Magenta and Kompendium mastermind Rob Reed will release a solo album called Sanctuary – and it's his personal version of Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells.
He’s even tied in Oldfield collaborators Tom Newman and Simon Heyworth, who respectively co-produced and mastered the new work.
Reed was inspired to become a musician after hearing the iconic 1973 album at the age of seven, and learned to play all the instruments used on the record. Last year he decided to focus his abilities on creating his own one-man project – and with the exception of the Synergy Vocals choir, singer Anghared Brinn and some percussion by Newman, he played grand piano, guitars, bass, mandolin, glockenspiel, vibraphone, marimba, timpani, banjo, recorders, organ – and, of course, tubular bells.
He says: “I wanted to play all the instruments, and for them all to be real – no synthesisers. The next four weeks were a bit of a blur as the music just came out. It turned out to be the most enjoyable album I’ve made.” But he aimed to ensure Sanctuary wasn’t just a Tubular Bells rip-off, noting: “I worked hard to make the melodies stand on their own.”
And the result has been successful for at least one listener. “Simon Heyworth told me that when he heard it, he closed his eyes and he was back in Manor Studios in 1973.”
Reed hopes to perform the two-part work live with a 12-piece band soon. Sanctuary is released on July 21 via Tigermoth Records. A 180g vinyl will be available via Plane Groovy, and each copy will come with a download coupon.
