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pot
> Teenager of the Year <
Iceland
3910 Posts |
 Posted - 02/23/2011 : 19:24:03
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In the olden days before the internet most people like myself had to rely on teh radios for discovering new alternative music, and certainly I think most people who are acquainted with the legacy that is -John Peel- will agree that he is perhaps the most eminent radio DJs that ever blessed our air waves, having showcased and sessioned many new bands over the span of his career.
But now he dead, and that's a real shame because not only were his shows a veritable gold mine of new music, but it was also just a pleasure to listen to his voice. He had one of those great radio DJ voices and he always said something interesting and funny. He was a down to earth guy who you could imagine yourself going to a festival with and getting wasted.
Nowadays though, with the advent of new media there are an unprecedented number of ways to discover new music, and indeed a whole new unexplored universe of music out there to find if you look not that hard. I recently thought about this and pondered the fact that I am now probably discovering new music at a similar rate to what he did back in the 80's and 90's when he was privvy to such things in the form of demoes that bands would send in and any new music coming out that his budget allowed for, which was probably effectively carte blanche.
He would then filter down to the best stuff into his weekly radio show and unless you had money and time most people would only ever get to listen to a short selection of all the music that he would play. Occasionally I would buy and album based upon his recommendation and sometimes I would record his show and listen to it afterwards, the only formats at the time available to enable me to enjoy listening to many of the songs he played thereafter.
Nowadays though things are different, you can relisten to radio shows on the internet, get information about set lists and check out myspace et al for further tracks, stream any new album that is coming out and find out information about tour dates and that's just for starters.
Over the past few years I have been looking for new music through a variety of sites, and in my pursuit of the ultimate record collection I have not only discovered lots of great new bands, but from time to time I find myself rediscovering old bands/songs that I heard on his show many years and and had since long but forgotten..
It came as a bit of shock to people when he died because he was not that old, and I think it is a shame that he is not around doing his show because even though I no longer need it to discover new music, I still think that it is kind of sad that he hasn't been around to hear all the great music that has come out over the past few years, and it would still be nice to hear what he is discovering anyway. I'm sure there would still be lots of material to discover.
Imagine if you resurrect John Peel and have a beer and a smoke with him, and you got the chance to play all your favourite songs from the past 6 and a half years since he died- the chance to turn things round and be the one sharing your new musical discoveries with him. What songs would you pick? What would be the ten songs you would choose to play to him?
It's a difficult one for sure, I have no idea myself yet. I only just came up with the concept for this thread.
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Srisaket
= Cult of Ray =
Thailand
313 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2011 : 00:32:39
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Pot,
Like you I grew up listening to John Peel and although I have lived overseas for a long time he was certainly a formative influence on me and most of 'my generation'. He is sadly missed.
As well as the music he was also a great story teller in the rambling monologue style.
(John Peel Factoid - he was an eyewitness to the JFK assassination when he worked as a DJ in Dallas!!)
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pot
> Teenager of the Year <
Iceland
3910 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2011 : 02:41:16
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No way!
I did not know that. |
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OLDMANOTY
= Cult of Ray =
United Kingdom
469 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2011 : 04:57:54
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quote:
Originally posted by Srisaket
(John Peel Factoid - he was an eyewitness to the JFK assassination when he worked as a DJ in Dallas!!)
He didn't witness the shooting but was present when Lee Harvey Oswald was paraded as the assasin. He blagged his way into the press conference...
John Peel in Dallas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0aHDJy0R8nQ
As for the op, absolutely loved and still miss Peel. I'm not sure what 10 songs I'd choose - maybe just play him the Fall albums he never got to hear! |
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trobrianders
> Teenager of the Year <
Papua New Guinea
3302 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2011 : 05:42:17
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quote:
Originally posted by OLDMANOTY
maybe just play him the Fall albums he never got to hear!
Yes, O Yes
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Ed is the hoo hoo |
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Srisaket
= Cult of Ray =
Thailand
313 Posts |
Posted - 02/24/2011 : 12:39:35
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I stand corrected, thank you. I heard the story that he was an actual eyewitness from someone else.
Still, that's a very interesting clip you posted. |
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pot
> Teenager of the Year <
Iceland
3910 Posts |
Posted - 02/25/2011 : 00:23:03
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| He once came into a pub I worked in in Glasgow, shortly before I worked there sadly. This girl who worked there told me about it, she that she talked to him and that he was being very pretentious. I think she was confusing pretentious with simply being more interesting and intelligent that she was though. |
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pot
> Teenager of the Year <
Iceland
3910 Posts |
Posted - 02/26/2011 : 12:03:05
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After I got my computer and connected my speakers to the waves in the sky there was no looking back. I can't imagine the old way anymore, when you they only way to hear an album before you bought it was to go into HMV and stick the headphones (if you were lucky enough to find a free set that no-one else was using) on to peruse a selection of 6 new releases, only to very quickly realise that you had forgotten to go to the toilet before you came in and the more you stand there listening to each track and perusing the magazines the more you're bursting for a pish. I'm glad in away that we don't live in that world anymore.
Don't ever turn off the music. |
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Being John Peel
