News and rumours

Q: What / when will the next Mike Oldfield concert be?

A: A few facts and a lot of rumours. Please note, that as time goes by, rumours may turn into facts, without me making any note of it (yes, I am lazy!), and that some rumours might be considered facts, because we were assured it was the truth... Even then, I hope you will find what you are seeking here, in the hardest to maintain part of the FAQ.

The TB3 premier concert

• (June 17 1998, Paul Harris/Dark Star)
  Facts: Premier concert for Tubular Bells III.
  Friday 4th September, 8.00 PM, Horseguards Parade, London.

• (September 14 1998, Lise)
  Facts: As one of the fortunate ones, to be at this concert: this was played: excerpt of TB / all of TB3 / Moonlight Shadow / Family Man / reprise of Secrets and Far above the clouds.
  A concert video will probably be available soon, as well as a concert CD.

• (September 29 1998, Paul Harris)
  Facts: The premier concert video will be released on 12th October.

• (March 27 1998, Nacho Marin)
  Rumours: I have read in a Spanish newspaper the following news:
  "Luar Na Lubre will be the group who will accompany Mike Oldfield in his world tour. They will present their album called Plenilunio."
  Luar Na Lubre is the group of Bieito Romero, writer of The Song Of The Sun from Voyager.

• (April 4 1998, Paul Harris, Dark Star)
  Rumours: A tour is being planned. Although nothing is finalised, the current plan is a world tour. This will start in September running through to December 1998. There will be a short break with the tour resuming early 1999 and continuing to the Spring.
  Nacho's recent post to the list about the information in a Spanish newspaper is correct.

• (April 27 1998, Javier Gurrutxaga/Cadena 100)
  Rumours: I heard on the radio last night that Mike's world-wide '98 Tour will reach 30 countries.

• (May 6 1998, Marco Antonio Garcia Prieto)
  Rumours: In an interview with Bieito Romero (Luar Na Lubre) in Spanish radio M80 he has said that the tour with MO could start in September. Then he said something which can be really good news: Luar Na Lubre is going to take part in the TB3 concert. Yes, they are going to play TB3 sections. So it seems TB3 will have some folk music.

• (June 2 1998, Nacho Marin)
  Rumours: Just heard on the radio, said by Bieito Romero from Luar Na Lubre. The TB3 tour has changed. It will be in January- February 1999, not five months as it was said before.
  Countries: Japan, Russia!!!, and some European countries. Sorry by the US and Canada friends, but they said nothing about your countries :-(

• (June 3 1998, Chris Dewey/Dark Star)
  Facts: The full World Tour will commence in February 1999 - no firm details are available at present.
  The Spanish group, Luar Na Lubre will be the support act on this tour.

• (June 18 1998, Paul Harris/Dark Star)
  Rumours: About the TB3 concerts in 1999: I expect that after all the rehearsal that is planned for the Premier, that next year's tour will feature a set similar to the premiere concert.
  I do not yet know when the dates will be released, but I suspect that this might be around the time of TB III's release. Sales will obviously effect the schedule.

• (August 21 1998, K.Rume/Carlos Finaly (Cadena 100)/Mike Oldfield)
  Rumours: I am planning a tour. My idea is to be on the road in March, April, May and perphaps until summer. I am very keen on playing in places like Barcelona, where I played once in the 80s, and it was amazing, there were like 200.000 people. I love open air shows, instead of sports palaces and that places, that had a horrible acoustic.

• (September 29 1998, Paul Harris)
  Rumours: No concert venues have been confirmed yet for the tour in the Spring - but these are expected from April 1999.

• (October 15 1998, Nacho Marin asking Luar Na Lubre)
  Rumours: When asked about the TB3 tour: they don't know anything about dates or places. But seem certain that the tour will cover Spain.

• (July 15 1998, Gareth Randall)
  Rumours: (Clive) did mention the possibility of a ballet version of Tubular Bells - apparently CBL were approached with the idea by a ballet company who were keen to do it - and a complete orchestral suite of Mike's full-length instrumental works. Presumably his computer game fits in somewhere as well.

• (September 11 1998, Tim Godden)
  Rumours: Source: Tim Goddens music teacher knows Mike Oldfield, and talked to him a few days before this was quoted. He is considering doing at least a gig a year in his home country (UK). Ho would love to do just 1 night at the Albert Hall (or any suitably big venue) each year. And another UK open air concert may take place during November/December of 99. There may also be a gig in Scotland as well as in the England.

Q: What / when will the next Mike Oldfield album be?

