I've just finished Margrave of the Marshes, the John Peel autobiography... it's a funny, insightful and enthralling book for anyone who loves music. Peel's dry sarcastic wit is throughout, even when his lovely wife takes over writing duties midway through after his untimely death.

 

Some of the quotes in there were so funny, I actually turned the pages to go back to them.... his Top of the Pops appearances, where he took no end of delight in rubbishing the acts, were legendary in my house....and some of his hilarious put-downs are in the book....

 

after a Duran Duran video...

"That was the best song I've heard since...ooo... tea-time" he said, before addeing "Mind you, I had a very late tea"

 

After George and Aretha's 'I Knew you were waiting for me' - "You know, Aretha Franklin can make any old rubbish sound good... and I think she just has"

 

When Janice Long introduced David Cassidy and said "Oo...I used to have him on my bedroom wall" he replied "That was very athletic of you, Janice".

 

On Big Country... "the band that put the 't' back into 'country'"

 

Introducing Queen "and here we have the Sun City boys!"

 

It's not all sarcasm, though - it shows Peel as a genuine, tender family guy who adored his wife Sheila and doted on their children. His beautiful response to refusing to play Elvis records when his death was announced, despite him being a huge fan, kind of sums up the kind of guy he appeared to be:

 

"I prefer to remember those who have died, whether relatives, friends, rock stars or a combination of the three, in their proper context, filling some greater or lesser niche in everyday life rather than distorting my memory of them in a welter of terminal sentiment. I'll still play his records on air from time to time - always will, I hope, thinking of him in the same way I sometimes think of my Dad.

Death, for those who live on, is the ending of a chapter rather than the end of a book, and although the dead may have no more part to play as characters, their influence may continue right through the story....."

 

And what an influence this guy was.....

absolutely russ....

 

pity im too lazy to read it! lol..