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bennyboy Group: Members Posts: 177 Joined: July 2000 Posted: Nov. 03 2000, 09:05 Tubular Bells was the first Mike Oldfield album that I bought and it was the first to make me think "Hey this dude sure knows his stuff!" The Songs Of Distant Earth though is what really made me want to listen to more Mike Oldfield. It totally sucked me in, I would put on the headphones and get lost into another world (wo-eo-eo)... The Songs Of Distant Earth also awakened my interest in Arthur C. Clarke, and made me seek out the book. Greatest decision I ever made! The Songs Of Distant Earth has to be one of the best books Clarke has ever written, namely because for once the emphasis is on characters and feelings than on technology. Mike's album captures both the beautiful sadness that is all throughout the book, but also the distant shining star of hope that shines through it all... I'm sorry, I'm being very sentimental now aren't I. But my point is if Mike can capture the essence of one book so well as he did with "The Songs Of Distant Earth", I wonder if he should try it again... Personally, I think Robert A. Heinleins novel "Stranger In A Strange Land" would make a great Mike Oldfield concept album. Has anyone else here read it? It's about a guy named Michael Valentine Smith, one of the first babies to be born in space, when the ship he was born on crashlands on Mars he is the only survivor and he is raised to manhood by the martians. Eventually he returns to Earth, and the book is about how he establishes a life there. Anyone agree/disagree that "Stranger In A Strange Land" would make a great Mike album? Anyone think of any other books that would make a great album? Anyone think he should/should not "adapt" ANY other book? Do tell, I would find it most interesting. Also feel free to say if you agree/disagree that he captured the spirit of Arthur C. Clarkes novel well. I notice "The Songs Of Distant Earth" isn't exactly a big favourite here on Tubular Forum, I think at the very least it could have been worse (Rick Wakeman's "1984" is how not to do a concept album based on a book I think) Back to top

Archangel Foster Group: Members Posts: 215 Joined: Oct. 2000 Posted: Nov. 03 2000, 10:43 I've read it! Back to top

Unregistered Posted: Nov. 03 2000, 21:14 Come on bennyboy Rick Wakeman may have lost it in his later years but his Journey to the Centre of the Earth shows what a decent album you can make based on a book. Nobody can make every album perfect, MB springs to mind! Back to top

bennyboy Group: Members Posts: 177 Joined: July 2000 Posted: Nov. 04 2000, 00:19 I actually quite like "Journey To The Centre Of The Earth". I just didn't like "1984", thats all. I'm not really familiar with Wakemans other solo work, so I can't comment on that. As I've said elsewhere, I'm not a huge fan of "The Millennium Bell" either, although it had its moments imho.... Jeff Wayne's "War Of The Worlds" was another good "musical book" so to speak. Back to top

bennyboy Group: Members Posts: 177 Joined: July 2000 Posted: Nov. 04 2000, 01:03 So then Archangel Foster (I knew than moniker sounded suspiciously familiar) would it make a great Mike album or what? Back to top

Archangel Foster Group: Members Posts: 215 Joined: Oct. 2000 Posted: Nov. 04 2000, 07:52 Well, to be honest, I didn't like TSODE so very much. It's nice though, and I guess if you like that one then if Mike did Stranger in a strange Land, it might be just as good. But I can't compare the two as the only Clarke one I've read is 2001. On the other hand, there's a lot in Stranger where I really wouldn't know how to put that into music? For example, the religious fanaticism of the Fosterite service... Back to top

rosko Group: Members Posts: 184 Joined: April 2000 Posted: Nov. 04 2000, 09:10 I think that TSODE captured much of the feel of the book (just finished reading it) very well. While picturing much of the book as scenes from a movie (something I often do), I thought that these would work well. In the Beginning: opening titles Let there be light: Earth before destruction Supernova: destruction of Earth (well duh) Magellan: after destruction of Earth, camera view zooms over to where Magellan is speeding away from Earth. By the time the piano section is playing, Magellan is entering Thalassa. First Landing: Magellan landing Lament for Atlantis: The chapter "Fire on the Reef". I won't reveal what's happenning in this chapter as it would spoil the plot for those who haven't read it. I know that there is an explanation in the book of a piece call "Lamentation for Atlantis" but IMHO it seems to fit in much better with "Fire on the Reef". The Chamber/Hibernaculum/Tubular World: When Loren and Mirissa are in the ship together. Could work with other in-ship scenes as well. The Sunken Forest: The chapter of the same name - fits perfectly. I am a bit confused about Ascension though. The mood of that piece doesn't seem to fit in with the ascension that occurs during the chapter of the same name (don't anyone give away what happens). I'm also surprised that Mike didn't try coming up with a representation of the sounds Kumar hears in the ribbon. I'm talking about some strange humming sounds etc. rather than actual music. What do you all think? I think that the science-fiction "The Outcast" trilogy by Patricia Bernard would make a pretty good concept album for Mike, but I doubt that anyone here has read it. Back to top

rosko Group: Members Posts: 184 Joined: April 2000 Posted: Nov. 15 2000, 03:13 Come on! I write my interpretaion of almost every track on the album and nobody replies??? I want to know whether people agree with me or have different ideas about the music. Back to top

