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Drealm Group: Members Posts: 170 Joined: Mar. 2008 Posted: Aug. 25 2009, 10:40 Quote (Tati The Sentinel @ Aug. 25 2009, 10:18) I remember that last year Universal Music Italia tried to talk to him about doing an interview about MOTS in July and he said no,since the promotional period was over.He can say no to interviews when he wants to do it so. In 2003,there was a journalist from a mag who came in here and asked us to suggest questions for him to ask Mike,and some of them really got into the final version,that was quite nice. But on the other side,on the 2 webchats he had with his fans on BBC Radio 2 in 2002 and 2003,he wasn't much interested in answering questions about his music... I wish I had the chance to meet the man one day,the snippets we have from what he likes besides his truly gifted musical side is quite interesting,and there's one part of me that says that the person Michael Gordon Oldfield is not like Mike Oldfield the musician/composer/guitarist... It's something I tought some times. We could be in fact surprised and don't like him at all! But we will probably never know, and it's probably better that way. I don't know what would happen to me if I was leaving his house after the week-end in his company thinking that he is someone I really don't like. I would think to that everytime I listen to his music and my Mike Oldfield musical world would be somewhat destroyed. And about him not answering well to the fans webchat, I am very sorry to hear that... I think some relations must stay what they are: we have a musical relationship with Mike, and that's it. Would you have a date with your mother? Would you invite your psychologist to your beach party? Would you take a beer at home alone with your boss? Back to top

Tati The Sentinel Group: Members Posts: 3360 Joined: Feb. 2002 Posted: Aug. 25 2009, 10:55 Quote (Drealm @ Aug. 25 2009, 11:40) We could be in fact surprised and don't like him at all! But we will probably never know, and it's probably better that way. We don't need to meet him in person to like him or not...there are fans here who only care about his music and are not interested on the person he is at all. That's fine by them.   -------------- "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

Scatterplot Group: Members Posts: 1980 Joined: Dec. 2007 Posted: Aug. 25 2009, 10:58 What I find interesting is that there are people older than MO who are still out there(or recently), like Gilmour doing "On an Island" tour rocking happily standing next to Phil Manzanera. There are many others, you know who they are. Ian Anderson is coming to the US. MO needs some of their engrams. Oh well, I've got plenty of MO products to browse at my leisure. Been getting into TB3 a lot lately.... -------------- We raise our voices in the night Crying to heaven And will our voices be heard Or will they break Like the wind Back to top

tubular_trekkie Group: Members Posts: 366 Joined: Sep. 2005 Posted: Aug. 25 2009, 11:37 Well I suppose he could be a right pain in the backside and it wouldn't affect our appreciation of his music. Nevertheless, I'd probably not like to think he's like that, even though I don't know him personally. Besides, he can't be a total "lost cause" if his musical output is any kind of reflection of him (and it MUST BE to a certain extent - it doesn't just appear from nowhere! ) Even if he's 'difficult', I would never wish him ill or lose interest in him from a musical perspective. I'm too much of an anorak for that   -------------- "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

wiga Group: Members Posts: 2113 Joined: Sep. 2008 Posted: Aug. 25 2009, 11:45 Quote (Scatterplot @ Aug. 25 2009, 10:58) MO needs some of their engrams.... Yes he does - but he can't even hear himself think, and I bet he says that -"I can't hear myself think with these bloomin' kids". And to me, kids might be the key - all very cute when they're sleeping, but energy sappers and passion killers imo when you want to get creative. No wonder he's grumpy - he's got a lot of kids.  And you can't blame the interviewers - they're old enough to be his kids - and probably remind him of his kids. -------------- Barn's burnt down - now I can see the moon. Back to top

Tati The Sentinel Group: Members Posts: 3360 Joined: Feb. 2002 Posted: Aug. 25 2009, 12:06 Quote (TOBY @ Aug. 25 2009, 09:26) He hates all music and has now gotton well over his obsession with it, he obviously now blames music for ruining his life. Nutcase indeed. He still doesn't feel like a musician,and this has become a major issue on his life for a while.Maybe it's the reason for it. -------------- "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

