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Topic: The End of a Legend?< Next Oldest | Next Newest >
tamas Offline




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Joined: Dec. 1999
Posted: Dec. 10 1999, 09:03

Dear Mike!

Although I fear you will never read my letter, I have to address it to you personnally. I was a fun of your music since 1983, age of 13. We have never met, but you were always one of my best friend - through your music you were always with me, and I have to thank you some of the most catharthic moments in my life. Your music was a very important inspiration form for me, and my three fantasy novels, which were published in the 90's in Hungary, and were quite a great success, could not have been born without your help.
Howewer I am looking in despair the slow metamorhopse of your music since the "Songs of the Distant Earth". Your compositions were always some kind of music "ballads", "legends" with very strong narrative construction, full of complex emotional layers, but all of this had slowly disappeared: today they are fragments, fragments of emotions, without any depths, without inner consistence.
I was shocked when I have heard first the techno rhythms of the Tubular Bells III. I am not against the techno, I really like ACID music, but this style has nothing to do with your music. Your music is - or at least it was - constructed from emotions. Techno is against emotions.
To speak about emotions in a non-emotional way? What kind of paradox it is???
After the TBIII I though this tragic mutation should never be repeated again, and I was waiting really very-very much the Milleneum Bell. But I was shocked again - especially shocked by the final track. One of the strongest part of your music was always the cathartic endings - the final track was even cathartic on the TBIII (it was the only really genious part of that album).
But what is that terrible techno-mutation on the end of the M.B.? What is it? What does that D.J.Pipi do with your music?
Mike, what had happended to you?
How could you let your music to be sterilized by the ultraviolent rays of the Ibizian sun?
In 1990 you wanted to show the people that there are still alternatives in the music, so you made AMAROK. It was one of your gratest works, and one of the most genious music of the last few decades. Today we need much more a new AMAROK, than we needed 9 years ago.
Of course nobody wants you to repeat your old albums. Changing is a good thing, but NOT that way!
I dont understand how could you call the T.M.B. your best work?
How could anybody be so blind and deaf to praise it?
Mike, you made a long, and beautiful journey since 1973. You have seen much things, and showed us even more, but I fear you have lost something on that journey. Will you ever be able to find it again?
Maybe the legend of the Bells is over for ever?
We do not want any more DJ Pipi-s, DJ Pepe-s, DJ. Pipo-s, DJ. Popo-s, DJ. Etc-s!
We do not want the Legend of the Bells to be destructed, to be desacralised!
Mike, maybe I am nobody to giving you advices, but I suggest you go to the forest on a mysty, silent day, sit on a tree trunk, close your eyes, listen to the birds and the song of the wind, and think it over.
Think it over very deeply.

Tamas Beregi



[This message has been edited by tamas (edited 01-06-2000).]
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Wojtek Offline




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Posted: Dec. 10 1999, 10:45

Tamas, you're right! I'm 19 years old Mike's fan from Poland. I'm still waiting for a moment, when Mike will wake up and will start to continue great style of his first albums. This, what he is doing now sounds nice, but it is'nt real Mike Oldfield. I think Techno and Dance versions may be put on singles CDs, but not on main CDs.
Are your books transaleted to Polish?
bazyli@czacki.waw.ids.edu.pl
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Blue Dolphin Offline




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Posted: Dec. 11 1999, 12:57

Tamas! You're right! Great!!

Mike, after you did the advice what Tamas said, you have to open your eyes. Feel the wind, and the sunshine. Think about your last records (Tb1 to Amarok) and see a new Amarok coming. Take a rest. And disconnect your phone, so that your DJ "so called friends" will never contact you anymore, and begin to make your own music. Begin to hate the DJ's. And begin to hate the commercial crap of this time! All that stupid "dance crap".

I looking forward to your next album, which will be, we all hope, a new sort of "Legend", a "New Amarok", a new, great piece of music.

Blue Dolphin

--------------
-The mark of a good musician is to play one note and mean it-

Mike Oldfield - 1980
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Korgscrew Offline




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Posted: Dec. 20 1999, 20:20

There are reasons for Mike moving away from his old sound. Many of his famous albums were created while Mike was going through all sorts of emotional troubles. This came out in the music - the frustration, anger, confusion. Mike's attitudes seem to have changed a lot recently, and the music has changed with him (like you'd expect). If he was to try another Amarok or whatever, it may well not work, because the same feelings aren't there to drive the music.
I found Tubular Bells 3 to be his most powerful work for a long time. The dance rhythms lend it an energy (albeit a synthetic energy) that perhaps lacked from the likes of Voyager. The way he restructures the Tubular Bells idea also added interest to the album.

