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Features Introducing NEM3SI$’s new label Infinite Resistance! Mindbenderz talk ‘Lord of the Rings’ and fishing, as well as the creation of their new album ‘Celestial Gateway’! Iono-Music artists One Function, Eliyahu, Invisible Reality and Dual Vision talk Robert Miles, kids, dogs and vinyl, while we chat about their current releases! Luke&Flex talk influences, the Irish rave scene, why Flex wears a mask and Play Hard, their new EP out now on Onhcet Repbulik Xtreme! Lyktum expands on his new album ‘Home’ – talking about his love of storytelling, creating new harmonies and the concept behind his musical works. Pan talks getting caught short crossing the Sahara, acid eyeballs and tells us Trance is the Answer, plus shares his thoughts on his latest release 'Beyond the Horizon' - all from a beach in Spain! Miss C chats about living with the KLF, DJing in a huge cat’s mouth, training her brain and the upcoming super-duper Superfreq Grande party at LDN East this Saturday, 16th September! NEM3SI$ - I Live for the Night – talks superficiality, psychopaths, and bittersweet success, ahead of a plethora of evocative, emotional, and passionate upcoming melodic techno releases! Psy-Sisters Spring Blast Off! We talk to DJ competition winner ROEN along with other super talents on the lineup! Blasting towards summer festivals with Bahar Canca ahead of Psy-Sisters Spring Blast! Shyisma talks parties, UFO's, and Shotokan Karate ahead of his upcoming album 'Particles' on Iono-Music! SOME1 talks family, acid, stage fright and wolves - ahead of his upcoming album release ‘Voyager’ on Iono-Music in February 2023! The Transmission Crew tell all and talk about their first London event on 24th February 2023! NIXIRO talks body, mind and music production ahead of his release 'Planet Impulse' on Static Movement's label - Sol Music! Turning the world into a fairy tale with Ivy Orth ahead of Tribal Village’s 10th Birthday Anniversary Presents: The World Lounge Project The Psy-Sisters chat about music, achievements, aspirations and the 10-Year Anniversary Party - 18/12/22! A decade of dance music with Daniel Lesden Earth Needs a Rebirth! Discussions with Psy-Trance Artist Numayma Taking a Journey Through Time with Domino New Techno Rising Star DKLUB talks about his debut release White Rock on Onhcet Republik! PAN expands on many things including his new album 'Hyperbolic Oxymoron' due for release on the 14th April 2022 on PsyWorld Records! Psibindi talks all things music including her new collaborative EP 'Sentient Rays' on Aphid Records, her band Sentience Machine and 10 years of Psy-Sisters! N-Kore talks Jean-Michel Jarre, unfinished tracks and fatherhood! Celebrating International Women’s Day and Ten Years of Psy-Sisters with Amaluna A Catch Up with John Phantasm ahead of his upcoming set at the Tribal Village 4 Day Outdoor Event in Kent 6-9 May 2022! 'The Maestro that is Tristan talks barn owls, Shazamming and keeping it Psychedelic ahead of his upcoming performance at the Tribal Village 4 Day Event in Kent 6-9 May 2022!

RIP John Peel (1939-2004) Reported by timmyd9 / Submitted 13-10-05 07:38 An idiosyncratic personality and deep deadpan voice he was described by friend and fellow broadcaster Andy Kershaw as "the most important figure in British music since the advent of rock and roll". He was more important than any individual artist or group because he was the one that discovered such an extraordinarily large number of the leading names of music over the past 40 years. A beacon of integrity, he was dedicated to bringing attention to all forms of music outside the bounds of 'popular music'. He talked between records rather than over him which he would consider a great discourtesy. Baffled by those who devotedly listed to him but eternally grateful. He would cry at the drop of a hat but we loved him for it. John Robert Parker Ravenscroft (born August 30, 1939), known professionally as John Peel, was so much ,more than just a British disc jockey and radio presenter. Known for the extraordinary range of his taste in music and the not infrequent blunders (for example playing records at the wrong speed) which mark his shows, John Peel was one of the most popular and respected DJs in the United Kingdom. He was born in Heswall near Liverpool, and educated as a boarder at Shrewsbury School. After finishing his National Service in 1962 he went to America and initially worked for WRR Radio in Dallas, Texas. "I went over in 1960 and there were DJs on Luxembourg like Pete Murray, Alan Freeman, I guess, David Jacobs. Was he on Luxembourg? I had in the back of my mind