John Peel RIP

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I was completely stopped in my tracks when I heard this, watching Newsnight; just not right that he shouldn't be around any more... feels like a great chunk of my past has just been frozen, packed away. He has left too soon. :(

A major loss to British broadcasting, and it does feel personal: he did so much to get me into alternative music of all sorts, and importantly did it in an avuncular, laconic way.
One of his major contributions was to increase a knowledge and love of music in his listeners; the younger of us (I first heard him aged 14 in 1997) have benefitted not just from his shows, but the passions they have instilled over the years in his listeners... he does have a legacy and it is showed in the effect upon so many listeners. Let's hope that his example can be followed... he is an 'irreplaceable' personality, my word yes, but there's an ethos that I don't feel we can afford to lose.

Heartfelt condolences to his family, and rest in peace John.

― Tom May (Tom May), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 22:31 (twenty-one years ago)

(I first heard him aged 14 in 1997

I first heard him aged 14 in 1987. I love that the 10 year age gap just changes one digit.

― Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 22:33 (twenty-one years ago)

I was listening to him aged 14 in 1977, having first heard him aged 14 in 1976.

Still can't find the words. A personal hero, and an absolute lifeline during my miserable fucked-up adolescence.

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 22:38 (twenty-one years ago)

If someone can turn up and say "I first listened to him aged 14 in 1967", I'll be very happy, but it won't make up for it not possible for someone to ever say: "I first listened to him aged 14 in 2007".

― Alba (Alba), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 22:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Thanks for taking Callum's bullshit off this wonderful thread, whoever it was.

― neil tacus (tacit), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 22:44 (twenty-one years ago)

The CBC radio program As It Happens just did a profile on John Peel and the influence he had not only over radio but over the success of many musicians. And at the end of it they played "Teenage Kicks".

― Sean Carruthers (SeanC), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 22:50 (twenty-one years ago)

It's been months since I last listened to his show, at least since May/June, if I've listened to the radio at all at night it has been to Mark Radcliffe on Radio 2, I'm sorry about not listening to the programme for so long and it breaks my heart to think I'll never hear him again. He was there when I started to listen to music, and his show was where I did that. I suppose in a way, I took it for granted that he'd somehow always be there, I took him for granted which I'm sad about.
RIP

― David Merryweather (DavidM), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 23:24 (twenty-one years ago)

So true, David. I feel very sad that I didn't listen to his show as much as I should have in recent years... but that doesn't alter the epiphany of listening to him through 1998, 1999 particularly, at an uncertain point in my life. I don't know how I'll cope if I dig out any of the dusty cassette recordings I made from his shows in those years... :( Momus was very right that he is partly so loved as he was a sentimental soul, and of the best, genuine sort. Me listening to those tapes now would be like Peel and his relation to Liverpool, LFC, Bill Shankley (anyone remember that TV programme on local musics he did c. 98-9, 'john peel's sounds of the suburbs'? very sweet that was), socialism, The Pig... he feels like family, and also representative of so much that's good in our country; respect for old things he loves, but also a wonderful curiosity about the new. And also a sense of absurdity and making the little things of life entertaining, when just rambling on with that great voice.

As has been said in one of these threads; it just felt warm and right that he always was *there*, doing his show in inimitable fashion, even if we might have moved on from being regular listeners...

― Tom May (Tom May), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 23:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Great! what the hell are we gonna do for a World President now?

Seriously, this is so fucked. I hope the BBC have got at some of those shows on tape. I hope they start classes *teaching* DJs to appreciate music like JP did.

Won't make for the loss of the guy himself though :-(

― phil jones (interstar), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 23:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Tom - I do remember it. I've got the CD soundtrack by me right now. The major thing I remember is him going to the Isle Of Wight... and who'd do that now?

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Tuesday, 26 October 2004 23:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, I remember that (talking on the beach with some female indie singer, I strongly remember), and also the trips north of the border to talk to the Delgados/visit Shankley's birthplace (IIRC) and even one to Sunderland, briefly... What's on the soundtrack, William? Obviously Delgados...

