Michael Gordon Oldfield (nacido el 15 de mayo de 1953) es un músico, multiinstrumentista, productor y compositor británico más conocido por su álbum de estudio Tubular Bells (1973), que se convirtió en un inesperado éxito crítico y comercial y lo impulsó a la fama mundial ganando un Grammy en 1975 a la Mejor Composición Instrumental. Aunque principalmente es guitarrista, Oldfield es conocido por tocar una variedad de instrumentos, que incluye teclados y percusión, y voces. Ha adoptado una gama de estilos musicales a lo largo de su carrera, incluyendo rock progresivo, mundo, folk, clásico, electrónica, ambient y música new age.
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| El dúo Sallyangie |
Oldfield nació el 15 de mayo de 1953 en Reading, Berkshire, hijo de Raymond Oldfield, un médico generalista y Maureen Liston, una mujer irlandesa. Tiene dos hermanos mayores, una hermana, Sally y un hermano, Terence. Cuando Oldfield tenía siete años, su madre dio a luz a un hermano menor, David, que tenía síndrome de Down y murió en la infancia. A su madre le recetaron barbitúricos, a los que se volvió adicta. Ella sufrió de problemas de salud mental y pasaría gran parte del resto de su vida en instituciones mentales, muriendo a principios de 1975, poco después de que Oldfield había comenzado a escribir Ommadawn.
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| Foto de la edición especial de su álbum de 2002 |
Oldfield asistió a la escuela del convento del St. Joseph, a la Highlands Junior School, a la St. Edward's Preparatory School (todavía situada en Tilehurst Road) y al Presentation College (Bath Road), todos en Reading. Cuando tenía trece años, la familia se mudó a Harold Wood, en Essex, y Oldfield asistió a la Hornchurch Grammar School donde, habiendo mostrado ya talento musical, obtuvo un diploma de GCE (Certificado General de Educación) en inglés.
El padre del músico, Raymond Oldfield, adquirió una guitarra cuando servía en la Real Fuerza Aérea británica en Egipto durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Mike recuerda cómo su padre «solía tocar la guitarra cada Nochebuena, cantando la única canción que sabía tocar, Danny Boy». Mike también atribuyó su temprano interés por la música al hecho de haber visto de niño al virtuoso guitarrista Bert Weedon: «Le vi en la tele cuando tenía siete años y enseguida convencí a mi padre para que me comprara mi primera guitarra. De hecho, creo que de no haber sido por Bert nunca hubiera llegado a ser lo principal en mi vida».
Los Oldfield se convirtieron en una familia enlazada a la música: el hermano mayor de Mike, Terry Oldfield, es un compositor de prestigio en el campo de la música para documentales televisivos, y tiene varios álbumes en el mercado; su hermana, Sally Oldfield, consiguió un gran éxito a principios de los 80 con el tema vocal «Mirrors».
Oldfield empezó a tocar la guitarra a los diez años, primero aprendiendo con un instrumento acústico de 6 cuerdas que su padre le había dado. Aprendió técnica copiando partes de canciones, de los guitarristas folclóricos Bert Jansch y John Renbourn, que reproducía en un tocadiscos portátil. Trató de aprender notación musical, pero era un aprendiz "muy, muy lento", diciendo: "Si tengo que hacerlo, puedo escribir cosas. Pero no me gusta". La guitarra era para él más que un instrumento, era una vía de escape de una situación familiar que fue empeorando y apartándolo del mundo exterior durante mucho tiempo.
Cuando tenía 12 años, Oldfield tocaba la guitarra eléctrica y actuaba en clubes y bailes folclóricos y juveniles locales, ganando hasta £ 4 por concierto. A lo largo de esa década, la escena musical acústica había gozado de muy buena salud, debido al resurgimiento de la cultura folclórica británica que tuvo lugar en las décadas anteriores. Fue en uno de los muchos clubes dedicados a este movimiento donde el joven Mike empezó a darse cuenta de que su virtuosismo musical era del agrado del público.
