I'm sorry, after reading all the comments, I can only say this: I don't care. I love every single part of this album and I really enjoyed it. It makes me happy. Thanks to Mike's exceptional talent each album is different, interesting and beautiful and full of surprises. How many musicians have managed not to repeat the same style or sound throughout their careers?
The 50 second intro to Punkadiddle was actually the 50 second climax of the abandoned track 'Sally' from the very first LP pressings but over the years it's now been commonly ascotiated with Punkadiddle.
Before Platinum also happened his first tour, you have to listen (or to watch) the live album Exposed and the single Guilty, which is previous to Platinum. Also the live version of Puckadiddle at Montreux. With Wendy Roberts as well there is a cover of All righ now.
This is a transition album for Mike. In my opinion, he perfects this "formula" with Five Miles Out and Crises. The first side is a long track that fills the first side, and the second side is shorter more radio accessible songs. It's more of a rock direction than his previous folk direction, but it's still Mike, and very experimental. He always uses great female singers. I feel bad for people who cannot appreciate this side of Mike, because I don't think he sold out. He had pressure to change from record labels, but also just the trends of the times, but he did it in his own way.
Mike and Wendy Roberts recorded a cover of the Free classic All Right Now that was released on a flexi disc. Justin, if you like Platinum as much as you say, you can't go wrong with every of the further Oldfield albums I guess. I'm looking forward to the next episode of your journey.
Thanks so much for being such a fun listening partner with these MO albums. I always love anticipating your reactions to all the changes in the music. Your positive spirit is infectious and there is so much joy experiencing music with you. You brighten my day! I always look forward to listening with you. This format is wonderfully interactive. Thank you for all putting it all together. I actually feel like your videos are so powerful that they could save someone from suicide if they were headed down that dreadful road. You take the loneliness away and a magical connection is made through music. I wish I had found you back when I was going through a very dark time in my life. I bought the whole MST3K series and watched those for my therapy. It worked! Laughter truly is good medicine...and so are your videos!
Cool that you are open to Mike's more commercial sounding explorations as he embraces new styles of music (is this really the same composer as Tubular Bells?). You will be greatly rewarded as he continues to progress through the next decade and beyond. Even the more electronic dance-y, rave-y Light + Shade is really cool (as well as the symphonic Music Of The Spheres). Hit or miss and regardless of style, it will always have the Mike Oldfield sonic stamp.
Originally Woodhenge transitioned into a song called Sally. The Elec Piano instrument or whatever it is at the end feeds right into it and carries throughout the song.
A very eclectic set of tracks, exploring a more modern soundscape. I think he settled into this shorter, poppier stuff better on his Crises album (spoiler alert: there's a collaboration with Jon Anderson!). This may not be his strongest work but it has got some fun, danceable moments and some typically interesting instrumental passages.
Really enjoyed today's review. Your thoughts made me reavulate the album. If you enjoyed this side of Mike try listening to the single Guilty that was released at the same time as the Platinum album. Reissues have also included this on the track listing.
Just a heads up re. the next album "QE2" the opening track "Taurus 1" is part one of a two part instrumental that finishes with the title track. Its all based on the same ideas and is probably best heard as whole rather than the two part sectioning on the album.
Dear Justin, in the last 2-3 years I became fond of watching peoples reactions to the music of my youth. I stumbled over your channel because of the reactions to some of my favorite prog bands (Yes, Genesis, King Crimson). Prog rock seems to be quite popular to react to nowadays, but you kept my attention because you also react to music I saw noone else react to (so far). It seems everyone and their dog reacts to videos like 'Comfortably numb', 'In the air tonight (live)' and 'Unchained melody'. But you go your own way and dive into music like Talk Talk, Mike Oldfield's instrumental albums (plus Pekka Pohjola) and even electronic music like Jean Michel Jarre and Vangelis (love them all). This gives me hope that you might enjoy another musician I was very fond of in my youth (and still am). So I invite you to listen to some of the early works of Andreas Vollenweider, a swiss musician who is an multi-instumentalist, but since acquiring a harp has been stuck to that instrument. He even build his own electro-acoustic pedal harp and he plays it in a style that, as far as I know, noone else has ever been able to replicate. He is instantly recognisable when playing the harp. A good point to start would be his records 'White Winds' or 'Caverna Magica'. As with Oldfield or Jarre his songs often transition into the next one, so listening to a whole side of his albums (or at least a block of tracks) is recommended. Thank you for your fresh, honest and really musically educated reactions and analysis.
I loved Vollenweider's "Book of Roses" - I always think I'll just listen to one or two tracks but end up listening to the whole thing! One of those fully immersive experience albums that just draws you in.
If you like the harp, please check out Canadian singer/songwriter Loreena McKennitt. She's got quite a few albums and like MO, I recommend starting at the beginning. She starts with lots of traditional folk/celtic pieces and then introduces more of her own compositions as she got more successful. In a way, she's like JK Rowlings. Started "on the street sleeping in cars" and grew into her own entity by the third album with her own independent production company.
Remember my comment on Hergest Ridge Pt. 1 last year? I said "I am pretty sure you will like Platinum very much", I am really happy you did it at last. As mentioned here several times, it's a good idea to watch the "Live At Montreux 1981" versions of these phantastic pieces.
Great to hear your appreciation of this great album! It's a wonderful monument in the Oldfield landscape of musical wonders. You have good comments and reaction to all the tracks and turnings! I love Platinum.., the whole of it! Very uplifting, fun, experimental, embracing life.
I'd first heard 'Punkadiddle' in the mid 80's and as the theme tune of a Dutch game show called (translated) 'On Land, at Sea and in the Air' and had always believed its composer must've been a Dutch person - until only a few years ago, when 'Punkadiddle' suddenly popped up in an Oldfield live show I was watching on YT, and that was quite a surprise, as I would've *never* guessed this was him! 😄
I feel that Mike's first four albums were his therapy for his tortured soul. Then, when he attended Werner Erhard's seminar, he gained some inner peace, but lost the creativity generated by his inner turmoil. For me personally, he seemed to wander through the 80's trying to get his mojo back and it wasn't until Tubular Bells II in 1992 that he got back on track. Don't get me wrong, he is still a brilliant guitarist, an expert at multi-layering and produced some one off gems . . . Amarok I feel was his first attempt in a decade to produce a one track album, and it was a sign that he was getting back to what he does best.
Producer Tom Newman said that as well, that Mike was more or less happier after the therapy, but that the music he made previously was coming from his pain, so he lost both... Personally I don't think he ever recovered it, I love a lot of things he's done since then, including TB II for sure, but it's just not the same. There are some pieces or fragments that may be close, but not completely there, in my humble opinion.
Mike is a Real musical Genius not just an amazing player that plays all major instruments at the age of 19 ! And also a great composer and all that without even going to musical school,Talk about pure dedication and Talent ! also you should check out the Punkadiddle Live at Montreux in 1981to see how he expands and soloes on a simple tune and how he even plays with the Audience near the end musically !
Platinum was an album I purchased in my late school days and played it repeatedly on vinyl until I wore it out. I was already an MO fan listening to Tubular Bells in 1974
Did you ever try to dance with Punkadiddle in a bar with all your promotion's companions, one on the lead and the rest following him wherever he goes, hands on the hips of the one ahead of you? It was phenomenal, and superfun.
Some interesting facts: It is worth noting as an anecdote that "Into Wonderland" was not part of the original list of songs on the album since the first edition of "Platinum" included instead another song titled "Sally", sung by Oldfield himself through from a telephone line, This song, dedicated to her partner at the time, Sally Cooper did not like Richard Branson too much and was replaced in successive editions of the album by "Into Wonderland" with the voice of Wendy Roberts. However, the title "Sally" continued to appear on the back covers of the discs, which was not corrected until a long time later. Punkadiddle was a point of disagreement between Branson and Oldfield. Branson was giving a lot of outlet to Punk and specifically to the Sex pistols, which were going to be his star group on the label. Oldfield disapproved of the promotion of music that he compared to a cockroach circling a toilet. I Got Rhythm had a lot to do with Oldfield's stay in New York, making a version very close to George Gershwin's original with lyrics by his brother Ira Gershwin. Released in 1930, it has become a jazz standard. It was originally written as a slow tempo song for Treasure Girl (1928) and later incorporated into Girl Crazy. Ethel Merman sang the song in the original Broadway production. The song became an important part of the soundtrack to the 1951 musical film An American in Paris, performed by Gene Kelly, who also danced to it in tap. A hug.