that it was something I'd like to do. But I went over there really to... because my dad dared me to. It's like my son now, it's a vengeance... karma. He hasn't got anything to do. I don't know what to do with him. In the same way my dad didn't know what to do with me. So my dad said 'I'll send you to America if you'll go.' So I went." He later worked for KOMA in Oklahoma City and KMEN in San Bernardino, California. As Beatlemania sweep the world John promoted his Liverpudlian accent and let people believe he was a friend of the Fab Four. He was mobbed. After the assassination of John F. Kennedy in Dallas 1963, Peel and a friend went to where the police were holding Lee Harvey Oswald, pretending they worked for the Liverpool Echo. While he was there, John saw the club owner Jack Ruby shoot Oswald. John Peel first married in mid-sixties to a 15 year old American, Shirley Anne-Milburn, before discovering that crossing certain state lines would be a criminal offence for him as she was considered under-age in some states. They returned to the UK in 1967 and John began work for the offshore pirate radio station Radio London ("Big L") where he first adopted the name "John Peel" from the English folksong but his new bride failed to acclimatise and the marriage ended shortly after. His programme on Big L was known as The Perfumed Garden although as he admits that it was "a daft idea that came into my head. I had no idea there was a saucy book of the same name". Radio London closed in August 1967 when new legislation made the offshore broadcasters illegal, and John Peel joined the BBC's new pop music station. On his first show at the BBC, Top Gear, John Peel displayed his eclectic and cutting-edge taste in music. He was largely responsible for introducing BBC listeners to punk rock, reggae and hip-hop. He was the first English DJ to play a record twice in a row - "Teenage Kicks" by The Undertones (which is famously his favourite record), and is an unapologetic champion of long running Manchester band The Fall. Naturally his style brought him into conflict with other DJs at the BBC such as Tony Blackburn and Simon Bates, but his popularity far outlasted theirs. He famously derided the mainstream output of the BBC's pop music station as "incredibly predictable porridge". His hatred of "mediocrity" did not stop with just the playlist. John held Radio 1's stars such as Tony Blackburn and "Diddy" David Hamilton in equally low regard. Commenting on his initial days John remarked: "[The BBC] were very unenthusiastic about playing anything that was more than five or six minutes long. Of course in hippie days that eliminated a lot of stuff. You had to worry about the peculiar sensitivities of the audience, or the imagined sensitivities. So anything that could be possibly presented as a drug song, you had to be wary of that. They did ban quite a few records. There was a certain narrowing of focus. But then you were doing it for a national station." Mike Read famously complained about the nature of Frankie Goes To Hollywood's 'Relax' being playlisted by radio 1 in 1983. John had the band for a live session of the song before the record was even complete. His radio show is now sometimes broadcast from his home, named Peel Acres, in Suffolk and has a somewhat homely feel with his wife, Sheila, whom he affectionately refers to as "The Pig" and his daughter, Flossie, often being involved or at least mentioned. He married Sheila Gilhooly in 1974. At the ceremony they both wore red and white in honour of his beloved football club, Liverpool FC and chose "You'll Never Walk Alone" as their processional music. He later confessed to "making love to my wife during a long record whilst theoretically on air". Their children's are all given names with Liverpool FC in mind - two have Anfield, one Dalgleish and one Shankley. John Peel's show featured the famous "John Peel Sessions" giving numerous artists their first airplay, including Jimi Hendrix and David Bowie. Bands were invited to record exclusive tracks for the programme in a BBC studio, a relic of the days when agreements with the Musicians' Union restricted the amount of music the BBC could play from records to promote live acts. Sessions were usually four tracks recorded and mixed in a single day; as such they often have a "rough and ready", demo-like feel, somewhere between a live performance and a finished recording. Many classic Peel sessions have been released on record, particularly by the Strange Fruit label. In recent years the show also has regularly featured live performances, mostly from Maida Vale in London, but occasionally in the Peel Acres living