― Tom May (Tom May), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 00:08 (twenty-one years ago)

'John Peel's Sounds Of The Suburbs', Shifty Disco, 2 CD's, these are the tracklistings:

Samurai Seven - Sound Of The Suburbs
High Fidelity - Lazy B
Delgados - Everything Goes Around The Water
Radio Sweethearts - Real Ghost Town
Nought - Cough Cap Kitty Cat (1998)
Pat Thomas - Remembering
Lab 4 - Reformation II
Lucie Chivers - Dioddef Amdanat
Reviver Gene - Strap Me Up
60ft Dolls - Baby Says Yeah
Blew - In C
The Jones Machine - That Booze Magic (Cheggars Mix)

Robert Wyatt - Free Will And Testament
Solid Doctor - Holy Roller
Back To Base - Electric Eye (Crown Yourself King Mix)
Mr Ed - Blue
Lianne Hall - Cosy
Fun'da'mental - Ja Sha Taan
Exploding Thumbs - Desert Song
Waterson-Carthy - Ye Mariners All
Twosheds - Don't Go To Darlington
Myormay - Clear
Comatose - Turtle's Head

― William Bloody Swygart (mrswygart), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 00:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Yes, those last three or four were from the north-east edition. I may have a few of them taped off-air still; i hope i do.

Still struggling to come to any sort of terms about this; especially as it does feel all too likely that we might have seen the end of his sort of ethos; aye, the Reithian ideal, but geared towards independent/alternative ends... it may be possible there could be a national DJ with a notably eclectic taste in records, but it'll take an awful lot of time for anyone to match the broadcasting skills of Peel, and crucially his empathy with all the listeners; he brought a lot more to the table than just a wide musical taste... his whole character was wonderfully reassuring and 'traditional' in some ways, and this, i think, helped him achieve an audience for his music shows...

Marcello is spot-on in mentioning Stanshall and Cutler, btw, in his blog tribute; he did more than any in encouraging these sort of incomparable people. Peel was good in not just going for blanket 'styles' of music, but finding people who didn't fit into 'genres' one iota.

― Tom May (Tom May), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 00:33 (twenty-one years ago)

When the day is done, and the ball has spun
In the umpire's pocket away
And all remains is the groundsman's pains
For the rest of time and a day
There'll be one mad dog and his master
Pushing for four with the spin
On a dusty pitch, with two pounds six
Of willowwood in the sun.
When an old cricketer leaves the crease
You never know whether he's gone
If maybe you're catching a fleeting glimpse
Of a twelfth man at silly mid-on.

And it could be Geoff, and it could be John
With a new ball sting in his tail
And it could be me, and it could be thee
And it could be the sting in the ale.

― Acme (acme), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 01:43 (twenty-one years ago)

I live in Australia and can only really comprehend the mythical status that John Peel warrants.

I only ever got hear him via the BBC World Service once a week. In that short space of time they broadcasted his hour-long show, I was totally thankful to finally hear what all the fuss was about after only ever reading about this legend (yes 'legend' is now offical) in UK mags such as NME, Record Collector, MOJO, and radio guides.

It's weird, tears have welled up after reading everyone's posts, and yet, I too, feel I've taken the same journey as others on ILM. He was the "Indie Uncle" I never knew! The respect I garnered for him was due to what I'd read other than heard. Damn! I just wish I had a friend in England who could have sent me regular tapes of his shows, looking back.

My sympathies go out to everyone who sheltered under his musical umbrella: he would have been the only reason I wished I was a teenager throughout the '70s.

To quote one of the great '80s bands he so championed.."There is a light that never goes out...".

Rest In Eternal Peace" John Peel

― herbalizer12 (herbalizer12), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 03:23 (twenty-one years ago)

His contributions were many and great. He'll be missed.

― Andrew (enneff), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 03:26 (twenty-one years ago)

JOHN PEEL: The formidable alterno-colossus was the tramp-resembling bloke scowling at the back of that infamous original R1 group photo on the steps of All Soul's Church by Broadcasting House. He'd got there via California, Dallas and the heady days of the 60s pirate stations, but John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (as we're duty bound to refer to him), despite often embodying the exact opposite of many of the station's favourite fly-by-nights, has remained a solid fixture on The One ever since, mostly by dint of being any good. From the days of the wonderfully of-its-time Perfumed Garden and Top Gear, through prog, punk, "new wave" (Gang Of Four and Wire, generally), "indie" (anything on Beggars Banquet and Factory, generally), and onwards, The Peel has championed and promoted the best (and, to be fair, a good measure of the worst - Carcass, anyone?) music of the last three-plus decades, without ever appearing a bandwagon-jumper. Show, until recently, always introed with the increasingly inappropriate blues plodding of Grinderswitch. But at least as much as the music, the manner maketh the man, and the eternally-bearded (even his voice seems to have a beard these days) JP has, in spite of himself, developed an unmistakeable aural persona. Playing records at the wrong speed (still, after about 40 years in which to get it right); never talking over a fade-out if he can help it (often resulting in a battle of wits with some avant-garde stop-start-ending disc); continually praising The Fall above most everything else except Liverpool FC (nothing wrong there); continually bemoaning the state (ie lack of Fall songs) of the reader-voted and self-compiled Festive 50 chart; odd, whimsical shaggy dog anecdotes about his kids meeting the bloke out of Napalm Death on a ferry, or buying underpants; odd, silly anecdotes about long-time producer John "What's on!" Walters etc etc. It all sounds frighteningly misconstrued, but it works, generally due to Peel's unforced and self-effacing on-air style, unlike his one-time sworn enemy The Bates (fact - the only two people in the world who hate John Peel are Bates and the singer off The Pooh Sticks. Enough said.) Still with R1, and is unlikely to be shifted in the foreseeable future - pipe, slippers and fucking in the streets.

