One Hundred Copies of  Tubular Bells

1. Collection

2. Exhibition

3. Performance

On the 8th of February 2003, I decided to collect 100 copies Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells on second hand vinyl. For the next three years, I bought every copy I could find. The collection was complete in March 2006.

This is about action.

Having assembled a collection of 100 copies of Tubular Bells, I would like to exhibit them for everyone to see. From afar it's a mass produced icon, but up close each copy is unique, with its own marks and story to tell.

This is about the artefact

But of course, Tubular Bells is music. What would 100 copies sound like when played together? The music was once perfect, then fractured into a million reproductions, each now decaying. Can we put the pieces back together again?

This is about a moment in time

Summary of the collection
My IDPressingDateBought fromPriceConditionWeatherMood
TB0001V2001 A-2U/B-3U8 Feb. 2003Rat Records, Camberwell£2ExcellentDrizzlePensive
TB0002V2001 A-15U/B-14U 16 April 2003 MVE, Notting Hill £1 Very Good Cool but sunny Elated
TB0003V2001 A-11-U/12-U-B 16 April 2003 MVE, Notting Hill 50p Excellent Cool but sunny Elated
TB0004V2001 A-120/B-19 16 April 2003 MVE, Notting Hill £1 Good Cool but sunny Elated
TB0005V2001 A-2M/B-6 16 April 2003 MVE, Notting Hill 50p Excellent Cool but sunny Elated
TB0006V2001 A-2M/B-7M 16 April 2003 MVE, Notting Hill 50p Very Good Cool but sunny Elated
TB0007V2001 A-4U/B-9U 16 April 2003 MVE, Notting Hill 50p Fair Cool but sunny Elated
TB0008VV-33021V-A1/B1 16 April 2003 MVE, Notting Hill 50p Excellent Cool but sunny Elated
TB0009V2001 A23/B23 16 April 2003 MVE, Notting Hill 50p Very Good Cool but sunny Elated
TB0010V2001 A18/B17 16 April 2003 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Good Cool but sunny Elated
TB0011V2001 A-4U/B-3U 16 April 2003 MVE, Notting Hill 50p Fair Cool but sunny Elated
TB0012V2001 A-4U/B-9U 8 July 2003 MVE, Notting Hill £1 Excellent Bright Content
TB0013V2001 A-24/B-24 8 July 2003 MVE, Notting Hill £3 Excellent Bright Content
TB0014V2001 A-4U/B-8U 8 July 2003 MVE, Notting Hill £1 Very Good Bright Content
TB0015V2001 A-2U/B-3U 16 Sep. 2003 MVE, Notting Hill £1 Very Good Very hot Excited
TB0016V2001 A/B 16 Sep. 2003 MVE, Notting Hill £1 Very Good Very hot Excited
TB0017BL-34116-IA-2HDK 16 Sep. 2003 MVE, Notting Hill £1 Very Good Very hot Excited
TB0018V2001 A-4U/B-8U 26 Sep. 2003 MVE, Camden £3 Good Grey Frustrated
TB0019V2001 A-4U/B-3U 4 Oct. 2003 MVE, Greenwich £1 Excellent Breezy Lonely
TB0020V2001 A-2U/B-3U 4 Oct. 2003 MVE, Greenwich £1 Poor/UnplayableBreezy Lonely
TB0021V2001 A16U/- 4 Oct. 2003 MVE, Greenwich £1 Near Mint Breezy Lonely
TB002287541 A-4/82 4 Oct. 2003 MVE, Greenwich £1 Very Good Breezy Lonely
TB0023V2001 K2M/B7M 10 Oct. 2003 MVE, Berwick St. £1 Excellent Warm(ish) Magical
TB0024V2001 A-11-U/12-U-B 15 Nov. 2003 Flashback, Islington £1.99 Very Good Heavy rain Productive
TB0025V2001 A-120/B-20 15 Nov. 2003 Flashback, Islington £2.99 Very Good Heavy rain Productive
TB0026V2001 A-4U/B-9U 19 Nov. 2003 MVE, Camden £3 Very Good Sunny but clouds Aloof
TB0027V2001 A-4U/B-9U 27 Nov. 2003 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Good Chilly Restless
TB0028V2001 A 27 Nov. 2003 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Poor/UnplayableChilly Restless
TB0029V2001 A-4U/B-3U 27 Nov. 2003 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Fair Chilly Restless
