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Drealm Group: Members Posts: 170 Joined: Mar. 2008 Posted: Jan. 30 2010, 16:47 Personally, I consider remixes, re-playing and 5.1 things an experimentation. For me, an album is an album and that's it. Always trying to revisit, remix, replay, re-issue is a waste of time and money for me. When Tubular Bells 2003 was released, I thought the idea was original because I didn't know anyone who did it, and it was a great experimentation to do, re-playing an old unsatisfying record. But finally, the first original is the first original and nothing can be "better". I finally ended up listening to the original again. Great idea, but kind of pointless, finally. When all the virgin albums were released as "remastered", I bought them all over again, now possessing all albums in double. I don't regret it, but I think one remaster is ok, and enough. I really don't plan to buy anything remastered again, being 5.1 or mega-remastered-remixed. Maybe some people are collectors and will buy anything that comes out, be for me, it's the music that's important and good sounding stereo is way enough for me to enjoy. What's the point of 5.1 with headphones? Who always listen to music perfectly centered in the living room, fully enjoying 5.1 experience? Music is fun while walking, while driving, while dancing and while lying down... So maybe these new mix will be better sounding, but when I look at it, my good old Hergest Ridge remastered edition that made me happy all these years really don't have anything to complain about. Back to top

ex member 419 Group: Members Posts: 1177 Joined: April 2008 Posted: Jan. 30 2010, 21:29 Hi Drealm, I think original recordings are the best. I have to buy the new remasters of HR and Ommadawn as I only discovered Mike's work three years ago. Hard to find originals here. Iv made do with downloads but on an I Pod it doesnt have that rich full sound a stereo has. So can't wait to get these albums. Back to top

Drealm Group: Members Posts: 170 Joined: Mar. 2008 Posted: Jan. 31 2010, 09:45 Quote (ex member 419 @ Jan. 30 2010, 21:29) Hi Drealm, I think original recordings are the best. I have to buy the new remasters of HR and Ommadawn as I only discovered Mike's work three years ago. Hard to find originals here. Iv made do with downloads but on an I Pod it doesnt have that rich full sound a stereo has. So can't wait to get these albums. As I understand it, now virgin can't sell them anymore because they belong to Mercury, so Mercury decided that it would probably be best to make a re-mix than just sell the albums like they have always been. So you end up with no choice but the re-mixed edition. I just hope it's for the best. If they change nothing to the music and do this only for sound purpose, it's ok. Because Tubular Bells 2003 was no just a re-play, some parts were changed with new sounds and riffs, so finally it was not only for sound purpose, but also change, and that's not good I think. That's why I came back to the original. But I'm still curious about these re-mix, and I will give them a listen to hear the result. If you have access to Ebay, you can probably find original CD of Hergest Ridge and Ommadawn. Back to top

wiga Group: Members Posts: 2113 Joined: Sep. 2008 Posted: Jan. 31 2010, 13:12 Quote (Drealm @ Jan. 31 2010, 09:45) As I understand it, now virgin can't sell them anymore because they belong to Mercury, so Mercury decided that it would probably be best to make a re-mix than just sell the albums like they have always been. So you end up with no choice but the re-mixed edition. It could have been suggested to Mike by Mercury - what about a re-mix? If he's decided to conform I think he might have taken the idea too literally. I've never heard of a band or artist re-mixing everything just because they switch record companies. -------------- Barn's burnt down - now I can see the moon. Back to top

hairy old hippy Group: Members Posts: 304 Joined: July 2005 Posted: Jan. 31 2010, 15:41 Let's just see what happens shall we. Tubular Bells got a proper remaster and remix in 2009 cos it needed it. Mike was never happy with it anyway, the technology at his disposal meant he could finally do it justice (unlike the 2003 remake). I believe Hergest Ridge needs some work too.You can hear that that it's muddy and slightly distorted in places, a result of the poor tape quality at the time. I don't think there's been any suggestion of re-making this album, but of all the albums of that era by any artist I can't think of one that needs a remaster more. Compare the clarity of sound on Dark Side of The Moon to Hergest Ridge for example and you'll see what I mean, and DSOTM was released a year earlier! -------------- Listen to Mohribold; an epic musical tapestry that weaves between a multitude of genres. Andrew Taylor's Mohribold album has proved very popular with fans of symphonic-rock, prog-rock, psych-folk and indeed Oldfield's classic albums! www.andrewtaylor.bandcamp.com Back to top

