Guitars | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 24 May 1999 | |||
Recorded | Roughwood Studio, Buckinghamshire | |||
Genre | Progressive rock, new age | |||
Length | 42:40 | |||
Label | WEA | |||
Producer | Mike Oldfield | |||
Mike Oldfield chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [1] |
Guitars is the 19th record 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.
Oldfield plays all the music on the album, using only guitars of various types. The most remarkable usage is that of his Roland MIDI-equipped guitars,[2] which he uses 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]
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:
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Spain (PROMUSICAE)[4] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |