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Topic: 2010: 20 years of Amarok< Next Oldest | Next Newest >
Tati The Sentinel Offline




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Posted: Jan. 01 2010, 20:05

My favorite MO album ever celebrates its 20th anniversary this year!

Let's celebrate and remember our good experiences with it!


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"But it's always the outsider, the black sheep, that becomes the blockbuster." - Mike Oldfield, 2014

"I remember feeling that I'd been judged unfairly and that I was going to prove them wrong." - Peter Davison, 2011
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smillsoid Offline




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Posted: Jan. 02 2010, 01:33

This is my all-time favourite Mike album too!  I remember finding it on cassette in 1990, in "WH Smiths" - and being surprised that a. Mike had released a new album without me knowing, and b. that it appeared on first viewing to be a return to his 1970's approach/presentation of music.  I had no money with me (I was a student at the time), and had to beg my then girlfriend to lend me the money to buy it!  I couldn't wait to play it, because I just knew I was going to love it.  That night, I put headphones on, turned up the volume, and pressed 'play' on my 1980's cassette-deck.  I was blasted into another sonic universe!  Instantly, I knew that this was the best thing Mike had ever done - or would do - and by the end (of Side 2), I was in tears of joy.

Mike was back to being my Number One, and remains so to this day.


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http://www.reverbnation.com/simonjmills
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ex member 419 Offline




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Posted: Jan. 02 2010, 01:51

I have to agree with you Tati and Simon, it is a pretty amazing album, Mike is able to create and arrange music like no other artist! I have only found Mike's music a year ago, but when I saw the TB2 concert and heard MOTS it literally made me cry! It is so beautiful! Amarok was his sterling moment at that time. So many changes of mood, humour, a whole spectrum of emotions, a little like a musical rollercoaster! I now appreciate Amarok and love listening to it. 20 years! I still have a lot of Mike's music to catch up on. Enjoying the journey! Deb
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Scatterplot Offline




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Posted: Jan. 02 2010, 03:14

Well thanks for plugging Rollercoaster. Joke. A throwaway song I stuck up on Myspace. I did not know of Amarok or Heaven's Open(2 missing albums from the MO discography for me) until 2000. These were missed somehow until I found them as imports(very pricey) in a CD store. I "auditioned" both in the store. Heaven's Open did not impress me at all. Amarok I listened to up until the footsteps/panting. The guitar part was so amazing. "Sold". That night tho, I was quite dissapointed as the whole thing -changed- too quickly. As soon as I would tap my toes to a section, it would abruptly change. I closeted that CD for a long time but now appreciate certain sections a lot more than then. I like it, but only pull it out maybe 2X per year. Now ya got me wanting to listen to it. I'm so damn suggestable.
Jim


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We raise our voices in the night
Crying to heaven
And will our voices be heard
Or will they break Like the wind
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Philippe Tavares Offline




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Posted: Jan. 02 2010, 05:03

Quote (smillsoid @ Jan. 02 2010, 07:33)
This is my all-time favourite Mike album too!  I remember finding it on cassette in 1990, in "WH Smiths" - and being surprised that a. Mike had released a new album without me knowing, and b. that it appeared on first viewing to be a return to his 1970's approach/presentation of music.  I had no money with me (I was a student at the time), and had to beg my then girlfriend to lend me the money to buy it!  I couldn't wait to play it, because I just knew I was going to love it.  That night, I put headphones on, turned up the volume, and pressed 'play' on my 1980's cassette-deck.  I was blasted into another sonic universe!  Instantly, I knew that this was the best thing Mike had ever done - or would do - and by the end (of Side 2), I was in tears of joy.

Mike was back to being my Number One, and remains so to this day.

:) Same as you ! i was driving in my truck from Le Mans to my home  via Paris and when arriving in Paris i stopped one hour to eat because i was hungry and in the station , by chance , i found his cassette . I've played it in loop on the road of return . :)
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Tubularman Offline




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Posted: Jan. 02 2010, 20:00

funny thought .. this was the last album I bought after the other studio albums. I never got with me this great album and it was not to easy to get either.. suddenly on a market day, there were Amarok for only a few coins ;)
Without Amarok in your MO collection is like missing sun and heat when it's summer.. you must have it :D


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Mike Oldfield M i x e s
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The Caveman Offline




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Posted: Jan. 04 2010, 04:06

Is it really 20 years?Good gods where did that go?And i'm still finding new stuff on this!Definately number 5 after the 'great 70's 4'.Loved it then,love it now.

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THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH.
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Dirk Star Offline




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Posted: Jan. 05 2010, 03:36

Amarok was one of the first albums I bought on cd.And I had no idea of it`s existance until I spied it one day in my local hmv not long after it`s release.I just happened to be scanning through the Oldfield discs on the off-chance I guess.And then you know when you do that thing where you`ve actualy reached the end of the section of the artist you`re browsing through,but you keep on looking anyway just in case.Yeah well this time there he was almost down as far as The Osmonds or something.. "Virgin were really pushing the boat out with this one" I thought to myself..Or maybe someone had hid it? Tough if they did that`s all I can say.

