Saxophonist Barry Edgar Pilcher passed away.

Unfortunately, another musician linked to the glorious history of the Third Ear Band has recently passed away: saxophonist Barry Edgar Pilcher, who had played with Glen Sweeney in the Hydrogen Jukebox in the spring and summer of 1967 and, many years later (1991), in one of the Third Ear Band’s final incarnations, passed away last September at the age of 83.

Mail artist Chuck Webb shared the news on his Facebook page, writing:

"We learned with great sadness that mail art friend Barry Edgar Pilcher recently passed away. Included are a few extracts from my two-volume book in progress, MAIL ART CRACKERJACKS:

Pilcher, Barry Edgar England b.1943 d.2026 File 1010

Barry Pilcher, Jazz saxophonist, beat poet, and mail artist, was born in South East London on June 10, 1943. He created many home-recorded tapes, which he began selling in small music magazines in the mid-1970s.

In the 1980s, he and his wife, Eve Pilcher, hosted many mail art visitors, including CrackerJack Kid in 1988 and, in 1989, Shozo Shimamoto, Ryosuke Cohen, Dennis Banks, and many others in the important mail art project “Sacred Run for Peace & Life.”

Barry Pilcher was a composer and improviser who performed on concert flute, clarinet, soprano sax, tenor sax, and didgeridoo. His home-taped productions of spoken-word poetry, beat, and jazz in the early 1970s are legendary.

For twenty years, Pilcher and his poet wife, Eve, were the sole permanent inhabitants of the tiny island of Inishfree off the coast of County Donegal in Ireland. The natural elements of nature inspired him, and when playing his saxophone on his island beach, Pilcher declared, “I’m playing a symphony to the shells today.”

In recent years, Barry Pilcher lived in Essex, England, and was writing a book about his life at Raven Cottage. He wrote and published scores of small poetry booklets, and his work appears in numerous small press magazines in the United Kingdom and the United States."

 

 Elektric TEB poster by Glen Sweeney (1991)

 

This archive has written about Barry on a few occasions:

 

https://ghettoraga.blogspot.com/2015/05/lost-found-news-about-barry-pilcher.html

https://ghettoraga.blogspot.com/2010/11/elektric-third-ear-band-raga-of-wind.html

https://ghettoraga.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-scene-rab-wilkies-memories-from.html

https://ghettoraga.blogspot.com/2010/06/glen-sweeney-interviewed-himself-in.html

no©2026LucaChinoFerrari (unless you intend to make a profit. In which case, ask first).  

Freelance roadie Paul Carter's random memories (part two).

Here are a few random memories from Paul, who has got back in touch, adding some interesting anecdotes to the history of our beloved band...

"TEB VCS3 synth... Glen originally bought it. I remember collecting the VCS3 from the guy who built them in Putney, Peter Zinovieff (https://www.electronicsound.co.uk/features/long-reads/the-birth-of-the-vcs-3/). I used to sit in the audience in front of the stage, facing the band and generate random noises from the VCS3. Paul Minns said his wife should 'play' the synth, as I had no musical skills, but Glen always resisted (I imagine he'd have to pay her...).

Paul Buckmaster, cellist, decided he wanted to also play electric bass guitar. He sent me off to buy him 'a bass guitar', me knowing as little about bass guitars as he did.
He referred to me anonymously in his interview as I arranged to get a guitar bridge fitted to his cello to electrify it. He thought it the first electric cello!

IOW Festival, 31-10-1969 (picture by Derek Halsal)

I was the guy who cheered Paul Minns by talking of our amps as family.

After, maybe the IOW 70 festival, I said to Glen that they rather disappeared visually on a large stage as all the other bands had masses of speakers etc. so he bought a modest, but effective WEM PA 2x10" folding columns + Audiomaster mixer."

IOW Festival, 31-10-1969 (picture by Barry Plummer/Repfoto)

no©2026LucaChinoFerrari (unless you intend to make a profit. In which case, ask first). 

TEB's roadie PAUL CARTER tells something from the past! (part one?)

