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bennyboy Group: Members Posts: 177 Joined: July 2000 Posted: Nov. 05 2000, 03:15 I have a feeling that no matter what else Mike does, no matter how gobsmackingly brilliant it is, he will always be remembered as the guy with the Bells. The very name of this website atests to this. Instead of calling it the "Oldfield Forum" or something Olivier called it "Tubular Forums" (no offence ment there Olivier...) Mike reminds me of Orson Welles in that way. Welles was a prodigious young talent who came out of nowhere with one of the greatest movies of all time. He made many fine movies since "Citizen Kane" ("The Trial", "MacBeth" and "Treasure Island" are some of my favourites) but none could ever overshadow his first masterpiece, at least in the eyes of the general public. When asked to describe his career Welles said "I started at the top and I worked my way down". "Tubular Bells" was Mikes "Kane". He has made many fine albums since then, and from an artistic perspective he has occaisionally topped his opus one (with "Amarok", "Islands", "Incantations" and "The Songs Of Distant Earth"), but commercially he has pretty much started at the top and worked his way down, and in the eye of the public Mike Oldfield has pretty much been overshadowed by Tubular Bells. The only albums to cause a blip on the general publics radar screen recently have been the two TB sequels. Its not hard to be cynical about these albums. In some peoples view "TB2" and "TB3" simply show a has been musician trying in vain to resurrect his dead musical career. I do not see it that way. I thought "Tubular Bells II" was an interesting re-working of some old themes, and it adressed some of the problems of the first Tubular Bells well. "Tubular Bells III" however was more risky, more daring than "Tubular Bells II". It was not just a remix of the original but a fully fledged sequel, that was interested in adding something to the Tubular Bells legacy, instead of just recycling. It wasn't in the same style as the first or second ones, thats what made it so great. Plus "Tubular Bells III" was a more personal album than "Tubular Bells II" as it reflected through music a wild and turbulent period in Mikes life (just like the first one did), and his Ibizan experience. Which gets me to thinking, should there be a "Tubular Bells IV"? Yes, I know hes said he doesn't want to do any more bell albums (but then after that he did come out with "The Millennium Bell", does that count?) he said before a long time ago that he wouldn't ever be doing a sequel to the first Tubular Bells either. Is "Tubular Bells III" a worthy enough closure to the series (it is an album that has divided fans)? Should there ever be a "Tubular Bells IV"? How far can Mike take this? Has he already taken it too far? ...and another thing, should Mike sequelize any of his other work in the way he has "Tubular Bells"? Why/Why not? Answers please people..... Back to top

Man In Rain Group: Members Posts: 84 Joined: Sep. 2000 Posted: Nov. 05 2000, 04:52 Well, my opinion is: there shouldn't be a TB4. Why? I think there can't be a sequel which will be better than TB2. I think TB2 is the perfect bell album (this is my opinion), so any of the bell albums after TB2 can't and won't be better than it. All right, TB3 and TMB are good albums, but not good Oldfield albums (if you get what I want to say). (My opinion is that there's only ONE perfect track on TB3: Top of the Morning; and where are the guitars/bellS on TMB?) But who knows. I say there can't be a better work than TB2, but there can be an album which is just as perfect as TB2. Do you think tat Mike can do this? However, if he decides to make another bell album, I'd like it to have red cover About other sequels: I can't imagine a sequel to Crises, Taurus 2, Amarok or other masterpieces. They are perfect. But I can imagine sequels to HR, Ommadawn (a re-working of the originals in a modern way like TB1-TB2). Another question is that Mike SHOULD write these; somebody might say he's repeating himself, but I think it could be also masterpieces as TB2 - it depends on Mike. If he writes another masterpiece, I think it will be about 2002-2004. And if he doesn't - he still remains the greatest musician of the second half of the 20th century. Back to top

