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Question: Platinum poll :: Total Votes:81 Poll choices Votes Statistics the last of Mike's great 70s instrumentals 11  [13.58%] too much like an Incantations afterthought 1  [1.23%] a sign that Mike was low on inspiration as he entered the 80s 4  [4.94%] a great example of Mike changing his style with the times 37  [45.68%] OK, nothing special 6  [7.41%] criminally underrated 18  [22.22%] my favourite Mike Oldfield recording 4  [4.94%] Guests cannot vote

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familyjules Group: Members Posts: 1190 Joined: May 2004 Posted: June 14 2004, 07:43 How do you feel about Platinum parts I to IV? -------------- I like beer and I like cheese Back to top

raven4x4x Group: Members Posts: 1535 Joined: Jan. 2002 Posted: June 14 2004, 07:54 I don't really feel that any of them apply. I certainly don't count it as one of the 70s instrumentals: it's too different in style and feeling, and a bit more fragmented that they are. I don't think it's an afterthought from Incantations, in that I can't see the connection between Incantations and Platinum at all. They are radically different in feeling, style and genre, I don't think they are even remotely similar. He certainly wasn't low on inspiration, but I don't think they are great, I'm more indifferent to them, not good, not bad. Prehaps nothing special would be more appropriate. Yes, I think so, but they are on the good side of nothing special. They are only average because of the excellent quality of the rest of Mike's work. -------------- Thank-you for helping us help you help us all. Back to top

Holger Group: Members Posts: 1506 Joined: Feb. 2003 Posted: June 14 2004, 10:29 Would have to go with the "great example of Mike changing with time" option, I've always really liked Platinum, both piece and album. Underrated, it is a bit perhaps but I never felt it was "criminally" underrated. I sometimes feel like that about QE2, but that's a different matter altogether   PS - however I imagine it must have been a big shock to the people who had loved the first four albums at the time! (I sometimes think I can almost see their jaws dropping to the floor   ) - doesn't say anything about the quality of the music though! Back to top

hiawatha Group: Members Posts: 2391 Joined: Mar. 2004 Posted: June 14 2004, 10:38 If forced to choose, I would go with "great example of Mike changing with time". However, this was actually after he had changed (with Guilty) and I would call it more a situation of Mike changing for his own reasons, rather than using an answer that implies he was just going with the flow. -------------- "In the land of the Dacotahs, Where the Falls of Minnehaha Flash and gleam among the oak-trees, Laugh and leap into the valley." - Song of Hiawatha Back to top

familyjules Group: Members Posts: 1190 Joined: May 2004 Posted: June 14 2004, 11:24 I think of Platinum as a transitional album.  There's still a side long instrumental, but then there's a side of Mike trying his hand at writing songs too.  The second side I find undeveloped and Platinum itself I find good, but not great.  For me it doesn't have the inspiration of the first 4 albums, but I still love some of the guitar riffs - there's some really nice stuff in there. I also notice that it seems to be courting a mainstream audience, with the rock drums and shorter pieces, so it's the beginning of the era that lead up to Mike succeeding in writing 'regular' pop songs. Jules -------------- I like beer and I like cheese Back to top

Sir Mustapha Group: Musicians Posts: 2802 Joined: April 2003 Posted: June 14 2004, 12:20 I guess it is a great example of Mike changing. If anything, the track represents a masterful meld of "mainstream" disco rock music with his musicianship, sense of melody and instrumental skill. Very few would have been able to make a rock piece like Platinum and make it sound genuine, like Mike does. A great example is the Charleston / North Star combo - one track being totally silly, yet challenging, and the second one taking the disco vibe and applying Philip Glass's original over it to make something absolutely, totally gorgeous with it. I swear, there is no other track in my collection that makes me groove and tap my foot while being moved close to tears. I absolutely love Platinum. If anything, it's easily one of my favourite "lesser" instrumental works by Mike (other favourites being Crises and Music From The Balcony). I think it's underrated (maybe not 'criminally', but only maybe) because some people tend to disdain it. But yes, it's a great example of Mike changing with the times - where as, say, Tubular Bells II and III are bad examples of Mike changing with the times. -------------- Check out http://ferniecanto.com.br for all my music, including my latest albums: Don't Stay in the City, Making Amends and Builders of Worlds. Also check my Bandcamp page: http://ferniecanto.bandcamp.com Back to top