Paul Carter is someone who admits to remembering very little, but who truly lived through the 1960s. However, as a freelance roadie (1969-1971), he was an eyewitness to an important period in the history of the Third Ear Band and British rock, and he deserved to be recognized. In a letter to me—just "to let me know I exist”—he mentions a few scattered but important memories, such as the time he accompanied the band to the Northumberland on Polanski’s film set or to Germany for the recording of the "Abelard & Heloise" soundtrack.

It was only right to try to interview him anyway, but he preferred to gather his memories and write them down as they came to his mind... Here’s what he told me:

"I was TEBs (freelance) roadie, 1969-1971. I took over from Steve Pank. My memory is weak, but I remember visiting Polanski on set in Northumberland with Glen and Caroline, also Abelard & Heloise in Germany. I remember with affection Blackhill Enterprises with Peter Jenner, Andrew King,Sumi. I was the roadie Simon House recalled phoning him to tell him he had the gig with TEB. I will disappoint if you ask specifics, but thought I ought to let you know I exist.  Thanks so much for your site, Paul Carter,

PS Through Blackhill I was the untitled transport manager supplying trucks, buses and drivers for the UK end of (The Great) Medicine Ball Caravan (1971), a Warner Bros. film documenting a travelling rock festival. The UK leg culminated in a little-publicised free festival near Canterbury, Kent, on 31 August 1970, featuring Pink Floyd. My regards to any surviving TEB band members and Peter & Andrew."

Few days later, new memories came from Paul... 

"My time with TEB was a happy part of my life, and the band all friends, I have always been a very private person.
Re interview, Initially I prefer to compile some anecdotes as they come back to me, stimulated by your marvellous site, then send them on.

I don't have photos of me with the band and I made a point of staying invisible on stage.
I think they took photos of all of us on, was it Primrose Hill in London?, to celebrate a solstice with the Druids. They apparently were fully fledged members and I was designated an official novice Druid.

TEB appearing in "Macbeth" by Roman Polanski.

I was 18-20  at the time and left amicably as other full time gigs were offered.
I think I then moved to Osibisa, then Rare Bird, then five years with Ten Years After. I subsequently took an unrelated job in the Middle East, where I spent the next 30 years!

I'm so lucky to be able to message with you, and have my happy memories resurface,
Thanks so much, Paul.

PS I am so sad to have just missed Carolyn, she would have remembered me well. She was smart, elegant and funny.
PPS re Road Crew, like 'Guards Guards Guards' by Terry Pratchett, we're always in the background, out of shot." 

no©2026LucaChinoFerrari (unless you intend to make a profit. In which case, ask first). 

New Musical Express in 1969 on the Hyde Park festival.

 

A short piece by Nick Logan published in New Musical Express on July 12, 1969 recounts the Rolling Stones’ legendary performance at Hyde Park in 1969. Also appearing were the Third Ear Band, King Crimson (in their first live performance in open air) and Alexis Korner’s Blues Incorporated.
Given the scale of the event – organised by Blackhill Enterprises and having gone down in rock history in a big way – there is no need to say any more.

  no©2026LucaChinoFerrari (unless you intend to make a profit. In which case, ask first).

Carolyn Looker passed away on June 24, 2026.

Dear readers and friends,

following a brief but relentless illness, my friend Carolyn passed away a few days ago at the hospice in London where she had been admitted in May. 

A long-time partner of Glen Sweeney, whom she had met in the mid-1960s, she was always a discreet person, uninterested in the limelight; an intelligent woman, curious about life, and passionate about music, visual arts, cinema and literature. She was a painter herself and had designed several of the band’s album covers.

Following Glen’s death in 2005, from her home in Hammersmith she loved traveling especially to Greece and, in recent years – much to my surprise – she often came to Rome, where she had some friends.

Although naturally reserved, she always collaborated with me on the numerous projects linked to the history and activities of the Third Ear Band, to which, with brilliant intuition, she had given the name.

                                       Me and Carolyn in London (1995).

A truly cheerful person, a child of the British counterculture, who in recent years found it hard to recognise London, which had changed radically for the worse.

My deepest condolences to her sister Gloria and the family.

A private cremation ceremony is scheduled for 2 July. Some of Carolyn’s close friends will scatter some of her ashes at Poet’s Corner (Pollinator Garden), near Glen’s.

Rest in Peace My Dear Friend! 

