“My life is an endless journey across the bounds of Space and Time…”

While the last pair of Doctor Who vinyl releases from Demon Records I reviewed were the excellent and progressive story arc of Demon Quest and Serpent Crest, with the iconic fourth Doctor Tom Baker leading the way, this new vinyl collection is a wonderful amalgamation taking us back into the 70s, with a bonus selection of stories and insight that helped make him so famous in the role of the Doctor, as well as the talents of Elisabeth Sladen, Ian Marter, Bill Mitchell and John Westbrook.

This lovely 4xLP release, aptly named Doctor Who: The Tom Baker Record Collection, and coming in orange, green, blue, and orange vinyl features Genesis of the Daleks, which is from the original 1979 album version of the legendary TV serial, plus Doctor Who and the Pescatons, which was a made-for-vinyl audio drama first released in 1976. You’ve also got Exploration Earth: The Time Machine, which was an adventure specially produced by BBC Schools Radio in 1976, and there’s State of Decay, which remains an individual audiobook reading from 1982. Sandwiched in the middle, there’s also a selection of BBC radio interviews featuring Tom Baker that were made in the 70s and 80s – thus covering two decades of goodness.

While the other Doctor Who serial sets are deeply special, and wonderfully presented, I think this Fourth Doctor collection is perfect as a slice of Who history, and a reminder of the depth of the storytelling at this point. It’s one of those collections that would be ideal for a fan of any era, and that’s whether you’re returning to the old work as a treat, or visiting for the first time, there’s an awful lot of (double heart) love here.

What I found particularly fascinating about both Genesis of the Daleks and Pescatons is their intensity, depth and genuine fear instilled by the storyline. In some form, Genesis feels like a timely reminder of the story, and especially the weight it holds – considering where the influence came from, and the look into how ‘evil’ can be developed and built, even from what seem like lesser malevolent intentions.

It’s easy enough for modern audiences to forget of the Daleks sheer inhumanity, but this look back at Davros the scientist (and don’t get me wrong, I think Science itself is generally marvellous and he’s specifically from the Kaled Scientific Elite on the planet Skaro) with dark desires remains fascinating. I also think it’s vital that we’re joined by Elisabeth Sladen throughout, her chemistry and character is of clear importance to not only the Doctor but the classic way in for us, the human audience.

The Pescatons are also a formidable enemy, with world-controlling abilities and mind-altering stares and states of mind. The eyes! I was reminded of the depths of Lovecraft with this monster, and it’s a worthy challenge for the Doctor, even if at times he feels there’s no way to ever fight back the takeover of our planet – in a very different way to what you’d expect. A ‘War Time’ vibe lingers throughout, you can feel the darkness of the streets, and of the fear of the residents of the cities.

These two are particular no-holds barred adventures, and while Baker was – of course – known for the directness and but with a sharp wit along the way, it’s these serious moments that really show off his skills, and the reason people, including myself, have loved Doctor Who for a long time now.

Tom Baker: In His Own Words splices a selection of highly entertaining Baker meetings, from being in character as the Doctor in a setup interview, through to discussing some real-life brutal honesty about how some adults are with him – at that time – plus his ways to win them over, it’s very enjoyable. On the flipside, there’s Exploration Earth: The Time Machine, which is the BBC Schools programme where the setup is to use our Timelord (and Sarah Jane) as teachers on how the Earth was created and its gradual changes and final/current formation – in essence a short Geography lesson.

And to wrap up proceedings, it’s Tom Baker reading State of Decay, which splendidly was originally a cassette release (which are strangely all the rage again even though they’re a terrible audio product really) but is nicely brought back to life here on vinyl, clear and concise. Whilst only an hour, Baker narrates and dips into character for the Doctor. While the story is faintly different to other versions out there, and I personally like a wider array of characters, it’s fun to see this one with a new lease of life.

Overall, I’d definitely recommend picking up Doctor Who: The Tom Baker Record Collection for not only the nostalgia factor but also another gorgeous design setup by Oink Creative, as you can see, plus you’re getting Genesis of the Daleks and Doctor Who and the Pescatons on vinyl – oh, and not forgetting a precious signed Tom 12” x 12” print!

Doctor Who: The Tom Baker Record Collection is out now on a limited vinyl boxset from Demon Records, order here https://amzn.to/45Xyqt6