Hergest Ridge (album)

Hergest Ridge
Studio album by Mike Oldfield
Released	28 August 1974 (1974-08-28)
Recorded	The Manor, spring 1974
Genre	Progressive rock
Length	40:14
Label	Virgin Mercury (2010 reissue)
Producer	Tom Newman Mike Oldfield
Mike Oldfield chronology
Tubular Bells (1973) Hergest Ridge (1974) The Orchestral Tubular Bells (1975)
Mercury Records 2010 reissue
The revised aerial photograph artwork. The Deluxe Edition is shown.

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Allmusic

Hergest Ridge is the second record album by Mike Oldfield, released in 1974 on Virgin Records.

Oldfield was not comfortable with the public attention that had come from the success of Tubular Bells, and retreated to the English countryside to work on the follow-up. The result was Hergest Ridge, named after the hill on the border of Herefordshire and Wales near where he was living at the time.

Hergest Ridge entered the UK album charts at number one, only to be displaced by its predecessor, Tubular Bells. Oldfield is thus one of only a few artists (among whom are The Beatles and Bob Dylan) to have defeated themselves in this manner.

The album was reissued with bonus material and new artwork in June 2010.

Album analysis

Like Tubular Bells, the album is divided into two movements, but unlike its multi-themed and rapidly-changing predecessor, Hergest Ridge involves economic use of the various themes and with more sophisticated musical development. Oldfield is also innovative with Hergest Ridge in the novel way in which he builds up textures, commonly involving multiple layers of electric guitar recorded by first amplifying heavily (to achieve a sustained organ-like quality) and then reducing the volume greatly. Textures are extended further using various organ timbres and the use of voice as an instrument (the voice is never treated prominently and is deliberately reduced as much as possible and thus permitted largely for textural effect).

According to producer Tom Newman, parts of the album were also recorded at Chipping Norton, and the original release mix created at Air Studios, London.

Versions

Hergest Ridge was remixed in 4-channel quadraphonic sound by Oldfield in 1976 for the 4-LP set, Boxed. Following the creation of the remix, Oldfield stated that he wished for all future releases of the album to be derived from this new version. All CD releases have a stereo mix derived from the "Boxed" mix, as do most of the later pressings of LP and cassette. The remastered bootleg version of the original mix is distributed in the Internet.

The original 1974 vinyl mix is now available on the 2010 reissue of the album, along with a 2010 remix.

In 1976 an orchestral version of Hergest Ridge was arranged and conducted by David Bedford, the same as The Orchestral Tubular Bells. Parts of its performances were used in the NASA and Tony Palmer documentary The Space Movie. As of 2011 it has not been officially released.

Hergest Ridge, the place

Hergest Ridge summit, the namesake of the album.

Main article: Hergest Ridge

Hergest Ridge is a popular holiday destination for Oldfield's fans, and the house where he lived at the time, The Beacon, is now a guest house. The cover photograph features scenery from Hergest Ridge, and was taken by Trevor Key; the Irish Wolfhound on the cover (and on the LP label) is named Bootleg. Mike Oldfield himself can indeed be heard pronouncing it in the song "On Horseback", which concludes "Part Two" of Ommadawn.

Although the album was written at The Beacon, it was again recorded at Branson's The Manor, like Tubular Bells.

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Mike Oldfield.

Side one

1. "Hergest Ridge, Part 1" – 21:29

Side two

1. "Hergest Ridge, Part 2" – 18:45

Personnel

• Mike Oldfield – acoustic guitar, bass guitar, electric guitars; Farfisa, Gemini, and Lowrey organs; glockenspiel, gong, mandolin, nutcracker, sleigh bells, Spanish guitar, timpani, and tubular bells
• Chilli Charles – snare drum
• Lindsay Cooper – oboe
• Ted Hobart – trumpet
• William Murray – cymbal
• Sally Oldfield – vocals
• Terry Oldfield – woodwinds
• Clodagh Simonds – vocals
• June Whiting – oboe
• London Sinfonietta Voices - choir (as according to David Bedford)
• String players, conducted by David Bedford

