MIKE OLDFIELD's TUBULAR BELLS: A quintessential ‘studio production’ in pop music lore, Mike Oldfield conceived an eclectic mix of both standard and odd instruments, along with classical and rock elements, to achieve a steadily building, layered texture, totally unheard of at the time. After being shopped and rejected at other labels, Richard Branson chose it as the first release for his Virgin Records in 1972. Originally tagged with the working title Opus 1, Oldfield, who had been playing and recording professional since his teens, oversaw the entire production and played most of the parts himself, eventually layering over thirty different instruments and sounds. Listeners had fun trying to identify each and remember the order they appeared, as the late Vivian Stanshall (Bonzo Dog Band) ceremoniously announced each as it joined the mix. The original LP eventually sold over 16 million copies and topped the UK charts for weeks. The eerie opening section was famously featured in the soundtrack to the motion-picture The Exorcist, winning the Grammy in 1974 for Best Instrumental Composition. The original master tapes were used to cut both the original issue and this reissue making the original issue hard to best. With Chris Bellman doing the mastering honors using Classic’s “all tube” cutting system and being pressed on Classic’s proprietary Super Vinyl Profile sheds new light on, and a slight nod to the Classic reissue of, this longstanding audiophile favorite.