Mike Oldfield (born Michael Gordon Oldfield, 15 May 1953, Reading, Berkshire) is an English multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, working a style that blends progressive rock, folk, ethnic or world music, classical music, electronic music, New Age and more recently dance.
His music is often elaborate and complex in nature. He is best known for his hit 1973 album Tubular Bells, which broke new ground as an instrumental concept album and launched Virgin Records, and for his 1983 hit single "Moonlight Shadow". He is also well known for his hit rendition of the Christmas piece, "In Dulci Jubilo". Oldfield's parents are Maureen and Raymond Oldfield, a nurse and general practitioner, respectively. His sister Sally and brother Terry are successful musicians in their own right and have appeared on several of his albums. Mike Oldfield was born in the Battle Hospital, Reading, Berkshire and he attended St Joseph's Convent School, Highlands Junior School in Tilehurst, St Edward's Preparatory School & Presentation College at 63 Bath Rd, Reading (now the Elvian School). When Oldfield was 13 he moved with his parents to Harold Wood where he attended Hornchurch Grammar School. He only stayed there long enough to take one GCE examination in English as he had already begun his music career.
Main albums
* 1973 - Tubular Bells
* 1974 - Hergest Ridge
* 1975 - The Orchestral Tubular Bells
* 1975 - Ommadawn
* 1978 - Incantations
* 1979 - Exposed
* 1979 - Platinum
* 1980 - QE2
* 1982 - Five Miles Out
* 1983 - Crises
* 1984 - Discovery
* 1984 - The Killing Fields
* 1987 - Islands
* 1989 - Earth Moving
* 1990 - Amarok
* 1991 - Heaven's Open
* 1992 - Tubular Bells II
* 1994 - The Songs of Distant Earth
* 1996 - Voyager
* 1998 - Tubular Bells III
* 1999 - Guitars
* 1999 - The Millennium Bell
* 2002 - Tr3s Lunas
* 2003 - Tubular Bells 2003
* 2005 - Light + Shade
* 2008 - Music of the Spheres
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