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 views on 

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

"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).