Mike Oldfield Tubular.net
Oldfield, now, lives like any music creator that feels him/herself mainly musician dreams. Due to Tubular Bells success he exiled by his own desire in Hereforshire, a lost place close to Wales frontier, and there he has built his own world, where he shares with a few people. Lonely, sad, in his own side... although 22 years old now, his human ways reflect a past full of experiences that have made a character rarely usual with his age. I must confess it was an obsession for me to know the way this genius composer of our time thinks or lives, that now with release of his third opus, "Ommadawn", is up quickly to the peak of a sound being the best present from music of our time for mark of future generations.
In my last three trips to England I have tried all the possible ways to see him and it was a miracle to bring up for Disco Expres the answers for twenty four questions, that I think, show, in a way, the musical human face of the composer.
Without literature watermarks to show his answers, because the questions are in the order that I asked. Due to confession of my friend Al Clark, press manager for Virgin, Mike Oldfield answers for the first time the questions from a foreign journalist, and he only spoke in last two years with two friendly journalists before the success. What is the reason? I think the best thing is to transcript his answers, because in this way our question finds a answer. The twenty four questions for Disco Expres from Mike Olfield show with brief and real way his vision of the world around him.
Vincente Romero: Is 'Ommadawn' a better album than the previous ones, 'Tubular Bells' and 'Hergest Ridge'?
Mike Oldfield: Yes.
Do you think your compositions show what the classic music will be in the future?
It is difficult to say, but I do not think so because the concept of classic music is to write for orchestra and being performed by orchestra. In my case my musical base let me to use very different instruments.
Did Spanish guitar get a gorgeus part in your opuses?
Yes. I like very much its sound and I play Spanish guitar so much as I do electric guitar. Spanish guitar has given me many ideas that I had not got with it.
Is begining a new dimension for music from our time with Mike Oldfield?
I do not know. I have no idea.
If your two previous LPs had got lyrics what would they say?
About to drink in pubs, to make love with girls, to swim in rivers during hot summer, about frustrations, about crash my head with the wall, to be sit down in borders moving in cold or about a journey in a space ship.
What is for you Pop-Music?
Really the best therapy for the pass of the life.
What is the one that is worrying you when you create your opuses?
That it was good, well done and honest.
How 'Ommadawn' was born?
I had two songs that I had composed with acoustic guitar. I saw they sound wonderful and then I developed the complete idea.
Will you continue the same musical path in the future of you will be involved to record songs for 3 or 4 minutes?
Maybe someday I will make short songs, but that is difficult, I prefer to do bigger and more difficult things.
Who were your influences in the making of your musical character?
Everything I heared and I liked, but nothing in particular.
What is the reason of your musical success?
I think I am able to show with music what a human being from the twentieth century is.
Which are your most inmediate projects?
To finish my new recording studio, here in my home, and to learn to pilot airplanes. I have begun my classes I hope to get my licence soon.
Do you know Andres Segovia?
Yes, I like but he is not one of my favorites. Anyway I feel he is very good and I admire him very much.
Where is your inspiration coming from?
The state of my own life, the world around me living specially a country life.
Do you believe in God?
No, but someday, may be, I can change.
What is your perfect way to govern to people?
I do not think there is a perfect government.
Do you feel that you are an instrument for the recording industry?
Sometimes they have asked something that was not the truth for me. Until now I have been lucky because I can be able to get off the commercial suggestions and I have been able to continue being honest. I have been lucky because many people have been enthusiastic about my music and they work without conditions to promote it. This spirit has moved everything.
Do you like your scores having a symphonic dimension?
I know few things about symphonic music; I like the music that begins, grows up and finishes in a relative way.
What is worrying you nowadays?
To think the power of the mind is very big and the human beings are only a little conscious about that.
What is the reason you do not like to talk with us that have the neccessity to inform?
Because I have always to repeat the same things. Interviews make me very nervous, I like dialogue but I do not know to express myself very well with people specially in difficult conditions, at the end the interviewer is nervous and I finish without anything to say.
What do you think about about Monarchy as government way?
I do not know.
Do you know something about Spanish music?
I only have heard some albums with Spanish guitars and flamenco albums. I like Concierto de Aranjuez from master Rodrigo. At the moment I am learning flamenco, I have a Ramirez guitar and another one of flamenco classic model.
Do you like the music that is being made nowdays?
Not very much. My favorite are the folk bands. My favorite now are The Chieftains and Planxty. I have heard with much pleasure too some parts from Berlioz (Requiem).
To finish, do you want to say something to people that are buying your records in Spain...?
I know few things about Spain, except they make the best guitars in the world and some of the better guitar players are there.