My initial impression looking at the cover was wtf to be honest.You know you`ve got like an over-exposed photo there (but not in a Voyager kind of way of course) Which is imo then kind of crudely off-set with that great big black band down the side,housing those cheesey Celtic Hieroglyphics or whatever they were supposed to be!?Which then in no way at all matches up with that kind of Live At Leeds "crate stamp" in the top left hand corner.Mike looks fine enough don`t get me wrong.But the fact that you then turn that thing around and there`s absolutely no track titles there whatsoever,?? I think I actualy thought at first that it might`ve been some kind of amateur bootleg.Anyway I must`ve been pretty flush for a change because I decided to buy it anyway,.. thankfully.I can remember reading the inside booklet on the bus trip home though and thinking to myself "actualy I think this might be pretty good"

About a couple of weeks after that I played it to a friend of mine who was a big Mike fan(he did`nt know it had been released either) And it took him to well into the "happy" section before he realised who it was.And even then I don`t think he was 100% convinced at first.We were both pretty in awe of it at the time though.I still am really.
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The Caveman Offline




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Posted: Jan. 07 2010, 10:10

Just been looking at the discography section and i finally found where the hoover is.You can only barely hear it but it's there.A thought struck me though.The guy who wrote the article must have way too much time on his hands! :laugh:

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THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH.
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SunkenForest Offline




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Posted: Jan. 23 2010, 13:07

Amarok still sounds totally new, too.  Hasn't aged at all.

In my humble opinion, of course.
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Delfín Offline




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Posted: Jan. 23 2010, 21:24

20 years my oh my... the past has definately flown away.


Amarok remains.


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The most precious thing I possess, is knowing the answer's yes
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The Caveman Offline




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Posted: Jan. 29 2010, 09:53

Quote (SunkenForest @ Jan. 23 2010, 13:07)
Amarok still sounds totally new, too.  Hasn't aged at all.

In my humble opinion, of course.

I have to agree SunkenForest.It's very strange that it hasn't though given that some of Mike's later albums have.I think it's because it was partially a return to his earliest ways of music making in that it was made and played 'by hand' as it were and wasn't overly drenched in synths and technology for it's own sake.Still the best album since Incantations IMHO.

Long Thin Hanging Metallic Tubes

Not much synth at all really

:laugh:


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THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH.
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smillsoid Offline




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Posted: Jan. 29 2010, 12:23

I seem to play "Amarok", "Hergest Ridge" and "Incantations" in a continuous loop these days! :D

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http://www.reverbnation.com/simonjmills
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shaynw Offline




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Posted: Feb. 19 2010, 22:07

this is without a doubt my favourite MO Album with TB2 being a very close second

Imagine if he re-recorded this like he did with TB -> TB2

It just blows my mind to imagine an alternate version of Amarok..
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ex member 419 Offline




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Posted: Feb. 20 2010, 02:18

Amarok is an album that would never need to be re-released, tweaked or re-mixed. Its perfect as is. This was Mike at his crazy, beautiful wonderful self. Great to yell along with! Really release tension by stamping your feet, get moving with the hoover and use all the energy to do boring housework. A satisfying work out. Better than Rumba! 100 percent! Deb
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SunkenForest Offline




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Posted: July 06 2010, 12:01

I have a fever and the only medicine is MORE AMAROK!

I've listened to it about seven times in the past four days.
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TubularBeach Offline




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Posted: July 06 2010, 14:07

It is really one of my favourites, too.  By the way, Volkswagen now produces a VW Amarok.  It is a kind of pick-up.  :cool:
But I can't afford it right now, after having paid for all those limited super extra special hyper editions ... ;)


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"I used to think the world was broken down by tribes,' I said. 'By Black and White. By Indian and White. But I know this isn't true. The world is only broken into two tribes: the people who are assholes and the people who are not."
— Sherman Alexie
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wiga Offline




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Posted: July 06 2010, 14:39

Quote (SunkenForest @ July 06 2010, 12:01)
I have a fever and the only medicine is MORE AMAROK!

I've listened to it about seven times in the past four days.

SunkenForest. Sounds like a good choice to me. Don't think I've read about fans playing Mike Oldfield when they're ill themselves. Only when a relative is poorly. Anyway I play MO - think it pulls out those blocked emotions that make us ill in the first place. I also read Bronte books - they write a lot about 'consumption' (TB) and that usually suits my mood.

Anyhow Sunken - they say that fever and inflammation usually indicates bottled up anger - 'Caveman' might be a good idea next. If it's a cold, that usually means you need to have a good cry. The body usually knows BEST what it needs - and yours says more ..... A-M-A-R-O-K.

Stay cool - and drink lots of fluids. :)


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Barn's burnt down - now I can see the moon.
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Incantations2085 Offline




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Posted: Aug. 27 2010, 06:36

i can not imagine my  musical life without amarok

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Reaching through the dark, do you have to go??
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InsideOfYou Offline




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Posted: Aug. 27 2010, 14:46

Quote (Tubular Tos @ Jan. 02 2010, 05:03)
Quote (smillsoid @ Jan. 02 2010, 07:33)
This is my all-time favourite Mike album too!  I remember finding it on cassette in 1990, in "WH Smiths" - and being surprised that a. Mike had released a new album without me knowing, and b. that it appeared on first viewing to be a return to his 1970's approach/presentation of music.  I had no money with me (I was a student at the time), and had to beg my then girlfriend to lend me the money to buy it!  I couldn't wait to play it, because I just knew I was going to love it.  That night, I put headphones on, turned up the volume, and pressed 'play' on my 1980's cassette-deck.  I was blasted into another sonic universe!  Instantly, I knew that this was the best thing Mike had ever done - or would do - and by the end (of Side 2), I was in tears of joy.

Mike was back to being my Number One, and remains so to this day.

:) Same as you ! i was driving in my truck from Le Mans to my home  via Paris and when arriving in Paris i stopped one hour to eat because i was hungry and in the station , by chance , i found his cassette . I've played it in loop on the road of return . :)

Seems like the tape was/is the way to go when getting into Amarok! I wonder if anyone who bought it/heard it on CD loved it from the first listen? ;)
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