Guitars (Mike Oldfield album)

Guitars is the 19th record album written and performed by British musician Mike Oldfield, released in 1999. The concept of the album was to only perform it using guitar-like instruments.

Guitars
Studio album by
Mike Oldfield
Released24 May 1999 (1999-05-24)
RecordedRoughwood Studio, Buckinghamshire
GenreProgressive rock, new age
Length42:40
LabelWEA
ProducerMike Oldfield
Mike Oldfield chronology
Tubular Bells III
(1998)		 Guitars
(1999)		 The Millennium Bell
(1999)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

Background

Oldfield plays all the music on the album, using only guitars of various types. The most remarkable usage is that of his Roland MIDI-equipped guitars,[2] which he uses to trigger drum samples and produce string-like sounds. "Four Winds" is a four-part work, whose sections are musical portraits of the four compass points (North, South, East and West).

The Live Then & Now 1999 tour was in promotion of this album and Tubular Bells III.[3]

Track listing
  1. "Muse" – 2:12
  2. "Cochise" – 5:15
  3. "Embers" – 3:51
  4. "Summit Day" – 3:46
  5. "Out of Sight" – 3:48
  6. "B. Blues" – 4:30
  7. "Four Winds" – 9:32
  8. "Enigmatism" – 3:32
  9. "Out of Mind" – 3:46
  10. "From the Ashes" – 2:28

Inner cover photo

The liner notes has a photo of Oldfield surrounded by some of his guitars, which he used on the album. From the classical (Spanish acoustic) guitar at the top (and slightly to the right) going clockwise, the guitars are as follows:

  • José Ramírez Classical guitar
  • Fender Stratocaster, salmon pink (1962)
  • Martin O-45 Parlour Guitar
  • PRS Custom 24 with Roland synth pickup
  • Fender Stratocaster, sunburst (1972)
  • PRS Custom 24
  • José Ramirez Flamenco guitar
  • Wal 4 string bass guitar
  • PRS McCarty Thinline

Certifications and sales
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[4] Platinum 100,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. Mike Oldfield - Guitars review at AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-12-24.
  2. "Interview with Mike Oldfield". Roland PowerOn magazine (Issue 4). 6 June 1999. Retrieved 27 February 2009.
  3. "Guitars press release". WEA. April 1999. Retrieved 27 February 2009.
  4. Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (PDF) (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. p. 951. ISBN 84-8048-639-2. Retrieved 14 May 2019.
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