Yeah I had the original back in the 80's on tape and was horrified years later when I bought it on cd and discovered 'Sally' had been replaced. I couldn't find a copy of the original anywhere but did track down Sally on it's own and re-edited it back into Platinum. The album make much more sense with Sally as he alludes to the melodic theme earlier in the piece.
Punk was taking over around that time and Mike Oldfield always thought that punk was a style that was making fun of music. So Punkadiddle was his answer to it as music making fun of punk. It's literally mocking the simplicity and repetitiveness of Punk music. lol
Wendy Roberts' singing is very gentle and absolutely captivating. Actually, she should be honored for this retrospectively. When a chrome dioxide cassette of it fell into my hands purely by chance, the “Platinum” triggered a real storm of enthusiasm in me. Of course, I immediately danced around wildly, “fidgeting” and shaking my head (head banging), “frankly and freely”, having fun. The funny and brisk 'gait' of 'Punkadiddle' induced the mental image as if there were also little gnomes and many, many dwarves in an extremely exuberant mood around a campfire happily 'dancing' in the 'Ringel row' as well Something, somehow euphoric about partying. This association came about because we read Grimm's fairy tales as a toddler and cartoon series about 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' were broadcast on children's television. The 7 dwarves are dancing very merrily with Snow White: (Diese drei Stücke von „Platinum“ überzeugen voll und ganz. Der Gesang von Wendy Roberts ist sehr sanftmütig und absolut `fesselnd`. Eigentlich müsste sie dafür nachträglich geehrt werden. Als mir rein zufällig eine Chromdioxid-Tonbandkassette davon `in die Hände` fiel, löste die `Platinum` in mir wahre Begeisterungstürme aus. Sofort tanzte ich dazu natürlich wildest `Abzappelnd` und Kopfschüttelnd (Head Bangen) `frank und frei`, Spaß habend, umher. Die lustige und flotte `Gangart` von `Punkadiddle` induzierte die gedankliche Vorstellung als würden dann da auch noch so, kleine Gnome und viele, viele Zwerge in einer äußerst ausgelassenen Stimmung um ein Lagerfeuer herum fröhlichst `Ringel-Reihe` immerzu `abtanzen` sowie irgendetwas, irgendwie euphorisch so `abfeiern`. Diese Assoziation kam deswegen, weil man als Kleinkind Grimms Märchen gelesen hatte und im Kinderfernsehen Zeichentrickserien über `Schneewittchen und die sieben Zwerge` ausgestrahlt wurden. Denn da tanzen die 7 Zwerge wohl sehr lustig mit dem Schneewittchen.) 🎶🎼🎵🕺💃🕺💃
Cool beans! Side 2 of Platinum. It's interesting that you were singing "I got sunshine..." when you started Justin, considering the first line of I Got Rhythm. Punkadiddle is one of my favorite Oldfield songs, both to listen to and to play. I worked for days and finally got that cool keyboard part figured out. It was a blast to play, simple and yet complicated. I have to agree that Into Wonderland is sweet and full of groove. I think Oldfield wanted to depart from the epic heaviness that he was known for. At least for a while. He returns to epic heavy long compositions a bit later. Overall I find Platinum to be a tasty album.
punkadiddle was a dig at punk which virgin had wanted to get behind so did not promote incantations to the extent it deserved.THE irony being that punk faded quite quickly and mike was still around .Good to see that you are open minded to his shorter tracks and the songs which will start to dominate his albums.When it comes to planning Amarok is fast approaching and this is probably the most unfriendly first impression album you could have,But it really does need to be heard in one go and then listened to again and again and again And even after countless listens you will still find something new hidden away in it.Good luck with that one looking forward to it.The electronic vibe also makes it stranger that Jean Michel Jarre doesn't really think they could work together which is a real shame as that could of been something amazing.great watching these reactions as you really enjoy what mike does now on to QE2.
I'm not sure an Oldfield + Jarre collaboration would be very fruitful, as I imagine it both would try to steer the work to their preferred direction and not give in, so there would be more fight than music...
Oh Yes!!! Mr. Justin, we seem to have the same music taste. My favourites, too. This three pieces from `Platinum` convince totally. The voice of Wendy Roberts is very gentle and calm. This woman has to be honoured for her great vocals. When i first listened to this kind of music at the age about 14 Years, it blew me fastest dancing and headbanging to it away. `Punkadiddle` sounds to me as if little gnomes and many dwarfs would dance in a very happy mood around a campfire and celebrating life. Very funny!!! 🎶🎼🎵🕺💃🕺💃
I think that the form below the butterfly is a footprint, symbolizing that this is a more "dance based" album of Oldfield than the previous ones that was more prog.
I think the butterfly is meant to be trapped by a pool of liquid platinum. Possibly a symbol of what being tied to corporate expectations can do to an artist particularly one who has had a big hit and gone "Platinum". That's my interpretation anyway.
That's always how I had seen it. The two beautiful aspects - the butterfly and the liquid platinum but put the two together and it becomes sinister - the butterfly will not escape.
Don´t know if i overlooked that point in any comment that i want to mention ... Only a bit older (and probably only German) people like me still know, that actually that "Punkadiddle" (in that Oldfield rendition) was actually used as musical intro in an open air TV game show, that was broadcasted obviously only in German and Dutch (maybe also Belgian) TV from time to time! It´s name in German was "Zu Lande, zu Wasser und in der Luft" (= "At land, on water and in the air"), in Dutch it had the same title ("te land ter zee en in de lucht") ! Obviously it was in Germany only aired between `86 and `88, in the Netherlands for much longer time. In that show always some teams from that nations had to compete in some pretty crazy team games in an open-air-location, that included games in that different three elements (i think a bit like this TV show "Takeshi´s Castle"!?) Obviously that show or at least a new edition is still aired in the Netherlands (but most probably with another music intro nowadays), as i read somewhere. Unfortunately i only was able fo find some Dutch videos, but none with Mike´s intro; so i guess this was maybe only used in German TV!?
Haha Dan Bell's Dead Mall Series reference! Love it! Delighted that you enjoyed the side so much JP. Into Wonderland sounded much better than I remembered - I hadn't actually heard it in ages (also something about watching and listening as you react really heightens the experience as well!). I will still highly recommend Sally as musically it is much more intricate and tied in with the whole of the album including side one. I'd be interested to hear what you make of the lead vocals too 😂. I agree that first part of Punkadiddle is genius then it gets a tad too repetitive - absolutely Mike's intention to parody the talentless punks (in his opinion) who were taking all the attention away from proper musicians like him! I adore I Got Rhythm, such a beautiful and uplifting close to the album. Thanks JP you have reawakened my love for this brilliant album!
JP, nice bit of sitcom comedy on your post ;o) First time i heard Into Wonderland, i thought he was going for the Eurovision contest! Chee-zy. So i have a bit of a hard time grasping the Daft Punk reference. It's a low point for me in all of his discography, with that horrible synth/pan flute sound which, unfortunately, he kept using heavily on QE2. Punkakiddle has its moments but rehashes some licks from Incantations. I had not heard this in a few decades, and i don't plan to again. Thanks JP for a chance to revisit and reassess, even though this just confirmed what i remembered.
