My barmitzvah inspired the Martian invasion... - The Jewish Chronicle

The year was 1979. And, as secret peace negotiations were thrashed out at Camp David, Israeli television ran rolling coverage and analysis of the ground-breaking meeting that, it was hoped, would lead to peace with Egypt. Expectations were mixed. So, perhaps with a sense of irony, comedy or pure fatalism, producers decided only one piece of backing music would do to provide the signature tune to this seminal moment in Israeli history: Their choice? The opening score from Jeff Wayne’s multi-million selling album — and now spellbinding stage show — The War of the Worlds.

Based on H G Wells’s seminal novel about a Martian invasion of Earth, the ominous drama of the “Eve of the War” prologue perhaps suggested that, to paraphrase the song, the chances of any peace coming from Camp David were a million to one .

To Jeff Wayne, the great-grandson of an Orthodox rabbi who had fled to the US to escape persecution in Russia, it’s a particularly heart-warming story.

“I love the idea that in some way the music played a part in the telling of Israeli history – and Jewish history,” chuckles the 71-year-old composer. Indeed, Israel holds a special place in the heart of the prolific musician and producer: for it was in Jerusalem, 10 years after the Camp David Accord, that Wayne, by then in his early 40s, finally had his barmitzvah.

‘I’d never had a barmitzvah, as my family weren’t very Orthodox. My great-grandfather was so frum that he switched my grandfather off Judaism and my dad wasn’t really brought up with it. Dad had a strong regard for our history and culture but not in a practising sense. In fact when he met my mum, herself one of 11 and also the daughter of Orthodox European immigrants, they just let it go casually. Judaism was there, we had Friday-night dinners — we still do — but not much more.

Richard Burton’s voice was an instrument

“But I went to Israel in 1989 to play tennis in the Maccabiah Games and it was then that Dad — who’d also never had a barmitzvah — and I just thought the time was right. So we had this “two shekel” affair at the Wailing Wall. We couldn’t read Hebrew and answered in English but it was a wonderful experience.”

Wayne’s own four children show varying degrees of interest in Judaism. His older son wanted a barmitzvah at 13, and so it took place in Jerusalem. His younger son declined. Meanwhile, one of his two daughters, Jemma, is quite observant. “So we do it in all shades. It works for us.”

His wife Geraldine, who converted to Judaism many years ago, has remained, he says, “a true believer in all things spiritual and follows the Jewish faith.”

Family is deeply important to Wayne and it was his late father, Jerry Wayne, an actor, singer and theatre producer, who strongly influenced both his son’s career choice and the journey towards creating The War of the Worlds.

Born in New York, Jeff Wayne studied music from an early age. He went on to compose the score for his father’s West End musical, Two Cities, and embarked on a successful career, composing for film, television and advertising as well as working as a producer and arranger for David Essex.

But it was his father who reminded Wayne that his real passion lay in writing some form of musical theatre and urged him to return to his first love.

Together they researched every kind of book and literary genre to find a story Wayne could set to music and it was then that his father handed a copy of The War of the Worlds to his son.

“That was it,” he recalls simply. “I was hooked.” From its inception, setting H G Wells’s story to music was a family affair: “My stepmother, Doreen, a professional writer adapted the novel, my father was an executive producer and my wife Geraldine assisted with sound effects for the recording.”

The album was released in 1978 to great critical acclaim and has since sold over 15 million records and spent 330 weeks in the UK Album Charts.

For the past six years, Wayne has taken his music on a spectacular arena tour, conducting his vast and urgent score while remarkable special effects — including a 3-tonne 35-foot tall Martian Fighting Machine that fires real flames into the audience —sizzle and spark around him.

“The show features filmed and live action scenes as well and my eldest daughter Anna-Marie appears on screen as the fiancée of George Herbert the journalist. And two of my other three children have been in crowd scenes of film footage we use. My son Zeb who is a musician and a DJ has done some R&B rap remixes of tracks from The War Of The Worlds. So everyone has been involved.’

The spellbinding narration on the original album was provided by the deep, velvet tones of Richard Burton, after Wayne secured the actor’s services by deploying some old fashioned chutzpah.

“I needed a voice that would take the listener right inside the story and Richard Burton’s voice was like a musical instrument. I heard he was doing Equus at a theatre in New York, so I sent the script and proposal to the stage door. I got a reply via his manager a few days later in which Richard said: “Count me in, dear boy!”