After over a decade at the forefront of instrumental music, Mike Oldfield is branching out into video and film. Annabel Scott visits the man's new audiovisual studio, and pops a few pertinent questions.

You've read the rest, now read the best... or is it the other way round? Whatever you may have seen elsewhere, we reckon his mate Paul Brett gives us a more accurate picture of life as An Extremely Talented Person With A New Album Just Out.

Tubular Bells, Bayou Moon and other stories

Apart from his claim to fame as the co-producer of Mike Oldfield's hugely successful 'Tubular Bells' album, engineer/producer Tom Newman has most recently been making his mark in the New Age music field with two beautifully recorded albums. Mark Prendergast reports.

Janet Angus traces the career of this enterprising sound engineer which ranges from recording Mike Oldfield's 'Tubular Bells' and designing Virgin record stores, to his current pre-occupation with improving the quality of film soundtracks.

It Came From Outer Space

The original ambient funsters have a new studio album all but ready, a live album on the way and a major recording deal in the offing. Jonathan Miller encounters Dr Alex Paterson and Thrash on the verge of a higher plane...

Tom Newman - tubular Tom raps with our own dread feller.

Now at last, it can be revealed! The veteran producer spills the beans about those 70s Genesis albums... and updates us on work in progress

A journey through the musical world of this well respected guitarist

Tangerine Dream have been at the forefront of electronic music long enough to be regarded as an institution. Mark J. Prendergast talks to Paul Haslinger about the TD experience.

Tony Mills thinks Neuronium's curious blend of electronics, guitar-strumming, and psychedelic art could be just the thing to break the musical jelly mould in 1985. See if you agree.

Joan alone with Joan, Wilf Green plays fly on the wall

composing with technology

Meanwhile Richard tells me that Richard is a multi-instrumentalist and used to play with Gryphon. Course I knew that cos I've read the piece, but you haven't yet, have you?

After releasing an album consisting entirely of human vocal samples, Claire Hamill reintroduces the synthesiser to her music. David Bradwell listens to the singer's tale.

THE STORY OF AN INDEPENDENT RECORD

The story of how one of this country's lesser-known synthesists took the bold step of forming his own record label to independently release his fourth album 'Phoenix'. Paul Gilby documents the process.

We look at how electronics, synths and a PET computer have influenced this versatile British composer.

Nature is of the Mind, and Music is of the Nature...

An insight into the music of one of Japan’s leading synthesists on record.

Neuronium — Michel Huygen

The Remix Man. But he was stumped by Adrian Deevoy

Philip Glass: Glazed expression

A friend and protege of Klaus Schulze, Robert Schroder builds his own equipment, and is much more than a Schulze clone.

Free of Culture Club, guitarist Roy Hay declares his infatuation with soul music and forms a new band. Tim Goodyer listens to his tales of "programming madness".

An overview

Mark Prendergast presents a general overview of record labels, artists, and recordings that make up the exciting area of new electronic and experimental music in the late 1980s.