John Peel

Published on 26 October 2004 in , , ,

There’s not exactly anything I can say about John Peel that hasn’t already been said umpteen million times by friends and other fans of his worldwide. But say a few things I will because the death of John Peel – well it’s like losing an old friend.

Okay he’s a friend I haven’t heard much of recently – bar the end of his (what was to turn out to be his) last World Service show which I caught by accident at work.

But one of my favourite memories of John Peel I have on a 91 second MP3. It’s from 1999, and I’ll transcribe it for you now because for me, it sums up John Peel wonderfully.

And an email again from last night from Catherine Redfern who says "I’ve noticed a disappointing lack of loud, noisy, three second long records that go bleeraugh! and then abruptly end. Please correct the problem."

Well most of those are actually out in the shed in the garden Catherine, and I didn’t have time to rush out and get them but William recommended this track which is actually 45 seconds long and therefore of course, entirely, runs entirely counter to the spirit of your email, but never-the-less I think you’ll probably enjoy this.

This is also for Chester Belle – his first night in a cot.

John Peel on BBC Radio 1, 10 June 1999. MP3 version

John then proceeded to play 45 seconds of Extreme Noise Terror which would have been enough to give Chester enough nightmares, that it might well have been his last night in the cot for some time… But it’s just worth listening to the MP3 version alone, just to hear the utterly fantastic way John went bleeraugh!

And with that, time for some music. Preferably at the wrong speed.