pilotfish
Group: Members
Posts: 32
Joined: Jan. 2012 |
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Posted: July 25 2012, 20:46 |
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some things to take into account :
from 1981 to 1984 Mike released one album per year,
he did touring,changed personnel from a full band and self production (Five miles out) to a duet with simon phillips to record and produce the album (Discovery)
he recorded Islands with many producers and guest vocalists
(after crises and discovery,they probably thought there was money to make if another Moonlight Shadow could be produced)
and still does The Wind Chimes,probably to remember where he came from and do what he wanted to do
now imagine an executive from Virgin records back in 1988 talking to Mike :
"you know Mike,even Genesis is doing pop music right now that's the business,Def Leppard too,imagine that,they are doing pop song,wake up Mike,your longer tracks can't be promoted now,if you want to sell your record you'll have to do some compromise,try to put more pop songs on your album,like you did on discovery,but only with tracks like...erm...Moonlight Shadow,but for the 1990's,you must be ahead of your time to survivre,people want easy songs to listen to"
Mike : "erm...if I don't have other choices...okay"
(thinking "the next one will be totally instrumental,and certainly not called tubular bells II")
from wikipedia :
"Earth Moving was released in July 1989, and was a moderate success. The album was the first to exclusively feature rock/pop songs, several of which were released: "Innocent" and "Holy" in Europe, and "Hostage" in the USA for album rock stations. This was, however, a time of much friction with his record label. Virgin Records reportedly insisted that any future instrumental album should be billed as Tubular Bells 2. Oldfield's rebellious response was Amarok, an hour-long work featuring rapidly changing themes (supposedly devised to make cutting a single from the album impossible), unpredictable bursts of noise, and a very cleverly hidden Morse code insult directed at Richard Branson"
"According to Oldfield, the album was made with the full understanding of his recording company, Virgin Records, which demanded he create more commercially-oriented material than his previous albums. After recording Earth Moving Oldfield wanted to move away from 'computerised music' and return to real musicians and instruments; this is evident in his next album, Amarok."
the liberty Mike had on 1981-1984 to put longer tracks on his records had disappeared by 1988 because Virgin wanted to make more money.
So imagine,you're a musician,you want to do something and Virgin wants you to do what THEY wants,a record company that would have probably not existed 15 years ago without the success of your 1st album;
you then creates an album for your record company,
not for yourself or the fans...nobody can't be passionate about it's own music with all these money talks.
Then you take your revenge by doing a complex instrumental album that you have to promote with your own money.
Earth moving is the beginning of the end with Richard Branson and Virgin records.It's not an album,it's a blackmail.
Now talking about music :
for me every Mike Oldfield album is good,as are the ones by genesis,king crimson,yes or pink floyd,
to fully appreciate this kind of music you must replace it into its context.
I have moments when I prefer listen to "a momentary lapse of reason" than "animals",or "beat" than "red",or "90125" than "tales from topographic oceans"
so sometimes i will prefer to listen to "earth moving" than "ommadawn"
It is a good 1989 pop album,a moment in the history of music when everything was changing very fast,a snapshot.
Think about Kings of Leon or P!nk (I know it's a very strange comparison with Mike Oldfield),
what people listening to their music will think about them in 2045?
Perhaps Earth Moving sounds old fashion because of the production,but it is still a good album with good tracks.
As for the deluxe edition CD1 should be the album and some demos and CD2 should be all of the b-sides and remixes
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