The last TEB cornucopia: what's happened to the 1971 Balham Studios sessions? (an update).

Dear TEB addicts,

what's happened to the project of realising the last cornucopia of TEB unrealised tracks? Denim Bridges, who owns the old recordings played in February 1971 by the Band at the Balham Studios for an announced "The Dragon Wakes" record never realised, wrote me a brief e-mail few days ago.

Here's the stuff:

"Hi, Luca, 2016 has been a busy year for me so far with live shows in USA, the Moody Blues cruise and a short tour of UK all with Renaissance. 

I did a little work on TEB in 2015 but it still did not result in enough material for a CD. I'm sure you once asked me in an email 'who is Mary Minns?'; I see from a recent addition to Ghettoraga that you now know. I am very interested in the details in the 'interview' with regard to Paul's children. It may have relevance if I can make something of the old recordings. I am in UK and spending some time in London. 

I will be until July 24th and could be available to talk or meet with anyone concerned. You can give my email to whomever. Best regards, 

Denny".

So we know now that something's moving and maybe in 2017 we can finally have that great obscure album available...

                                                               (Courtesy of Mary Hayes)

 no©2016 Luca Ferrari (unless you intend to make a profit. In which case, ask first)     

"With the obsession of the reed". The second part of the exclusive interview with MARY HAYES.

Here's the second part of the exclusive interview with Mary Hayes, Paul Minns' former wife. The first part is available at the page http://ghettoraga.blogspot.it/2015/06/interview-with-mary-hayes-paul-minns.html
As you can see, it's not the best interview about the TEB made by me, but it's an evidence that a good interview is based on a good interaction between the parts...

You told me about your marriage with Paul...

"Initially, my marriage took place with Paul Minns in 1969 and should read as Mrs Mary Minns. I was married to Paul, along with our adopted son, Matthew, 25.10. 1967, and then we had our son, Tristram, 18.06.1970 and our daughter, Amber, 04.09.1972. 

Through the early part of our relationship and marriage, Paul played the oboe, this closeness with the oboe led to the Third Ear Band since 1969. He aimed to be a qualified classical oboist player and played at the National Youth Orchestra
I noted that Paul's dedication in playing the oboe with the obsession of the reed - meant that most mornings he practised and improved. The perfection of the oboe, was for Paul, enhanced by the reed and was valuable to his playing, with the intense sound of the oboe's performance - harmoniously expressed and shined through."


"Paul also became a qualified book designer by choice due to his fathers, Francis Minns encouragement. Annually, the Francis Minns Book Design Award arose because he was admired and recognised as a great Book Designer. "

"In terms of life - Paul's loss of his mother and father during the air crash in 1971, then Yugoslavia, was a devastating blow to him - and affected his life. Fortunately, in 1972, we had a daughter, called Amber. In 1980 - 1982, life fell apart, in terms of breakdown - and in 1982, the story goes onwards with Paul's meeting of Kathryn and their joint marriage - and leaving England for Scotland.

Had you ever had contacts with Paul after that?
"As you are aware, the story I heard was Paul's marriage to Kathryn fell apart, and then Kathryn went to Morocco for a month, then back home again, however, the situation had changed and Paul had chosen to take his own life. This could have been Paul's sadness with the loss of his dog and horse - but the impact was strong and neither Matthew, Tristram and Amber ever saw Paul again.

                           A teen Paul Minns (courtesy of Mary Haynes).

In September, 2015, I heard that Kathryn (Ade) had died a few years ago. Paul and Kathryn had no children, however, she was registered with PRS (Performance Rights Society). On this occasion, today, I rang Performance Rights Society to enable Paul's children to eventually become knowledgeable about Paul's musical experience, but now have to know about the occasion of Kathryn's death and if she left a will? I know you've the history about Kathryn and Paul, so you may be helpful in information-." 
no©2016 Luca Ferrari (unless you intend to make a profit. In which case, ask first)  

"Paul Minns ruled the nature and shape of the Third Ear Band...". Interview with MARY HAYES, Paul Minns' former wife! (part one)

After many years one believes to know almost everything about a certain thing, but surprises are fatally behind the corner... 
On March 3rd, 2014 Mary Hayes wrote me an unexpected letter through my personal e-mail (read it at http://ghettoraga.blogspot.it/2015/04/good-chances-to-have-soon-interview.html).

