In 2012 I did some research for this Archive to find out which Third Ear Band radio sessions were still in the BBC vaults. I asked archive manager Simon Gurney, who said that "the man in charge of the Transcription Discs here had checked and can confirm that none exist with the Third Ear Band. You can safely say you have exhausted your search in this regard".
From a historiographical point of view, the band here is in a state of grace, shortly before the "Sun Wheel Ceremony" at the Royal Festival Hall (24 June) and the recording of "Abelard & Heloise" soundtrack (2 and 3 July). The quartet has been playing together for months and has recently recorded its second album that will be published in those days, despite the fact at the beginning of July Ursula Smith and Richard Coff will leave the group to try their luck in a short-lived duo.
But...
Even more unusual is the following track, “Feel Your Head”, a ballad in the style of pop psychedelic Donovan (“Season of the Witch”...?) with acoustic guitar and flute...! Who is singing, actually? Al Stewart, Donovan...? The voice cannot be Glen's or Ursula's. Paul wouldn't have sung even at his own wedding... Coff? Almost certainly, he's the only suspect!
But who wrote the lyrics? Why did Glen never mention it in our many conversations?
Honestly, if it weren't for the beautiful following track, one of the most played ragas in those months ("Hyde Park Raga"), this radio performance would be rather frustrating.
In my opinion, it's fortunate that the band's management, which would soon record the "lost third album" and the "Macbeth" soundtrack, did not embrace the country or psychedelic pop impulses of the two rarities. What if one of the reasons for Smith and Coff's split was precisely their disagreement over the musical direction to take?
All in all, an intriguing find, but controversial to say the least.
