Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds

[Johnboy]

there's also this which should be of interest to any TWOTW crazed youngster

https://www.discogs.com/release/202649-Jeff-Wayne-The-War-Of-The-Worlds-ULLAdubULLA-The-Remix-Album

(brave new page)

[bgmnts]

Amazed how common an experience being intrigued by the sleeve booklet then terrified by the music (28 ahhh)

Side 4 is a bit of a letdown after the multiple peaks of the rest, the corblimey David Essex artilleryman and his stupid song about living underground.

I actually quite like the stupid song about living underground. It's a rather good character study of the artilleryman and it has a certain hopeful, enthusiastic quality despite being mental.

Usually I'd find the bleak parson more interesting but I find Lynott's performance a bit grating. It's the only part I'd skip on a relisten.

[Natnar]

The best part of side 4 is first minute or so of Dead London with the fade in of that slow version of the riff from The Fighting Machine. Just brilliant.

[purlieu]

Horsell Common is such a killer track top to bottom - bassline, swagger, electric guitar heatray solo... banging.

Totally, absolute belter.

I always used to see this in Woolworths as a kid and really wanted it, but back in the '90s 2CD albums - especially in fatbox jewel cases - were fucking expensive, and I could never justify spending £17.99 on something I'd heard nothing from. Wish I had now, I would have loved it.

Haven't heard it in a while, but I recall it gets a little more conventionally musical-ish in the second half which always feels a bit naff after a lot of the brilliant stuff early on. It's still really solid, though, and such an utterly brilliant idea. Surely there must have been other attempts at doing this kind of thing, other rock opera / audiobook crossovers made in the wake of WOTW's success.

It's only relatively recently that I realised where the voice sample sample - and title - from this originates:

[dontpaintyourteeth]

bloody hell how did I never make that connection

[daf]

OK - sprung for a vinyl copy described as "NM" - records and booklet looked in pretty good nick - so I'll be having my first listen in a week or so!

[bgmnts]

Haven't heard it in a while, but I recall it gets a little more conventionally musical-ish in the second half which always feels a bit naff after a lot of the brilliant stuff early on. It's still really solid, though, and such an utterly brilliant idea. Surely there must have been other attempts at doing this kind of thing, other rock opera / audiobook crossovers made in the wake of WOTW's success.

It does a bit, Spirit of Man almost goes a bit Jesus Christ Superstar for me but it still has enough stuff unique to itself in it that it's fine.

As for other things, Ive not heard much like it. I read Jeff Wayne did a Spartacus rock opera type thing which might be similar, but I haven't listened to it and that's pretty much it.

[PowerButchi]

Spartacus is dreadful

[Natnar]

Spartacus is dreadful

Yeah, it's not that good although there is the odd decent moment. This was the album's only "hit"

The whole album

Spartacus does seem to be one of those forgotten albums that has never been re-issued or remastered.

[badaids]

For the Thunderchild song, is it just me or does anyone else enjoy singing along but making up and changing the lyrics to 'Thunderflaps'.

'There were flaps of shapes and sizes, hanging round the bay, and your mum's flaps just exploded, when they got hit by the heat ray' etc...

It's true that the living underground song is wank and the no Nathaniel song wet as fuck, but the rest is amazing.

There are little annoying things scaa as there's across the album too, like the fruity little flute/synth bit refrain that appear half way through.

[binster]

It's true that the living underground song is wank and the no Nathaniel song wet as fuck, but the rest is amazing.

WALLOP!

Strong disagree, David Essex provides a powerhouse performance as whoever he was performing as.

[jobotic]

Had a quick listen last night. Not as good as I remember on the whole, with the occasional bit that's better than I thought.

I only know two David Essex songs, the hits, what's good?

I love the song he did with St Etienne

[Ascent]

I only know two David Essex songs, the hits, what's good?

Rock On is one of the ones you probably know, I only recently found out it was produced by Jeff Wayne.

[Norton Canes]

I only know two David Essex songs, the hits, what's good?

Assuming by 'the hits' you mean his two number ones, you should give this a go:

It's kind of his 'Wired for Sound'

[non capisco]

His Ghostbusters cover is worth one listen just for the spoken word intro which perfectly captures the ennui of a functional early morning wank.

[jobotic]

I knew Silver Dream Machine and Gonna Make You A Star.

Rock On sounds interesting.

He just seems like the kind of person who is naff but has a couple of crackers that I don't know about hidden somewhere (fnarr).

[Jim_MacLaine]

Nah, Dave's great.

[kittens]

brave new world and spirit of man are the best songs on the fuckin thing. take your shirt off and you dance around singing them in front of your wife after several pints. you will understand

[dontpaintyourteeth]

This one is good. Could fit on the second side of Diamond Dogs. "Out on the corner- the PIMP and the PONCES"

[jobotic]

Here's the St Etienne one BTW

Trouble is his David Essexing makes him sound like Ed Bailey from Coronation Street.

[Jim_MacLaine]

He's also the narrator on Paul Kelly/St Etienne's What Have You Done Today, Mervyn Day?

[Johnboy]

Think I overdid side 2 in younger days, I tend to head for side 3 now, get lost in the Red Weed.

I'll never forget listening to it in the dark, the unscrewing of the lid bit and my older brother outside banging on the window scared the life out of me.

We also had Rick Wakeman's Journey to the Centre of the Earth and I remember settling down to it, thinking oh another mad musical journey and being shocked with how bad it was.

