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moshkito View Drop Down
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Points: 16432 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Mike Oldfield Interview
    Posted: August 05 2013 at 10:42
Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

 ...
and those connections to Magma as well?
 
I doubt it.
 
The one thing we forget, is that in those days, even though it is not as visible today as it was yesterday, you flipped the radio dial and you heard 5 languages ... or 6! IN EUROPE!
 
This is not the case in America.
 
Thus, being a bit more familiar with the other cultures, made it easier for the arts and the music to be shared in Europe a lot more than we conceive.
 
You and I talk about Amon Duul, Can, and Oldfield ... did you ever realize that Godard, Truffaut, Wenders, Herzog, Bunuel ... and many others ... went through the same thing? ... and no one was concerned with "influence" per se. But you take one little piece of music, and we automatically think it came from one place ... and that is way too simplistic to be understood properly.
 
In the late 60's, Carl Orff was HUGE when it came to Carmina Burana ... the anti-establisment sentiment in the piece went well with all the turbulence in the 60's ... and in my years, AT FIRST, Magma was the same thing done with ELECTRIC instruments ... and the vocals ...were out of this world!
 
Now, Mike saying that it was an influence, is almost a joke ... Magma, rarely featured guitarists, and the main reason why? ... Christian never wanted to take the focus off the completeness of the music, and he didn't want to have the choral parts fighting a guitar for placement in the music ... and he said so when we talked in 1999 ... he says it wasn't intentional at first ... it just happened that way!
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Points: 26343 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 05 2013 at 01:25
Originally posted by moshkito moshkito wrote:

Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

 
 ...
 
Indeed although after reading the interview I realised the influence of 80's King Crimson in that opening section which hadn't occurred to me before. It all goes round  and there nothing new under the sun.
 
I don't think that it is as much an influence, as it is a method of communication. When you hear the Kevin Ayers' albums with Mike, you will find that the guitar strength is also there ... it might have come from an 18 year old fascinated with someone that put out such a monster guitar sound ... but heck, this was already in place at the Fillmore in San Fran for a year or more, when you heard ... Cheap Thrills!
 
But aside from the hearing other things, that might (might!) influence you, in the end, it is about you and the musicians you are with and the learning and sharing with them ... when I listen to the Dr. Dream album, I do not hear a King Crimson connection ... I hear an album by Kevin Ayers ... and I think the personality and tone of the music and lyrics was well defined ... to make it come alive, and I never thought that it had any connection or feeling that brought out ... another artist ... it's its own, and I think that Mike deserves that credit, though he is a year or two behind it.

Yeah I guess that's true

and those connections to Magma as well?
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Points: 16432 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: August 04 2013 at 11:59
Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

 
 ...
 
Indeed although after reading the interview I realised the influence of 80's King Crimson in that opening section which hadn't occurred to me before. It all goes round  and there nothing new under the sun.
 
I don't think that it is as much an influence, as it is a method of communication. When you hear the Kevin Ayers' albums with Mike, you will find that the guitar strength is also there ... it might have come from an 18 year old fascinated with someone that put out such a monster guitar sound ... but heck, this was already in place at the Fillmore in San Fran for a year or more, when you heard ... Cheap Thrills!
 
But aside from the hearing other things, that might (might!) influence you, in the end, it is about you and the musicians you are with and the learning and sharing with them ... when I listen to the Dr. Dream album, I do not hear a King Crimson connection ... I hear an album by Kevin Ayers ... and I think the personality and tone of the music and lyrics was well defined ... to make it come alive, and I never thought that it had any connection or feeling that brought out ... another artist ... it's its own, and I think that Mike deserves that credit, though he is a year or two behind it.
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Points: 26343 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 28 2013 at 06:36
Originally posted by KingCrInuYasha KingCrInuYasha wrote:

Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

and also isn't this actually self contradictory??!LOL

How did it feel to do an interview in which the interviewer made no mention of Tubular Bells?

[laughs] My God, yes. It’s true. Unbelievable. That’s the very first time that’s happened. Normally, the first question is “Why did you write Tubular Bells?” That’s when I kind of crawl underneath my desk, because there was no specific reason for why I wrote it. But see? We did an excellent interview without you mentioning Tubular Bells. It is possible.


Yeah, that is kind of funny. I can't really blame him. On the one hand, I don't think I'll ever listen to a Mike Oldfield record as good as Tubular Bells, at least to my ears, anyway. On the other, it'd be crazy to say that he doesn't have any other good records. I picked up Hergest Ridge and Ommadawn a few days ago and thought those were good. 

Tubular Bells is choc full of goodies , so much so that its almost impossible to take it in. It begat all those other albums so is the 'Daddy'. My taste though seems to veer more towards the Incantations style where there are less ideas and more texture I think. Its all interesting though.
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Points: 26343 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 28 2013 at 06:29
Originally posted by moshkito moshkito wrote:

Originally posted by Quirky Turkey Quirky Turkey wrote:

Originally posted by Dellinger Dellinger wrote:

Oh, I'm a bit disapointed about learning that Ommadawn actually means idiot. The name sounded really beautiful.


Well you may like this: The lyrics of the repeated section in Ommadawn Part 1 are "Daddy's in bed, The cat's drinking milk, I'm an idiot, And I'm laughing." Apparently Mike got the singer to write down the first things she could think of and then it was translated into Irish.
 
it is a way that humor sometimes is expressed. I doubt that anyone in that part of the world, would not have enjoyed the joke, and then laugh as the rest of big city boys and girls that didn't know a thing. On top of it, Mike has always done a couple of fun songs, and we don't think he has humor!
 
AMAROK, to me, is the best thing Mike has ever done, 2nd to none. There are a lot of pieces I always can listen and enjoy now and then, but none as lively and enjoyable as AMOROK. I had originally heard that most of it wasn't even composed, or thought about ... it just was done and that was that. And in so many ways, this turns upside down the "progressive" concept, which is in itself a massively great thing to do ... you can create a new world by peeeeeing on the old ideas! Heck, Fellini did ... why not Oldfield?
 
 

Indeed although after reading the interview I realised the influence of 80's King Crimson in that opening section which hadn't occurred to me before. It all goes round  and there nothing new under the sun.
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Points: 1281 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 27 2013 at 23:51
Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

and also isn't this actually self contradictory??!LOL

How did it feel to do an interview in which the interviewer made no mention of Tubular Bells?

[laughs] My God, yes. It’s true. Unbelievable. That’s the very first time that’s happened. Normally, the first question is “Why did you write Tubular Bells?” That’s when I kind of crawl underneath my desk, because there was no specific reason for why I wrote it. But see? We did an excellent interview without you mentioning Tubular Bells. It is possible.


Yeah, that is kind of funny. I can't really blame him. On the one hand, I don't think I'll ever listen to a Mike Oldfield record as good as Tubular Bells, at least to my ears, anyway. On the other, it'd be crazy to say that he doesn't have any other good records. I picked up Hergest Ridge and Ommadawn a few days ago and thought those were good. 
He looks at this world and wants it all... so he strikes, like Thunderball!
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Points: 16432 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 27 2013 at 15:59
Originally posted by Morsenator Morsenator wrote:

Originally posted by Guldbamsen Guldbamsen wrote:


If all seems like s.h.i.t.e. in the modern world of music making, I think it's healthy to read something like this for inspiration.

Yup. I think I want to try the method of how Amarok was recorded before I die Tongue
 
From the acting perspective (from my directing view), this can be done ... but you can learn a lot with one exercise ... and that is lock everyone up in a dark room for a set amount of time ... try 2 hours ... and do not record anything ... and just watch how different things are at the start, from the finish. In the middle is where all the fiddling and scraping is ... and things get centered really well towards the end, "character" wise.
 
If you do this with musicians, you get King Crimson!
 
But there is a fear factor in musicians that do not believe that they should get off the staff and make sure they do not stick the notes and chords on their bum! And basically, you have to do this, and for a while, just forget it all that you have ever learned, in order to find ... something else.
 
How gutsy are you? And how creative do you want to be?
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Points: 16432 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 27 2013 at 15:55
Originally posted by Quirky Turkey Quirky Turkey wrote:

Originally posted by Dellinger Dellinger wrote:

Oh, I'm a bit disapointed about learning that Ommadawn actually means idiot. The name sounded really beautiful.


Well you may like this: The lyrics of the repeated section in Ommadawn Part 1 are "Daddy's in bed, The cat's drinking milk, I'm an idiot, And I'm laughing." Apparently Mike got the singer to write down the first things she could think of and then it was translated into Irish.
 
it is a way that humor sometimes is expressed. I doubt that anyone in that part of the world, would not have enjoyed the joke, and then laugh as the rest of big city boys and girls that didn't know a thing. On top of it, Mike has always done a couple of fun songs, and we don't think he has humor!
 