A: A few facts and a lot of rumours. Please note, that as time goes by, rumours may turn into facts, without me making any note of it (yes, I am lazy!), and that some rumours might be considered facts, because we were assured it was the truth... Even then, I hope you will find what you are seeking here, in the hardest to maintain part of the FAQ.

Guitars

• (September 1998, Marcus Junglas)
  Rumours: Source: press conference with Mike Oldfield, September 5 1998. One of my plans is to do an album just with guitars, only guitars. This could interesting, but - I haven't made up my mind yet.

• (October 7 1998, Intrepid Voyager)
  Rumours: Source: interview with Mike Oldfield. BBC Radio 2 - The Richard Allison show. He confirmed that he has already started work on an "album where I just play live guitars, no computers, just guitars!" He said that TB3 took so long to make, because of using the computer and "spending weeks looking at the screen", and he wanted to do something different. He did say he was still very much influenced by the dance scene.

• (September 1997, Dark Star)
  Rumours: Mike is halfway through his next album, which is to be accompanied by a computer generated multimedia World on the CD with twelve levels.

• (August 21 1998, K.Rume/Carlos Finaly (Cadena 100)/Mike Oldfield)
  Rumours: When asked about the multi media CD:
  I wouldn't like to make it now, because the domestic market hasn't reached that level, but it will do in the future. I guess that after this one, I will make one or two more albums, which will take me like 3 years. I will re-take it again, I enjoy a lot working on it. Technology hasn't advanced enough, only in very powerful computers, which are very expensive and that people cannot buy. I have sold almost the whole system I've got, but I've got it all in hard disks, so in 4 or 5 years I can re-take it and work on it again, when domestic machines are more powerful than now.

• (September 1998, Marcus Junglas)
  Rumours: Source: press conference with Mike Oldfield, September 5 1998. A couple of years ago I was working on a virtual reality project which is sort of being uncovered now. We're going to call it Tubular World and it will be a virtual reality experience, the participator will explore virtual landscapes like tunnels, caves, deserts. You can even decide to go up to space to different planets, but all in great 3D super reality. You would control the music as you move around.
  Maybe we can do something like that, ... , but not for a few years now.

• (November 1997)
  Facts: XXV (see below) contains an excerpt from "the forthcoming album Tubular Bells 3".

• (June 3 1998, Paul Harris, Dark Star)
  Rumours: The Tubular Bells III album is currently scheduled to be finished in May. The album will be released on September 7, with a single to follow very shortly after likely to be Man In The Rain,a very catchy upbeat song which draws from a number of Oldfield styles, including Moonlight Shadow. The vocalist, Cara, is a 20 year old Cornish singer from the group "Polar Star", signed to Blanc Y Negro, whose debut album will appear later this year. Her vocals are very similar in style to Maggie Reilly. Another vocalist on the album, Amar, is also signed to the same label and will also have an album out later this year.

• (June 19 1998, Paul Harris, Dark Star)
  Rumours: The final album master was laid down by Mike today, the 19th June.
  The unfinished recordings develop some of the theme present on XXV, although the album is largely very up-beat but not club / disco style as initially thought. The album draws very little from Tubular Bells 1 or II, being a seamless collection of new songs and themes, which we feel have passion not seen since the days of Amarok. Overall, the album makes use of trademark Oldfield guitar. Of the twelve segments we heard, there was a mixture of styles including Spanish and classical guitar, bodhran, heavy rock, club and some beautiful atmospheric pieces.

• (July 29 1998, Chris Dewey/Dark Star; August 7 1998, Wagner Markus; August 13 1998, Rainer Muenz)
  Facts: Track listing: 1. The Source Of Secrets / 2. The Watchful Eye / 3. Jewel in the Crown / 4. Outcast / 5. Serpent Dream / 6. The Inner Child / 7. Man in the Rain / 8. The Top Of The Morning / 9. Moonwatch / 10. Secrets / 11. Far Above The Clouds

• (August 6 1998, Paul Harris)
  Facts: Secrets is the track broadcast on Spanish radio. This is likely to be a single released in Europe just prior to the release of the album - no UK release is planned at this point in time.

• (September 15 1998, Lise)
  Facts: Tubular Bells 3 has been released, as far as I know, throughout Europe by now. Release dates: August 28 or 31, depending on where you live. It is unknown when exactly this album will hit the rest of the world, but you might want to get an import...
  From the cover of TB3: Vocalists:
  Man In The Rain features Cara from Polar Star
  The Inner Child features Rosa Cedron (Luar Na Lubre)
  The Source Of Secrets, Jewel In The Crown and Secrets feature Amar

• (October 13 1998, Ralf Erhard)
  Rumours: Source: Reprise Records. Bad news for MO fans in US. TB3 will not be put out by Reprise Records.

