Today's Music News

Mike Oldfield vs Mail on Sunday

Tubular Bells creator not happy

13 May 07 - The Mail on Sunday editor Peter Wright has hit back at Mike Oldfield after the musician complained that giving away his Tubular Bells album as a freebie in the paper was devaluing his music.

Mr Wright says sales of Tubular Bells have actually increased now and that the musician should be glad they gave him the extra publicity.

He told 6 Music: "The week before we gave it away, it sold 600 copies, the week after, it sold 900 copies, so sales of the disc have actually gone up since we gave it away, not down."

We reported yesterday that Oldfield was furious with his record label EMI when he discovered the MoS had given away his classic 1973 album without having consulted him.

However, the paper doesn't legally have to consult him over this sort of thing. Oldfield said when the contract was drawn up in 1973, for 35 years, no one thought that people would be giving away cds with newspapers.

He said he could understand them giving away a CD featuring a few live tracks, but he could not agree with a whole album given away to 2.2million people.

He told 6 Music: "I feel the same as if I had lent something to somebody, and it had come back trashed".

Jody Thompson & Ruth Barnes

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Comments so far

Martin Haskell, West Malling, Kent
I own the original on LP and it's become rather unplayable of late, so I bought the MOS just to get the CD. The paper was then used to stand muddy wellies on...

London
I think Mike Oldfield has the right too feel this way there are far too many people out there are trying too make a fast buck and getting away with it. it should stop here now

Jeff, Abu Dhabi
Giving away copies of 'Tubular Bells' should be classed as a crime - who would want to inflict that old rubbish on anybody?!

Jack, Hexham
Mike Oldfield always been messed up by his record labels. Things like this shouldnt be allowed to happen. If Mike doesnt want his album to be given away free, then it shouldnt be.

Spir-An Nottingham
"when the contract was drawn up in 1973, for 35 years, no one thought that people would be giving away cds with newspapers." Not surprising since CDs weren't invented or even thought of in 1973. Duhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Richard, Southport
I think Oldfield should have been consulted. personally I wouldn't let the Mail give away one of my toe nail clippings. I'd be mortified if they sought to assosciate themselves with me and suspect thta oldfield feels the same.

Mark J in Telford
I like the M.O.S. but I do think it was bad form to give away an artist's entire album.Mind you, I'd have chucked the CD in the bin anyway.

colin sheffield
i agree,to much music is given away with the newspapers these days,people i know only buy them to get the free cds.

Andy Smith, Sheffield, Sth Yorkshire.
The mail are out of order. Common decency dictates the artist should have been consulted first � regardless of the legalities. �Going behind someone�s back� as it were is bad business practice and opens the door to years of litigation and bad feeling. Shoddy, Mail, shoddy.

gordon hope leeds
this is interesting,the free cd is in fact the lp version of tubular bells,all other cd versions have been remastered or taken from a quad sourse.i own both and paid for them,so it was a treat to finally hear the authentic lp of old version with odd sound jumps and distorted overloaded guitars.it can not be compered to the cds you pay for and was a bonus that mike should realise will only create more interest in an old recording and find new listeners in the young maybe hearing there dad say thats real music... kids yawn... but its still a great album

Ollie, Sheffield
lol typical mail on sunday, only way people will buy their ***** paper is to give away free cd's...scandolous!