I had much the same reaction as you did when Into Wonderland started. It made you think of Daft Punk, while it made me think of Røyksopp (wich I LOVE). I see on wikipedia that they've actually done remixes of 2 song from this album. Think I'm going to listen to Melody A.M, The Understanding or The Inevitable End tonight for the nostalgia. Edit: Seems like it will be all 3 before bedtime... :) Punkadiddle had a nice punch to it, but I liked the start better than the end of the song I think. I imagine the applause is for me (and maybe you since you're not feeling well). I Got Rhythm made me think of I Got Life from Hair (the beginning atleast). Sadly I did't like this one all that much, too poppy maybe (not sure really). I think Mike Oldfield (like many of his contemporaries) changed the music with the times and therefore turned more commercial into the 80's (getting an early start with this one). But we'll have to wait and see if I/you like it as much as the 70's stuff. That ending though.... That made me laugh so much! Seems you've been demoted to the small room for tonight. Hope you feel better and that you're allowed into the large bedroom soon.... :D
This made me realize that I'm listening to the early Oldfield far less than I should. Thx for the reminder and for reacting to sidestream music like this one. :-)
Lot of things to say about side 2 and your reaction: "Woodhenge" > ambient, OK but not more. "Into Wonderland" > listening to it again after all these years, I'm starting to like it more and more (thanks to your review). BTW, if you like the disco side of Mike Oldfield, you'd like "Guilty" from 1979 as well. "I Got Rhythm" > gorgeous cover of Gershwins, slower than the original but very creative and inventive, plus Tubular Bells make their comeback at the end of the song 😉. As for "Punkadiddle", it has always been a favorite of mine (though repetitive and though the synth flute or whistle is kinda annoying) , largely due to the electric guitar melody in the chorus and the perfect fadeout. Justin, please, I urge you to give a chance and a listen to the following live version of Punkadiddle (I'm sending you the link in a few minutes)...
Punkadiddle is a parody of Punk. Punk became fashionable at that time and for Mike it represented the opposite of what he understood by music. The record company began to replace Mike's records with punk bands and that made him feel bad. Incantations was a demonstration of "this is music." Punkadiddle is a ridicule of punk according to Mike. A stupid and easy song. The applause of the song also represents a criticism of the entire movement.
I've always found "Punkadiddle" to be a lot more like a disco music parody than a punk rock parody! This proves that Mike Oldfield must not have heard many punk bands at the time !
For a truly sublime guest vocal look no further than Randy Crawford on the track 'Hoping Love Will Last' from Steve Hackett's second album 'Please Don't Touch'. The legendary Richie Havens appears on two other songs. The rest of it's pretty good as well.
JP you've left his sunning guitar work with David Bedford out of sequence; it belongs to Ommadawn era Oldfield...best understood as pre-exegesis...bares his soul, possibly following his mother's death.
Hi JP. I'm loving your Oldfield journey, and you are really reconnecting me to some of his songs. I normally wouldn't comment but just wanted to point out that Into Wonderland was a replacement for a song called Sally that only appeared on the first pressing of the album as it was removed by the record company for being not good enough. However the end of the track is still present and that is the transition into Punkadiddle that you enjoyed. Also Woodhenge was replaced on the American release with his previous single Guilty as it was too weird for an American audience. Glad you enjoyed it :)
You need to watch the live version of Punkadiddle live in 1981 Montreux it’s a lot better. Do Taurus 1 off QE2 his next album which struggles to Capture the sauce compared To Platinum. Five Miles Out is better. Taurus 2 is another big experience
I know the liquid Platinum theory has been put forward but while that might be the symbolism, its not on fire so that isn't molten Platinum. Just from the practical point of view of being able to take the photo, it's a butterfly trapped in Mercury. This also works from a symbolic point of view as you have a fragile creature trapped in a shiny but toxic environment.
@@EwanV I'm more curious about the photographic process. How did the photographer (his name is Trevor Key) combined the blue light background with the butterfly on mercury. I love the photo.
If you like this, I truly believe QE2 and Five Miles Out will bring even bigger smiles. I used to like Punkadiddle best on this side, but I agree now it's Sally, I mean Into Wonderland.
For completeness, you really should listen to Sally as well. It's... quirky. I've never been a fan of the slapdash way In Wonderland was dumped into the later pressings of the album - it has to be one of the sloppiest edits in recording history. Hadn't the engineer heard of cross-fading?
Definitely this. Sally is definitely a quirky experience, but it was the intended track, and ties in with some of the other musical themes on the album a lot better.
Justin, that is a surprise you enjoyed Into Wonderland so. As others have said, the live version of Punkaddidle is far better than the album version. This album is a crossover for Mike from his famed 4 albums from the 70's to where is goes in the 80's, that being a mix of long tracks and songs. The next album QE2 has a great mix of those and is back traditional instruments and more of Mike's wonderful guitar, Phil Collins even guests on 1 track.
No big deal, they are marked as single songs and listening first time. Oi ! also Oy ! It used to be sort of a battle cry of the punk rockers back in the day and was somewhat fashionable around 1979 - 80. :)
Not sure if you do live albums, but you might try Exposed. Seems like a lot of his studio compositions came alive on that album, which was around this time. I stopped following Oldfield for awhile after QE2 (I was OK with the shorter instrumental songs on Platinum and QE2, but the attempts at pop hits after that lost me), so I’m looking forward to hearing your take on his subsequent albums.
I borrowed the album QEII once, Mike does a lot of covers on it. One of them was Wonderful Land. It's one of the best short pieces he's ever done. These tracks are OK, but I won't he rushing to buy it.
Obviously from Platinum on, he started making more diverse and increasingly song-based works. And to me, whilt the Platinum Side1 is still fun, it leaves a bit to be desired, and the song collections get stronger each coming album. (Until we reach Islands and even Earth Moving, where we enter full on MTV territory.) The instrumentation also gets quite 'up to date' - which means for the 80s first experimental synths and later overused ambient synths ;) In the 90s he went back to (different kinds of) extensive instrumental albums like his first ones, while of course sounding more modern. (With maybe the exception of Heaven's Open - a last 'songs' album he was obligated to do, and at least for the fan shows an interesting side in an angey Mike even singing himself just to get it over with :D Not the best music in the world and not even meant to be, but fans of the 80s albums should at least have heard it. TB2 Songs of Distant Earth Voyager TB3 Guitars all have instrumental magic comparable to some of the first albums, at least to me personally.
I agree with you. I find these first Mike Oldfield's songs very beautiful. Apart of its intro, Punkadiddle is funny for a moment... but just for a moment ! :-D Personnally I am not fan of Guilty neither. I hope you will love QE2 too, another "feel good album" with good little instrumentals and covers.
JOKEY REPLY This is how I see it: The butterfly represents music. Most of the album is built on synthesized/heavily processed sounds, quite like what was known as 'plastic music' in the early 80s, although Platinum was released in '79. So the butterfly is plastified, stuck in an immovable position upon something that looks to me more like liquid mercury than platinum. :) At least this is my view of it. But on the back cover the butterfly flies free, which is strange... :)
Punkadiddle is a straight up piss take on the punk rock scene at the time... Branson had thrown his eggs into the Punk basket .. Wendy Roberts probably the least known of of Mikes hired hands.. Think she was a session, pub singer that was recommended to him . something along those lines. Fantastic Voice though. Up there with Maggie and Anita .
Thank you so much, Mr. Justin, you are very, very musically. `I got sunshine in my stomach, like i just rocked my baby to sleep´, this great idea from Peter Gabriel or Genesis you sing in a fantastic voice. The ending of `Punkadiddle` is somehow simular to hardest `Heavy Metal Guitar Riffs` i heared. Interesting. God bless you! And it reminds me a little bit of the `Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs` 🎶🎼🎵🕺💃🕺💃 ruclips.net/video/EFOC7mceoiA/видео.html
Interesting... I thought Into Wonderland would have been your least favourite track. Please react to 'Sally' and 'Guilty' (a track from the US album version) as a bonus as they're both alternative tracks from this album.
Long way to go before those albums...QE2, Five Miles Out, Crises, Discovery, Islands, Earth Moving, Amarok, Heaven's Open, Tubular Bells II, Songs of Distant Earth, Voyager, Tubular Bells III, Guitars, Millennium Bell, Tres Lunas, Tubular Bells 2003, Light & Shade, Music of the Spheres, Man on the Rocks, Return to Ommadawn, Tubular Bells IV.
Afternoon, JP. Dave from a hot and sunny London. Mike fans will call me a traitor but I'm a Judas Unrepentant. Sorry Justin, but I thought these songs were truly horrendous. Yes, there are some nice electronic beats, some beautiful singing, some decent guitar and keyboard soloing, some eccentric silliness, and a Gershwin classic, but nothing goes together. It's Oldfield by numbers, except they are all prime numbers! And I Got Rhythm - please, isn't the point of this song that it has rhythm? Give me Ella any day. From other reviews of Woodhenge, I expected pop ... but I got poop. For me it's music to empty a mall!
I was shocked by this one as well after the first four incredible albums -- out of the blue were these dance beats I associated with disco, a genre I greatly disliked, and an all-around goofiness. Lucky I listened to a few times anyway, and behold, there was everything to love about this music. Oldfield would later disappoint me, but only much later!
Interesting. The negativity of the comments lead me to expect something far worse. I actually enjoyed it a great deal. I see this was 1979 and Vangelis' "See You Later" album was 1980. I wonder if Vangelis followed what Oldfield was doing and was either influenced by it or decided to respond to it. Although the sound is different there is still that eclectic/uneven approach and the experimenting with synths. Still, it may have been their natural exploration of the synths capabilities. The things you discover by doing deep dives. Repetitious and melodic? That describes Jane Siberry's best work though she usually would toss in some ironic self awareness. Anyone who doesn't like this should avoid Vangelis' "See You Later". p.s. Get healthy and hopefully you have had your jabs. edited because I apparently cannot write.
I'm sorry, after reading all the comments, I can only say this: I don't care. I love every single part of this album and I really enjoyed it. It makes me happy.
Thanks to Mike's exceptional talent each album is different, interesting and beautiful and full of surprises. How many musicians have managed not to repeat the same style or sound throughout their careers?
What next?
I totally agree!
Agree, the album is great! Different from 'the four' but a great change in his career with new explorations. The album also make me joyful..,
He did a great version of Punkadiddle at Montreux in 1981.
I have that show on DVD. It’s a great one. Nice to see the interactions of the musicians.
Yeah much as I think that track is very silly the solo in that live version is absolutely fire. His tonal control is unreal
The 50 second intro to Punkadiddle was actually the 50 second climax of the abandoned track 'Sally' from the very first LP pressings but over the years it's now been commonly ascotiated with Punkadiddle.
I always thought the blue butterfly was emerging from a pool of molten Platinum.
Me too!
Yes that's what it's supposed to be surely. I've always thought this too.
To me it's always been a butterfly getting stuck in molten platinum to die later, maybe I should check with my psychologist...
@@trisibo 😂
Punkadiddle is such a great bit of music.. you should really watch the live version of Montreux 1981! Magnificent performance!
Kraftwerk was the pioneer in techno pop, and used impressionism to create audio environments. "Autobahn" is the prime example of this.
I agree with the rest of the “Oldfield gang”: listen to Mike’s “Guilty”. That’s the last of Oldfield’s 70’s compositions. Very 70’s. Lots of fun.
punkaddile is for me a modern extrapolation of a celtic march in the wired roads of the mind of mike XD
for me the greatest musician / composer of the 20th century
the butterfly is on a piece of platinum.
So no one has mentioned this, but I think the butterfly dips his wing into a drop of liquid platinum. I'm pretty sure of it.
Before Platinum also happened his first tour, you have to listen (or to watch) the live album Exposed and the single Guilty, which is previous to Platinum. Also the live version of Puckadiddle at Montreux.
With Wendy Roberts as well there is a cover of All righ now.
The exposed album is amazing I got a copy around 1980 and still listen to it on a proper record player 👌
This is a transition album for Mike. In my opinion, he perfects this "formula" with Five Miles Out and Crises. The first side is a long track that fills the first side, and the second side is shorter more radio accessible songs. It's more of a rock direction than his previous folk direction, but it's still Mike, and very experimental. He always uses great female singers. I feel bad for people who cannot appreciate this side of Mike, because I don't think he sold out. He had pressure to change from record labels, but also just the trends of the times, but he did it in his own way.
Yeah, “Woodhenge” surely is very radio accessible! 😆😉
@@GrizzlyOldB well, I did say MORE radio accessible. 😜😆
Agree with this!
And these songs fitted his life then. It’s all great imo
Mike and Wendy Roberts recorded a cover of the Free classic All Right Now that was released on a flexi disc. Justin, if you like Platinum as much as you say, you can't go wrong with every of the further Oldfield albums I guess. I'm looking forward to the next episode of your journey.
Stop at guitars, his weakest album imo.
Thanks so much for being such a fun listening partner with these MO albums. I always love anticipating your reactions to all the changes in the music. Your positive spirit is infectious and there is so much joy experiencing music with you. You brighten my day! I always look forward to listening with you. This format is wonderfully interactive. Thank you for all putting it all together. I actually feel like your videos are so powerful that they could save someone from suicide if they were headed down that dreadful road. You take the loneliness away and a magical connection is made through music. I wish I had found you back when I was going through a very dark time in my life. I bought the whole MST3K series and watched those for my therapy. It worked! Laughter truly is good medicine...and so are your videos!
Thats really nice of you to say Rick, and it means a lot. Thank you :)
Cool that you are open to Mike's more commercial sounding explorations as he embraces new styles of music (is this really the same composer as Tubular Bells?). You will be greatly rewarded as he continues to progress through the next decade and beyond. Even the more electronic dance-y, rave-y Light + Shade is really cool (as well as the symphonic Music Of The Spheres). Hit or miss and regardless of style, it will always have the Mike Oldfield sonic stamp.
Gershwin's "I Got Rhythm" got transformed into a serenade - interesting, didn't expect that.
Originally Woodhenge transitioned into a song called Sally. The Elec Piano instrument or whatever it is at the end feeds right into it and carries throughout the song.
JP, here's hoping that you get back to more of this guy's work... I can never have too much Mike Oldfield. He's a good fellow.
One of many things which are rare about Oldfield is he was truly original and innovative. Art has to come from within.
A very eclectic set of tracks, exploring a more modern soundscape. I think he settled into this shorter, poppier stuff better on his Crises album (spoiler alert: there's a collaboration with Jon Anderson!). This may not be his strongest work but it has got some fun, danceable moments and some typically interesting instrumental passages.
Really enjoyed today's review. Your thoughts made me reavulate the album. If you enjoyed this side of Mike try listening to the single Guilty that was released at the same time as the Platinum album. Reissues have also included this on the track listing.
Just a heads up re. the next album "QE2" the opening track "Taurus 1" is part one of a two part instrumental that finishes with the title track. Its all based on the same ideas and is probably best heard as whole rather than the two part sectioning on the album.
❤️❤️❤️❤️
His version of I Got Rhythm sounds like a different song. Great and very melancholy.
Dear Justin, in the last 2-3 years I became fond of watching peoples reactions to the music of my youth. I stumbled over your channel because of the reactions to some of my favorite prog bands (Yes, Genesis, King Crimson). Prog rock seems to be quite popular to react to nowadays, but you kept my attention because you also react to music I saw noone else react to (so far). It seems everyone and their dog reacts to videos like 'Comfortably numb', 'In the air tonight (live)' and 'Unchained melody'. But you go your own way and dive into music like Talk Talk, Mike Oldfield's instrumental albums (plus Pekka Pohjola) and even electronic music like Jean Michel Jarre and Vangelis (love them all). This gives me hope that you might enjoy another musician I was very fond of in my youth (and still am).
So I invite you to listen to some of the early works of Andreas Vollenweider, a swiss musician who is an multi-instumentalist, but since acquiring a harp has been stuck to that instrument. He even build his own electro-acoustic pedal harp and he plays it in a style that, as far as I know, noone else has ever been able to replicate. He is instantly recognisable when playing the harp. A good point to start would be his records 'White Winds' or 'Caverna Magica'. As with Oldfield or Jarre his songs often transition into the next one, so listening to a whole side of his albums (or at least a block of tracks) is recommended.
Thank you for your fresh, honest and really musically educated reactions and analysis.
I loved Vollenweider's "Book of Roses" - I always think I'll just listen to one or two tracks but end up listening to the whole thing! One of those fully immersive experience albums that just draws you in.
