Mike Oldfield — Hergest Ridge (August 28, 1974) [Deluxe 2CD & DVD Edition, 2010]

 ^{Mike Oldfield — Hergest Ridge (August 28, 1974) [Deluxe 2CD/DVD Ed., 2010]}
•   The reissue features radically different artwork, which features a model glider and aerial photography based on Google Earth and Bluesky. According to the new liner notes, Oldfield was never entirely happy with the original album artwork and took this opportunity to commission a new cover. This 2010 Deluxe Edition features versions of the original record, remastered for a modern audience, unheard demo versions, plus the mixes found on the vinyl version first released in 1974 — along with DVD footage to accompany both parts of Hergest Ridge.
•   Originally released in 1974 and departing from the choppy mix of prog and folk–based influences explored for the first time on Mike Oldfield’s debut Tubular Bells, Oldfield’s much anticipated follow up, Hergest Ridge develops for itself a unique charm entirely its own. Softer and calmer, atmospheric and haunting, Hergest Ridge is a lament to the soothing environment Oldfield enveloped himself in directly after his debut’s overwhelming success.
Birth name: Michael Gordon Oldfield
Born: 15 May 1953, Reading, Berkshire, England
Instruments: Guitar, bass, banjo, piano, percussion, keyboards, synthesizer, mandolin, vocals, harp, tympani, vibraphone, drums, tubular bells.
On this album: CF Martin Style B Mandolin (Mike Vanden F4–style mandolin), 1966 Gibson SG Junior, 1974 Jose Ramirez 1A Traditional, 1960 Fender Precision Bass, blonde, Gemini Organ, Farfisa Professional Organ, Lowrey Organ, Tannoy Monitor Gold, Walsall Timing Developments 20 channel mixer.
Location: Bahamas
Album release: August 28, 1974
Recorded: The Manor, with preliminary sessions at Basing Street and Chipping Norton. Mixed at Air London
Record Label: Universal/Mercury
Genre: Progressive Rock, Electronic, Experimental
Duration:     44:11 + 78:55 + 38:06 => 161:12  
Tracks:
DISC ONE
01. Hergest Ridge {Part One}      19:22
02. Hergest Ridge {Part Two}      18:51
2010 Stereo Mixes by Mike Oldfield
03. In Dulci Jubilo (For Maureen)      2:47
•   B–side of single
04. Spanish Tune      3:11
•   1974 Promotional single version — Previously unreleased
DISC TWO
01. Hergest Ridge {Part One}      21:34
02. Hergest Ridge {Part Two} (original 1974 stereo mix)      18:45
•   Original 1974 Stereo Mixes
•   Released as Virgin V2013 in August 1974
03. Hergest Ridge {Part One}      20:23
04. Hergest Ridge {Part Two}      18:13
•   Previously Unreleased 1974 Demo Recording 
DISC THREE: DVD
•   2010 5.1 Surround Sound Mixes by Mike Oldfield
01. Hergest Ridge {Part One}      19:19
02. Hergest Ridge {Part Two}      18:47
Chart (1974)
≡♠≡   Dutch Albums (MegaCharts)      #12
≡♠≡   Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)      #54
≡♠≡   UK Albums (OCC)      #1
Billboard Albums
≡♠≡   1974 Hergest Ridge The Billboard 200      #87
Personnel/Credits:
•   Produced by Mike Oldfield
• All instruments played by Mike Oldfield: Electric Guitars, Glockenspiel, Sleigh Bells, Mandolin, Nutcracker, Timpani, Gong, Acoustic Guitar, Spanish Guitar, Farfisa, Lowrey & Gemini Organs, except Oboes by June Whiting & Lindsey Cooper.
• Trumpet — Ted Hobart
• Snare Drums — Chili Charles
• Voices — Clodagh Simmonds & Sally Oldfield
• Choir & Strings were conducted by David Bedford
Also thought to be there…
• Terry Oldfield — woodwind
• William Murray — cymbal
• London Sinfonietta — strings
• Additional parts recorded at Chipping Norton. Album mixed at Air London
• 1976 remix by Mike Oldfield at Througham Slad.
• Cover by Trevor Key assisted by Bootleg, the Irish Wolfhound from The Manor                                                                   © Gibson SG 1966
ABOUT ALBUM
Author: Jesus Diego Olivas, 11th December 2014
•   The exploration and deconstruction of English folk music seemed to be the path needed to be taken by new neo–folk artists. One unlikely champion of this became one that you’d least expect to be one. Now known as one of New Age and World music’s pioneers with albums like Tubular Bells, Incantations, and more, there was a time he was one of the best hidden talents in England. 1973’s Tubular Bells, although by far his most successful album, doesn’t quite display the true powers and ties to his England as Hergest Ridge would.
•   Few people know the Michael that you’ll read about now. Once there was a time that Michael Oldfield, together with his younger sister Sally, two very young teens from Reading were signed to Transatlantic Records (at Mick Jagger’s request!) in hopes of becoming the next wunderkinds of folk music. This group, The Sallyangie, released in 1969 a very green/twee album (with perhaps the last singing ever done by Michael!) of Donovan, and Incredible String Band influenced folk music. Children of the Sun, although a massive flop, displayed in songs like the title cut, or “Love in Ice Crystals”, a wonderful talent that needed much more nurturing than promotion.•   After the band split up, Michael joined Kevin Ayer’s backing band “The Whole World” as a bassist and occasional guitarist. The time he spent being in the background with Kevin allowed him to start to foment grander ideas of a more artistic brand of English folk music. It is this time that brought to him under the friendship of David Bedford. David was a bit of an eccentric musician. A keyboardist by trade, he was a truly learned musician having studied at the Royal Academy of Music. In his spare time he was the resident composer at Queen’s College in London and would create serialist compositions like Nurse with Elephants that skirted the line between modern classical and rock music. As arranger for Kevin’s music, together with Michael he’d create such wonderfully askewed art pop like “Whatevershebringswesing” to accompany Kevin’s whimsical melancholia.
