British rock, punk radio pioneer John Peel dies

Last Updated: Wednesday, October 27, 2004 | 11:19 AM ET

CBC Arts

British DJ John Peel, the longtime BBC broadcaster who introduced listeners to the music of David Bowie, Sex Pistols, Pink Floyd, U2, the Smiths and the White Stripes, has died. He was 65.

Peel suffered a heart attack and died late Monday night, the BBC announced Tuesday. He had been vacationing in Cuzco, Peru, with his wife, Sheila.

John Peel in 1998 (AP photo)

The last remaining presenter from the original BBC Radio One lineup from 1967, Peel championed new musical talent, introducing his listeners to a range of musical genres from rock to reggae, punk and hip hop.

Calling him "a radio legend," BBC Radio One controller Andy Parfitt praised Peel's devotion to up-and-coming musicians.

"Hopeful bands all over the world sent their demo tapes to John knowing that he really cared....His passion for new music only grew with time," Parfitt said.

"He had a completely adventurous ear, he was totally engaged by new things that were happening,"

'The King' awakens a musical ear

Born John Robert Parker Ravenscroft in 1939, Peel grew up in Heswall, near Liverpool. He often claimed that hearing Elvis Presley singing Heartbreak Hotel was a musical revelation.

"Everything changed when I heard Elvis," he said. "Where there had been nothing there was suddenly something."

After completing two years of military service, Peel moved to the United States. In a country swept by Beatlemania, his British background helped him get a radio DJ job in Dallas.

He returned to Britain in 1967 and, after a stint with pirate station Radio London, joined the fledgling national pop channel BBC Radio One. Unlike other DJs, Peel refused to interrupt or speak over the music he played – which allowed listeners to record whole songs off the radio. He provided knowledgeable commentary to accompany his playlist and wouldn't limit it to current hits.

Because his program was also broadcast on BBC's international service, he began to develop a worldwide following.

A who's who of rock music

Over the years, Peel was an early champion of a wide range of artists, including The Clash, Blur, the Smiths and the White Stripes.

In North America, he was best known for his "Peel Sessions," his vast catalogue of live studio performances by both obscure and superstar bands, some recorded at the BBC and others recorded at his home studio.

Thorough these sessions, he helped give many bands, including The Fall, Nirvana, The Cure and the Undertones (his own all-time favourite band), an influential leg up.

The BBC played Peel's favourite song, Teenage Kicks by the Undertones, Tuesday morning after announcing his death. Peel once played the song twice in a row – the first BBC presenter to do so – claiming "it doesn't get any better than this."

Peel also once said that he would like his tombstone to feature a line from the song – "Teenage dreams so hard to beat." In 1998, Peel was named to the Order of the British Empire.