Scatterplot Group: Members Posts: 1980 Joined: Dec. 2007 Posted: Aug. 25 2009, 13:54 You hit the nail on the head, he's not a musician anymore. But as long as tubular dot net exists, he created more than music, and I like it here. For two years I've gotten to interact with MO enthusiasts(something I ached to do years ago), it's been fun. I tried a Genesis site some time ago, God they were dorky! Plus the number of posts written per day, or week, the ratio was so low compared to here. Funny given that they have so many people to talk about(Banks, Hackett, Rutherford, Collins, Gabriel, Phillips, Wilson-go figure). This site is so enjoyable and attractive to so many loyal daily posters. Maybe MO did more than make a few(20+) albums. The dude allowed a group of us scattered(plot) all over the world to share a staggering amount of experiences. Yumpin' Yiminy, that song recently posted with the multi-instrumental headless MO wannabe(and he succeeded), was a big attraction(I think). And he was one of many. It's not ALL about Mike. It's about us. He is a.....magnetic north(point). Eat your veggies Tubularians and use good anti-virus software. MO had more than 7 kids. Take a good look at the loyal following here. Now that is a Legacy..... Jimbo -------------- We raise our voices in the night Crying to heaven And will our voices be heard Or will they break Like the wind Back to top

hergest fridge Group: Members Posts: 303 Joined: Aug. 2005 Posted: Aug. 25 2009, 14:15 I,ve had this feeling for a while now,love the music but can,t stand the person that makes it.For a fan of over 30 years it makes me sad to say it ,but he comes across as a bit of a knob. Back to top

tubular_trekkie Group: Members Posts: 366 Joined: Sep. 2005 Posted: Aug. 25 2009, 15:16 Quote (hergest fridge @ Aug. 25 2009, 19:15) I,ve had this feeling for a while now,love the music but can,t stand the person that makes it.For a fan of over 30 years it makes me sad to say it ,but he comes across as a bit of a knob. Ouch!    (Sorry   ) -------------- "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

olracUK Group: Members Posts: 1683 Joined: June 2003 Posted: Aug. 25 2009, 18:56 Quote (hergest fridge @ Aug. 25 2009, 19:15) I,ve had this feeling for a while now,love the music but can,t stand the person that makes it.For a fan of over 30 years it makes me sad to say it ,but he comes across as a bit of a knob. I agree. Genius that he was, he never really got into the playing for the audience. "I make it - they buy it - I get some more fast toys and a younger girlfriend" As mentioned many times, you don't have to look too far to find musicians more than happy to keep touring, getting a buzz from live shows, interacting with the peopel who pay for their lifestyles. The Mojo article is pretty similar (possibly the same? I didn't bother to check the articles author). I suspect the hand of a PR pushing Mike's name ready for the next re-release. -------------- The answer is 42 - but what is the question? Back to top

TOBY Group: Members Posts: 1562 Joined: May 2002 Posted: Aug. 26 2009, 03:56 Quote (olracUK @ Aug. 25 2009, 18:56) The Mojo article is pretty similar (possibly the same? I didn't bother to check the articles author). I suspect the hand of a PR pushing Mike's name ready for the next re-release. They're done by different journalists. Mat Snow did the Mojo piece, he's quite a good writer. I would say the Mojo piece is much more about the album where as the Q one is about the man. Back to top

hairy old hippy Group: Members Posts: 304 Joined: July 2005 Posted: Aug. 26 2009, 05:47 In a way it is a strange thing that we are so interested in the person behind the music. I was listening to Vivaldi the other day and whilst reading through this thread I was thinking that I've never read any article about or an interview with Vivaldi, the music stands alone. I have a relationship with the music only. In some way this makes for a pure relationship directly with the melodies in that moment, there is only music and listener, no baggage. Is the musical persona as part of the package a largely 20th century phenomena? Before the home music system, most music would have been played from sheet music in individual homes making for an even more personal relationship to the music. Perhaps in some cases people knew little more of a composer than a name at the top of a piece of paper! Judging from other articles, I think Mike sees a very strong distinction between personal life and the (music) industry. I feel that media falls into the 'industry' category. If you have an unhappy relationship with the industry I'm sure at times you can appear to be 'a bit moody'. People in bad relationships can look like complete idiots but take them out of that and they are a different person. But hey, this is all conjecture and, really, when we try to understand who someone is we can never do them justice. The whole 'I hate music' thing doesn't surprise me so much. I think he lost touch with it when he started programming it. The vast majority of output in recent years has been this way. I say this from personal experience in that I've made music several different ways and the more you get into technology the more removed you become from some sort of musical spirit. Maybe Mike should spend a couple of weeks with Neil Young. If they don't kill each other maybe Neil will get Mike banging out ideas and recording them in one or two takes all on instruments just lying about the studio. Maybe Mike's been taking music too seriously, feeling the need to be ground-breaking on every outing. This is a futile task and again, hinders music coming of it's own accord. But, to restate, this is all conjecture, I don't know what he does or who he is and that's just fine! -------------- 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

