John Peel, offbeat British DJ

LONDON – Veteran British broadcaster John Peel, who championed all types of cutting edge pop and rock acts over the past 35 years on his radio show, has died after a heart attack, the BBC announced yesterday.

Peel (65), who worked for the BBC’s popular music station Radio One ever since it first started in 1967, suffered a heart attack on Monday night while on holiday in Peru. Radio One controller Andy Parfitt called Peel — who was largely responsible for introducing Britain to punk rock, reggae and hip-hop, among other genres — “a broadcasting legend”.”John’s influence has towered over the development of popular music for nearly four decades and his contribution to modern music and music culture is immeasurable,” he said in a statement.With his bald head and greying beard, Peel long resembled a favourite uncle rather than a cutting edge arbiter of musical taste, but was an icon for generations of British acts and their fans.Even in advancing years, Peel — who built an extension onto his house to contain an ever-expanding record collection — remained passionately knowledgeable about even the sort of avant garde rock which would frighten off those half his age.Peel’s late night Radio One show was defiantly low-key, and even in the 1970s and 80s when big-name “personality” DJs dominated, Peel refused to talk over the top of records or to play just the hits of the moment.Born in 1939 near Liverpool, northwest England, Peel headed to the United States in the early 1960s and picked up work at several radio stations there, supposedly after he hinted at connections with hometown band the Beatles.It was allegedly also during this time in the United States that Peel, the privately educated product of well-off parents, first acquired his distinctive Liverpool accent.In 1967 he returned to Britain and began work at an illegal “pirate” station before being taken on by the fledgling Radio One, the high-establishment BBC’s attempt to attract the nation’s youth with a diet of pop and frothy chat.Peel swiftly became an institution in rock circles, famous for poring privately over the hundreds of demo tapes by new bands he was sent each week and inviting the best into BBC studios to record tracks for his show.Among his minor claims to fame was being the first British DJ to play a song twice in a row, ‘Teenage Kicks’ by late 70s Northern Irish band the Undertones, which became Peel’s all-time favourite.- Nampa-AFPRadio One controller Andy Parfitt called Peel — who was largely responsible for introducing Britain to punk rock, reggae and hip-hop, among other genres — “a broadcasting legend”.”John’s influence has towered over the development of popular music for nearly four decades and his contribution to modern music and music culture is immeasurable,” he said in a statement.With his bald head and greying beard, Peel long resembled a favourite uncle rather than a cutting edge arbiter of musical taste, but was an icon for generations of British acts and their fans.Even in advancing years, Peel — who built an extension onto his house to contain an ever-expanding record collection — remained passionately knowledgeable about even the sort of avant garde rock which would frighten off those half his age.Peel’s late night Radio One show was defiantly low-key, and even in the 1970s and 80s when big-name “personality” DJs dominated, Peel refused to talk over the top of records or to play just the hits of the moment.Born in 1939 near Liverpool, northwest England, Peel headed to the United States in the early 1960s and picked up work at several radio stations there, supposedly after he hinted at connections with hometown band the Beatles.It was allegedly also during this time in the United States that Peel, the privately educated product of well-off parents, first acquired his distinctive Liverpool accent.In 1967 he returned to Britain and began work at an illegal “pirate” station before being taken on by the fledgling Radio One, the high-establishment BBC’s attempt to attract the nation’s youth with a diet of pop and frothy chat.Peel swiftly became an institution in rock circles, famous for poring privately over the hundreds of demo tapes by new bands he was sent each week and inviting the best into BBC studios to record tracks for his show.Among his minor claims to fame was being the first British DJ to play a song twice in a row, ‘Teenage Kicks’ by late 70s Northern Irish band the Undertones, which became Peel’s all-time favourite.- Nampa-AFP