John Peel died yesterday of a heart attack on holiday in Bolivia. I feel that I need to reflect the feeling of a nation today before I start work with a heavy heart. Its with just testament to the man and to his broadcasting legend, that I observe, it is a whole nation that is grieving and not just the musicians and music fans of this nation who to a man and woman he had a uniquely personal effect on. Politicians and public figures and proletariat are lining up with the music fraternity to pay tribute and show their collective love and respect. Every radio show on every radio station today, is marking his loss before they can continue broadcasting, and many are playing his favourite records as the back bone of an otherwise deflated output. Their is a general feeling the world will be a little less interesting place for his loss.


John Peel joined the BBC when the pirate stations won the broadcasting battle of the airwaves and the BBC were force to assimilate the new music (Rock and Roll) into their broadcasting thinking. Radio 1 was formed around him and some other key figures, to broadcast to, in Pete Townsend's words "My G G Generation" and he died as the only founding member still broadcasting on the network and to his eternal credit, subsequent young generations took him to there hears too as their very own, how cool is that? He was at the cutting edge then and more impressively remained there all his life. He was still at his death at 65 the most radical and free thinking broadcaster at the BBC and probably in the world. He started there by championed Prog Rock, in the 70's bringing through the likes of Floyd, Zeppelin The Faces T Rex, he heralded Punk Rock, even back then by playing the like s of Dr Feelgood and Eddie and The Hot Rods and the pub rockers of the time that no one else would give time or credence to. He championed the new kids all the time and seemingly single-handily brought punk and new wave into the mainstream, breaking the Clash, The Undertones, Elvis Costello, The Sex Pistols, he augured the dance age then, by playing the like of Kreftwerk and Talking Heads, then when the new generation inspired by those John Peel radiotones sent Peely their cassettes he picked them up and played them too.


The whole Independent scene found confidence, found their audience and flourished around the planet from his original patronage. He introduce Hip Hop here, he introduced Reggae, he introduce World Music and he would do sessions with African Jamaican and even Appellation musicians as easily as he would for the band he saw at his local or whose demo he couldn't stop playing. All the time he continued to highlight the roots of the music, he would play The Smiths and then he would play The Cooper Family of Rotterdean, saying it was all folk music, he played Hank then Henry Rollins, He played Patsy then Pulp, and all the time he kept his audience amused by his simple humanity, humility and not so simple Liverpudlian humour, his programme was never less than a challenge to listen to, but every programme left its audience a little richer for the experience, I believe he is irreplaceable.


John Peel was also a Liverpool Football Club Fan and shared an near equal passion for them as he did for music, outside the main entrance of his beloved Anfield is a statue of Bill Shankly the old war horse manager who brought in the glory days. John Peel is part of every one who ever listened to new and old music and in that respect will never die, I light that should never go out, I hope the BBC erect a statue to him at the front door of broadcasting house like Bill Shankly at Anfield, so everyone who enters those doors which open directly on to the peoples hearts can remembers the value of a freedom of spirit and genuine enthusiasm.


Thanks for reading this and giving me the opportunity to express my loss.
Rob Ellen

Rob Ellen links:
Peace, Health & Happiness Event Management/Publicist/Tour Organiser Music Marketing/Radio DJ/Music Fan http://www.medicinemusic.co.uk

Medicine Show (Health And Happiness Hour) Web Cast This week Paul Buckley Session Track http://rob.ellen.users.btopenworld.com/radio/medshow.rm

The Medicine Show Winter Tour with Nels Andrews http://rob.ellen.users.btopenworld.com/nels/pressroom/index.html

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Lord Litter PS:
could'nt have said it better .. one thing to add .. John Peel did'nt *just* influence "this nation" (United Kingdom) but at least the whole of Europe ... if not the whole world. I HATE namedropping but I felt honored and VERY good when people started comparing my shows to John Peel's ..
Lord Litter
"Suffice to say that he is one of the most important personalities in the underground scene this side of John Peel." (GetRhythm, U.K.)