•   It was Bedford who convinced Michael to record a demo of Tubular Bells a track he’d be kicking around for a while. This demo recorded on a tape deck given to him by Kevin, that he’d use to overdub tons of instruments methodically became the tape he shopped around fruitlessly to all sorts of record companies. Sometime in 1971, he by some good graces, was able to play his demo to an engineer who sorta knew Richard Branson. This engineer was knocked off his feet by what he heard and decided to convince Richard to sign him up and help him record that album. Now we know the rest is history.
•   This album recorded in Branson’s Manor Studio, would become the first record released by the Virgin Record company, and a massive hit that propelled a young Mike Oldfield into unwelcome spotlight in 1972. Using the wonders of multi–track technology Mike had orchestrated by himself nearly all baker’s dozen of the instruments played on the album. Of note, were the intriguing snake guitar sounds he got from David Bedford’s secretive Glorfindel Box effects pedal. Quickly, either via England’s rampant love of it or the Exorcist’s use of a snippet of the album, Richard had a star in the making. Mike himself was dead afraid and angry that now he was going to be forced to play the role of a rock star. Things like a “Tubular Bells” single infuriated him, he wanted the album to be heard as it is and not moved by the machinations of a record company.•   At a time, that he wanted to just be left alone and recede from the spotlight he was struggling mightily to even think of continuing his career. For a brief time after this time of tumult, he would occasionally appear to perform in public (in such great performances like the one seen in the bonus track section below) but most of the time he’d try his hand at helping other friends of his. One friend he helped immensely was Robert Wyatt. In 1973, Robert Wyatt fell from a window and became paralyzed from the waist down. To help him recover he recorded the album Rock Bottom. This masterpiece feature similar minded musicians who were struggling trying to fit in a more segregated rock and soul world. Members of Henry Cow, Soft Machine, Caravan and Mike himself lent their talents to this album. Mike particularly, wrote an elegiac and magnificent song in the album’s closer “Little Red Robin Hood Hit the Road”:
•   This song so markedly different in tone and substance, a hypnotic English music down to its core, reinvigorated some sense of conviction again for Mike. Now more forthright with who he was, he had to bend Richard to fulfill his end of the deal. Rather than go to a big studio to record his followup, Mike was able to take a 4–track and record a demo version of nascent Hergest Ridge at his home studio The Beacon in his home town of Kington, Herefordshire.
•   This area at the border of Wales and England was so remotely away from any rock and roll lifestyle. There he could record demos in the morning and go out in the evening to ride on horseback or tend a field. There was no actual road to the Beacon, everything had to be carried into it. Mike worked tirelessly to bring studio equipment and instruments of all sorts to accomplish his recording. Out there in the hills, though, is where he felt at peace to create. Friends like David Bedford would contribute ideas that he’d integrate, and others like Lindsay Cooper (ex–Comus and now Henry Cow member) would visit with oboe, or other instrument at hand, to add to this widescreen English pastoral folk–rock music Mike was creating. Although the album was completed in Richard Branson’s the Manor, it was the spirit of this land that inspired its creation.
•   This is something you feel the moment Mike’s Solina string machine joins forces with the woodwind work of Lindsay that starts off Hergest Ridge. This is music that allows you to peep at the English countryside rolling down the ridge’s of Mike’s home. As other instruments get stately introduced; acoustic and electric guitar, mandolin, real and unreal, the music just gets the much more green. My favorite bit, being the introduction of “floating” guitars (slowed down and Glorfindel box affected) that starts a bit before the 11 minute mark. People might have been expecting a more rocking or “spooky” Mike but here he was using the softness of all this Englishness to present a new type of English folk music, equal parts uplifting, vanguardist, and welcoming. It’s a new age, and something had to jump start it, right? Anyway, for Mike all of these new ideas culminate tomorrow...
