Terry Reid
Band members Related acts
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- Terry Reid -- vocals, guitar
supporting musicians (1973) - Willie Bobo -- percussion - Conrad Isidore -- drums, percussion - David Lindley -- slide guitar, steel guitar - Lee Miles -- bass
supporting musicians (1974) - Willie Bobo -- percussion - Conrad Isidore -- drums, percussion - David Lindley -- guitar - Lee Miles -- bass
supporting musicians (1976) - Joel Bernstein -- acoustic guitar - Jesse Erlich -- cello - James Gadson -- drums - Plas Johnson -- sax - Ben Keith -- pedal steel guitar - David Lindley -- guitar, violin - Lee Miles -- bass - Blue Mitchell -- trumpet - Graham Nash -- backing vocals - Al Perkins -- pedal steel guitar - Soko Richardson -- drums - Clifford Solomon -- horns - Al Viola - balalaika - Fred Wesley -- horns - Tim Wiesberg -- flute supporting musicians (1978) - James E. Johnson -- keyboards - Lee Miles -- bass - Doug Rodrigues -- lead guitar - Doug Siomos -- drums, percussion
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- none known
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Genre: rock Rating: **** (4 stars) Title: River Company: Atlantic Catalog: SD-7259 Year: 1974 Country/State: Cambridge, UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: gatefold sleeve; original Atlantic inner sleeve; small cut out notch in spine Available: 1 Catalog ID: 1026 Price: $30.00
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Scattered throughout rock history are folks with immense talent who came close to, but ultimately missed the cherished ring of commercial success and popularity. Singer/guitarist Terry Reid's a perfect example. By the time he was 15, Reid was fronting Terry Reid and the Jaywalkers. Discovered in 1967 by producer/manager Mickie Most, 17 year old Reid was quickly tapped by the media as an up-and-coming star. Signed by Columbia, he recorded a pair of critically acclaimed singles ('The Hands Don't Fit the Glove' b/w 'This Time' (Columbia catalog number DB 8166) and 'Better By Far' b/w 'Fire's Alive' (Columbia catalog number DB 8409). Adding to his stock, Reid was Jimmy Page's first choice for vocalist/second guitar in the New Yardbirds. Interested in pursuing his solo career, Reid turned the job down, instead recommending buddy Robert Plant for the job.
I'll be the first to admit that a lot of the hype surrounding singer/guitarist Terry Reid simply doesn't register with me. He's certainly a gifted writer and performer (and I'll admit to owning most of his catalog), but Reid has a number of limitations that make it pretty clear to me why he's never been more than a cult favorite.
Those
comments may sound kind of harsh, but let me make it up by telling you
1974's "River" may be
Reid's best album . If you can find a copy it's worth every penny it'll cost
(yes, there's a recent CD reissue). With Reid responsible for all
seven tracks, the album was recorded right before and right after his
decision to move from England to Southern California. To some extent
that division gives the set kind of a schizophrenic feel. Judging by
the liner notes, 'Dream' and 'Milestones' were
recorded in London with Yes producer Eddie
Offord handling the boards. The rest of the set was recorded in
California with producer Tom Dowd. While the earlier acoustic numbers
(found on side two) were interesting in that they recalled some of Van
Morrison's late-1960s efforts, the change of scene seems to have had a
beneficial influence on Reid. Backed by long time friend David
Lindley, Reid turned in what was his loosest and most charming
collection. At least to my ears Reid's squeaky voice has never been
one of his selling points, but in this setting it fit perfectly on
blues-rockers such as 'Dean', 'Avenue' and the funky (yes) 'Things To
Try'. Personal favorite - the laidback bossa nova flavored title
track. 1.) Dean
(Terry Reid) - 4:45 2.) Avenue (Terry Reid) - 5:08 A more conventional blues number, 'Avenue' showcased Lindley's slide playing. Nice, but not as commercial as the opening. rating: *** stars 3.) Things To Try (Terry Reid) - 4:25 Interesting that a laidback tune like this would have such a funky groove ... mind you, you're not going to mistake this for a George Clinton, but who would have ever expected a skinny, white English guy to play with this much energy. rating: **** stars 4.) Live Life (Terry Reid) - 5:11 Easily
one of the best things he's ever recorded, 'Live Life' had everything going
for it including a tasty, slightly Latin-esque melody (thanks to Willie
Bobo's percussion), some first-rate guitar, and one of Reid's most energetic
performances. The video and sound quality aren't great, but
YouTube has a 1973 performance of the tune on British television. The
live version was way funkier than the studio version. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqKBdOiIC8k
rating: **** stars (side 2) 1.) River (Terry Reid) - 5:45 Maybe its just my old ears, but the instrumental opening section has always reminded me a bit of Carole King's 'it's Too Late' and then the song went off in a totally unexpected Bossa Nova/jazzy direction with absolutely fantastic results. rating: **** stars 2.) Dream (Terry Reid) - 5:20 Just Reid on acoustic guitar, the result was one of the prettiest melodies he ever wrote ... Always thought it would have been a great track for the late Sandy Denny. rating: **** stars 3.) Milestones (Terry Reid) - 5:52 A bit unfocused for my tastes, 'Milestones' sounded a lot like a David Crosby tune. Not really discordant, but kind of loose and free flowing with multi-tracked "cathedral" vocals. Yeah, it got a little better as it went along, but the first minutes and a half sounded like an extended tune-up. rating: *** stars
Shame
Atlantic Records didn't have a clue what to do with Reid.
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Genre: rock Rating: **** (4 stars) Title: Seed of Memory Company: ABC Catalog: ABCD-935 Year: 1976 Country/State: Cambridge, UK Grade (cover/record): VG/VG+ Comments: cover wear; cut lower right corner Available: SOLD Catalog ID: SOLD 852 Price: SOLD $40.00
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Having finally gotten out of his recording contract with Atlantic Records (it only took two years), 1976's "Seed of Memory" found Terry Reid signed to ABC and still casting about for a musical genre that would lead him to commercial success. With significant help from producer Graham Nash, this time out Reid seemed to have his eyes set on CSN-styled pop and country-rock moves. And that might have posed a problem for fans of his more rock-oriented catalog. With a couple of exceptions; notably the funky 'Ooh Baby (Make Me Feel So Young)' (I'll say it again - FUNKY), and the fuzz guitar powered rocker 'Way To Walk', this was pretty laidback. Anyone looking for Reid the snazzy guitar player was going to be disappointed. The good news was that Reid brought some of his best material to his ABC debut and producer Nash had a nice feel for Reid's strengths and weaknesses, though the occasional attempts to dress him up in CSN&Y arrangements were a mixed bag ('Seed of Memory' was good; 'Brave Awakening' less so). It wasn't the consummate Reid release, but there were plenty of treasures on the set including the opener 'Fait the Arise', the rockin' 'No Way To Walk', and the soulful 'The Frame'. One of the Reid album's I play on a regular basis and well worth checking out.
