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simmo2005 Group: Members Posts: 173 Joined: Sep. 2005 Posted: Sep. 14 2005, 08:54 Hello. I've just joined this site, but have been an M.O fan for about 8 years and live in the UK. I just wondered if anyone has seen any promotion AT ALL for the upcoming L&S in the UK? Having just browsed through Q and Mojo magazine etc, I was amazed that there were 2 adverts for Mercury artists (one was for Bon Jovi's release next week) but nothing whatsoever for MO.  And these are the OCTOBER ISSUES. Now surely, if you have just signed a 3-album UK deal with a major recording artist, you would 'exploit' the fact by promoting the album?? surely mentioning TB would be a 'useful' selling point? It looks very much as though, with all the promotion being in spain and germany (universal or mercury don't even mention MO in their UK artist pages) and with the release listed on every amazon except the .co.uk site, we have to be prepared for the horrible eventuality that, like MB and Tres Lunas, this will be the 3rd consecutive MO album (save for TB2003) to miss the UK top 75.... any thoughts?? Cheers Back to top

CuNimb Group: Members Posts: 222 Joined: July 2003 Posted: Sep. 14 2005, 10:43 Having heard some tracks of this album, I fear that it may miss my personal top 75.  Hope I'm wrong... -------------- Happy? ha ha ha.... Back to top

simmo2005 Group: Members Posts: 173 Joined: Sep. 2005 Posted: Sep. 14 2005, 10:50 Do you think that by veering in the direction of chill-out/dance/european etc he has damaged his credibility in the UK? I personally think that dance acts like Faithless are dominating in that area. Having said that, M.O brings his own unique touch to that genre, and Tres Lunas did to some extent highlight this... Back to top

CuNimb Group: Members Posts: 222 Joined: July 2003 Posted: Sep. 15 2005, 02:47 It's not so much the direction that I don't like. It's the execution. The tracks have some interesting melodies at times, but lack the depth and power of the Oldfield of old. I wish he would bin the sequencers and drum machines and get back to real instruments. We'll see. I've not heard all the tracks yet and hopefully there will be some good ones. For me though, even bad Oldfield is better than most other artists.   -------------- Happy? ha ha ha.... Back to top

TubularBelle Group: Members Posts: 1487 Joined: April 2004 Posted: Sep. 15 2005, 04:12 @CuNimb, I certainly agree that even bad Oldfield is better than many other artists, wish I'd thought of that myself. @Simmo2005, I don't know why Mike doesn't get promoted esp when he is with a new record company but if you want to do your bit with local music mags, go to the Dark Star thread in 'General Discussion' and it will tell you how to go about promoting Mike's new album. Welcome to the site by the way, Ciao, Tracy. -------------- I hate getting up early. I didn't even realise there were two 6 o'clocks in one day! Back to top

TOBY Group: Members Posts: 1562 Joined: May 2002 Posted: Sep. 15 2005, 06:25 I certainly used to think that even bad Oldfield was better than quite a few other artists but not any more. Romance has to be without question one of the worst and most cynical attempts at dance music I've ever heard. Infact its music like this that gives dance music a bad reputation as being repetative mindless and tuneless drivel. Personally I absolutely love dance music, a lot of the better dance music is for a me a natural continuation of the musical ideas that people like Mike pioneered in the 70's, but god only knows what went through Mike's mind when he wrote Romance. I don't know how he could possibly think it was good on any level. I also don't even begin to know who he thought he was aiming at with it. Did he honestly think he would get the ear of the younger generation? To suggest that Mike veering in the direction of chill out/dance or increasingly new-age music, damaged his reputation in the UK would be stating the obvious really. That together with releasing endless TB related albums. Whenever I tell people these days I'm a big MO fan I pretty much always get into an argument along the lines of 'why does he release so many TB albums, can't he think of anything else to do', or' he's just new age dross'. As far as here in the UK is concerned I'm certain that's how he's perceived. As far as promotion is concerned. I hate to say this not having heard the full album but on the strength (sic) of tracks like Romance I would have to ask you if you were Mercury would you waste money promoting it? Ok we have heard one very good track (TOAA) and one pretty good one (Surfing) but all the tracks we've heard off Light aren't exactly setting the fan base of fire (to put it mildly) are they, let alone the potential record buying public, and Mercury aren't stupid I'm sure they're aware of this. It costs a lot of money to promote a record and the record companies have to feel they're in with a chance of getting their money back. Although having said all of that there is a great tradition with Mike's new releases of promoting them long after they come out. There were adverts in Q, Mojo etc about 3 months after TresLunas was released. God only knows why they leave it so late, or then again see above for reasoning. Back to top

