Doctor Who Compact Disc Catalogue

This page is a listing of currently available Doctor Who-related compact discs. Many of these releases have been deleted from record company catalogues however, and this is indicated in the text. They are still included here as in many cases stocks are still available from dealers or may be found in second-hand stores.

If you've linked directly to this page from another site - welcome! This listing is maintained by film/TV composer and sound designer Mark Ayres, who wrote the music for three Doctor Who stories ("The Greatest Show in the Galaxy", "Ghost Light", and "The Curse of Fenric") and other Doctor Who-related video productions. He also compiled and/or produced many of the discs included in this list. You may wish to visit Mark's main Doctor Who page for a listing of other Doctor Who material on this site. Please also visit Mark Ayres' Homepage and read more about Mark's work for Doctor Who and other productions while you're here!

The listing is divided into three sections: the first gives details of UK releases; the second details US releases. At the end is a section of Related Releases. This section contains releases which are not directly Doctor Who-related, but should be of interest to Doctor Who fans. At the end of the listing you will find details of how the discs may be obtained.

I believe this listing to be complete; if you know different, please let me know and I'll update the file.

For anyone who is interested further, there was a great article in the January 1997 UK "Record Collector" magazine that listed every Doctor Who-inspired record ever made up to the end of 1996. I was one of the consultants for the article (I also have to own up to being responsible for a large proportion of the catalogue below), but the article's author managed to drag up a few items that even I'd never heard of.

Lastly, I have not detailed compilation albums that feature the Doctor Who theme, only releases specifically spun off from the show.

Listing Part One - UK Releases

• "The Doctor Who 25th Anniversary Album" (BBC CD 707, 1988).
  Features music by Keff McCulloch from seasons 24 and 25, plus versions of the theme by Delia Derbyshire, Peter Howell, Dominic Glynn, and KM.
  N.B. Deleted, but still available from some retailers if you shop around. See also "Evolution - The Music From Dr Who" below.

• "Doctor Who - Variations on a Theme" (Silva Screen FILMCD 706, 1991).
  Versions of the theme arranged by Mark Ayres, Dominic Glynn and Keff McCulloch.
  This was originally released in 1989 by Metro Music International on 12" vinyl (standard and "limited edition" with gold-embossed sleeve), CD, and as a limited edition square CD (honest!). The current Silva Screen release is generally available through retailers; the previous Metro Music releases, while deleted, are occasionally available through specialist dealers.

• "Doctor Who - The Curse of Fenric" (Silva Screen FILMCD 087, 1991).
  Original Television Soundtrack by MA.
  N.B. This item is now deleted, but still available from some retailers if you shop around.

• "Myths and Other Legends" (Silva Screen FILMCD 088, 1991). Solo album by yours truly.
  Music from the Myth Makers series, Myth Runner, and some of my Doctor Who demos.
  N.B. This album was originally released in a shorter version on vinyl by Metro Music International (METRO-3, 1990). Now deleted but occasionally available through specialist dealers.
• "Doctor Who and the Pescatons" (Silva Screen FILMCD 707, 1991).
  CD rerelease of Argo's record-only adventure from 1976 starring Tom Baker and Elizabeth Sladen.
  N.B. This item is now deleted, but still available from some retailers if you shop around.

• "Doctor Who - The Greatest Show in the Galaxy" (Silva Screen FILMCD 114, 1992).
  Original Television Soundtrack by MA.
  N.B. This item is now deleted, but still available from some retailers if you shop around.

• "Doctor Who - Earthshock (Classic Music from The BBC Radiophonic Workshop Volume 1)"
  (Silva Screen FILMCD 710, 1992). Essentially a CD re-release of BBC Records' Doctor Who - The Music. However, I added three extra tracks ("The Worlds of Doctor Who", "Blue Veils and Golden Sands", and "The Delian Mode" - the latter two are from "Inferno") and held Peter Howell's version of the theme over until...
  N.B. This item is now deleted, but still available from some retailers if you shop around.

• "Doctor Who - The Five Doctors (Classic Music from The BBC Radiophonic Workshop Vol. 2)"
  (Silva Screen FILMCD 709, 1992). A CD re-release of BBC Records' Doctor Who - The Music II, with the addition of the Peter Howell theme held over from Volume 1.
  N.B. This item is now deleted, but still available from some retailers if you shop around.

• "Doctor Who - Ghost Light" (Silva Screen FILMCD 133, 1993). Original Television Soundtrack by MA.
  N.B. This item is now deleted, but still available from some retailers if you shop around.
• "Doctor Who - Pyramids of Mars (Classic Music from the Tom Baker Era)" (Silva Screen FILMCD 134, 1993). Music by Dudley Simpson from "The Ark in Space", "Genesis of the Daleks", "Pyramids of Mars", "Planet of Evil", and "The Brain of Morbius". Rerecorded from the original scores by Heathcliff Blair.
  N.B. This item is now deleted, but still available from some retailers if you shop around.
• "Doctor Who - 30 Years at the Radiophonic Workshop" (BBC CD 871, 1993).
  Sound Effects and Music compilation from the BBC Radiophonic Workshop.

