Of this time, George Melly wrote of Core: "an exaggerated child of that extraordinary decade, he made experimental films, bought and designed for a New York boutique, illustrated rather outré books published in limited editions, and worked on an extreme persona.
As someone for whom hallucinatory powers were already part of his armoury, and for whom work is of primary importance, chemical stimulae appeared not only unnecessary, but a threat to creation.
In 1975, in his mid-twenties, he settled permanently in London, living in a flat in Elephant and Castle that was painted completely black, before moving to a spacious apartments in Holland Park.
It was an economically depressed period in the UK, but Core managed to gain some income contributing art work to gay magazines, and via private commissions.
His encyclopaedic knowledge of lesser-known figures in nineteenth and twentieth century culture led to him becoming a commentator on the BBC Radio 4 programme Kaleidoscope.