John Peel is dead

[Illinoisblue]

I'll be honest here; I didn't have much time for the music he played. Tried listening a few times, but never got into his choices.

My admiration for the guy stems mainly from a few interviews he did with football mag When Saturday Comes.

His love for the game was obvious (his hero was Kenny Dalglish) and he made a point about football being the new religion; the fact that thousands of people gather at their place of 'worship' every week and have a shared experience. For non-football fans that might sound like a glib remark, but people who go to games week in, week out all their lives will be able to identify with what he said.

And even though he was a Liverpool fan he lived in Suffolk and went to Ipswich games with his wife Sheila (a big Ipswich fan). I saw him a number of times in the pub before games, pint in hand, scruffy raincoat and green Doc Martens on - 'keeping it real' as you say.

Top bloke.

[Rude Boy]

Funnily enough I was thinking of you mate as the local news was quite rightly dominated by John Peel's death and one of the guys paying his respects was the Ipswich Town chairman. There was also lots of footage of John Peel out and about in your old stomping ground.

It struck me that John Peel is the classic "Cool, older guy." When I grow up I want to be just like him!

[Illinoisblue]

Hello Rudey!

Yep, Peel was quite a regular at Portman Rd although he never lost his love for Liverpool FC.

When Ipswich got promoted via the play-offs at Wembley in 2000 he, because of a prior radio engagement was unable to accompany his wife to the final.

But when she got back home that night she found John had painted a massive 4-2 (the score to Ipswich) in blue paint of the side of their house.

[Heathray]

The end of Radio One. Only Jo Whiley has the balls to play anything other than dance or playlist shite.

A true giant of braodcasting.

[Arnold Layne]

2nd that Rudey. as you know that I have been digging the Floyds BBC 70/71 sessions recently again (thanks 2 u), he was sure very cool, maybe time shortly to release a best of BBC sessions complete with the great mans intros?

[essarr]

Terrible news. I was fortunate to be in a band in the late 70's and he was a fan who championed our cause by playing our stuff, inviting us to do a session for his brilliant late night radio one show and also did the john Peel road shows. He was a true "one-off" in my humble opinion and whenever i hear "Teenage Kicks" from now on, i will remember him.

Glastonbury on the beeb will not be the same!.

God bless you John.

[JP]

Will be sadly missed, I've saw and heard 3 interviews today by Simon Bates and one can't help but feel that Peel would be turning in his grave. Also just saw Mark E Smith get interviewed on Newsnight and came across as a right cunt.

JP

[rockman]

First came across Peelie when I got into double figures. Many years later when I was in my late teens he played my first band on his show, inturn probably responsible for my poor A-level grades.

Over the years I saw the Beeb hack his airtime down and down, but he hung in there.

Always a true gent - sadly sadly missed. Welome to the 'Baths Hall in the sky' John, may Teenage Kicks ring out!!

[Pervert]

Andy Kershaw suggested on his interview with Channel 4 that Peely was feeling ill after the Beeb knocked him on to a later slot, 1 am as opposed to 11 pm. Whatever Kershaw's agenda may be in reporting this (if any), you still have to wonder at the actions of Radio 1 to someone who had given over 35 years of service.

Lead item on the three early evening bulletins. He would have been amazed.

[woodgnome]

R.I.P.