•   Bonus track, view the 1973 performance of Tubular Bells (a rare one for this time) with Mike and a whole slew of brilliant musicians, Steve Hillage from Gong, Mick Taylor from the Stones, Fred Frith from Henry Cow, Mike Ratledge from Soft Machine...                                                            © Ramirez classical 1A
Personnel:
▸ David Bedford (arranger)
•   Classically trained composer, and fellow member of Kevin Ayers’s band ‘The Whole World’, with whom Mike played bass and guitar (David played mostly keyboards). By the end of 1974, David had arranged both Tubular Bells and Hergest Ridge for orchestra. Both pieces were premiered at the Royal Albert Hall in London, with Steve Hillage, from the group Gong, on guitar. Mike was scheduled to play, but was unable to due to ‘illness’ (the illness was more mental than physical — Mike couldn’t cope with appearing in public). The Orchestral TB was later released as an album, with Mike Oldfield on guitar. A recording of a performance of the Orchestral HR in Scotland (also with Steve Hillage — most performances were him, although Andy Summers of the Police did a few in the North of England), made by the BBC, was bought by Virgin, although it was never released.
•   Bedford also taught at Queen’s College, members whose choir were to appear later on Incantations and Exposed. He recorded many albums of his own, often experimental music, some of which Mike played on.
▸ Tom Newman (assistant engineer)
▸ London Sinfonietta (ensemble)
•   According to David Bedford, the string players on the album were from the London Sinfonietta.
▸ Chilli Charles (musician)
•   Drummer, who released two albums with Virgin — ‘Busy Corner’ (1974) and ‘Quickstep’ (1975). Also played with the likes of Kevin Ayers and Robert Palmer. Listed on the album as ‘Chili’ Charles (with one L), a spelling that seems to have been incorrect.
▸ Lindsay Cooper (musician)
•   Most often seen playing the bassoon and oboe, although she also plays piano, flute and saxophone (and not to be confused with the male Lindsay Cooper who played double bass on Tubular Bells). Although classically trained, Lindsay went into more freeform improvised playing styles with bands like Henry Cow, who recorded several albums at The Manor. Mike engineered on one Henry Cow album — Legend (on the track ‘Nirvana for mice’) — which they recorded in 1973 (this was in fact before Lindsay Cooper joined the band).
▸ Ted Hobart (musician)
•   Classically trained trumpeter. At the time was probably freelancing for musicals in London’s West End. Also joined the English National Opera in 1974.
▸ William Murray (musician)
•   Drummer, who Mike would have met in 1971 while recording ‘Whetevershebringswesing’ with Kevin Ayers. He played with Richard and Linda Thompson’s ‘Sour Grapes’ band, as well as with Mellow Candle. He also played drums with Kevin Ayers in 1971 on the ‘Whatevershebringswesing’ album and later worked with Paul Kossoff. He was a good friend of Mike’s. Mike bought William Murray a camera as a present, which sparked off an interest in photography. Helater moved to Dallas, Texas, USA, where he worked as a photographer. William took the photograph of Mike that’s on the cover of Amarok. He died in 1999.
•   William played an uncredited cymbal on Hergest Ridge.
▸ Terry Oldfield (musician)
•   Mike Oldfield’s older brother, who had only just begun playing the flute when he was drafted in to play in the premiere concert for Tubular Bells in 1973. He has since gone on to become a well known producer of new age music, often featuring his woodwind playing.
▸ Clodagh Simmonds (musician)
•   Had previously been a member of Irish progressive folk band ‘Mellow Candle’ as well as having played Harpsicord and Mellotron on the song ‘Sarah’ on Thin Lizzy’s ‘Shades of a blue orphanage’ in 1972. The group’s drummer was Mike’s friend William Murray. She also sang with the group Jade Warrior, alongside Jon Field (flute on Tubular Bells).
▸ June Whiting (musician)
•   An oboe player, who also played on Rick Wakeman’s ‘1984’ album.
▸ Trevor Key (cover artwork)                                                            © Fender Precision Bass
Notes:
Lead vocalists:
ζ   As with any other instrument, Oldfield uses to be careful with the sound of vocals in his works. He has only occasionally sung by himself in his records and live performances, sometimes using a vocoder as a resource. It’s not unusual for him to make call to diverse singers and performing selection tests before deciding the most appropriate for a particular song or album. Featured lead vocalists that have collaborated with him include:
▸Amar
▸Jon Anderson
▸Max Bacon
▸Rosa Cedrón
▸Roger Chapman
▸Cara Dillon
▸Anita Hegerland
▸Sally Oldfield
▸Barry Palmer
▸Maggie Reilly
▸Luke Spiller
▸Bonnie Tyler
▸Clodagh Simonds
Website: http://www.mikeoldfieldofficial.com/
Mirror: http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/tubular-bells-star-mike-oldfields-5732938                                                                   © Mike Oldfield by Ian Witlen
▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸▸

Mike Oldfield — Hergest Ridge (August 28, 1974) [Deluxe 2CD & DVD Edition, 2010]

---

NEWS

archiv

ALBUM COVERS X.