Terry Reid

I swear it was just a few days ago I was talking to someone about Terry Reid. Wasn’t I? I didn’t dream the conversation or anything did I?

Terry Reid, the guy who turned down an offer to join The New Yardbirds, shortly before The New Yardbirds changed their name to Led Zeppelin, and then a few months later turned down an offer to join Deep Purple. We learned yesterday that he passed away, losing his fight against cancer.

I’ve known about him since reading Hammer of the Gods in 1986. I bought the book while on my high school band’s trip to scenic Connecticut (#sarcasm) during my Freshman year. I then proceeded to devour the holy hell out of the book, reading it multiple times, so much so that my paperback copy fell apart. The book named a couple of people who were considered for the front man role in what would become Led Zeppelin. I don’t know if it mentioned that Reid actually recommended Robert Plant or not, but the story we now know is that he did. He sweetened the deal by suggesting that Plant had a friend who could play the drums too. Both of them ended up in the band and the rest is history.

The Deep Purple story is less known, I think. Purple wanted to get rid of Rod Evans and Ritchie Blackmore asked Reid if he was interested. Reid respectfully rejected the offer and Purple ended up with Ian Gillian who is pretty much my favorite rock vocalist ever.

A few years ago I went looking through Apple Music for some Terry Reid records. I don’t recall what made me think of him at that time, but I found a few and they were really good. I was surprised that he and Robert Plant actually sound quite a bit similar. That must have made things easy on Jimmy Page back in 1968.

I did not know that Reid had cancer, though I found a couple of articles talking about fundraisers to help raise money to cover his medical costs. That’s pretty sad. I don’t want to get political in this post… I really could though… I could really vent on this subject. Fucking capitalism putting money over human life.

I knew that Reid had a regular gig at a bar near his home. I am pretty sure it was a cover band gig, not dissimilar from cover band gigs I have done over the years. He could have been huge. He could have been the hugest of huge. Instead he did gigs on the same level as me. That’s both gratifying and depressing and life affirming and sad. Music for the love of music. You cannot beat that. Seriously.

Rest in peace, Terry Reid.