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Ugo Group: Members Posts: 5495 Joined: April 2000 Posted: Feb. 05 2005, 19:25 I've never understood why Islands (at least in the European version, I don't know about the US one) hasn't got proper musician credits like all the other albums where musicians (other than MO) are featured. Only a list of participating musicians is included in the booklet... so here's my attempt to compile a track-by-track credit list. THE WIND CHIMES Vocals: Anita Hegerland & Balinese people Drums: Simon Phillips All other instruments: MO ISLANDS Lead Vocals: Bonnie Tyler Backing Vocals: Barry Palmer (?) Drums: Tony Beard (?) Bass: Phil Spalding (?) Guitars & Keyboards: MO Oboe: Andy MacKay Sax: Raf Ravenscroft FLYING START Lead Vocals: Kevin Ayers Backing Vocals: MO (?) or Barry Palmer (?) Drums: Pierre Moerlen (?) Rhythm Guitars: Rick Fenn (?) Sitar & all other instruments: MO NORTH POINT Vocals: Anita Hegerland All instruments: MO MAGIC TOUCH Lead Vocals: Jim Price (UK/Europe); Max Bacon (US) Backing Vocals: Max Bacon & ? Drums: Tony Beard (?) Bass: Phil Spalding (?) Guitars & Keyboards: MO THE TIME HAS COME Vocals: Anita Hegerland All instruments: MO WHEN THE NIGHT'S ON FIRE Lead Vocals: Anita Hegerland Backing Vocals: Barry Palmer (?) All instruments: MO I would like some of you out there to help me get rid of all of the ?'s above, and to correct what may be wrong. I'd also love to know what were the contributions of Mickey Simmonds, Bjorn Jason Lindh, Mervyn (Spam) Spence and Benoit Moerlen, since I cannot exactly place 'em anywhere. -------------- Ugo C. - a devoted Amarokian Back to top

Korgscrew Group: Super Admins Posts: 3511 Joined: Dec. 1999 Posted: Feb. 08 2005, 04:36 I do have a more complete list somewhere, having put it together in planning for a forthcoming Islands discography page. Pierre and Benoit did the percussion on The Wind Chimes. I believe it was all tuned percussion they played. You can see one of them in the video at one point, I seem to remember it's Pierre, his hands playing a vibraphone. Mickey Simmonds did some keyboard parts on The Wind Chimes which Mike couldn't/didn't want to do. He called in Mickey occasionally when he was stuck and needed a bit of inspiration. Most of the parts, according to Mike, are played by Mike. Bjorn J:son Lindh plays a few flute parts in places on The Wind Chimes, as far as I'm aware. Mervyn 'Spam' Spence, I'm not sure on. Could have been vocals or bass, I'd imagine vocals. Anita Hegerland sings on some of Magic Touch too. Not sure that the drums on that one aren't programmed actually. It's just one of those Coral Sitar guitars on Flying Start, the same he used on Amarok and Guitars. I'd have to look through my various notes to say more on the rest. I suspect the roles of Phil Spalding and Rick Fenn may be small. Back to top

fzklangwelt Group: Members Posts: 5 Joined: June 2007 Posted: June 30 2007, 04:44 Although I don't know why, Isalnds for me is the most fascinating of Mike 's albums. In spring 1987 Mike was announced for german tv show "Wetten, dass?". Due to media information the performance was cancelled because he didn't like his new song with Bonnie Tyler anymore - maybe the version known as "Islands rough mix" was scheduled to release ! When the album was released in september 1987 I was very confused about the new musical style and was annoyed on the lack of information on the musicians. This is what I found out in the last 20 years: Drums: Simon Phillips played drums only on The Wind Chimes Part 2. An additional drummer on the album is Tony Beard. In my opinion he played on the track Islands only. All other songs have programmed drums  - maybe there are some live bits on electronic Simmons drums on When The Nights On Fire. The Moerlen brothers play vibrophones only. Vocals: I was annoyed on the fact that only the lead singers are credited: On the track Islands Max Bacon sings the 1th voice of the chorus, Bonnie Tyler the 2nd one. Maybe some sampled or in another way modified vocals from Anita Hegerland were used, too. On Flying Start Phil Spalding can be heard singing the bridge chorus "two dark eyes on the doorway shine...". Anita sings in the choir together with Max Bacon. Magic Touch features a lot of Max Bacon, too although Jim Price was the lead singer of the european album version. The ending part is sung by Anita. If you listen very carefully to When The Nights On Fire you can hear that Anita's vocals are pitched and put together from many little takes. Other musicians: Mervyn Spence is a bass player. Mickey Moody (maybe on Magic Touch) and Rick Fenn (The Wind Chimes) played guitars. Bjorn J:Son Lindh is a keyboarder but is supposed to play the wooden flutes on The Wind Chimes. Unfortunately the islands Tour was cancelled due to information by Pierre Moerlen. Back to top