TB0030V2001 A-2B/B-3U 29 Dec. 2003 Wax Factor, Brighton 99p Poor/UnplayableLight rain Tired
TB003187541 77S/78S 29 Dec. 2003 Wax Factor, Brighton £2.99 Excellent Light rain Tired
TB0032V2001 A-4U/B-9U 3 Jan. 2004 Rat Records, Camberwell£2 Good Overcast Bored
TB0033V2001 A-4U/B-8U 3 Jan. 2004 Rat Records, Camberwell£2 Excellent Overcast Bored
TB0034V2001 A-4U/B-10U 4 Jan. 2004 Market, Greenwich £2 Very Good Bland Warmed
TB0035V2001 K2M/B7M 9 Jan. 2004 MVE, Berwick St. £1 Good Grey but clammy In a mess
TB0036V2001 A-20/B19 5 Feb. 2004 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Excellent Refreshing drizzle Zen-like stillness
TB0037V2001 A-17/B-18 4 March 2004 MVE, Greenwich £1 Excellent Warming up In a hurry
TB0038V2001 A-23/B-23 1 April 2004 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Very Good Very mild Rewarded
TB0039V2001 A-4U/B-8U 1 April 2004 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Very Good Very mild Rewarded
TB0040V2001 A-4U/B-8U 1 April 2004 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Poor/Unplayable Very mild Rewarded
TB0041V2001 A-4U/B-3U 6 April 2004 Rat Records, Camberwell£2 Very Good Soaking wet On edge
TB0042V2001 A-4U/B-8U 9 April 2004 MVE, Berwick St. 50p Very Good Warm Depressed
TB0043V2001 A/B 23 April 2004 MVE, Camden £1 Good Lovely and warm V. nervous
TB0044V2001 A2M/B7M 23 April 2004 MVE, Camden £1 Good Lovely and warm V. nervous
TB0045V2001 A-21/B-21 6 May 2004 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Very Good Unobtrusive Edgy
TB0046V2001 A-25/B-2U-1 22 May 2004 MVE, Berwick St. £1 Good Clammy Almost content
TB0047V2001 A-21/B-21 22 May 2004 MVE, Berwick St. £1 Excellent Clammy Almost content
TB0048V2001 A-23/B-23 5 June 2004 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Excellent Muggy Content in solitude
TB0049V2001 A-25/B-1U-1 5 June 2004 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Very Good Muggy Content in solitude
TB0050V2001 A-11-U/12-U-B 19 June 2004 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Very Good Muggy Stressed
TB0051V2001 A-20/B20 19 June 2004 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Excellent Muggy Stressed
TB0052V2001 A-4U/B-9U 13 Aug. 2004 MVE, Notting Hill £1 Very Good Barmy Sneaky
TB0053QV2001 A-8/B10 13 Aug. 2004 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Very Good Barmy Sneaky
TB0054V2001 A-4U/B-3U 13 Aug. 2004 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Good Barmy Sneaky
TB0055V2001 A-7U/B-9U 25 Sep. 2004 MVE, Camden £1 Fair Chilled Chilled
TB0056V2001 A-4U/B-9U 2 Oct. 2004 MVE, Notting Hill £1 Fair/Poor Warm drizzle Fictional
TB0057V2001 A-4U/B-8U 2 Oct. 2004 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Good Warm drizzle Fictional
TB0058V2001 A-20/B-20 2 Oct. 2004 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Very Good Warm drizzle Fictional
TB0059V2001 A-23/B-23 16 Oct. 2004 Market, Canterbury £2.50 Very Good Warm Content
TB0060V2001 A-7U/B-9U 30 Oct. 2004 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Very Good Unrecorded Unrecorded
TB0061V2001 A/B 30 Oct. 2004 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Excellent Unrecorded Unrecorded
TB0062V2001 A-2M/B7 6 Nov. 2004 Rat Records, Camberwell£2 Excellent Dark SAD
TB0063V2001 A-4U/B-9U 28 Dec. 2004 MVE, Greenwich £1 Near Mint Crispy cold Nostalgic
TB0064V2001 A-2M/B7 29 Jan. 2005 MVE, Notting Hill 50p Excellent Drizzle Productive
TB0065V2001 A-4U/B-11U 29 Jan. 2005 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Very Good Drizzle Productive
