On this day March 19 1982 Mike Oldfield released his seventh studio album Five Mile Out. The album combined elements of progressive rock and folk with synthesizer-driven sounds creating a unique and atmospheric listening experience.
Five Mile Out reached number seven on the UK charts and featured the title track Five Mile Out which was inspired by Oldfield’s own harrowing experience of nearly crashing a small aircraft in a storm. The album also included the fan-favorite Taurus II a long-form composition that continued the instrumental storytelling style Oldfield was known for.
80s insight: The song Five Mile Out features vocals from Maggie Reilly who also sang on Oldfield’s hit Moonlight Shadow.