Hergest Ridge - 50th anniversary mix

A new mix by Mike Oldfield for the 50th anniversary of Hergest Ridge is out.

The front cover is wonderful... an aerial view of the pastoral landscape on the Welsh border which inspired the 2nd album after the tumultuous success of 'Tubular Bells', after which:

Oldfield could have at this point done anything he wanted, and he did. He disappeared. He drove west from London and settled on Kington, a beautiful market town in Herefordshire.

The town is dominated by Hergest Ridge, the long, high common land with breathtaking views that stretches from the town to Gladestry in Wales. Combining flying his gliders on the Ridge and playing in the local inn, Penrhos Court, Oldfield came up with Hergest Ridge, the successor to Tubular Bells, written at The Beacon, his home there on the borders.

One of my favourite albums.

Good to hear it played in full on Stuart Maconie's Freak Zone.

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