Tubular Bells II - wikipedia Tubular Bells II Tubular Bells II Studio album by Mike Oldfield Released 31 August 1992 ( 1992 - 08 - 31 ) Recorded Los Angeles, Roughwood Croft Genre Progressive rock, new - age Length 58 : 34 Label Warner Music UK Reprise ( a Time Warner company ) ( US ) 45041 Producer Trevor Horn Tom Newman Mike Oldfield Mike Oldfield chronology Heaven 's Open ( 1991 ) Heaven 's Open 1991 Tubular Bells II ( 1992 ) The Songs of Distant Earth ( 1994 ) The Songs of Distant Earth 1994 Tubular Bells series chronology The Orchestral Tubular Bells ( 1975 ) The Orchestral Tubular Bells 1975 Tubular Bells II ( 1992 ) Tubular Bells II1992 Tubular Bells III ( 1998 ) Tubular Bells III 1998 Singles from Tubular Bells II `` Sentinel '' Released : 21 September 1992 `` Tattoo '' Released : 7 December 1992 `` The Bell '' Released : 5 April 1993 Tubular Bells II is the 15th album by Mike Oldfield, released in 1992. The album -- the first for his new record label, Warner Bros., following an acrimonious departure from Virgin after twenty years -- was a sequel to Oldfield 's 1973 Tubular Bells. Another sequel, Tubular Bells III, followed in 1998. The album charted at number 1 in the UK as did its precursor. It is Oldfield 's third number one album ( after Tubular Bells and Hergest Ridge ) and, as of 2018, his last number one album to date. Contents 1 Album development 2 Tubular Bells comparisons 3 Master of Ceremonies 4 Track titles 5 Album artwork 6 Critical reception 6.1 Chart performance 7 Live concerts 8 Track listing 9 Personnel 10 Instruments 11 References 12 External links Album development Virgin Records had been pushing Oldfield to create a sequel to Tubular Bells for many years prior to his departure from the label, but Oldfield was hesitant to do so, although his penultimate album for the label, Amarok, was in several respects a conceptual sequel to his 1975 album Ommadawn. For Tubular Bells II Oldfield enlisted the help of Tom Newman, who had helped produce the original, as well as established producer Trevor Horn ( known for his work with The Buggles, Yes and Art of Noise ). `` Early Stages '' which is an early version of what would become `` Sentinel '' was included as a B - side to the single version of `` Sentinel ''. `` Early Stages '' has a somewhat darker mood and is from the pre-Trevor Horn development of the album, possibly showing the kind of influence that Horn had. At the Tubular Bells 45th Anniversary convention in the UK on 9th June 2018, Tom Newman stated that when Horn was brought in, he immediately started insisting that instruments be sequenced rather than played by hand. This led to a major falling - out between Newman and Horn. Tubular Bells comparisons Tubular Bells II partly follows musical structures of the original Tubular Bells ( 1973 ). Themes of the original Bells are taken and then completely re-composed and played with mostly new instruments. The result is an album that has the same kind of thematic variation but is still new musically. Some themes can be seen as variations of themes taken from the original Bells, while some other parts of Tubular Bells II do not have much in common with the themes of the original album except their overall mood or feeling. Unlike Tubular Bells there is a recurring theme, first appearing at the end of `` Sentinel '' that reappears throughout the album, though it is most obvious at the end of `` The Bell ''. Also unlike the original ending coda, `` The Sailor 's Hornpipe '', `` Moonshine '' is an original composition by Oldfield. In 1998 another sequel followed, Tubular Bells III, and in 2003 Oldfield recorded a new version of the original Tubular Bells, as Tubular Bells 2003. Master of Ceremonies The introduction of the instruments at the end of the first half of the album was done by British actor Alan Rickman, although his role was credited merely to `` a strolling player '' because the voice had not been picked when the artwork was produced. The Master of Ceremonies at the premiere concert in Edinburgh was John Gordon Sinclair. On alternative mixes of `` The Bell '' released as single B - sides, Billy Connolly and Vivian Stanshall ( the voice in the original Tubular Bells ) each played the Master of Ceremonies. On two alternative language B - sides of `` The Bell '', MC