Oldfield recuerda: «Tenía dos instrumentales de 15 minutos cada uno que tocaba en los clubes de folk, locales en los que iba repasando todos los estilos. Incluso desafinaba las cuerdas totalmente y las doblaba sobre el mástil y hacía todo tipo de cosas. En cuanto me daban vacaciones en la escuela, pasaba la semana entera practicando y tocando la guitarra». Probó también con la guitarra eléctrica, tocando piezas instrumentales de The Shadows en un grupo amateur."Toqué en bandas de clubes juveniles cuando tenía 12 o 13 años. Solo hicimos unos pocos conciertos y duró unos 6 meses", le dijo Mike a Thomas Rosenthal en 1993.
Solía tocar en un par de clubes folclóricos en Reading. Hicimos algunas canciones originales que estaban bastante involucradas. La mayoría eran la típica poesía adolescente - las cosas dolorosas.
Mike Oldfield
Dejó la música durante seis meses de la música en los que Oldfield se dedicó a la pintura. Cuando Mike cumplió 13 años, la familia Oldfield se trasladó a Romford, Essex.
En mayo de 1968, cuando Oldfield cumplió quince años, su director de escuela le pidió que se cortara el pelo largo. Oldfield se negó y se fue abruptamente. Entonces decidió dedicarse a la música a tiempo completo y profesionalmente.
Después de dejar la escuela, Oldfield aceptó una invitación de su hermana Sally para formar un dúo folclórico en el que ella cantaba y él tocaba la guitarra, The Sallyangie, tomando su nombre del nombre de su hermana y de la canción favorita de Oldfield del músico escocés Bert Jansch, "Angie", escrita por Davey Graham. Recorrieron Inglaterra y París y llegaron a un acuerdo con Transatlantic Records, para el que grabaron un álbum, Children of the Sun en 1968.
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| Mike Oldfield y su hermana Sally |
Por esta época, la forma de tocar la guitarra de Mike fue fuertemente influido por el «folk barroco» popularizado por John Renbourn, líder de Pentangle y por Bert Jansch.
El álbum fue producido por Nathan Joseph, fundador del sello discográfico Transatlantic Records. El álbum fue publicado en 1968 en Francia y Reino Unido. En 1969 fue publicado en Estados Unidos y Canadá con Warner Bros.
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| Portada del álbum original de 1968 |
Lista de canciones de la edición original de 1968:
A1 Strangers 1:12
A2 Lady Mary 3:41
A3 Children Of The Sun 4:56
A4 A Lover For All Seasons 3:42
A5 River Song 3:40
A6 Banquet On The Water 4:28
B1 Balloons 5:28
B2 Midsummer Night's Happening 4:08
B3 Love In Ice Crystals 3:00
B4 Changing Colours 0:21
B5 Chameleon 2:20
B6 Milk Bottle 0:31
B7 The Murder Of The Children Of San Francisco 4:00
B8 Strangers 1:12
En 1978-9 aprovechando el éxito de ambos hermanos se reeditó en otros países: Países Bajos, España, Alemania, Bélgica e Italia con una portada diferente.
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| Portada de la edición de 1978 |
En Japón se publicó en 1980. Y en Australia y Nueva Zelanda se publicó en 1982 con una nueva portada.
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| Portada de la edición en Australia y Nueva Zelanda. |
Se publicó por primera en CD en 1988. En 2002 se lanzó una edición especial remasterizada con material adicional. Las ediciones posteriores también han incluido material adicional.
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| Pagina del libreto de la edición especial de 2002 |
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| Pagina del libreto de la edición especial de 2002 |
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| Pagina del libreto de la edición especial de 2002 |
Canciones:
A1 Strangers 1:12
Mi opinión personal
Marca la apertura y cierre del álbum. Anuncia lo que va a ser, pero el tema no tiene suficiente contenido.
