Heroes – John Peel – uncompromising DJ who played his own things – The DJ of my generation.

Posted on by Opher

John Peel JOHN PEEL

These are the images of John I cherish. He was his own man. He loved music and helped establish the music of the British Underground and then Punk.

In the staid Beeb he was the voice of my generation. His programmes, like ‘The Perfumed Garden’ was the only place you could get to hear the new Underground sounds. He championed Roy Harper, Captain Beefheart, Edgar Broughton and the Sex Pistols when everyone else was playing Pop dross.

This was the age when music mattered – it was the culture we swam in.

To the majority of people the swinging sixties was the Mamas and Papas and Carnaby Street. John was bringing you Country Joe and the Fish, Doors, early Floyd and Soft Machine. He hated trite Pop. His quiet sardonic voice was the sound that made sense; he always had good taste and he always played, said and did exactly what he wanted. He lived for the music. The music was the message, the culture and the revolution.

When John died and Andy Kershaw went to pieces there was no-one left to carry that flame.

I still miss that voice!!

2 thoughts on “Heroes – John Peel – uncompromising DJ who played his own things – The DJ of my generation.”

  1. So do I Opher, so do I. I started to read his autobiography ‘Margrave of the Marshes’ a few years ago. Must dig it out and finish it. It is clear that he was a victim of sexual abuse while at school, and hated paedos with a passion. Having read up a lot about the Janner case recently, there appears to be a worrying similarity. In the alternative narrative to the establishment story, Frank Beck was the whistleblower who confirmed the accusations against Janner. He was the manager of the care home where Janner used to visit frequently, and it’s several boys from the Home that made the accusations. Beck ended up being sentenced to 5 life sentences for sexual abuse and died under mysterious circumstances just before is appeal was due to be heard. He was a fit man but allegedly died of a heart attack. Sound familiar?

    I’m beginning to fear for Roy…….

    1. Yeah – Roy is in a hard place. The nightmare goes on and one and that is just what they want. The pressure is almost unimaginable. The establishment works to achieve its aims.

Comments are closed.