Dirk Star Group: Members Posts: 1331 Joined: Sep. 2007 Posted: Aug. 26 2009, 07:21 He hates music but the picture of him coming out of the water clearly shows that he still has long fingernails..Just in case ay,old habits die hard and all that. After reading that interview I can`t help wonder what sort of friendships his wife and kids have?How long does he plan on sailing about on his boat?Who is going to flip first and end up going overboard?I don`t know I just find it difficult to get my head around it all.Mike has always seemed to be obsessed with travel or transport as a means of escape.Gliders,Planes,Motorbikes and what not.But now it`s like he`s on the run permanently as if he`s finaly reached the end of his tether with everything.I think what Prisoner said earlier in this thread is bang on here,the guy is really setting himself up for a massive fall sadly.And the worse thing about it is,deep down inside he`s probably fully aware of that.It`s not so much of an interview as a massive cry for help. He can`t relate to his kids and yet he`s sat there moving the tape recorder around the table and chuckling away to himself?Maybe when Mike`s being interviewed sometimes he feels like it`s his turn to be the kid for a change?...Grounded! Back to top

EeToN Group: Members Posts: 845 Joined: Sep. 2001 Posted: Aug. 26 2009, 08:25 I haven't read the article, but it's not a recent thing that he likes saying he doesn't like (or even, hates) listening to music. He has said that for years, for example in a Hungarian Tres Lunas interview, he pointed that out with a more subtle edge: Quote But I don't like music (laughs) anymore, I don't listen to music, I like to play the guitar, but I don't like listening to music, I like silence. However, even after Tres Lunas, he made 2 completely new albums and some TB remixes. So I don't think this sentence has much to do with retirement. And he described once how much he liked Schiller's music, when they were about to collaborate. I suppose this sentence rather means he often prefers silence to listening to any music, but he likes exaggerating. (But then again, I haven't read the article yet.) I have a feeling that this attitude and the silence in his head can even inspire (or have inspired) him in creating new music. I often feel that my brain need some days of silence so that it starves for music so much that it comes up with something it creates for itself. I'm not sure I interpret this phenomenon well, though. -------------- If I were music, I would be Enigmatism. Back to top

Tati The Sentinel Group: Members Posts: 3360 Joined: Feb. 2002 Posted: Aug. 26 2009, 08:58 Quote (hairy old hippy @ Aug. 26 2009, 06:47) The whole 'I hate music' thing doesn't surprise me so much. I think he lost touch with it when he started programming it. The vast majority of output in recent years has been this way. I say this from personal experience in that I've made music several different ways and the more you get into technology the more removed you become from some sort of musical spirit. I don't play any musical instrument,but I do love vintage analog synths and keyboards,and with all this new technology,things have become much easier to create a new sound,but it's not like in the past,where it took ages,a lot of hard work in the studio and even during live gigs - I've heard stories about how did Tangerine Dream copied with cold weather with their tons of analog synths in the 70's. Recently Jean Michel Jarre has returned to his old analog synths live and after years and years with pre-recorded stuff and other technologies to help him during his concerts,he has faced several problems regarding tuning and finding the right tune on his synths. Mike's relationship with technology I'd define it as a "love/hate" one,there are moments that he says that it so great,fantastic...on others,he says that doing an album organically is much more interesting,it's real work. I have a few friends who create music using tons of VSTs and DAWs,they don't even know how to play an instrument,it's seems to me that creating music nowadays is so easy,which is not! There are other major important things in the whole process that technology is never going to have,no matter what,like feeling and inspiration. Sometimes I have the impression that when Mike says he hates music,it does relate to inspiration/influences,it's common to ask artists and musicians what are their current inspiration,some of the them feels confortable to talk about,while others like Mike prefers not to talk much about...it's not about creating music itself. -------------- "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

