Bilston, Mon Amour
Here's how it was for me.
Bruce (keys) wandered on, setlist in hand, followed by Terry in fedora, Nike Shox and that huge grin. They launch into what Terry described as a groove he and Bruce use to loosen up and get into the scene. I didn't recogtnise the tune but he slipped a snippet of 'If You Let Her' into the outro. The voice was clearly intact and ready to go. You could feel a collective smile on the audience's face. Really good feeling.
We're then into 'Rich Kid's Blues' dedicated to Marianne Faithfull. Stripped back and relying on his voice to make it. Which it did in spades.
'Too Many People'. "It's not a moan, it's just a point". I remember thinking at Ronnie Scott's last year that this was had a kind of East End feel to it, kind of melancholy singalong feel. It came over clear as a bell tonight.
We then get a short anecdote about Steve Marriott's near-death experience slipping on the Leicester De Montford Hall stage and shooting over the floral arrangement at the edge of the stage into the audience. And we're into a stonking 'Without Expression'. All is well with the voice, the guitar tuning, the world.
Next up is a new song he's written with a Brazilian called Michel Diodido (?) 'San Juan Sunset'. Beautiful song from the album he's selling on the tour.
And then a song he wrote with a Nashville geezer. Again, didn't catch the tile (something about there not being much between leaving and gone). Very cool country twang.
Quick reference to 'Spikey' his drinks dispenser and a short rendition of Kenneth Williams in full 'Infamy! Infamy!" mode. A camp flick of the wrist, a short story about Dennis Wilson's penchant for winding up a particular Greek storeowner when drunk and we're into the samba delight of 'Don't Worry, Baby'. I can't get enough of the way he does this one. He may have made it his own in some ways. Now, I'm not gay (nothing wrong with that stuff, mind)but I admit to a slight twinge during this song. Could've kissed the guy.
Then into 'The Love You Give' but I had to take a **** at this juncture. Note to the Robin: go easy on the bleach. **** smells better some times.
'Every Time We Say Goodbye' which I've always thought reveals Terry's feminine side. Nice solo from Bruce which was appreciated by the crowd.
We're then in a strange 'years ago/bang up-to-date' situation with 'Brave Awakening'. Those images of the miners spilling out all over the place. I can't believe how much time has passed since he recorded this when it almost sounds like yesterday.
The years carry on falling away when they both get beautifully lost in the groove with 'River'. The voice was right there in the room. (Well, of course it was, but you know what I mean).
Again, the young Terry hung around for 'July'. Unbelieveable!
Then the song he wrote with Frankie Miller, 'Stuck In My Heart'(?, where can I get this?).
The Shirelles/Beatles thing, 'Baby, It's You' with plenty of camp wrist flicking and what I thought showed Terry as the great interpreter he is.
'One Night' the way that Elvis should have done it with all the naughty bits intact.
Which all brought us to a story about Marlene Deitrich singing for the troops during the war which lead us to contemplating the poppy and the boys fighting in Iraq. And 'Seed Of Memory' solo. (I'm almost filling up just writing this). An unbelieveably poignant moment, by which time he's having to clear his throat and keeps apologising, only to step back up to the mic and belt it out like a man half his age. I'll never forget this and neither will the others. The whole place was wrapped, all eyes and ears on Terry. It was one of the best things I've ever seen.
As I said, Terry hung around to sign stuff (note to geezer with ****load of stuff: isn't there a Terry Reid kitchen sink?) and I told him just what I thought of the show and him. And he listened without once vomiting . Apparently his daughter's responsible for the hats - I didn't bring up the fez. Spoke to Bruce briefly who's hurt his hand somehow. Hope it's OK for the rest of the gigs.
Listening to the album now. It sounds like a bona fide finished album to me - not at all like the mish-mash I expected. Good songs with a the voice in full effect.
One hell of a gig. Cheers Terry
Note to you lot: believe
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