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Points: 12798 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Terry Reid v a Robert Plant fronted LZ
    Posted: May 05 2010 at 09:16
The story goes that Terry Reid was offered the lead singer (and presumably second guitar) position in Led Zeppelin, as Jimmy Page evolved the Yardbirds into Led Zeppelin. However, Reid turn the offer down and instead recommended a certain Robert Plant. Reid through a number of minor single hits through 1968 broke through with his single and related album Superlungs, where his vocals and guitarwork impressed. This was when Reid was under the management and 'recording production' of  Mickey Most (as was Jeff Beck, Donovan and indeed Lulu - and I guess Jimmy Page got himself involved with session work and production under Most).
 
Check out Reid's  two CD compilation Super Lung - Complete EMI Sessions - esecially CD2  with Superlungs and his excellent cover of Stay With Me Baby and you get clues why he may have dropped into LZ relatively easily. So those who have followed Reid from the very start  (my love affair with his music is belated and only for the last 3 years), what are their throughts about LZ fronted by Reid? For instance: how different would the band have been musically and would its eventual fan base been as big?.
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Points: 3449 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 05 2010 at 19:19
I have the Reid compilation.  I also had Terry Reid when it was originally released, though never followed his career after that.  The questions for the moment have me stumped, given that I can't imagine Zep without Plant.  Musically, I wouldn't imagine much change -- I believe the music was driven by Page/Jones.  Fan base?  Who knows?       
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Points: 3449 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 07 2010 at 22:26
How bad it might have been, fortunately Terry Reid not involved:
 
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Points: 1327 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 08 2010 at 07:35
Robert Plant is a legendary rock vocalist. Very bluesy and nice texture
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Points: 12798 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 11 2010 at 08:27
Originally posted by paganinio paganinio wrote:

Robert Plant is a legendary rock vocalist. Very bluesy and nice texture
 
 
?????
 
So did Terry Reid , have a 'legendary' status and he was getting this before Plant was heard of (check his late 60's output)   - maybe one of many reasons for Page asking Reid to front the fledgling LZ .  And definitely very bluesy.
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Points: 3659 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 15 2010 at 11:23
I'm not sure Reid would have made a vast difference to the direction Zeppelin took; as you say he probably would have dropped in relatively easily. I doubt Page could have been swayed too far from his vision.
 
Reid had the acoustic stuff which of course so did Zeppelin and he had the funky swagger present on his River album with some Little Feat vibes going on. Even Zeppelin had their occasional funky moment like Trampled Underfoot and The Crunge, admitedly less subtle than Reid may have done it.
 
Bonham was a lover of "songs" and i suspect would have resonded favourably to Reid's input but I'm not sure how Reid may have responded to Page's endless guitar excursions. I think it may have been a short lived marriage.
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Points: 8238 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 15 2010 at 15:04
I, too, was a big fan of Reid and saw him twice in concert back in the 60s (opening for Cream and the Stones, I believe).  His expressive but sometimes strained vocal style would've limited the Zeppelin, I'm afraid, whereas Plant's was much more versatile and, therefore, more adaptable to the different directions the band's music went in.  Reid was very much a solo artist and could command the stage on the sheer power of his voice alone.  You couldn't take your eyes off the guy.  Who's to say what may have evolved from Terry & Jimmy working together but I can't imagine that it would have been as influential.
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Points: 771 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 15 2010 at 15:22
Robert Plant used to follow Steve Marriott around taking notes. He really copied Steve on "Whole Lotta Love." Not that Steve minded. I'm just saying...





Plant is a talented vocalist and an average lyricist, in my opinion. Terry Reid was not what Page was looking for, I have read. He actually wanted Steve Marriott, or someone of that vocal style and range.


Edited by Ronnie Pilgrim - May 22 2010 at 11:57
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Points: 12798 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 21 2010 at 07:00
Thanks guys, I feel we got to something I found insightful.
 
Having heard a handful of Reid's mid 70's recordings, I wonder how much Reid needed pushing by the likes of David Lindley towards the softer Califormian rock and what seems largely away from the hard edged blues rock/60's blue-eyed R'n'B. Therefore taking him away from the heavy rock LZ with which achieved fame and massive fortune. However, Plant's later dipping into softer rock, late 60's pop/rock and more recently the C'n'W  - and didn't he appear on the Honeydipper album (with the likes of Jeff Beck) doing 60's R'n'B/R'n'R going country rock - raises the thoughts of similar tastes musically?
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Points: 3577 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 21 2010 at 18:08
I think that Riley would have replace Plant in mid 72, when Robert started to ruin his voice.
After all i think that Plant was the right choice, maybe Riley was aware that Page have a very kind of dominance in LZ and if he had joined maybe LZ was a short live band.
Also Plant is super important no only for his talents, because he invite John Henry Bonham, the motor of LZ.




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Points: 3577 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 21 2010 at 18:09
Also note that Page wants the drummer of Procol Harum, but he refused, fortunately for both bands.




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Points: 12798 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 22 2010 at 03:18
Originally posted by Alberto Muņoz Alberto Muņoz wrote:

I think that Riley would have replace Plant in mid 72, when Robert started to ruin his voice.
After all i think that Plant was the right choice, maybe Riley was aware that Page have a very kind of dominance in LZ and if he had joined maybe LZ was a short live band.
Also Plant is super important no only for his talents, because he invite John Henry Bonham, the motor of LZ.


Riley?? 

Terry Riley ?  With LZ?- there's a thought (but it worked with The Who)
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Points: 8138 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 23 2010 at 16:14
Never heard of that Terry Reid guy. But I am glad Mr Plant sang for LZ.
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Points: 12798 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: May 26 2010 at 07:05
Originally posted by lucas lucas wrote:

Never heard of that Terry Reid guy. But I am glad Mr Plant sang for LZ.
 
However, if you know Terry Reid's catalogue of work (and you should sample Reid's Super Lungs,) and also knowing he was offered the LZ  vocalist chair ahead of Robert Plant , would we have had a better, worse or similar LZ  we know of with hindsight?
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