John Peel R.I.P.
I have been much saddened to hear of the demise of John Peel on Monday, 25th Oct’, 2004 at the age of 65. He was on vacation in Peru when he suffered a fatal heart attack. The man probably did more for music than anyone else in the World. His passing is a huge loss to the U.K and music lovers all over the Planet. He played new and obscure music that inspired generations of musicians and brought the listeners in to contact with stuff that could be heard nowhere else. From 1967 until a few days ago, he played the newest and most eclectic mix of music to ever hit the airwaves. He indroduced such unknowns as Black Sabbath, The Cure, Nirvana, David Bowie, The Smiths, Jimmi Hendrix, The Fall, Elton John, Led Zeppelin and Joy Division to name but a few, well before anyone had heard of them.
He was famous for his ability to play records at the wrong speed, some of which were so bizarre that it was hard to tell he had done it until he mumbled an apology and played it again at the right speed! He championed Glam. Punk, Hip-Hop, Techno and ethnic music from all over, without ever giving the music the labels I just used. He had an open minded attitude to differing styles that was contagious. For many of us that listened regularly, our tastes were forever changed and our musical outlook broadened, often to a degree that amazes those whose lives he never touched.
His rambling monologues and patches of silences between tracks endeared him to us. He could never help talking about his love of Liverpool F.C. He played tapes sent in by new and aspiring bands form all over the globe. Sometimes he even admitted that a track was awefull but I only ever heard him cut a track short once due to it’s poor quality. It was by ‘Mike Malignant and the Parasites’, a Portsmouth based band who were friends of mine. I will never forget listening to a strange record that he played a couple of times each show for at least a week. It was deisgned to be played at 4 different speeds and even had a choice of holes. He played every single variable and to me they were all at once fascinating and atrocious! From 10 until midnight most week nights his shows addicted millions.
He pioneered 4 track sessions by bands. New and upcoming acts were put in a studio to do 4 tracks that he would broadcast on his show. Many of these amazing recordings are becoming available on CD so if you are checking out the recordings of your favorite band and find an Album entitled ‘The Peel Sessions’, buy it even if you never heard his show. The versions are raw and real, often giving a better look at the talent of a band than their regular recordings.
Mr Peel, you’ll be sadly missed by this expat. Thank you for opening my mind and ears and thank you for some of the most unusual and memorable radio in the history of the medium. The angels now have an alternative to harps! The afterlife has been enhanced but it might be raucous in places!
Cheers Peelie!
(Read his obituary in the Independent)
Update: I have been listening to some of the tribute radio shows on the BBC. They were taking messages from well wishers/mourners from every corner of the globe and playing his favorite tracks. There is also a message board with postings from listeners and musicians that is growing at an enormous rate. My words here do not do him justice. A quick search on Google News brought up articles from just about everywhere you could imagine. His influence spread further than I ever thought.