Silver White Light - Live At the Isle of Wight 1970

This performance is so powerful in spots that the 1970 recording technology can’t keep up. Terry Reid, unfortunately best known as the singer who turned down Led Zeppelin (and later Deep Purple), was one of the era’s great overlooked talents, and his passionate delivery gave his music its edge. Performing here with fill-in drummer Michael Giles (who’d recently left King Crimson), future Jackson Browne foil and all-around multi-instrumental genius David Lindley, and bassist Lee Miles, Reid would’ve torn the roof off the place had it not been an open-air festival. The set is varied and quite daring. “Things to Try” and “Dean” wouldn’t make it to a studio album until 1973’s River. “No Good Situation” is an aggressive blues rocker. “C’mon Mary” is a country hoedown tune written by Lindley that turns into a brutal rocker. “July” is a gentle acoustic tune that gives Reid the chance to wring sweet emotion. “Without Expression” expands with a beautifully ragged sound that points up the heartbreaking melody. The medley of “Rich Kid Blues” and Bob Dylan’s “To Be Alone with You” completes this time capsule from rock’s most fertile era.