Age: (in 1977): 24.

Home: Outlane, near Huddersfield, Yorkshire.

Family: Lives alone in a caravan and the partly built house on the Moors.

Appearance: craggy, rugged, morose. Usually dressed in work clothes.

Occupation: builder.

Interests: playing the saxophone.

Barrie starts as a bit player but becomes increasingly involved in the goings-on.

The real Barrie is David Worth, to whom I’ve dedicated the book. In the mid 70’s I auditioned him as a bass player for my band ‘Listen.’ He arrived in long, flowing patchwork cloak. This, together with his striking good looks and  shoulder length black hair set him apart from the others. His recollection is that because he was still there when the other bass players had departed reinforced my decision to take him on.

In later years David took up the saxophone and became far more proficient than his character in Overtones. Also, unlike Barrie, Dave had a very upbeat personality.