When it's gone, it's gone...

One of the earliest commercial recordings of Bradbury stories is a 1962 LP featuring Burgess Meredith reading two stories: "There Will Come Soft Rains" and "Marionettes, Inc."

As far as I know, this has never been released on any other format. The LPs are not exactly rare - they pop up on eBay from time to time.

The estimable Zombie Astronaut, whose blog is a constant source of audio rareties, some classic, some just bizarre, has posted MP3 files of this LP. I don't know how long the link will stay active, so you should listen while you still can: click here.

For more information on Bradbury material released on tape or disc, see my list here.

Bradbury radio shows

I am often asked whether it is possible to download old radio shows that Bradbury was involved with, or shows that adapted his stories. The answer is yes, but don't expect to be able to find everything. Some material (very little, admittedly) is available commercially on tape or disc; visit my audio page for some links for specific shows, but don't be surprised if the shows are no longer available.

One of the better download sites for old radio shows is Zootradio. You have to register (for free) for access to the downloads, but it holds a wealth of material that in my view beats any other free site on the web. For Bradbury material, you should head straight for Dimension X and X Minus One. These series presented a number of Martian Chronicles stories, and other gems such as "Marionettes, Inc".

Unfortunately, another site that was good for the occasional Bradbury gem, Gwangi's Blog, looks like it's closing soon, at least as far as live download links are concerned.