Thank you so much Lox! Never heard of Vollenweider
If you like the harp, please check out Canadian singer/songwriter Loreena McKennitt. She's got quite a few albums and like MO, I recommend starting at the beginning. She starts with lots of traditional folk/celtic pieces and then introduces more of her own compositions as she got more successful. In a way, she's like JK Rowlings. Started "on the street sleeping in cars" and grew into her own entity by the third album with her own independent production company.
Remember my comment on Hergest Ridge Pt. 1 last year? I said "I am pretty sure you will like Platinum very much", I am really happy you did it at last. As mentioned here several times, it's a good idea to watch the "Live At Montreux 1981" versions of these phantastic pieces.
@8:33 I don't know why, but this bit always reminds me of me playing Kirby's Adventure on the Nintendo NES back when I was a little boy. :)
Great to hear your appreciation of this great album! It's a wonderful monument in the Oldfield landscape of musical wonders. You have good comments and reaction to all the tracks and turnings! I love Platinum.., the whole of it! Very uplifting, fun, experimental, embracing life.
Ty for watching Jan! Yes, its a very fun album! :D
I'd first heard 'Punkadiddle' in the mid 80's and as the theme tune of a Dutch game show called (translated) 'On Land, at Sea and in the Air' and had always believed its composer must've been a Dutch person - until only a few years ago, when 'Punkadiddle' suddenly popped up in an Oldfield live show I was watching on YT, and that was quite a surprise, as I would've *never* guessed this was him! 😄
I feel that Mike's first four albums were his therapy for his tortured soul. Then, when he attended Werner Erhard's seminar, he gained some inner peace, but lost the creativity generated by his inner turmoil. For me personally, he seemed to wander through the 80's trying to get his mojo back and it wasn't until Tubular Bells II in 1992 that he got back on track. Don't get me wrong, he is still a brilliant guitarist, an expert at multi-layering and produced some one off gems . . . Amarok I feel was his first attempt in a decade to produce a one track album, and it was a sign that he was getting back to what he does best.
Producer Tom Newman said that as well, that Mike was more or less happier after the therapy, but that the music he made previously was coming from his pain, so he lost both... Personally I don't think he ever recovered it, I love a lot of things he's done since then, including TB II for sure, but it's just not the same. There are some pieces or fragments that may be close, but not completely there, in my humble opinion.
Mike is a Real musical Genius not just an amazing player that plays all major instruments at the age of 19 ! And also a great composer and all that without even going to musical school,Talk about pure dedication and Talent ! also you should check out the Punkadiddle Live at Montreux in 1981to see how he expands and soloes on a simple tune and how he even plays with the Audience near the end musically !
Platinum
Platinum November 23th, 1979
Cover by Trevor Key
1. Part One: Airborne 5:06 2. Part Two: Platinum 6:03 3. Part Three: Charleston 3:17 4. Part Four: North Star/Platinum Finale 4:43 5. Woodhenge 4:06 6. Sally 5:00 7. Punkadiddle 4:56 8. I Got Rhythm 4:40 Mike Oldfield - Electric & Acoustic Guitars; Piano & synthesizer; Vibraphone & Marimbas; & Vocals Pierre Moerlen - Drums (also Vibraphone) Alan Schwwartzberg & Maurice Pert - Drums Niel Jason, Hansford Rowe, Francisco Centeno - Bass Nicko Ramsden & Peter Lemer - Keyboards Sally Cooper - Tubular Bells
Horns arranged by Peter Gordon & Michael Riesman Vocals arranged by David Bedford Vocals on 'I Got rhytmn' by Wendy Roberts Congas: Demalza
Engineered by Kurt Munkacsi & Tom Newman Assistant Engineers - Richard Manwaring & Renate Blauel
Recorded at Electric Lady & Blue Rock USA; Througham, Denham, & The Manor U.K. Mixed at Air Studios Produced by Tom Newman
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Additional notes from Richard Carter
Notes On The Instruments
Mike's main guitar on this album seems to have been the Gibson L6-S Custom.
The synthesised whistle sound of the Roland SH-2000 makes a return here, and are joined by the sounds of newer polysynths, possibly including one of the Sequential Circuits Prophet synthesisers (with both the Prophet 5 and 10 having been released in 1978) which was later to appear on Crises.
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Notes On The Musicians
Pierre Moerlen - The Gong drummer returned to make his third appearance on one of Mike's albums. At the time, Pierre was acting as leader of Gong, and brought with him some of the other musicians who appear on Platinum.
Morris Pert - The first of many appearances by Morris on Mike's albums. Although maybe best known as a percussionist (America's Billboard magazine voted him as the no 4 Jazz and Rock percussionist in 1977), Morris Pert is also a composer, having written 3 symphonies. He now works from his own studio in his native Scotland, where he concentrates on composition and electronic music recording. As a percussionist, Morris has worked with names like Kate Bush, Peter Gabriel, Paul McCartney and Phil Collins.
Alan Schwartzberg - One of New York's top session drummers. His interest in drumming first came about after hearing jazz drumming, which was the genre in which he worked until he started to become interested in other musical styles, such as R&B. Among the names that Alan has worked with are John Lennon & Yoko Ono, Roxy Music, Peter Gabriel, Robert Palmer, Alice Cooper, Kiss and Stan Getz. Alan also overdubbed drums on two albums of Jimi Hendrix material, 'Crash Landing' and 'Midnight Lightning', put together from left over tracks after Jimi's death.
Neil Jason - New York session bassist who's performed on albums alongside John McLauchlin, Cyndi Lauper, Randy and Michael Brecker (on 'Heavy Metal Be Bop') and Mark Knopfler (on his 'Local Hero' soundtrack).
Hansford Rowe - An American bassist who at the time was playing in Pierre Moerlen's Gong. He met Pierre Moerlen in 1976, while Pierre was in New York after the break up of the original Gong and soon moved to France with him to form part of the new Gong line up. In 1989, Hansford teamed up with guitarist Jon Catler, forming the band 'Steel Blue'. Jon was experimenting with microtonal music, and between them they worked on a new system of tuning, called 'Just Intonation', a system designed to not have the shortfalls of the equal temperament system which forms the basis for most western musical instruments. Bass manufacturers, Warwick, make a just intonation fretless bass, designed in conjunction with Jon Catler and Hansford Rowe.
Francisco Centeno - Another New York session bassist. He was first discovered at the age of 15, when Motown songwriters Ashford and Simpson heard him playing in a New York high school band. This led to him working with Motown stars like Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross. He has gone on to play with Aretha Franklin, Bette Midler, John Mayall, Gladys Night, Whitney Houston and many, many more.
Nico Ramsden - Another musician who was working with Gong at the time. The English born guitarist has also worked with Sally Oldfield, Linda Thompson, The Proclaimers, Steve Harley and Rick Wakeman.
Peter Lemer - Jazz keyboardist, who released an album called Local Colour with the Peter Lemer quintet in 1969 before going on to work with more rock orientated groups during the 70s. Played alongside legendary drummer Ginger Baker in the band 'Baker-Gurvitz Army', and also one one of Pierre Moerlen's Gong's albums.
Sally Cooper - Mike's girlfriend at the time, who Mike had first met in the Virgin press office, where she worked. Sally was mother to his first three children, Molly, Dougal and Luke.
Demalza - It seems like this is a slight mis-spelling. A Demelza played percussion with Steve Winwood at the Rough Hill festival in 1978, as well as on Gong's 1981 album 'Leave it Open'.
Wendy Roberts - Singing on Platinum was Wendy Roberts's first high profile singing job. She was to continue working with Mike until 1980, when Maggie Reilly became his singer of choice for the next few years. After discovering that she had a voice similar to that of the late Karen Carpenter, Wendy Roberts began giving Carpenters tribute shows across the UK (together with Phil Aldridge), which she continues to do to this day.
