History Creator / JohnPeel

Peel's show was also well known for the so-called "Peel Sessions", live in-the-studio performances, usually of about 3 or 4 songs, which were specifically taped for Peel to play on the air. These sessions are highly sought after for their excellent sound quality, and were considered to be a sign that the band had "made it" in the indie rock world. Peel's personal favourite artists - particularly Music/TheFall, Music/BillyBragg, Music/HalfManHalfBiscuit, The Wedding Present, Loudon Wainwright III, Ivor Cutler, Roy Harper, Music/{{Pulp}} and Music/PJHarvey - would appear on his show countless times over the years. These sessions were originally done to get around restrictions on "needle time" or recorded music at the time, but grew into a mainstay of the show.

Peel's show was also well known for the so-called "Peel Sessions", live in-the-studio performances, usually of about 3 or 4 songs, which were specifically taped for Peel to play on the air. These sessions are highly sought after for their excellent sound quality, and were considered to be a sign that the band had "made it" in the indie rock world. Peel's personal favourite artists - particularly Music/TheFall, Music/BillyBragg, Music/HalfManHalfBiscuit, The Wedding Present, Loudon Wainwright III, Ivor Cutler, Roy Harper, Music/{{Pulp}} and Music/PJHarvey - would appear on his show countless times over the years.

A native of Cheshire, he served a stint as a radar operator in the Royal Artillery before moving to the US in 1961. He began his radio career in [[UsefulNotes/{{Texas}} Dallas]], then bounced around several other American cities before returning to the UK in 1967 to work at the beloved [[BuccaneerBroadcaster offshore pirate station]] Radio London. While at Radio London he became the first DJ to play songs from ''Music/SgtPeppersLonelyHeartsClubBand'' on the air when the station got a world exclusive to debut the album a few weeks before its release.

John Peel (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), born John Ravenscroft, was an English DJ and presenter. He was one of the longest-serving presenters on BBC Radio 1, serving from 1967 until his sudden death in 2004. In this role, he was one of the most influential figures in the British music industry. From 1967 to 1975, he hosted a radio show called ''Top Gear'' (which title the BBC eventually used for an [[Series/TopGearUK automotive show]] that launched a few years later), before he launched a late-night freeform programme that didn't have an official name apart from being his slot on the radio schedule, which he hosted from September 1975 until his death.

His favourite song, from when he first heard it in 1978 to his death, was "Teenage Kicks" by Belfast's The Undertones. Peel typically denoted the songs he liked by putting up to three asterisks next to it on a record sleeve; One meant he might play it on the radio, two meant he should play it and three meant he must play it. When he came across "Teenage Kicks", he gave it ''twenty-eight'' stars. The first time he played it, he said, "Wasn't that the most wonderful record you've heard in your life?", and ''played it again'' (and in the process, saved Terri Hooley's fledgling Good Vibrations label, such was the power of the Peel imprimatur). In a 2001 interview, he said the only thing he wanted written on his tombstone other than his name was "Teenage Dreams so hard to beat", and sure enough, it is.

-> "But here's the record. Undertones and "Teenage Kicks", what a treat..."

John Peel (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), born John Ravenscroft, was an English DJ and presenter. He was one of the longest-serving presenters on BBC Radio 1, serving from 1967 until his sudden death in 2004. In this role, he was one of the most influential figures in the British music industry. From 1967 to 1975, he hosted a radio show called ''Top Gear'' (which the BBC eventually used for an [[Series/TopGearUK automotive show]] that launched a few years later), before he launched a late-night freeform programme that didn't have an official name apart from being his slot on the radio schedule, which he hosted from September 1975 until his death.

John Peel (30 August 1939 – 25 October 2004), born John Ravenscroft, was an English DJ and presenter. He was one of the longest-serving presenters on BBC Radio 1, serving from 1967 until his sudden death in 2004. In this role, he was one of the most influential figures in the British music industry.

Peel's show was also well known for the so-called "Peel Sessions", live in-the-studio performances, usually of about 3 or 4 songs, which were specifically taped for Peel to play on the air. These sessions are highly sought after for their excellent sound quality, and were considered to be a sign that the band had "made it" in the indie rock world. Peel's personal favourite artists - particularly Music/TheFall, Music/BillyBragg, Half Man Half Biscuit, The Wedding Present, Loudon Wainwright III, Ivor Cutler, Roy Harper, Music/{{Pulp}} and Music/PJHarvey - would appear on his show countless times over the years.

His favourite song, from when he first heard it in 1978 to his death, was "Teenage Kicks" by Belfast's The Undertones. Peel typically denoted the songs he liked by putting an asterisk next to it on a record sleeve; One meant he might play it on the radio, two meant he should play it and three meant he must play it. When he came across "Teenage Kicks", he gave it ''twenty-eight'' stars. The first time he played it, he said, "Wasn't that the most wonderful record you've heard in your life?", and ''played it again'' (and in the process, saved Terri Hooley's fledgling Good Vibrations label, such was the power of the Peel imprimatur). In a 2001 interview, he said the only thing he wanted written on his tombstone other than his name was "Teenage Dreams so hard to beat", and sure enough, it is.

His favourite song, from when he first heard it in 1978 to his death, was "Teenage Kicks" by Belfast's The Undertones. Peel typically denoted the songs he liked by putting an asterisk next to it on a record sleeve; One meant he might play it, two meant he should play it and three meant he must play it. When he came across "Teenage Kicks", he gave it ''twenty-eight'' stars. The first time he played it, he said, "Wasn't that the most wonderful record you've heard in your life?", and ''played it again'' (and in the process, saved Terri Hooley's fledgling Good Vibrations label, such was the power of the Peel imprimatur). In a 2001 interview, he said the only thing he wanted written on his tombstone other than his name was "Teenage Dreams so hard to beat", and sure enough, it is.

His favourite song, from when he first heard it in 1978 to his death, was "Teenage Kicks" by Belfast's The Undertones. Typically rating songs from one to five stars, he gave "Teenage Kicks" ''twenty-eight''. The first time he played it, he said, "Wasn't that the most wonderful record you've heard in your life?", and ''played it again'' (and in the process, saved Terri Hooley's fledgling Good Vibrations label, such was the power of the Peel imprimatur). In a 2001 interview, he said the only thing he wanted written on his tombstone other than his name was "Teenage Dreams so hard to beat", and sure enough, it is.