w.atching the w.orld unw.ind

I did say that I'd review the SACD version of Tubular Bells once I'd bought it..

It must be at least 15 years since I last played the original vinyl copy and I'd quite forgotten how cleverly it was put together, all those years ago. The guy must have kept a metronome in his head?

The late, great Viv Stanshall's enthusiastic introduction of the various instruments played by Mr Oldfield comes ringing out of the left-of-centre speaker. I do miss him. Does anyone out there remember the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band? What was the name of the kids' tv programme they debuted on? Something that included a running sketch about Mrs Black and her Evil Handbag? Put me out of my misery, please.

update Courtesy of Mrs.D. - "Do not adjust your set". Ta, darlin'.

Viv's eccentric, surround-sound commentary during the Sailor's Hornpipe, when they lurch drunkenly around the wired rooms of the recording studio, is a joy to hear again. It may well have been staged, but the best ad-libs always are?

I'm fast finishing acquisition of the few SACD's that I'm actually interested in, but will 'collect the set' before the next audio-visual technology arrives and sweeps all before it..