John Peel - RIP

One of the select few DJ's I had time for, Genial, open, honest, not afraid to lay it on the line. Our Loss, is some where else gain, Goodbye John.

 

Very sad day, absolutely gutted. Couldn't believe it when I heard... one of my work colleagues got a call from a friend and he let us all know. There's never going to be anyone like him again, I remember so many late nights up listening to his show while trying to get college/uni work completed... the variety of tunes would always keep me awake and even sometimes I might actually get some work done! It was mostly listening to the tunes though. Along with Mark Radcliffe and Steve Lamacq he provided the soundtrack to my teenage years... first remember hearing him when he had the evening show with Janice Long many years ago, can't believe we won't again.

Listening now to the tribute thing on Radio 1, loads of session tracks being played, unbelievable just how many bands he helped along the road to mega-status.

Lets hope that they release more from the Peel session vaults, or at the very least, the Festive 50's. Think Tom Petty summed the state of radio up pretty well a couple of years ago...

The Last DJ

Well you can't turn him into a company man
You can't turn him into a whore
And the boys upstairs just don't understand anymore
Well the top brass don't like him talking so much
And he won't play what they say to play
And he don't want to change what don't need to change

And there goes the last DJ
Who plays what he wants to play
And says what he wants to say
Hey, hey, hey
And there goes your freedom of choice
There goes the last human voice
There goes the last DJ

Well some folks say they're gonna hang him so high
Because you just can't do what he did
There's some things you just can't put in the minds of those kids
As we celebrate mediocrity all the boys upstairs want to see
How much you'll pay for what you used to get for free

And there goes the last DJ
Who plays what he wants to play
And says what he wants to say
Hey, hey, hey
And there goes your freedom of choice
There goes the last human voice
And there goes the last DJ

RIP

 

pretty heartbreaking stuff. played teenage kicks last night very loud.

 

Never really saw what the big attraction was with John Peel, the music he played was terrible, and he was only an 'average DJ' .

I'm sure he was a swell bloke and it always sad when someone dies.

 

The attraction was that he was completely ordinary and honest, not an egotistical celebrity. He played anything he liked irrespective of corporate playlists, and no end of good bands were bought to the people's attention because of this.

 

The music he played was good, he would get otherwise unheard bands played for the masses.
No idea where the idea of John Peel being average would come from

 

He played more unheard bands than any other DJ who ever lived, and as a result single-handedly started more careers than anybody else you could name. And he was a great DJ because he loved music, not celebrity, and played records all the way through without burbling over the top of them.

That's why.

-- Ian

 

Heard this in the car on the way home from work yesterday. Almost had to stop. I rarely listened to his show, he played some awful crazy stuff! He also played some great stuff but no one else would give most of it a chance. John Peel moved music on by always pushing new sounds.
I loved the fact that he invited struggling new bands to stay at his house and also did sessions at 'Peel Acres'. He lived for music and this dedication shone through in all he did.
To me I shall miss the fact that he was an ever present representative of down to earth normal folk not interested in celebrity and disposable music. He came accross as a genuine, interesting and throughly nice bloke.
He will be a great loss and I think it will leave a clear void in the world of broadcasting.

 

i must agree that some of the stuff he played was utter arse (it kept me awake after 20+ hour days though so not totally useless) however as has been said his total obliviousness to corporate crap and his willingness to play whatever the hell he liked should be a beacon to any right thinking individual in todays style over substance world.
cheers


julian

 

he was one of the few innovative daring good guys

why does it always happen...

on hols... sex? drugs? drink?

a plane...don't get into a cessna with a guitar

 

Altitude.

Paul

 

I don't think he was a big league drink/drugs man, but I could be wrong.

I'm gutted too though - Radio1 now has no reason to exist. If they could get Annie Nightingale back off of retirement though, she could put on a good show - maybe not as out there as Peel was, but she did used to play good stuff like UK Subs on her show after the Top 40...

 

for a day or two we had loads of Nirvana, Pulp, The Smiths, The Undertones and other good stuff all over the radio.

Theyve gone back to playing crap now though..

I know nobody could fill a legend like JP's shoes, but I hope they try to get someone else on the station to be a new music embassador.

NB
I really like the fact the new band stage at Donnington is going to be renamed the John Peel stage

 

As Paul said, altitude. Peel was diabetic, and not in the best of health. He was in Peru, where even healthy people who aren't used to altitude can feel a bit breathless. Apart from a fondness for red wine, I don't think anybody could suggest Peel was a drug fiend.

-- Ian

 

Cusco is at about 11000 feet. This is high enough that 'a bit breathless' might be seen as rather droll understatement. Even overtly healthy people can get altitude sickness. OTOH the old and unfit don't necessarily suffer.

Anyway well worth the risk of a visit, IMO.

Paul

 

Due to work, family, life and other tasks I would often found myself listening to him at odd hours via the world service. I am sure he will be missed by many, many people across the globe who smile as they recogonised his crackling voice and collections of cracking sounds (sunspots permitting) as they drifted down from the ether.