courtesy of TV Cream (UK)

― herbalizer12 (herbalizer12), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 03:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Phil, from experience at a much smaller broadcaster, my guess is that Peel probably ran tape on every show, if not the BBC itself.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 05:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Or: " . . . Peel, if not the BBC itself, ran tape on every show."

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 05:39 (twenty-one years ago)

"Rename the Pyramid Stage in honor of John Peel":
http://www.petitiononline.com/johnpeel/petition.html

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 05:57 (twenty-one years ago)

just back from seeing the Delgados, a band I first checked out in the late 90s because of Peel and have loved ever since. Emma got it out of the way right from the start-- we're dedicating this entire set to John Peel-- and they seemed in good spirits throughout the show.

I was unexpectedly very emotional all day-- PFM officemates, it wasn't my lingering cold that caused my sniffles-- so I can't imagine how those of you in the UK who grew up listening to him felt. The Electrifying Mojo is the closest Peel-like figure I could name in my own life, and that doesn't even touch Peel's impact for you all. And thanks for all of the kind and touching words and links-- even as a lurker, it was a great day to read ILx.

― scott pl. (scott pl.), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 06:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, I cheered very loudly when Emma made that dedication, then had to yell in exasperation at the guy behind me who said, "Wait, John Cale died?"

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 06:33 (twenty-one years ago)

(xpost from the ILE thread)

I figured PJ Harvey would mention Peel tonight at the show and she did, and then brought on a current Fall dude to perform a cover of "Janet, Johnny + James" from The Real New Fall LP during the set. I suspect that's exactly the kind of tribute he would have liked -- something new rather than old.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 06:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Final playlist.

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 08:42 (twenty-one years ago)

That's the show that Underworld did.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 08:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Mr & Mrs Christmas - 'Dinner at Rods'

this is the track featuring Peel's voice

― Freelance Hiveminder (blueski), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 09:01 (twenty-one years ago)

They've renamed the New Bands Tent http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3957699.stm

― Madchen (Madchen), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 09:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Oops, blundered... sorry.

― mike t-diva (mike t-diva), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 09:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Thanks, Steve, I did finally get that sorted. Very funny.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 09:55 (twenty-one years ago)

he played my band once... and i gave him a record from my label at this year's sonar festival. that's all my relationship with peel, i only listened to his shows during 94/95, back when i lived in london. and still i'm sad and think it's an irreplaceable loss. he'll be missed.

― joan vich (joan vich), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 10:56 (twenty-one years ago)

I've just remembered that in addition to his R1 show, I used to turn my aerial to listen (in London) to a very hissy broadcast of the show he did for what was called 'Three Counties Radio' I think, where in the evenings, three local BBC stations (Cambridgeshire, Essex and Suffolk?) joined together. Very similar to his R1 show, but I always felt smart for getting this extra dose of Peel.

I think I drew the line at the quality of the World Service broadcasts, though.

― Alba (Alba), Wednesday, 27 October 2004 16:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Three Counties Radio (TCR on your car's RDS display) is Beds/Bucks/Herts. And operates all day, I think.

― Mooro (Mooro), Thursday, 28 October 2004 04:28 (twenty-one years ago)

one hour q+A with the man .

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/media/g2/onemusic/nottingham/datsuns.ram

― mark e (mark e), Thursday, 28 October 2004 07:56 (twenty-one years ago)

I missed the 'Watch Again' for MES on Newsnight - has anyone seen an mpeg or avi of it anywhere?

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 28 October 2004 08:03 (twenty-one years ago)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v369/colinohara/MarkESmithisinsane.jpg

one mad mad picture ..

