Mike Oldfield Announces 'Platinum' And 'QE2' Reissues
Thursday, 14 June 2012
Written by Jon Stickler
The music of Mike Oldfield is some of the most spiritual, ethereal, reflective and sensual in rock - and above all, incomparable. Missed them the first time around? If so, you'll be glad to hear that Universal’s Mike Oldfield reissues continue with the announcement of the release of albums five, 'Platinum', and six, 'QE2'.
Since the release of his seminal album 'Tubular Bells' the award-winning producer/musician has continued to break new ground with each fresh body of work. Moreover, Oldfield is one of those rare breeds of composer whose music continues to be re-evaluated and re-appreciated to this very day, which is one of the reasons why his re-issues are so warmly welcomed with open arms by fans, both old and new.
Now the fifth and sixth instalment of his catalogue reissues - 'Platinum' and 'QE2' - is to be released on Universal Music Catalogue/ Mercury Records on July 23rd 2012.
Since Oldfield's Virgin catalogue moved to Mercury in 2008, he has worked tirelessly with its new stable to ensure the highest standards are maintained when revisiting his masterworks, and this enterprise no different. As with the previous reissues in this series, Oldfield has been closely involved in their assemblage, selecting material, approving masters and adding material from his archive to make the packages definitive editions. The CD and digital releases are complimented by limited edition collectors' coloured vinyl versions of both albums.
'Platinum'
Recorded in part at Electric Lady Studios in New York City, the mood of Oldfield's fifth album especially reflects the bustling dynamic of the city in the late Seventies. It was Oldfield's first album to feature shorter songs, including a beautiful version of George Gershwin's 'I Got Rhythm' and a new arrangement of 'North Star' by Philip Glass.
The 2012 remastered edition contains three bonus tracks - a live studio session of 'Platinum', a 2012 mix of 'North Star' by Oldfield and the single A-side, 'Blue Peter'. The second disc of the Deluxe edition - which features an interview with Oldfield in its 16-page booklet - contains nine previously unreleased tracks recorded during the 'Platinum' tour at Wembley Arena in May 1980.
'QE2'
Taking its name from one of the last great Transatlantic ocean liners, Mike Oldfield's sixth album was a beautiful blend of instrumentals and songs that reflected the shifting musical landscape which heralded a new decade. Released in October 1980, it features two of his most loved instrumentals, 'QE2' and 'Taurus', as well as cover versions of 'Wonderful Land' by The Shadows and, surprisingly perhaps for the time, 'Arrival' by Abba.
The 2012 remastered edition contains three bonus tracks, the single edit of 'Wonderful Land', the live B-side 'Polka', and a 2012 reworking by Mike of Sheba, entitled 'Shiva'. The second disc of the Deluxe edition, which contains an interview with Mike in its 16-page booklet, features nine previously unreleased tracks recorded on the 'QE2' tour in Essen, Germany in April 1981.
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