Mercury Records to Re-release Tubular Bells

Universal press release - Tubular BellsRelease date: 8th June 2009
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, out on 8th June through the Mercury Music Group/Universal Music Catalogue. This is the first classic album to be released from Oldfield’s back catalogue, which was transferred from Virgin to Mercury/Universal in 2008. 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 will not only be repackaged, but Mike himself has also remastered the tracks from his home in the Bahamas. There will be FOUR physical editions of the album, as well as TWO digital versions. All versions will carry a new 2009 stereo mix of the album. The DELUXE EDITION has a 5.1 mix, while 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. There will 500 of these superb, limited editions available through www.mikeoldfield.com signed and numbered. For those who like things old school, there is a vinyl version being released as part of the acclaimed Back To Black series.
There will also be a double-disc edition of the album with a bonus disc of Oldfield’s biggest hits between 1974 and 1983. This edition will be extensively advertised on TV.
To celebrate the release, on June 6th at 6pm (6.6.6pm) a worldwide bell ringing event will take place. Bells will be rung in Milan (MTV), Berlin (at Siegessaule, the location were Mike performed the legendary millennium bell concert on New Years Eve Y2K), Brussells (Atomium), Paris (the George Pompidou centre), Sydney (Opera House), Japan/Narita (at one of the traditional Japanese Temples) and finally London, where bells will be rung on at famous landmarks. Footage will then be shown on Mike’s website http://mikeoldfield.org