Missing BBC's John Peel

BBC's John Peel Put His Own Spin On Rock Music (washingtonpost.com)

Legendary BBC DJ John Peel died Monday at 65. He played only what he liked and introduced teh world to a whole new set of musicians that had been overlooked by the big record companies and media outlets. He basically invented alternative music!

For me, it's the loss of a mentor. I grew up buying the Peel Session records. They were very influential for me as a young DJ (16). Hearing bands like New Order, Joy Division, The Smiths, The Cocteau Twins, Clan of Xymox, House of Love, The Cure, Echo and the Bunnymen, OMD, Gary Numan, etc. and then not hearing them in the clubs made me want to be a DJ. So, we could say John Peel gave me my start. I didn't own a short wave radio, so the musty record shop was where I learned about those bands... and a Peel Sessions record was always worth a listen.

Of course at the end of the 80s John Peel and I went our seperate ways. I gave up on Alternative Rock scene and moved on to the much newer sounding, energetic and optimistic techno scene. But I still treasure all the early album purchases I owe to Mr. Peel, and lately they've been making a comeback as I trade in the Tech 12's in the Basement for the iPod on my desk. I shudder to imagine how my life might have turned out differently without much of the music he made popular... Who can take his place?