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Platinumpty Group: Members Posts: 173 Joined: May 2011 Posted: Oct. 24 2013, 11:56 I couldn't resist making the first topic posting (well, I have 8 minutes to spare before I leave the office and can't be bothered starting something seinsible and work-related). What are your hopes for the new album?  Realistic expectations? I'm hoping the songs will be direct, accessible, not too cheesy, heartfelt and beautifully-played with a few sonic surprises along the way.  I doubt the critics will sing its praises but I'm sure the fans will embrace it. As with all recent Oldfield albums there will be moments of real transendence and a couple of things that make me cringe. My favorite Oldfield "rock" songs are Shadow on the Wall, Crime of Passion and Five Miles Out so anything in that ballpark of brilliance will make me very happy indeed. Back to top

Korgscrew Group: Super Admins Posts: 3511 Joined: Dec. 1999 Posted: Oct. 24 2013, 16:12 My general feeling is it's shaping up to be a fairly slick commercial rock album. Starting with Music of the Spheres, I have the sense that Universal is working on shaping Mike and his work up to be as marketable a thing as possible - I don't think Karl Jenkins, Hayley Westenra and Lang Lang were picked because they were personal friends or favourites of Mike, but rather, because they're among the biggest names on Universal's classical roster. I have the sense Universal had a big hand in his appearance at the Olympics, and they certainly had a big hand in the recent documentary (for those who didn't twig, Daryl Easlea - interviewed as a 'biographer' - is the head of the back catalogue release project). So I think this album's been shaped into something which they think will do reasonably well commercially, and that'll help cement his new 'rock legend' status (I know fans have always seen him as a legend, but I think the kind of  media coverage he's been getting recently has been a sign of  a changing tide). What the critics will think of it is anyone's guess, and I' suspect it's not going to be the Next Great Oldfield Album that fans have been hoping for, but I imagine it's going to be a slickly produced album with some good playing on it...I look forward with intrigue! Back to top

Holger Group: Members Posts: 1506 Joined: Feb. 2003 Posted: Oct. 25 2013, 06:09 I'm also very intrigued. I'm not at all worried about production (where, for example, L+S had some issues) or playing, as the collaborators seem more than competent, which has always been a big plus for Mike whenever he did collaborate in recent years. My hope, however, is that it will actually deserve to be called a "rock album". I don't expect full-blown heavy metal or anything of course (though that would be so awesome ), I just hope it doesn't go to the other extreme too much. Come to think of it, the last time he has "publically rocked" was on TB2003 - ten years ago - and I have to say that even though I never really listen to that one, I thought it was more than decent and the rock parts really did rock. Going back even further, "Outcast" from TBIII was an awesome rocking tune, whereas Guitars was nice and had some rock bits but I guess they just didn't rock as much. So I guess what I'm saying is, it seems obvious that Mike can rock out when he chooses to, but it's ages ago that he did any substantial amounts of it, and I'm intrigued to hear whether he can actually still do it for the length of an album. Although very likely, there will also be some "ballad-type" softer stuff. Back to top

qjamesfloyd Group: Members Posts: 1351 Joined: April 2001 Posted: Oct. 25 2013, 07:18 I like the fact that Mike has jumped genre again, going from his last album being classical to this one being rock, similar to Earth Moving, being all vocal to Amarok, being 1 hour of instumental music. So, my hopes are high for this album, he has a new label who seem to like him!! and he has got some great people on the album apart from himself. As for if it will be "rock" or not, who knows, but Mike asked the same question about MOTS to himself, and the answer "It's my idea of classical music" and this album could be his idea of rock music. For me, the fact we all don't really know what we are getting is exciting, imagine being a fan of chart music, etc, with that, you know you are getting the same thing with every release!!! Back to top