room. Since then he became a broadcasting legend, promoting acts as diverse as The Smiths, Pulp, Public Enemy and Nirvana. He championed reggae when most British listeners dismissed it as jungle music. He helped introduce the nation to drum 'n' bass and hip hop, but is perhaps most notorious for giving his listeners in 1970s their first taste of punk; "There were no subdivisions back then. People categorise now, and I often don’t know what they mean." Peel has also played many older records on his show, specifically in two sections he introduced: -The Pig's Big 78 - as the name suggests, his wife chose a 78rpm record, which he played; and -The Peelennium - broadcast over his last 100 shows of 1999, this covered the music of the 20th century. Each show covered a different year in turn - four records from the year would be played and main news stories covered. An annual tradition of the show was the "Festive Fifty" - a countdown of the best tracks of the year as voted for by the listeners. Despite Peel's eclectic playlist, the Festive Fifty tended to comprise largely of "white boys with guitars". This frustrated Peel somewhat, and in 1991 he went so far as to cancel the rundown. Topped inevitably by Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit", this "Phantom Fifty" was eventually broadcast at the rate of one track per programme, some years later. The 1997 chart was, unusually, a Festive Thirty-One. John’s own record collection, which has been built up gradually over the years as a DJ, now numbers 26,000 LPs (methodically catalogued), and somewhere in the region of 30-40,000 7" singles. He had no idea how many CDs, but reckons it’s also in the 30-40,000 area. These are kept in sheds in the garden. He was renowned for actively requesting all bands to send him their music and avidly tried to listen to as many of these as humanly possible. When asked about particular likes or dislikes he remarked: "There’s no room for hatred in music, I think they’re all gems, the ones I’ve kept. I do read Record Collector occasionally, so I realise some have some value, but that doesn’t mean I’d go that route." In addition to his Radio One show, he also broadcast as a DJ on the BBC World Service and on Radio Eins in Germany. His audience has also broadened to include listeners around the world listening to Internet audio broadcasts. He intensely disliked the 'cult of the DJ' whereby the DJ became more important than the records they played: "...there's never been anybody who's been as big as Noel Edmonds, who's achieved the extraordinary status of being famous for being famous. Obviously, he's built a career on it. And good luck to him. If someone said to you what does Noel Edmonds actually do, you'd have to say, 'Fucked if I know'. You know, he's confident and wears brightly coloured clothes. But there's a lot of people like that. In a way, I think DJs tend to be more obscure now than when Radio One started. Somebody like Tony Blackburn or Jimmy Young and the audiences they had, a gigantic number of people listened to their programmes. Obviously, Zoe Ball has a much higher profile but she came to radio from television. According to the publicity, everyone in the country - or the world - wants to shag her, although I have to admit I'm not one of those people. They're perhaps better known within their own little community." Recalling an infamous meeting with ex-Radio 1 DJ Bruno Brookes, John remembered rather distastefully: "...He turned up (to Peel Acres) once driving a car which cost eight times more than our house had cost us...and it was one of those things where we thought shall we say it's great to see you or shall we set the dogs on him? Unfortunately we opted for the latter more sociable option." Despite suffering from diabetes he also hosted a magazine style, documentary show, Home Truths, on BBC Radio 4 about everyday life in British families. John Walters, who was an occasional stand-in for Peel on Home Truths, described it as being "about people who had fridges called Renfrewshire". He has also been in demand as a voice-over artist for television documentaries and advertisements, though he reportedly refused to work on adverts for products that he doesn't use himself. Peel was eleven times Melody Maker's DJ of the year, Sony Broadcaster of the Year in 93, "Godlike Genius Award" from the NME in 1994, Sony Gold Award winner in 2002 and is a member of the Radio Academy Hall of Fame. He has several honorary degrees including two doctorates and an honorary fellowship of Liverpool John Moores Uoiversity. He was appointed an OBE in 1998. Eternally self effacing he never seemed to understand the