 

   Glen and Carolyn backstage at the Hyde Park concert (1969).

  no©2026LucaChinoFerrari (unless you intend to make a profit. In which case, ask first). 

Behind the scenes of the creation of the cover for the Essen live album.

 

When M.I.G. (Music In Germany) asked me to oversee the vinyl release of the concert TEB played at the Essen Festival on April 24, 1970 (read here), we also discussed how to design the cover. The label’s initial idea was to use a photo of the band performing live, but there were no photos from the Essen concert and those in circulation had already been used, though they were well known among fans.

So I suggested using a shot from the concert excerpt available on an illegal South American DVD, in which Sweeney and the others were filmed on stage. However, the photos I managed to extract from the DVD were not of sufficient quality to produce a professional cover.

It was at that point that M.I.G.’s graphic designer, Anna Vavatsis, came up with the idea of creating the cover artwork from one of those photos... 

 

no©2026LucaChinoFerrari (unless you intend to make a profit. In which case, ask first).

Tolkien, Muz Murray and the Third Ear Band in an interesting essay by philologist Monica Sanz.

In an interesting article entitled "Shadows of Middle-Earth: Tolkien in Subculture, Counterculture and Exploitation" written by Monica Sanz, a graduate in English Philology specialising in British Isles Literature, I was quoted for my old interview with Muz Murray (read here) about his magazine "Gandalf's Garden' and his relationship with the Third Ear Band.

The seat of Gandalf's Garden in Chelsea (London), circa 1969. Photo: Colin Bord.

Sanz, an expert on J.R.R. Tolkien, reflects in his essay on the influence exerted by the writer on contemporary culture. “Tolkien's works have inspired many artists,” he explains in the abstract of the essay, "who reflected their 

Muz Murray and Jaya Amler  (photo by Colin Bord).

"views on illustrations, music, cinema or comics. But they also have inspired unexplored niches of artistic realisations, their influence reaching even subcultural and countercultural movements. Through Tolkien’s personal view of applicability and his aim to leave inspiration for other hands to complete his masterpieces, and by adopting a Cultural Studies perspective, this essay will take you on an unexpected journey through lesser known cultural phenomena that resonate with Tolkien’s works as inspiration, justification, appropriation or reflection. The results of such interactions may surprise you, as well as they could surprise Tolkien himself, but they prove to be worth the study as independent entities touched by the Professor’s writings."

"Gandalf's Garden" issue 1 (1968).

The essay can be downloaded free of charge from the Academia website at

https://www.academia.edu/99237418/Shadows_of_Middle_Earth_Tolkien_in_Subculture_Counterculture_and_Exploitation

no©2026LucaChinoFerrari (unless you intend to make a profit. In which case, ask first). 

American label published vinyl edition of the Elements album in August 2025.

In August 2025, the American label Antarctica Starts Here (San Francisco, California) released the remastered vinyl edition of Third Ear Band's second album (catalog number ASH 104) under license from Cherry Red Records. Following the release of “Alchemy” by Esoteric Recordings (2019) and “Music from Macbeth” by Spain's Munster Records (2020), the release of the Elements album completes the remastering of the Harvest catalog on vinyl, arriving just as long-playing records are enjoying a renaissance.

Comparing my original 1970 gatefold edition (SHSP 773) with this one, it must be said that the packaging of Antarctica Starts Here faithfully reproduces that of Harvest, but features a much thicker cardboard sleeve with bright, more contrasting colors. Inside, this new edition features brilliant black-and-white photo and drawings without (of course) the EMI-Harvest label and the catalog number.

On a colorful insert, brief notes by Dave Segal outline the band's history.

And how does the record sound?

Despite its decidedly dull label, the vinyl sounds really good, with brilliant dynamics, full-bodied sound, which, on my stereo system, make listening (especially at high volume) a unique, truly extraordinary experience that even shakes my conviction that “Alchemy” is my favourite album...

Distributed in regular record stores, it costs between 30 and 40 euros, and can be purchased on the label website (https://www.superiorviaduct.com/collections/catalogue/products/third-ear-band-s-t-lp) for 25 dollars.

 no©2026LucaChinoFerrari (unless you intend to make a profit. In which case, ask first). 

Penny Valentine interviewed Paul Buckmaster for Sounds in May 1971.

Every time I discover an old interview with Paul Buckmaster somewhere I'm glad to share it with all the TEB fans because Paul was a clever, smart guy, an extremely talented musician, a genius of creativity... and it always a gift to read his thoughts on paper.

Here we have an interview with Penny Valentine, published in Sounds on 29 May 1971, during a very creative period of his burgeoning career: although he was only 26, he had already produced some of Elton John's albums, arranged the score for Lewis Gilbert's film "Friends" (music by Elton John and lyrics by Bernie Taupin), arranged two tracks for the Rolling Stones' "Sticky Fingers", arranged David Bowie's masterpiece "Space Oddity" ...

no©2026LucaChinoFerrari (unless you intend to make a profit. In which case, ask first). 

A rare interview with Ursula Smith and Richard Coff in 1970 after their departure from the TEB.

Here is a rare interview with Ursula Smith and Richard Coff conducted by Steve Peacock and published by Sounds on October 17, 1970, just immediately following their departure from the Third Ear Band to form the duo COMIC OVERDOSE (according to other sources, COSMIC OVERDOSE). 

It's an interesting and exclusive overview of the duo's artistic project, which nevertheless failed shortly afterwards due to its naive approach. In fact, as Ursula recalled in the interview she gave me in 2001 (read here), 

"Richard and I did some rehearsing and got some ideas together. Richard rang the "Melody Maker" music paper and got an interview, but we had not got equipment or management or agency.
We were busking near Speaker's Corner Hyde Park when this South African guy came up to chat to us, and said he knew a guy who ran an equipment shop and he could get us some equipment there.
 

"We went to the shop and Richard spoke to the manager who told us that this person was an intelligence agent for the South African government and that we should be very wary of him.
After that Richard rejoined the Third Ear Band and so did Paul Buckmaster. Soon after that the Third Ear Band got signed for doing the music for Polanski’s "Macbeth"...".

Thanks to Italian fan Gianpaolo Banelli for finding the article and to my friend Mirco Delfino (Third Ear Band Facebook page) for bringing it to my attention.

no©2026LucaChinoFerrari (unless you intend to make a profit. In which case, ask first). 

Thanks!

When I conceived and created this archive in November 2009 to fill the void of information and knowledge about the Third Ear Band, the group was still shrouded in mystery. There was a fan page on Facebook recently set up by my friend Mirco Delfino (still active today at https://it-it.facebook.com/third.ear.band/), but mainstream information was limited to the classic, incomplete Wikipedia entry or the superficial, summary reconstructions of bloggers or journalists both on the web and in the few articles in print.

In agreement with the heirs of the band members, despite the unwillingness of a suspicious Richard Coff to cooperate, the main objective of the archive was to collect all available material and attempt a more in-depth study of the experience, encouraging fans to contribute materials, writings, suggestions, etc.

This would result, among other things, in a new book (published by November Books in 2020), the remastering of the Harvest catalog (thanks to the acquisition of rights by Cherry Red/Esoteric Recordings), the recovery of live and radio sessions online and on disc, and the discovery of the ‘third’ lost album (The Dragon Wakes)...

Today, I can say that it was definitely worth it, and the results have proven those who, like Mirco and myself, believed it was necessary to return to investigate this obscure story right:

Last month, the archive exceeded one million views (1,014,648 as of January 3, 2026), with 594 files available for reading and 771 comments.

Among the browsers most used by readers, Google ranks first; among platforms, Facebook ranks first; the top five countries of origin are the US, Singapore, Hong Kong, Russia, and the UK.

The most read article was the interview with Ursula Smith of the July 2011 with over 4.000 views; followed by the chronology “A TEB day-by-day chronology” (part one), and interviews with Paul Buckmaster and the chief druid, graphic designer of “Alchemy,” David Loxley.

Articles, reflections, suggestions, interviews available free of charge, in a world of information that over the last twenty years has monetized everything possible, often enriching the most cunning.

I know for a fact that Glen would have disapproved of the choice of a free archive, accessible to anyone, without filters, but this is the idea I have always had of culture, which must circulate freely, without constraints, because it is first and foremost a collective product, even when our narcissism leads us to believe that it is solely ‘our own thing’.