[There Be Rumblings]

The War of The Worlds Immersive Experience in London is surprising good, and well worth a visit if you are a fan. It's not cheap (it's about £45 during the week and I think it's closer to £70 on Saturdays) and I doubt I would have gone on my own accord but I was given tickets for a birthday present a couple of years ago and absolutely loved it. It's basically an interactive theatre thing with 20+ different 'sets' with live actors and a few, very well done, VR set pieces, and the whole thing was just short of a couple of hours with a break (it seemed to go on forever, but in a good way!).

Did that a few weeks ago on a quietish Wednesday evening. At the end of the experience - which is great - it spits you into the bar. There was only one person in there by the time we got there, an older gent sat quietly in the corner. One of the bar staff discretely asked if we recognised him - we didn't. Turns out it was Jeff Wayne. He'd popped in to get a bit of first-hand feedback from the punters as to whether they thought it was any good or not. We'd had a great time, and told him so. He seemed quietly delighted. We had a photo together. It was a thoroughly lovely evening.

[dmillburn]

Turns out it was Jeff Wayne.

What a lovely bonus. It's very good isn't it? Apparently it's moving to bigger premises next year with the promise of new technology and new scenarios in some sort of expanded version so I'll definitely go back for another visit once that's open. The same people opened a similar interactive Gunpowder Plot experience thing at Tower Bridge which we went to on the strength of the War of the Worlds one being excellent but it's quite underwhelming in comparison. 

[Norton Canes]

I'm sorry but this once again raises the uncomfortable question: How would a tripod walk?

[idunnosomename]

The real question is how the tripod takes its hand out of its pocket and twiddles its fingers

And what happened to its portrait of the Queen

[hamfist]

Just seen this at an exhibition here on campus



Pretty sure it must have put a few Victorian kids off their peanut cookies

Especially with this opening:



read it in Partridge's voice

[daf]

Just taken delivery of my Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds (ft. Jeff Wayne) double vinyl. Cor!! - it is MINT! no thumbing on the booklet or spindle marks on the labels!

Now spinning : (comments as they occur in real time!)

The Eve Of The War : Had heard bits of this, but not the full wallop. Like the disco beats. Some burbling reminds me of the Shamen's 'Arbor Bona' ambient album . . .
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Horsell Common And The Heat Ray : Flows straight on ath ekthpected on a concept album. Burton now talking about screwing - the old dirty bollox! Nice rocking guitar and wah-wah . . . Imagining the Martians strutting around the space pod bathroom mirror like John Revolting preparing for a hard night out pounding the streets (to ash) . . . Ooh, back to the Wee-oooh laser synth . . .
(apologies for the break in service - just had a spider catching emergency - back soon!)
Side 1 done - that was bloody excellent - not a duff track so far. On to Side 2 . . .
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Artilleryman And The Fighting Machine : Moody funk start, Ooh a new voice - is this Dave Essex? . . . Yes! Drums come in and we segue into a song . . . NICE synths! Burton and Dave chitter-chat . . . plane noise (Roger Waters busy taking notes!) . . . octive-leap euro-disco bass. No actual song yet. Ooh the "Dang-Dang-Dumm" leitmotif is back . . . OOOOH-LONG! (Quick someone make a cuppa!). . . Burton jumps into a pond . . . More Oooh-longs (two sugars please) . .  some dongs in the distance . . .
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Forever Autumn : Yeah I've heard this one! Nice synth flutes (mellotron?) . . . a Burton middle-eight! must be a different mix to the single . . . winding down now . . . Burton nips on to a steamer . . . Liz Taylor left on the dockside, poor trout!  . . . Blimey the song's still going!
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Thunder Child : a seamless transition . .  . not sure who's this singing - (checks the cover) - Chris Thompson (yes, I know he - from off of Manfred Man's "Blinded by the Light") . . . One last "Wee-oooh" and that's side 2 done!

[bgmnts]

Ha! Nice!

[daf]

Here we go with Side 3 . . .
The Red Weed (Part 1) : It's the red wee (call the doctor straight away!). A "cool off" as DLT used to say. Vinyl a bit crackly here. Actually those "tha-thunks" may be on the music (thought my stylus was getting clogged). OK, this is shit - get on with it! I mean, I suppose it does convey the aftermath of a battle - all grey and gloomy. Here we go - the drummer's woken up!
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Spirit Of Man : "NATHANIEL!" - is this "La Covington"? Erk! Who's this Yank? Oh, is it old Thin Lizzy? Thought he was Irish! . . . and he's meant to be a parson? 'kinell mate - have another crack at it - this isn't the deep south! (Now wondering if the Highlights album is basically just disc 1!) Burton's back thank god! Taxi for Lynott! Oh, Christ he's back! Will someone stuff a sock in him! Parson wrestling with his American accent . . . Bloody hell, Lynnot mate - please stop doing that voice!
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
The Red Weed (Part 2) : Not sure when this one started but all of this can get the chop - the album's basically running on fumes now! Ah, some funky-ish disco AT LAST! . . . Oi! Oi! it's Dave Essex! On to Side 4 . . .
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Brave New World : Dave Essex going on about circuses again! Starts to get up a bit of steam . . . PINBALL WIZARD strummage! Haha WALLOP! (Man is top baguette?). This rhythm sounds like it's distorting - like an electric crisp packet! He's got a plan . . .
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Dead London : Ooooooh-Long!
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Epilogue (Part 1) : Ahh - back to the good stuff! ACIEEED!!!
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
Epilogue (Part 2) (NASA) : Ooh . . . what's this one? . . . Bit weird - when is this meant to be set again? . . .  And that's yer lot!

Well that was fun! So, In summary . . .
Side 1 & 2 : killer
Side 3 : filler
Side 4 : thriller