Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells to be reissued for 50th anniversary

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Mike Oldfield-overseen reissue coming in May 2023, which includes unreleased 2017 demo Tubular Bells 4 Intro

Detail from Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells 50th anniversary edition
(Image credit: Press)

Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells is to be reissued on May 26 on double vinyl, CD and super-deluxe Blu-ray as part of the groundbreaking album's 50th anniversary. The commemorative editions will also include an unreleased demo made in 2017, which was intended to herald work on a 50th-anniversary version of the work prior to Oldfield's retirement. 

Originally released in 1973, Tubular Bells was the very first release on the fledgling Virgin Records label and went on to become the British musician's best-known album. It's since spawned several offshoots, including a fully orchestral album and a 2022 release with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and even formed part of the soundtrack to the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in London.

The unreleased eight-minute Tubular Bells 4 Intro demo remains Oldfield's last recording to date. On the vinyl version, it's joined on the latest package by a new half-speed Abbey Road master of the original album, as well as a second record that unites several different version of the classic piece for the first time. This second vinyl also includes Tubular X, Oldfield's take on Mark Snow’s theme to the sci-fi TV show X-Files.

Says Oldfield, who was just 19 when he recorded the album, “Listening again to the musical outpourings of an angst-ridden teenager, it is hard to believe that was actually me, 50 years ago. 

"The music doesn’t sound that angst-ridden, but only I know the years of work and stress that produced Tubular Bells. This was all live, first take performances with no second chances or studio trickery as we have become so used to today. Little did I think when I was making Tubular Bells that anyone would ever hear it, let alone be celebrating it five decades later! Thank you to everyone who has listened over the years.”

Mike Oldfield: Tubular Bells 50th Anniversary edition tracklists

Double LP 

LP1
Side One
Tubular Bells – Part One (2023 Half Speed Master by Miles Showell)

Side Two
Tubular Bells – Part Two (2023 Half Speed Master by Miles Showell)

LP2 
Side One
Tubular Bells 4 Intro (previously unreleased demo 2017)
Tubular Bells/In Dulci Jubilo (Music for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games)

Side Two
Tubular X
Tubular Bells (Mike Oldfield & YORK Remix)
Mike Oldfield's Single (Theme From Tubular Bells)

 CD 

1 Tubular Bells – Part One 1973 mix
2 Tubular Bells – Part Two1973 mix
3 Tubular Bells 4 Intro (previously unreleased demo 2017)
4 Tubular Bells/In Dulci Jubilo (Music for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games)
5 Tubular Bells (Mike Oldfield & YORK Remix)

Blu-ray exclusive through Super Deluxe Edition 

1 Tubular Bells Part One 2023 David Kosten Dolby Atmos Mix
2 Tubular Bells Part Two 2023 David Kosten Dolby Atmos Mix
3 Tubular Bells 2023 David Kosten Dolby Atmos Intro edit
4 Tubular Bells Part One 2009 Mike Oldfield 5.1 surround mix
5 Tubular Bells Part Two 2009 Mike Oldfield 5.1 surround mix
6 Tubular Bells Part One 1976 4.0 surround (Quad) mix
7 Tubular Bells Part Two 1976 4.0 surround (Quad) mix
8 Tubular Bells Part One 2023 David Kosten Stereo Mix
10 Tubular Bells Part Two 2023 David Kosten Stereo Mix Intro edit
11 Tubular Bells 2023 David Kosten Stereo Mix Intro edit
12 Tubular Bells 4 Intro (previously unreleased demo 2017)
13 Tubular Bells – Part One 1973 mix 
14 Tubular Bells – Part Two 1973 mix  

Album artwork for the 50th anniversary edition of Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells displaying a gold tubular bell against the backdrop of the sea

(Image credit: Press)
Natasha Scharf
Natasha Scharf
Deputy Editor, Prog

Contributing to Prog since the very first issue, writer and broadcaster Natasha Scharf was the magazine’s News Editor before she took up her current role of Deputy Editor, and has interviewed some of the best-known acts in the progressive music world from ELP, Yes and Marillion to Nightwish, Dream Theater and TesseracT. Starting young, she set up her first music fanzine in the late 80s and became a regular contributor to local newspapers and magazines over the next decade. The 00s would see her running the dark music magazine, Meltdown, as well as contributing to Metal Hammer, Classic Rock, Terrorizer and Artrocker. Author of music subculture books The Art Of Gothic and Worldwide Gothic, she’s since written album sleeve notes for Cherry Red, and also co-wrote Tarja Turunen’s memoirs, Singing In My Blood. Beyond the written word, Natasha has spent several decades as a club DJ, spinning tunes at aftershow parties for Metallica, Motörhead and Nine Inch Nails. She’s currently the only member of the Prog team to have appeared on the magazine’s cover.