Discovery (Mike Oldfield album)
Encyclopedia
Discovery is the ninth album by Mike Oldfield
, released in 1984
. It was recorded at Oldfield's then-home in Villars-sur-Ollon
in the Swiss Alps
where he was living for tax
reasons. Oldfield also wrote The Killing Fields
, the soundtrack to the 1984 film of the same name
there.
s, which Oldfield had been encouraged by Virgin Records
to write, following the success of "Moonlight Shadow
" from his previous album, Crises
.
The first track of the album "To France
" features Maggie Reilly
on vocals and references Mary Stuart in its chorus. The second track, "Poison Arrows", seamlessly continues from the ending of "To France", and features Barry Palmer
on vocals.
The Discovery Tour 1984
was in promotion of the album.
SG Junior and a Les Paul Junior (including a modified 24 fret fretboard), along with a pair of Fender Stratocasters
(red and sunburst). Oldfield also used guitar synthesizers on the album, utilising Roland
's GR-300 and G-808 controller. The Roland G-88 bass synth controller is heavily used for bass guitar sounds on the album. It is likely that a mandolin
made by Scottish-based luthier
Mike Vanden is used in "To France
". Among the acoustic guitars on the album, an Ovation Adamas was used. Oldfield's main compositional tool for the album was the Fairlight
CMI
. In addition to using its sequencing
abilities he also used it as a sampler
, for example with Maggie Reilly's voice on "The Lake".
Barry Palmer and Maggie Reilly did not meet until the album was finished even though they share vocal duties on "Tricks of the Light"; they recorded their vocals separately.
, spending 13 weeks on it. It also peaked at #15 in the UK Album Chart.
Mike Oldfield
Michael Gordon Oldfield 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...
, released in 1984
1984 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1984.-Janury-March:*January 21 – "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood reaches number one in the UK singles chart, despite being banned by the BBC; it spends a total of forty-two weeks in the Top 40.*January 27 – Michael Jackson's...
. It was recorded at Oldfield's then-home in Villars-sur-Ollon
Villars-sur-Ollon
Villars sur Ollon, commonly referred to as Villars, is a village in Switzerland in the canton of Vaud, part of the municipality of Ollon. Accommodation consists largely of chalets...
in the Swiss Alps
Swiss Alps
The Swiss Alps are the portion of the Alps mountain range that lies within Switzerland. Because of their central position within the entire Alpine range, they are also known as the Central Alps....
where he was living for tax
Tax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
reasons. Oldfield also wrote The Killing Fields
The Killing Fields (album)
The Killing Fields is the 10th record album by Mike Oldfield, released in 1984. It was the soundtrack album for the film of the same name and it is the only full score written by Oldfield...
, the soundtrack to the 1984 film of the same name
The Killing Fields (film)
The Killing Fields is a 1984 British drama film about the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia, which is based on the experiences of two journalists: Cambodian Dith Pran and American Sydney Schanberg. The film, which won three Academy Awards, was directed by Roland Joffé and stars Sam Waterston as...
there.
Album information
The album contains a number of pop songPop Song
Pop Song is the first single by the Drugs. It was released in 2000 and earned the Drugs some positive press. It has been described as "addictive". A live version was released on The Only Way Is Up...
s, which Oldfield had been encouraged by Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
to write, following the success of "Moonlight Shadow
Moonlight Shadow
"Moonlight Shadow" is a pop song written and performed by English multi-instrumentalist Mike Oldfield, released as a single in May 1983 and included in the album Crises of the same year. The vocals were performed by Scottish vocalist Maggie Reilly, who had joined Mike Oldfield in 1980...
" from his previous album, Crises
Crises
Crises is the eighth record album by Mike Oldfield, released in 1983. Oldfield's well known hit "Moonlight Shadow" appears on the album.- Album analysis :...
.
The first track of the album "To France
To France
"To France" is a single by musician Mike Oldfield, released in 1984. It is from the album Discovery and features Maggie Reilly on vocals.It references Mary Stuart in its chorus...
" features Maggie Reilly
Maggie Reilly
Maggie Reilly is a Scottish singer best known for her collaborations with the composer and instrumentalist Mike Oldfield...
on vocals and references Mary Stuart in its chorus. The second track, "Poison Arrows", seamlessly continues from the ending of "To France", and features Barry Palmer
Barry Palmer (British singer)
Barry Palmer, born 1958 in England, is a British singer who was one of Mike Oldfield's vocalists around 1984.-Biography and career:Barry Palmer's music career began in 1976, when he became a lead vocalist of the German rock band Triumvirat, with which he recorded three albums...
on vocals.
The Discovery Tour 1984
Discovery Tour 1984
The Discovery Tour 1984 was a concert tour by the British multi-instrumentalist Mike Oldfield.- Background :The Discovery Tour 1984 was Oldfield's final full tour during the 1980s. It was in promtion of the Discovery album.- Tour dates :...
was in promotion of the album.