"Seed of Memory" track listing: 1.) Faith To Arise (Terry Reid) - 4:39 With Nash producing and surrounded by all those L.A. sessions players, I guess it shouldn't have come as a surprise 'Fair To Arise' had that unique mid-'70s Southern California country-rock vibe ... kind of a CSN-meets-Poco sound. Not particularly original, but was still a wonderful song with a catchy country-rock melody and one of the all time-great "welcome back home" lyrics. Lots of folks discovered the song when it was featured in the 2003 film Wonderland. the As of 2012, Reid was still performing live. Yeah, he's lost much of his vocals flexibility, sounding a bit like Keith Richards, but I'd still pay to see the man. YouTube has a June 2012 performance of the song from a date at London's Jazz Cafe: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vjt7z6PTRVw rating: **** stars 2.) Seed of Memory (Terry Reid) - 5:26 Tim Wiesberg twittering flute has always irritated me (though David Lindley's guitar makes up for it), but otherwise the smoldering 'Seed of Memory' has always reminded me of a first-rate CSN&Y song. That comparison was underscored by the song's dark, haunting, melody and the nice harmony vocals (Nash can clearly be heard). The other thing that's way cool about this song is the way Reid simply sends the track off in a completely different direction. Around the 2:30 mark he switched from brooding ballad to a lighter, jazzy vibe. Neat trick. rating: **** stars 3.) Brave Awakening (Terry Reid) - 6:32 'Brave Awakening' was a straight-head country-flavored ballad with plenty of pedal steel guitar and Graham Nash backing vocals. Pretty tune and what you'd term a grower. It's also one of those songs that got rediscovered via a film soundtrack - in this case it was one of two Reid tracks featured in Rob Zombies' 2005 film The Devil's Rejects. Ultimately it was too country for my tastes. rating: *** stars 4.) To Be Treated Rite (Terry Reid) - 5:57 One of Reid's prettiest ballads. This was also featured in The Devil's Rejects soundtrack. rating: *** stars
(side 2) 1.) Ooh Baby (Make Me Feel So Young) (Terry Reid) - 3:57 Perhaps the album's strangest tune, it was interesting to hear Reid taking a stab at being funky. Not sure, but he actually came off way better than most pale, English white guys should have the right to ... Love the punchy horn arrangement (Blue Mitchell, Clifford Solomon, and Fred Wesley). rating: **** stars 2.) No Way To Walk (Terry Reid) - 4:43 So folks who are skeptical when it comes to the Reid-should-have-been-in-Led-Zeppelin story, I'd suggest they give a quick listen to 'No Way To Walk'. Robert Plant was clearly a wonderful choice for Zeppelin, but after hearing this track you can't help but think Zeppelin might have been equally interesting with Terry Reid in the line-up. As for this song, to my ears it was one of his all time best rockers ... Reid still plays the song in his live sets: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhcfRhv2Ihg rating: **** stars 3.) The Frame (Terry Reid) - 4:37 I've always loved Reid's slinky voice. Yeah, he didn't have the greatest range in music, but there was something totally unique about the way the guy sang and it was seldom as apparent as on the soulful 'The Frame'. Backed by some Hi-styled horns, this one had an engaging Southern soul feel. No idea when this London date was recorded (guess the early-'80s), but here's a nice YouTube clip of the song - love the bowler: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5T0wHW6Or20 rating: **** stars 4.) Fooling You (Terry Reid) - 7:20 I guess I'm in the minority on this one, but 'Fooling You' was a disappointing way to close out the album. A long, plodding ballad that never kicked into gear, even Nash's backing vocals and Al Viola's balalaika couldn't save it from being tedious. rating: ** stars
In spite of Nash's active participation in the project, ABC seemingly had no interest in promoting the album. As far as I know, the company didn't even bother releasing a single. The cynic in me says ABC signed Reid simply to ensure Nash stayed signed to the label for his Crosby-Nash outings.
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Genre: rock Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Rogue Waves Company: Capitol Catalog: SW-11857 Year: 1978 Country/State: UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: original inner sleeve Available: SOLD Catalog ID: SOLD 5477 Price: SOLD $30.00
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Continuing his corporate wanderings, 1978's "Rogue Waves" found Terry Reid signed to Capitol. If you were counting, this was his fourth label as a solo act. Co-produced by Reid and Chris Kimsey the set's always struck me as a frustrating mixture of Reid originals and poorly chosen covers (including two boneheaded remakes of Phil Spector - Ellie Greenwich - Jeff Barry penned chestnuts). As mentioned earlier, Reid certainly had some performance limitations, but to my ears he was one of rock's unsung performers. His voice may not have been the most striking, or original instrument out there, but he had a unique skill in hitting a tone that combined pain and a raw 'pay-you-back-with-interest' edge. The album certainly got off to a killer start with the scorching Reid-penned rocker 'Ain't No Shadow'. Equally attractive were 'Stop and Think It Over', the soulful ballad 'Believe In Magic' and 'Bowangi'. Less impressive were the bland title track, the previously mentioned covers, and a plodding cover of The Left Banke's 'Walk Away Rene' (note the song title was actually 'Walk Away Renee' - the extra 'e' is missing). Elsewhere anyone know why an accomplished guitarist like Reid bothered to hire a new lead guitarist in the form of Doug Rodrigues? Needless to say, with audiences flocking to punk, new wave, and disco, Reid found himself hopelessly out of tune with the buying public. The album sold next to nothing (perhaps explaining why most remaining copies are marred by cut out holes, or notches.)
