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Topic: XLSSemanal interview and Mallorca photos< Next Oldest | Next Newest >
Olivier Offline




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Posted: Mar. 16 2008, 13:52

XLSSemanal has published an interview in Spanish, along with photos from Mallorca in their paper edition: Mike in front of his house, Mike and his son.

Muchas gracias, David of www.mikeoldfieldblog.com
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Tati The Sentinel Offline




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Posted: Mar. 16 2008, 20:46

Soooo cutie,Mike and little Eugene:
http://p200server.us.es/mikeoldfield/verfoto.asp?id=7093


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"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
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GodGift Offline




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Posted: Mar. 16 2008, 21:10

I wonder who is behind palmtree on the first photo :D

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What a lovely day!
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Korgscrew Offline




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Posted: Mar. 16 2008, 21:31

Maybe there's nobody there - maybe Mike just likes to dry his trousers by standing them upright in the middle of the lawn...
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Tati The Sentinel Offline




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Posted: Mar. 16 2008, 21:51

Quote (GodGift @ Mar. 16 2008, 23:10)
I wonder who is behind palmtree on the first photo :D


Me also...hehe  :laugh:


--------------
"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
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Tubularman Offline




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Posted: Mar. 16 2008, 21:55

Nice pictures!
Im going ahead for a holiday in mallorca in May this spring!
:D


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Mike Oldfield M i x e s
https://soundcloud.com/tubularman
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ORIONs Offline




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Posted: Mar. 25 2008, 14:31

Here is my traduction of the article. Sorry for my horrible English:

Interview from Spanish magazine XL Semanal
By Fernando Goitia
Photos by Mark G. Peters
-------------------------------------------------
Mike Oldfield
“I hate punks, always rude and pissed!”

Mike Oldfield recorded Tubular Bells at 19 and became a millionaire. But, while he was selling millions of albums, Mike had a lonely life in drugs and alcohol. Now he has found peace in his Balearic shelter.

Short hair, red face by the sun, jeans; a 55 years old Mike Oldfield is owner of a great fortune, but not enough to enter in a millonaire’s club. The musician born in Reading (England) always has felt a stranger in a hostile world: dificult childhood, alcoholism and the suicide of his mother, precocious success, depression, drugs, alcohol, crisis of the 40s whitout limits in Ibiza… make thing difficult to Oldfield. This week is released Music of the Spheres, the first album after 24 with a symphonic orchestra. In the living room of his Balearic shelter, Mrs Oldfield tries to sleep Eugene, his newborn son. We discovered that we have to be careful with his attitude…

Journalist: You had never recorded clasical music. Why do you…
Mike Oldfield: [Irritated] Why!? Always why, I don’t like “why”…

J: … I just want to know if you thought about this some time ago…
M.O: [Calming] No much time. When I wanted to start this new album I said: “What do I have not done yet?”. In Light & Shade all was computerized. At the beginning, those electronic crockery are funny, but like toys, I finally got tired.

J: Did you feel that you don’t create real music?
M.O: One night I was working in a song I let the machin on all night long, and the next morning the machine was still on [Laughs]. I thought: “I’m going to make something organic, human, real”

J: Everytime you are more distant from rock music, right?
M.O: It’s very difficult to make rock music nowadays, it’s coming to its end. There is nothing new. If you like rock music there’s nothing better than Rolling Stones!

J: What attracted you to classical music?
M.O: There are more ways to explore. I thought: “Why not to try it?”. Let people make more classical music, instead of pose as punks fighted with the world. On the album I was helped by Lang Lang, who is 24, and plays the piano wonderfully. It’s 1000 times better hear to him instead of the last irritated punk.

J: With this I remember Punkadiddle  when you laugh at punk music. Do you think of rock music yet?
M.O: I hate Punk music, it contaminated all. Music must has a creative attempt, but people are lazy. Punk music is the maximum expression of this and those became fashionable with the violent attitude, people spitting and it was cool.

J: Funnily, you shared record company stamp with Sex Pistols. I supose that you didn’t feel very good…
M.O: Virgin bet for progressive rock music. Tubular Bells was their only success and then had a oportunity. This was a form to demostrate valenty front the young people; that they was more than the Mike Oldfield’s stamp. They won a lot of money. First of all, Richard [Branson, Virgin’s founder], is a businessman.

J: Says that Branson press you for compose more pop singles; that Branson didn’t consult for use Tubular Bells on the film The exorcist; that Amarok [1990] included messages on morse against Virgin…
When Moonlight Shadow [single of Crises, 1983] was #1 in Europe, Branson said me: “Has you seen? You should make more singles like this”. I tried to repeat the success, but it was impossible. A few years ago I said to him: “Do you remember when you said me that made songs and no…?” and Branson: “Meeeee?? I don’t remember this…” [Screaming as if somebody was catching of the neck]: “I got crazy for try a new single and you don’t remember!!??” I left from the soul [Laughing]. Finally I came back to the intrumental music, yes, with Amarok. I was angry with Virgin. But I love Moonlight Shadow. For mixture the song I passed 24 hours without sleep. [Whispering] Again, again, again… It took me three months to record. These obsessions used to grab me.