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Other Notes
'Sally' was a song about Mike's feelings for his girlfriend Sally Cooper. Sung by Mike and Nico Ramsden, it contained the chorus "Sally, I'm just a gorilla, I'll say I'll love you ever more/Even an ape from Manila couldn't stop me knocking on your door". On hearing this, Virgin boss Richard Branson took an instant disliking to the song and demanded that it should be removed from the album, to be replaced by 'Into Wonderland' sung by Wendy Roberts (although when interviewed by David Porter in 1995, Wendy Roberts said she thought that the track which she recorded was called Sally, and knew nothing of what had gone on with the replacing of the original song). Some copies had already been pressed, so the early pressings of the LP contain the song Sally. All the rest contain Into Wonderland, although the album artwork was never updated, so the labels still say Sally (as do the CDs I've seen). The song contains various musical links with Punkadiddle. Some people with the original album feel that 'Sally' fits much better into the album than its replacement. For the song, Mike asked producer and engineer Tom Newman to disguise the voices of him and Nico Ramsden. Tom applied what's now known as 'telephonic' EQ (equalisation) to their voices. That is, he cut the bass and boosted the mid-range (called telephonic because it sounds a bit like it's coming down a telephone). Mike's ideas of disguising his voice continued through his early 80s albums, with his use of vocoders and other electronic gadgetry.
Punkadiddle was Mike's answer to the punk movement, the emergence of which had escaped him while he'd been in retreat recording Incantations. Mike was not at all impressed with punk music, not least because it seriously dented his record sales (indeed, Virgin Records' signing of punk bands while failing to promote Mike's albums was to be the cause of a great rift between him and the record company). Mike said at one point that he felt that punk rock made fun of music, so perhaps Punkadiddle was Mike's idea of having music make fun of punk rock.
Kurt Munkacsi worked as engineer on many Philip Glass albums. Mike's choosing him perhaps came from an interest in bringing a Philip Glass influence to the album, with Mike featuring Glass's 'North Star' as part of 'Platinum'.
Renate Blauel was one of the in-house engineers at Air Studios in London. Her other claim to fame is as one time wife of Elton John.
An altered form of the album was released in the USA as 'Airborn', the difference being that Woodhenge was replaced by the track Guilty, a disco style tune based on the same note pattern as Incantations, which was released as a single at around the same time as that album. Similarly to parts of Platinum, Guilty was recorded in New York using session musicians.
© Richard Carter 2003
Excellent notes - sadly Pierre and Morris are no longer with us.
Platinum was an album I purchased in my late school days and played it repeatedly on vinyl until I wore it out. I was already an MO fan listening to Tubular Bells in 1974
Did you ever try to dance with Punkadiddle in a bar with all your promotion's companions, one on the lead and the rest following him wherever he goes, hands on the hips of the one ahead of you? It was phenomenal, and superfun.
If you do more Mike Oldfield, I'd like to hear "Let There Be Light"
I think what you say about "Punkadiddle" is pretty much Oldfield's opinion of "punk" and is the intended reaction.
and also something energic to play live !
Shadmock on keyboards.
You should listen to it live at the end he has the croud were he wants them Montrose is the best.
Some interesting facts:
It is worth noting as an anecdote that "Into Wonderland" was not part of the original list of songs on the album since the first edition of "Platinum" included instead another song titled "Sally", sung by Oldfield himself through from a telephone line, This song, dedicated to her partner at the time, Sally Cooper did not like Richard Branson too much and was replaced in successive editions of the album by "Into Wonderland" with the voice of Wendy Roberts. However, the title "Sally" continued to appear on the back covers of the discs, which was not corrected until a long time later.
Punkadiddle was a point of disagreement between Branson and Oldfield. Branson was giving a lot of outlet to Punk and specifically to the Sex pistols, which were going to be his star group on the label. Oldfield disapproved of the promotion of music that he compared to a cockroach circling a toilet.
I Got Rhythm had a lot to do with Oldfield's stay in New York, making a version very close to George Gershwin's original with lyrics by his brother Ira Gershwin. Released in 1930, it has become a jazz standard. It was originally written as a slow tempo song for Treasure Girl (1928) and later incorporated into Girl Crazy. Ethel Merman sang the song in the original Broadway production. The song became an important part of the soundtrack to the 1951 musical film An American in Paris, performed by Gene Kelly, who also danced to it in tap.
A hug.
Yeah I had the original back in the 80's on tape and was horrified years later when I bought it on cd and discovered 'Sally' had been replaced. I couldn't find a copy of the original anywhere but did track down Sally on it's own and re-edited it back into Platinum. The album make much more sense with Sally as he alludes to the melodic theme earlier in the piece.
Wow Justin! Great vocal intro on "In the Cage" 👍👏
Punk was taking over around that time and Mike Oldfield always thought that punk was a style that was making fun of music. So Punkadiddle was his answer to it as music making fun of punk. It's literally mocking the simplicity and repetitiveness of Punk music. lol
Wendy Roberts' singing is very gentle and absolutely captivating. Actually, she should be honored for this retrospectively. When a chrome dioxide cassette of it fell into my hands purely by chance, the “Platinum” triggered a real storm of enthusiasm in me. Of course, I immediately danced around wildly, “fidgeting” and shaking my head (head banging), “frankly and freely”, having fun. The funny and brisk 'gait' of 'Punkadiddle' induced the mental image as if there were also little gnomes and many, many dwarves in an extremely exuberant mood around a campfire happily 'dancing' in the 'Ringel row' as well Something, somehow euphoric about partying. This association came about because we read Grimm's fairy tales as a toddler and cartoon series about 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' were broadcast on children's television. The 7 dwarves are dancing very merrily with Snow White:
(Diese drei Stücke von „Platinum“ überzeugen voll und ganz. Der Gesang von Wendy Roberts ist sehr sanftmütig und absolut `fesselnd`. Eigentlich müsste sie dafür nachträglich geehrt werden. Als mir rein zufällig eine Chromdioxid-Tonbandkassette davon `in die Hände` fiel, löste die `Platinum` in mir wahre Begeisterungstürme aus. Sofort tanzte ich dazu natürlich wildest `Abzappelnd` und Kopfschüttelnd (Head Bangen) `frank und frei`, Spaß habend, umher. Die lustige und flotte `Gangart` von `Punkadiddle` induzierte die gedankliche Vorstellung als würden dann da auch noch so, kleine Gnome und viele, viele Zwerge in einer äußerst ausgelassenen Stimmung um ein Lagerfeuer herum fröhlichst `Ringel-Reihe` immerzu `abtanzen` sowie irgendetwas, irgendwie euphorisch so `abfeiern`. Diese Assoziation kam deswegen, weil man als Kleinkind Grimms Märchen gelesen hatte und im Kinderfernsehen Zeichentrickserien über `Schneewittchen und die sieben Zwerge` ausgestrahlt wurden.
Denn da tanzen die 7 Zwerge wohl sehr lustig mit dem Schneewittchen.)
🎶🎼🎵🕺💃🕺💃
Cool beans! Side 2 of Platinum. It's interesting that you were singing "I got sunshine..." when you started Justin, considering the first line of I Got Rhythm. Punkadiddle is one of my favorite Oldfield songs, both to listen to and to play. I worked for days and finally got that cool keyboard part figured out. It was a blast to play, simple and yet complicated. I have to agree that Into Wonderland is sweet and full of groove. I think Oldfield wanted to depart from the epic heaviness that he was known for. At least for a while. He returns to epic heavy long compositions a bit later. Overall I find Platinum to be a tasty album.
punkadiddle was a dig at punk which virgin had wanted to get behind so did not promote incantations to the extent it deserved.THE irony being that punk faded quite quickly and mike was still around .Good to see that you are open minded to his shorter tracks and the songs which will start to dominate his albums.When it comes to planning Amarok is fast approaching and this is probably the most unfriendly first impression album you could have,But it really does need to be heard in one go and then listened to again and again and again And even after countless listens you will still find something new hidden away in it.Good luck with that one looking forward to it.The electronic vibe also makes it stranger that Jean Michel Jarre doesn't really think they could work together which is a real shame as that could of been something amazing.great watching these reactions as you really enjoy what mike does now on to QE2.