TB0066V2001 A/B 29 Jan. 2005 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Good Drizzle Productive
TB0067V2001 A-4U/B-3U 29 Jan. 2005 MVE, Notting Hill £3 Good Drizzle Productive
TB0068V2001 A-2M/B7 29 Jan. 2005 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Near Mint Drizzle Productive
TB0069V2001 A-2U/B-3U 5 Feb. 2005 Rat Records, Camberwell£2 Poor/Unplayable Chill Meloncholy
TB0070V2001 A-7U/B-9U 19 March 2005 MVE, Notting Hill £3 Excellent Unrecorded Unrecorded
TB0071VV-33021V-A1/B1 19 March 2005 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Good Unrecorded Unrecorded
TB0072V2001 A-20/B-20 26 March 2005 MVE, Camden £1 Fair Heatwave Very content
TB0073V2001 A-23/B-23 7 May 2005 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Excellent Weird Panic attack
TB0074V2001 A-11-U/12-U-B 7 May 2005 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Good Weird Panic attack
TB0075V2001 A-4U/B-8U 7 May 2005 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Excellent Weird Panic attack
TB0076V2001 A-4U/B-8U 7 June 2005 MVE, Notting Hill £1 Very Good Summery V. positive
TB0077V2001 A-11-U/12-U-B 7 June 2005 MVE, Notting Hill £1 Very Good Summery V. positive
TB0078V2001 A-4U/B-8U 7 June 2005 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Very Good Summery V. positive
TB0079V2001 A-2M/B-7M 7 June 2005 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Very Good Summery V. positive
TB0080V2001 A-11U/B-13U 7 June 2005 MVE, Notting Hill £1 Good Summery V. positive
TB0081V2001 A-4U/B-3U 7 June 2005 MVE, Notting Hill £1 Very Good Summery V. positive
TB0082V2001 A-4U/B-9U 16 July 2005 MVE, Greenwich £1 Good V. hot, slight breeze V. content
TB0083V2001 A-2U/B-9U 25 July 2005 Reckless, Berwick St. £3.99 Fair Chilly 10% unsettled
TB0084V2001 A-23/B-23 13 Aug 2005 MVE, Notting Hill £1 Excellent Rainy and muggy Ungrounded
TB0085V2001 A-23/B-23 13 Aug 2005 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Near Mint Rainy and muggy Ungrounded
TB0086V2001 A-2U/B-3U 13 Aug 2005 MVE, Notting Hill £3 Excellent Rainy and muggy Ungrounded
TB0087V2001 A-4U/B-9U 13 Aug 2005 MVE, Notting Hill £3 Very Good Rainy and muggy Ungrounded
TB0088V2001 A-4U/B-9U 17 Sep. 2005 Bought from family £1 Fair Chill Depressed
TB0089V2001 A-25/B-2U-1-2 24 Sep. 2005 MVE, Camden £1 Excellent Warmish OK
TB0090ST-VR-732929/20-AAA 22 Oct. 2005 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Good Fresh, warm Tearful
TB0091ST-VR-732929/20-BB 22 Oct. 2005 MVE, Notting Hill £1 Fair Fresh, warm Tearful
TB0092V2001 A-4U/B-9U 25 Dec. 2005 Christmas gift - Very Good Cold Festive
TB0093V2001 A-2M/B-7M 28 Jan. 2006 MVE, Camden £4 Fair Cold Fine
TB0094V2001 A-20/B-20 18 Feb. 2006 MVE, Notting Hill £1 Poor Warm and nice Positive!
TB0095V2001 A-4U/B-8U 18 Feb. 2006 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Good Warm and nice Positive!
TB0096V2001 A-23/B-23 18 Feb. 2006 MVE, Notting Hill £3 Excellent Warm and nice Positive!
TB0097V2001 A-2M/B-7M 18 Feb. 2006 MVE, Notting Hill £3 Excellent Warm and nice Positive!
TB0098V2001 A-20/B-20 10 March 2006 MVE, Notting Hill £1 Unplayable Warm drizzle A little tired
TB0099V2001 A-2M/B-7M 25 March 2006 MVE, Notting Hill £2 Near Mint Warm Satisfied
TB0100V2001 A-7U/B-9U 25 March 2006 MVE, Notting Hill £9 Very Good Warm Satisfied

Note: This is an abridged version of the full catalogue, which contains more extensive notes about each record's unique features.

If you would like to host the exhibition and/or performance, please email: