oPen Mike

Thanks for the Mike Oldfield feature [issue 419]. In these days of precision, computercontrolled and sampled sound, it is a joy to read about an artist who leaves ‘wrong bits’ in his music. I wasn’t taken with the radio play from Return To Ommadawn when heard on the mobile, but hearing that excerpt in its proper place and context it reminds me what a superb musician and composer Mike Oldfield is. His music was the soundtrack to my youth and middle life and now that carries on as I almost top 60. I cannot play to save my life, which stems from being too intimated to go into a music shop and buy a guitar. But I can appreciate skill, which he plays out with both barrels blazing. I just wish I could say thank you directly, but writing this email will have to do. Maybe I will get my Les Paul Standard one day… Colin Carruthers, via email We wholeheartedly agree with you about Mike Oldfield – but what’s all this about being too intimidated to buy a guitar? Have you a friend who plays that you could take with you to a guitar shop? That way you could audition a few instruments and pick one by proxy. Good luck!