Hergest Ridge 1974 v. Hergest Ridge 1976 |
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BrufordFreak
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: January 25 2008 Location: Wisconsin Status: Offline Points: 7954 |
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Posted: August 10 2021 at 08:04 |
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Mike Oldfield's second album has been, and remains, one of my all-time favorite albums since it first came out. It is, also, my favorite Mike Oldfield album.
Around 1980, however, I discovered that a second, remixed version of HR was created by Mike for his 1976 4 LP Boxed release. It took me a while to like the second version, with it's enhanced and added vocals and various other changes in levels and instrument positioning, but I soon found that I liked them both equally well (who could not love the combined voices of Mike's sister, Sally, and Mellow Candle's Clodagh Simonds along with David Bedford's choir?)--that, though they are different--the first more flat, quiet, and uniform, the second more multi-dimensional and dynamic--I love them both for their unique expressions of Mike's temperament and maturation process.
Has anyone else here explored the two versions with any serious effort and discerned their likes and dislikes as well as preferences? Also, did anyone here ever see the live performances of Ridge--either with Steve Hillage or Andy Summers or even the David Bedford version? I'm curious. And excited. |
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Drew Fisher
https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
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SteveG
Forum Senior Member Joined: April 11 2014 Location: Kyiv In Spirit Status: Offline Points: 20475 |
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Never heard it or even knew it existed. Sounds interesting.
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BrufordFreak
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: January 25 2008 Location: Wisconsin Status: Offline Points: 7954 |
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Yes! As a matter of fact, Mike so much preferred the 1976 quadraphonic mix that he formally stated that he wanted it for all future re-issues of the album. Both versions are available, however, on the 2010 CD re-release. I was owner of the original 1974 version for years before I found out that there was another version. As I said in OP, it took me a while to "come to terms" with the remix but I have to admit, it did smooth out some of the rough spots from the original--and it brought forward (or in) the amazing vocals. |
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Drew Fisher
https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
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kenethlevine
Special Collaborator Prog-Folk Team Joined: December 06 2006 Location: New England Status: Offline Points: 8851 |
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I owned Box for a long time. It took me a while to adjust to the oboe section on side 1 which is far and a way my fave part of the album. But the sound quality was much much better
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Manuel
Forum Senior Member Joined: March 09 2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 12352 |
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I never heard the 1976 version, but now I'm curious. I'll have to buy BOX and give it a try.
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Dellinger
Forum Senior Member VIP Member Joined: June 18 2009 Location: Mexico Status: Offline Points: 12581 |
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I have one of the newer re-releases, and it does have two versions, though I thought one was the original, and the other a remix done at the time of the re-release. It was the same with my copies of Ommadawn and Incantations. In all cases I actually liked better the new mixes.
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suitkees
Forum Senior Member Joined: July 19 2020 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 8694 |
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I'm reading this here:
Listening to it now. It sounds good but I will have to listen to the 1974 and 1976 mixes to compare and listen for the seven differences... Still, I'm not really a fan of this album (I prefer the QE2 - Discovery album run...).
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BrufordFreak
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: January 25 2008 Location: Wisconsin Status: Offline Points: 7954 |
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Thanks for that update! I didn't know this! Now I'll have to compare the 74, 76, and 2010 versions! (Which, because I LOVE this album so much, does not bother me in the least.) So sad that Mike has never been happy with the album. I consider it one of the top four or five absolute masterpieces of pastoral, neo-mediæval prog--which is probably my absolute favorite style of music. (Give me Tellemann, Tallis, Palestrina, Vivaldi, Gregorian chant, Faun, Mediæval Bæbes, Corde Oblique, The amazing Blondel, Flairck, Five-Storey Ensemble, early Karda Estra, Geese and the Ghost, Principe di un giorno, or Hugsjá any day of the week!) |
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Drew Fisher
https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
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richardh
Prog Reviewer Joined: February 18 2004 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 26108 |
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<Struggling with some computer issues so apologies for the brevity>
Boxed - more atmospheric and stripped down to the composition. Original - more flowery maybe overproduced slightly. Like both but prefer Boxed. Also that was the first version I owned.
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melodic58
Forum Newbie Joined: August 18 2021 Location: UK Status: Offline Points: 1 |
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Hergest Ridge was recorded as a live concert back in the day, and a bootleg exists.
In my opinion, this is the most whimsical and evocative version if you are seeking the pastoral sublime....
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TCat
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin Joined: February 07 2010 Location: Canada Status: Offline Points: 11612 |
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I'm so glad to see you mention Clodagh Simonds. She gets overlooked way too often. So much so, in fact, that even those few that know her from "Mellow Candle" don't even know she has a new band called "Fovea Hex" and has put out some high quality music, sort of a folk/electronic hybrid which is quite amazing. That project is listed on this site, by the way.... FOVEA HEX discography and reviews (progarchives.com) I highly recommend listening to the album "Here is Where We Used to Sing". |
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BrufordFreak
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: January 25 2008 Location: Wisconsin Status: Offline Points: 7954 |
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Thanks, Mike! I'd forgetten about Fovea Hex. I'm listening to them (from your bandcamp link) as I write this and am, once again, reminded of the unique beauty of that voice. Quite similar to a modern day favorite of mine, Julia Holter. Edited by BrufordFreak - August 23 2021 at 06:37 |
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Drew Fisher
https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
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BrufordFreak
Collaborator Honorary Collaborator Joined: January 25 2008 Location: Wisconsin Status: Offline Points: 7954 |
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I've not heard of this but am not surprised that such a thing exists. Oh! to have been able to see that tour! |
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Drew Fisher
https://progisaliveandwell.blogspot.com/ |
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