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Question: Fave Mike Decade :: Total Votes:26 Poll choices Votes Statistics Seventies Mike....Far Out Baby 15  [57.69%] Eighties Mike.....Totally Awesome 4  [15.38%] Nineties Mike.......Cowabunga! 5  [19.23%] Noughties Mike....Word! 2  [7.69%] Guests cannot vote

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Dirk Star Group: Members Posts: 1331 Joined: Sep. 2007 Posted: Sep. 19 2008, 07:21 So what is your favourite decade of Mike Oldfield`s musical output?Or to put it another way,in which decade did Mike record your favourite albums of his?Maybe the question is a little unfair given that Mike has kind of slowed up somewhat in recent years.And by his own admittance does`nt as much "live and breathe" the music as he once tended to do of course.Still the guy did`nt get started till 1973 anyway so I kind of thought what the hell. Generaly speaking whether anybody likes it or not I guess an artists work often gets broken down into decades.Mike`s music might be ever changing to an extent but I think it`s fair to say that you can put a few watershed marks down here and there.For me personaly those would be Platinum in 1979.Tubular Bells 2 going into TSODE 92-94.And just this year I guess with MOTS.Although of course with the release of Song For Survival just this very week we`ve maybe gone back to "stage three" again.Yes I know it was recorded last year but then MOTS was supposed to be released last September originaly so imo it`s anybody`s guess.But if you`d rather comment on what is your favourite "phase" of Mike`s oeuvre however you may see that.Then fair do`s feel free to do so.(I can`t believe I said oeuvre..Wash ma mouth out"!   Anyway 70`s Mike gets my vote.Still by far and away the albums I go back to the most and the music that gives me the biggest emotional kick.I`d also put the 90`s ahead of the 80`s if only for Amarok and TSODE alone.But generaly speaking in retrospect I also happen to think he was more consistently entertaining for me then as well.I did`nt have the problem of occasionaly wanting to miss entire sides/albums of songs out for a start.Although I did like Discovery and personaly prefer that album immeasurably to any of the songs that appeared on Heaven`s Open. Given that for me Mike`s last three albums are still on quite heavy rotation here to a degree.I actualy found it quite difficult to decide which decade I liked the least.A lot of those 80`s albums meant quite a lot to me when they were first released but I have to say that for the most part I don`t listen to them much anymore.That said putting on some kind of "perspective hat" for a second or two here I think I`d go with 80`s Mike over his more recent stuff.Yup mullet cheese wiz an` all I guess.At the end of the day:Crisis.The Wind Chimes.The Lake and all of those Taurus manifestations.Well I would`nt be without them. Ah poor old noughties.But hey,still time left yet of course.Maybe all this retirement talk is just a big old smokescreen whilst he secretly beavers away on a triple disc concept album about a deaf dumb and blind kid who is canny good at Ker-Plunk??..Who knows what`s round the corner?..So speaking of what`s round the corner what the hell is this decade going to be called that`s coming up after the noughties?I mean what is it honestly I`ve got no idea?Is it the Oneies??..The Teenies??..You know I really hope it`s not The Teenies how the hell is anybody going to be taken seriously for crying out loud.."It is generaly regarded by both critics and fans alike that the artist recorded his most important and cerebral work during The Teenies"....No way..No frickin` way..Roll on the bloody 20`s that`s what I say. Back to top

Scatterplot Group: Members Posts: 1981 Joined: Dec. 2007 Posted: Sep. 19 2008, 07:49 80's works for me(late 80's sucked)......because I still had the '70s albums plus new ones coming out the pipeline fairly regularly. -------------- We raise our voices in the night Crying to heaven And will our voices be heard Or will they break Like the wind Back to top

raven4x4x Group: Members Posts: 1535 Joined: Jan. 2002 Posted: Sep. 19 2008, 08:29 I truely can't decide between the 70's, 80's and 90's. The 70's obviously had Tubular Bells, Hergest Ridge and Ommadawn. The 80's had Five Miles Out, Crises and Discovery, while the 90's had Amarok, Heaven's Open, Tubular Bells II and TSODE. There's no way I can pick a favourite. It gets me thinking though, how Mike has managed to make so many fantastic albums spread throughout three decades. Quite amazing. -------------- Thank-you for helping us help you help us all. Back to top

