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  • peel bookHe was a BBC DJ. On the back cover there are heartfelt quotes about him from musicians as diverse as Jack White, Johnny Marr, Elton John, Robert Plant, Nick Cave and Elvis Costello.

    His name was John Peel.

    Here’s a comment about him from Carlton Sandercock, who runs Easy Action Records in the UK:

    “John Peel was quite possibly THE most important person on the radio anywhere ever... to find a DJ that championed new bands, unsigned bands, punk bands, bands of every genre…and encouraged growth when he was employed by one of the biggest corporations in UK is staggering to say the very least … I never met him but did have him stamping on the floor trying to get me, Annie Nightingale and Nikki Sudden to shut up…

  • Queen On AirThe Barman didn’t want me to write this review, or submit it, or publish it. What is it about Queen, Barman? 

    “Over-arranged, over-played and over-compensating for the fact that, at least initially, nobody liked them.”

    Well, that last is true. But I think we can all name bands that nobody liked initially who became megafauna. Anything else spring to mind?

    “Sure. Overblown pompous crap.”