Mike Oldfield Tubular Bells Ii

The music of Mike Oldfield is some of the most spiritual, ethereal, reflective and sensual in rock - and above all, incomparable, it's no wonder he is a true British icon. One of the most successful artists of all time, since the release of his seminal album Tubular Bells - which kick-started the Virgin Records label and Richard Branson's fledgling business empire in 1973, selling some 17 million copies - the award-winning producer/musician has continued to break new ground with each fresh body of work.

The self-taught multi-instrumentalist, producer and composer has worked throughout his career across a staggering variety of music styles – from folk and progressive rock to jazz, electronic, ambient, new age, world, pop and even disco. Oldfield is one of those rare breeds of composer whose music continues to be re-evaluated and re-appreciated to this very day.

1992's Tubular Bells II is Oldfield's fifteenth studio endeavor conceived as the sequel to his 1973 masterwork Tubular Bells. The original Tubular Bells was recorded by a 20 year-old Oldfield. Its success was extraordinary, becoming one of the most successful albums in UK chart history. Co-produced with Trevor Horn, Oldfield once again confounded people's expectations of instrumental music with Tubular Bells II and its ethereal charm. The poignant 14-track affair became Oldfield's third No. 1 album on the UK charts.

"There's no point in writing a sequel if it's completely different," Oldfield explained. "There's certain parts where the two works converge, but then they'll separate and follow two distinct paths again." He also noted other contrasts with regard to Tubular Bells, "Apart from the fact that there's a 100 hertz mains hum running through the whole album, it all sounds so serious - arms pushing down on the keyboard, stern eyebrows frowning - the new one is a lot more open and expressive, a lot more free."