 movie youtube search GEORGETOWN WALK TUBULAR BELLS.

[@jonathanroberts8981]

“Hard to remember” … after all the years I actually have the whole thing memorized.

[@arjaylee]

First time I've listened from start to finish in many, many years. 😵‍💫😎😎

[@benoitdesmarais2948]

There are many themes repeated throughout, but at 25 minutes, it needs to be listened to more than twice to fully get into it. It is definately on the proggy side - Oldfield collaborated with the Canterbury scene (Robert Wyatt, Caravan etc.) but also with Phil Collins, Jon Anderson. Later work has a mix of celtic (Ommadawn) and sometimes Philipglassy sounds (Incantations, Platinum), before he went into more pop directions in the 80's.

[@jonathanroberts8981]

The announcements relate to a Bonzo Dog Band track titled “The Intro and the Outro.” Very funny. And it really is Eric Clapton playing when he’s introduced.

[@peteroneill3993]

hello ,an avalanche of instruments , also the album that launched Richard Branson. I think he remade t this about three or four times over the years with more modern instruments , all worth a listen all my best to you and yours from Liverpool

[@1pottercounty]

You guys are so young and have no idea that 18 year old Mike Oldfield wrote this in 1970 and recorded in 1972, released in 1973. This is a phenomenal piece. You need to watch the documentary & the BBC video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/gYnEpamwjKatgrcsi=XH5dqcZ810Izv7wR

[@rechtschreib-exorzist8936]

I looked already several reaction videos about this legendary masterpiece - and always have to smile looking the reactions of "newbies"! 😕 Probably you´re too young to know about the fame of this piece; it actually was about five years in the TOP100 UK album charts! And it was one the very few, that managed to reach pole position again, after it was superseded before by his follow-up ('Hergest Ridge')! If you want to reach a completely different level of knowledge about it, watch out here on YT for the great BBC-docu 'Mike Oldfield Story' - get smarter and enjoy (and also laugh)! Greetings from Berlin, Germany!

[@diehandgottes6721]

Ich liebe Mike Oldfield und besonders das Stück von ihm.

[@philliphopkins6903]

MASTERPIECE

[@squidkid2]

This is very "minimalist" which was a new movement in the visual arts in the late 60's early 70's which eventually came to be popular in classical music. But now that I look back on this I see how it was very avant-garde to hear minimalism in popular music. This did get some air play on "FM radio" but was way too long to make it on singles radio.

[@donaldmoon]

"Tubular Bells" [the Exorcist part] was released as a single & played on Memphis radio.

[@asdfqwer1234zxcv]

Side 2 sounds like horror music at times, the girly chorus is all over side 2 also. In Houston way back in the 70's channel 39 used to play the ending of side 2 as a commercial for Popeye the Sailor cartoons.

[@Coneman3]

Dude is good looking, I’m jealous.

[@EessaTube]

Without this album, Richard Branson would probably have still been selling LPs from a market stall.

[@bartstarr972]

O.K. Here is some more info........this review is the first iteration of TB......but it evolved....became more coherent , made more sense musically and developed a flow from one movement to the next and became a journey..... If you can spare the time give a listen to " Mike Oldfield Tubular Bell's 2 , Live at Edindurgh Castle , parts 1 thru 6......my fave is part 5....but no cheating now ! Enjoy.....

[@jonathanroberts8981]

TB2 is sorta like TB, but played sideways. 😊

[@mikehand5881]

What a journey !!!!!

[@larryzigler6812]

Very Kool remix called TUBULAR BEATS with the divine TARJA on the song Never too Far !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ☮☮💘💘💥💥

[@princesssookeh]

what version is this? The transitions sound really weird and abrupt.

[@jacobmassey3897]

If this album had flopped then the Virgin brand we know today might never have existed.

[@jessealvarado2167]

You may also like Mike Oldfield SENTINEL (Official Video). Very beautiful and haunting.

[@tindog13]

I guarantee you will listen many times...

[@somthingbrutal]

if you are looking for something a bit different you should check out Heilung, In Maidjan live at castlefest 2017

[@JCWhitney-fj5xl]

We're sorry, We thought this was cool back in the day. We were stoned.

[@SightAfterDark]

It’s still cool!

[@Big_Swifty]

Sad that you needed drugs to make you think this fantastic piece of music was cool. I've never done drugs, am a huge fan of Zappa, Mike Oldfield, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Yes etc.etc. All my friends tried to get me to take drugs because of the type of music I listened to but somehow I've made it to 69 years old without them.

[@franciscojaviermoragregato2719]

"The exorcist" soundtrack.

[@donaldmoon]

thanx for the music... think youd like ommadawn...

[@donaldmoon]

probably his bestknown song would be Moonlight Shadow which he wrote following John Lennons death...