![]() I handed my scribbles to my father’s wife, Doreen, a writer and journalist. ![]() Wayne junior recalled, “I envisioned my version of War of the Worlds as an opera: story, leitmotifs, musical phrases, sounds and compositions that related to the whole. In the early seventies, Wayne also produced several David Essex albums, including the singer’s seminal debut album, Rock On (1973), and he acted as the singer’s musical director.īy the mid-seventies, Wayne’s father reminded him of his aspirations to write a big piece of work in his own name, and suggested The War of the Worlds. Wayne went on to write music for commercials, TV and film. Wayne decided on a career in music, and attended Trinity College Of Music where he studied piano, composition and conducting. His mother was a dancer and a poet.īy the mid-sixties, the family had moved to London. Wayne was born on Jin New York City, to Jerry Wayne, a singer, actor and theatre producer. In retrospect it is astonishing that Wayne, who was relatively unknown at the time, managed to compose a timeless masterpiece. The War Of The Worlds takes the concept a step further by including sung and spoken parts for several characters from H.G Wells’ book, performed by well-known artists like The Moody Blues’ Justin Hayward, David Essex, Manfred Mann’s Earth Band’s Chris Thompson, Thin Lizzy’s Phil Lynott, and Julie Covington. Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds was influenced by many of the above-mentioned albums. The emerging prog rock genre, with its love of long-form music, classical music influences, and grand ideas, took to the concept album like a fish to the water, leading to an avalanche of prog concept albums in the seventies, by the likes of Jethro Tull, Pink Floyd, Yes, Rick Wakeman, Genesis, Alan Parsons Project, and many more Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar (1970) introduced the concept of the rock opera. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967), Frank Zappa’s Absolutely Free (1967), and The Who’s Tommy (1969). Wells’ legendary science fiction novel The Wars of the Worlds (1898), which is the story of a Martian invasion that intends to wipe out humanity and take over planet Earth.Ĭoncept albums became popular with rock acts in the late sixties, with the Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds (1966), The Beatles’ Sgt. Everything is held together by Richard Burton’s reading of excerpts from H.G. The music, narration and lyrics of Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds form a seamless whole. Its celebrated status is illustrated by many different versions, which include DVDs, video games, a complete re-recording in 2012, stage show adaptations, and a hi-tech extravaganza called The Immersive Experience that opened in London in 2019. ![]() Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds has become iconic. The album has gone nine times platinum in the UK and sold more than 15 million copies worldwide. Released in 1978, the album is a masterpiece, that enjoyed instant commercial success. Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds is one of the most successful and celebrated concept albums of all time.
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