Three very similar CD's!

Released in the UK as part of The Musicals Collection back in 1995, this disc featured the vocal talents of Howard Samuels as Frank 'n' Furter, Aidan Bell as Riff Raff, Anita Dobson ('Angie' of Eastenders fame!) as Magenta, Christopher Lee as the Narrator, Kim Criswell as Janet, Tim Flavin as Brad, Issy Van Randwyck as Columbia, Adam Kane as Rocky, Brian Greene as Dr Scott and Emma Bullard, Jackie Crawford, Lian Regan, Andrew Halliday, Adam Le Clair & Paul Manuel as the Phantoms.
Playing Time: 41.11 (41.07 on my player)

The style of the songs is very much early stage show, more like the original cast recording than the Picture Show. Most tracks are understated by modern arrangements of the music, however the cast do a good job of bringing the stage show feel to the album. This cast never performed the show to an audience, this was recorded at Abbey Road Studios (yep, where the Beatles recorded all those years ago) in 1995. Anita Dobson is a real surprise, but does make a good Magenta.

The Musicals Collection was a monthly magazine here in the U.K. one of those 'builds in only three years into the essential collection of your favourite musicals - free binder with issue one!'. You could only buy this CD with the magazine. although the CD is no longer available as the 'Musicals Collection', I have found a very similar version available as The Rocky Horror Show Selected Highlights on the Curtain Call label (CURTCD002) all that seems to be different is the final reprise of Science Fiction Double Feature is missing and the album cover is changed. The version shown right is available mail order via Amazon, click the link below to buy a copy. More of interest for those of us in the UK as we have had the pleasure of seeing Howard Samuels and Aiden Bell on tour here.

BEST VERSION
Yep, there is another version available too (CDTER 1221) and it's by far the best of all of them. First off a lot of the Show Narration is added and best of all BRIAN MAY (of Queen!) is Eddie. You get the best ever version of Hot Patootie I have heard, Rocky meets Queen. Next you get an illustrated booklet, detailing some of the history of Rocky. Best of all you get all the numbers, rather than just a selection as in the other two CD's, giving fifteen minutes more than the Musicals Collection CD. This is the best of the bunch, buy it for Brian May alone. If it is a choice of the three, this is the one to go for to get the most songs and narration, however if you ever see a copy of the Musicals Collection CD, buy it for it's collecting appeal, that is unless they ever re-release the series! Playing Time: 56.17