John Peel’s Record Collection
O is for Mike Oldfield
John Peel’s Record Collection
O is for Mike Oldfield
John Peel’s wife Sheila Ravenscroft introduces Mike Oldfield to represent O.
Fresh from his appearance at the London 2012 Olympic opening ceremony, Oldfield pieces together the story of Tubular Bells, the seminal work that not only launched the instrumentalist’s career as a musician but also helped establish Virgin Records, the label’s first release. Sir Richard Branson says a pivotal moment in Tubular Bells’ history was when he invited John Peel over to lunch to play him the album. The DJ was so impressed, he played it in its entirety on his radio show. The album went on to sell more than three million copies and gave the Virgin empire its first success.
Take a tour of John Peel’s virtual studio.