Fox Group: Members Posts: 156 Joined: Feb. 2000 Posted: Nov. 05 2000, 13:04 The possibilities are endless. Infinite variations on the TB theme are always possible. I said before in a brief discussion about Tubular X that I'd like to hear that theme expanded into a complete album. TB1 was....well...TB1 -a style of its own. TB2 (IMO) was an Amarok-style mix of the TB album. TB3 was dance-related, among other influences. I'd imagine TB4 as having a different style associated with the basic theme. Perhaps a mystical, creepy feeling (those who've heard the track Tubular X know what I mean by that) could be applied. Something mystical, powerful, etc... It's possible. I think it could be done; furthermore I believe Mike can make it interesting. I don't think TMB counts as a Tubular Bells incarnation (although Pacha Mama sounds a lot like a mix of the TB theme to me). But I do belive that a different style could be applied to the TB theme and other tracks could be redone with a different style, too. Or --dare I suggest it? --Tubular Bells based completely around lyrical tracks......hey, you never know ;-). From an artistic point of view, I think it's a definate possibility. The reason I don't think Mike will do it any time soon is the fact that it's been such a short time since he made TB3. So short that if he does it now he'll be accused of running out of ideas. I don't think it's fair that Mike be remembered only for TB1. He's written so much that's better than his introduction album since then that there's no need to always referr to him as "the guy who wrote Tubular Bells." To achieve some outside recognition, he might make another sequal in the process described above. But not so soon after he's made TB3. If I were Mike, I'd wait for a while before pulling that one out. Back to top

Korgscrew Group: Super Admins Posts: 3511 Joined: Dec. 1999 Posted: Nov. 05 2000, 18:43 I think that maybe Mike's best move for a sequel would be not to try and rework those themes yet again, but write something that carried on where Tubular Bells left off (I believe Jarre did something like that with Oxygene, although I never heard it). He could try and create an album that does for him now what Tubular Bells did for him back in 1973 (releases his feelings and that sort of thing, although his need for that seemed to be less after taking the exegesis therapy). It would, I think, be something that would need Mike to dig very deeply into himself, to look at where he is at the moment and where he wants to go. Perhaps he could try some new instruments on it, to bring a bit of extra excitement and interest to the proceedings... But, if it was going to be another album that takes on the world like Tubular Bells did, it would have to be something not only stunning, but also different. At the same time, it would need to be something that appeals to everyone, hypnotising them on their first listen... Whether Mike still has it in him is a question I've posed before - he'd need to gather up some kind of new energy to be able to do something like I'm thinking of here... Only time will tell... Back to top

Pikalcazar Group: Members Posts: 93 Joined: Oct. 2000 Posted: Nov. 08 2000, 12:53 Hi all. In my opinion, ther shouldn't be TB4, I think the word "Bell" is very present yet in a lot of songs and albums, i.e., Tubular BELLS, Saved by a BELL, the BELL, etc. I don't saying that Mike don't will make TB4, but I think that is a remote possibility... Back to top

Thea Cochrane Group: Musicians Posts: 445 Joined: Nov. 1999 Posted: Nov. 10 2000, 15:29 Too many bells! I liked TB and TB2, but by TB3 the press thought that Mike was beating a recently deceased beast of burden and TMB was laughed at a bit really. The problem is that TB3 was actually a great album, and TMB wasn't that bad either - but (all this IMHO) they should have been called something else. The sad part of this is that without the publicity gleaned by putting the Bell in there somewhere, TB3 probably wouldn't have sold as well outside Mike's hardcore fanbase. So should he call them Tubular Bells and make them sell or should he call them something else and get more media credability? Back to top

Man In Rain Group: Members Posts: 84 Joined: Sep. 2000 Posted: Nov. 22 2000, 03:29 Should Mike sequelize any of his other work? I have a very good idea. If he may sequelize one of his albums, it should be Five Miles Out. Remember, he is a qualified pilot and one of his hobbies is aviation, so I think it would turn out a masterpiece. If in the FMO album there was a Beech D18-S aircraft (you also can hear the sound of the engines), the sequel should be about a large jet aircraft, like a Boeing 727 or a McDonnel Douglas MD-80 (Lost in static 80...). Aircraft sounds, pilot's speech, guitars, long thin metallic hanging tubes, inspiration - it could be the top of the MO carreer. Back to top

