Liberace plays Dudley Simpson - on stereo LP and music cassette

Let's hear it for Dudley Simpson - the music supremo who ruled the scales during 70s Doctor Who. 

Liberace knew a good tune when he heard it. 

That's why he teamed up with the Australian composer to record a selection of the latter's more famous tunes. 

What's not know is why this splendid compilation was never really released. At all. Anywhere.

New US Title Sequence for Series 9 of Doctor Who!

Had another of those phone calls today. Can you storyboard a new title sequence for the US broadcasts of Doctor Who? 

It seems that the BBC's new co-producers of the show - Quinn Martin Productions - want something a bit more traditionally American for their bucks. 

QM kindly sent me some tapes of their previous shows to study and I think I've come up with something that fits the Doctor Who Cannon....!

(See what I did there..???)

If you need some music to listen to whilst looking at the pretty pictures, click here.

The Best of BBC Television & Radio Direct to Your Turntable!

A few more charity shop finds... 

The past is another country! 

Doctor Who's Desert Island Discs

A few years ago, when I was fronting a radio show on Trent Sound with my good friend Steve Hardy, I came across an album by the actor Ray Barrett. (£1 from the Cancer Research shop in Belper!)

Mr. Barrett is well-known to fans of 'Doctor Who' for his seminal role as Koquillion in a 1964 two-parter called 'The Rescue' ("It is Koquillion! You can't come in!!") 

He's also known to cult TV fans as many of the voices in Gerry & Sylvia Anderson's 'Stingray' and 'Thunderbirds'. The latter he provided the voice of the Duchess of Royston in the episode 'The Duchess Affair'. Viewers of 1970s television will also recognise his face as one of BBCTV's 'The Troubleshooters'. 

The LP is titled 'Large as Life' and he gives a creditable account of himself as he sings his way through a selection of ballads and love songs. The title track is the only let down. Much of it is spoken in the voice of the Mighty Titan from 'Stingray'. It sounds odd and I still can't quite fathom what it's about - something to do with a 'larger-than-life' lady he once knew.... or something!

Anyhow, back to my point. There were quite a lot of these sort of LPs produced by the top TV stars of the 60s and 70s including Stuart Damon (from ITC's 'The Champions') and a rather disturbing offering from TV's Jason King alias Peter Wyngarde. (The track entitled 'Rape' is not to be listened to under any circumstances!). 

Some of the cast of 'Doctor Who' attempted to release LPs highlighting their vocal talents but sadly none of them were ever available in good record shops.

Available From All Good Record Shops

There were some very odd releases from BBC Records over the years. Not content with providing licence payers with selections from their TV and radio output, the Aunty Beeb label gave us everything from collections of sound effects (Who can forget their 'Off Beat Sound Effects' LP complete with its stern verbal cues) to 'BBC Space Themes' (with a really lightweight cover of the Star Trek theme that appeared to have been performed by an orchestra bereft of bows for their violins).

A particular favourite is 'BBC Detective Themes' with one of the very few recordings of the third season 'Starsky and Hutch' theme that no one remembers. It also had the energetic Kathy Kirby belting out "Leave this man alone!" on the theme from 'Adam Adamant Lives'. At the time I bought the album, I'd never heard of the Victorian adventurer but the camp lyrics left me wanting to do anything but leave him alone.

Here's a selection of some of BBC Records & Tapes' lesser known releases. The 'Survivors' Christmas LP was hastily withdrawn after it was spotted that Lucy Fleming's name had been spelt wrong. You couldn't get the staff then either....

1984 - Read by Derek Griffiths

The Sound of Moog Synthesizer Funk

Doomwatch Sound Effects Vol. 7

A Very Survivors Christmas