Otto and MC Carlos Finally played the Master of Ceremonies in German and Spanish respectively. Track titles Some of the track titles for the album were taken from Arthur C. Clarke 's short stories, including `` The Sentinel '' and `` Sunjammer ''. Other track titles could just be references to science - fiction or space in general, such as `` Dark Star '' and `` Weightless ''. Dark Star is also the title of a sci - fi film by John Carpenter which was released in the same year as the original Tubular Bells, 1973. Oldfield has occasionally called some of the tracks on the album by different names in interviews, such as once when he performed `` Red Dawn '' on BBC Radio 2 he called it `` Russian ''. The title `` Russian '' was also later given to the equivalent piece on the re-recorded version of the original Tubular Bells, Tubular Bells 2003. Album artwork Tubular Bells II again uses the bent metallic tube ( representing a bent tubular bell ) as the focus of the album artwork. The bell is a golden colour on a dark blue background as opposed to Tubular Bells ' grey / silver bell on top of a sea / skyscape. Both the photos for Tubular Bells and Tubular Bells II were produced by Trevor Key. Critical reception Professional ratings Review scores Source Rating Allmusic Critical reception to the album was mixed, although the album reached number 1 in the album charts in a number of countries. Writing in Q magazine, Mat Snow described it as a `` more consistent but less tune - happy musical sequence than TBI '' and praised `` producer Trevor Horn 's fairy dust '' as an advantage. Chart performance Chart ( 1992 ) Position UK Albums Chart Spain Live concerts Main articles : Tubular Bells II 20th Anniversary Tour and Tubular Bells II Live The album was premiered with a live performance on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle on 4 September 1992 with John Gordon Sinclair as Master of Ceremonies. The North American premiere was held at Carnegie Hall in New York City on 1 March 1993 ; a world tour then followed. Following this Oldfield did not perform live in concert for nearly five years, until the premiere of Tubular Bells III in 1998 and then his Then & Now Tour in 1999. Track listing All songs written and composed by Mike Oldfield. Side one No. Title Length 1. `` Sentinel '' 8 : 07 2. `` Dark Star '' 2 : 16 3. `` Clear Light '' 5 : 48 4. `` Blue Saloon '' 2 : 59 5. `` Sunjammer '' 2 : 32 6. `` Red Dawn '' 1 : 50 7. `` The Bell '' 6 : 59 Side two No. Title Length 8. `` Weightless '' 5 : 43 9. `` The Great Plain '' 4 : 47 10. `` Sunset Door '' 2 : 23 11. `` Tattoo '' 4 : 15 12. `` Altered State '' 5 : 12 13. `` Maya Gold '' 4 : 01 14. `` Moonshine '' 1 : 42 Personnel Mike Oldfield -- acoustic guitars, twelve - string guitar, banjo, classical guitar, electric guitar, bass guitar, flamenco guitar, glockenspiel, Lowrey organ, Hammond organ, Farfisa organ, mandolin, percussion, piano, synthesisers, timpani, tubular bells, vocals Alan Rickman ( credited as `` A Strolling Player '' ) -- Master of Ceremonies Sally Bradshaw -- vocals Celtic Bevy Band -- bagpipes Eric Caudieux -- programming and digital sounds Edie Lehmann -- vocals Susannah Melvoin -- vocals Jamie Muhoberac -- keyboards, special effects Steve Payne -- Bass Guitar Pipers from the Los Angeles Police Department ( credited as P.D. Scots Pipe Band to avoid controversy following the 1992 Los Angeles riots ) -- bagpipes John Robinson -- drums on `` Altered State '' Instruments Instruments on the album include, among others : This list is incomplete ; you can help by expanding it. Fender Stratocaster guitar ( pink ) Fender Stratocaster guitar ( sunburst ) PRS Custom Artist ( amber ) Korg M1 synthesizer Ensoniq SD1 synthesizer Kurzweil K2000 synthesizer Eventide H3000 harmonizer Premier tubular bells Wal Midibass Violin in `` Moonshine '' Farfisa Professional organ in `` Sentinel '', `` Dark Star '', `` The Bell '' and `` The Great Plain '' Hammond organ in `` Clear Light '', `` Maya Gold '', `` Altered State '' and `` Tattoo ''. Lowrey organ in `` Sunset Door '' and `` Tattoo '' References ^ Jump up to : Tubular Bells II at AllMusic Jump up ^ `` Tubular Bells II Review ''. Melody Maker. 