The Millennium Bell I'm still deciding on. It certainly has a very different feel to just about anything else he's done. Certainly Mike is headed off in a very different direction with it - we just have to figure out exactly where. I like it - just in a different way to the way I liked some of his other works (yes, I even like the techno ending...).

At least Mike's happy going the way he wants to (at least I hope he is). I think I'm happy to wait and see what happens.
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Posted: Dec. 21 1999, 05:47

Right, this is the final disillusion. Since Voyager I felt that something is wrong with Mike's music and MB - impotent album with a few trivial ideas is the sick evidence.
He has nothing to offer anymore, I'm afraid.
MB is pseudoworld and pseudodance creature.
Partly stupid, partly majestic, but full of empty. Maybe good business.
And the final track? Oh my God...
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sid Offline




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Posted: Dec. 27 1999, 11:02

has most m.o.fans gone cloth-eared or something...this an't no pop music man this is a genius writing music for people with an ear for music that rises above all that music the mases seem to follow...a mike oldfield c.d.on first play allways sounds like a crook of poo,tuneless,confusing,but wait.. as all m.o.fans know... it all in the end unravels into something spot on ..and m.b.is believe me spot on..listen to it again ...take your time over it and begin to hear things that you maybe missed the first time..melodys are there..guitars are there
..tunes that make mike a guinus are there..listen to m.b.my friends..listen and
and you will hear the man
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Posted: Jan. 04 2000, 22:40

I must say that i can't believe how closed-minded some people really can be. People change, they encounter aspects in their life that change their opinions and attitudes toward them, and as they change so does their output. I believe MO has changed like this, not for the better:fair enough. but certainly not for the worst either. A lot of people seem to be expecting mike to recreate the likes of ommadawn or amorak, it just isn't going to happen. If mike suddenly released ommadawn2 you would all be shouting and throwing your dollys out of your prams more than you are now with regards to TMB imho.

I admit i was a little disappointed with TMB but it's certainly not as bad as you are all making out, the guitars are there, as full and rich sounding to me as ever (i am a guitarist myself), and if you have ever bothered to listen to classical music before you would appreciate how sweet sounding and refreshing the Lake Constance track is. The only thing that disappointed me with this albumn really was the finale, and, had he had more time (dont forget he went on tour immediately after the guitars albumn) he would have done the grand finale that we are so used to him producing.

Mike has most definately not lost it, I enjoy listening to tubular bells 3, ok it's far from the original or TB2, but come on, it was originally *intended* to be that style, and he did a *very* good job of it. It would, however, be a different matter, if he produced an albumn that was intended to sound like the oldfield of old (no pun intended) and failed. Everything mike has set out to achieve in his albumns, he has accomplished. TMB is meant to be a throw back to different styles of music and events that have happened over the last millenium, of COURSE it's not going to sound authentic oldfield, he didnt want it to be. Which brings me to another point, sometimes certain parts of his albumns can sound commercialised yes, but real commercialisation to me is record labels getting artists to do the same kind of stuff over and over again.

Sorry for posting such a long post, and ill be surprised if you're still reading this down here smile but i feel very strongly for oldfield music, it's not some faddy pop stuff for kids to scream "oh I love that!" to for 1 month before the next load of tripe is released. As a short sub-note, in case anyone is interested, my personal favourite oldfield albumn has to be "The songs of distant earth" and keep looking out for the Arthur C. Clarke book that inspired him to write it.
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OVE Offline




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Posted: Jan. 05 2000, 19:10

I just want to say I agree completely with PMT. M.O. is evolving all the time, sometimes for the better sometimes for the worse. But I think he has to change his style and explore new territory to keep the inspiration geting to him. I think it's very exiting when an artist reveal different sides of himself, and you don't know what to expect next time he releases an album. Sometimes I'm dissapointed (like Heavens Open and Guitars), and sometimes I'm overwhelmed (like Amarok TBII, TSODE and TMB). I think TMB is great peaces of music. How could the TMB concept possibly be something like his previous work, when it's supposed to feature music and moods from different historical events. It's unike. This album really shows M.O's versatility and sense for composing in different musical styles. Although I feel the album could have been even better if he had had moore time completing it.
Stop waiting for new Ommadawns and Amaroks, they won't come! His musical evolution requires that his audience also evolves with him.
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tamas Offline




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Posted: Jan. 06 2000, 07:42

Dear PTM, and dear OVE!

