Man On The Rocks

Album: Man On The Rocks (2014)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This is the title track of Mike Oldfield's 25th album. Recorded in the Bahamas, it was produced by Oldfield with Stephen Lipson (Jeff Beck, Paul McCartney) and features bassist Leland Sklar (Phil Collins, James Taylor) and drummer John Robinson (Michael Jackson, Daft Punk).
  • The genesis of the record was when Oldfield started playing Rolling Stones records, paying fresh attention to the drum clatter. "I listened to the snares," he told The Daily Telegraph. "And I started experimenting with these old blues slide guitar sections in open G tuning, which is what Keith Richards uses."
  • Oldfield tried singing the songs himself at first, before recruiting Luke Spiller from The Struts to interpret his words. "I thought: let me see if I can sing like Mick Jagger," he told The Daily Telegraph before adding that unimpressed with his efforts, he called his record company. "I asked them to recommend a rock vocalist with a really high range and I was instantly pointed toward Luke Spiller of The Struts. I went online and thought: yeah. He did a much better job of sounding like a rock star than me."
  • The title song is about addiction: "Not necessarily to drugs or alcohol," said Oldfield, "it can be to certain kinds of relationship patterns, about an addiction to failure."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

90s Music Quiz 1

90s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

First question: Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson appeared in videos for what artist?

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)

Donnie Iris (Ah! Leah!, The Rapper)Songwriter Interviews

Before "Rap" was a form of music, it was something guys did to pick up girls in nightclubs. Donnie talks about "The Rapper" and reveals the identity of Leah.

Narada Michael Walden - "Freeway of Love"

Narada Michael Walden - "Freeway of Love"They're Playing My Song

As a songwriter and producer, Narada had hits with Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey and Starship. But what song does he feel had the greatest impact on his career?

Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk: Rock vs. Televangelists

Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk: Rock vs. TelevangelistsSong Writing

When televangelists like Jimmy Swaggart took on rockers like Ozzy Osbourne and Metallica, the rockers retaliated. Bono could even be seen mocking the preachers.

JJ Burnel of The Stranglers

JJ Burnel of The StranglersSongwriter Interviews

JJ talks about The Stranglers' signature sound - keyboard and bass - which isn't your typical strain of punk rock.

Devo

DevoSongwriter Interviews

Devo founders Mark Mothersbaugh and Jerry Casale take us into their world of subversive performance art. They may be right about the De-Evoloution thing.