I would certainly have liked to see more active participation from readers, but the original decision to use Google's Blogspot undoubtedly affected access, which was less direct and easier than on other platforms (such as Facebook or Instagram). The frequent practice of certain mainstream journalists who use the contents of this Archive without citing the source is also unpleasant, but I believe it is the price you pay for being free, for not belonging to the many “churches” out there. On a few occasions, I have also noticed the annoyance of certain British magazines (I am thinking in particular of Mojo and Uncut) at having to accept the evidence that it was an Italian who initiated the long research that unveiled the “arcane mysteries” of the Third Ear Band, a classic example of British chauvinism that considers certain cultural objects to be exclusive...

However, the aim was first and foremost to offer a reflection on the content, rather than simply providing unfiltered information (from historical data, the opinions of those who were there, etc.). This made the Archive appealing to those seeking in-depth knowledge that lasts, rather than the mere disposable information that characterizes social media, which is often mired in meaningless chatter, unfortunately typical of many pop and rock music fans.

Thank you, therefore, to all those who have approached this Archive over the last fifteen years. Thank you especially to those who have actively collaborated by sending writings, suggestions, reflections, and analyses.

Special thanks to Mirco Delfino, who was undoubtedly a driving force behind the creation of this project; to musicians Sedayne (Sean Breadin) and Alessandro Monti for their consistently insightful analyses of TEB's music; and to passionate fans such as Will Hullbert and Pooka, who are always attentive and inspiring.

To all the protagonists of the scene who kindly gave interviews and exclusive contributions—from Carolyn Looker to Steve Pank, from David Loxley to Mary Hayes; Ursula Smith, Mick Carter, Denim Bridges, Clive Kingsley, Dave Harries, Allen Samuel, Morgan Fisher, Lyn Dobson, Brian Diprose, Brian Meredith, Ray Stevenson, and Muz Murray. To the musicians I interviewed about their relationship with TEB music, such as Francesco Paolo Paladino, Jenny Sorrenti, Tullio Angelini, Vincenzo Zitello, and Roberto Musci...

I must also thank publishers Marcello Baraghini (Stampa Alternativa) and Chris Cutler (November Books) for their courage in accepting the challenge of publishing a book about the Third Ear Band.

Remembering especially those who are sadly no longer with us: Glen Sweeney, Paul Minns, Dave Tomlin, Paul Buckmaster, Simon House, Terry Day, Rod Goodway, Mel Davis, Roger Bunn, Jim Haynes, John Hoppy Hopkins.

 

Quando nel novembre 2009 ho ideato e realizzato questo archivio per rispondere al vuoto di informazioni e di conoscenza sulla Third Ear Band, intorno al gruppo aleggiava ancora un alone di mistero.  Esisteva su Facebook una pagina per fans da poco allestita dall'amico Mirco Delfino (ancora oggi attiva all'indirizzo https://it-it.facebook.com/third.ear.band/), ma l'informazione mainstream era limitata alla classica, lacunosa voce di Wikipedia o alle superficiali, sommarie ricostruzioni di blogger o giornalisti sia sul Web che sugli scarsi articoli a stampa.

In accordo con gli eredi dei membri della band, nonostante la non disponibilità a collaborare di un sospettoso Richard Coff, il principale obiettivo dell'archivio era quello di raccogliere tutto il materiale  disponibile e tentare una ricerca più a fondo dell'esperienza, stimolando l'iniziativa degli appassionati a contribuire con materiali, scritti, suggerimenti...

Ne sarebbe scaturito, tra l'altro, un nuovo libro (pubblicato da November Books nel 2020), la rimasterizzazione del catalogo Harvest (grazie all'acquisizione dei diritti da parte di Cherry Red/Esoteric Recordings), il recupero di live e radio session on line e su disco, la realizzazione del 'terzo' disco perduto (The Dragon Wakes)...

Oggi posso dire che ne è valsa senz'altro la pena e i risultati hanno dato ragione a chi, come me e Mirco, ha creduto fosse necessario indagare più a fondo questa storia oscura:

lo scorso mese l'archivio ha superato il milione di visualizzazioni (1.014.648 al 3 gennaio 2026), con 594 file disponibili alla lettura e 771 commenti.