Tati The Sentinel Group: Members Posts: 3360 Joined: Feb. 2002 Posted: Aug. 26 2009, 12:19 Is there any chance for anyone to make a scan of the article? That would be nice for everybody to read! -------------- "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

wiga Group: Members Posts: 2113 Joined: Sep. 2008 Posted: Aug. 26 2009, 18:28 Quote (Dirk Star @ Aug. 26 2009, 07:21) the picture of him coming out of the water clearly shows that he still has long fingernails.. ...and a tubular bell. I read both articles (sat in a chair in Borders) and I was surprised that the family live on the boat now, and the Bahamas house is boarded up. A nice 2 million pound (2nd hand) boat but it must get claustrophobic I would have thought -  the 4 of them and a nanny. I didn't get a sense of a cry for help in the interviews as such - just that he might need to get out and mix more - have a banter in normal surroundings - like we do in the workplace (as might the kids and Fanny). I interpreted that he was attempting to be bolder and more no-nonsense - with his don't do "why why whys" and not talking about my kids and hate music and like silence, - as if he was demonstrating that he was very much in control of  interviews and that they didn't control him anymore. He said he felt drained at the end though. He's probably too honest. He doesn't seem to manipulate like a lot of celebrities do. For that reason I find myself absorbing every quote -  they're original and don't follow the celebrity formula. After I read the interviews I put the magazines back on the shelf - they cost around £4 each. -------------- Barn's burnt down - now I can see the moon. Back to top

Silver Negus Group: Members Posts: 357 Joined: Sep. 2007 Posted: Aug. 26 2009, 18:36 Live on a boat for the rest of their lives? I'm doubtful if that will continue. Was it because of financial reasons do you think? They may buy another house in the end. Back to top

Tati The Sentinel Group: Members Posts: 3360 Joined: Feb. 2002 Posted: Aug. 26 2009, 19:31 Quote (Silver Negus @ Aug. 26 2009, 19:36) Live on a boat for the rest of their lives? I'm doubtful if that will continue. Was it because of financial reasons do you think? They may buy another house in the end. AFAIK his former home in Mallorca hasn't been sold at all at the moment...so it can be one of the reasons for them to live on the boat...and I'm also quite doubtful that they don't wanna move to a house soon. -------------- "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

Dirk Star Group: Members Posts: 1331 Joined: Sep. 2007 Posted: Aug. 27 2009, 07:52 Quote (wiga @ Aug. 26 2009, 23:28) Quote (Dirk Star @ Aug. 26 2009, 07:21) the picture of him coming out of the water clearly shows that he still has long fingernails.. ...and a tubular bell. I read both articles (sat in a chair in Borders) and I was surprised that the family live on the boat now, and the Bahamas house is boarded up. A nice 2 million pound (2nd hand) boat but it must get claustrophobic I would have thought -  the 4 of them and a nanny. I didn't get a sense of a cry for help in the interviews as such - just that he might need to get out and mix more - have a banter in normal surroundings - like we do in the workplace (as might the kids and Fanny). I interpreted that he was attempting to be bolder and more no-nonsense - with his don't do "why why whys" and not talking about my kids and hate music and like silence, - as if he was demonstrating that he was very much in control of  interviews and that they didn't control him anymore. He said he felt drained at the end though. He's probably too honest. He doesn't seem to manipulate like a lot of celebrities do. For that reason I find myself absorbing every quote -  they're original and don't follow the celebrity formula. After I read the interviews I put the magazines back on the shelf - they cost around £4 each. I thought it looked more like a fifty pence piece,but I guess you`ve got to carry your loose change around somewhere..   Yeah maybe you`re right Wiga.My own take on it is probably somewhat clouded by my own reservations on Mike`s current abode I guess.Claustrophobic sounds just about right imo.Thinking about it another way though, I can certainly see the attraction of it all.At least while his children are still of a young age I suppose.It`s certainly no worse than a guy of his age going out on the road for months on end which many of his contemperaries are still doing of course.It`s just when Mike comes out with stuff like I don`t have any friends,and I mis-trust people etc etc.You know I can`t help but feel yeah well it`s alright for you to feel that you need to be away from it all,life on the ocean wave and all that.But you`re not exactly out there on your own are you?.Who decides when the "cruise" is over I guess? I`m not sure if Mike is too honest really although I think I understand where you`re coming from.Imo I think he`s become so used to being a certain way in these situations that he`s probably started to believe some of his own evasion tactics.Like you say though it made for very interesting reading in places.Although as usual with a Mike Oldfield interview I always feel that he`s barely scratching at the surface with just about everything.The Tubular Bells thing does`nt help of course,but it`s way too late now for that to ever change. @Tati.. I`ve uploaded a few scans here of the interview.They`re not the best quality I`m afraid but people should at least be able to read them...I hope! Q 01 Q 02 Q 03 Q 04 Back to top

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