J: At this stage of his career you has total freedom, right?
M.O: Yes, this not happened for long time. Universal don’t press me. They suggested to Karl Jenkins [famous Britain composer] for this album. Both we make a system to translate the music from my software to his software and adapt it to a symphonic orchestra. Karl put all in order for playing.

J: In your albums you usually plays all instruments, It costs trust each other, work like a team?
M.O: Probabily, although I can’t play like Lang Lang. It’s faster to play me than explain to the musicians how to play. It doesn’t always give you what you want. A lot of musicians are only posing. Looking at the mirror how to appear with their intruments.

J: The new album is titled Music of the Spheres…
M.O: Yes, Do you not know what it this? You can see it on Wikipedia…

J: Sorry??
M.O: There are not in Spain? It’s an encyclopedia on Internet.

J: Yes, yes, I know it but…
M.O: Then if you enter on Wikipedia, like me, you will find the meaning of the expression “Music of the Spheres”.

J: Yes , indeed, I see it when I heard the album. It’s an ancient theory that the planets emit armonic sounds. The universe like a great musical intrument, right?
M.O: Sure enough, it’s and expression that I had listening all my life: musci of the spheres, music of the spheres… One day I entered on Internet and discovered the meaning [Long sigh]. But I didn’t think in create music of the spheres, I put the tittle after.

J: It is grandiose, cosmic. Why…?
M.O: Why, why, why. Don’t ask “why”. I don’t like “why”, I don’t answer to “why”…

J: … It put it for some motive in special?
M.O: [Sigh] I liked it, no more.Always is so, like Tubular Bells, I put the tittle 6 months after creating the music.

J: Do you feel good?
M.O: I’m stressed. I’m arrived from the port; a problem with my boat. At home the baby is crying, my other soon wants my attention: “Daddy, daddy” and I have to talk with you… Give me ten minutes, I’ll breathe a few, and the I’ll be better. [Laughs]

J:Yes, all is more agreeable if people is relaxed…
M.O: Can I smoke [make a cigarette] I’m adaptingto a new life. Before, I lived in Bristol, now I’m living between Mallorca and Monaco. Monaco is more shaked, but I can navigate too. And I like this bus across the city.

J: Since when has this house?
M.O: Since September, but I’m coming here for 2 years. The winter is quiet, although in summer the island has a lot of tourists.

J: Do you usually go to Palma, ancient part, cathedral…?
M.O: Do you want that I count you a history of the cathedral

J: Of course!!
M.O: A few year ago, I created a videogame [Music VR, 2002]. Tha player enter in a kind of cathedral, with a stained glass window. I catch the image from a photo that I had for 30 years. Always ask where could made it. When I arrived to Mallorca I’m went to the cathedral and when I entered “My stained glass window!!” [Laughs] I think that I pass there, I don’t remember.

J: You don’t remember stay before in Mallorca…
M.O: Well, Branson had a house in Menorca. I passed by Palma to take a plain and visited the cathedral. I supossed it.

J: You lived in Ibiza for 2 years, Do you prefer Mallorca?
M.O: [Mike look at the garden] Yes, is more [Sigh], How to say? In summer, Ibiza is fully of crazy tourists. I passed 2 years in Ibiza; a important part of my life, those helped me to grow up.

J: One time you said that it was a second adolescence
M.O: Yes, very crazy, I had a good time.

J: I undestand that in this period of his life you put anounces lookinf for women in the newspapers…
M.O: Oh no! It was my sister Sally. She tried to help me. If you think that is an stupid idea, it’s your problem.

J: I didn’t say this…
M.O: I’m tired of this subject, Have you got sisters?

J: No, three brothers
M.O: Well, maybe one of your brothers should make this for you. It was an idea of my sister and I knew a horrible person. I don’t want to talk of this subject, I was unhappy.

J: It was for if you know this: “lover of diversion with ocasional musical inclinations”
M.O: [Killer look, making red, up his hand, threating] If you say on more time this I’ll stop the interview. I’ve already angry!!

J: Ok, ok…
M.O: It was my sister, OK? Forget the subject, please

J: If you want, we stop the interview. You are a few violent…
M.O: No, no, it’s ok, but don’t ask stupids questions

J: If I ask other stupid question say me, but…
M.O: Hum!

J: During years you talked to find a place where build the house of your dreams, Do you thought that it was in Ibiza?
M.O: I thought this, but I sold it [Look at the garden]. I undestood that the happiness is something internal, nothing material. Maturity is a dificult conquest to reach. Now I know that my mission in my life is be content, satisfied. I’m in this.

J: Do you thinking in retire of the business?
M.O: Yes, it’s something that I think.