I'm not sure an Oldfield + Jarre collaboration would be very fruitful, as I imagine it both would try to steer the work to their preferred direction and not give in, so there would be more fight than music...
Man, I can’t wait for you to get to ‘Crises’ you’re in for such a treat!
Please say you’re going to continue through Mike’s catalogue?
Ty! And oh yeah, absolutely :D
@@JustJP is it time for QE2 Justin?
Oh Yes!!! Mr. Justin, we seem to have the same music taste. My favourites, too. This three pieces from `Platinum` convince totally. The voice of Wendy Roberts is very gentle and calm. This woman has to be honoured for her great vocals. When i first listened to this kind of music at the age about 14 Years, it blew me fastest dancing and headbanging to it away. `Punkadiddle` sounds to me as if little gnomes and many dwarfs would dance in a very happy mood around a campfire and celebrating life. Very funny!!! 🎶🎼🎵🕺💃🕺💃
Lol! I love the imagery. Ty Laudibus
Why do my eyes always get wet when I listen to Mike ?
I think that the form below the butterfly is a footprint, symbolizing that this is a more "dance based" album of Oldfield than the previous ones that was more prog.
I think the butterfly is meant to be trapped by a pool of liquid platinum. Possibly a symbol of what being tied to corporate expectations can do to an artist particularly one who has had a big hit and gone "Platinum". That's my interpretation anyway.
That's always how I had seen it. The two beautiful aspects - the butterfly and the liquid platinum but put the two together and it becomes sinister - the butterfly will not escape.
Of course it's platinum on the cover of platinum 😁.
Don´t know if i overlooked that point in any comment that i want to mention ...
Only a bit older (and probably only German) people like me still know, that actually that "Punkadiddle" (in that Oldfield rendition) was actually used as musical intro in an open air TV game show, that was broadcasted obviously only in German and Dutch (maybe also Belgian) TV from time to time! It´s name in German was "Zu Lande, zu Wasser und in der Luft" (= "At land, on water and in the air"), in Dutch it had the same title ("te land ter zee en in de lucht") !
Obviously it was in Germany only aired between `86 and `88, in the Netherlands for much longer time. In that show always some teams from that nations had to compete in some pretty crazy team games in an open-air-location, that included games in that different three elements (i think a bit like this TV show "Takeshi´s Castle"!?) Obviously that show or at least a new edition is still aired in the Netherlands (but most probably with another music intro nowadays), as i read somewhere. Unfortunately i only was able fo find some Dutch videos, but none with Mike´s intro; so i guess this was maybe only used in German TV!?
I've never heard Wonderland or I got Rhythm by Mike and I'm a fan lol, I really liked them :)
Haha Dan Bell's Dead Mall Series reference! Love it! Delighted that you enjoyed the side so much JP. Into Wonderland sounded much better than I remembered - I hadn't actually heard it in ages (also something about watching and listening as you react really heightens the experience as well!). I will still highly recommend Sally as musically it is much more intricate and tied in with the whole of the album including side one. I'd be interested to hear what you make of the lead vocals too 😂. I agree that first part of Punkadiddle is genius then it gets a tad too repetitive - absolutely Mike's intention to parody the talentless punks (in his opinion) who were taking all the attention away from proper musicians like him! I adore I Got Rhythm, such a beautiful and uplifting close to the album. Thanks JP you have reawakened my love for this brilliant album!
JP, nice bit of sitcom comedy on your post ;o) First time i heard Into Wonderland, i thought he was going for the Eurovision contest! Chee-zy. So i have a bit of a hard time grasping the Daft Punk reference. It's a low point for me in all of his discography, with that horrible synth/pan flute sound which, unfortunately, he kept using heavily on QE2. Punkakiddle has its moments but rehashes some licks from Incantations. I had not heard this in a few decades, and i don't plan to again. Thanks JP for a chance to revisit and reassess, even though this just confirmed what i remembered.
I had much the same reaction as you did when Into Wonderland started. It made you think of Daft Punk, while it made me think of Røyksopp (wich I LOVE). I see on wikipedia that they've actually done remixes of 2 song from this album. Think I'm going to listen to Melody A.M, The Understanding or The Inevitable End tonight for the nostalgia. Edit: Seems like it will be all 3 before bedtime... :)
Punkadiddle had a nice punch to it, but I liked the start better than the end of the song I think. I imagine the applause is for me (and maybe you since you're not feeling well).
I Got Rhythm made me think of I Got Life from Hair (the beginning atleast). Sadly I did't like this one all that much, too poppy maybe (not sure really).
I think Mike Oldfield (like many of his contemporaries) changed the music with the times and therefore turned more commercial into the 80's (getting an early start with this one). But we'll have to wait and see if I/you like it as much as the 70's stuff.
That ending though.... That made me laugh so much! Seems you've been demoted to the small room for tonight. Hope you feel better and that you're allowed into the large bedroom soon.... :D
Is that butterfly dancing on a drop of melted platinum?
This made me realize that I'm listening to the early Oldfield far less than I should.
Thx for the reminder and for reacting to sidestream music like this one. :-)
Lot of things to say about side 2 and your reaction: "Woodhenge" > ambient, OK but not more. "Into Wonderland" > listening to it again after all these years, I'm starting to like it more and more (thanks to your review). BTW, if you like the disco side of Mike Oldfield, you'd like "Guilty" from 1979 as well. "I Got Rhythm" > gorgeous cover of Gershwins, slower than the original but very creative and inventive, plus Tubular Bells make their comeback at the end of the song 😉. As for "Punkadiddle", it has always been a favorite of mine (though repetitive and though the synth flute or whistle is kinda annoying) , largely due to the electric guitar melody in the chorus and the perfect fadeout. Justin, please, I urge you to give a chance and a listen to the following live version of Punkadiddle (I'm sending you the link in a few minutes)...
2:22 Didn’t expect that😀?
Wendy Roberts sings fantastic here.
And Mike very playful with toys....... he likes children melodies.
Punkadiddle is a parody of Punk. Punk became fashionable at that time and for Mike it represented the opposite of what he understood by music. The record company began to replace Mike's records with punk bands and that made him feel bad. Incantations was a demonstration of "this is music." Punkadiddle is a ridicule of punk according to Mike. A stupid and easy song. The applause of the song also represents a criticism of the entire movement.
I've always found "Punkadiddle" to be a lot more like a disco music parody than a punk rock parody! This proves that Mike Oldfield must not have heard many punk bands at the time !
The butterfly is sitting on liquid platinum
For a truly sublime guest vocal look no further than Randy Crawford on the track 'Hoping Love Will Last' from Steve Hackett's second album 'Please Don't Touch'. The legendary Richie Havens appears on two other songs. The rest of it's pretty good as well.
Justin, when are you going to get to Mike's next album QE2?
JP you've left his sunning guitar work with David Bedford out of sequence; it belongs to Ommadawn era Oldfield...best understood as pre-exegesis...bares his soul, possibly following his mother's death.
Hi JP. I'm loving your Oldfield journey, and you are really reconnecting me to some of his songs. I normally wouldn't comment but just wanted to point out that Into Wonderland was a replacement for a song called Sally that only appeared on the first pressing of the album as it was removed by the record company for being not good enough. However the end of the track is still present and that is the transition into Punkadiddle that you enjoyed. Also Woodhenge was replaced on the American release with his previous single Guilty as it was too weird for an American audience. Glad you enjoyed it :)
Of course we all
know that I've got rhythm is a george gershwin song
You need to watch the live version of Punkadiddle live in 1981 Montreux it’s a lot better. Do Taurus 1 off QE2 his next album which struggles to Capture the sauce compared To Platinum. Five Miles Out is better. Taurus 2 is another big experience
Can you imagine how good Mike Oldfield would be if someone like Peter Gabriel came in and wrote lyrics and sang over top of it all?
Punkadiddle👍
Could the butterfly be on top of a plectrum
Are there such big plectrums? I'm only asking cause I love the cover and I've also wondered what surface is the butterfly sitting on.
always thought it was on liquid platinium
I know the liquid Platinum theory has been put forward but while that might be the symbolism, its not on fire so that isn't molten Platinum.