I am not waiting for new Ommadawns and new Amaroks, just in the symbolic meaning. I do not want to begin to argue about this thing, but I am awfully sorry if you do not feel the difference between the old and the new style of Oldfield. Of course every musician has to change, and nobobody wants Oldfield to make always new Ommadawns and Amaroks. What was the most genious in M.O., that he could always change his style, although remained somehow the same. But that kind of change which makes difference between Ommadawn, Platinum, Five Miles Out and Island, is NOT the same kind of change which is so "characteristic" in his "new" kind of music. I just cannot imagine, how can't you feel the difference between his old, living, emotional music, and this kind of computer generated, dead and sloppy thing? How can't you feel the disappearance of all the intellectual, and emotional depth of his music? How can't you notice the dissappearance of all his comlicated, epic narratives overhelmed with plenty instruments and music layers?
Yes, changing is a good thing, but not that way!
If M.O. would make a new album in D.J. Bobo-style, or if he would just call himself D.J.Oldfield you would praise him also?!
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Posted: Jan. 06 2000, 09:37

Quote
I just cannot imagine, how can't you feel the difference between his old, living, emotional music, and this kind of computer generated, dead and sloppy thing?


I do recognise the difference in music yes, but that still doesn't stop me from enjoying his music, most music nowadays is going the way of computer, it's just a fact that you have to accept really. The use of computer aid in music can really help the artist express exactly what he wants the track in question to sound like, but on another point, i have to agree it can also lead to lazi-ness. I do not believe mike is getting lazy with his music, I rather believe that most people - understandably - do not like computer generated music, in any way shape or form. I do enjoy music that does not use computers, but I am not biased against it.

Quote
If M.O. would make a new album in D.J. Bobo-style, or if he would just call himself D.J.Oldfield you would praise him also?!


To be honest, that would depend on what kind of music it was, and how good a job he did of it. I tend not to think about such things, and listen to music before i decide if I like it or not. For example, i do not like the guitars albumn, at all. but that's just me, i didnt like the way it was done, doesn't mean i have to all of a sudden think mike has lost all sense of direction ? he did it the way he wanted to. If, at the end of the day, mike moves his music to a medium, that i personally do not enjoy listening to, i will not listen to it, it's as simple as that. but that wont make me start ranting about it on public discussion forums. One comment from a former engish tutor of mine sticks in my head on this subject with regards to a certain play by Shakespear "It's not to my liking, but i wouldn't dare rubbish it"

The only music i tend to rubbish, is the mass produced stuff, such as death metal, or POP that is designed to sound very ABBA like that has been appearing a lot just recently.

I suppose it's a sad thing that when people dont like music, they call it rubbish, and then start saying people are crazy for liking it, are you going to tell me that im a fool for liking classical music ? or that i enjoy listening to joe satriani ? Personally i didn't particularly enjoy the Amorak albumn, the majority of the stuff was too bland for my liking, but im not going to call you a fool for liking it, maybe it just has aspects to music that you enjoy more than I do. I would rather see people but forward constructive criticism of what they dont like about his albumns, than to say "it's rubbish, it has no *feeling*", ive heard a lot of people say that TB3 has no feeling for example, maybe they didnt listen to the 'jewel in the crown' track ? always moves me personally, and i regular imagine myself playing it whilst listening, i guess people can define/see feeling in certain pieces of music where others can't/wont. I personally find listening to a well trained violinist beautiful and very moving, where as others see it as a load of noise and screeching. Anyway i thik ive gone off on a mad one again smile i'll stop now before i start discussing politicts smile
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Posted: Jan. 08 2000, 16:32

I agree whole heartedly, TBIII was a bit better than average album. there were a few good thigs like, Top of the Morning, the man in rain song and its solo. But i wish mike would concentrate on albums like Ommadawn, Hergest Ridge, and Five Miles out. Taurus II is a great piece of music, in my opinion. I dont think theres much future for Mike's completely dance oriented music. sure there a demand for it. but theres always someone who can do the same quality, with computers. and thats what sort of annoys me a bit. Look at Amarok. That was a fantastic piece of music, 60 minutes uncut, all instruments playted BY HAND. i think thats sort of the way it should be done nowadays. it very unimaginitve to have a computer or just midi play the instruments. and i pray that Mike isnt heading in that direction. Thats my two cents worth

