River is an excellent album. And this alternate version is a unique interpretation of the released version. But saying this ignores what's really going on, an arrangement that's embedded in an open ended improvisation, delicately played by the musicians, with Terry Reid's explorational free form vocals, setting a quiet and thoughtful mood for the lyrics.I've had "The River" for years. Saw Terry Reid twice, opening for Cream in NYC, November '68, and at Fillmore East two months later, with B.B. King and Johnny Winter. What a voice, what originality in his songwriting and vocal interpretations!It's great that this track was put up on RUclips as a sample, a treat, for listeners. I'm getting this album as soon as I can. His Live in London album is superb and a must have - musicians playing with him from "The Cosmic American Derelicts" are from the NY-NJ area and are excellent. His last few shows in NYC have been nothing less than excellent as well!
Hey Terry, ..I have vivid memories of an afternoon we left your then home, 'The House of Dreams', you armed with a nylon strung guitar, and headed off for a nearby Needingworth railway viaduct tunnel. The natural echo and reverb was perfect for trying out songs from 'The River', and I can still hear those haunting sounds in my minds ear ! (Chris Kausman)
It really shows how he kept the same ideas but refined them for the final version, it's like he tapped into the finished song and had to reverse engineer it almost! The instrumental is imo perfect and this made it unchanged, but the words and timing are much tighter in the finished version. One of my fav songs ever, what a talent you have to be to produce demos of this quality
I always felt there must have been more to the River that just the album. Great news that some forty years later the remaining tracks are becoming commercially available.
The music industry sadly is in the business of selling records, they have never been in the business of bringing creativity to the mainstream; especially in the 60's and the 70's, the industry was close knit and tightly controlled. It is sad to think about how many extraordinary musical talents were never recognized or faded before stardom. I would place Rodriguez, Gerry Gafferty and an endless list of others that never had the public interest or support to elevate their careers to greatness. This was all pre-internet. Now if a great talent is missed it may be because of the masses of meta data out there. It's hard to go through so much info to find things worth keeping. I'm an advid music lover and I've only just discovered Terry Reid tonight. Let's honor these artists by sharing their work with others!
You're talking out of your ass. It is infinitely easier to discover music you love with the internet, you disproved your own point by saying you just found Terry. How would you have done that without the internet? you wouldn't. Stop thinking about the mainstream as some end game that all artists aspire to be part of, or need to be part of to be successful.
Another comment here... listening to this version, and the version on the original album, brings it home, once again, that music is not static. An artist's, songs, pieces recorded for an album may be played/ interpreted differently, from one night to the next. And these two versions are a perfect example of this. There are obvious similarities between them, but each is so different in arrangement, interpretation, vocals, and mood. Each provides its own emotional involvement for the listener. For a fan to define "the version that's on the record" as the "real" version, completely misses the point of what the music is all about. It's an artist's creative prerogative, to bring different musicalities to a song/ piece on record or in performance, as he or she sees fit. And Terry Reid is one of few and singular performers who has striven for excellence with this kind of conception, for his entire career! He is unique and second to none.
@@GullibleMcFly glad you concur with my remarks.. it is a fine song of that there is no doubt but it most certainly has a SEASON OF THE WITCH groove pulsating away in it...
Yes thank you very much on a BIG Terry Reid road trip 💕
Great groove..just chillin', Terry Reid, one of life's hidden treasures..now I know why J.Page asked him to front LZ
River is an excellent album. And this alternate version is a unique interpretation of the released version. But saying this ignores what's really going on, an arrangement that's embedded in an open ended improvisation, delicately played by the musicians, with Terry Reid's explorational free form vocals, setting a quiet and thoughtful mood for the lyrics.I've had "The River" for years. Saw Terry Reid twice, opening for Cream in NYC, November '68, and at Fillmore East two months later, with B.B. King and Johnny Winter. What a voice, what originality in his songwriting and vocal interpretations!It's great that this track was put up on RUclips as a sample, a treat, for listeners. I'm getting this album as soon as I can. His Live in London album is superb and a must have - musicians playing with him from "The Cosmic American Derelicts" are from the NY-NJ area and are excellent. His last few shows in NYC have been nothing less than excellent as well!
