Mike Oldfield seems to be one of the most talented musicians and composers of our time. Neither of his albums could be billed as poor or weak musically. At the same time though, there is no other of his works that would mean so much to music and music world as his debut one, Tubular Bells.
Not only the album a signature album of his career, introduced long instrumental compositions into a mainstream music market but also rocket started Richard Bransons music empire, Virgin Music.
History of Mike Oldfield's Debut, A Record that Launched Richard Bronson's Empire
Oldfield recorded the first version of Tubular Bells at his flat in London in 1971 using only a simple tape machine with tempered erase head to allow him overdub tracks.
The recording was rejected by some major labels on the grounds of being unmarketable until finally Richard Branson and sound engineers at Virgin's The Manor recording studios decided to give it a chance.
Tubular Bells was re-recorded professionally at The Manor with Oldfield performing all instruments with few guest appearances. The most notable is the late Vivian Stanshall providing the voice of the Master of Ceremonies which reads off the list of instruments at the end of first movement.
Structure of Tubular Bells
The album starts with a single piano motif eventually dubbed with organ and glockenspiel. That soft mood though is quickly replaced with electic guitar and a sinister sounding organ riff which are then followed with a carefree section dominated by a piano and acoustic guitar. The music slowly, through reminiscences of main motifs builds up to a characteristic bass phase repeated continuously almost until the end of the first part. On it the Master of Ceremony introduces instruments joining in. Finally after Tubular Bells join a feminine choir starts to sing. The music slowly fades down to an acoustic guitar solo closing the first movement of the album.
The second part two most notable moments are unintelligible "lyrical" growls and screams by Oldfield (billed as a "Pilltown Man" on the cover). These were added as a rebellion against Branson who wanted Oldfield to include a part with vocal which he then could release a single.
The second is Oldfield's rendition of a "Sailor's Hornpipe", a traditional hornpipe melody which concludes the piece and closes the album. The melody became the second most recognizable moment from the album and for long appeared on many of Oldfield's set lists.
Oldfield in Post-Tubular Bells Times
Long after the release of of the album Oldfield continued to produce similar recordings consisting of either only one long piece and later with at least one lengthy composition plus a number of others only to drop this practice on his 1984 album Discovery
Major themes from Tubular Bells would often resurface in his other works.
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