Enough moping, share your memories

I listened to Lomaq's show last night, and he said something that apparently didn't occur to any of us. John would be very upset at all this sadness and fuss. Instead, maybe we should be talking about those moments he gave us, the moments only he could have gven us. The first two that come to my mind are actually not New order related. The first is stuck at the end of an excellent Peel show my G/F used to have. He introduces "The Orb" from Glasto, and tells everyone in an incredulous voice, with just that hint he's about to laugh ( We all know the voice).....that The Orb are about to try and call a tunderstorm down onto the stage ( FWIW...they did). POssibly the greatest intro a band has ever had.

The second is what he did for Orbital a few months ago. Orbital's relationship with the Beeb is odd, they get used a lot as playback on BBC shows, they were given permission to cover Dr Who, but when they appeared on Jules Holland's show, they were treated very shabily the first time. They were not asked to participate in the openning jam, because, well, duh, you can't IMPROV machines. I think they were very hurt, and did participate the next time they were on. Orbital decided to split up, and three months ago, John asked them to play their final show for him. He got them, and a bunch of their mates, down to Maidavale studio's and let them have a concert/jam/party. Treated them like a real band, respected them as musicians. To hear them play their final notes filled my eyes with tears, but what really destroyed me, was knowing that it was John's love for them that had done this. At the time I burst into tears when I heard the opening sample to Dr who, because it made me think of Orbital's demise, now it has taken on a new meaning ( worth pointing out that this session was the last time I heard him speak). William Hartnell ( Dr Who V1.0) : "One day I shall come back, yes, I shall come back. Until then,there must be no regrets, no tears, no anxieties. Just go forward in all your beliefs and prove to me, that I am not mistaken in mine" Maybe John isn't coming back, but the rest of it speaks for itself.

One other memory, a sad one. One I did not hear live, but have heard on tape, some of you hear must have heard it as it aired all those years ago. I believe it began...... "Bit of bad news for you everyone......."

And that's really why we should not be sad, because John is with Ian and the dozens of other idiot musicians who burned themselves out or topped themselves, or found some other way to leave us behind. There is a party in Muso-Heaven, and there's only one guest of honor.

So let's celebrate the man, lets have a laugh, let's do this mourning thing for him and not for us.

I remember the first time I played a Peels Session on my turntable. Strange Fruit indeed. New Order. Anywho, I was really stoned and the hole in the center was too tight for the turntable. The record would not come off. I kepted thinking "Strange Fruit, Peels" because it was like I had to peel the bastard off the table.

I always thought of Nina Simone and her song "Strange Fruit". Maybe I was just stoned too !!

My only memory of the firts time I heard any Peel sessions was hearing "Turn the Heater On" and "586"...I thoght they were great perfs!! Then I heard "She's Lost Control" and I thought I had heard GOD!!! (But it was Ian actually)

And thus...the rest is, as they say, "History".

Baltimore - now thats a Nina Simone track - wow

It has to be acknowledged that Peel was the only person ever to coax a coherent live studio session out of the shower of C*'s known as JD/NO. 586 on Peel session is breathtaking ( was so pleased that Fin-deTout used it as their basis). Personally I had not yet discovered the wonders of pot when I got my peel sessions, which is good, cos my eyes still worked well enough to read the insanely long and funny list of bands on the sleeve.

Not a lot of people know this, but Peelie rang our band once, in 1982. The band I was in then knocked up a very poor, amateurish and punky demo, using overturned fermenting bins as drums, and putting guitar and bass through the same amp, and sent this live one-take (recorded on a ghetto blaster, no less) demo off to everyone who was anyone. The only contact we had back was a phone call from the great man, who explained that he liked the enthusiasm but thought the content a bit raw for radio play, even on his show(!), not to mention explicit lyrically. We'd all thought punk really was DIY, and you couldn't get more DIY than what we'd done back then! Our singer was astounded when he got this call from John Peel, we didn't even believe him at first. We never did get to record a Peel session.

IMHO, the Peel version of Love Will Tear us Apart is better than the original. So that'll be my personal highlight.

Some of the stuff the Smiths did, on hatful of hollow, is alos breathtaking.

I think the main memory is simply that if it wasnt for him, my cd collection wouild be crap and we'd all be sat here praising pete fookin waterman.

Cheers again JOhn

I was so happy when I got my first Peel EP, it was the first JDsession, a friend brought it from a visit to her Mom in Zurich. I played it a lot, together with some other records she brought that time. I recorded it to a tape too, just in case the record gets damaged or stolen. I knew he was important because I'd heard it on 101 radio, and that was a radio you trusted ihn those days. It was in autumn 88.

Originally posted by Julijana Zitnjak I was so happy when I got my first Peel EP, it was the first JDsession, a friend brought it from a visit to her Mom in Zurich. I played it a lot, together with some other records she brought that time. I recorded it to a tape too, just in case the record gets damaged or stolen. I knew he was important because I'd heard it on 101 radio, and that was a radio you trusted ihn those days. It was in autumn 88.

Did the same thing back in those days Julijana...we'd always play our old NO or JD records to tape, "Just in case" they were to be "Ruined" somehow.

But we really knew that it was just an excuse to listen to the record just one more time that day.

Classic!!

Although i did listen to him a lot in the 70's it was in recent times when i watched the LIVE coverage of GLASTONBURY from the safety of my own home,maybe more MUD here but so what,that JOHN PEEL always came across as still a GREAT fan of music.He portrayed someone who was at ease in front of the camera and was so involved with the music that he did not have to act or pretend to be enjoying the music.JOOLS HOLLAND is another who is really into his music but to me JOHN was just like us.Still lovin it after all these years.Next time i am at the front of a crowd watching NEW ORDER and dancing about like the lunatic i am i will do it without any shame or doubt.So no change there then.He was a champion of MARC BOLAN too and for this i am eternally grateful. GET IT ON..........

hadn't listened to Radio One in aeons until Tuesday evening - the old magic started to fire back. Zane dropped 'Temptation' and the tears raced. the folklore was equally moving - on how John pulled the car over and burst into tears on hearing 'Teenage Kicks' and The Cocteaus' 'Pearly Dewdrops' Drop' for the very first time which tells you all about the great man's love of not just the music but life in general. The 'Home Truths' programme on Radio 4 that were repeated on a Monday night were all really good too.

The saddest of days has now passed . . .

Goodnight Sweet Prince John Peel 1939 - 2004

Watching the BBC coverage of Glastonbury a couple of years ago (or maybe it was last year?).There was footage playing of one of those African combos that Peelie was so into and right at the front of the crowd there was Peelie ,eyes fixed towards the stage, gently jigging away to the African rythms.In his element.