WOMAD

Terry Reid

From United Kingdom

Biography by Andy Morgan, July 2002:Does great talent inevitably rise to the top? It’s a nutty old conundrum that has tested sages and svengalis since time immemorial but Terry Reid fans the world over have no doubt that the correct answer is No! You see, being in the right place at the right time has as much to do with fate than talent, a fate seems to have dealt Terry Reid a busted flush, until now that is. Reid was ‘discovered’ at the age of 15 in his native Cambridgeshire and soon became a promising fixture of the burgeoning blues/rock/R&B scene of late 1960s London. His voice was more than favourably compared with those of Stevie Windood, Chris Farlowe, Rod Stewart and Long John Baldry, and as far as all the cognoscenti were concerned, a star spangled future was assured. Then fate started to mess things up. Reid teamed up with rapacious and dictatorial producer Micky Most who seemed intent on shanghaiing the young singers creative ambitions. For various ill advised reasons Reid turned town opportunities to become lead singer not only with Deep Purple but with Led Zeppelin too. Singles and albums were recorded with various different backing bands on both sides of the Atlantic but somehow none of them struck gold, even though they are coveted collectors items today. Eventually, worn out and disillusioned, Reid moved to California, got married, had kids and made his peace with obscurity. Then in the 1990s his career rejuvenated itself when WEA offered him a record deal. Surviving baby boomers might be shocked to learn that Terry Reid is still alive and still in possession of one of the finest classic soul voices any of us are ever likely to hear. The rest of us can admire his talents unencumbered by memories and maybes. I wonder what fate has in store for the wonderful Mr Reid now!