Tubular.net :: Mike Oldfield Forums Discussion, news, reviews, fan music, and more.
	Search :: Members :: Help :: Guidelines

Pages: (3) < [1] 2 3 > [ Track this topic :: Email this topic :: Print this topic ]

Dirk Star Group: Members Posts: 1331 Joined: Sep. 2007 Posted: June 29 2008, 07:26 I did`nt know whether to start this topic in general discussion or here?But I thought given that people`s opinions and reactions to Mike`s album covers are probably mainly based on style and taste.And that they are Mike Oldfield album covers after all,whether he had any input in them or not.I thought that maybe it should be here after all.Btw I apologise if this has been done before.I did have a look yesterday but could`nt find anything. So anyway just a list here really of which of Mike`s album covers that I either like or dislike.Feel free to post as many or as few of your own.I did take A level art but I failed miserably,so all of this is purely based around my own screwed up/distorted tastes I guess.Just as a little aside I`m curious as to how much effect people consider the album covers to have on our overall perception and liking for the music in general?Does it distort or hinder our tastes in any way shape or form I wonder?Do you even think about them at all?Just yesterday in a discussion on Taurus Two I mentioned that I considered T2 to be a far more colourful piece of music than Crises.Which in turn got me thinking as to what Colour I considered Crises to be I suppose.So of course the first thing that springs into my mind is that it`s "Green"..OMG how original is that?...So anyway a little bit of thought and I could pick out lots of different colours in the music of Crises that I probably had`nt considered before.Everything from submerged steely grey`s to a kind of sunburnt orange effect..Still not as colourful as Taurus Two though..       Here`s a little list of my own personal favourites... Platinum Hergest Ridge QE 2 Tubular Bells Guitars Ommadawn Five Miles Out Tres Lunas Discovery Not too fussed with the following either way to be honest Incantations Songs Of Distant Earth Light & Shade Islands Earth Moving TB 2/3/ Amarok Crises Take it away I can`t even look at it. Heaven`s Open The Millenium Bell Music Of The Spheres No comment Voyager Back to top

nightspore Group: Members Posts: 4770 Joined: Mar. 2008 Posted: June 29 2008, 07:47 I like the covers of Tr3s Lunas and Crises best. Islands is nice, too - the island on it reminds me Green Island, off the coast of Cairns. (Islands also has the unusual distinction among Mike's records of having the greatest number of actual songs that I like. In fact, the only one I don't care for is "Magic Touch". And Bonnie Tyler's parched, "desert island" vocals put a lot of feeling into one of Mike's most heartfelt songs.) Yes, I know this go on to the  Islands forum.... Back to top

Scatterplot Group: Members Posts: 1981 Joined: Dec. 2007 Posted: June 29 2008, 09:13 I'd say HR and Crises are the coolest. -------------- 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

The Big BellEnd Group: Members Posts: 971 Joined: Jan. 2004 Posted: June 29 2008, 13:54 TB TB111 INCANTATIONS HR T LUNAS GUITARS            these I think may be my fav's but perhap's not in order. -------------- I, ON THE OTHER HAND. AM A VICTIM OF YOUR CARNIVOUROUS LUNAR ACTIVITY. Back to top

Tati The Sentinel Group: Members Posts: 3360 Joined: Feb. 2002 Posted: June 29 2008, 15:51 My favorite ones ever! TSODE TB II Crises The worst ones: The Millennum Bell Music of the Spheres Hergest Ridge Platinum QE2 Female favorite: Voyager (stil drooling here after 12 years from its release..that sexy gorgeous naked chest rules 4ever) -------------- "But it's always the outsider, the black sheep, that becomes the blockbuster." - Mike Oldfield, 2014 "I remember feeling that I'd been judged unfairly and that I was going to prove them wrong." - Peter Davison, 2011 Back to top

ommadawn69 Group: Members Posts: 94 Joined: June 2002 Posted: June 29 2008, 20:52 I love SODE then after that are Hergest Ridge TB TB111 The Complete Mike Oldfield Platinum Five Miles Out and Crises -------------- http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/TheAlternativeMikeOldfieldGroup/ Back to top

Ugo Group: Members Posts: 5495 Joined: April 2000 Posted: July 01 2008, 16:39 I think I stated this elsewhere, but my all-time favs are the TB covers, all three (or four? or five? or six? ) of them, just because I love the shape - to the point that I had a golden lapel pin especially made for me in that shape. Now that's fanaticism. I also like what I consider to be "artistic" covers - Hergest Ridge, Islands, FMO, QE2, Heaven's Open. I'm not very keen on the covers featuring photos of Mike - I don't think that a musician's work should be really identified by his face or his aspect, I'd prefer to let the music speak for itself. However, I cannot forget a special mention of honour to Hans C. and his wonderful ideas, which ended up on the Tr3s Lunas and Light + Shade covers. He's a real artist.   -------------- Ugo C. - a devoted Amarokian Back to top