The Caveman Group: Members Posts: 2178 Joined: Jan. 2008 Posted: Sep. 19 2008, 09:42 70's for me.But there are many many other albums that i love across the whole range.The early 80's were cool (FMO and Crises being my favoutites)and the 90's had Amarok and TSODE but the 70's stuff still does it for me.However many thousand times i've heard the original TB i never tire of it.Same with Ommadawn and and Incantations. -------------- THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH. Back to top

olracUK Group: Members Posts: 1683 Joined: June 2003 Posted: Sep. 19 2008, 16:27 could we go with 73 - 83, 83 - 93, 93 - 03, 03 - present? Then it would have to be 73-83. TB to Crises. Bliss, genius etc     (with the exception of 75% of Incantations for me) -------------- The answer is 42 - but what is the question? Back to top

moonchildhippy Group: Members Posts: 1807 Joined: Dec. 2004 Posted: Sep. 19 2008, 16:41 Quote (raven4x4x @ Sep. 19 2008, 12:29) The 70's obviously had Tubular Bells, Hergest Ridge and Ommadawn. Tubular Bells Hergest Ridge and Ommadawn are the Holy Trinity of Mike's albums   . From the 80's I like FMO and Crises best , but Family Man and In High Places let the album down.  I just don't like Jon Anderson's voice, but I've set my boyfriend a challenge to try and get me into Yes, I don't mind the odd song. From  the 80's it has to be TB3 and TSODE, and in the noughties I love MOTS , L&S it depends upon my mood. -------------- I'm going slightly mad, It finally happened, I'm slightly mad , just very slightly mad If you feel a little glum to Hergest Ridge you should come. I'm challenging  taboos surrounding mental health "Part time hippy" I'M SUPPORTING OUR SOLDIERS BRING OUR TROOPS HOME NOW!! Back to top

Scatterplot Group: Members Posts: 1981 Joined: Dec. 2007 Posted: Sep. 19 2008, 18:45 Don't leave out Incantations(which everybody did). Jimbo -------------- We raise our voices in the night Crying to heaven And will our voices be heard Or will they break Like the wind Back to top

Scatterplot Group: Members Posts: 1981 Joined: Dec. 2007 Posted: Sep. 19 2008, 18:47 Well, not everybody.......but I love Incantations. It seemed like an eternity for a kid......waiting for it for 3 years. -------------- We raise our voices in the night Crying to heaven And will our voices be heard Or will they break Like the wind Back to top

moonchildhippy Group: Members Posts: 1807 Joined: Dec. 2004 Posted: Sep. 20 2008, 11:48 Quote (Scatterplot @ Sep. 19 2008, 22:45) Don't leave out Incantations(which everybody did). Jimbo Yes Incantations is proof that you shouldn't judge an album by it's cover. MUsically brilliant, but that cover, and the  jacket and trousers, (or pants for the Americans)  just made Mike look some 20 years older than he actually is           . -------------- I'm going slightly mad, It finally happened, I'm slightly mad , just very slightly mad If you feel a little glum to Hergest Ridge you should come. I'm challenging  taboos surrounding mental health "Part time hippy" I'M SUPPORTING OUR SOLDIERS BRING OUR TROOPS HOME NOW!! Back to top

Sweetpea Group: Members Posts: 1476 Joined: April 2007 Posted: Sep. 21 2008, 01:47 Months ago, I rated MO's discography for my profile, and I'm going to apply the practical method of averaging those scores. 1970s: Tubular Bells = 7/10 Hergest Ridge = 8/10 Ommadawn = 10/10 Incantations = 9/10 Platinum = 7/10 1980s: QE2 = 8/10 Five Miles Out = 9/10 Crises = 7/10 Discovery = 6/10 Islands = 7/10 Earth Moving = 5/10 1990s: Amarok = 9/10 Heaven's Open = 6/10 Tubular Bells II = 10/10 The Songs Of Distant Earth = 10/10 Voyager = 7/10 Tubular Bells III = 9/10 Guitars = 8/10 Millenium Bell = 7/10 2000s: Tr3s Lunas = 9/10 Tubular Bells 2003 = 9/10 Light + Shade = 8/10 Music Of The Spheres = 10/10 I don't feel up to scrounging for a calculator, so - to my naked eye - it appears that the highest average goes to "The Noughties". How weird is that? HOWEVER... If I were to go with the 'top five' application: 1. Ommadawn 2. Tubular Bells II 3. The Songs of Distant Earth 4. Amarok 5. Music of the Spheres The nineties would be the winner, as it has three of the five. -------------- "I'm no physicist, but technically couldn't Mike both be with the horse and be flying through space at the same time? (On account of the earth's orbit around the Sun and all that). So it seems he never had to make the choice after all. I bet he's kicking himself now." - clotty Back to top

nightspore Group: Members Posts: 4770 Joined: Mar. 2008 Posted: Sep. 21 2008, 09:35 It's an awful question to have to answer, isn't it... All I can say is that the seventies are definitely out. All my favourite MO pieces are from the eighties, nineties, and noughties. Platinum was the breakthrough record for me: in my opinion, "Into Wonderland" is the first truly joyous piece Mike wrote (I'm thinking in particular of the intoxicating instrumental section); after that, the progression was straight into the stratosphere. Back to top