― mark e (mark e), Thursday, 28 October 2004 08:05 (twenty-one years ago)

for those in or around glasgow: bbc scotland have set up a book of condolence at their reception desk in queen margaret drive if anyone wants to write a message to be passed on to john's family. the last day for signing is wednesday november 3.

― grimly fiendish (grimlord), Thursday, 28 October 2004 08:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Maybe it wasn't called 'Three Counties radio' then - hearing that name recently might have corrupted my old memory. I'm sure it covered his home in Suffolk, and also he went on about gigs in Harlow a lot.

― Alba (Alba), Thursday, 28 October 2004 09:41 (twenty-one years ago)

I just want to go home and weep now.

― Bimble (bimble), Thursday, 28 October 2004 14:49 (twenty-one years ago)

i think his BBC local radio show was on the East Anglian stations, Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk - it was syndicated between several different stations. i don't think it was on 3CR (which indeed wasn't called that then).

― GB05? (robin carmody), Thursday, 28 October 2004 19:12 (twenty-one years ago)

Thanks - that's what I was starting to figure.

― Alba (Alba), Thursday, 28 October 2004 19:34 (twenty-one years ago)

And as i expected, watching Extreme noise terror last night:

"This is dedicated to our best friend. John Peel"

And so they played "Carry on screaming". Tear to the eye. Carry on indeed, John.

― gerardo francisco, Thursday, 28 October 2004 22:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Just listening to Andy Kershaw's R3 tribute show now. Think it might only be up till tomorrow.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/aod/radio3_aod.shtml?andykershaw

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 7 November 2004 00:39 (twenty-one years ago)

I must admit that I never knew much about John Peel until now (I knew he was a DJ and I knew about the Peel Session discs, but that's it), and, being an American, I am quite envious of you Brits.

― Hurting (Hurting), Sunday, 7 November 2004 05:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Kershaw's show was fucking awesome and I urge everyone reading this to click on the link above, before it goes away.

― retort pouch (retort pouch), Sunday, 7 November 2004 05:53 (twenty-one years ago)

I must admit that I never knew much about John Peel until now (I knew he was a DJ and I knew about the Peel Session discs, but that's it), and, being an American, I am quite envious of you Brits.

Ha ha! OTM OTM! I've considered myself an anglophile since I was a teenager and have followed UK music religiously and yet I've never felt so envious of the Brits until I realized I actually knew very little about Peel, the man. I listened to his show a lot in the early 90's but wow I wish I'd been able to as a teenager. I remember considering getting a shortwave radio, even wrote down the correct frequency to use but I just don't think I had enough money then.

I'll check out the Kershaw show - I have been tuning in to the Rob Da Bank shows in the original Peel timeslot featuring music Peel picked and prerecorded Peel sessions that hadn't been broadcast yet. Also there is Peel doing a half hour show on the BBC World Service site that he recorded in advance - with two more of these shows on the way. (I say this for anyone outside the U.K. who might be looking for a way to hear the man himself in action)

I've recently been looking up the Festive 50 lists and trying to get ahold of any stray songs that I don't already know of yet. I have recently discovered I am head over heels for mid-80's band the Very Things - they were like Bauhaus crossed with The Fall crossed with Half Man Half Biscuit or some such wonderful thing - pop and goth at the same time. Incredible.

I'm gonna see if that Kershaw show is still up.

― Bimble (bimble), Sunday, 7 November 2004 08:32 (twenty-one years ago)

It is still up! Listening to it as I type. Thanks!

― Bimble (bimble), Sunday, 7 November 2004 09:05 (twenty-one years ago)

i did a peel session tribute today too on my 'vintage cuts' show.. played the fall, undertones, the banshees, gang of four, early pavement, pulp and stereolab..

― chris andrews (fraew), Sunday, 7 November 2004 09:21 (twenty-one years ago)

The listen again thing seems to be being gay for me this morning but the playlist is here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/andykershaw/pip/9efk2/

Some good stuff there, bookended with spot-on choices. Neil Young's 'Country Home' is great: its the opener of 'Ragged Glory' & when I first got a copy I listened to that track about 20 times on repeat before I wanted to hear the rest of the album!

― Mooro (Mooro), Sunday, 7 November 2004 10:59 (twenty-one years ago)

It's a great show. It's mainly music, but manages to remind me of the John Peel I knew better than anything else I've heard. Good old Kershaw.

― Alba (Alba), Sunday, 7 November 2004 11:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Kershaw reminds me of Peel considerably more than Rob Da Bank does.

― neil tacus (tacit), Sunday, 7 November 2004 11:37 (twenty-one years ago)

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