"A great man is dead. The news shocked. So young - well, 65 is not quite young even now: but it needn't be a dying age in the millennial developed world." These, dear Sinister, were the words (albeit with the age changed) of the Pinefox, 22 months ago, when writing his wonderful obituary of Joe Strummer. They still ring true today, but with a different man. To a few people John Peel wasn't necessarily a favourite DJ, largely due to his frequent and uncompromising penchant for submitting them to a record that would never find a place in anybody's ears, let alone mine. However I returned to him more than I ever did to anybody else. Fads and personalities came and went, Peel remained he was a cornerstone of my musical education. And for all those 20-second Japanese noise-core bursts of feedback or impenetrable glitchtro workouts ("rather good, I think you'll agree" was normally the growly description, and one to which I often came to concur) there was a guarantee of stone cold brilliance at a far more frequent interval than during any other programme you'll ever hear. My overwhelming feeling tonight is one of guilt and regret for all those times I never listened. The clichés were of Peels unmistakable voice as the nations favourite old sweater or much-loved uncle, as a universal source of fondness shared by all. I can do a mean Peel impression, and indeed the vocal delivery by Messrs Radcliffe, Lamacq and the like owes much to the great man, who seemed to be the first to um and ah whilst being equally equipped with a killer turn of phrase. But the fact remained that while every competitor's failings eventually irritated, Peel's foibles became the very things I adored about his programme, and the trademark that kept me tuning in. He enticed listeners to his endure his butchered pronunciation of a German techno groups, or to abide one more seven inch played at 33rpm John wouldve liked a minutes silence but he'd probably have played it at the wrong speed somebody suggested on the Radio 1 tribute tonight. He was scratchy and unpolished a fact that he frequently and genuinely lamented, but which made him irreplaceable to me. When he spoke into a microphone, he was speaking to me, individually, with all the nervous inflection that inevitably comes with telling somebody about a newfound love, and I felt almost honour-bound to embrace his choices. He was not a musician, but reminiscing over the greats of 20th century music - yes that includes Lennon, Presley, Rotten et al I cant name anyone who has altered my musical taste more, directly or not. He was an innovator and an explorer, and his death leaves me wondering what uncharted waters he has left permanently unmapped. In todays radio schedules there is simply no space for a programme as frankly random as The John Peel Wing Ding, and without him there will be nobody to enforce its existence. John Peel was not my favourite DJ, but there is no other of whom I am fonder. Stronger, deeper fans will pay more attentive tributes, but Im afraid I listened to Mark & Lard more religiously, or the Evening Session, or latterly the Breezeblock and Worldwide. Strip that all away though, and Peel was always there and always reliable; he was the best and most dependable DJ I will ever hear, and for that I am truly thankful. ================================ "He's strictly a pain in the ass, but he certainly has a good vocabulary" - Holden Caulfield +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list mail sinister@missprint.org. To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to majordomo@missprint.org. WWW: http://www.missprint.org/sinister +-+ "sinsietr is a bit freaky" - stuart david, looper +-+ +-+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" "peculiarly deranged fanbase" +-+ +-+ "pasty-faced vegan geeks... and we LOST!" - NME April 2000 +-+ +-+ "frighteningly named Sinister List organisation" - NME May 2000 +-+ +-+ "sick posse of f**ked in the head psycho-fans" - NME June 2001 +-+ +-+ Nee, nee mun pish, chan pai dee kwa +-+ +-+ Snipp snapp snut, sa var sagan slut! +-+ +-------------------------------------------------------------------------+