Despite my youth (ahem!) I didn't listen to Radio 1 but got to know the fella through Home Truths on Radio 4 (The home Service). I was one of those who couldn't believe the programme at first, thinking it more Radio 2 (The Light Programme) fayre but was soon totally won over by the man - always felt cheated when he was, as now, away.
Very warm thoughts and prayers for him and his family.
Not only a great broadcaster but a superb communicator he will be greatly missed.
Personally will miss listening to his voice on a Saturday mornings 'Home truths' over a cup of coffee, a great shame.
<hr width=100% size=1>If work was so good, the rich would have kept more of it for themselves.
Just driven back from london, listening to people being interviewed on the radio about it. Many commented on how he was able to sound like he was speaking to you personally, and how they felt they had lost a personal friend.
Latterly heard him sometimes doing a music show on the World Service and sometimes on Home Truths. It's fair to say that the former made me listen to music I might otherwise have missed; the latter was often a little whimsical for my liking although he held it together superbly.
My favourite though was a Dead Ringers sketch which has John Peel in the studio with an editor who isn't quite sure whether they are supposed to be recording Home Truths or John's late night radio programme and John is effortlessly segueing between the two along the lines of:
JP: and that was Alien Space Wombat
Editor: John, sorry it's Home Truths
JP: ...Eileen Speight's wombat which had a bit of a nasty turn last Friday
I've not been in a room today where his loss hasn't been lamented. I had no idea he was quite so popular. I built my first stereo radio from bits just so I could listen to his soothing voice and the great music he played in better quality. Nothing else ever came close.
have copied this over to try and keep any messages in one place. I have now been sat in my box room for over an hour, just staring at the Beeb site in shock.
To add to below I also saw Peel at the Hilsbourgh charity concert at Anfield, he came on stage and everyone just shut up to listen to what the man had to say. Who is going to play Captain Beefheart on mainstream radio now, it's finished, an era that I am honoured to have been able to part of. We will be telling generations to come about Peel, he IMO has done more for British music than any other broadcaster.
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I know I have just been reading the bbc site, what a shock.
I listened to Peely at work when working evening shift and home truths was always welcomed.
For all music lovers this is such a sad day, if it wasn't for JP I would not be listening to Captain Beefheart. Peel presented a documentary on the Captain and after that I was hooked.
No one else plays music like JP, there is no one to replace him. It makes me want to sell my radios as there will never be anything to compare.
Between the tears you all may appreciate knowing that here in New Zealand he got more than the normal fair share of time in the TV news tonight as an obituary. A number of interviews were included.
John
<hr width=100% size=1>I am the cat but I am only 6.