The Caveman Group: Members Posts: 2178 Joined: Jan. 2008 Posted: July 02 2008, 13:23 A special mention should  be made here for the original vinyl version of Exposed.Some really good candid shots.The other one i'd mention is FMO.The inside cover with the track sheet done in felt tip pen (although i notice on the All You Need Is Love DVD he favoured Crayola wax crayons for his tracksheet creations-a big box of them is visible sitting on the desk)is a joy and the dog/thing on the back is cool.Someone suggest Molly drew it but i'm convinced it was Mike himself.  God i miss vinyl.The art work was so much better (moan, mutter, grumle ) -------------- THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH. Back to top

Sweetpea Group: Members Posts: 1476 Joined: April 2007 Posted: Aug. 18 2008, 03:31 While, intellectually, I appreciate the cover art for Crises, it kinda leaves me cold. Which may be the point, but that doesn't make me like it any more. -------------- "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

arron11196 Group: Members Posts: 826 Joined: April 2005 Posted: Aug. 18 2008, 04:32 TB2003 has to be the best for me. I dunno, I guess I just like shiny graphics. TBII - the cover was a little dull, hence my wallpaper on the tubular.net site, but the back was very appropriate I thought... the bottom of a swimming pool. TBII has that kind of relaxedness like a nice swim. Albums I don't have an opinion on: Incantations, Voyager, Tr3s Lunas, Amarok. Earth Moving... what the hell? L+S... um...?   TSODE's album cover is a nice piece of artwork, sure... but I don't see how it bears any relevance to the music. It probably bears relevance to somewhere in the accompanying video - I've not had a chance to look through all of that yet - but certainly there seems to be no direct correlation musically. Ommadawn... this is a great cover because I think in that stoic resolve visible on his face you can see how much he was using this album to say "see! I can still do it!" (Ref: Changeling) Music of the Spheres is just atrocious... Sorry Mike, but I really don't see the connection between the music and that image. Celestial bodies, sure... but they don't move like that! I would personally have replaced the cover of this with something like a cross between a piece of ancient parchment with celestial diagrams and a representation of musical harmony, a more direct translation of the point of the album. -------------- Arron J Eagling Everyone's interpretation is different, and everyone has a right to that opinion. There is no "right" one, I am adding this post to communicate my thoughts to share them with like-minded souls who will be able to comment in good nature. (insert the last 5 mins of Crises here) Back to top

Ciderginaspro Group: Members Posts: 90 Joined: Dec. 2007 Posted: Aug. 18 2008, 06:11 I like, but not it order : The Complete, TSODE, Five Miles Out (a lot!, Exposed, Earth Moving, Ommadawn (a lot!, Amarok (a lot !. I think my favourites are Ommadawn and Five Miles Out. I don't like : Light and Shade, The Voyager I don't have opinions for the others Back to top

slind1962 Group: Members Posts: 7 Joined: April 2003 Posted: Aug. 20 2008, 09:32 Covers I'm not keen on in chronological order: Exposed QE2 Five Miles Out Crises Discovery Islands Earth Moving The Millenium Bell Light and Shade Music of the Spheres Covers I like in chronological order: Tubular Bells Hergest Ridge Orchestral Tubular Bells Ommadawn Boxed Incantations Platinum Amarok Heaven's Open Tubular Bells II The Songs of Distant Earth Voyager Tubular Bells III Guitars Tres Lunas Tubular Bells 2003 Back to top

The Caveman Group: Members Posts: 2178 Joined: Jan. 2008 Posted: Aug. 20 2008, 12:07 Interesting choices Slind.Personally though i think that Exposed is a really cool cover.The vinyl version in particular is great.The whole thing with the tour was Mike actually saying a big Hello to the world and coming out of his shell in a BIG way.I think this cover is so cool cos it captures that so well.I mean he's actually smiling in some for gawds sake!  FMO i've expounded upon the merits of elsewhere but i still love it.Again though it's really based on the original vinyl gatefold version.What's not to like?I have to admit that the cd vesions have all been pretty crap though.All your other choices i must agree with though.QE2 is a very fine album but the cover's a bit cheap looking (fake cut out porthole and all)but the inside cover is interesting though the reason for the ship plan graphics escapes me totally.And TMB cover is truly awful! -------------- THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH. Back to top