AMAROK, to me, is the best thing Mike has ever done, 2nd to none. There are a lot of pieces I always can listen and enjoy now and then, but none as lively and enjoyable as AMOROK. I had originally heard that most of it wasn't even composed, or thought about ... it just was done and that was that. And in so many ways, this turns upside down the "progressive" concept, which is in itself a massively great thing to do ... you can create a new world by peeeeeing on the old ideas! Heck, Fellini did ... why not Oldfield?
 
 
Music is not just for listening ... it is for LIVING ... you got to feel it to know what's it about! Not being told!
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Points: 10616 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 26 2013 at 12:55
Ah, Innerviews by Anil Prasad. Great interviewer, Anil. I used to read quite some interviews by him. I find him interviewing Bill Bruford especially memorable, but hey, this Oldfield interview is good too!
Thanks for sharing, Quirky Turkey!
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Points: 397 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 26 2013 at 09:23
Originally posted by Guldbamsen Guldbamsen wrote:


If all seems like s.h.i.t.e. in the modern world of music making, I think it's healthy to read something like this for inspiration.

Yup. I think I want to try the method of how Amarok was recorded before I die Tongue
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Points: 12610 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 25 2013 at 21:24
Originally posted by Snow Dog Snow Dog wrote:

I thought it was well  known that Ommadawn = Fool (or idiot) 


Yeah, I guess the word fool bothers me a bit less than idiot.
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Points: 12610 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 25 2013 at 21:23
Originally posted by Quirky Turkey Quirky Turkey wrote:


Originally posted by Dellinger Dellinger wrote:

Oh, I'm a bit disapointed about learning that Ommadawn actually means idiot. The name sounded really beautiful.
Well you may like this: The lyrics of the repeated section in Ommadawn Part 1 are "Daddy's in bed, The cat's drinking milk, I'm an idiot, And I'm laughing." Apparently Mike got the singer to write down the first things she could think of and then it was translated into Irish.<span></span>


Indeed I would have thought with such beautiful vocals would have had some awe inspiring meaning, but at least it seems it was all just some good fun.
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Points: 23098 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 25 2013 at 17:37
^Yeah it's the same in Denmark. I practically grew up on the stuff, which is why I look like a lumberjack now...

I read the interview again, and I have a feeling I'll be visiting some Oldfield faves in the near future. Incantations seems to be calling me from its place on the shelf...

If all seems like s.h.i.t.e. in the modern world of music making, I think it's healthy to read something like this for inspiration.


Edited by Guldbamsen - July 25 2013 at 17:38
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Points: 397 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 25 2013 at 17:05
I was going to bed almost an hour ago but got stuck reading this.. Clap Pure greatness! I didn't know I could get this much inspiration from just a typically formatted interview with questions. I can imagine how Mike felt there at the end LOL Like "so much win!!!"

Also, that "strange black bread from Finland" is rye bread Wink
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Points: 10841 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 25 2013 at 12:21
So, "Ommadawn" isn't some Northern English dialect for "Oh my God"? 
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Points: 32995 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 25 2013 at 10:56
I thought it was well  known that Ommadawn = Fool (or idiot) 
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Points: 23098 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 25 2013 at 10:45
Originally posted by Quirky Turkey Quirky Turkey wrote:

Originally posted by Dellinger Dellinger wrote:

Oh, I'm a bit disapointed about learning that Ommadawn actually means idiot. The name sounded really beautiful.


Well you may like this: The lyrics of the repeated section in Ommadawn Part 1 are "Daddy's in bed, The cat's drinking milk, I'm an idiot, And I'm laughing." Apparently Mike got the singer to write down the first things she could think of and then it was translated into Irish.


LOL
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Points: 20296 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 25 2013 at 10:44
I love the bit about making notes on cigarette papers then digging them out later for inspiration.
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Points: 177 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 25 2013 at 07:57
Originally posted by Dellinger Dellinger wrote:

Oh, I'm a bit disapointed about learning that Ommadawn actually means idiot. The name sounded really beautiful.


Well you may like this: The lyrics of the repeated section in Ommadawn Part 1 are "Daddy's in bed, The cat's drinking milk, I'm an idiot, And I'm laughing." Apparently Mike got the singer to write down the first things she could think of and then it was translated into Irish.
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Points: 12610 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 24 2013 at 21:43
Oh, I'm a bit disapointed about learning that Ommadawn actually means idiot. The name sounded really beautiful.
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