J: Do you think that you could? At 6 played the guitar, at 13 acted, recorded an album at 18… You are making music all your life!
M.O: [8 seconds of silence, look at the garden]. I’ll say you in 2 years [Laughs]. I haven’t got the motivation that I had before. I love the sea. There are things that I want to learn: about PCs, navigate, enjoy the beauty from a boat. I’ve had a lot of music in my life and I’ve navigate a few [Laughs]. I’ve to navigate a lot for get the balance [More laughs].

J: Have you passed too time in studios, solitary?
M.O: Yes. Studios, studios, studios… I’m tired. I’ve worked all my life: records, tours, promotions, during 35 years. This is the best that I know to do, but I late ever more on creating a disc.

J: In 2006 you published your autobiography with the title of Changeling [soul feeric reborn in Humans]. Did you born more than one time?
M.O: I’ve lived things that permited me restart. For writing the book I passed 5 months, 2 days a week, with a person that helped me to remember periods of my life. I thought: where I went, where I go, how affected things to me…

J: Did you find light for periods of your life?
M.O: This year I didn’t want to compose [Silence]. When I talk with journalists, is like if I do the same interview. I’m nerviuos for this. Finally, you finish nerviuos and me too… My childhood , my mother, the therapy, always problems. I put all in my book for no repeat the same history of my life to journalists.

J: I see that you say…
M.O: Have you read the book? [Go out of the room and come back with one book] Do you want that I sign the book for you?

J: Do you stay annoying with questions as: “In your childhood, did you play football with friends at the reccess?”?
M.O: I don’t like football. I play squash occasionally.

J: Some people hurt you, but in you autobiography is enough nice. This is not usual…
M.O: Do you think that this is bad?

J: On the contrary, I see the positive caracter…
M.O: I’m not interested the resentment, I’m not a victim, although people had damage me or those thing that count stupids journalists. I hate them, they are a criminal assault to inteligence and dignity. This is one of the reasons for I left my country. You wacth TV and you see all the stupids that, without do nothing, are famous. I said: “But in what site I’m living?”

J: Then you are in an autoexile?
M.O: Well, I don’t go there.

J: In 1982 you published the single called Family man [Five miles out], a version of Daryl Hall & John Oates. I say this because you are now a family man…
M.O: Yes, It’s great to be father.

J: Did you miss to have got a family?
M.O: My music was only my family. My life was around music. I didn’t live nothing like this. People think that the most important of the life is their family, but I think the otherwise.

J: You has recorded the album in Abbey Road Studios. Have you got good memory?
M.O: Oh, yes [smile, look at the garden]. There began all with Kevin Ayers & The Whole World [Shooting at the moon (1970) and Whatevershebringswesing (1971)].

J: What importance had Abbey Road Studios in Tubular Bells?
M.O: There was a store with instruments, some from the Beatles: xylophon, grand piano, spanish guitar, Farfisa organ… I went very early, when there was nobody, for play, experiment and add sounds and textures for the proyect.

J: It’s said that Moonlight Shadow hid messages from the John Lennon’s murder. Do you remember how affect you this?
M.O: I arrived to New York this afternoon. He was shot at 11 p.m. It was strange [look at the garden, 20 second of silence]. I don’t know that passed for my mind [1o second thinking]. You always ask things as: “What is your inspiration? Why did you write this?”

J: I’ve not asked this…
M.O: [Suspicious] I sit down and things come up. Everything is quite general.

J: There are perceptible things when you analize the finish work.
M.O: Yes, but I don’t hink too hard. I left this this for the journalists and critics, that don’t have nothing better to do. When I finish a work, give it to the record company and go with other thing. You should interview me when I’m working, not after, that way I would tell you what I'm thinking right now.

J: I don’t think that if you would like to interrupt him in the studio…
M.O: Hum! You are right.

J: You say that when you finish a work, pass to other thing, but in 2003 re-recorded Tubular Bells, such as…
M.O: [Blazing glance] With the actual technology I could correct some things and improve the original album, although It wasn’t had more sales.

J: I suppose that you made it for yourself, right?
M.O: [Look at the garden] It was fantastic, I had a good time. Technically, the second is better, now is perfect.

J: You have recorded, beside, three chapter of Tubular Bells. This is an obsession or you are not satisified?
M.O: How I describe you it? You design a boat; you put the motor, the helm, an anchor… Tubular Bells was a good design, the skeleton of a musical work. Later you put muscles, skin, meat. I don’t think that I won’t never find a skeleton better.

J: There are a person that always support you, a person that never cheat you, a person with all your confidence?
M.O: No, contrary. I’ve passed a lot of deceptions. I’ve looked after myself.

J: Ok, it’s all. We finish.
M.O: Great


Regards to all!!!  :)
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Harmono Offline




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Posted: Mar. 25 2008, 15:54

Thank you ORIONs.
I understand that it's annoying to answer the same questions over and over again, but it certainly isn't easy to interview him. I wouldn't know what to ask him, he might become irritated if asked a wrong question, then I'd have to go to psychotherapy.
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7 replies since Mar. 16 2008, 13:52 < Next Oldest | Next Newest >

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