larstangmark Group: Members Posts: 1759 Joined: Mar. 2005 Posted: Oct. 25 2013, 08:13 Quote (Korgscrew @ Oct. 24 2013, 16:12) My general feeling is it's shaping up to be a fairly slick commercial rock album. Starting with Music of the Spheres, I have the sense that Universal is working on shaping Mike and his work up to be as marketable a thing as possible - I don't think Karl Jenkins, Hayley Westenra and Lang Lang were picked because they were personal friends or favourites of Mike, but rather, because they're among the biggest names on Universal's classical roster. I have the sense Universal had a big hand in his appearance at the Olympics, and they certainly had a big hand in the recent documentary (for those who didn't twig, Daryl Easlea - interviewed as a 'biographer' - is the head of the back catalogue release project). So I think this album's been shaped into something which they think will do reasonably well commercially, and that'll help cement his new 'rock legend' status (I know fans have always seen him as a legend, but I think the kind of  media coverage he's been getting recently has been a sign of  a changing tide). What the critics will think of it is anyone's guess, and I' suspect it's not going to be the Next Great Oldfield Album that fans have been hoping for, but I imagine it's going to be a slickly produced album with some good playing on it...I look forward with intrigue! Some very good reflection of Mike's recent work there. Personally I think an artist like Mike has compensate for not touring with making every recording project "big" (with guest stars etc). Not touring and making semi-progessive music (like Incantations/FMO) would not pay the bills for his Bahamas home I suppose. -------------- "There are twelve people in the world, the rest are paste" Mark E Smith Back to top

Harmono Group: Members Posts: 759 Joined: May 2005 Posted: Oct. 25 2013, 11:13 Quote (Holger @ Oct. 25 2013, 12:09) Going back even further, "Outcast" from TBIII was an awesome rocking tune, whereas Guitars was nice and had some rock bits but I guess they just didn't rock as much. Agreed, but I think Guitars would rock much more if it had real drums. It would be a totally different album with someone like JR on the drums. The guitars on Guitars would not need to be changed. Back to top

Platinumpty Group: Members Posts: 173 Joined: May 2011 Posted: Oct. 25 2013, 11:56 Quote (Harmono @ Oct. 25 2013, 11:13) Agreed, but I think Guitars would rock much more if it had real drums. It would be a totally different album with someone like JR on the drums. The guitars on Guitars would not need to be changed. True - the ticky, tinny midi drums triggered by guitar effects on "Guitars" kind of spoilt it for me.  Neil Young more recently demonstrated you can make a sonically-full sounding rock album with just one guitar (on "Le Noise") but then he did have the genius of Daniel Lanois producing. I'd love to hear a remixed version called "Guitars....Mostly" replacing all the fake synth pads and drums with maybe bowed guitar (a la Jimmy Page) and real drums. Back to top

First_Excursion Group: Members Posts: 279 Joined: Aug. 2012 Posted: Oct. 27 2013, 00:46 Quote (Harmono @ Oct. 25 2013, 11:13) Agreed, but I think Guitars would rock much more if it had real drums. Agreed. It would have been a much better album if he hadn't devised the 'everything is guitar' concept. I'm a little worried about the vocalist on the new album, I mean I loved Barry Palmer, but I can't stand those all too clean male vocals like on Magic Touch and on the Earth Moving album. At least Mike isn't singing on it I suppose, that's a good start. Back to top

Tati The Sentinel Group: Members Posts: 3360 Joined: Feb. 2002 Posted: Oct. 27 2013, 05:41 Luke Spiller from The Struts is the only guy singing on Man on the Rocks: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq_BaUrFnhk -------------- "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 Back to top

First_Excursion Group: Members Posts: 279 Joined: Aug. 2012 Posted: Oct. 28 2013, 16:19 Quote (Tati The Sentinel @ Oct. 27 2013, 05:41) Luke Spiller from The Struts is the only guy singing on Man on the Rocks Hmmm well hopefully it will grow on me.   Back to top

