VALUE ADDED FACTS

"RELAXED, IMPROVISED MUSIC, DEFYING CATEGORY"

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lan Shirley, Editor Emeritus of the Rare Record Price Guide, answers your questions

EAR ALL ABOUT IT

The best thing for me about the vinyl revival is that my kids and grandkids find it easier to buy me presents. So it was very nice to receive a copy of the Third Ear Band's Alchemy for Christmas. It was, of course, a reissue but a nice copy that took me back more than a few decades when I dropped the needle on it. I have an original copy from 1969, too, and dug it out to play by comparison. It saw a lot of action in the 70s and is only in VG condition today. There are plenty of hairlines on both sides although the sleeve is VG+. Just for fun, could you tell me if my VG original is worth more than my Christmas present?

Mark Kallager via email

The Third Ear Band came together through a process of elimination. The wonderfully named Giant Sun Trolley were active on the live scene in the late 60s, as were Hydrogen Jukebox. The Third Ear Band formed when these two groups combusted. An all-acoustic line-up solidified around Glen Sweeney (percussion), Paul Minns (oboe, recorder), Mel Davis (cello), Dave Tomlin (guitar, violin) and Richard Coff (violin, viola). The interest in Indian music spurred by The Beatles helped the band whose live performances comprised extended acoustic pieces and tapped into ragas and folk.