Let’s get the “interesting facts” out of the way first: Oldfield was 19 years old when he made this, he played (nearly) all the instruments, it was the first record produced for Richard Branson’s Virgin label, the opening section was used for The Exorcist.
Thanks to William Friedkin, everybody knows the opening piano sequence, which is as much a musical short-hand for “creepy goings on” as is the Twilight Zone theme, but despite this association the album isn’t especially creepy. Apart, perhaps, from the “Piltdown Man” section where Oldfield growls some nonsense syllables over a pounding beat. This, apparently, came about when he was frustrated by Branson demanding some vocals to the otherwise entirely instrumental album, drinking half a bottle of whisky and then screaming nonsense in the studio until he lost his voice.
There is another “vocal”, of course. Viv Stanshall of the Bonzo Dog Band announces each instrument as it appears in the final section of Side One, after the fashion of the Bonzo’s track The Intro And The Outro, his anunciation of “Plus: tubular bells!” giving the album its title.
There is, perhaps, something in common with previous albums on this list such as Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew or the Soft Machine album (Third), lengthy instrumental pieces that last an entire side of an album and borrow a little from classical in having different movements within a larger piece. It is, however, unusual in being the work of pretty much a single person overdubbing everything in the studio. I suspect that as we move forward, especially into the 21st century, this sort of thing will become more common – Aphex Twin, for example – as the technology becomes more widely available for anybody with a computer to construct their own multi-tracking.
There is, perhaps, something in common with previous albums on this list such as Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew or the Soft Machine album (Third), lengthy instrumental pieces that last an entire side of an album and borrow a little from classical in having different movements within a larger piece. It is, however, unusual in being the work of pretty much a single person overdubbing everything in the studio. I suspect that as we move forward, especially into the 21st century, this sort of thing will become more common – Aphex Twin, for example – as the technology becomes more widely available for anybody with a computer to construct their own multi-tracking.
With this kind of music, in some ways it washes over (a lot of people in the comments section mentioned using it for relaxation), but it generally blends quite seamlessly between “movements”. Of these, the most memorable are the “Exorcist theme” beginning, the Viv Stanshall part, the “Piltdown Man” part, and the oddly incongruous hornpipe at the end – this latter probably why Oldfield was called upon to produce a version of the Blue Peter theme.
It’s probably not Oldfield’s best work in this style, I think he develops as he matures (as we all should), but it is a very significant event in music.
It’s probably not Oldfield’s best work in this style, I think he develops as he matures (as we all should), but it is a very significant event in music.
Comments
Post a Comment