OVERSEEN BY MIKE OLDFIELD IT FEATURES A PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED 2017 DEMO, “TUBULAR BELLS 4 INTRO”
DOUBLE VINYL FEATURES NEW HALF-SPEED ABBEY ROAD MASTER OF THE 1973 ORIGINAL MIX PLUS HARD-TO-FIND VERSION OF THE ICONIC WORK
LOS ANGELES – MARCH 31, 2023 – On May 26, Mike Oldfield’s iconicTubular Bellswill be reissued on double vinyl to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Available to pre-order now, this special collection features an unreleased demo made five years ago which, at the time, was intended to be the start of a new 50th anniversary version of the work. Then, Oldfield retired, and the eight-minute introduction was shelved. Now seeing the light of day, “Tubular Bells 4 Intro,” is the conclusion to this historic album’s incredible life and may well be the last thing to ever be recorded by Oldfield.
With the whole project overseen by Oldfield, the 2LP 50th anniversary edition of Tubular Bells contains a brand new half-speed master of the original 1973 mix of the album mastered at Abbey Road by Miles Showell and a second record that unites several beguiling versions of Oldfield’s masterwork for the first time.
Receiving its first outing on vinyl is “Tubular X,” Oldfield’s take on Mark Snow’s iconic “X-Files” theme, recorded in 1998. There is the “Tubular Beats” remix collaboration with YORK as well as the original “Mike Oldfield’s Single (Theme From Tubular Bells)” which was made in response to an unauthorized American single containing an excerpt from “Tubular Bells.” And, for the first time since a very limited run in 2012, Oldfield’s stunning “Tubular Bells/In Dulci Jubilo (Music for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games)” is also included.
Tubular Bells is a cornerstone of popular culture. But, before its world fame, the 16 or so million sales, the Royal Mail stamp, its selection for the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony, originally, there was the music.
In 1973, a young, largely unknown 20-year-old Mike Oldfield released his debut album – two long suites of music, with virtually every instrument played by Oldfield himself. It also happened to be the debut release of a brand new label – Richard Branson’s Virgin Records. This coming together was an ambitious and brave collaboration for both parties, but became one of music’s great partnerships setting Oldfield on the path to being one of Britain’s most renowned and celebrated musicians, while Virgin Records would become one of the most iconic and influential record labels in the world, which would not have been possible without the success of this record. Tubular Bells became a phenomenon, topping the UK charts and winning a Grammy. Its popularity and notoriety was secured by its main theme being featured in “The Exorcist,” the 1973 film which became a global sensation.
Mike Oldfield says… “Listening again to the musical outpourings of an angst-ridden teenager, it is hard to believe that was actually me, 50 years ago. The music doesn’t sound that angst-ridden, but only I know the years of work and stress that produced Tubular Bells. This was all live, first take performances with no second chances or studio trickery as we have become so used to today. Little did I think when I was making Tubular Bells that anyone would ever hear it, let alone be celebrating it five decades later! Thank you to everyone who has listened over the years.”
TUBULAR BELLS – 50th ANNIVERSARY EDITION TRACKLIST
Double LP (V2001-50LP)
LP1
Side One
1. Tubular Bells – Part One (2023 Half-Speed Master by Miles Showell)
Side Two
2. Tubular Bells – Part Two (2023 Half-Speed Master by Miles Showell)
LP2
Side One
1. Tubular Bells 4 Intro (previously unreleased demo 2017)
2. Tubular Bells/In Dulci Jubilo (Music for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games)
Side Two
1. Tubular X
2. Tubular Bells (Mike Oldfield & YORK Remix)
3. Mike Oldfield’s Single (Theme From Tubular Bells)