• "The Worlds of Doctor Who" (Silva Screen FILMCD 715, 1994).
  Compilation, including tracks from FILMCD 709, FILMCD 710, FILMCD 087, FILMCD 114, FILMCD 133, FILMCD 088, FILMCD 706 and FILMCD 134. Please note that most of these tracks are heavily edited - the disc is mainly intended as a sampler, although I hope that it's entertaining in its own right. The disc also includes three previously unreleased tracks (MA's theme from Return to Devils End and two fan versions of the theme).
• "Doctor Who and Other Classic Ron Grainer Themes" (Play It Again PLAY 008, 1994).
  Includes the original theme and Grainer's own "rhythmically aggressive" (as he described it on its original release) "disco version"!
• "CyberTech" by Adrian Pack and Michael Fillis (Jump Cut CUTUPCD005, 1994). Music inspired by the series, including the "rave" version of the theme as featured in "Dimensions in Time". N.B. Deleted.
• "CyberTech Part II - Pharos" (Jump Cut CUTUPCD010, 1995).
  Music inspired by the series and by Virgin Books' "New Adventures" spin-off novels. N.B. Deleted.
• "Downtime" (Silva Screen FILMCD 717, 1995). Soundtrack from Reeltime Pictures' spin-off.

• "Shakedown - Return of the Sontarans" (Silva Screen FILMCD 718, 1995). Original Soundtrack Recording. Music by MA from Dreamwatch Media's spin-off.

• "Music from The Tomb of the Cybermen" (Via Satellite V-SAT ASTRA 3967, 1997).
  A 22-minute CD-EP featuring two versions of the Doctor Who theme (the original and the "New Beginning" Troughton version) and TARDIS sound effects (all taken from "Doctor Who - 30 Years at the Radiophonic Workshop") plus stock library music tracks as used in this classic 1967 story.

• "Evolution - The Music From Dr Who" (Prestige Records CDSGP0320, 1997).
  A rerelease of "The Doctor Who 25th Anniversary Album". Features music by Keff McCulloch from seasons 24 and 25, plus versions of the theme by Delia Derbyshire, Peter Howell, Dominic Glynn, and KM. Curiously mastered at a higher speed than the original release (which means it runs two minutes shorter and at a higher pitch - not good!), this disc is credited to "The BBC Radiophonic Workshop" when, other than the Delia Derbyshire and Peter Howell versions of the theme (which were produced at the Workshop) and Dominic Glynn's arrangement (which wasn't) it is mostly by Keff McCulloch working independently. N.B. This was thought to be deleted (and certainly should have been!) but resurfaced on Amazon at the end of January 2000. As far as can be ascertained, nothing has been corrected since the 1997 release.

• "Cybermen: Doctor Who on a Mission" (Academy Street Records D-ACST002, 1996).
  "Cybermen" are the group, "Doctor Who on a Mission" is the title. "Radio Edit (Vocal)", "Original", "K9's Happy Mix", and "Sonic Screwdriver Remix" are the mixes. A rave-style version of Ron Grainer's theme (most of the notes are right!) with added "lyrics" ("Doctor Who is on a Mission, We are the Cybermen" - that sort of thing). Available on CD or 12" vinyl. I love the guys wearing buckets on their heads.

• "Buckfunk 3000: First Class Ticket to Telos" (Language Tours WORD D7, 1998). Another Cybermen-inspired record, this time a complete album of inventive dance music by Buckfunk 3000 (aka Si Begg). A nice picture from "The Five Doctors" on the cover, too.

• "Space Adventures - Music from Doctor Who 1963-1971" (Julian Knott JPD 2CD, 1998).
  The long-awaited CD edition of Julian's superbly researched compilation which was originally released on cassette in 1987 only through the Doctor Who Appreciation Society. Sadly, although this disc includes some extra material, it is sorely let down by poor quality transfers and inept mastering.
  N.B. This item is now deleted, but still available from some retailers if you shop around.

• "Vonal KSZ - Doctor Who" (Liquid LIQ012B, 1998). Breaking the rules of this list, this one isn't available on CD at all, only on 12-inch vinyl. Vonal KSZ is one Andy Brooks, and this disk contains four versions of the theme, all taking various liberties and treating it in deep hardcore dance style - big thumping bass and squelchy synths. Not my cup-of-tea, frankly, but apparently goes down a storm in clubs where Andy plays live.

