Islands (Mike Oldfield album)

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Islands
Studio album by Mike Oldfield
Released	September 7, 1987 (1987-09-07)
Genre	Rock
Length	48:11
Label	Virgin
Producer	Michael Cretu Geoffrey Downes Tom Newman Mike Oldfield Simon Phillips Alan Shacklock
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link
Mike Oldfield chronology
The Killing Fields (1984) Islands (1987) Earth Moving (1989)
Alternate cover
Original United States cover
Singles from Islands
"Islands (as Mike & Bonnie)" Released: September 7, 1987 "The Time Has Come" Released: 1987 "Flying Start" Released: February 1, 1988 "Magic Touch" Released: January 1988

Islands is a album written and mostly performed by Mike Oldfield, released in 1987 (see 1987 in music). Guest singers on the album are Bonnie Tyler, Kevin Ayers, Anita Hegerland and Jim Price. A different track list and cover was used for the American edition.

Islands was possibly^{[citation needed]} the full first video album produced. For each track a video was made and released, often mixing state of the art (for the time) computer generated images with real life images.

The album boasts the largest number of co-producers out of all of Oldfield's work; production was handled by Michael Cretu (of Enigma fame), Geoffrey Downes, Tom Newman, Simon Phillips, Alan Shacklock and Oldfield himself.

[edit] Charts

The album peaked at #9 on Norway's album chart and at #29 in the UK Album Chart.

The major single in Europe was the title track, "Islands", which was sung by Bonnie Tyler. In the United States, "Magic Touch" was a top 10 hit on the Billboard Album Rock charts in early 1988.

[edit] Track listing

All tracks composed by Mike Oldfield.

[edit] UK release

1. "The Wind Chimes (Parts one & two)" – 21:49
2. "Islands" – 4:19
3. "Flying Start" – 3:36
4. "North Point" – 3:33
5. "Magic Touch" (New Jim Price Vocal) – 4:14
6. "The Time Has Come" – 3:51
7. "When the Night's on Fire" – 6:41

[edit] Original 1987 US release

1. "The Wind Chimes (Part one)" – 2:33
2. "The Wind Chimes (Part two)" – 19:14
3. "Magic Touch" (Original Max Bacon vocal) – 4:14
4. "The Time Has Come" – 3:51
5. "North Point" – 3:31
6. "Flying Start" – 3:36
7. "Islands" – 4:19

[edit] Singles

• "Islands" (as Mike & Bonnie) (September 7, 1987)
  • Switzerland #22
  • Germany #41
  • Italy #41
  • UK #100
• "The Time Has Come" (1987)
• "Flying Start" (February 1, 1988)
• "Magic Touch" (January 1988) USA/Australia/Germany
  • USA #10 Mainstream Rock Track

[edit] Personnel

• Mike Oldfield
• Simon Phillips – drums (on "The Wind Chimes")
• Anita Hegerland – vocals (on "The Wind Chimes", "North Point", "The Time Has Come", "When the Night's on Fire")
• Bonnie Tyler – vocals (on "Islands")
• Kevin Ayers – vocals (on "Flying Start")
• Max Bacon - vocals (on "Magic Touch" (1987 Original Issue); backing vocals on "Islands")
• Jim Price – vocals (on "Magic Touch" (2000 Reissue))
• Tony Beard
• Raf Ravenscroft
• Andy Mackay
• Mickey Simmonds
• Phil Spalding
• Micky Moody
• Rick Fenn
• Bjorn J:Son Lindh
• Mervyn (Spam) Fence
• Pierre Moerlen
• Benoit Moerlen

[edit] External links

• Mike Oldfield Discography - Islands at Tubular.net
  • "Islands" lyrics at Tubular.net