Mike Oldfield

Proto-new age composer Mike Oldfield was born in Reading, England in 1953 and grew up with folk music, leaving home at age 15 to begin a career as a folk musician with his sister Sally as the duo Sallyangie. Though that group, and his next folk outfit, Barefeet, both fizzled, Oldfield pressed on, joining Kevin Ayer's group Whole World as a guitarist. In 1971 he left the group to concentrate on an epic, instrumental project titled "Tubular Bells," but without backing his rough demos went nowhere. Oldfield convinced Virgin Records mogul Richard Branson to put out the album as 1973's Tubular Bells, the first release by Branson's new Virgin label. Though the all-instrumental album was unlike any rock album of the time, it was a massive success, winning a Grammy award, selling more than 16 million copies worldwide (partially due to the inclusion of excerpts on the Exorcist soundtrack), and reaching No. 1 in the U.K. Now an international name after his first album, Oldfield returned in 1974 with Hergest Ridge, which was praised by critics, securing Oldfield's place in modern music. A string of successful albums followed, but Oldfield kept a low profile, avoiding interviews and concert appearances to preserve his privacy. In 1978 he broke his silence, touring the following year with more than 100 backing musicians. 1982's QE2 was another shift for the musician, featuring shorter music pieces rather than side-long compositions, as well as an ABBA cover.

Crises, released in 1983, renewed Oldfield's popularity by attracting younger fans with a poppy sound and an appearance by Dire Straits. He continued producing pop singles, often with vocals, for the next few years, culminated in 1989's Earth Moving, which contained no instrumentals.

In 1991 Oldfield parted ways with Virgin Records, having fulfilled his unusual 13-album contract signed in 1973. Moving to Warner/Reprise, he announced his independence with 1992's Tubular Bells II, a successful follow-up to his debut album. 1994's Songs of Distant Earth, based on an Arthur C. Clarke book of the same name, pioneered the use of CD-ROM material on a musical CD.

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