So after some months we arranged a multi-parts story about Paul, her and his family, a way for investigating the true origins of the TEB from a different point of view...

"In 1967, I first met Paul when I was living in Oxford Garden W11. Paul lived close by in Elgin Road, W 11. Both addresses are in Ladbroke Grove - known as part of the Grove.
Historically and educationally, Paul's life was different in regards to his earlier Senior school years at the London's City School for Boys, on the river Thames - probably as a Chorister scholar and was a student of the oboe and piano.

Paul's experience of musical life started as a member for the British Youth Orchestra as an oboist player - and work wise, he became a book typographically designer. Paul, therefore, had two careers, one as a musician, and two, a career as a book designer, both areas he was a brilliant artist. Paul was not affected by musical tastes, he was a natural with his interest in playing the oboe, and obsessed with the oboe sounding beautiful in musical overtones, and would constantly practice getting the reed and oboe right in tone and expression.

Paul and Mary after  married with friends

At this period, the Third Ear Band was in its babyhood, created by Glen Sweeney, drummer, and Paul Minns, oboist.
Glen Sweeney's method was tinkering with musical articulation - osculating with musical rhythms - Drum rhythms, jazz orientated. For Glen Sweeney, the meeting with Paul was visually, a dream come true.

Paul Minns playing the oboe became intermingled with a vision of Asian and Indian harmonies matched by musical and classical overtones. Musically, Paul's playing of the oboe became imbued by hauntingly melancholic sounds by escalating expression in nature and harmonies in mysticism.

A very young Paul Minns (courtesy of Mary Haynes)

Both good - for Paul Minns was the first musical debut for the Third Ear Band. Paul Minns playing became a masterly use of the 'oboe' and its mysticism. Both bad, because Glen wanted glory in his own articulate mould - as a success story. Glen Sweeney pushed the group - and Paul Minns, by playing the oboe - ruled the nature and shape of the Third Ear Band from 1966 -1989, which in essence would have been forever expanded musically".

(end of part one - to be continued)

no©2015 Luca Ferrari (unless you intend to make a profit. In which case, ask first)    

Good chances to have soon an interview with Mrs Mary Hayes, Paul Minns' first wife!

Last year, on March 3rd, 2014, from the unscrutable waves of the Internet, Mrs Mary Hayes came out with this message to my personal e-mail:

Mrs Hayes in December 2011.

"Hello Dopachino.

Sometime ago, I saw your archive on the Third Ear Band. My name is Mary Hayes, and it has been on my mind for quite a few years that I should write to you in reference to Paul Minns, the oboist of the Third Ear Band. 

I am not sure if you have the full biography details of Paul Minns personal life and family, and therefore, feel I should give you a brief background. I was Paul Minns first wife, Mary Minns, we were married in 1969, and we had three children, Matthew Minns, Tristram Minns and Amber Amber Minns. 

We divorced in 1980 or thereabouts. Paul Minns later married Katherine, who is now deceased, they had no children, and therefore, Paul's children would be relevant to any biography details published in archive material or on line. I remember, at the time of coming across your archive that you were going to carry out an interview with Caroline, Glen's partner, so you may already have this information. The Third Ear Band Archive looks very good, and captures the essence of the Third Ear Bands character and music. The music was all improvised, Paul's oboe, being the central musical component of the bands musical expression. 

Regards,

Mary Minns nee Mary Hayes".

It is obvious that  I was really surprised of this, because I was ignoring Paul was married with another woman before his relationship with Kathryn Ade, his wife at the time when I knew him. Whem I met him in the '80's he never told me about this, even because I was not so involved into collecting informations about private biographies...

Tristram Minns

Anyway, from that day of March 2014, I've tried to have a proper interview with her, but for some reasons nothing happened. 

Now we are still in contact and there are good chanches Ghettoraga Archive can collect another important testimony about the Band's history.

no©2015 Luca Ferrari (unless you intend to make a profit. In which case, ask first)