Leppotone

A roomie of mine years ago hepped me to Terry Reid… roundabout the same time he turned me to Nick Drake. I think the Reid record was "The River". I don’t remember that much about it. Nick Drake caught my fancy a lot more. I think Tim Buckley was somewhere in that mix, too.

The other night at Herb’s, Tree and I were talking about our love of all things Brit-hippie-trad—- Fairport, Pentangle, Incredible String Band. We were listening to Jethro Tull at the time. I really think that I owe Tull a little more attention. I don’t even recall the record we were digging… but there was much Maypole dancing and flowers-in-the-hair-frolick to it.

Why did I have the flute from "Living In The Past" playing in my head as I made breakfast this morning?

Mufuggin’ FLUTE!

Mr. Jass is right, I do love that wandering English minstrel, lutes and whistle stuff. Dingey calls it troll music. Richard Thompson is one of my faves. Love that "Songs From The Wood" kind of Tull stuff. Really love Led Zeppelin’s dreamy druid music, and I had a Roy Harper/Jimmy Page LP once upon a time that gave me chills!

I don’t know anything about Terry Reid. As for Nick Drake, that Pink Moon car commercial from a few years back really grabbed me, and I ended up buying 5 Leaves Left right after that. It really doesn’t do much for me. It’s soooooo smooth. Too smooth. Also haven’t been able to get into Jeff or Tim Buckley, although I haven’t really given either one much of a chance.

On a side note, while listening to some classic rock radio over the weekend, I was thinking about all that silly Led Zeppelin Vs. The Who stuff. Thinking about the similarities, the differences, the look, the instrumentation. The Who trumps Zeppelin in my book, hands down, but I do love them both, and a world without Zeppelin would be a sadder world indeed. The one thing that really hit me though was the realization that Led Zeppelin is often quite funky, and The Who has very little funk. I think Robert might be a better harmonica player than Roger. Maybe just a different kind of player.  Blues Vs Folk style. (I can’t play blues harmonica at all, but I’ll "home, home on the range" ya to death!)

N*il J*hl is a huge Terry Reid fan - he was always pushing Bang Bang, You’re Terry Reid on me, and I never bit… yet. I have Cheap Trick’s cover of “Speak Now…”. Donovan has a song called “Superlungs”, is that a cover?

Tree, Pink Moon is the Nick Drake record for you. Mostly acoustic guitar and vocal, no smooth strings like Five Leaves (which I love as well), very brief, emotional sketches of songs, in and out in half an hour. Drake had been so reclusive when he showed up at the Island offices to drop the LP master off, the receptionist had him wait without finding out who he was (he didn’t offer info) - eventually, he left the tape on the desk, and exited the building without anyone noticing.

The only thing more embarrassing than Roger on harmonica is Roger on guitar.

I believe you are right Kapn. I think Superlungs is a Donovan song. From what I’ve gathered Jimmy Page asked Terry Reid to be in the New Yardbirds. I wonder what would’ve happened then?

Terry Reid has put together an interesting career. His early stuff is a mix of mod, psych pop and blues rock. Mickie Most produced his first recordings, and yes, he did turn down the lead singer slot in Zeppelin. He’s something of a power pop icon, along the lines of the Move and Creation. Tim, that one song you dig, "Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace," was covered by Cheap Trick on their debut. A lot of folks cite Macca as Zander’s primary influence as a singer, but Reid’s mix of raspy howling and sweet balladry is another big one.

In the early ’70s, Reid migrated to California to become a singer-songwriter. He started doing more of a CSN&Y thing, which I also dig. Graham Nash even produced one of his LPs. (BTW, Nash is a great producer. Check out the first Judee Sill record sometime.) The River comes from this period.

Interestingly enough, Flipside Neil is the due who turned me on to Reid.

there are 3 copies of his first record at bobs house…..i have touched them fo sho…

The first is called Bang Bang You’re Terry Reid. That’s not too easy to find. The second is called just Terry Reid (or Move Over Terry Reid). That’s fairly easy to track down.

I’ve heard "Bang Bang….", I think. It has the "Bang Bang" tune popularized by Sonny et Cher, no?

And Tree… "Pink Moon" is a must get. My favorite track is an instrumental called "Horn". It has about 5 total notes. Goddamn beautiful, though. Same vein as Dick Thompson’s "Dargai"—- my singular favorite guitar song, EVAH.

its got earth tone colors on the cover….and its a photo of terry…..im thinking it might be the second one….

This is his second album, and it’s awesome (although I’m spinning his more California-sounding records more these days).

Hey!

I think I have that album!

I think I bought it at Goodwill a year or so as part of a big score. Picked it up because it looked interesting and it was a nice import pressing.

Guess I’ll dig around tonight and give it a spin.

dug around today in bobs garage…didnt see em….but it twer hotz in that thar garage….

but i did kick up that telex album….im geeked.