Just from the practical point of view of being able to take the photo, it's a butterfly trapped in Mercury.
This also works from a symbolic point of view as you have a fragile creature trapped in a shiny but toxic environment.
@@EwanV I'm more curious about the photographic process. How did the photographer (his name is Trevor Key) combined the blue light background with the butterfly on mercury. I love the photo.
This might be Mike’s weirdest side to an album. I promise you JP, there’s more soul candy coming with the next 4 albums at least.
I'm scared of you. I agree again 100% with your comments :-)
Come on Justin, it's been over a year since your last Mike Oldfield listen, please continue with QE2.
If you like this, I truly believe QE2 and Five Miles Out will bring even bigger smiles. I used to like Punkadiddle best on this side, but I agree now it's Sally, I mean Into Wonderland.
For completeness, you really should listen to Sally as well. It's... quirky. I've never been a fan of the slapdash way In Wonderland was dumped into the later pressings of the album - it has to be one of the sloppiest edits in recording history. Hadn't the engineer heard of cross-fading?
Definitely this. Sally is definitely a quirky experience, but it was the intended track, and ties in with some of the other musical themes on the album a lot better.
Funny, I always confuse the titles Into Wonderland with Wonderful Land.
Justin, that is a surprise you enjoyed Into Wonderland so. As others have said, the live version of Punkaddidle is far better than the album version. This album is a crossover for Mike from his famed 4 albums from the 70's to where is goes in the 80's, that being a mix of long tracks and songs. The next album QE2 has a great mix of those and is back traditional instruments and more of Mike's wonderful guitar, Phil Collins even guests on 1 track.
No big deal, they are marked as single songs and listening first time.
Oi ! also Oy ! It used to be sort of a battle cry of the punk rockers back in the day and was somewhat fashionable around 1979 - 80. :)
I hope you'll return to Mike Oldfield someday
Me too, come on Justin.
Not sure if you do live albums, but you might try Exposed. Seems like a lot of his studio compositions came alive on that album, which was around this time.
I stopped following Oldfield for awhile after QE2 (I was OK with the shorter instrumental songs on Platinum and QE2, but the attempts at pop hits after that lost me), so I’m looking forward to hearing your take on his subsequent albums.
👍
I borrowed the album QEII once, Mike does a lot of covers on it. One of them was Wonderful Land. It's one of the best short pieces he's ever done.
These tracks are OK, but I won't he rushing to buy it.
2 covers - Wonderful Land (by Jerry Lordan and performed by The Shadows) and Arrival (Benny Anderson & Bjorn Ulvaeus performed by ABBA).
QE2 is magnificant. 7 out of 9 are his original tracks and the two covers are really lovely.
Obviously from Platinum on, he started making more diverse and increasingly song-based works. And to me, whilt the Platinum Side1 is still fun, it leaves a bit to be desired, and the song collections get stronger each coming album. (Until we reach Islands and even Earth Moving, where we enter full on MTV territory.) The instrumentation also gets quite 'up to date' - which means for the 80s first experimental synths and later overused ambient synths ;)
In the 90s he went back to (different kinds of) extensive instrumental albums like his first ones, while of course sounding more modern.
(With maybe the exception of Heaven's Open - a last 'songs' album he was obligated to do, and at least for the fan shows an interesting side in an angey Mike even singing himself just to get it over with :D Not the best music in the world and not even meant to be, but fans of the 80s albums should at least have heard it.
TB2
Songs of Distant Earth
Voyager
TB3
Guitars
all have instrumental magic comparable to some of the first albums, at least to me personally.
I agree with you. I find these first Mike Oldfield's songs very beautiful. Apart of its intro, Punkadiddle is funny for a moment... but just for a moment ! :-D Personnally I am not fan of Guilty neither.
I hope you will love QE2 too, another "feel good album" with good little instrumentals and covers.
JOKEY REPLY
This is how I see it:
The butterfly represents music. Most of the album is built on synthesized/heavily processed sounds, quite like what was known as 'plastic music' in the early 80s, although Platinum was released in '79. So the butterfly is plastified, stuck in an immovable position upon something that looks to me more like liquid mercury than platinum. :) At least this is my view of it. But on the back cover the butterfly flies free, which is strange... :)
Your'e on your way to his best album.. "Songs of distant earth"... Cool !
(atleast in my book)
Punkadiddle is a straight up piss take on the punk rock scene at the time... Branson had thrown his eggs into the Punk basket .. Wendy Roberts probably the least known of of Mikes hired hands.. Think she was a session, pub singer that was recommended to him . something along those lines. Fantastic Voice though. Up there with Maggie and Anita .
Wendy Roberts also performed the vocal on his unreleased cover of Free's Alright Now, a video for which is on RUclips
I got one for ya Justin Space Art-Love Machine I think you will love it
To get full effects of his work you need to do full album hits then you don't lose the thread
Thank you so much, Mr. Justin, you are very, very musically. `I got sunshine in my stomach, like i just rocked my baby to sleep´, this great idea from Peter Gabriel or Genesis you sing in a fantastic voice. The ending of `Punkadiddle` is somehow simular to hardest `Heavy Metal Guitar Riffs` i heared. Interesting. God bless you! And it reminds me a little bit of the `Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs` 🎶🎼🎵🕺💃🕺💃 ruclips.net/video/EFOC7mceoiA/видео.html
Punkadidle I mean
Interesting... I thought Into Wonderland would have been your least favourite track. Please react to 'Sally' and 'Guilty' (a track from the US album version) as a bonus as they're both alternative tracks from this album.
As mentioned before wait until you listen to AMAROK
Controversially, I prefer Guitars to Amarok.
@@EwanV I like both but summit day is my favourite from guitars
Maggie tap dancing ! He will never get that section on 1st listen lol.. Doubt he will review Spheres either .
Long way to go before those albums...QE2, Five Miles Out, Crises, Discovery, Islands, Earth Moving, Amarok, Heaven's Open, Tubular Bells II, Songs of Distant Earth, Voyager, Tubular Bells III, Guitars, Millennium Bell, Tres Lunas, Tubular Bells 2003, Light & Shade, Music of the Spheres, Man on the Rocks, Return to Ommadawn, Tubular Bells IV.
@@routemaster19 Well, Tubular Bells IV for 2031, if he feels like it, maybe?
Tragic that every 70's artist had their soul ripped out by pop
Another album to try could be Sally oldfields water bearer a homage to Tolkien
Yes, her singing is so beautiful on that.
Try qe 2 next
Can't wait till you start listen to QE2
Afternoon, JP. Dave from a hot and sunny London. Mike fans will call me a traitor but I'm a Judas Unrepentant. Sorry Justin, but I thought these songs were truly horrendous. Yes, there are some nice electronic beats, some beautiful singing, some decent guitar and keyboard soloing, some eccentric silliness, and a Gershwin classic, but nothing goes together. It's Oldfield by numbers, except they are all prime numbers! And I Got Rhythm - please, isn't the point of this song that it has rhythm? Give me Ella any day. From other reviews of Woodhenge, I expected pop ... but I got poop. For me it's music to empty a mall!
I was shocked by this one as well after the first four incredible albums -- out of the blue were these dance beats I associated with disco, a genre I greatly disliked, and an all-around goofiness. Lucky I listened to a few times anyway, and behold, there was everything to love about this music. Oldfield would later disappoint me, but only much later!
Interesting. The negativity of the comments lead me to expect something far worse. I actually enjoyed it a great deal. I see this was 1979 and Vangelis' "See You Later" album was 1980. I wonder if Vangelis followed what Oldfield was doing and was either influenced by it or decided to respond to it. Although the sound is different there is still that eclectic/uneven approach and the experimenting with synths. Still, it may have been their natural exploration of the synths capabilities. The things you discover by doing deep dives.
Repetitious and melodic? That describes Jane Siberry's best work though she usually would toss in some ironic self awareness.
Anyone who doesn't like this should avoid Vangelis' "See You Later".
p.s. Get healthy and hopefully you have had your jabs.
edited because I apparently cannot write.
What are you doing?? 😂😂😂😂