narration by John Cleese. There is also a new mix of the original album on the 2009 Mercury reissue.
Other versions include a quadrophonic version in 1975 (“For people with four ears”, as the sleeve said; the quad mix was later used for the multi-channel part of the SACD release), an orchestral version in the same year (The Orchestral Tubular Bells with David Bedford), and different live recordings; a complete one can be found on the double live album Exposed from 1979.
Tubular Bells (1973)
The Orchestral Tubular Bells (orchestral version; 1975)
Exposed (live version; 1979)
Tubular Bells II (1992)
Tubular Bells III (1998)
The Millennium Bell (1999)
Tubular Bells 2003 (2003) 2000/2001 Re-issues
Personnel
Simon Heyworth – remastered at Chop Em’ Out Mastering, London March/April 2000
David Glasser, Airshow Mastering, Boulder, Colorado, USA March 2000 – master
Gus Skinas – DSD SACD
Ed Meitner – A2D and D2A Converters
Arbernaut/Rina Cheung @ Public Art Creative Consultants Limited – artwork
Jason Day – Remastered series co-ordinator 2009 Re-issue
In 2008 when Oldfield’s original 35 year deal with Virgin Records ended, the rights to the piece were returned to him, and were transferred to Mercury Records. Oldfield’s Virgin albums were transferred to the label, and re-released, starting 8 June 2009. Tubular Bells was released in four physical variations, and two digital variations in the UK and Ireland, and as five physical editions elsewhere. In April 2009 a new official website, TubularBells2009.com, was unveiled.
The new releases contain a new 2009 stereo mix of the album, which Oldfield created at his home in the Bahamas in March 2009. The “Deluxe Edition” contains a 5.1 mix, and the “Ultimate Edition” box set contains a 60 page hardback book, a
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