Sounds about right to me

Touch-a-Touch My Body

My latest single, "Touch-a-Touch My Body" - coming soon to some obscure radio stations nowhere near you. I paid some money for them to play it.

Gaz-urrection of the Daleks

Here are some pics of that place in London where they filmed "Resurrection of the Daleks". It is Shad Thames near Tower bridge. I always wanted to go there since I saw that episode, and happened to be there by accident. I didn't have a camera with my, so it was very lucky that my mobile cordless telephone has a function whereby photographs may be taken. I actually took these pics months ago in Aug 2009. Only just got around to posting them here...

A pic of Davo on location in 1984 or whenever

Photos of the day: Shanghai

Below are some pics taken last Saturday from the top of the Shanghai World Financial Center (inset - the one that looks like a giant beer bottle opener). It's an absolutely massive building - one of the tallest in the world. It's a spectacular view from there I must say - everything looks unreal like toytown! Even the other skyscrapers look pathetically tiny from the top of this beast. As impressive as the view is, I wasn't too keen on Shanghai. The tower was a sod to get to from my hotel, requiring a subway journey (just to cross the river), and much scrambling across building sites. I was also harrassed by every scam-artist, beggar and "art teacher" during my very short visit to Shanghai. I was actually glad to leave in the end!

Read up about the "Shanghai Scam" here and here. Male tourists beware!

Photo of the day: Revolving restaurant

DrGaz on the Keys: Menuet en Rondeau

Download MP3

Here's a tune I recorded on the piano today. I hope you like it. Click on the player to listen or right mouse click the "download MP3" link and use 'save link as' to download the MP3.

This piece is by Jean-Philippe Rameau and is from an ABRSM book I'm working on at the moment called Baroque Keyboard Pieces Book 1, Edited by Richard Jones. I think that Baroque isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I really enjoy working on these pieces.

DrGaz in New York

This was taken last Sunday in Times Square in New York. What an amazing city! Only had a weekend to explore - nowhere near enough time to do the place justice. Stayed in a hotel literally around the corner from where I took this photo. This hotel, although not lavish, was clean, tidy, recently refurbished and great value at $130 per night. That's amazing considering the sort of s**thole you'd get in the middle of London for that money.

Photo of the day: Sainsbury's "large" onions

I don't have a complaint about the quality of these onions, but Sainsbury's are taking the piss with their description. I can't see how an onion with a diameter of 60mm can be considered large, and at £1.29 for 3, these tiny onions are damn expensive. I bought these onions online, so had no way of actually telling how big "large" would be.

"Hartnell's Armpit" - The Doctor Who Gossip Rag

Here's some general Doctor Who related silliness for you. This is a cover for a Doctor Who gossip magazine I invented called "Hartnell's Armpit" (click to enlarge). It's basically my version of one of those trashy celebrity gossip mags for the Doctor Who world! I have done my best to ensure that it is as tasteless as possible. Watch this space for more of this stuff, folks!

Sevans Models: A review

As featured in Doctor Who Monthly Issue #132 (January 1988), here is an article reviewing new kits from SEVANS Models.

It’s been a busy year for SEVANS Models, for aside from the five brand new kits available now, they are going into a new venture – pre-assembled models shipped out and ready-made and only in need of a lick of paint. The perfect solution for those who just want the finished article, rather than all the fiddling around that preceeds it!

The new models are much simpler to build than the original Dalek issued back in 1983, so that construction is within the grasp of ninety-five percent of fans, regardless of modelling ability. Yet, for those who still aren’t courageous enough to have a go, he is engaging out-workers to produce the final unpainted items at a price which should still make them attractive to the bulk of readers.

All the models will, of course, still be available in construction kit form, so let’s see what’s on offer this Christmas and for the coming year.

One general improvement to all the models is on the packaging front; the same sturdy boxes are used, but now the two-tone cover art has been replaced by photographic colour pictures of the assembled contents in appropriate settings.

The New Dalek will doubtless soon be familiar to you all and needs little comment, save to say that these really are Daleks! Excellent though the original was, these are far more aggressive, pepperpotty and menacing. The metal collar mesh adds considerably to the effect, as does the new neck, with its eight separate rods which now actually push through holes in the three neck rings, just like the real thing!

K9 and the Ice Warriors benefit from extensive painting guides which, unlike many other commercial kits, not only tell you what to paint but how to paint it – brush techniques, etc

The long-awaited Davros kit is also hot off the press, and by far the speediest and easiest to build of all the SEVANS range, with only two dozen basic components.

The skirt, being flat-surfaced panels, fairly flies together, and the Lad himself, based entirely on the original Michael Wisher Genesis version, comprises five pieces! The two body halves and wrist are plastic, while the head is one solid resin and the hand one solid metal forming. The model pictured here is shown at a stage of construction prior to the chair-back and microphone being installed.

The extensive painting directions feature a stage-by-stage photographically illustrated guide on how to recreate the realistic flesh effects shown here.

The Mk6 Cyberman Kit, advertised a year ago and withdrawn by Stuart prior to release, because it did not meet with his standards, is also now available and, judging by the accompanying photograph of one made “straight from the box”, was well worth the wait.

The bulk of the bodywork is again plastic, though the helmet and gun are one-piece solid resin castings. The “ear-jugs” are metal and slot in place, while the clear plastic hose pipes dog into pre-drilled holes in either cheek.

This kit features the widest variety of components yet seen, with pre-printed decals, reflective tapes, springs, miniature body netting, clear mouldings, fabric gun strap, etc. Don’t be put off by any of this, though, or by the apparent complexity of the photograph. Construction time is only about an hour-and-a-half and painting two hours.

Stuart painted the model shown here himself, and chose to enhance the “wear and tear” aspect to achieve a battle-weary trooper. Full details of all paint variations are given in the kit and the arms and hands can be varied to create a choice of poses.

Finally, a new departure. SEVANS are now licensed by BBC Enterprises to produce the full range of Cyberman helmets from Tenth Planet to date! They are full size, extremely robust and come ready-made and painted! The Earthshock variant pictured is from the first batch and shows very clearly the eye mesh and ear hoses fitted as standard.

These helmets are pulled from the same moulds as the original TV props, only in thick plastic, instead of fibreglass. Partially foam-lines and with a removable back-plate, they should be available shortly, but only in one colour, Gloss Black, as in tests, Silver was shown to wear very badly and looked cheap.

No special tools or glues are required to build SEVANS Model Kits, just the regular sort you will find at all Hobby or Modelling Shops.

Should you require any further details, write to SEVANS Models PO Box 34, Trowbridge, Wiltshire BA14 8XY, England. Only do please send an SAE (UK), or one dollar bill (Overseas) for your reply.