~A.S.
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Posted: Jan. 09 2000, 19:37

Agreed, although i didnt like the end result of amorak very much, the recording methods he used for it were brilliant, a very well engineered albumn. I personally feel that albumns such as this show the artists ability to play instruments etc, but i certainly dont feel that it's the only way music should be done. After all music is about expression and moods, if a synthesized mood sounds to the artist as though it lays a better foundation for the instruments on the top, then of course they're going to use it. For example, the songs of distant earth is full of samples, and if you listen hard enough, you can hear the drum samples that he has used. But it really did lay a beautiful foundation for mikes celtic style (which also managed to find futuristic at the same time) and it really did come off well. So long as mike doesn't go completely computerised (ie, ditch the guitar, which i can't believe he has any intention of doing) then i believe he will always be capable of producing the same masterpieces he has done in the past, they will just sound slightly different. Whether or not he *will* produce the masterpieces we have seen in the past is another matter and will "only time will tell" (excuse the awful quote smile )
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Vladimir Milutinovic Offline




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Posted: Jan. 09 2000, 23:48

The reason wy I write this is because i think that an opinion from a 18 year old who listens mike's music since he was 15 should be interesting.Excuse my bad english frown((

My brother bought five miles out album, along with many other CDs when there was a sale of some kind.At the start, i've played five miles out when i played civilization and some momments of music in taurus2 made me forget about the game. Then i bought a compilation, heard ommadawn, tubular bells, QE2 excerpts and then i ran around Belgrade to see if theres anywhere a shop with pirate copies of any of his album (originals not available here smile) Once i gave my friend that same five miles out CD and he traped also. Now we search his albums together, we even seduced girls who have cousins abroad so that we could get some of the albums smile Ive got ommadawn that way, he got millenium bell. My opinion is that works who worth something are the ones that were made in the period 1973-198?. Mike got old and automaticly he lost the flicker, the energy, the flame and emotionality that only young people have.The time ran over him, his mind is not hungry anymore, he became a tehnician, a worker, ordinary musical worker. Thats why i will not buy any of those pirate CDs again smileMike! Youre flame is out, pick your bags and bite the dust (i watch american movies unfortunately). I hope someone young and talented like Michael Gordon will be brave enough to make his stand, raise another Virgin or something similiar.So, fans... let the old man alone, let him enjoy the gold age, and keep good memories of ommadawn and other masteripieces and dont let latest crap spoil it. Thats all for tonight folks...
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liron Offline




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Posted: Jan. 10 2000, 08:20

To quote the words of denis leary:
"That's why i'm glad jesus died when he did, 'cos if he lived long enough to be 40 there's no doubt you'd be seeing him walking in jerusalem, as fat as Elvis was in his last days, saying something like "hooha! gimme a hotdog! hooha! hey mary magdalen com'ere 'n gimme a blow job! fuck you i'll turn you into a leper!".

sometimes i think maybe mike should have just diappeared out of the face of this earth after he made amarok.
so we could remember mikey in a nice way...
would'nt it be nice to remember mike in a nice way? 'cos you know how we all remember mike now, don't you?
A womanizer, extroverted, full-of-himself, deluded, commercialised-thin-reflection-of-what-he used to be.

there i've said it!

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Posted: Jan. 12 2000, 08:29

Endings are just beginnings. Liron are you OK? I feel that you are in a deep depression. TMB is not the end of nothing it´s only another M.O. work. What do you want?. You can say "i don´t like this CD" but say "this is the end of a legend" obviously is excesive. Was the end of a legend "Heavens Open"? No Was "Voyager"? No. Was "Five Miles Out"? No.You like it or not but don´t panic. This is not the end of nothing. May be Liron needs a blow job, of course listening TMB.
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Stefan Offline




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Posted: Jan. 13 2000, 14:22

In my opinion it's over ! he myth has come to an end. The quality of Oldfields music has reached a 'Modern Talking' (The Europeans will know this group) level :-(
His compositions have become simple and uninspired. Unfortunately many people think the the orchestrated parts of Millennim Bell would be classical music ! How stupid !
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Posted: Feb. 13 2000, 05:00

[QUOTE]Originally posted by tamas:
[B]Dear Mike!Hello.

Sorry about my ¿english? smile

Ok I have listened a very bad opinions about Mike Oldfield last albums.
Is obiously that Mike music is better in the 70s than now. But I am not agree with people who says than Mike is over.