Dirk Star Group: Members Posts: 1331 Joined: Sep. 2007 Posted: Aug. 20 2008, 17:05 Well I agree with you on Exposed Caveman I forgot to include that one in my list actualy.It`s a great cover and concept for a live album I think.Especialy given Mike`s whole history at the time and everything.But QE2??..No I love that one have to dis-agree with you there.It`s just so bold and striking for me.It`s simple but highly imaginative at the same time somehow.And just those four colours you know you immediatly know what they represent it`s very clever in it`s own way.And there are nice little subtle touches to it as well despite it`s boldness.The sloping diagonal graphics.The little plum line there in the corner.It`s also one of the few albums that works as well in CD format for me.You know it does`nt suffer from the old Sgt Pepper syndrome if you know what I mean? But yeah sadly you don`t get the cut-out porthole anymore.Not bloody good enough Virgin yer cheapskates.See personaly I love all that slightly eccentric vinyl packaging you used to get every now and then.Now if that`d been me designing that sleeve I would`ve made it a gatefold as well.I would`ve had little pop-up chimneys,and tabs on the side for the waves and stuff.I would`ve had a little pop-up Mike there springing up in the middle.He`d be all decked out in naval regalia there and giving us a little salute every time you opened it up.Heh heh yeah ok I would`ve bloody ruined it I guess.Although speaking of ruining things and vinyl to cd transistions etc.Why in Heaven`s (Open) name is the back of this CD cover now some sort of lurid shocking pink affair.It`s not exactly sympathetic to the rest of the bloody artwork is it.Virgin Records??..Bunch O` numpties the lot of em`. Back to top

moonchildhippy Group: Members Posts: 1807 Joined: Dec. 2004 Posted: Aug. 20 2008, 17:47 Covers I hate or dislike Incantations- this is my most hated cover sorry Mike those trousers and sport jacket age you beyond your years, however I'm so glad I don't judge an album by it's cover as the music is superb   . Light and Shade, why the mesh wire fence, makes me think of imprisonment. The Millenium Bell- too much going on QE2 Covers I particularly like or love Crises- except it's green and I've an aversion to green (say's she who owns a  dark green car), well I like light green, but dark green I hate as my school uniform was dark green and I hated school. However on cars I like green as I think it looks sporty     .  I'd love to see what Crises would look like in a midnight blue or purple, now that would be cool. TSODE- I just love the glowing orbs Ommadawn- Love it pure art, I'm wondering if the rain soaked window represents anything Hergest Ridge- Fantastic Tubular Bells - I love the bent bell, and also the choppy sea, and the calm sea on the reverse, fits the music perfectly   Voyager- I quite like this one, but I do feel that the best shots from the photo session(s) were left off of the album. I do think Mike looks a little too orange on this one, overdone the fake tan??   , but I think maybe David Dickinson was inspired by this http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?....rl=http -------------- 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

Dirk Star Group: Members Posts: 1331 Joined: Sep. 2007 Posted: Aug. 20 2008, 19:45 David Dickinson comparisons love it..On the subject of which what about the cover of Heaven`s Open?.... "Cheap as chips"!..   Back to top

Ugo Group: Members Posts: 5495 Joined: April 2000 Posted: Aug. 21 2008, 19:42 Best covers (IMHO) in no particular order: TB 1973 HR TBIII Boxed TSoDE - 'Glowing spheres' version The Complete Islands TMB - sooooooo colourful! Light + Shade Tr3s Lunas Worst covers, always IMHO: Crises - meaningless ("The Watcher and the Tower" ???) and too sickly green... QE2 - too stylized. Ommadawn, Amarok, Voyager and all the other covers featuring photos of Mike O. - too Mike-ish! Exposed - too minimalist... The Best of TB - too over-used!! So-and-so covers: MotS - could've been done better... TKF - ugly album (IMHO) but great photo... Earth Moving - maybe a bit stylish, but fine. FMO - because it illustrates only one song on the album, and not the best one... -------------- Ugo C. - a devoted Amarokian Back to top

Sweetpea Group: Members Posts: 1476 Joined: April 2007 Posted: Sep. 08 2008, 04:36 My top five album covers: 1. Tubular Bells 2003 2. Tubular Bells II 3. Ommadawn 4. Five Miles Out 5. Guitars -------------- "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

RICHARDGORMLIE Group: Members Posts: 98 Joined: Nov. 2004 Posted: Nov. 06 2008, 14:15 the mike oldfield covers i like are:- 1 tubular bells 2 2 voyager 3 discovery 4 amarok 5 tres lunas 6 xxv 7 hergest ridge Back to top

ex member 419 Group: Members Posts: 1177 Joined: April 2008 Posted: Mar. 10 2009, 04:17 Amarok, mikes hair and baby blue eyes, voyager...i love the naked torso, that seductive masculine pose, and his hair! let alone the warrior gear... Back to top

[ Track this topic :: Email this topic :: Print this topic ] Pages: (3) < [1] 2 3 >

Forums | Links | Instruments | Discography | Tours | Articles | FAQ | Artwork | Wallpapers
Biography | Gallery | Videos | MIDI / Ringtones | Tabs | Lyrics | Books | Sitemap | Contact


Mike Oldfield Tubular.net