huge affection so many of us held him in. Asked to comment on what what he saw his current role as: "Living out in the country, hearing music that I like and playing it to other people. Now I do one show a week from my home and that represents for me an achievement because that's what I wanted to do when I was 12: sit at home and play records I liked for other people to listen to. The fact that they're not in the house is probably a good thing since it's not a very big house. [returns wave to passing man] I hope that bloke was waving at me, because it's always embarrassing when you wave back to them and they were waving to somebody else..." Asked shortly before his death whether he was happy he commented: "I'd like to be a bit taller and thinner and have more hair and a bigger willy. But by and large, I am content." God must be planning an awfully big party up in heaven to request DJ John Peel to join him. Share this :: : : : Follow HarderFaster :: Other Features By timmyd9: Cos We Are Common People Living the Dream with Gavyn Mytchel Renaissance @ The Cross, London 30/10/04 Bedrock 6th Birthday @ Heaven, London The views and opinions expressed in this review are strictly those of the author only for which HarderFaster will not be held responsible or liable. Comments: From: shazzabazza on 28th Oct 2004 09:47.45 Awesome man - wonderful tribute From: Acid Nightmare on 28th Oct 2004 09:55.48 Just love that last line From: Rascal on 28th Oct 2004 10:03.33 Really impressed with this tribute - rest in peace John, you were a great man. From: Norris123 on 28th Oct 2004 10:14.42 Absolutely brilliant article Tim Wednesday nights will never be the same Long live his legacy. From: icc on 28th Oct 2004 10:16.49 very nicely done Tim. what a wonderful guy and a tragic loss to us all From: Pathfinder on 28th Oct 2004 10:30.27 Add your comments here ! And what an awesome party that will be! RIP John Peel From: benz on 28th Oct 2004 11:20.41 RIP Absolute legend. Will be sorely missed Condolences to all his family and friends From: The Scene on 28th Oct 2004 11:22.03 Nice one timbo... LMAO at comments about Noel Edmonds RIP Sir. From: Dan Madams on 28th Oct 2004 11:52.01 Great article! The man was, and always will be a legend! Will never forget the day he played one of my tracks in between some mad african drum stuff - was absolutly stokked! RIP Mr.Peel! From: TEK-DJ Management on 28th Oct 2004 12:03.48 Great review and tribute to a fantastic person. John had belief in so many act's and was never afraid to try some thing new. My personal dealing was when we formed Punk outfit Raggity Anne, a year after I quit, one night on his show a Raggity track was played on Radio 1, I was so happy for Paul, Steve and Gareth. It has to be said, Sir John without your input they would never have gone the distance they went. The great almighty is planning a heavenly party alright, Tony de Vit, Tom 'TechnoCat' Wilson and Sir John Peel. RIP From: Fitty_Bag on 28th Oct 2004 12:17.03 RIP - A true Pioneer of Music From: Dan Cheshire Cat on 28th Oct 2004 12:29.02 Just after he died I had an email from my mum: 'John Peel has died..... Not only is it the end of an era, it's the end of my youth. A shy, insecure teenager, hiding from an isolating childhood, is listening to the radio. It's 3.00 am and it's 1967. Radio Caroline, the first, most infamous of the pirate stations, is playing "The Perfume Garden", the program with John Peel as host. Captain Beefheart is singing, followed by readings from Boidilair and the Bagavadgita, the holy book of the Hindus. The Incredible String Band, such an integral part of your childhood, came from John's program. You, my son, are named after C. Beefheart. Dan Van Vliet. You know who has the other name... John Peel showed me the horizon. He introduced me to ecology, philosophy and, indeed, helped me to be the person I could be, wanted to be; the person I am! He was 65, the same age as your stepfather on 19/11/04. I was going to send my first ever email to the BBC, which is ironic, as it was going to be addressed to John Peel, to thank and celebrate him... I was to late... I'm very sad.' From: ~deleted1390 on 28th Oct 2004 12:32.28 Excellent piece Tim. The word Legend gets used far to much these days. Here is a man who is and was truly worth that accolade. His contribution to music, and from our point of view, dance music is immeasurable. From: RichieRichSmileySmile on 28th Oct 2004 13:29.41 A very sad loss for everybody. It is going to be devistating to get another Chris Moyles. Someone who knows nothing about music replacing someone who helped people push creativity in music. This in an industry which is becoming so dull with very little to be proud of. From: drm on 28th Oct 2004 19:40.47 Must say John Peel never really had that much influence on my Music direction but if I was to accidentally tune into his radio show or catch him presenting the highlights at Glastonbury - I found him so warm, friendly and funny I couldn’t help but listen or watch. Top fella From: gravitational pull on 29th Oct 2004 09:10.37 I really enjoyed reading that Tim. R.I.P John Peel. A great loss From: Lloyd_Rivers_Dj on 29th Oct 2004 10:57.31 You will always remain a legend, and will be missed by many r.i.p m8 From: Nomi Sunrider on 29th Oct 2004 11:39.25 A nicely written testament to a great man. From: ~deleted9534 on 29th Oct 2004 11:51.42 Great Write up for John Peel, Tim!! I've listened to only a few of his shows when turning on the radio at night and appreciated the fact that someone could really enjoy such a variety of genes. He said things as he felt, showing his down to earth nature which comes across in your write up. From: UTH on 29th Oct 2004 11:52.07 i want that party up there rocking when i arrive john!! c u when i get there From: Sioux on 29th Oct 2004 12:07.12 Sitting on my back step on a saturday morning, cup of tea, cigarette and me and my dad both laughing and listening to the same Radio Show!!! whatever next! Home Truths was a great programme and it was no mean feat that Peel managed to get me and my dad in the same room, enjoying each others company and actually agreeing on something! thank-you John From: timmyd9 on 29th Oct 2004 12:19.18 I spent an incredibly enjoyable last couple of evenings searching the web, listening/watching old audio/video clips of the great man to compile this tribute and it was a very moving experience. It was very strange as although I never met the man this is the first time I have actually felt loss for someone I have never really known or met.... From: UTH on 29th Oct 2004 12:38.22 totally agree with your last comment timmy From: Prozak on 29th Oct 2004 13:00.17 R.I.P. You were one great person who understood, that music is the key From: Lizzie Curious on 29th Oct 2004 13:14.08 really great article. he will be greatly missed. From: x-ray on 29th Oct 2004 13:27.09 John felt so much passion for the music that he loved that it was hard not to get enthused about it too when listening to him, I will miss his broadcasts. He will be greatly missed. From: Olly Perris on 29th Oct 2004 14:03.15 R.I.P John Peel, truly an absolute legend From: DiPsY on 29th Oct 2004 15:52.45 A man who touched so many people and brough music to people that wouls otherwise have gone unnoticed. R.I.P John From: Mark Sinclair on 29th Oct 2004 21:39.57 PEELY, Insperational. 'Tenage dreams, hard to beat' xxxxx From: Hard House Hippy on 30th Oct 2004 00:16.28 I met John once at Reading rock a few years ago & I told him then how much his show had influenced my tastes in music. I'm glad I had that chance to say thankyou to him now. Funny thing is he was still influencing me 30 years later when I first heard Kevin Energy's "Human Race" on John's show. Thankyou for all your energy, intellect, integrity & wide tastes in music & may you rest in peace...........Oh & thanks for not playing Bruce Springsteins first album when his record company gave you a free copy of it ; ) From: TheProphet on 30th Oct 2004 10:00.57 There are a lot of people out there who get to listen to and appreciate all kinds of new and different music out there. I hope we all realise how much of this was down to John. A large number of us would be pop drones now. I've witnessed how just five minutes of his show could change someone's life, or give 'em something they've been searching for, for so long. John's death is a sad event, but you've just got to look at all the good he's done for music worldwide, or think back to one of those nights that caught your attention and changed your outlook. Thanks John, you're a true hero. From: Stevie on 30th Oct 2004 10:40.00 Good work Timmy, an irreplacable part of music history has gone. From: rogerbj on 30th Oct 2004 11:09.42 35 years of wonderful memories - thanks John, you will be sorely missed excellent review and quality comments From: *Ting* on 30th Oct 2004 19:04.26 Really touching and enlightening review, what a legend! I also really enjoyed your comment too Dan Cheshire Cat, thanks for sharing that one. From: Misslisamarie on 31st Oct 2004 11:48.17 if god is a dj he's out of buisness now R.I.P. From: Centurian on 31st Oct 2004 19:24.32 RIP John Peel, i just hope there's someone to follow in his foot-steps and carry on his outstanding work! Nice one Timmyd9, an interesting