Changeling

By Mike Oldfield

Book Overview

Born without social instincts many people take for granted, brought up in a troubled environment and possessed with an extraordinary musical talent, Mike Oldfield was thrust into the spotlight at the tender age of nineteen. His first album Tubular Bells went on to sell fifteen million copies worldwide and catapulted him into a stardom he was ill-equipped to cope with.

From growing up with an alcoholic mother, to his feelings of alienation and struggles with depression, this book takes Mike from his early years, through his staggering fame, his broken marriages, years as a recluse, his rebirth experience at a controversial Exegesis seminar and beyond. Mike Oldfield has been on a journey few of us could ever imagine, and offers a message of hope to anybody who feels they live on the edge of society.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0753513072
• ISBN13: 9780753513071
• Release Date: January 2008
• Publisher: Virgin Paperbacks
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 0.45 lbs.
• Dimensions: 7.8" x 0.7" x 5.0"

Customer Reviews

Meet the man behind Tubular Bells

I'm halfway through the book and I agree with others here that it's a book that is more about his life experiences than it is about his music. I've followed Mike's great music since the advent of Tubular Bells in '74 and I've always wondered what he must be like. Now I know. That's why I like the book. Mike is very candid and seems very humble. The book is a bit scattered and unorganized but who cares...such is life. To me, reading the book seems to recreate what it must be to just sit around a coffee table and listen as Mike just chit-chats about whatever crosses his mind at the moment. It's intimate like that. I feel drawn to him as I read it because our childhoods were apparently very similar. There are some glimpses into his music. And I am enjoying reading about what musicians influenced him. I like learning his likes and dislikes. So, I think the book delivers - but what it delivers is a little unexpected. I feel that any Mike Oldfield fan will find the book enjoyable so I recommend it.

A great book

I didn't expect such a good book. Oldfield opens his hart to the reader, in a humble, and very conversational stile. You can almost hear him speaking to you like a friend. You will discover the complexities of his psychology and understand the high price that Oldfield has paid for his talent. The book is mainly centered in his first three records and his childhood. I wish the book would have another 100 pages and cover his thirties and forties a little bit more in depth.

Much better than I expected...

I really wasn't sure what to expect when I purchased this, but I found it very enjoyable. Mr. Oldfield's writing is very conversational and he appears not to be a bitter person despite personal difficulties. I agree with much of what the prior reviewer stated, I would only include that much of the book is devoted to his childhood through the first three albums. He seems to gloss over everything from Incantations on. Compared to most "rock star" biographies, Mr. Oldfield places a heavy emphasis on influences and the creative process. Quick enjoyable read.

Not a god, but a heck of an artist

Since I was eighteen and was blown away on my first listen to Ommadawn, I've discovered and rediscovered Mike Oldfield's music for twenty years. I enjoy different styles of music and various artists, but - at this point in my life - I could be quite happy stranded on an island with only Mike's albums. He goes into a lot of detail in regards to his childhood, teen years, and early adulthood. In overcoming a good deal of his angst, he reveals that he lost the force that "turbocharged" his music. This isn't a 'look at what a great guy I am' kind of book. Mike shares his insecurities and regrets. This may not please some who see Mike as a 'god', but - in these acknowledgments - he shows a lot of maturity and courage. There are accounts of drug use and alcohol dependency, and I was glad to see that he treated his love life decorously. In fact, I don't recall sex being mentioned at all. Although I was fascinated throughout, my favorite part is the last chapter where we hear Mike's take on where he stands now, on life, on music, and on the future. I never expected to see an autobiography. I figured Mike would just remain a mystery to me, and that was fine. After reading this book, however, I am very grateful. The main focus of the book is on the pre-1980s, and there are still mysteries, but it's satisfying to know a little more about the motivations behind the man who makes such amazing music.