Tubular Bells on BBC4

Excellent, I had never heard of that performance before. Looks like one to burn to DVD.

Isn't Sky Plus good. Didn't have a clue it was on but because I recorded the prog at the weekend it did this as well. Clever.

Anyway, not bad at all. I was worried someone would screw up and they would have to go back to the beginning! Not an easy piece to play but nicely done.

Must try to catch this when it's repeated - Tubular Bells was the very first record that captured my musical imagination, at the tender age of about eleven. I still remember the excitement I felt when I realised that music could be more than a three minute pop tune (not that there's anything wrong with those).

I missed it although it was Sky+d it clashed with another programme. Like Lontano I didn't even no it was on.
Any idea if there is a repeat?

Available until: 8:54pm Tuesday 13th January

BBC iPlayer - Michael Oldfield playing his wonderful Tubular Bells

A live studio performance from 1974 of Mike Oldfield's composition Tubular Bells, which had been acclaimed in the press as a unique achievement in popular music.

Mike started by playing with The Whole World and then he went solo. TB is totally unique and this performance quite special.

BTW iPlayer runs nicely on a Mac - so anybody with a PC or Mac or one of those MacLavry type set-ups in the UK can enjoy this. You can download the programme and it'll run for 30 days (I think you need to be on the Internet while its playing as this is how it checks you are not going beyond the time limit).

ATB Rotf

That was really good, as ROTF said runs well on a MAC.

Does anyone recognise any of the other musicians?

I think one of the guitarists is his brother Terry.

Helpfully no cast list of the players at the end.

Looks like Mike Routledge from Soft Machine on piano.

I should dig out my copy of Ommadawn on vinyl, and compare the photo of the musicians with the show from last night.

I'm pretty certain that is Terry Oldfield sitting opposite MO in the cricket jumper, and very surprisingly sitting to MO's left i believe is Steve Hillage!?!?!

If only there was more stuff on TV like that; it was a real treat!

J

Isn't iPlayer great!

That brought back a not mis-spent youth!

I've asked the Beeb see if they come through with a cast list.

quote:

Originally posted by BigH47:
I've asked the Beeb see if they come through with a cast list.

Worth trying, but I would be surprised if they have the information. I asked about the soundtrack to a documentary last year, and they came back and said sorry they did not have the information.

I thought there were some members of Henry Cow lurking around.

When Mike performed TB on Monday 25 June 1973 at the QEH in London, the players were Mike (lowery organ, bass, acoustic & electric guitar, mandolin and prehistoric poem) David Bedford (grand piano, accordion, organ, choir master, string arrangement) John Greaves (farfisa organ, electric piano, tin whistle) John Leig (flute) Fred Frith (electric and bass guitars) Tim Hodgkinson (organ, electric piano, fender rhodes) Mick Taylor (of Rolling Stones - electric guitar), Steve Hillage (electric guitar), Pierre Moerlen (glockenspiel, timpani, tubular bells, gongs, cymbals, tam tam) Steve Broughton (drums) Jon Field (flute) Terry Oldfield (flute) Viv Stanshall (MC) Tom Newman (nasal chorus) Girlie chorus (12, including Sally Oldfield and Mundy Ellis). Part two had Ted Speight (electric guitar) Kevin Ayers (bass) Vulpy (viola) Nick Haley (violin) Ashley Mason (viola) Simon Ingram Hill (cello and organ) Janet Townley (violin).

Steve Winwood was to play, but could not make rehearsals due to pressure of work. Robert Wyatt broke his back and so had an even better excuse.

ATB Rotf

from the studio performance I recognise:

John Greaves (piano) (ex henry Cow)
Steve Hillage (guitar) (ex Gong)
Pierre Moerlen (percussion) (ex Gong)
Mike Ratledge (keys) (ex Soft Machine)
Fred Frith (guitars, cricket jumper) (ex Henry Cow)
Geoff Leigh (flute) (ex Henry Cow)
Tim Hodgkinson (organ) (ex Henry Cow)
Karl Jenkins (oboe) (ex Soft Machine)

oh and somebody called Mick Taylor from a band I've never heard of!!

probably the best version of Tubular Bells - lots of character and doesn't have so many of the 'bum notes' of the original LP. I also remember this film being played in 1974 on the Virgin Crisis tour including Henry Cow, Hatfield and the North etc.....

best wishes

Graham Halliwell (Basically Sound)

Thanks Graham better service than the BBC.

Well done! Have watched a couple of times now and have been trying to work out a 'who's who' - Pierre Moerlin, yes of course..

My apologies for mis-spelling Mike Ratledge!

Go stand in the naughty corner.

quote:

Originally posted by Tony BS&V:
from the studio performance I recognise:

John Greaves (piano) (ex henry Cow)
Steve Hillage (guitar) (ex Gong)
Pierre Moerlen (percussion) (ex Gong)
Mike Ratledge (keys) (ex Soft Machine)
Fred Frith (guitars, cricket jumper) (ex Henry Cow)
Geoff Leigh (flute) (ex Henry Cow)
Tim Hodgkinson (organ) (ex Henry Cow)
Karl Jenkins (oboe) (ex Soft Machine)

oh and somebody called Mick Taylor from a band I've never heard of!!

probably the best version of Tubular Bells - lots of character and doesn't have so many of the 'bum notes' of the original LP. I also remember this film being played in 1974 on the Virgin Crisis tour including Henry Cow, Hatfield and the North etc.....

best wishes

Graham Halliwell (Basically Sound)

Thanks Graham.

BTW Mick Taylor played with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers - suprised you hadn't heard of them.

ATB Rotf

apologies ROTF, I was being sarcastic - should have used a smiley

quote:

apologies ROTF, I was being sarcastic - should have used a smiley Smile

He should have too.

My former brother-in-law, a percussionist called Alasdair Malloy, played live with him on TB2. Saw them at the Royal Albert hall and it was fabulous. Alasdair was the guy in the caveman suit if you have the DVD Stu! He has also played with David Gilmour (in "On An Island") and Bjork, among others.