hiawatha Group: Members Posts: 2391 Joined: Mar. 2004 Posted: Feb. 18 2005, 09:51 Quote (familyjules @ June 14 2004, 11:24) I think of Platinum as a transitional album.  There's still a side long instrumental, but then there's a side of Mike trying his hand at writing songs too.   I see "Incantations", the one before it, as the transitional album. Didn't Mike have his "exegesis" experience right in the middle of making "Incantations"? I've always wondered which parts were before and which were after. I have suspected that the end section of side 3 might be after "exegesis". Does anyone know on this? I also saw side one of Platinum as 4 instrumentals, not "a side-long one" like you find on Crises or Islands or almost on Discovery. -------------- "In the land of the Dacotahs, Where the Falls of Minnehaha Flash and gleam among the oak-trees, Laugh and leap into the valley." - Song of Hiawatha Back to top

familyjules Group: Members Posts: 1190 Joined: May 2004 Posted: Feb. 18 2005, 11:44 Quote (hiawatha @ Feb. 18 2005, 09:51) I see "Incantations", the one before it, as the transitional album. Didn't Mike have his "exegesis" experience right in the middle of making "Incantations"? I've always wondered which parts were before and which were after. I have suspected that the end section of side 3 might be after "exegesis". Does anyone know on this? I remember reading in an interview that sides 1 and 2 were pre Exegesis and that sides 3 and 4 were post Exegesis. Jules -------------- I like beer and I like cheese Back to top

familyjules Group: Members Posts: 1190 Joined: May 2004 Posted: Feb. 18 2005, 11:46 Quote (hiawatha @ Feb. 18 2005, 09:51) I also saw side one of Platinum as 4 instrumentals, not "a side-long one" like you find on Crises or Islands or almost on Discovery. I don't agree, Hiawatha.  I always thought that breaking Platinum down into 4 parts was an attempt by Mike to be more 'user friendly' and accessible.  It all sounds of a piece to me.  Certainly no less than Tubular Bells or Ommadawn, and you could break those two albums down into several different chunks if you so desired. Jules -------------- I like beer and I like cheese Back to top

hiawatha Group: Members Posts: 2391 Joined: Mar. 2004 Posted: Feb. 18 2005, 14:56 I guess it is sort of subjective. As for TB and Ommadawn, I see a definite break between the two sides of each. In both, Side 1 is like one song, and Side 2 is almost totally unrelated: containing a long diverse instrumental followed by a short (also unrelated) song. -------------- "In the land of the Dacotahs, Where the Falls of Minnehaha Flash and gleam among the oak-trees, Laugh and leap into the valley." - Song of Hiawatha Back to top

Bill Bobaggins Group: Members Posts: 477 Joined: June 2005 Posted: July 03 2005, 20:46 I had to vote for that it's my favorite, because at the moment, it is.  My favorite changes constantly.  Previously it was Amarok.  Now it's Platinum.  In fact, I listen every day as I do my treadmill workout.  Part 1 is a little slower for my warmup.  With Parts 2, 3 and 4, I can keep my treadmill set for 3.5 mph.  I follow that up with EeTon's latest Oclamoorie and then wind down with To France.  Works out to be about a 30-minute routine. -------------- Speak friend and enter. Back to top

Alan D Group: Members Posts: 3670 Joined: Aug. 2004 Posted: July 04 2005, 06:04 I always think of Platinum with a kind of nostalgic affection. When it came out, I'd just done a crash course in Mike Oldfield, having discovered him only about a year before. So when I listened to it for the first time, I was steeped in the previous albums, and the shock was quite something. I listened to it over and over again - not because I liked it particularly, but because I was intrigued by the change, and wanted to answer the question: how could he have got from there to here?. North Star is surely among the finest things he's ever done. The rest, I suppose i'm fairly lukewarm about. But my admiration of him for the attempt to make music so different and unexpected is something else again. Back to top