larstangmark Group: Members Posts: 1759 Joined: Mar. 2005 Posted: June 30 2007, 05:04 Quote (fzklangwelt @ June 30 2007, 04:44) Bjorn J:Son Lindh is a keyboarder but is supposed to play the wooden flutes on The Wind Chimes. Bjorn J:son Lindh is one of my countrymen, and as far as I know he's known (at least here in Sweden) mostly for his instantly recognizable flute playing. -------------- "There are twelve people in the world, the rest are paste" Mark E Smith Back to top

Ugo Group: Members Posts: 5495 Joined: April 2000 Posted: June 30 2007, 19:21 Quote (fzklangwelt @ June 30 2007, 10:44) On Flying Start Phil Spalding can be heard singing the bridge chorus "two dark eyes on the doorway shine...". Oh? I thought it was Mike singing that. Always nice to know... -------------- Ugo C. - a devoted Amarokian Back to top

larstangmark Group: Members Posts: 1759 Joined: Mar. 2005 Posted: July 01 2007, 04:58 fzklangwelt! How do you know all those things? You've obviously done some kind of research. Fascinating insights indeed, and I would be thrilled to know how you got them. Lars T -------------- "There are twelve people in the world, the rest are paste" Mark E Smith Back to top

Milamber Group: Musicians Posts: 2263 Joined: Feb. 2010 Posted: April 16 2012, 21:15 I was reading the other day that Michael Cretu (Enigma) was a producer on the album. Does anyone know what his input was or what producing he did? Back to top

oblique Group: Members Posts: 411 Joined: Mar. 2005 Posted: April 17 2012, 02:41 From the Tubular.net discography on Islands: The time has come co-produced by Mike Oldfield and Michael Cretu..... The song even sounds like an Enigma track. Edit: I just read that the first Enigma album apeared in 1990. In the eighties he had some small hits under his own name, and one large one as he produced Maria Magdalena by Sandra (Lauer), his wife back then. -------------- "While we are alive we should sit among colored lights and taste good wines, and discuss our adventures in far places; when we are dead, the opportunity is past." - Jack Vance Back to top

Milamber Group: Musicians Posts: 2263 Joined: Feb. 2010 Posted: April 18 2012, 06:39 Thanks Oblique   Should of thought to look there myself. Back to top

oblique Group: Members Posts: 411 Joined: Mar. 2005 Posted: April 18 2012, 08:49 Oh, and by the way congrats on the big four O, Cam. -------------- "While we are alive we should sit among colored lights and taste good wines, and discuss our adventures in far places; when we are dead, the opportunity is past." - Jack Vance Back to top

Cavalier (Lost Version) Group: Members Posts: 598 Joined: Nov. 2010 Posted: April 18 2012, 12:43 IslandsHad one of those quirky little coincidences about this time last year, as Ugo posed a German language puzzle... http://tubular.net/forums....;st=140 I didn't get it, although in searching every German artist I could think of, I clearly went past the solution, but this marked the first day since the eighties that I'd thought of Sandra.  One Wikipedia page later, I found out she'd been Mrs Enigma, or thereabouts at the time of Islands.  And that night I heard Sadeness Part 1 on the radio for the first time this century! Mr Enigma's contribution, I honestly can't say I detected on first listen to Islands, but I appreciate learning of it through discograpies such as the one here. And indeed, Milamber: is this a birthday you see before you... -------------- "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

Milamber Group: Musicians Posts: 2263 Joined: Feb. 2010 Posted: April 18 2012, 22:16 Thanks Oblique and Cav.   Back to top

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