Letras:
We're looking for the strangers
With sunlight in their eyes
Who lived on earth
When man was new
When time was just a coloured dew
That grew inside their minds
There was a time upon the earth
When men were all of noble birth
And beautiful and fair
There was a world within their brain
That grew from love as summer rain
In their eyes that wandered free
A2 Lady Mary 3:41
Mi opinión personal
Bonita balada pero excesivos violines.
Letras:
Hey sweet prince I love your hair of darkest violet
Hey sweet prince I love your eyes that twinkle at twilight
Hey you're gonna be a king when the dawn rises from the sea
And you're gonna love me when all our golden lands are free
Lady Mary is making kisses out of starlight
She's deep in love with the sweet kings of the earth
Hey cool princess
With your eyes hung in the milk of the moon
Hey pretty princess
Take me down to your cave at dawn
Hey you're gonna be a queen
When the stars water heaven with tears
And you're gonna love me
When all our golden lands are free
Lady Mary is making kisses out of starlight
She's deep in love with the sweet kings of the earth
High king
There's love on your brow like the spring tide
High king
Give me princes to walk by my side
Hey king of earth
You are gentle and new like the moon
And it's you I love
In the heaven comin' soon
Lady Mary is making kisses out of starlight
She's deep in love with the sweet kings of the earth
A3 Children Of The Sun 4:56
La canción fue reeditada en un CD sencillo en Japón en 2017:
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| Portada del CD de 2017 |
Mi opinión personal
Buen a conjugación de las voces de los dos hermanos.
Letras:
Sunrise shimmers the city walls with yellow light
Sunrise feeling with golden fingers, the edges of the night
There's a hush in the air, in his silver hair
King Solomon is my father
Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah's sending children of the sun
I watch the boats go by as evening colours the sand
The rain is bringing tears from my lovers land
I watch the silver stars melt in love with the sea
I cry to the wind bring back my lover to me
Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah's sending children of the sun
My lover's hands are whiter than the wings of a dove
His hair is softest fire that fall in heavenly love
His smile is a blue birds cry on a midsummer's morn
His kiss is the touch of the sun before the earth's new dawn
Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah's sending children of the sun
My lover used to bring me stars he found in the sand
I would lay the singing skies inside his tiny hand
Tonight the moon is dripping on the coloured river we knew
O take me where he lies cryin' in the mornin' dew
Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah's sending children of the sun
I watch the boats go by as evening colours the sand
The rain is bringing tears from my lovers land
I watch the silver stars melt in love with the sea
I cry to the wind bring back my lover to me
Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah's sending children of the sun
A4 A Lover For All Seasons 3:42
Mi opinión personal
Bonita balada con buen guitarreo.
Letras:
Come walk with me and I will give you
Cherries from a newborn summer glimmerin'
Come lie with me and I will give you
Babies from a moonlit sea all shimmerin'
Cos I love you lover
I love you like I love the four high seasons
Come run with me and I will show you
Stars and lights that glow like spring on fire
Come fly with me and I will show you
Passions of the woodland flowers desire
Cos I love you man
I love you like I love the four high seasons
Come dance with me and I will show you
Rhythm of the thunder winds on sea sand
Come move with me and I will show you
Harmony that flows through the sea and the land
Cos I love you woman
I love you like I love the four high seasons
Come take my hand and wander in the
Willow river glistening with blue bells
Come take my flesh and wander in the
Sunny Corn that shimmers still at snowfall
Cos I love you lover
I love you like I love the four high seasons
A5 River Song 3:40
Mi opinión personal
Lo estropea los cambios de ritmo.
