Terry Reid preview

Terry Reid
Empty Bottle, Chicago
Friday, November 21, 2008

Word on the street is Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, and Jason Bonham are trying to force Robert Plant’s hand (Plant said he has no intentions of participating in a full-fledged Led Zeppelin reunion tour) by holding rehearsals with Myles Kennedy, lead singer of Alter Bridge — the band formed by the Creed members once they got sick of Scott Stapp. Jim. Johnny Boy. Seriously? That dicknose? Why not reach out to the guy you wanted initially?

Terry Reid turned down Led Zeppelin. Seriously. Jimmy Page asked Reid to join his new project – that would go onto to become Zeppelin – after The Yardbirds split, but Reid said nay. He was already slated to open for The Rolling Stones’ ’69 United States tour, after all. (It should be noted, by the way, Page’s management recently said any “project” involving him, Jones, and Bonham won’t use the Zeppelin moniker.) He did, however, recommend Page check out a young singer named Robert Plant. Oh, Reid also turned down the frontman spot in Deep Purple that would eventually go to Ian Gillian.

So why is he relegated to the little ol’ Empty Bottle? Well, the man’s solo career was hit-and-miss – sales/popularity-wise, mind you, not quality-wise. Listen to him sing on any of his late-’60s-through-early-’70s solo material (there were four records from ’68 to ’73, though the compilation Superlungs does a superb job of compiling the highlights of the first two, Bang, Bang You’re Terry Reid and Move Over Terry Reid), and you’ll quickly hear why Plant was Page’s second choice. Oh yeah, the dude can play guitar better than anybody you know, as well. Reid hasn’t released a solo album since ’91’s The Driver and only toured sporadically since, but interest in his music was sparked rather ironically in 2005, when hard rock signer/horror film director Rob Zombie used “Seed Of Memory,” “Brave Awakening,” and “To Be Treated Rite” (all from the 1976 album, Seed Of Memory) in his movie, The Devil’s Rejects.

Mark Fry, Ellen Mary McGee, Hans Condor, and Piss Piss Piss Ono Ono Ono open

— Trevor Fisher

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly