Robert Reed, keyboard player and guitarist with UK prog trio Magenta, is kind of obsessed with Mike Oldfields's Tubular Bells album. The 1973 album has been inspiration for him, as aconcept and the fact that Oldfield nearly played all instruments. The completion of Sanctuary is the fulfillment of a lifelong ambition: two sidelong tracks that flow together as one. He plays grand piano, electric guitars, acoustic guitar, nylon guitar, 12 string guitar, bass guitar, mandolin, glockenspiel, vibraphone, marimba, timpani, gran cassa, recorders, solina string ensemble, roland sh200, farfisa organ, sleigh bells, orchestral snare, table, banjo, bodhran and ... wait for it ... tubular bells.
Reed has found his own way with this composition. Sure, it's a tribute and there countless references to Oldfield's masterpiece. He even managed to get obtain the services of Tom Newman as co-producer and Simon Heyworth to handle the mastering. It's the early Seventies sound all over again, when prog hit its first creative peak.
Sanctuary is released thru Tigermoth Records (CD and DVD 5.1) and Plane Groovy (180g vinyl). Buy it from his website.
