Blah Blah Cafe, the Jean-Michel Jarre forum
The description on the 50th anniversary edtion itself:Presenting the 50th anniversary edition of Tubular Bells, available on 2LP and 1CD.
The 50th anniversary edition includes the last-ever recording from Mike heard for the first time; the stunning 8-minute track “Tubular Bells 4 Intro”. In addition, a second album that unites several beguiling versions of Oldfield’s master work for the first time.
The 2LP includes the brand-new Abbey Road half-speed master of the original album alongside “Tubular X”, the 1998 recording for the “X-Files” album receiving its first outing on vinyl.
Pre-order the 50th anniversary edition of Tubular Bells on any format from recordstore.co.uk before 23:59 on the 30th April 2023 to be in a chance of winning 2x tickets to the Dolby Atmos listening party on 22nd May 2023.
https://recordstore.co.uk/collections/mike-oldfield
So no more Tubular Bells 4 but we'll get the first 8 minutes he composed for it... No more Mike Oldfield music after thisIn 1973, a young, largely unknown 20-year-old released his debut album, the first release on a brand-new label. The artist was Mike Oldfield, the album Tubular Bells and the label, Virgin Records. The album became a phenomenon, topping the UK charts, winning a Grammy; giving a green light to his career. Its popularity and notoriety was secured by its main theme being featured in The Exorcist, the film which became a global sensation.
This 50th Anniversary celebration edition of Tubular Bells, overseen by Mike Oldfield, contains a brand new half-speed Abbey Road master of the original album, plus a second album that unites several beguiling versions of Oldfield’s masterwork for the first time.
Receiving its first outing on vinyl is Tubular X, that Mike recorded in 1998 for an X-Files album*; Mike’s remix collaboration with York, the original Mike Oldfield’s Single (Theme From Tubular Bells)* and, for the first time since a very limited run in 2012, Mike’s stunning Tubular Bells/In Dulci Jubilo (Music for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games).Of particular interest brand new eight-minute track Tubular Bells 4 Intro, which may well be the last thing ever recorded by Oldfield.
Mike Oldfield retired from releasing music in 2018, after giving up touring many years previously. In the months after his last album, Return To Ommadawn in 2017, Oldfield toyed with going the whole way and making a fourth and final installment of Tubular Bells in time for its 50th anniversary. Work began in earnest, and Mike felt he had finally cracked the secret of being able to successfully return to and rework the opening motif. A fascinating eight-minute taster was sent to his A&R team. And then, nothing. Mike decided against continuing. Five years later, this final paragraph of the Tubular Bells story is being released as part of this 50th anniversary celebration.
No, he abandoned the project and decided to retire. This is the only music we'll get from that project. Sad, but it was bound to happen.
I love that THIS was the final post before we got the announcement that 4 ain't happening!Velodynamic wrote: ↑Fri Sep 08, 2017 2:38 pm I usually don't pray much. This time I think I do.
Somehow I kind of whish they got away from there in time...with TB4 masters.
Tubular Bells 2 was my real introduction to Mike. I am a big fan of Trevor Horn and he produced Tubular Bells 2. After that, I got most of his work but TB2 will remain quite special for me. I think the 90s were fantastic for Mike Oldfield fans (starting with Amarok), most of his output was very good in those years.nexxxus wrote: ↑Sat May 06, 2023 4:02 pm Tubular Bells (the first) is the album, all works and artists combined, of which I have the most versions, all media (boxed, orchestral, hdcd, DVD-Audio, anniversary versions...). Even Oxygene doesn't beat it.
So I was happy to discover Tubular Bells 2, from my generation I would say. It is a success. A true reinterpretation respecting the cutting of the original work. Afterwards, TB 3 was less good except for Secrets and Far above The Clouds. We also had Tubular World.... and The Millennium Bell !
Finally all that to say that I am disappointed after listening to TB 4 intro (edit) because there is no real work of reinterpretation... It almost sounds like a kind of clumsy plagiarism. Just slightly inverted notes, identical arrangements... Finally nothing that could not have claimed a real sequel. So it would have been better to name this piece: Tubular Legacy or whatever...
For me Amarok is a piece that will always be special... I've heard it so much. A second opus would have been difficult. I who compose music, I feel that this album can only be done once... neither replayed, nor resumed... Too complex in its structure.
So I'm listening 'Music from the Balcony' from "Heaven's Open", that could be a part 4 of Amarok because I find 3 parts finally of 20 minutes each approximately.
I'm still waiting for this ultimate edition of TB for my collection and to discover the new blu-ray mixes.
Yes I had seen for Opus One and I regret not having been able to find a copy of it even if this version exists otherwise. Not new but the idea was cool.
I want to listen to it, but man... I rather just wait for the full (or the eight minute piece anyway) release. Really curious though!
