Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Tubular Bells Part One
2. Tubular Bells Part Two
3. Mike Oldfield's Single (Theme from Tubular Bells)
4. Sailor's Hornpipe (Viv Stanshall Version)

Disc 2:

1. Tubular Bells Part One (Original)
2. Tubular Bells Part Two (Original)

Disc 3:

1. Tubular Bells Part One (5.1 mix)
2. Tubular Bells Part Two (5.1 Mix)
3. Mike Oldfield's Single (Theme from Tubular Bells)
4. Sailor's Hornpipe (Viv Stanshall Version)
5. Tubular Bells (BBC SECOND HOUSE)

Disc 4:

1. Tubular Bells Part Two (Original)
2. Tubular Bells Part Two (Original)

Disc 5:

1. Tubular Bells Long
2. Caveman Lead-In
3. Caveman
4. Peace Demo A
5. Peace Demo B
6. Tubular Bells Part One

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #54595 in Music
• Released on: 2009-06-08
• Number of discs: 5
• Format: Box set
• Dimensions: 4.57 pounds
• Running time: 3218 minutes

CD Description
Mike Oldfield is an artist like no other. Over the last 37 years he has produced timeless, unique and inspirational music that has enthralled listeners the world over. Fans old and new can celebrate the great man’s work with a special release of his classic, multiplatinum selling album Tubular Bells. It is 35 years since the opening passage was used in the film The Exorcist, making the album a global phenomenon. This exciting new version of his 1973 groundbreaking album is not only repackaged, but Mike himself has also remastered the tracks from his home in the Bahamas. The boxed "Ultimate Edition", complete with 60 page hardback book with a foreword by Mike Oldfield, poster, plectrums and all manner of "Tubular" delights, contains all of this as well as previously unheard demo and rough mixes of this epochal recording.

Customer Reviews

A positive spin
Well, now that the rights to this album have transferred from Virgin to Mercury, we're getting another re-release. Many other reviewers have criticised what they perceive to be just another set of remixes.

I agree with them to a certain extent - for a casual fan, the existing versions of the album are perfectly adequate. But at this price, it's patently obvious that this lush set (which also includes a hardback book, a 12" vinyl and lots of other stuff) is aimed rather more at the hardcore fan.

For the first time on CD, we're getting 'Mike Oldfield's Single', plus a wealth of newly-unearthed demo recordings. And yes, a new remaster of the original album, plus a live DVD and 5.1 versions of the album to boot.

A lavishly put-together set that makes all other versions look tame by comparison. Tubular Bells is such a classic album, it fully deserves such a treatment.

But, as I say, probably not one for the casual buyer.

One for the hardcore fans
Like some of the others reviewers here, I wondered if there was any value in this set, yet another re-mix or version of this admittedly classic album, to go with the 25th anniversary edition, the SACD version, the newly recorded 2003 version, the re-mastered 2000 edition, the list goes on. But I took a punt on this set and I am Damn glad I did.

Firstly the box is simply gorgeous, I paused to look at it for a few moments, before opening it up, I pulled out what I thought was just the vinyl gatefold sleeve, it turns out it holds that in one side and the three cd's and the DVD on the other side.

Not having a record deck anymore, the vinyl will stay where it is, I tried the 5.1 DVD first, and it sounds amazing, better than the SACD version, for those asking, it is a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix, all four tracks have been given the surround treatment, also on the disc is the live BBC performance from 1973, this can also be found on the Mike Oldfield Elements DVD, but seems to my eyes to be better quality here.

Disc one contains the new 2009 stereo mixes, disc 2 is the original untouched 1973 Stereo mix, and disc 3 has the demos that were included on the DVD audio of Tubular bells 2003, plus a rough mix of part one, and two demos of Peace, and a long demo of part one, none of which I have heard before.

Also included are four plectrums, a replica ticket of the 1973 live performance, a postcard, a reproduced leaflet for the manor studio, a songsheet, and a giant poster of the album cover.

Best of all as far as I am concerned is the huge hard back book that takes up the rest of the sleeve, it is the glossiest, most expensive feeling and heavy book of it's kind I have seen, and contains the whole tubular bells story, most of it has been heard before and I have seen many of the pictures before, but it is presented so beautifully, I really did not want to handle it too much.

Is it worth £65 ? certainly not to a casual fan, but for those with a deep love of this album it is well worth considering, it is surely as it says, the ultimate edition.

Brilliant
Admittedly this is for hardcore Oldfield fans. The previous reviewer said it all, plus I have the limited edition set which has a certificate signed by the man himself.

The whole package is quality, in material, print and otherwise. The first TB demo alone makes the whole thing worth it.

Won't say anything about the music that hasn't been said yet. Pure genius.

Love it.