Terry Reid: Underrated and mostly unknown

[tonepoet]

Terry Reid has a voice I wish I had. He just sings from his soul. If you haven't heard of him, try this 1969 live performance of his song "Friends".

You may have heard that he was Jimmy Page's first choice as Led Zepplin's lead vocalist. Terry has explained that at the time, he was already under contract, so he suggested that Page give a listen to Robert Plant.

 

[James Hart]

long time fan!

 

[GGJaguar]

I love the alternate tuning in this one. That Gibby sounds great.

 

[Prince of Darkness]

I love the alternate tuning in this one. That Gibby sounds great.

Sounds almost like a mandocello

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Good singer. Who underrates him?

 

[tonepoet]

Good singer. Who underrates him?

Good point Charlie. I should have emphasized the "mostly unknown" portion of my observation. Maybe I should have said "under-the-radar" rather than underrated. You rarely see his name mentioned in any article or documentary about British Rock of the 1960s.

Most people I have turned on to Terry Reid say "Terry who?". And once they hear a few songs they say "Terry... Whoa..., wow!"

 

[James Hart]

I get the same reaction! "Greatest Singer hardly anyone has heard of"...

 

[tonepoet]

I think this may be my all-time favorite with so many teen-age memories attached. It can sometimes be difficult to make out some words he sings, but I think I have the lyrics pretty close. At least this is the way I hear it.



This I look above
'cos I'm guilty of
disregarding natures eye
I'm looking to the skies
I'm failing to observe the beauty
That's given unto me

It was a silver white light
Silver white bright light night up above you
It's just a silver white light
A silver white bright light night up above you

And as I look around
Something that confounds
People floating around looking through the air
all looking for the prayer
That's why I'm just waiting here observing beauty
The one thing given unto me

It's just a silver white light
Silver white bright light night up above you
Oh a silver white light
Silver white bright light night up above you
Above you
Oh right up above you
Oh up above you
Up above you, woah
Oh yeah, right above you

 

[DrumBob]

I saw Terry and his band open for Cream at Madison Square Garden on their final NYC show in '68. I loved Terry's music. Just guitar, Hammond B-3 and drums. Saw them again at the Fillmore East a while later. I still have their first and second albums on Epic Records.

He should have grabbed that Zeppelin gig. He was always under the radar.

 

[tonepoet]

I saw Terry and his band open for Cream at Madison Square Garden on their final NYC show in '68. I loved Terry's music. Just guitar, Hammond B-3 and drums. Saw them again at the Fillmore East a while later. I still have their first and second albums on Epic Records.

He should have grabbed that Zeppelin gig. He was always under the radar.

Those first two albums we wore out, back in the day. I too still have the first two on vinyl, as well as Rogue Wave and Seed of Memory.

I'm sure he has wondered endlessly about his Zepplin decision, but he has said that he already had albums out of his own and contracts signed and Zepplin was just an idea, at the time. Who'd a-thunk?

Another thing he lamented was the way his management and record company handled his first records. He has said something to the effect of "My records weren't released, they escaped!" He said he'd go out on tour and they were releasing recordings that he felt were unfinished and poorly mixed.

I never got the chance to see him live back then. I hear he may still perform in southern California, but I don't get down that way often.