TimHighfield Group: Members Posts: 543 Joined: Oct. 2000 Posted: Nov. 15 2000, 03:25 Ok rosko, you asked for it. You seem to have made a pretty good analysis of TSODE, most of your ideas fit the tracks well. I for one cannot stand the electronic-type voices throughout the album, they somewhat detract from the music a bit. However, your question about what Mike didn't do in Ascencion is valid, as there seems to be more an attempt at atmosphere than music. I haven't read TSODE in a while (the only reason I read it was because I was going to buy the album), so I cannot write exactly what I think about each track. The Sunken Forest does fit in exceptionally well with the component chapter though. Right, I answered, although I just went on and on about nothing, so who else is going to?! -Tim- Back to top

bennyboy Group: Members Posts: 177 Joined: July 2000 Posted: Nov. 15 2000, 07:28 I think that "Asencion" in the context of the album refers more to the Asencion of mankind to a new world. Other than that I really think your analysis is spot on Rosko. Also "The Shining Ones" is good theme for the scorps I think. "Only Time Will Tell" the lifting of the ice blocks up to the Magellan to create the shield. "Prayer For The Earth" some music from the concert perhaps? "Crystal Clear" Take off from Thalassa Also I can imagine some of the instrumentals on the B Sides to the "Let There Be Light" and "Hibernaculum" singles as being bits from the book too. "The Spectral Army": When the scorps emerge from the depths and are destroyed. "The Song Of The Boat Men": Love theme for Loren and Mirissa "Indian Lake": When Loren and Mirissa go on the bicycle trip. "Tubular World" was another great excuse to use the word "Tubular" again too! Back to top

Pacha Daddy Group: Members Posts: 85 Joined: Sep. 2000 Posted: Nov. 16 2000, 09:51 Well, when my fantasy collection, "Cumor: A Warrior of D'Alshon" comes out in e-book format next year, Mike can certainly write a score for it. Back to top

tubularbills Group: Members Posts: 528 Joined: Aug. 2000 Posted: Aug. 05 2001, 23:56 I've always thought it would be quite interesting (but quite difficult) if MO was to do a score for a Stephen King book, especially "The Shining". -------------- Terrible, Wonderful, Crazy, Perfect. Back to top

Thomas Andersson Group: Members Posts: 53 Joined: Feb. 2001 Posted: Aug. 19 2001, 12:20 speaking of great book-inspired albums, prog-rock band Camel's "The Snow Goose" definately fits that category, i think. it's completely instrumental and quite varied, possibly my favourite Camel record. anyone read the book? can't remember who wrote it at the moment... TSODE was what got me addicted on both Mike and Clarke, in fact And i think it fits the mood in the book perfectly. The song Ascension to me is the chapter where Magellan leaves Thalassa, with the african part at the end representing a new beginning for mankind. Back to top

yaco Group: Members Posts: 23 Joined: Feb. 2002 Posted: Feb. 26 2002, 00:38 another books by Clarke that i think would fit quite well are 'Childhood's End' (i'd love to hear what MO would do with the ending!) and 'Rendezvous with Rama' (which is casually a 'tubular world' ). -------------- music is dressed silence Back to top

yaco Group: Members Posts: 23 Joined: Feb. 2002 Posted: Feb. 26 2002, 00:45 and then he could go on to something like 'The Lord Of The Rings'... i can't think of anyone that could create the elven songs better... (i felt enya doing 'yet more enya' in the film soundtrack didn't work) -------------- music is dressed silence Back to top

Baggiesfaninessex Group: Members Posts: 682 Joined: Mar. 2002 Posted: Mar. 18 2002, 16:11 Yaco - I'm afraid Bo Hanssen has already produced a fine album inspired by Lord of the Rings. Perhaps Mike could produce a soundtrack for The Talisman - that's a Stephen King book as per Tubularbills' message, but is more fantasy orientated than The Shining, and I'm sure MO's music would fit this style better! -------------- “A dog is not intelligent. Never trust an animal that's surprised by its own farts.” - Frank Skinner Back to top

timshen Group: Members Posts: 684 Joined: Mar. 2001 Posted: April 03 2002, 10:57 If not the Lord of the Rings, how about the Silmarillion? What a great name for an album! -------------- Expect Great Things. Attempt Great Things. Back to top

raven4x4x Group: Members Posts: 1535 Joined: Jan. 2002 Posted: April 04 2002, 04:15 Haven't read many good books lately. I've just started Distant Earth, so I can't comment on that. Lord of the Rings would be interesting. I'm not sure about many other suitable books, my favourites are the Dilbert Books by Scott Adams, and I can;t really see a soundtrack to them. -------------- Thank-you for helping us help you help us all. Back to top

MO fan Group: Members Posts: 177 Joined: Nov. 2002 Posted: Nov. 17 2002, 07:09 Once again I give thumbs up for MOs rendition of A C Clark's book. My only complaint is the ocasional vocoder type voice, not sure if it was mikes voice, as he is not that good vocally. (It must be so frustrating for a man with so much musical talent but not have a good singing voice) The best A C Clark story visually and musically would be RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA, this is an awesome book dealing with first contact with an alien spacecraft. It is coming out in the near future as a film and I would hope smeone woud have the bright idea of contacting mike to do the soundtrack. Soundtracks on a film , make or breaks it. A great example is the lattest 'Lord of the rings' film where the soundtrack is superb. I can't wait for 'The two tower' this Christmas 2002. The musical part where 'the flying insect heads up the tower to Gandalf and then back down' fits the visuals just perfect. Yes, music does inspire, Cheers MO fan Back to top

tubularbills Group: Members Posts: 528 Joined: Aug. 2000 Posted: Nov. 18 2002, 01:28 Another difficult, yet interesting, idea would be to see his musical rendition of "A Clockwork Orange". oh man would that be a weird (yet disturbingly awesome) album. woo! -------------- Terrible, Wonderful, Crazy, Perfect. Back to top

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