EuroNuman
A little curio this....
Many of you may know my fondness for all things Doctor Who as well as Numan - see my ashleyx.com/devious website (i.e. doctorwho-devious.com) to see what I mean. Now, the official BBC Dr Who series is still continuing for those of you who didn't know, but on CD instead of on the telly. The company involved who have the official BBC licence are called Big Finish, and their adventures feature the doctors Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann (i.e. 5th,6th,7th,8th).
One of the people behind this successful venture is a certain Gary Russell - author and Gary Numan enthusiast.
His first Dr Who novel (he does write other things, honest!) featured chapter headings such as We have a technical, Machine and Soul etc etc - it was only Numan fans that spotted these references I'm sure.
Now, the CD adventure for next Christmas (2002) is a typical humourous panto-style piece as per last year, and is consequently not to be taken too seriously. Gary hasn't written the piece but I wonder if his fellow staff at Big Finish are having a laugh with the following tale...Here's the blurb from their site (reproduced without any permision whatsoever but can be removed, along with my whole site, computer, house and all my worldly goods if required)...
BANG-BANG-A-BOOM!
Writer: Gareth Roberts & Clayton Hickman
Director: Nicholas Pegg
Starring: Sylvester McCoy as the Doctor, Bonnie Langford as Mel
Release Date: 12 December 2002
Recorded: TBC
Music: TBC
Production Code: 7E/A
Dark Space 8 - an advanced monitoring station floating serenely among the stars. Its crew - a dedicated and highly-skilled group of professionals, calmy going about their vital work. Its mission - to boldy host the Intergalactic Song Contest.
With representatives from myriad worlds competing, the eyes of the universe are on the station. But dark deeds are afoot aboard Dark Space 8... and people are starting to die.
The haughty Queen Angvia, the gaseous gestalt Gholos, disposable pop idol Nicky Neumann, erratic Professor Fassbinder and the icily-efficient Dr Helena Harcourt all are suspects. Could old political rivalries be manifesting themselves among the contestants? Is this the work of a breakaway terrorist faction? Or has someone just got it in for singer-songwriters?
With peace in the galaxy hanging by a thread, it's vital that the mystery is solved and fast! Can Dark Space 8's unconventional new commander, with the help of his personal pilot, Mel, find the murderer in time to prevent a major intergalactic war?
Or will it be nul points for the entire universe...?
This story takes place between 'Paradise Towers and 'Delta and the Bannermen'.
Now, this is all speculation but then (a) it could be true - the Neumann character may well be a parady on someone we know, (b) I could be needlessly filling my pages with aimless waffle as per normal, or (c) one of you may well go and buy one of these CDs and enjoy it - some of the music on some of the CDs is oddly reminiscent of Gary Numan's instrumental pieces....
By the way, I am not getting paid for this plug - I just thought it was interesting. For those of you who wish to read whatever you want into Gary's songs, let me remind you of a line from 'The Crazies' - 'I only exterminate in my spare time' - now I'm sure I've heard a dalek say that very same line when asked of it's favourite pastimes...
a very Friday-afternoon Ashley X