"Rogue Waves" track listing: 1.) Ain't No Shadow (Terry Reid) - 3:57 Opening with some ringing guitars 'Ain't No Shadow' sounded like a good Rolling Stones rocker. Yeah, Riley's scratchy voice wasn't great, but given how good this tune was, who cared? One of the best rockers he ever wrote. In the UK the song was released as a single:
- 1976's 'Ain't No Shadow' b/w 'Bowangi' (Capitol catalog number CL-16071) rating; **** stars 2.) Baby I Love You (Phil Spector - Ellie Greenwich - Jeff Barry) - 4:04 Slowing it down and giving it a heavy, molten feel may have seemed like a good idea, but in terms of execution ... well this was one of those efforts that should never have left the initial planning stages. rating: ** stars 3,) Stop and Think It Over (Terry Reid) - 3:45 Always loved the combination of Reid's strumming acoustic guitar and Doug Siomos's big drum sound. The best blue-eyed soul tune Reid ever wrote ? Wonderful song. rating:**** stars 4.) Rogue Waves (Terry Reid) - 5:58 Pretty, but somewhat meandering ballad ... The big problem with this one came in the form of Reid's strained voice. Like many singers, when he tried to power his way through a tune, he had a tendency to become shrill and irritating. The song (or a version of it), still remains in Reid's concert repertoire. YouTube has a clip of a solo 2014 performance at The Cluny, Newcastle-upon-Tyne: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxe1dUUwoSs rating: *** stars 5.) Walk Away Rene (Sansone - Calilli - Ian Brown) - 4:24 Another
questionable decision - I grew up with the Left Banke original and Reid's
slowed down, molten arrangement managed to strip away most of the original's
Baroque charm. He also sounded extremely sharp and shrill on
this one.
rating:: ** stars (side 2) 1.) Believe In Magic (Terry Reid) - 6:49 I've always loved the way Reid managed to strum funky little riffs out of the air, but the real winner on 'Believe In Magic' came in the form of Lee Miles stunning bass work. In contrast to some of the other tunes on the album, this track showcased what a good singer he could be. rating: **** stars 2.) Then I Kissed Her (Phil Spector - Ellie Greenwich - Jeff Barry) - 4:59 The opening martial drumming was unexpected, making me wonder if I'd stumbled into a Scottish wedding by mistake ... Another miscalculation, Reid's hyper-aggressive arrangement sounded like Slade on speed. rating: ** stars 3.) Bowangi (Terry Reid) - 4:29 Reid and company at the bar band best ... Anyone who doubted Reid's credential as a first-rate guitarist needed to check this one out. Yeah, the tune sounded a bit like warmed over Rod Stewart and the Faces, but when Reid added the bell-like solos, the song rose to a totally different level. rating: **** stars 4.) All I Have To Do Is Dream (Boudlleaux Bryant) - 5:39 Nice acoustic cover of the old Boudlleaux Bryant classic. Thankfully Reid didn't subject the song to his molten rock-styled remake. rating: *** stars
In the early 1990s the BGO label reissued most of Reid's catalog including this collection on CD format (BGO catalog number BGOCD140).
For anyone interested, Reid has a nice website at: http://www.terryreid.com/
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