• (October 14 1998, Steve Marseille)
  Rumours: If you go to the Reprise website, they call him a "former artist". Also, CD Now say his domestic release (US) will be out on MSI.

• (September 12 1998, Ralf Erhard)
  Rumours: Man In The Rain will be released on 5th of October and there shall be two editions available. The standard CD single and a very limited one.

• (September 13 1998, Jordi/Cadena 100)
  Rumours: Here in Spain Cadena 100 says that Man In The Rain will be TB3's second single, the first one being Secrets.

• (September 18 1998, Paul Harris)
  Rumours: I can confirm that Man In The Rain will be released on 5th October. The single will feature two live tracks from the recent premiere concert - The Inner Child will feature on the cassette and CD single, with Serpent Dream added to the CD.

• (October 14 1998, Paul Harris)
  Rumours: I have just checked some local stores for a release date for the second MITR CD single, and was informed in no uncertain terms that one isn't scheduled.

• (October 18, 1997, David Porter)
  Rumours: About the 25th Anniversary compilation album: Mastered by Tom Newman on the 16th.

• (November 1997, Simon Long, Svend Aage Petersen, Victor)
  Facts: Listing
  Tubular Bells (opening theme, 4:19) / Hergest Rudge (oboe solo from part one, 4:57) / Ommadawn (end of part one, 7:00) / Incantations (end of part four, 4:40) / Moonlight Shadow (3:38) / Portsmouth (2:00) / Good News (1:47) / Sentinel (remix, 3:57) / The Bell (Vivian Stanshall as MC, 3:09) ) / Let There Be Light (4:21) / Only Time Will Tell (4:36) / The Voyager (4:26) / Women Of Ireland (6:30) / Tubular Bells 3 (excerpt, 3:40)
  Release date 17/11/97.

• (November 1997)
  XXV hit some parts of Europe (Spain?) Nov.11, other parts Nov.17. Upon hearing it, it became clear, that this album has been remixed as well as remastered.

• Facts: Voyager hit the American market May 20th, 1997.

• Remastered TB
  • (October 27, 1997, Marcus Junglas)
    Rumours: Source: Tom Newman. A remastered TB will be available next year.

  • (April 23, Ralf Erhard)
    Rumours: To celebrate the 25th Anniversary of its' original release, Tubular Bells is to be re-issued. Digitally remastered for the first time, by one of the original producers, Simon Heyworth. This CD will be issued in a specialy designed package which will include a 32 page book. To enhance the quality, this will be a Limited Edition GOLD Compact Disc.
    The usual Sailor's Hornpipe will be used. And no bonus tracks.
    Release date: May 24.

  • (May 10, Keith Dawe)
    Rumours: I work at a Sam the Record Man store in Toronto, and I received a release sheet for the new TB re-master. It claims that the album will be instore on May the 20th. That's 5 days before England. Whether this date is accurate, the point is that TB will be available in Canada soon.

  • (May 17, Casper Budtz-Jorgensen)
    Rumours: My local CD store in Aarhus, Denmark will have the remastered TB on the 25th or the 26th the latest.

  • (May 17, Marcus Junglas)
    Rumours: The new remastered version wasn't remixed from the old multitrack. They used the two stereo-masters of each part, but they put much more work (denoise, equalizers, better technology) into the recording than the old remaster, so I expect it will sound great!

• Tubular X
  • (April 27 1998, MEngling/CURE, Roberto Alvarez)
    Facts: The "X-Files" movie soundtrack will be in stores in Canada and the U.S. on June 2. The 15th and last track will be the X-files Theme, by Mike Oldfield. (This track will only appear on the international version).

  • (August 5 1998, Poncin Jonathan)
    Rumours: Take the X-files OST, the version not featuring the track by Oldfield. Play the first track on your usual cd-player... then search-back (manually) (not track-back) then... you are playing the Tubular version of the X-files theme!

• (August 21 1997, Gareth Randall)
  Rumours: A "proper" rarities album (better than XXV) is "being considered". It's not an immediate priority, but it's on the list of things to do. Gareth's source: Clive Banks.

• (September 1997, Dark Star)
  Rumours: TB3 will be the next of a yet undisclosed number of albums for WEA with whom Mike recently renegotiated a new record deal.

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