Drealm Group: Members Posts: 170 Joined: Mar. 2008 Posted: Jan. 31 2010, 16:37 Quote (hairy old hippy @ Jan. 31 2010, 15:41) I believe Hergest Ridge needs some work too.You can hear that that it's muddy and slightly distorted in places, a result of the poor tape quality at the time. If I hear it, and realize that it's the same album I know with much more improved sound and that this new edition really surpass the old, I may buy it. I must admit that Hergest Ridge is one of my favorite so I may be tempted. For Tubular Bells 2009, buying a fourth time (normal edition, remastered edition, 2003 edition...) the same album was probably a little too much for me so I didn't. I even remember seeing a Super-Audio edition. But tell me, this 2009 re-mix is EXACTLY the same music, but with much more improved sound? If so, I wonder how they do to do that. Do they extract, with some super computer that can "de-mix" all the "audio tracks" from the source tape, remaster each one then mix them again? Or maybe every audio tracks were kept in a safe at Virgin and now they remaster each of them directly from the source tape before it was even mixed at the time? I know they keep the original mixed source tape, but do they keep every tape for every separate audio track? Back to top

Ugo Group: Members Posts: 5495 Joined: April 2000 Posted: Jan. 31 2010, 18:22 DOUBLE... see below. -------------- Ugo C. - a devoted Amarokian Back to top

Ugo Group: Members Posts: 5495 Joined: April 2000 Posted: Jan. 31 2010, 18:23 Quote (Drealm @ Jan. 31 2010, 22:37) If so, I wonder how they do to do that. Do they extract, with some super computer that can "de-mix" all the "audio tracks" from the source tape, remaster each one then mix them again? Or maybe every audio tracks were kept in a safe at Virgin and now they remaster each of them directly from the source tape before it was even mixed at the time? I know they keep the original mixed source tape, but do they keep every tape for every separate audio track? Well, the original tape was a multi-track tape. I'm not sure how many tracks there were, maybe 32 (did they already get to 64 by then?), but the fact that all the tracks were already separated from each other on the original multi-track tape means that every single track can be still be mixed, re-mixed or remastered separately from the others using that tape, even with very old, analogue equipment. Of course the modern remasters (or remixes) are done with computers (I guess with a software like Nuendo - the one used on the Ultimate Edition on TB) and not with old analogue consoles, so they're definitely bound to sound better. But obviously what is still left to understand (and we will understand it only when the CDs actually come out) is whether these are just remasters or remixes. I wouldn't mind hearing a remix of Ommadawn - indeed, I think it'd be quite interesting - but I also think that there's a good chance that Mike will leave HR just as it is on the Boxed CD. I've read several times that he made the Boxed remix because he was very dissatisfied with the original mix. Of course no-one can't penetrate Mike's mind, so no-one has the slightest change of knowing whether or not he has changed his mind after all this time. "Knowing" him, I'd think not. But the Mike Oldfield who currently enjoys living in the Bahamas, with one half of his brain already moving into retirement and the other half enjoying the environment and the love of his wife & kids, is surely a very diìfferent person from the Mike Oldfield who recorded HR, and even from the Mike Oldfield who later remixed it for Boxed. So... anything can happen. -------------- Ugo C. - a devoted Amarokian Back to top

Drealm Group: Members Posts: 170 Joined: Mar. 2008 Posted: Jan. 31 2010, 19:28 Thanks Ugo, very interesting; and that answer my question. Back to top

Tati The Sentinel Group: Members Posts: 3360 Joined: Feb. 2002 Posted: Jan. 31 2010, 20:17 Quote (hairy old hippy @ Jan. 31 2010, 20:41) I believe Hergest Ridge needs some work too.You can hear that that it's muddy and slightly distorted in places, a result of the poor tape quality at the time. I don't think there's been any suggestion of re-making this album, but of all the albums of that era by any artist I can't think of one that needs a remaster more. Re-recording is out since Mike doesn't care much about HR really...and I don't think that he's interested in doing it so at the moment. -------------- "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

manintherain Group: Members. Posts: 545 Joined: Mar. 2004 Posted: Feb. 01 2010, 03:03 Quote (Ugo @ Feb. 01 2010, 00:23) Well, the original tape was a multi-track tape. I'm not sure how many tracks there were, maybe 32 (did they already get to 64 by then?), but the fact that all the tracks were already separated from each other on the original multi-track tape means that every single track can be still be mixed, re-mixed or remastered separately from the others using that tape, even with very old, analogue equipment. Whilst Hergest Ridge was mostly recorded at The Manor in Shipton-on-Chirwell, the equipment he used would have been much the same as that used for Tubular Bells, which by then was an Ampex 2" 16 track tape recorder. Ommadawn was recorded at The Beacon in Kington where he had built himself a custom 24 track studio. Back to top

ex member 419 Group: Members Posts: 1177 Joined: April 2008 Posted: Feb. 01 2010, 05:45 Hi Tati, Ugo and Drealm, the reissues will be of good quality, no doubts there. Even if Mike doesn't do all the mixing and re mastering, he still has the final word on whether he is happy with the results. One thing Mike does well IMO, he won't put up with "just good enough" He may be relaxing a bit more, getting a normal life finally with his wife and boys which can only help him with the task at hand. The reissues will be the "best of the best" with all the familiar music and lyrics boosted by new sound technologies, resulting in crisp, clean, pure sound with no pops or clicks. Good luck with it all Mike and thanks for doing this for us. Back to top