Tra i browser più utilizzati dai lettori, Google: tra le piattaforme, Facebook; i primi cinque paesi di provenienza USA, Singapore, Honk Kong, Russia e UK.

Quanto all'articolo più letto, l'intervista a Ursula Smith del luglio 2011 ha avuto oltre 4.000 visualizzazioni; a seguire, la cronologia "A TEB day-by-day chronology" (prima parte), e le interviste a Paul Buckmaster e al chief druid, grafico di " Alchemy", David Loxley.

Articoli, riflessioni, suggestioni, interviste consultabili gratuitamente, in un mondo dell'informazione che negli ultimi vent'anni monetizza tutto il possibile, arricchendo spesso i più scaltri.

So per certo che Glen avrebbe biasimato la scelta di un archivio gratuito, accessibile a chiunque, senza filtri, ma è questa l'idea che ho da sempre della cultura, che deve circolare libera, senza vincoli, perché è anzitutto un prodotto collettivo, anche quando il nostrio narcisismo ci induce a credere che sia soltanto 'farina del nostro sacco'.

Avrei senz'altro auspicato una maggiore partecipazione attiva da parte dei lettori, ma la scelta originaria di utilizzare Blogspot di Google ha senz'altro condizionato gli accessi, meno diretti e facilitati rispetto ad altre piattaforme (vedi Facebook o Instagram). Sgradevole è poi la prassi frequente di certo giornalismo mainstream che utilizza i contenuti di questo Archivio senza citare la fonte, ma credo sia il prezzo che si paga ad essere liberi, a non appartenere alle tante "chiese" in circolazione. Ho avvertito in alcune occasioni anche il fastidio di certe riviste inglesi (penso soprattutto a Mojo e a Uncut) nel dover accettare l'evidenza che è partita da un italiano la lunga ricerca che ha disvelato i 'misteri arcani' della Third Ear Band, un classico dello sciovinismo britannico che considera esclusivi certi oggetti culturali...

Ma l'obiettivo era quello di offrire anzitutto una riflessione sui contenuti, prima che limitarsi a proporre informazioni non filtrate (dai dati storici, dalle opinioni di chi c'era...), rendendo questo archivio congeniale a chi è alla ricerca di una conoscenza approfondita che resta, non alla mera informazione usa e getta che caratterizza i social media, sprofondati molto spesso in un chiaccericcio fine a se stesso, purtroppo tipico di molti fan della musica pop e rock.

Grazie quindi a tutti coloro che in questi ultimi quindici anni si sono avvicinati a questo Archivio. Grazie soprattutto a chi ha collaborato attivamente, inviando scritti, suggerimenti, riflessioni, analisi.

Un ringraziamento particolare a Mirco Delfino, che fu senz'altro uno stimolo per la nascita di questo progetto; ai musicisti Sedayne (Sean Breadin) e Alessandro Monti per le loro sempre acute analisi della musica della TEB; ai fan appassionati come Will Hullbert e Pooka, sempre attenti e stimolanti.

A tutti i protagonisti della scena che si sono prestati gentilmente a interviste e contributi esclusivi - da Carolyn Looker a Steve Pank, da David Loxley a Mary Hayes; Ursula Smith, Mick Carter, Denim Bridges, Clive Kingsley, Dave Harries, Allen Samuel, Morgan Fisher, Lyn Dobson, Brian Diprose, Brian Meredith, Ray Stevenson, Muz Murray... Ai musicisti che ho intervistato sui loro rapporti con la musica della TEB, come Francesco Paolo Paladino, Jenny Sorrenti, Tullio Angelini, Vincenzo Zitello, Roberto Musci...

Non posso non ringraziare, inoltre, gli editori Marcello Baraghini (Stampa Alternativa) e Chris Cutler (November Books) per il coraggio nell'aver accettato la sfida commerciale di pubblicare un libro sulla Third Ear Band. 

Ricordando soprattutto chi purtroppo non c'è più: Glen Sweeney, Paul Minns, Dave Tomlin, Paul Buckmaster, Simon House, Terry Day, Rod Goodway, Mel Davis, Roger Bunn, Jim Haynes, John Hoppy Hopkins.

no©2026LucaChinoFerrari (unless you intend to make a profit. In which case, ask first).