simmo2005 Group: Members Posts: 173 Joined: Sep. 2005 Posted: Sep. 15 2005, 06:51 thanks for adding your opinion on this. i've just heard 'romance' and it sounds like Mike is on speed and still in Ibiza- albeit STUCK IN THE 90's!!!! The same cannot be said of Angelique, however. This is a beautifully simple melody. This is a style of soundcape that i associate with Oldfield alone. His trademark. His does 'simple' so wonderfully (it is the same when i hear 'firefly' from Tres Lunas. A simple piano with minimal backing. It is atmosheric and unmistakably Oldfield... Back to top

Alan D Group: Members Posts: 3670 Joined: Aug. 2004 Posted: Sep. 15 2005, 10:26 Although I entirely agree about 'Romance', I've heard enough good pieces already to know that the album will be worth its money, for me. But what baffles me completely is that it's still impossible to pre-order it on Amazon uk. I mean - promotion at that level can hardly count as an expensive exercise, can it? Back to top

far above the clouds Group: Members Posts: 39 Joined: Aug. 2005 Posted: Sep. 15 2005, 11:00 If people feel Light And Shade is going to be useless dance/new age drivel then they probably should save their money. I know I may be a bit of a fanatic, but I like just about everything with Mike's name attached. I know he's been leaning towards the new age thing for years, but I love the way he does it. Then again, coming from someone who loves The Millennium Bell, I should just take a nap!     -------------- Tell me how does it feel......when your heart grows cold. Back to top

tubular_trekkie Group: Members Posts: 366 Joined: Sep. 2005 Posted: Sep. 15 2005, 11:03 Quote (Alan D @ Sep. 15 2005, 15:26) But what baffles me completely is that it's still impossible to pre-order it on Amazon uk. I mean - promotion at that level can hardly count as an expensive exercise, can it? Nope, I don't understand it either. I appreciate that MO seems to be a great deal more popular in places like Germany and Spain (good for them, I say), but he is British and he does have some British fans, surely? His new releases seem to have been marginalised in his home country - very bizarre. By the way, I'm new around here. Having lurked for ages I thought it was time to 'take the plunge' as it were.   -------------- "The concept of progress acts as a protective mechanism to shield us from the terrors of the future." - from 'Collected Sayings of Muad'Dib' by the Princess Irulan Back to top

TOBY Group: Members Posts: 1562 Joined: May 2002 Posted: Sep. 15 2005, 11:14 That may be just down to Amazon.co.uk being a bit crap. Kraftwerk release their much anticipated live 5.1 DVD the same day as L+S and Amazon don't have a listing for it either. And yeah maybe I was being a bit negative earlier (had just listened to Romance again grrrrr) but its my only guess as to why there has been NO promotion thus far in the UK. It's more than just a bit weird that the ONLY information so far has been through that German fansite. Back to top

bugular tell Group: Members Posts: 482 Joined: Mar. 2003 Posted: Sep. 15 2005, 15:23 I have had a rant about the promotion Mike recievs here in the uk before, so i wont go over old ground, but i will say that after he has signed a deal with a new label you would expect that they would try to promote his work and milk as much cash as possible, after all he is an investment, and as with all investments, they are to make money! lol   By the way, hi tubular trekkie, welcome to the site, oh and by the way your 5 days older than me! hehe   -------------- Light travels faster than sound, thats why some people appear bright until you hear them speak Back to top

