Tubular Bells is the , mostly, instrumental debut album by, the 19 year old, Mike Oldfield, born May 15, 1953 in Reading, Berkshire, England. The album has sold over 2.7 million copies in the UK and an estimated 15 million worldwide.
The album, from 1973, opening theme was used for the movie “The Exorcist”. The cover of Tubular Bells was created by designer and photographer Trevor Key (Mike Oldfield – Hergest Ridge, Incantation, Platinum, Heaven’s Open, Sentinel, Jethro Tull – Under Wraps,
Phil Collins – Face Value, Hello I Must be Going, Robin Trower – Robin Trower Live, Wham! – Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go, Music From the Edge of Heaven). The album is two continuous sides with Oldfield playing most of the 20, or so, instruments.
There are 274 overdubs with two thousand punch-ins added later. A punch-in is a recording technique used on early multi-track recordings whereby a portion of the performance was recorded onto a previously recorded tape, usually overwriting any sound that had previously been on the track used.
The drums were played by the Edgar Broughton Band’s drummer Steve Broughton. On side two Viv Stanshell, of the Bonzo Dog Band, announces the instruments as they are played. I love this album and will always have it in my top albums list.