Letras:
My moon shines so softly
On the hair of my killer
Pour flowers on his head
Help me give him some shelter
Come lie by the river
Rest your head don't you fear
Then sleep softly my baby
They won't find you here
And Daddy forgive them
They've taken and murdered all that he loved
He came with a gun his mind all undone
Now he's weepin' they wanna hang him at morning
Pretty stars drop your wonder
On the eyes of my killer
Blind him with lovelight
Help me give him some shelter
Come lie by the river
Rest your head don't you fear
Then sleep softly my baby
They won't find you here
And Daddy forgive them
They've taken and murdered all that he loved
He came with a gun his mind all undone
Now he's weepin' they wanna hang him at morning
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| Imagen de la funda interior del álbum |
A6 Banquet On The Water 4:28
Mi opinión personal
Bonita balada para lucimiento de Sally.
Letras:
I don't want your Apollo of frozen steel
I don't want your lies you teach my children to feel
So keep off my lovers moon or he'll blind thee
As he walks in beauty on water
He didn't need an aeroplane
As we went flying thro' the starry rain
High over rivers of light seas of pearl
High into the sun
Then we spent the night walking on the water
Hey man catch me white bait
Hey man let's have a banquet
Don't wanna know your name
You're just my lover
Just wanna spend the night
Walking beside you on the water
You look like my lover but your words are cold
You say words like him but thinking has made you grow old
So keep off my lovers moon or he'll blind thee
As he walks in beauty on water
B1 Balloons 5:28
Mi opinión personal
Parece una canción infantil
Letras:
I remember the day when I was the night
And the sun was my eyes in the moon
But I changed into day and the night flew away
And I sang to my lover the moon
I remember the sound when my hair felt the ground
And the words that were written on you
But you were not there so I slept on the stair
And you came in a lemon balloon
Who are you?
I remember the breeze and the soft creamy cheese
That we gave to the dowes on the lawn
But the grass was so green that it soaked up the cream
And the dowes flew away and were gone
But I saw the smiles that were deep in their eyes
And saw the joke was on you but I could not laugh
I went back to the grass and you came in a rainbow balloon
Who are you?
B2 Midsummer Night's Happening 4:08
Mi opinión personal
Buen tema folk. Para mi de lo mejor del álbum. Buena conjugación de las voces de los hermanos.
Letras:
Sunlight falling bright over village garden walls
Moonlight showers gold where living water falls
People walk in splendor under trees hung in starlight
Orange groves are bursting out into green leaves of moonlight
Candlelight lawns sweep down to the river that ripples on pebbles of turquoise
Fountains of golden light burst in quavers that float among the stars
The tables are laid with fruits of the vine and cedar from Samarkand
The golden gates are open wide for the people all over the land
A thousand dancing chandeliers shine in my lady's chamber
My lord comes swaying through the halls with a goblet of shining amber
Nectar and brandy, wine and mead, come flowing in shimmering springs
They all minuet to a string quartet and the Marquis's daughter shall sing
Gentle maidens walking in the garden
They're courted by the knights from the palace of love
They're all dressed in white with flowers of palest colour
They're all singing songs to the yellow moon above
(Come to the ball, my love, sip sweet ambrosia
Trip in the forest, Titania, my love
Come to the ball, my love, sip sweet ambrosia
Trip in the forest, Titania, my love)
Would you like brandy wine?
Yes, I would, sir
Shall we go now and dine?
Yes, I would, sir
We'll do the merry minuet till the yellow moon has set
We shall dance through the midsummer night
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| Imagen de la funda del álbum |
B3 Love In Ice Crystals 3:00
Mi opinión personal
Buen balada.
