Tubular Bells

[Diapason]

(Ivor, this thread is NOT for you!!)

Gentleman, the younger me was a huge fan of the original Tubular Bells, a kind friend having copied it onto a cassette for me at the dawn of time. At some point along the way I bought it on CD and it sounded horrendous, actually far worse than my cassette, and as a consequence I never listen to it any more. I'm wondering if I just have a dud, or is it actually just a shockingly bad recording? Are any of the recent remasterings/rereleases/repackagings any better?

[fergus]

I must dig out my vinyl copy and have a listen LOL!!

[Seán]

As Tír Na HiFi's resident crank you may not want to put much store by what I say: I never liked it and felt that it did not live up to the hype, it's not for me. [Off the soapbox and I'm out of here]

[Diapason]

Yeah, I understand that, Seán. I'm pretty confident that if I were exposed to it at a different point in my life I'd consider it relentless, inconsequential, self-indulgent twaddle, but you can't argue with nostalgia.

Fergus, it's possible that my original copied cassette came from a vinyl source originally, so maybe that's it. Certainly my CD shows all the hallmarks of early CD mastering techniques: i.e. unlistenably bad.

[Ivor]

As Tír Na HiFi's resident crank you may not want to put much store by what I say: I never liked it and felt that it did not live up to the hype, it's not for me. [Off the soapbox and I'm out of here]

.... relentless, inconsequential, self-indulgent twaddle,

Well that saved me a lot of typing. ;)

But back on topic I do actually have a copy, it came with some newspaper I think, and it is a really bad production too.

[jaybee]

love it....

try the 2009 Stereo Remix, its a much less "recessed" sounding mix, done when his contract with Virgin expired....

[Diapason]

Ta JB. Now that I think of it, can my copied tape be ultimately sourced back to one of your sisters? Did you copy her copy for me? Probably.

Anyway, 2009 remix might be worth a go if I can get it cheaply enough.

[bod]

Hi Simon. I have the 2001 SACD/CD if you want to borrow it. Not sure how it sounds. Think I listened to it once!!!

[Diapason]

Thanks bod, that would certainly be interesting, thank you! Where are you based?

[jaybee]

That cassette would have been a copy of an original release cassette I'd have thought - more likely my brothers!!! my sisters wouldn't exactly be into music!

The 2001 SACD.... Quadrophonic Mix....!!

Try spotify'ing the various versions.... you can certainly hear the differences even at 320 Kbps...!!

Also if you're looking to tire out penny at some point stick on the hornpipe, toddlers are powerless to resist dancing like whirling dervishes when it's playing...!!!