Perfumed soul

JOHN PEEL, PIONEER IN SOUL RADIO TOO

He was there on the Big L as if he always had belonged on British radio - and he remained that way until the day he passed away unexpectedly.

This is being written while it is still news even to be confirmed: John Peel will not be on the radio anymore.

The biggest part of his career in Britain was spent on the scab station Radio 1 on which he was just like on London 266: himself. Beacon for what since the moment he started the Perfumed garden could be called the underground or the alternative scene.

The man who bridges the gap in time musically between the Purple Gang and Dave Clarke (or if you will: between Dave Clark and Dave Clarke) cannot be replaced and will not be replaced. Only the gap remains.

It will make the fight for other sounds on the radio even harder, because he will not be around to let us hear all kinds of new and old music.

During the first months of his nighttime show on 266, the Perfumed Garden, the weekends were dedicated to nonstop soul music, under the useful title The Soul Show. To my astonishment his replacement on the ship at the time, Ian Damon, announced that the show was discontinued, "which John Peel will regret as much as I do". No explanation given.

Anyway, John Peel was also a pioneer in soul music radio in Britain, which probably will not be remembered apart from this place right here right now.

Keep on rockin' up there, famous colleague!

DAVE GODIN...

..died eleven days before John Peel, and only now I learn how important he was to the (black) music scene... Introducing Mick Jagger to black music - was it right, after all? And Dave Godin turns out to be anarchist - I do not think the combination outrageous, since I am one myself... But some people think it strange...

Not having personal memories about Dave Godin, but realising his importance I can only refer to this site.

(28 oktober 2004)