Chapter 2 - Superlungs

On their return to UK Mickey most released the album they had recorded before leaving but oddly only in America.  The album ‘bang bang you’re Terry Reid’ made only a small impression on the American charts hardly surprising since Terry was now back in the UK and unable to promote the album with gigs. Ironically at the beginning of 1969 with Terry hardly back in the UK the newly formed Led Zeppelin were off on their first American tour and the first steps to stellar successThe spring of 1969 saw Terry and co back in the studio to record the eponymous second album. Considered by many to be Terry's finest hour this album, again including a wide diversity of songs and styles, was far more polished than his first and includes some standout tracks which have borne the test of time.  The opening track ‘Superlungs my supergirl’ a Donovan number, inevitably landed Terry with the nickname by which he is still often called today. Have to say and despite suggestions that unless Terry had a previous life as a 14 year old girl with a penchant for drawing it was not originally written about him or for him. With the tracks laid down in the studio Terry embarked on a string of concerts both in the UK and America. Gigs in America included some dates with Ten Years After in the autumn and curiously a significant appearance in an offbeat film Groupies.  Put aside the cheesy nature of the title and ignore the dodgy premise of the film , delight instead in the fact that just by chance there is a film record of Terry, Peter and Keith on fine form at the Filmore East.

Later in November Terry was again invited to tour with the Rolling Stones this time in America on the infamous tour that ended under the dark skies of Altamont. The tour was pure rock 'n' roll the stuff legends are made of. Terry just 20 at the time was there in the thick of it and has numerous stories to relate from this time.  My own favourite being of his time staying in the Chelsea Hotel in New York.  Also in the hotel were the infamous Coquettes an outrageous and it has to be said courageous, touring theatre group of hippy transvestites who coined the phrase gender fuck. Terry was with Keith Richards listening to the group bitching about and mimicking Mick Jagger, Terry was more concerned about getting his ironing done for his stage clothes and on enquiring about where he might find an iron had one of the Coquette's whisk his laundry away with a motherly cluck clucking, returning it perfectly pressed later on.