No more John Peel

John Peel has died suddenly while in Peru. End of an era. Led Zeppelin, Joy Divison, the Fall, the Sex Pistols, the Clash, Althea & Donna, the Undertones...a lot of people started out with or were championed by John Peel. It was Peel that introduced me to Love Will Tear Us Apart (my best cared for and most frequently played 12", and always, I believe, in his Festive 50). I don't know if he ever played the Fall's rendition of Lost in Music, but somehow I feel he would have.

Play the John Peel Sweet Eating Game (as featured on his show), dig into the Festive 50 archives (many of which I still have on tape somewhere), or read this interview he did with Radio B92 in Belgrade, put that old Flying Saucer Attack LP on the turntable, and remember a man the like of whom we won't see again.

[I wonder whether he's bequeathed his truly massive record collection to any organisation.]