The Wrong Speed

Rather late with this, but I keep reading more and more stuff about the sad death of John Peel. I listened to his night time show as a youngster on Radio 1. Then I got older and middle class, so regularly listened to Home Truths on Radio 4.

I spent a bit of time djing in clubs around Bristol a couple of years ago. I was technically pretty poor, frequently playing records at the wrong speed and bumping into the decks so that the records jumped.

If it was good enough for Peely, it was good enough for me.

He said things that made me laugh every time I heard any of his shows. There are a few sites around now with lists of favourite quotes - here's one.

Thought I'd include just one quote that I read recently:

After playing 'Higher State Of Consciousness' by Josh Wink for the second time - "I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking that sounded better when I played it the other night, at the wrong speed."

He was also, I think, the only other person in the world who liked The Wedding Present. My old history teacher described listening to The Wedding Present as being similar to "wading through treacle." When I played them in my room, my dad would occasionally call up stairs, "Turn that down, it sounds like someone's doing the hoovering."

If they were good enough for Peely, they were good enough for me.

I've especially enjoyed reading a couple of tributes here and here.