I think Mike Oldfield music is based on the surprise, based on the “moments”. Incantations part four, Ommadawn final, Amarok chorus, Tubular bells part two... they are based on the suprise of the instruments, that is the heart of his music. Everyone of us remember the surprise of the “oriental guitar” in Ommadawn part one (in the middle aprox.) or the final of Incantations part four. The changes of rythym.

“The millenium bell” has not this changes, is more lineal. But “Broad suntil uplands” is wonderfull, “Pacha Mama” piano and drums... have you listened that??????? Is that a bad music?????????????????? I think no, but I think that his compositions are worst than the 70s Mike music.

And TBIII is a bad album. Yes is a Bad album... but... have you listened the last track???????????? Far above the clouds?????????????? Do you have the video of London?????????????? Have you listened the second time he plays “Far above the clouds”????????????????????? Do you think that Mike has losed his magic????????????

I could pay a lot of money only for listened that track, I think is no worse than any Ommadawn parts or any Incantations parts... is one of Mike best moments. I could pass a lot of time simply listened “Far above the clouds”.

Mike Is not a regular artist, but he has a lot of incredible “moments” in music. And far above the clouds is one of that moments.

Simply incredible music with only “three bells sound”.

Terrible, Wonderfull, Crazy..... Perfect.....

Cojones... a quien le importa el resto del album pudiendo escuchar todo el rato ese pedazo de canción?? Estos extranjeros.... 

Omnibus_I
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GMOVJ Offline




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Posted: Feb. 14 2000, 03:59

Hi Omnibus 1

I admit that surpirse and moments are very important facts in MO'Music. More thant that, I totally agree with you
Most of all albums, including Guitars (and excluding EM) have those marvellous moments. I'm right now listening to TB3. I don't think this is a bad album. Secrets is a very good piece of music, Man in the rain is a very good pop song, FATC is simply great (the live version on the BBC... waow !!!), serpent dream is a fantastic guitar work with a lot of feelings. OK. We are not dealing with TB3 now.
Even when I carefully listen to TMB, I can't find those marvellous moments. You said that eg, "Pacha Mama" is great, and I simply don't agree. It's stupid, boring and unsurprisingly reptitive. Oh, this is only my opinion : I don't blame anyone to love this album ! I've got the same opinion with the Doge Palace, MB itself, I just don't like it because I can't find those moments. But, maybe because I'm a extrangeros ;-)! That's just a question of taste.

Last, you says that "Mike Is not a regular artist, but he has a lot of incredible “moments” in music. And far above the clouds is one of that moments."
Once again you're terribly right ! And I wished I could have found those "moments" in TMB...but I didn't. Too bad

I think Tamas was sometimes right too :
"Howewer I am looking in despair the slow metamorhopse of your music since the "Songs of the Distant Earth". Your compositions were always some kind of music "ballads", "legends" with very strong narrative construction, full of complex emotional layers, but all of this had slowly disappeared: today they are fragments, fragments of emotions, without any depths, without inner consistence."

First I was angry, but now It's over : I'm waiting for good moments, and having patience with older stuff.

Friendly,
GMOVJ

[This message has been edited by GMOVJ (edited 02-14-2000).]

--------------
Cheers,
GMOVJ
[URL=http://tubular.fodplanet.com]http://tubular.fodplanet.com[/URL] - The french speaking mailing list
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Posted: Feb. 14 2000, 15:46

Hello to that men who undestood my english¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ Are you from spain? smile

Yes, I think you are right. TMB doesn´t have this moments, but I think is not a very bad music album. Every of us await that moments in his albums.

Mike needs to return to the old style, and pleaseeeee MIKEEEEEEE DO NOT CONTINUE WITH THAT VIRTUAL REALITY PROJECT, just play music.
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GMOVJ Offline




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Posted: Feb. 15 2000, 04:02

Hello everyones

No, I'm not from spain, but from south of France, 1 hour from the spanish border (La Jonquera), so I know a bit (I said I very little Bit !) of spanish.

I think this VR Project could be cool, only if music had a important part, and if the release to market had a simple GUI, not a GUI for 'Software Engineer', and not too based in Internet. But we should discuss about it in the right forum. I must admit that I don't have very much idea on what that could be, and I'm not very convinced... Maybe a DreamCast or Playstation game ?

Hi to all,
GMOVJ

--------------
Cheers,
GMOVJ
[URL=http://tubular.fodplanet.com]http://tubular.fodplanet.com[/URL] - The french speaking mailing list
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