read and well deserved tribute. From: dj toasty on 1st Nov 2004 02:01.58 respect. RIP!! From: Chris Humphreys on 2nd Nov 2004 17:39.09 Fond memories... as a kid I used listen to him every week night from 10 till midnight on a little radio next to my bed, he was the only dj on mainstream radio that played music that I liked (early New Order, The Fall, Killing Joke and lots of other underground stuff). One night I was listening and he was talking about a band I used to follow and how much he liked the singer who I knew, I was chuffed that he was a fan of my mate, so I phoned 192 asked for the number of radio 1, which they gave me, I called the switchboard asked to speak to Mr Peel, and they put me through to him, I couldn't believe it and niether could he, he joked, even if my mums house was burning down she wouldn't be able to get hold of me, so we chatted for a few minutes while he was on air, I will allways remember that. A true gentleman, may he rest in peace>> From: Eryk Orpheus on 2nd Nov 2004 19:35.56 A fantastic tribute to a truely inspirational man. Peace be the journey Mr. Peel x From: mad miss hell on 4th Nov 2004 14:51.54 RIP 2 a man who influenced so many people!!!!! respect! From: timmyd9 on 5th Nov 2004 14:27.56 Fantastic edition of NME out at the moment dedicated to John Peel From: DJDubs on 6th Nov 2004 02:16.19 'John Peel Is Not Enough' - says it all really. RIP From: Pete Soares on 8th Nov 2004 09:24.31 A very sad time for a lot of people. His involvement with promoting all things musical will be much missed. His Home Truths show on radio 4 was equally very good. Our thoughts must also be with his family at this time. Take care John From: acid les on 10th Nov 2004 15:51.24 well written Timmy. There can be no other to replace him - he had a style all his own. He will be missed by many. From: gav the try hard on 28th Nov 2004 05:08.53 the man should be given a posthumous knighthood for services to the british music industry and for championing teenage kicks From: Less is Bat on 13th Oct 2005 06:54.15 Well done timmy great piece. Dance music owes more to this man than youd think. Ever bumbling john brought us an unbiast view of all music across all genres. He really helped my Late uncles band with their career and all my family think he is a star. Sad so think its been a year. From: phil lankester on 13th Oct 2005 09:09.05 The guy was a great inspiration for many! RIP, Sadly missed! From: ~H~ on 13th Oct 2005 14:56.38 An excellent write up. God I miss John Peel. From: lol u no on 13th Oct 2005 16:28.34 The geezer rocked. A true legend. From: K8-e on 14th Oct 2005 08:52.39 It was a great article a year ago and it still is now. I enjoyed reading as much the second time Timmy. Can't believe it's been a year. From: Getonit on 14th Oct 2005 11:04.59 That article is brilliant and in a nutshell covers a brief history of a true DJ legend who was dedicated to a broad music genre and spotted new talent and released them to the world. Truly an iconic and humorous person. From: guyster on 15th Oct 2005 13:06.13 Fantastic article mate. He was a genuinely great bloke. He was just an ordinary bloke imparting his thoughts and tastes in his own way, and it just struck a note with many people. Its amazing that he was still employed on R1 til he died, as he was so against the ethos of the station and broadcasting in general. I was lucky enough to meet him once at a gig in London. No big conversation, but I saw him (I think it was the Eels at the Sheperd's Bush Empire) and thought I couldn't pass the opportunity to go and say hello. Strolled up, extended hand, said "Hello there, I'm not going to pester you, but I just thought I'd say it's a pleasure to say hello"to which he said "How very nice", and gave me a crumpled grin. I then replied "anyway, I shant bother you any more" and wandered off to the bar. Not exactly rock n roll, but that was what Peelo was about. He was the sort of guy who went about things in a way that made you think he was someone you'd like to have a pint and a chat about. Nothing out of the ordinary, but then most people like that aren't on Radio1 in 4 different decades. One of a kind. From: Tim Spinn on 19th Oct 2005 08:27.40 R.I.P Sir John From: Uni-Gate on 20th Oct 2005 11:26.14 Brilliant article. Well documented. From: dj_kinetic on 21st Oct 2005 11:33.51 Someone many of today's djs could do with idolising... a true inspiration, always pushing the freshest sounds and helping those smalltime bands and producers onto bigger better things. irreplaceable, unique and one of the greatest gifts to the music industry.

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