This was the Orchestral Tubular Bells by Mike Oldfield, with arrangement by David Bedford, Hillage was the touring guitarist, so was Andy Summers for a while.
We call it shredding, but it’s pure progressive jazz derived. That’s what makes this style of guitarists unique. Shredding is fast and skilful, but it’s alphabeti spaghetti soup.
I think it's pretty worthless to talk in terms of "the best", "better than", "not as good as", etc, etc. You see too much of that in these comment sections. It's all subjective anyway. I've always loved Steve Hillage. Great guitar player & always a good vibe from all of his music. "The Glorious Om Riff" sounds even better in 2020 (-:
@@steelyman08 Yup, I agree. Also it depends on where you're coming from. As a listener you're unlikely to say 'best' for a guitarist who's music you dislike & as another musician you're view would be different again.
so cool! i love the look on the guy's face behind him LOL! . steve at his most cozmik ....serving the punters a psychedelic platter of dazzling dexterity.
Saw him in Glasgow with the S.N.O. playing tubular bells incredible half the audience in tails other half a bunch of hippies saw him earlier with Gong as well one of my inspiration s on guitar
It looks more like they're sharing a snobbish high brow in joke at Hillage's expense because all he is doing is running up and down one scale and they being classical 'musicians' would never stoop to such mundane lack of culture expressions.
Funny looks from the Bassist & the one guy behind Steve strains to see what he's playing LOL.. Always interesting when you mix Progressive guitar playing with highbrow orchestra guys . If they are snickering they aren't as good as they think they are. Steve just lets it fly & his smile tells the real tale . Hillage is way to nice of a guy to be as petty as the orchestra guys seem to be. Sorry guys but he's got more feel in those six strings than your whole orchestra does with all your instruments.
Steve is immense ... This solo will always remain among my absolute favorites ... I have been watching this video for a year now and every time the Emotions are more and more intense ... Steve makes me dream in this solo. .. After all this time I had to comment ... Indeed to tell the truth I was convinced that I had already commented for some time. Thanks so much.👍 Speaking of this Steve performance ... I've been looking for this full version concert for a long time ... I hope someone can post it. Rock On! 👍😎🎸❤️🔥
I'm so glad you enjoyed it. I was the tv director and I have to tell you that I'm sorry, but that's all there is - and it was recorded by accident! I was there to record Orchestral Hergest Ridge (on youtube in 3 parts) and so only snippets of the Orchestral Tubular Bells were recorded at that concert. It is a lovely moment, and I'm pleased that the young director stayed with the lovely shot of guitarist + bassist for the whole solo. It is a little bit of prog rock history! With best wishes from Tony Staveacre (now aged 79)
@@mikewright3614 he has said it was his favorite, I assume for the combination of production quality, guitar playing and awesome lyrics. I couldn’t possibly pick a favorite.
Thanks for posting. I've been looking for this on RU-vid for years since I remembered being amazed by it when I first saw it. Pleased it's come to light at last.
Thanks for this video. And, as I'm not a native speaker of English, it also helped me set the pronunciation of «Hillage» and «Philharmonic», so thanks for this too :)
Brilliant guitar player, innovative, can be fast but without showing off, great tone. Saw him play with Gong several years ago and he did the support spot a swell - awesome.But not sure the orchestra appreciate him judging by the looks.
I was just gonna say the same thing lol guys behind him look like they are laughing at him silently. I'll be the first to say that doing that kind of thing disgusts me as a musician. I would never laugh at somebody who is passionately playing their instrument. I make funny faces when I solo lol or just when I play anything really, and if you want to laugh at that kind of thing, that's different. But these guys look like snobs.
@@CortexZero I thought that too.. And let's face it.. Nobody is typing "that bloke in the orchestra" into the search bar. They came here for Steve Hillage.End of. 👍
The Bassist in picture looks to me to be Chris Laurence, who is an esteemed jazz player, session musician and long term member of the classical scene. I'm sure he would have appreciated such fluent guitar improvising.
... Не-ведал большего Дракон полёта ... А выше некуда , поверь ... Вселенной всей ! , Стив распахнул здесь дверь ... За три минуты - абсолютного - улёта ! ...
guau, better than blackmore in his thing...., he dont do it in his records....., is minor armonic most of the times...., he ussually dont do it in his records..., of course, a lot of licks here yes....., fuck is 74....., amazing, pre yngwie, contemporany of uli jonh....., love his scales....., in the record of khan also he play a really beautifull scales......, also palm trees from green is incredible, really mothernd for his time...., first guitar synths in...., love his wear here too...., jajajaja....., really impressed, he plays here so tasty....
YES, there is Orchestral Tubular Bells and also Orchestral Hergest Ridge. Although I directed this event, I cannot remember where this solo came from! Maybe it was an encore? Glad itn is being enjoyed 55 years on...! Tony Staveacre
It is basically a backing 'drone' over which Hillage improvises a solo. But I don't think Hillage is repeating himself - it is an original and inventive solo, over the same chord progression.
No, sadly, it isn't. It's an improvisation, and the orchestral TB follows part 1 of the original TB quite closely. I cannot remember where this solo featured in the orchestral concert. It was a long time ago! Tony Staveacre (tv director of both versions)
@@tonystaveacre6079 Thank you for your answer (and for sharing all these treasures). I had this doubt because Steve's solo is from the second part of Tubular Bells, near the end of it. But you said only the first part was recorded, so it surprised me. Mike Oldfield recorded this part on spanish guitar, at Worcester Cathedral, late 74, and that was added to the recorded concert from Albert Hall.
acidhead1001 yeah. His effects rigs were always intensely complex, even for the electrical engineers who built them. He probably had a stripped down version of his normal live guitar rig (hopefully for the orchestras sake lol). It really was very massive, there are forums that talk about it. Anyway, basically the concept is to have a wah pedal before and after the preamp of the amplifier (or wherever your distortion is coming from). This allows you to make the standard wah sounds with the one before the dirt, and then modulate those sounds in a way you aren’t expecting with the second wah.
acidhead1001 you’re welcome (: if you hang around Steve hillage videos on RU-vid, you’ll see I’ve got a lot to say about the music he’s made and I’m always happy to clarify.
Fascinating, had no idea this had occured. Hillage, unfortunately, overplays his hand, too many notes, too little effect, a touch of the Ritchie Blackmore's if truth be told, and never quite reaching the tasteful restraint Mike achieved on the original Orchestral Tubular Bells.
It does sound a bit ordinary for someone who is usually quite extraordinary. He wasn't using his usual effects and seemed to be playing it safe. Maybe it just wasn't the time or place for him to be himself. It'd be cool if Steve Hillage saw this footage and added a few memories. I'm just taking wild guesses about the situation ha ha.
He is not out of tune. The choice of note for that hammer-on around the 0:13 mark was either a mistake or just a bad choice of note (in my opinion) but that's just a couple of seconds out of the entire piece. Edit: And the last note he landed on in that phrase around 0:16 wasn't the best. That 5 second or so phrase was a bit iffy and he was probably just using the wrong mode for a few seconds - he is a very modal player as he's stated in interviews. I agree in that bit the bass player wondered what was going on.
Ah I don't think its fair to say Steve Hillage was better then Rory Gallagher....both brilliant and unique in their own way. I'd say they'd both have a blast if they could perform together...which can't unfortunately happen now but don't compare one against the other...they're both at the top of what they do/did.