Recording and instruments
Around the time of Discovery Oldfield had been seen using a GibsonGibson Guitar Corporation
The Gibson Guitar Corporation, formerly of Kalamazoo, Michigan and currently of Nashville, Tennessee, manufactures guitars and other instruments which sell under a variety of brand names...
SG Junior and a Les Paul Junior (including a modified 24 fret fretboard), along with a pair of Fender Stratocasters
Fender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as "Strat", is a model of electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in 1954, and manufactured continuously by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top...
(red and sunburst). Oldfield also used guitar synthesizers on the album, utilising Roland
Roland Corporation
is a Japanese manufacturer of electronic musical instruments, electronic equipment and software. It was founded by Ikutaro Kakehashi in Osaka on April 18, 1972, with ¥33 million in capital. In 2005 Roland's headquarters relocated to Hamamatsu in Shizuoka Prefecture. Today it has factories in Japan,...
's GR-300 and G-808 controller. The Roland G-88 bass synth controller is heavily used for bass guitar sounds on the album. It is likely that a mandolin
Mandolin
A mandolin is a musical instrument in the lute family . It descends from the mandore, a soprano member of the lute family. The mandolin soundboard comes in many shapes—but generally round or teardrop-shaped, sometimes with scrolls or other projections. A mandolin may have f-holes, or a single...
made by Scottish-based luthier
Luthier
A luthier is someone who makes or repairs lutes and other string instruments. In the United States, the term is used interchangeably with a term for the specialty of each maker, such as violinmaker, guitar maker, lute maker, etc...
Mike Vanden is used in "To France
To France
"To France" is a single by musician Mike Oldfield, released in 1984. It is from the album Discovery and features Maggie Reilly on vocals.It references Mary Stuart in its chorus...
". Among the acoustic guitars on the album, an Ovation Adamas was used. Oldfield's main compositional tool for the album was the Fairlight
Fairlight
Fairlight is a digital audio company based in Sydney, Australia. In 1979 they created the Fairlight CMI, the first digital audio sampler, quickly used by artists such as Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush, and Jean Michel Jarre. They are now a manufacturer of media solutions tools such as digital audio...
CMI
Fairlight CMI
The Fairlight CMI is a digital sampling synthesizer. It was designed in 1979 by the founders of Fairlight, Peter Vogel and Kim Ryrie, and based on a dual-6800 microprocessor computer designed by Tony Furse in Sydney, Australia...
. In addition to using its sequencing
Music sequencer
The music sequencer is a device or computer software to record, edit, play back the music, by handling note and performance information in several forms, typically :...
abilities he also used it as a sampler
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
, for example with Maggie Reilly's voice on "The Lake".
Barry Palmer and Maggie Reilly did not meet until the album was finished even though they share vocal duties on "Tricks of the Light"; they recorded their vocals separately.
Sleeve photos
The inner sleeve of the original vinyl LP featured candid photographs taken during the recording sessions. One of the photos, titled "Simon's notes", shows a handwritten list of tracks recorded during the sessions, some of which - such as "T'Sword" - may either have been released under different names or remain unreleased to this day.Charts
The album peaked at #3 on Norway's album chartVG-lista
VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by...
, spending 13 weeks on it. It also peaked at #15 in the UK Album Chart.
| Chart | Position |
|---|---|
| Norway VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
3 |
| UK Album Chart | 15 |
Side one
- "To FranceTo France"To France" is a single by musician Mike Oldfield, released in 1984. It is from the album Discovery and features Maggie Reilly on vocals.It references Mary Stuart in its chorus...
" – 4:37 - "Poison Arrows" – 3:57
- "Crystal Gazing" – 3:02
- "Tricks of the LightTricks of the Light"Tricks of the Light" is a single by musician Mike Oldfield, released in 1984 . It is from the album Discovery. Maggie Reilly and Barry Palmer perform vocals for this song.- Music video :...
" – 3:52 - "Discovery" – 4:35
Personnel
- Maggie ReillyMaggie ReillyMaggie Reilly is a Scottish singer best known for her collaborations with the composer and instrumentalist Mike Oldfield...
– vocals - Barry PalmerBarry Palmer (British singer)Barry Palmer, born 1958 in England, is a British singer who was one of Mike Oldfield's vocalists around 1984.-Biography and career:Barry Palmer's music career began in 1976, when he became a lead vocalist of the German rock band Triumvirat, with which he recorded three albums...
– vocals - Simon PhillipsSimon PhillipsSimon Phillips is an English jazz, pop and rock drummer.-Career:Phillips began to play professionally at the age of twelve in his father's Dixieland band for four years. He was then offered the chance to play in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar...
– Tama Drums, producer - Mike Oldfield – all other instruments, producer
External links
- Mike Oldfield Discography - Discovery at Tubular.net