Delfín Group: Members Posts: 667 Joined: Nov. 2000 Posted: Nov. 26 2000, 19:02 Hello, everybody! I want you to listen very close to what I'm gonna say to you all. Since I was a child, I've got the capacity of seing clearly the future. I got to write 4 titles from Voyager when TSODE was about to be released... I got so dissapointed, but in a matter of two years, there was a big surprise for me!!! Now I've grown stronger in than capacity, specially after some classes about something really resembling as exegesis... I can speak you about some surprises Mike is preparing for us all... At first, and incredible sequel of Hergest Ridge is inminent. I can see a rainbowy/caleidoscopic cover with a chromatic image of CD (his dog) and a stormy, computerized sky. It has mixes and remixes with DJ Pippi and Greta sings a song, I think one of the first, called "Here Again and Freezing in Cold". There are maybe ten titles. It will be a failure. After some months, a revolution will change completely the direction of the discograpy at last: called Danger, or Flanger, or something like that, it will be a group of crazy, frenetic discotheque songs very, very melodic with a hevy metal feel. It will be a complete success. I can see titles as "Lumberin'", "Sparked Off" or "Burning Guitar", with a very rude revival of the caveman screaming in Latin. Then, after two years a see a very romantic record with all vocal ballads singing Greta, Anita, Mike, Maggie Reilly and Julio Iglesias!! He will sing the beautiful hit "Gaze at Skies".I can barely read other titles as "Welcome", "Buzzing you Little Boy" or "Sigh of Grace" I see one record more, but I can only say that the cover is blue... I hope to be right in all those notions...if not all, I hope you can believe at least some little things. Nothing more...I'm glad of having just joined you and I wait for your e-mails!! -------------- The most precious thing I possess, is knowing the answer's yes Back to top

bennyboy Group: Members Posts: 177 Joined: July 2000 Posted: Nov. 26 2000, 20:14 Don't worry, I won't poke fun at you or question how you know these (though I'm not saying I believe all you say I either, but enough said on the matter of believing). I just have a question for you. When you said "Hergest Ridge 2" or whatever would be a failure did you mean commercially or artistically? And when you said the next one would be a big success did you mean commercially or artistically? Do you know if it will be as big a success as say "Crises" or "Tubular Bells II". Or even as successful as "Tubular Bells I"? Please answer me, I will have the courtesy to listen. Back to top

Delfín Group: Members Posts: 667 Joined: Nov. 2000 Posted: Nov. 28 2000, 13:29 Oh my dear friend Bennyboy, first of all I wanna say thanks for your interest in replying my post. Well, when I talk 'bout HR2 and I say "failure" I mean mostly in a commercial way, though I'm not sure, if my intuitions are right, that you'll like that so much if you don't love specially the last tracks of The Millennium Bell or things like that. When I´m talking 'bout the next record, its success is mostly meant about both subjects, although I'm much more interested, as I think most of you should, in the artistic way. Think It'll be, if my notions are right, a very strange and innovative, cool CD. I have to say It's funny for me thinking 'bout Julio Iglesias singing in an Oldfield's record, 'cos he's Spanish like me, but I want to state very clearly that I HATE JI. I'd like to see another guy singing there, but...what can I do about the (presumed) future...? I want to say as well that I play music and I'll play a concert in a Disco here in Granada on Dec.7th and I will play a couple of Mike's songs...maybe I'll open the concert with the beginning of Incantations part 3!! Thanks for all. -------------- The most precious thing I possess, is knowing the answer's yes Back to top

Delfín Group: Members Posts: 667 Joined: Nov. 2000 Posted: Mar. 08 2001, 11:41 ...and be awake... all those things are about to come...! -------------- The most precious thing I possess, is knowing the answer's yes Back to top

Delfín Group: Members Posts: 667 Joined: Nov. 2000 Posted: Oct. 11 2007, 17:05 Time proved me wrong!!! Thankfully!!! Delfín>> -------------- The most precious thing I possess, is knowing the answer's yes Back to top

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