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War of the Worlds soundtrack (Jeff Wayne) 1981
- Thread starter MasterHowl
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Bought the singles on 45rpms when they first came out, even then the stereo effects were awesome. Got the full version on cassette, then again on CD. My 13 year old daughter loves it and has it on her iPod.
Ha!
My friends had the tapes and I first heard it about a year or two after it came out. I got my own tapes in about '81, and pretty much wore them out! (I have the CDs now).
I think they still sound fresh. Richard Burton's voice is classic, Justin Hayward is superb, and it's great to hear Thin Lizzy's Phil Lynott as the Priest!
In April 2006 I went to see a live version of the piece. Jeff Wayne conducted the orchestra in London's Wembley Arena, and they projected an animation of Richard Burton speaking (with his recorded voice) for his part. Justin Hayward sung too - it was pretty good!
My friends had the tapes and I first heard it about a year or two after it came out. I got my own tapes in about '81, and pretty much wore them out! (I have the CDs now).
I think they still sound fresh. Richard Burton's voice is classic, Justin Hayward is superb, and it's great to hear Thin Lizzy's Phil Lynott as the Priest!
In April 2006 I went to see a live version of the piece. Jeff Wayne conducted the orchestra in London's Wembley Arena, and they projected an animation of Richard Burton speaking (with his recorded voice) for his part. Justin Hayward sung too - it was pretty good!
A great album - not just Phil Lynott, who was fantastic, but also Richard Burton's wonderfully resonant and amazingly authoritative voice; besides, some of the tracks are ominously brilliant.
Found a clip of the musical version I went to see 5 years ago. Some of the effects were a bit cheezy - but overall, pretty well done!
I don't know how many of you know about the first "telling" of this tale, but it was over the radio, and it caused quite a panic at the time. 
Orson Welles was director of the Mercury Theatre on the Air, and they did a broadcast of a play based on the book. They prefaced the airing with the disclaimer that it was an reenactment, but many didn't hear that part.
Here is the Wiki link detailing the 'excitement'.
And, to answer your question, no, I was not there, having been born a full year later.
Orson Welles was director of the Mercury Theatre on the Air, and they did a broadcast of a play based on the book. They prefaced the airing with the disclaimer that it was an reenactment, but many didn't hear that part.
Here is the Wiki link detailing the 'excitement'.
And, to answer your question, no, I was not there, having been born a full year later.
^^^ *raises hand* I'd heard of that. What do I win?
The US version is highly modified compared to the book of course (which I read when I was about 11). Jeff Wayne's version is actually pretty close.
I have to say that I wasn't very impressed with the recent Tom Cruise movie.
The US version is highly modified compared to the book of course (which I read when I was about 11). Jeff Wayne's version is actually pretty close.
I have to say that I wasn't very impressed with the recent Tom Cruise movie.
I was 12 when the Tom Cruise film came out... I went to see it in the cinema and it scared the crap out of me!
I'd love to see the musical version live.
I'd love to see the musical version live.
More recently there's some disagreement about how widespread the panic really was, but it's a very famous story for sure.I don't know how many of you know about the first "telling" of this tale, but it was over the radio, and it caused quite a panic at the time.
Anyway, the Jeff Wayne adaption is quite, quite ace.
"no one would have believed in the first years of the 1980's that human affairs were being printed on vinyl, and yet across the gulf of time minds immeasurably superior to ours regarded this L.P with envious ears"
I'm on my 3'rd copy of this masterpiece. CLASSIC.
I'm on my 3'rd copy of this masterpiece. CLASSIC.
Actually, not really.I don't know how many of you know about the first "telling" of this tale, but it was over the radio, and it caused quite a panic at the time.
Urban Legend 101.
Link.
I don't know how many of you know about the first "telling" of this tale, but it was over the radio, and it caused quite a panic at the time.
Orson Welles was director of the Mercury Theatre on the Air, and they did a broadcast of a play based on the book. They prefaced the airing with the disclaimer that it was an reenactment, but many didn't hear that part.
Here is the Wiki link detailing the 'excitement'.
And, to answer your question, no, I was not there, having been born a full year later.
Years later, (speaking as much about Citizen Kane as, The War of The Worlds), when asked what had happened, Orson Welles remarked ruefully, "Well, kid, I started at the top and there is only one way to go from there."