Sir Mustapha Group: Musicians Posts: 2802 Joined: April 2003 Posted: Sep. 21 2008, 09:42 I chose the 70's mainly because there isn't any album I dislike. I really don't care about Ommadawn, but it's certainly head and shoulders above some other stuff he put out, e.g. Earth Moving and Tubular Bells II, so there. It should be noted that every decade has excellent stuff, however. -------------- Check out http://ferniecanto.com.br for all my music, including my latest albums: Don't Stay in the City, Making Amends and Builders of Worlds. Also check my Bandcamp page: http://ferniecanto.bandcamp.com Back to top

wiga Group: Members Posts: 2113 Joined: Sep. 2008 Posted: Sep. 23 2008, 07:50 I enjoy every decade of Mike’s music yet I hardly seem to play the 70s albums these days, – though they were fuel to me in my teens. Why would that be? – I don’t know - I think it’s to do with the angst and ‘moods’ in these pieces - I must be unwilling to get swept along. Can be like getting on a roller coaster - I would say - takes that moment of effort and coaxing, though in actual fact, when I do pluck up the ‘nerve’ I’m glad of it and better for it. Presently I go for what I would describe as his more ‘complete’ works - the one’s that are balanced with a degree of ambient/chill/humour/calm etc. TBII/ Amarok/ TSDE/ TMB etc I could play at any time – so I’m going for the 90s. -------------- Barn's burnt down - now I can see the moon. Back to top

The Caveman Group: Members Posts: 2178 Joined: Jan. 2008 Posted: Sep. 23 2008, 07:51 Very true Sir M.I don't think there's an album from the 70's that i really don't like and it's these albums that i go back to more often.  The 80's started well but really did tale of into Islands and Earth Moving.After this there was a major shift to Amarok in 90 but then came Heavens Open.  Same in the noughties.There's not really much from the last 8 years that i listen to very much except MOTS and TB2003.Just can't get into TL or L&S.  In short Oldfields output sonce the 70's can best be described as erratic. -------------- THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH. Back to top

Bassman Group: Members Posts: 548 Joined: Feb. 2008 Posted: Sep. 23 2008, 10:01 The argument could be put forth that a MO paradox exists.  "The more erratic his psyche, the more consistent his work.  Conversely, the more consistent his psyche, the more erratic his work." I guess I'll take "bat-sh*t insane" MO over "happy-normal" MO anytime.  But I couldn't manage without "Amarok"... or a few others. -------------- Turn up the music... Hi as Fi can go. Back to top

The Caveman Group: Members Posts: 2178 Joined: Jan. 2008 Posted: Sep. 23 2008, 10:30 As Mike put it his early stuff was 'nuclear powered' because of his problems and then he had to learn again to make 'down to earth' music.  Still i would hate to not have Crises to try to play along with (badly)or Platinum for that matter.And of course Amarok goes without saying! -------------- THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH. Back to top

warlock Group: Members Posts: 41 Joined: Sep. 2008 Posted: Sep. 27 2008, 07:14 @Sweetpea I disagree with like 90% of your ratings  . Tubular Bells 7/10????? -------------- cheers from Poland. Back to top

ex member 419 Group: Members Posts: 1177 Joined: April 2008 Posted: Sep. 29 2008, 01:36 tubularnet.com I have had a crash course of Mike's music this year (recent convert), but Voyager, MOTS, Tubular Bells II and III really send me into another dimension- no stress, no bull...., no contracts to fill. At the end of the day, Mike washes my cares away Cheers, Tubular Twerp  Aka Debjavascript:emoticon('' Back to top

Major Gowen Group: Members Posts: 83 Joined: June 2008 Posted: Oct. 01 2008, 21:26 For me, it has to be the 70s - Tubular Bells through to Platinum is a pretty amazing run of albums. Plus all those unlikely hit singles. I agree Mike's output is rather erratic, which I like - I prefer artists whose work is all over the place in terms of style and quality. He certainly keeps everyone on their toes, eg Earth Moving's Euro power ballads followed by Amarok, his strangest album. As for the next decade, I agree the Teenies sounds rubbish. Maybe the Tennies is a little better? Back to top

Holger Group: Members Posts: 1506 Joined: Feb. 2003 Posted: Oct. 01 2008, 22:00 I like the 70s and 80s equally. Back to top

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