Mercury Records reissue

On 7 June 2010 the album was re-released by Mercury Records. This came as part of a deal in which Oldfield's Virgin albums were transferred to Universal's label. Bonus features for the release include a 2010 remix of the album and the original vinyl mix of the album. There is a single disc edition as well as a Deluxe Edition. Bonus tracks include "In Dulci Jubilo (For Maureen)" and "Spanish Tune". A 180 gram vinyl version was released as part of the Back to Black range.

The reissue features radically different artwork, which features a model air plane and aerial photography based on Google Earth and Bluesky. According to the new liner notes, Oldfield was never entirely sold on the original album artwork and took this opportunity to commission a new cover.

There is also a limited edition box set of the album, comprising a deluxe edition, an LP and a framed, signed print of the album artwork. Only 250 copies were produced which were sold through Mike Oldfield's Official website. There are no un-signed variants.

The Japanese release uses the SHM-CD (Super High Material CD) manufacturing process.

Track listing

Single Disc Edition

1. "Hergest Ridge (Part One)" 2010 Stereo Mix by Mike Oldfield
2. "Hergest Ridge (Part Two)" 2010 Stereo Mix by Mike Oldfield
3. "In Dulci Jubilo (For Maureen)"
4. "Spanish Tune"

Deluxe Edition

CD 1

1. "Hergest Ridge (Part One)" 2010 Stereo Mix by Mike Oldfield
2. "Hergest Ridge (Part Two)" 2010 Stereo Mix by Mike Oldfield
3. "In Dulci Jubilo (for Maureen)"
4. "Spanish Tune"

CD 2

1. "Hergest Ridge (Part One)" 1974 Stereo Mix
2. "Hergest Ridge (Part Two)" 1974 Stereo Mix
3. "Hergest Ridge (1974 Demo Part One)"
4. "Hergest Ridge (1974 Demo Part Two)"

DVD

1. "Hergest Ridge (Part One)" 2010 5.1 Stereo Mix by Mike Oldfield
2. "Hergest Ridge (Part Two)" 2010 5.1 Stereo Mix by Mike Oldfield

Back To Black Edition Vinyl Edition

1. "Hergest Ridge (Part One)" 1974 Stereo Mix
2. "Hergest Ridge (Part Two)" 1974 Stereo Mix

Limited Edition

Limited edition available through mikeoldfieldofficial.com, which contains the deluxe edition the vinyl edition and a numbered framed print of the cover artwork, signed by Mike Oldfield. Also includes Walking The Hergest Ridge booklet. Only 250 copies were available on pre-order prior to the release on 14 June.

Digital Edition

1. "Hergest Ridge (Part One)" 2010 Stereo Mix by Mike Oldfield
2. "Hergest Ridge (Part Two)" 2010 Stereo Mix by Mike Oldfield
3. "Hergest Ridge (Part One)" 1974 Stereo Mix
4. "Hergest Ridge (Part Two)" 1974 Stereo Mix
5. "Hergest Ridge (1974 Demo Part One)"
6. "Hergest Ridge (1974 Demo Part Two)"

Charts

Hergest Ridge was the UK's number one album the week of 14 September 1974 and remained so for three weeks until being knocked out of the spot by its predecessor Tubular Bells. Oldfield is thus one of only a few artists (among whom are The Beatles and Bob Dylan) to have defeated themselves in this manner.

Chart (1974)	Position
UK Albums Chart	1

Preceded by Band on the Run by Paul McCartney & Wings

UK number one album 14 September 1974 – 4 October 1974

Succeeded by Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield

External links

• Mike Oldfield Discography - Hergest Ridge at Tubular.net
• MikeOldfieldOfficial.com
  • Hergest Ridge and Ommadawn at Universal's Mike Oldfield store