crises1980 Group: Members Posts: 63 Joined: Feb. 2008 Posted: Feb. 03 2010, 21:36 I'm more interested in a remastered album and outtakes than any new mix by Mike Oldfield. TB Bahamas mix was utterly dull and anticlimactic. Most of the magic was taken away. Mike Oldfield's Single new mix was a complete waste - even worse than TB 2003. IMHO, Universal should ignore any outdated 5.1 mix revamped into a 'Brand New Caribbean Bahamas 2010 mix by Mike Oldfield in his flamboyant yacht studio' and just release something as easy as a proper remaster with bonus. Period. BTW, what ever happened to the TB promo video that was finally not included on the TB2009 DVD? Back to top

Milamber Group: Musicians Posts: 2263 Joined: Feb. 2010 Posted: Feb. 06 2010, 17:31 Well said Crises1980 . I would love to see if any live recordings will be added as bonus from Qe2 onwards would be great . Hey Mike Remix Crises 1983 live at Wembly. Back to top

jjmillenium Group: Members Posts: 54 Joined: Oct. 2009 Posted: Feb. 07 2010, 16:49 when we have the official announcement of this? the website still down....and the releases is out in two months!   Back to top

Mark Group: Members Posts: 32 Joined: Dec. 2007 Posted: Feb. 09 2010, 13:12 Quote (Pat Gleeson @ Jan. 21 2010, 18:16) Quote (crises1980 @ Jan. 21 2010, 17:21) Mike Oldfield broke up with music long ago. His later albums lack totally of any creativity - they're a mere collection of superficial sounds without any soul. As he said, Mike Oldfield doesn't fancy music anymore and doesn't give a damn on his fans. So I feel for any "new" release under the Mike Oldfield name. I have to agree with that 100% I'm in total agreement with both of you. Back to top

Matt Group: Admins Posts: 1186 Joined: Nov. 2002 Posted: Feb. 09 2010, 16:01 Quote (Mark @ Feb. 09 2010, 18:12) Quote (Pat Gleeson @ Jan. 21 2010, 18:16) Quote (crises1980 @ Jan. 21 2010, 17:21) Mike Oldfield broke up with music long ago. His later albums lack totally of any creativity - they're a mere collection of superficial sounds without any soul. As he said, Mike Oldfield doesn't fancy music anymore and doesn't give a damn on his fans. So I feel for any "new" release under the Mike Oldfield name. I have to agree with that 100% I'm in total agreement with both of you. Sorry, but I've got to disagree with some of this. MOTS is "a collection of superficial sounds without soul"? Not to me. "Mike doesn't fancy music anymore" - Proof please. As to "fans" - I don't personally feel fans have ever been much of a priority to Mike. Nor do I think they need to be. Mostly we've enjoyed Mike concentrating on music rather than pandering to a fanbase. If he has had enough of music, I feel he has the right to conentrate on family, or retirement. If he's got more to give - bring it on! -------------- "I say I say I say I say, what's got three bottles and five eyes and no legs and two wheels" Back to top

Pat Gleeson Group: Members Posts: 282 Joined: Nov. 2003 Posted: Feb. 09 2010, 17:26 I would agree that MotS was a return to form to a degree, although it borrowed a little too liberally from TB, HR and Karl Jenkins' Ademius at times. The 2 albums previous were soulless affairs without doubt. Regarding Mike not fancying music anymore, I quote the Q Magazine interview introduction from last year: >>The boat, re­cently pur­cha­sed se­cond hand for two mi­llion, is now his per­ma­nent home for him and his fa­mily: his se­cond wife Fanny, two chil­dren, her nanny and a field spa­niel named Fluff. ... There is a por­ta­ble stu­dio on the boat, but Old­field has no plans to crea­te more music and has little in­ter­est in the work of other ar­tists. "I hate music," he says. "The com­ple­te and total si­len­ce is my fa­vo­ri­te music.">> Of course, Mike could change his mind tomorrow ...   Back to top

Tati The Sentinel Group: Members Posts: 3360 Joined: Feb. 2002 Posted: Feb. 09 2010, 17:42 I have never taken seriously when he says he hates music and/or silence is his favorite music   -------------- "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

Atane Group: Members Posts: 66 Joined: June 2007 Posted: Feb. 09 2010, 19:35 Quote (Pat Gleeson @ Feb. 09 2010, 17:26) >>The boat, re­cently pur­cha­sed se­cond hand for two mi­llion,... There is a por­ta­ble stu­dio on the boat, but Old­field says. "The com­ple­te and total si­len­ce is my fa­vo­ri­te music.">> Could anyone explain me what's the point in building a studio on a boat (given the average Oldfield studios cost at least twice the price of his boat) if you only aim to listen to silence? Back to top

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