Hey Terry, ..I have vivid memories of an afternoon we left your then home, 'The House of Dreams', you armed with a nylon strung guitar, and headed off for a nearby Needingworth railway viaduct tunnel. The natural echo and reverb was perfect for trying out songs from 'The River', and I can still hear those haunting sounds in my minds ear ! (Chris Kausman)
It really shows how he kept the same ideas but refined them for the final version, it's like he tapped into the finished song and had to reverse engineer it almost! The instrumental is imo perfect and this made it unchanged, but the words and timing are much tighter in the finished version. One of my fav songs ever, what a talent you have to be to produce demos of this quality
the first 30 seconds of this unreleased alt take is better than most peoples entire body of work.
Ried's Lyrics are deeper than any ocean .
oh my god terry you are a musical genius
Let all of Terry's tunes be heard
This and his "Faith to Arise" are probably among two of the best songs written by a Brit musician ever.
this guy and John Martyn should have made a record together
I always felt there must have been more to the River that just the album. Great news that some forty years later the remaining tracks are becoming commercially available.
Great song! I can't wait to hear this album.
River is an amazing album in it's own right. It's a shame more people haven't heard it.
I REALLY ENJOYED THAT! GREAT GROOVE AND VOCAL. THE LAST TIME I HEARD TERRY WAS IN THE REVOLUTION CLUB LONDON IN ABOUT 1969 :)
I have a feeling I was there also...it's difficult to say with any conviction...1969 was a beautiful haze then and remains thus...🌈
The music industry sadly is in the business of selling records, they have never been in the business of bringing creativity to the mainstream; especially in the 60's and the 70's, the industry was close knit and tightly controlled. It is sad to think about how many extraordinary musical talents were never recognized or faded before stardom. I would place Rodriguez, Gerry Gafferty and an endless list of others that never had the public interest or support to elevate their careers to greatness. This was all pre-internet. Now if a great talent is missed it may be because of the masses of meta data out there. It's hard to go through so much info to find things worth keeping. I'm an advid music lover and I've only just discovered Terry Reid tonight. Let's honor these artists by sharing their work with others!
You're talking out of your ass. It is infinitely easier to discover music you love with the internet, you disproved your own point by saying you just found Terry. How would you have done that without the internet? you wouldn't. Stop thinking about the mainstream as some end game that all artists aspire to be part of, or need to be part of to be successful.
Terry Reid's name is on it I'm there
Another comment here... listening to this version, and the version on the original album, brings it home, once again, that music is not static. An artist's, songs, pieces recorded for an album may be played/ interpreted differently, from one night to the next. And these two versions are a perfect example of this. There are obvious similarities between them, but each is so different in arrangement, interpretation, vocals, and mood. Each provides its own emotional involvement for the listener. For a fan to define "the version that's on the record" as the "real" version, completely misses the point of what the music is all about. It's an artist's creative prerogative, to bring different musicalities to a song/ piece on record or in performance, as he or she sees fit. And Terry Reid is one of few and singular performers who has striven for excellence with this kind of conception, for his entire career! He is unique and second to none.
sounds like Season of the Witch and love it anyway....
No it doesn't.
Yes it does. Similar chord pattern/vibe.
Very similar to Season Of The Witch but I'm not complaining - what a great groove.
Absurd...nothing like season of the witch...🤔
Yes, similar. Your ears are apparently broken if you don't hear it.
@@GullibleMcFly glad you concur with my remarks.. it is a fine song of that there is no doubt but it most certainly has a SEASON OF THE WITCH groove pulsating away in it...
@@hugovandermeer6746 it's absurd that you can walk around with your ears apparently painted on.
Really. Not half as absurd as your tone deaf lack of musical discernment.