Platinumpty Group: Members Posts: 173 Joined: May 2011 Posted: Oct. 31 2013, 09:12 Given recent hints about "Tubular Bells 4" (although it could still prove to be a joke) we may need a 28th album forum soon enough.  Personally I'm hoping that the floodgates of inspiration have been opened and more music is pouring out.  I know, I'm greedy. Back to top

barabadam Group: Members Posts: 4 Joined: June 2006 Posted: Dec. 06 2013, 20:47 I'm torn about the purchase; should I get it on vinyl or just wait for it to show up on Google Play? Back to top

Platinumpty Group: Members Posts: 173 Joined: May 2011 Posted: Dec. 11 2013, 11:53 I'm going for the enhanced CD release - apparently demos are in the offing.  Plus I don't (yet) have a turntable (I miss my old vinyl though so this will be remedied in 2014). Back to top

Chrissy Group: Members Posts: 68 Joined: Sep. 2013 Posted: Jan. 06 2014, 17:36 Just 3 weeks to go till it's released :-) Back to top

barabadam Group: Members Posts: 4 Joined: June 2006 Posted: Jan. 10 2014, 21:27 anyone hosting a listening party? Back to top

Korgscrew Group: Super Admins Posts: 3511 Joined: Dec. 1999 Posted: Jan. 11 2014, 04:54 Quote (barabadam @ Jan. 11 2014, 01:27) anyone hosting a listening party? I wasn't planning on it, but it's an interesting idea! It would be fun to hold something at midnight on the day of the release, if we could persuade Universal to cooperate... Would anyone (either in the UK, or willing to travel to the UK - most likely London) be up for that? Back to top

amarokbells Group: Members Posts: 13 Joined: Oct. 2013 Posted: Jan. 13 2014, 12:57 IMO, I think that the album will be bad. Seriously. I would like a new album with one long rock song (with no electro-lounge music and singers) -------------- Xhaso language is the best language in the world Back to top

Tati The Sentinel Group: Members Posts: 3360 Joined: Feb. 2002 Posted: Jan. 13 2014, 19:36 Quote (Korgscrew @ Jan. 11 2014, 08:54) Quote (barabadam @ Jan. 11 2014, 01:27) anyone hosting a listening party? I wasn't planning on it, but it's an interesting idea! It would be fun to hold something at midnight on the day of the release, if we could persuade Universal to cooperate... Would anyone (either in the UK, or willing to travel to the UK - most likely London) be up for that? I'd be interested on it if does happen ! -------------- "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 Back to top

Cavalier (Lost Version) Group: Members Posts: 598 Joined: Nov. 2010 Posted: Jan. 14 2014, 06:39 Quote (Korgscrew @ Jan. 11 2014, 04:54) Would anyone (either in the UK, or willing to travel to the UK - most likely London) be up for that? Spirit willing, flesh weak...  Industry listening events often take place a bit or a lot earlier than release, for the hope of creating 'buzz'; I shall put on my trend-setting threads and crash one of those, for I fear other dates won't suit.  Hope it all comes off! -------------- "Who was that?" "That was Venger - the force of Evil!  I am Dungeon Master - your guide in the realm of Dungeons & Dragons!" Back to top

Olivier Group: Super Admins Posts: 1865 Joined: Nov. 1999 Posted: Jan. 16 2014, 17:06 From the Tubular Bells II era: "I'm not really a pianist, I'm not a pianist at all but I have got a way of feeling music - I start playing a piece of music and I'm off into this different world. Trevor kept saying "Well, we ought to get a real pianist to play that" and I said "Well, alright, I'll try it, let's listen to a real pianist". In comes a real pianist, the real pianist played it really and we all sort of went "Hmm..." you know, it just doesn't sound unique, it didn't sound like my music any more, 'cause I wasn't playing it, so it seems as if I have some sort of style which gives it my character, so I have to play it myself." Similar producer but different approach on going ahead with "real musicians" with this album. As he said himself he sees it as something he hasn't done before, so perhaps by extension as not really his characteristic music in some way. Back to top

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