19 September 1992. Retrieved 25 September 2013. As follow - ups go, it 's probably safe to remark that this does not rank alongside Godfather II, French Connection II, or even, God help us, Exorcist II - The Heretic. In short, it 's appalling. Jump up ^ `` Tubular Bells 2 Review ''. Keyboards Magazine. January 1993. Retrieved 25 September 2013. Much of TB2 is glorious, even by comparison to TB1. Jump up ^ `` Tubular Bells II Review ''. Q. September 1992. Retrieved 24 August 2016. Jump up ^ Diego Manrique ( 1992 ). `` Mike Oldfield has regained his balance back ''. MAN `` El Hombre ''. Retrieved 25 September 2013. Jump up ^ `` Tourography 1990 ''. The Official Mike Oldfield Information Service. Archived from the original on 24 April 2008. Retrieved 16 April 2008. Jump up ^ `` Mike Oldfield Tours ''. Tubular.net. Retrieved 14 August 2008. Jump up ^ `` Notes on the Musicians ''. Mike Oldfield. Retrieved 30 January 2012. External links Mike Oldfield Discography -- Tubular Bells II at Tubular.net hide Mike Oldfield Discography Singles Concert Tours Studio albums Tubular Bells Hergest Ridge Ommadawn Incantations Platinum QE2 Five Miles Out Crises Discovery The Killing Fields Islands Earth Moving Amarok Heaven 's Open Tubular Bells II The Songs of Distant Earth Voyager Tubular Bells III Guitars The Millennium Bell Tr3s Lunas Tubular Bells 2003 Light + Shade Music of the Spheres Man on the Rocks Return to Ommadawn Live albums The Orchestral Tubular Bells Exposed The Art in Heaven Concert EPs The Singles The Mike Oldfield EP Singles `` Mike Oldfield 's Single '' `` Don Alfonso '' `` In Dulci Jubilo '' `` Portsmouth '' `` William Tell Overture '' `` Cuckoo Song '' `` Take Four '' `` Guilty '' `` Blue Peter '' `` Arrival '' `` Sheba '' / `` Wonderful Land '' `` Five Miles Out '' `` Family Man '' `` Mistake '' `` Moonlight Shadow '' `` Shadow on the Wall '' `` Crime of Passion '' `` To France '' `` Tricks of the Light '' `` Étude '' `` Pictures in the Dark '' `` Shine '' `` In High Places '' `` Islands '' `` The Time Has Come '' `` Magic Touch '' `` Flying Start '' `` Earth Moving '' `` Innocent '' `` ( One Glance Is ) Holy '' `` Heaven 's Open '' `` Gimme Back '' `` Sentinel '' `` Tattoo '' `` The Bell '' `` Hibernaculum '' `` Let There Be Light '' `` Women of Ireland '' `` Man in the Rain '' `` Far Above the Clouds '' `` To Be Free '' `` Thou Art in Heaven '' `` Spheres '' Other songs `` Foreign Affair '' `` The X-Files Theme '' `` Introduction 2003 '' `` Surfing '' `` Song for Survival '' Video albums The Space Movie Exposed The Essential Live Live at Montreux 1981 The Wind Chimes Tubular Bells II Live Elements Tubular Bells III Live The Art in Heaven Concert Compilation albums Boxed Music Wonderland Episodes The Complete Mike Oldfield Elements 4 CD Boxset Elements -- The Best of Mike Oldfield XXV : The Essential The Best of Tubular Bells Collection The Complete Tubular Bells The Platinum Collection The Mike Oldfield Collection 1974 -- 1983 Two Sides Icon Tubular Beats Moonlight Shadow : The Collection The 1984 Suite Other media Changeling MusicVR Tr3s Lunas Maestro Tours Tour of Europe In Concert European Adventure Tour Five Miles Out World Tour Crises Tour Discovery Tour Tubular Bells II 20th Anniversary Tour Live Then & Now 1999 Related articles Sally Oldfield Terry Oldfield Anita Hegerland Maggie Reilly The Sallyangie Children of the Sun Isles of Wonder 2012 Olympics opening ceremony Book Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tubular_Bells_II&oldid=849737147 '' Categories : Mike Oldfield albums 1992 albums Albums produced by Trevor Horn Instrumental albums Warner Music Group albums Albums produced by Tom Newman ( musician ) Reprise Records albums Sequel albums Hidden categories : EngvarB from September 2013 Use dmy dates from September 2013 Music infoboxes with deprecated parameters Articles with hAudio microformats Articles containing potentially dated statements from 2018 All articles containing potentially dated statements Incomplete lists from October 2011 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Čeština Deutsch Español Euskara Français Italiano ქართული Magyar Polski Português Русский Svenska 5 more Edit links This page was last edited on 11 July 2018, at 00 : 48 ( UTC ). 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Question: who announces the instruments in tubular bells 2
Answer: British actor Alan Rickman