May 2013 sees the 40th Anniversary of Virgin Records’ first album release – “Tubular Bells” by the then unknown instrumentalist Mike Oldfield.

Virgin Records was formed by Richard Branson, Simon Draper, Nik Powell and Tom Newman in 1972. Richard Branson and Nik Powell had initially run a small record shop called Virgin Records and Tapes in Notting Hill Gate, London, specialising in “krautrock” imports like Kraftwerk, and as a legacy of the 1960s hippie movement, offering bean bags and free vegetarian food for the benefit of customers listening to the music on offer.

After turning the shop into a success, they evolved the business into a record label. Richard Branson, in his usual flamboyant style, bought a Manor House in Oxfordshire, part of which was then converted into a recording studio. The rest is history. Mike Oldfield’s idiosyncratic “Tubular Bells” was recorded there and became a multi million selling album. This was in no small part due to the opening piano solo being used as a soundtrack to the successful cult film “The Exorcist”, which was released the same year and as a result gained considerable radio airplay for “Tubular Bells”.

The heyday of Virgin Records was in the 1980s, when the record label became a global player, housing artists like Roy Orbison, Phil Collins, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Simple Minds, Lenny Kravitz and The Smashing Pumpkins. Virgin Records was sold to Thorn EMI in 1992, to finance Richard Branson’s new venture, Virgin Airlines.

But let’s remember the heyday of Virgin Records, when Virgin Records artists styled and epitomised the “Decade of the 1980s”, releasing some of the most seminal electro pop albums of that era!! –

Top 5 Best Virgin Records Albums of the 1980s –

1) Simple Minds – New Gold Dream ( 1982 )

2) Human League – Dare ( 1981 )

3) Japan – Tin Drum ( 1981 )

4) Simple Minds – Sparkle In The Rain ( 1983 )

5) Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark ( OMD ) – Architecture & Morality ( 1981 )

Celebrate your favourite single or album in your home or office, by ordering your favourite recording in a vinyl or CD format; single, album or album cover; framed and mounted as a picture disc souvenir. You can also personalise it with an inscribed / engraved plaque…… 

ORDER NOW…….. www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/

Also available – the DVD of your favourite film or TV programme framed with a personalised engraved plaque  ORDER NOW… www.myfirstrecord.co.uk/

Framed vinyl records, framed CDs and framed DVDs with a personalised plaque, make unique presents or original gifts for a special celebration  / special occasion ie a Wedding ( Wedding First Dance Song ), an Engagement Party ( Our Song ), a House Warming Party ( New Home ), a 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th Birthday ( How about the No1 song on the day of birth? ), a Silver, Ruby or Golden Wedding Anniversary, Father’s or Mother’s Day or Valentine’s Day!!  THE PERFECT PERSONALISED PRESENT!!