TubularBelle Group: Members Posts: 1487 Joined: April 2004 Posted: Sep. 15 2005, 19:57 WELCOME tubular trekkie, hope you enjoy the site, great bunch of people here, except for the odd psycho that sneaks in. -------------- I hate getting up early. I didn't even realise there were two 6 o'clocks in one day! Back to top

tubular_trekkie Group: Members Posts: 366 Joined: Sep. 2005 Posted: Sep. 16 2005, 05:14 Quote (TubularBelle @ Sep. 16 2005, 00:57) WELCOME tubular trekkie, hope you enjoy the site, great bunch of people here, except for the odd psycho that sneaks in. Thanks!! Looks like it's gonna be fun   -------------- "The concept of progress acts as a protective mechanism to shield us from the terrors of the future." - from 'Collected Sayings of Muad'Dib' by the Princess Irulan Back to top

Marky Group: Members Posts: 390 Joined: Sep. 2005 Posted: Sep. 18 2005, 16:54 [/QUOTE][after he has signed a deal with a new label you would expect that they would try to promote his work and milk as much cash as possible, after all he is an investment, and as with all investments, they are to make money![QUOTE] This is true - however, I note that Mercury has bought Mike's back catalogue from Virgin so maybe they plan another best of type thing. Not that the fans need one Back to top

TubularBelle Group: Members Posts: 1487 Joined: April 2004 Posted: Sep. 18 2005, 20:30 Hello Marky, member number 1879, only 21 to go to 2000, this should be acknowledged don't you think? WELCOME to the site. -------------- I hate getting up early. I didn't even realise there were two 6 o'clocks in one day! Back to top

bugular tell Group: Members Posts: 482 Joined: Mar. 2003 Posted: Sep. 19 2005, 17:14 Quite possibly another company thats going to use Tubular Bells to make there money!, after all Mike has never made an album since then, either that or the people (morons) in suits at these record companys choose to flog the arse out of it, its a little offensive to fans i think, but we still buy it! instead of thinking how to make money from old rope, then should concentrate on bringing light and shade and his music to a younger and wider audience, that way these people will start to buy the back catalouge!     -------------- Light travels faster than sound, thats why some people appear bright until you hear them speak Back to top

Jools Group: Members Posts: 26 Joined: Aug. 2005 Posted: Sep. 19 2005, 18:29 It is now available for pre-order at Amazon UK at the excellent price of £8.99. Also it is Amazon sales ranked 39 at present - not bad and hopefully with scope to improve. Back to top

simmo2005 Group: Members Posts: 173 Joined: Sep. 2005 Posted: Sep. 28 2005, 12:15 I have to get back to my original post- it looks as though the new album will be, as i feared, his third consecutive non UK charter. This is really upsetting, given the quality of the album, but, judging by the EFFING SEVERE lack of publicity, combined with the album being poorly stocked in records stores, AND combined with the fact that smith's and Woolworths are not stocking it either, it seemes a foregone conclusion now. As a result of this, i really do hope that MO gets straight into film scoring- think about the possibilities here. Not to mention the promotion via the film. He could leave Hans Zimmer or James Horner 'in the shade' (no pun intended!! P.S good luck with the album in the rest of europe- at least he'll get the success he deserves abroad- even if it's not in his own country anymore...!!! Back to top

Alan D Group: Members Posts: 3670 Joined: Aug. 2004 Posted: Sep. 28 2005, 14:22 In all the time I've been using Amazon uk, I've found them stunningly efficient, dispatching goods on time, every time. Until now. This time, just silence. No explanation, nothing. So presumably they simply don't have the CDs. How many CDs were stamped off the conveyor belt, I wonder?  Did it reach double figures? (Sshhh! Mike Oldfield's got a new album out, but for heaven's sake don't tell anyone because we only made 10!! ) Back to top

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