Vinyl D&D

 

 

VINYL: D&D

So, here's something I've had for years and never taken a good look at, much less given it a listen. A decade and more before the audio-cd adventures, some of which I worked on (edited Tim Beach's HAIL THE HEROES and wrote the cd script for Jeff Grubb's MARK OF AMBER),  TSR had tried something else along the same lines, albeit less ambitious. This had taken the form of a read-along book with accompanying record (a .45 rpm in size but .33/3 in speed). 

 

Released by Kid Stuff records & tapes in 1984, there were at least two of these: ATTACK OF THE ASSASSINS (#KSR 839) and QUEST OF THE RIDDLES (#KSR 840). Both are prominently branded as 'DUNGEONS & DRAGONS (TM) BOOK AND RECORDING' with the TSR logo 'used under license'. 

 

No identification of author or artist appears in the booklet, but the record label itself bears the credit "Written and produced by John Bradon" while the flip side lacks the mention of Bradon but explicitly states that TSR approves this recording.

 

 

The book itself strongly resembles a Little Golden Book, for those whose childhoods reach back so far. The simple story contained within has Kelek the wicked sorcerer ordering Zarak the half-orc assassin to kidnap Mercion, a powerful cleric, and then lure Strongheart (the hero of this little tale) into a trap when he comes to rescue her. Other characters either appear briefly (Ringlerun, depicted in the art as a Gandalfian wizard) and Graznak (one of the half-orcs) or remain offstage, like Warduke the villian.

 

Perhaps the oddest thing about this minor relic of the past is that these two records were from what seems to have been an established series. Others listed in the back of the booklet include Mr. Potato Head and 2001 Space Odyssey, Barbie and My Little Pony. Flash Gordon is here but not Buck Rogers. James Bond 007  makes the list, though I'm curious what they wd have made of Bond's violence and womanizing.

 

All in all, one of the odder licences TSR tried out during its initial boom.

 

--John R.

xx