TubularBelle Group: Members Posts: 1487 Joined: April 2004 Posted: July 05 2005, 01:38 I used to excercise to Platinum too, it had the right build up and cool down at the right moments. Tracy. -------------- I hate getting up early. I didn't even realise there were two 6 o'clocks in one day! Back to top

larstangmark Group: Members Posts: 1759 Joined: Mar. 2005 Posted: July 05 2005, 12:39 Quote (familyjules @ Feb. 18 2005, 11:44) Quote (hiawatha @ Feb. 18 2005, 09:51) I've always wondered which parts were before and which were after. I have suspected that the end section of side 3 might be after "exegesis". Does anyone know on this? I remember reading in an interview that sides 1 and 2 were pre Exegesis and that sides 3 and 4 were post Exegesis. Jules From what I've read part 1 and 4 was post-exegesis. I don't know if I can hear the difference, but there sure is more repetition in parts 1 and 4. Both have sections that seem to go on forever. Personally I'm more fond of part 1. Part 4 never stood out for me. Some of it sounds like PMs Gong! Lars T -------------- "There are twelve people in the world, the rest are paste" Mark E Smith Back to top

larstangmark Group: Members Posts: 1759 Joined: Mar. 2005 Posted: Sep. 26 2005, 13:12 It took three months before the post above appeared on the forum. Isn't that strange? -------------- "There are twelve people in the world, the rest are paste" Mark E Smith Back to top

The Bell(end) Group: Members Posts: 1051 Joined: July 2005 Posted: Oct. 10 2005, 16:22 Quote (TubularBelle @ July 05 2005, 06:38) I used to excercise to Platinum too, it had the right build up and cool down at the right moments. My Dad has used TSODE for years! This was one of the two ways I discovered Mike Oldfield, the other being that he played TBII in the car alot   As for Platinum, pure excellence, all parts, I love the grooviness of part 3 in particular   -------------- When the night's on fi-ya, do you need love's arms to hold yew? :D Back to top

The Bell(end) Group: Members Posts: 1051 Joined: July 2005 Posted: Oct. 10 2005, 16:26 Quote (Alan D @ July 04 2005, 11:04) I was intrigued by the change, and wanted to answer the question: how could he have got from there to here?. Surely his 'cure' from panic attacks and increased self-confidence after the help he got was the main reason for such change, it really is great! I feel Woodhenge goes slightly back to Ommadawn roots, he managed much better with Amarok though   -------------- When the night's on fi-ya, do you need love's arms to hold yew? :D Back to top

Baggiesfaninessex Group: Members Posts: 682 Joined: Mar. 2002 Posted: Oct. 24 2005, 06:31 I opted for changing with the times but I think it had more to do with an increase in self-confidence more than anything else. The side long instrumental, although typically Oldfieldian in sound, was really far less complex and more mainstream than any album released previously. Maybe he realised that he could compose music for fun, toe-tapping pleasure as well as symphonic, complex epics? -------------- “A dog is not intelligent. Never trust an animal that's surprised by its own farts.” - Frank Skinner Back to top

arron11196 Group: Members Posts: 826 Joined: April 2005 Posted: Nov. 11 2005, 15:42 Quote (TubularBelle @ July 05 2005, 01:38) I used to excercise to Platinum too, it had the right build up and cool down at the right moments. Tracy. I still do. 20 minutes on the excercise bike 6 times a week -------------- Arron J Eagling Everyone's interpretation is different, and everyone has a right to that opinion. There is no "right" one, I am adding this post to communicate my thoughts to share them with like-minded souls who will be able to comment in good nature. (insert the last 5 mins of Crises here) Back to top

Piltdownboy on horseback 22 Group: Members Posts: 1545 Joined: Sep. 2005 Posted: Nov. 11 2005, 17:15 Quote (arron11196 @ Nov. 11 2005, 15:42) 20 minutes on the excercise bike 6 times a week So then you must look exactly like Mike on the Voyager cover but then younger  -------------- "And now we're going to play Platinum!" Back to top

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