Why is Heavens Open credited to Michael Oldfield instead of Mike Oldfield?
First what Thom Newman himself said, in an interview with David Porter: “It was part of a pathetically half-hearted attempt at reinventing oneself, I suppose. A bit of silly nonsense. One of the things that we seem to get good at when we’re in each other’s company.” From a Spanish book by Jose Cantos: He was going to sign as Michael Oldfield – an idea from Richard Branson for Tubular Bells so this would imply more respectability than the familiar Mike, at least with an unknown artist like him at this age. And then what fans thought: Heaven’s Open was an album which was done very quickly and cheaply to get out of the contract of Virgin Records. Mike had long been unhappy with the way they treated him (See 3.10).
First what Thom Newman himself said, in an interview with David Porter: “It was part of a pathetically half-hearted attempt at reinventing oneself, I suppose. A bit of silly nonsense. One of the things that we seem to get good at when we’re in each other’s company.” (Source: Spanish book by Jose Cantos.) He was going to sign as Michael Oldfield (it was originally an idea from Richard Branson for Tubular Bells so this would imply more respectability than the familiar Mike, at least with an unknown artist like him at this age). And then what fans thought: Heaven’s Open was an album which was done very quickly and cheap to get out of the contract of Virgin records. Mike had long been unhappy with the way they treated him (See 3.10).
