Tubular Bells- masterpiece or rubbish?

Some great posts here that should help the OP with context.

 

Never thought of that...
Btw, VS was used for the singles ("Mike Oldfield's Single", also Virgin's first single, was VS 101. Tubular Bells itself is V 2001.

 

Oldfield is a huge sci fi fan and made a great album called Songs of Distant Earth inspired by Arthur C Clarke's story of the same name. He also did an album called Discovery.

 

I watched a documentary about the making of Tubular Bells. Oldfield played his demo to some of the engineers of The Manor recording studio, after being rejected by many established labels.
The engineers played it to Branson, who said, "But, there are no words on it!"
Fortunately, he recognised its potential, supported the venture and the rest is history.

Branson recognised the significance of the album to his empire by naming two aircraft "Tubular Belle"

 

Virgin had a poster advert listing their first four releases - it was a nude shot of a pregnant woman - which were Tubular Bells V2001, Gong's Flying Teapot V2002, Steve York's Manor Live V2003, and The Faust Tapes VC501, which was 48p. That's a pretty interesting opening line-up.

It would be fascinating to know what Virgin expected of Tubular Bells before it was released. My impression is that the label was an indulgence, perhaps a tax break, initially set up with no great commercial expectations. For a while it was like Factory Records, with a couple of profit-making acts (Tangerine Dream's Phaedra sold very well) subsidising a lot of rubbish, and then unlike Factory it dropped the rubbish and developed a sharp business mind. Which had the effect of alienating Mike Oldfield, but you can't make an omelette etc.

What was Richard Branson's plan if Tubular Bells had sold twenty thousand copies, peaked at number #46, ended up on Overlooked Prog Gems of the 70s lists alongside Cornelius Cardew and the Edgar Broughton Band? Did he have one?

 

i doubt he did, it is said old Beardy knowns little about music nor has much interest in it, its just business and to be fair he's been pretty good at that eh. What happened to Virgin in 77 is that, through ( genius ) opportunism they almost overnight went from a prog label to a punk and new wave label sitting alongside ( but not part of ) the indie label scene which did indeed alienate the label old guard like Oldfield ( still ironically in his early 20's ). The comparison to Factory is a good one but Tony Wilson who did know about music and was very interested in it was accordingly not as interested in making money as old Beardy so they were never going to become a virgin ( there was never going to be a Factory Airline or a Fac great western or - thankfully - a Fac media and latterly a Fac money )

However fair play to Branson with a sharp mind he has made a massive business whilst amazingly retaining some kind of anti establishment street creed ...when in fact nothing is probably further from the truth.

 

Tubular Bells is a journey.

 

Took me many years to get into this album. Still need to get more into side 2. The only thing I still don't care for is the silly Sailor's Hornpipe ending. Other than that it's impressive all things considered and an interesting listening experience - BUT: You have to be prepared for it. I've listened to it now and then and just thought f... off and other times with the lights out, headphones on - a total winner. It's an album that really demands you to be there 100 % or else you just don't get it. At least I didn't.

Mustn't forget that Oldfield is much more than Tubular Bells... An album I personally found very easy to get into is The Songs of Distant Earth.

 

Yes, I gave it a listen again thanks to this thread, partly in case it didn't 'stand up'. I still think it's great. But I also listened to Tubular Bells 2003, which I found pleasant enough at the time, and I'm afraid the scales really fell from my eyes on that one! For me, Oldfield's late career decline has been one of the most alarming and dramatic that I can think of.

 

Depends on which edition. The first SACD came in 2001 on Virgin Records SACDV 2001. Includes 5.1 mix. Quite rare these days.
In 2010 Mercury Records released an SACD in Japan which is Stereo only and not so rare. UIGY 9629.

 

I have the early one, about the same time as I got The Police SACD.

 

Wow, philistines get real touchy when the value one of their artless darlings is questioned.

 

I love Tubular Bells. William Friedkin stated after hearing the music of Tangerine Dream he would have had them do the score for The Exorcist.

 

Well, that's pretty obnoxious.

 

To all visitors of the zoo
Please do not feed the trolls
They have plenty already

 

What's the best way to get the live video with Ratledge, Frith et al?

 

Although I agree with the do not feed part, they don't really have plenty of anything. That's why they're trolls.

 

It's on the DVD in the 2009 Deluxe.

 

Wasn't it on the standalone 'Elements' dvd as well?

 

Yes

 

(Has anyone yet mentioned that...) Tubular Bells 2 also has the glorious Trevor Horn sprinkling of fairydust.

 

... and that gawd awful version of the piltdown man section that's more embarrassing than the original.

--Geoff

 

I don't know. I think the version in II is hilarious. Sounds like they let a bellowing schizophrenic into a child star's pop song.

 

I always liked it a lot. The live version of the original broadcast is possibly even more fun and engaging (I don't know why it was replaced with half of a playback version in the official DVD).