Tubular Bells

Product Information

Based on the other reviews here it sounds like this pressing is luck of the draw as far as surface noise and pops. Partly due to the exposure afforded by Oldfield’s work several rock and progressive rock drummers also added tubular bells to their percussive arsenal during the arena rock years of the 1970s. At the time the recording was made at The Manor studio, some of the recording equipment wasn't properly shielded, so the carrier wave (or Morse code) transmission from GBR (the nearby Rugby transmitter) was recorded on the master tape - possibly without the audio engineer's knowledge! At the time of its release — although a unique sounding album in many ways — Tubular Bells was closely associated with the progressive rock scene.

Also, for the first time since a very limited run in 2012, “Tubular Bells/In Dulci Jubilo (Music for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games)” is included. Commonly used in classical music, in the world of rock tubular bells were a relatively unknown quantity.Tubular Bells is best known for Part One, particularly the first three and a half minutes of music, which feature a repeated motif in the key of A minor with a 15/8 time signature. Primarily a guitarist, prior to working on Tubular Bells Oldfield had familiarised himself with a range of other stringed, keyboard and percussion instruments. An all-star cast of musicians was recruited for the event, including Kevin Ayers, Fred Frith, Steve Hillage and Mick Taylor (then with the Rolling Stones). The vinyl version of Tubular Bells – 50th Anniversary Edition contains a half-speed Abbey Road master of the original 1973 mix, newly completed by Miles Showell, as well as a second record that brings together various versions of Oldfield’s masterwork for the first time. An instrumental work, Tubular Bells is 49 minutes and 16 seconds long presented in two parts, each taking up one side of the original vinyl release.

WMME Alsdorf 450 990618-1-A and WMME Alsdorf 450 990618-1-B are stamped, additional digits are etched. Oldfield then retired from recording and performing, and the eight-minute introduction piece was shelved. Also included is the “Tubular Beats” remix collaboration with YORK, plus the original “Mike Oldfield’s Single (Theme From Tubular Bells),” made in response to an unauthorized US single that contained an excerpt from the album.

In 1973, a young, largely unknown 20-year-old released his debut album, the first release on a brand-new label. This was all live, first take performances with no second chances or studio trickery as we have become so used to today. The record, released two years later, was the first on Richard Branson’s newly established Virgin label and remains Oldfield’s highest selling and best known album to date. The original album has been mixed into Dolby Atmos by David Kosten, and this mix will be released digitally and as part of the SDE Blu Ray edition. Of particular interest brand new eight-minute track Tubular Bells 4 Intro, which may well be the last thing ever recorded by Oldfield.

It is now half a century old so gets a special Anniversary Edition release with the title tune getting a Miles Showell 2023 Half Speed Master. And at the end of side two a familiar tune is heard: Oldfield’s arrangement of the Sailor’s Hornpipe brings the album to a close.

Still in his teens, Oldfield was disillusioned with the rigours of touring and the limitations of live performance. The music doesn’t sound that angst-ridden, but only I know the years of work and stress that produced Tubular Bells. His vision was to produce an album taking full advantage of the sound production opportunities offered by the recording studio. That said, my copy sounds flawless although, as others have pointed out, this is definitely not the original 1973 mix as the labels state.