Why Did Terry Reid Turn Down Led Zeppelin?

TL;DR

Terry Reid declined Jimmy Page's invitation to sing in a new band because he already had touring commitments and Page required an immediate decision. Reid then recommended Robert Plant and insisted that Page recruit Plant's drummer too, helping create the lineup that became Led Zeppelin. Deep Purple also approached Reid before hiring Ian Gillan in 1969.

Transcript

this is the singer that turned down lead Zeppelin in Deep Purple meet Terry Reid also known as super lungs in 1968 Jimmy pagee and John Paul Jones were starting a new band and wanted Reed to be the singer unfortunately prior touring commitments meant that super lungs wouldn't be available for a while and Paige couldn't wait for [Applause] him never... Read More

Key Insights

• Terry Reid was invited in 1968 to sing for the new band being organized by Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones. Reid, known as Superlungs, possessed a burly rasp and a deep emotional quality that made him attractive to prominent musicians.
• Reid's prior touring commitments prevented him from immediately accepting Jimmy Page's offer. He was preparing for an American tour with the Rolling Stones and suggested completing those dates before returning to try the new project.
• Jimmy Page required Reid to join immediately rather than after his existing tour. Reid recalled being told that he had to participate that week or forget the opportunity, leaving no workable compromise between the invitation and his commitments.
• The proposed group was intended to be a heavy rock band. Reid initially questioned whether John Paul Jones's involvement suggested something folk-oriented, but Peter Grant clarified the musical direction while discussing Page's plans with him.
• Robert Plant was recommended to Jimmy Page by Terry Reid after Reid heard him sing. Reid concluded that Plant was exactly the kind of vocalist Page needed and directed Page toward him instead of simply declining without offering an alternative.
• Plant's drummer was an essential part of Reid's recommendation. Reid described the drummer as unbelievable and specifically told Page that he had to recruit the drummer along with the singer, not Plant alone.
• Reid's recommendation led to the band that became Led Zeppelin, according to his account. His inability to accept Page's offer therefore redirected the search toward Plant and the drummer whom Reid believed should accompany him.
• Deep Purple also tried to hire Terry Reid before hiring Ian Gillan in 1969. Reid said he was asked to join many bands, showing that Page's invitation was one of several approaches he received during that period.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why did Terry Reid turn down Led Zeppelin?

Terry Reid turned down Jimmy Page's proposed band because he already had touring commitments and could not join immediately. Reid was preparing to tour America with the Rolling Stones, so he offered to complete that work and return afterward. Page would not wait and told him that he needed to join that week or give up the opportunity.

Q: When did Jimmy Page ask Terry Reid to join his new band?

Jimmy Page approached Terry Reid in 1968, when Page and John Paul Jones were beginning to assemble a new band. Peter Grant told Reid that Page wanted to speak with him about becoming its singer. The project did not yet have a complete lineup, and Reid remembered questioning what kind of band Page intended to create.

Q: Who did Terry Reid recommend to Jimmy Page as a singer?

Terry Reid recommended Robert Plant as the singer Jimmy Page should recruit. Reid had heard Plant performing and, after listening more carefully, decided that Plant was exactly the kind of vocalist Page's proposed band needed. Reid then directed Page toward Plant, turning his own refusal into a recommendation that shaped the new group's lineup.

Q: Why did Terry Reid tell Jimmy Page to recruit the drummer too?

Terry Reid considered the drummer performing with Robert Plant to be exceptional. When Reid recommended Plant, he stressed that Page needed to recruit the drummer as well and not take only the singer. In Reid's retelling, the strength of both performers convinced him that they were the combination suited to Page's planned heavy rock band.

Q: How did Terry Reid help form Led Zeppelin?

Terry Reid helped form the group indirectly by recommending Robert Plant after he could not accept Jimmy Page's invitation. He also insisted that Page bring Plant's drummer into the project. Reid said that Page followed this lead and that the result became Led Zeppelin, making Reid's musical judgment important to the band's formation story.

Q: Did Deep Purple ask Terry Reid to join the band?

Deep Purple tried to hire Terry Reid before hiring Ian Gillan in 1969. The transcript does not provide the details of Reid's discussions with Deep Purple or explain exactly why he did not join them. It presents the approach as another example of the strong demand for Reid's voice among major bands at the time.

Q: What kind of band was Jimmy Page planning with John Paul Jones?

Jimmy Page was planning a heavy rock band with John Paul Jones. Reid initially wondered whether Jones's involvement meant the project might resemble a folk-oriented group, partly because Reid and Jones had worked in the studio with Donovan. Peter Grant clarified that Page's intended musical direction was heavy rock rather than the folk style Reid had imagined.

Q: Why was Terry Reid called Superlungs?

Terry Reid was known as Superlungs, and the transcript connects his appeal to a burly rasp and a deep well of feeling. It does not give a separate origin story for the nickname. His vocal reputation was strong enough that Jimmy Page and Deep Purple sought him, while Reid stated that many other bands also asked him to join.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• In 1968, Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones were starting a new heavy rock band and wanted Terry Reid as the singer. Reid was preparing to tour America with the Rolling Stones and proposed joining after those commitments, but Page told him the new band had to be assembled immediately or the opportunity would disappear.

• Reid later heard a young singer performing with an exceptional drummer and concluded that the pair suited Page's proposed band. He recommended Robert Plant to Page and emphasized that the drummer should also be recruited. According to Reid's account, this recommendation helped produce the group that became Led Zeppelin.

• Reid's powerful voice attracted interest beyond Jimmy Page's project. Deep Purple tried to hire him before bringing in Ian Gillan in 1969, and Reid said that many bands approached him. The transcript also cites Aretha Franklin praising Reid alongside the Rolling Stones and the Beatles as a major presence in England.