BACK in the early 1970s, pioneering businessman Richard Branson knew that if he wanted to make millions, he had to gamble. And all his chips were going on a shy, multi-talented 19-year-old musician called Mike Oldfield.
His debut album, Tubular Bells, was unlike anything heard in the era of Prog Rock, and with a key track underscoring blockbuster movie The Exorcist, it looked like Branson’s gamble paid off handsomely.
It helped launch his Virgin Empire, while Oldfield spent the rest of his career trying to top that epic debut. Now, 40 years on from its first airing, there’s a chance to reflect on the masterpiece from the era of power cuts, flares and three TV channels.
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