• "Sherlock Holmes meets Dr Who - Music for Brass and Saxophone by Carey Blyton" (Upbeat Classics, URCD148, 1999). Carey Blyton (nephew of Enid) is one of the great unsung eccentrics of English music. Primarily a miniaturist (specialising in very short pieces) he is also not short of a sense of humour - he wrote the song "Bananas in Pyjamas", inspiration and theme song behind the Australian childrens' TV series. He has also written larger scale works - indeed as a member of the West Kent Youth Orchestra in the mid-1970's I remember being part of a performance of his Birds of the Air, with Carey himself on piano. In the early 1970's, Carey composed three highly individual scores for Doctor Who: "Doctor Who and the Silurians" (scored for a bizarre combo including Clarinet, Recorders, Krumhorns, 'Cello, Prepared Piano and Percussion), "Death to the Daleks" (for Saxophone Quartet) and "Revenge of the Cybermen" (more strange instrumentation including Trumpet, Cornet, Trombone, Ophicleide and Serpent). The original recordings remain, thus far, unreleased, but over the last couple of years Carey has been persuaded to arrange three short suites from these scores. They are being marketed mainly for educational use, but find a public outing on this CD, one of a number of discs of Carey's work that Upbeat Classics have treated us to in recent years. The Silurian Suite is scored for Bb Trumpet and Piano, runs to 5.20, and is in three movements: In the Caves, A Close Encounter, and March: The Brigadier. Vogan Suite is for Horn in F and Piano, 4.19: Deep Space, Vogan March, "All's well...that ends well!". Lastly, Dalek Suite is for Saxophone Quartet, is 7.20 long, the movements being A Desolate Landscape, Chants and Variants, and Dalek 'March' and Retreat. Well worth checking out!

• "Doctor Who: Terror of the Zygons/The Seeds of Doom - Music by Geoffrey Burgon" (BBC Music WMSF 6020-2, 2000)

• "Doctor Who at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop Volume One - The Early Years (1963-1969)" (BBC Music WMSF 6023-2, 2000)

• "Doctor Who at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop Volume Two - New Beginnings (1970-1980)" (BBC Music WMSF 6024-2, 2000)

• "Who is Dr Who" (RPM 200, 2000)

• "Dr Who - Music from The Tenth Planet" (Ochre OCH050, 2000) Compilation of "library" music tracks used in this classic1966 adventure. Not particularly well-mastered, nor exceptional value for money, but entertaining.
• Doctor Who at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop Volume Three (BBC Music WMSF6052-2, 2002)
• Doctor Who at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop Volume Four ( BBC Music WMSF6053-2, 2002)

Listing Part Two - US Releases

• "The Best of Doctor Who Volume 1 - The Five Doctors" (Silva America SSD 1014, 1993).
  Compilation of excerpts from FILMCD 709 & 710, plus the "Terror Version" from FILMCD 706).

• "The Best of Doctor Who Volume 2 - The Greatest Show in the Galaxy" (Silva America SSD 1042, 1994). Compilation of edited highlights from MA's scores for "The Greatest Show in the Galaxy", "Ghost Light", and "The Curse of Fenric", plus Keff McCulloch's McCoy theme arrangement (opening and closing titles).

• "Doctor Who" (Demo CD - not licensed for retail sale). Soundtrack from the 1996 US TV movie starring Paul McGann. A promotional CD produced by the composers - not available in your local record store, but some collectors' dealers have limited numbers.

Listing Part Three - Related Releases

• "Tristram Cary - Soundings (Electroacoustic Works 1955-1996)" (Tall Poppies TP139, 2000) Superb double-CD release of Tristram Cary's serious electroacoustic music. Tristram's contribution to the field should not be underestimated - a pioneer of electronic music both for the concert hall and in Film and TV, he was also one of the co-founders of EMS, inventors of the VCS3 and Synthi 100 synthesisers. I cannot recommend this release too highly. For more details and to purchase, contact Tall Poppies Records or EMF Media (part of the Electronic Music Foundation USA).

Availability

The UK Silva Screen releases seem to be generally available on import in US record shops (in the big cities at least). I've seen many on sale in LA, including Sam Goody's in Universal City, and record shops in Century City and Santa Monica.

The US releases are generally not available in the UK (although the first I knew of "The Best of Doctor Who Volume 1 - The Five Doctors" was when I saw it in Our Price in Tunbridge Wells!).

For worldwide mail orders, try contacting Soundtracks Direct (Silva Screen Records' mail-order division). They sell all soundtracks, not just Silva Screen releases, and will take credit card orders and ship worldwide. They should certainly be your first port of call!

Academy Street Records ("Cybermen on a Mission") are at:

Liquid Records (for the Vonal KSZ track) can be contacted at the following Freepost address:

Upbeat Recordings (for the Carey Blyton CD) are at:

For deleted items, or collectors' items unavailable elsewhere, try John Fitton (Books and Magazines).

In the United States, you could also try Supercollector.

Mark Ayres.