War of the Worlds

Once every couple of years I get the urge to revisit Jeff Wayne's "Rock Opera" The War of the Worlds. It was always close to the top of the pile of vinyl records in our dining room in the late seventies and I was fascinated by it. Drawn in by the artwork, the beautifully packaged double LP with full lyrics on the sleeve, and then of course the music and the incomparable voice of Richard Burton as the narrator!

Part of its attraction now is the nostalgic feel for the 70's it encapsulates - it just IS the 70's! The synthesizers, the re-verb, the OTT drama, even David Essex makes an appearance! But it wouldn't have lasted so long as a cultural artifact were it not for the fact that it is quite brilliant. From the opening monologue, with Burton vibrating your spine, you are hooked. Then the full orchestra kicks in with the 9 note repetition of its main theme and you are spellbound... Close your eyes and you can actually see Martians. And it's scary! By the time the "Oooh-Laa" scream comes in you are like jelly - I tell you, do not listen to it in the dark!

I just love the story as told this way - in England of the early 20th century, not America at the turn of the millennium. I read the book when I was 10 and loved every page. And with Burton, one of my all time idols, guiding you along it is just a pleasure from start to finish. Although, saying that, our modern attention spans are a bit stretched by its running length and you are more likely to own the condensed version or listen to it in snatches, skipping the really weird bits...

I recently burned it to CD for my daughter. It terrified her and made her want more at the same time. I remember that feeling and am thrilled it can still have that effect on a new generation. I wonder whatever happened to Jeff Wayne? Is he alive? Dead? Still composing? Hmmm.