Korgscrew
Group: Super Admins
Posts: 3511
Joined: Dec. 1999 |
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Posted: Jan. 05 2017, 20:46 |
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| Quote (falk @ Jan. 05 2017, 09:57) | | that can only be because warner own the rigts to TB2 and so on. |
I think it's beyond anything like that now. There was certainly a time when each three album contract included some kind of Tubular Bells album, and you had to wonder (I seem to remember Mike even admitted he'd used some of them as a carrot to Warner - definitely TB2 but I think maybe TB3 as well)...
Now, though, I'm really not so sure. Universal are clearly reaping the benefits of having his back catalogue in their stable as best they can and they seem to get reasonable mileage out of his new releases, so...I wonder what more can reasonably be squeezed out of the Tubular Bells brand commercially speaking.
I think there are issues with differentiation, people not sure what's a reworking, what's a remaster, remix, re-recording and so on. Not amongst hard core fans, of course, but I get the sense, from comments I've seen out in the wider online world, that people don't necessarily see much difference between him doing a new Tubular Bells album and, say, the 2009 reissue - the reaction is just "He's trying to sell us another copy of Tubular Bells!".
Perhaps I've seen too much of the negativity and overlooked what enthusiasm there might amongst the general music-buying public be for further uses of the Tubular Bells brand, but...seen from my point of view, I'd be wary of doing more Tubular Bells albums for commercial reasons.
I tend to think that Mike is just drawn to it, feeling it's a part of who he is. From seeming to not much like being the 'Tubular Bells guy' I think he's settled into a place where he quite enjoys it. He seems to like coming up with new variations on the opening in particular. I have the sense he's doing it because he can't not do it...
The idea of a multitrack player is intriguing, as is something involving VR. I think it would be nice to see the two aspects integrated into an album that can be explored spatially, where you can wander between the different elements focusing on different things rather like walking amongst the different musicians in an orchestra. Getting that to really work well as an experience would be a huge task, but I think it could be a fascinating thing to play with.
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