Letras:
O my love being your songs to my door
And come and rest inside
While the snow is falling coloured through
The windy world outside the crystal window
And the snowy wind is breathing sounds
Of icicles---melting in love
O my love let your teats warm my hand
And shower your gentle kisses
Where the desert sands are running dry
And parched in summer burning heat and hunger
And the warm Indian sun is shedding
Pearl stones---melting in love
O my love let your hands rest in my hair
As white birds in the forest making love upon the fingers of the trees
And in the wild woodland simmering
And the bodies of the trees are bursting sunflowers
Melting in love---melting in love
O my love you're searching for your name
Beside the sea of dreams where shadows dance
And for your glance the sky would chance the granting
Of a dream to the restless soul that dwells within your heart
And your eyes are open windows to your mind
Your eyes are open windows to your mind
B4 Changing Colours 0:21
Mi opinión personal
Tema de relleno experimentando con la guitarra
B5 Chameleon 2:20
Mi opinión personal
Pasable
Letras:
he king of Orion brings
The jewels from his belt and his sword
The emeralds shine through the trees
To dance upon the high forest lord
I am to you as I am to me
I am a star in a deep blue sea
I am the queen of a million queens
I am a ripple on a crystal stream
The three kings from the east bring gifts of gold frankincense and myrrh
They sing a song of coolness as they trip across the hills that never stare
The king of William shakes his spear writes upon the pages made of bread
He packs his bag, mounts the star, follows wherever he is led
The king of the desert brings a rainbow made of crystals of Assam
He strides across the dusty sea, a caravan of camels in his hand
Tonight
Where are they?
Where?
Where are my little slaves and why are they not in their caves
I'll give them such unhappy days and force them all to change their ways
I'll tie them to a book of rules and send them to my prison schools
Unto my elementarys and they will come out just like me
And Where am I?
Where am I?
And where have they gone?
Where have they gone?
They all ran after the dark lord's wife
She cut off their love with a carving knife
Did you ever see anything else in your life as my blind mice
My blind mice
I am the lord with a plastic hand
Where are the slaves that I command
Where are the knights that were trembling at my words
And standing by the ruined gate
Just for the fish to catch their bate
And then my love to dark tunnel we shall go
Where are my little slaves and why are they not in their caves
I'll give them such unhappy days and force them all to change their ways
I'll tie them to a book of rules and send them to my prison schools
Unto my elementarys and they will come out slaves as me
And where am I??
B6 Milk Bottle 0:31
Mi opinión personal
Otro tema de relleno experimentando con la guitarra.
B7 The Murder Of The Children Of San Francisco 4:00
Mi opinión personal
Intentan hacer algo más rockero.
Letras:
A child of love is walkin' thro' the San Franciscan night
He's barefoot and his eyes are open wide with heavenly light
His head is covered over with leaves of darkest red
He drinks the milk of paradise and on honey dew has fed
O my tiny hands are frozen won't you give me bread to eat
My father is St.Francis and there's snow upon my feet
O Joseph what's the knockin' in the howlin' wind without
Is it the rain or what that's strikin' fear into my heart
O Mary calm your mind while I open up the door
If it be beggars or gypsy sellers they won't't come back no more
O my tiny hands are frozen won't you give me bread to eat
My father is St.Francis and there's snow upon my feet
O Joseph there's that call again pray go and let him in
We have a litte wine to spare if he be tired and thin
O Mary where's your sense I have to work both night and day
For you and all our childrens sakes I'll drive the child away
O my tiny hands are frozen won't you give me bread to eat
My father is St.Francis and there's snow upon my feet
His head is covered over with leaves of darkest red
He drinks the milk of paradise and on honey dew has fed
O Joseph my love has died with this cruel deed of yours
Take care my man for you did drive an angel from your door
A child of love is walkin' thro' the San Franciscan night
He's barefoot and his eyes are open wide with heavenly light
His head is covered over with leaves of darkest red
He drinks the milk of paradise and on honey dew has fed
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| David Palmer hizo los arreglos. |
Comentario sobre mi puntuación media del álbum: 2,393 (se valora entre 0 y 5)
Se nota que la que manda es la hermana. Mike con su juventud hace un papel bastante decente.
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| Ray Warleigh |
Créditos:
- Sally Oldfield: voz
- Mike Oldfield: guitarra acústica,voz
- Terry Cox: percusión
- David Palmer: arreglos
- Ray Warleigh: flauta
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| Terry Cox |
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