Guitars (Mike Oldfield album)

Guitars is the 19th studio album written and performed by British musician Mike Oldfield, released in 1999. The concept of the album was to only perform it using guitar-like instruments.

Guitars
Studio album by Mike Oldfield
Released	24 May 1999 (1999-05-24)
Recorded	Roughwood Studio, Buckinghamshire
Genre	Progressive rock, new age
Length	42:40
Label	WEA
Producer	Mike Oldfield
Mike Oldfield chronology
Tubular Bells III (1998) Guitars (1999) The Millennium Bell (1999)

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[1]

Background

Oldfield plays all the music on the album, using only guitars of various types. This includes using Roland MIDI-equipped guitars^[2] to trigger drum samples and produce string-like sounds. "Four Winds" is a four-part work, whose sections are musical portraits of the four compass points (north, south, east and west).

The Live Then & Now 1999 tour was in promotion of this album and Tubular Bells III.^[3]

Track listing

1. "Muse" – 2:12
2. "Cochise" – 5:15
3. "Embers" – 3:51
4. "Summit Day" – 3:46
5. "Out of Sight" – 3:48
6. "B. Blues" – 4:30
7. "Four Winds" – 9:32
8. "Enigmatism" – 3:32
9. "Out of Mind" – 3:46
10. "From the Ashes" – 2:28

Inner cover photo

The liner notes has a photo of Oldfield surrounded by some of his guitars, which he used on the album. From the classical (Spanish acoustic) guitar at the top (and slightly to the right) going clockwise, the guitars are as follows:

• José Ramírez Classical guitar
• Fender Stratocaster, salmon pink (1962)
• Martin O-45 Parlour Guitar
• PRS Custom 24 with Roland synth pickup
• Fender Stratocaster, sunburst (1972)
• PRS Custom 24
• José Ramirez Flamenco guitar
• Wal 4 string bass guitar
• PRS McCarty Thinline

Certifications and sales

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[4]	Platinum	100,000^
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.