JOHN PEEL (1939-2004)
This Wirral born deejay was an inspiration for many generations. I can remember in my early teens (81-85) listening to Peelies late night show 10.00 to 12.00 Monday to Thursday every night without fail. He was on the ball when discovering new bands and unlike more mainstream cheesy, sickly type deejays, he wasn't scared to plunge into the unknown of more extreme types of music. His dry sensde of humour and anti-establishment 'couldn't care less attitude' was some of the things that appealed to adolescent youth. We could relate to him and sympathize with his views on the state of the music industry. He was like the rebellious Uncle your elders would warn you against associating with. It always brought a smile to your face when he played a record at the wrong speed, but that was what made Peelie so great.
His death will be a sad loss to the music industry. No one else will be able to replace him because Peelie was a complete one-off. A true individual, in every sense of the word. I mean who else would have dared to have sessions by Crass or the 4-Skins? In fact, most Northerners (like myself) in the late 70's and early 80's wouldn't have heard of any of the punk bands or unsigned acts. Remember, the Slits and Siouxsie And The Banshees were without record contracts when their early sessions were aired in 77-78, if it wasn't for Peelie. I can remember some great vintage sessions from the late 70's and early 80's on the Peelie show like the Buzzcocks, the Adverts, PIL, Joy Division, X-Ray Spex, Adam And The Antz, Angelic Upstarts, the Lurkers, UK Subs, Generation X, the Fall, Undertones, Killing Joke, Siouxsie And The Banshees, the Ruts, Echo And The Bunnymen, Vice Squad, the Cure, Action Pact!, the Adicts, 1919, the Birthday Party, X-Mal Deutschland, Cocteu Twins, Jesus And The Mary Chain. But my all-time favourite Peelie sessions has to be from the Damned (78-79). Tracks from these two sessions had much earlier, rawer versions of 'Melody Lee', 'Anti-Pope','Looking At You', 'Burglar', 'Liar', 'Smash It Up', 'I Just Can't Be Happy Today', and 'I'm So Bored' (a piss-take song of the then trendy bands - Tubeway Army and the Specials).On the night of Peelies death it was good to hear tracks from some of these old sessions getting another airing.
Personally, I reckon for the next 6 months Radio 1 should re-air all these old sessions instead of looking for a replacement for Peelie, though Steve Lamaqi must be a strong contender (not with ears that big he won't -Don't Care). Only the other day I dug out a tape featuring sessions from late 80's Extreme Noise Terror and Napalm Death. Yes those were the days when chaos reled supreme on late night Radio 1. Peelie is now a unique part of past and present musical history. It would be fitting if his name was given a place in the 'Music Hall Of Fame'.
It was only last week I tuned into late night Radio 1, for the first time in 13 years and listened to Siouxsie Sioux and Robert Smith recollecting their stories about Peelie, and how the Banshees and the Cure got their big breaks. They seemed eternally grateful of the support and guidance, he gave both bands. Both of which were standing in on the late show on seperate nights, whilst Peelie was away...
Lastly, I would like to pass on my condolences onto his family as he will be sadly missed. John Peel R.I.P.!
MITCH
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