Elly Roberts reviews
Various: John Peel - A Tribute
Distributed by
Warner Music UK
- Cat.no: WSMCD226
- Released: October 2005
- Rating: 10/10
- Format: 2- CD set
Last year, BBC radio lost a true maverick - John Peel.,
Never knowing whether
his contract would be renewed from year to year, he single-handedly
launched the career of many of today's top acts. Peel was the Beeb's longest
serving jock. Always looking for the next big thing across a wide selection
of music, mostly rock'n'pop, he had a keen ear for seeking out what was
different, and remained at the cutting edge until his untimely death in Peru
in October 2004.
These 40 outstanding selections reflect the fearless modus operandi of the
most humble of broadcasters the world has heard on the airwaves.
In many ways it's a timeline of his phenomenal career. Audio snapshots
spanning over three decades, there's the stars and less well known all
pooled together. Peel wasn't a hit seeker as such, as he invariably creamed
- off what he considered to be the best on the scene, mostly away from the
charts - inevitably some made it big time. Many simply became cult icons.
Peel not only defined his own generation, he went on to define several
generations as he continued to move with the times. As a broadcaster, he
would, unlike some of his peers, talk to you like a trusted friend. He had
an almost free rein away from overly produced programmes and strict playlist
guidelines. Peel did things his way and succeeded beyond his wildest dreams.
In effect, he called the shots till the end, which was quite some feat.
As the liner notes indicate, the acts were (initially) up-and-coming, so
there were no visuals to depend on - it was a truly music orientated agenda.
Mark Ellen, editor of Word magazine quoted Peel as saying, "If I didn't
play them, then who would?"
This collection was compiled by recording industry veteran Nick Stewart and
assisted by BBC radio veteran Chris Lycett. It has been vetted by John's
widow Sheila and four children, thus ensuring that his legacy is
respectfully kept intact.
Of the bumper tracklisting, personal favourites include - Debora - T.Rex,
Song 2 - Blur, Culture - Lion Rock, Elmore James - Dust My Blues,
Life On Mars - David Bowie and Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division.
I'm sure you find your own faves, and there's plenty to choose - 40.
Would John Peel approve? - Of course!
NOTE: Warner Music will be making a donation from sales of this album to
John's favourite charities.
The full list of tracks included are :
Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.