John Peel RIP

Shocked and saddened to hear that John Peel has died. In my late teens and early twenties I religiously listened to (and taped) his BBC Radio One shows. Half the music you never wanted to hear again, the other half became part of your life. That was part of the reason why so many people loved him (read some of the many tributes at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/3956035.stm)
: He was his own man, playing what interested him, not what a computer compiled playlist thought people wanted to hear. Who else would play a 30 second John Zorn squall followed by Gregory Isaacs, an obscure, but brilliant, 1950s blues recording, the hottest new record in the clubs of Kinshasa, a Japanese techno 12" and the latest single from Nirvana? As well as broadening the minds of generations of alternative music fans, Peelie also championed so many great bands, giving them their first national airplay. The list of performers who recorded sessions for his 'wingding' is incredible (http://www.vheissu.freeserve.co.uk/). He will be sorely missed.
Different Day's 'mission statement' (ha!) promised that it would include playlists from tapes of old Peel shows; the first of these will be posted in the next couple of weeks.