Keeping It Peel

Today, 25th of October, is the 6th anniversary of John Peel's death. Organised by Webbie at Football and Music today is Keeping It Peel day, a day to remember John Peel, the music he played and his infectuous love for music. In case you're not familiar with him he was a DJ on Radio 1, the most mainstream of the BBC's five national radio stations. He used the show to play music he loved, music he wanted to play. And he had bands in to record on his show. Peel Sessions.
I'd guess that if you've only heard of one band in connection to The Peel Sessions it'd be The Fall. It'd be wrong to think though that John Peel only/mainly played punk and/or post punk. For everything from trance to gospel John Peel was there, playing good music regardless of genre. From Atari Teenage Riot to Joan Armatrading to Five Blind Boys From Alabama John Peel played music he loved.
Now we've less need of the radio to discover new music. We've got blogs and youtube bandcamp and, basically, electronic media and more ways than ever to share it. So I think it's safe to say there will never be another DJ like John Peel. None that his impact again, none that will introduce so many people to so much music again. That's a good thing and a bad thing but either way the world is poorer without him.

Modern Age by The Strokes. This is the only one of the six Peel Sessions songs I'm featuring that is actually introduced by John Peel.

Stutter by Elastica. It was around the time of Britpop that I first started listening to John Peel.

This Charming Man by The Smiths. I don't know why, but The Smiths will forever be linked with John Peel for me.

You Know More Than I Know by John Cale. I'd be surprised if John Cale has ever been played on Radio 1 other than on John Peel's shows.

Packs Of Three by Arab Strap. Another band that are linked in my mind with John Peel, a band that'd get little if any national radio play if not for John Peel's show.

Which Side Are You On by Billy Bragg. Billy Bragg performed 11 Peel Sessions but given the way we're stuck repeating history in the UK it wasn't hard to choose which song to use.