Welcome to the October edition of our monthly roundtable feature. This month’s panelists are…
Matthew Michael – Music co-editor, Daily Pulse columnist, contributor
Aaron Cameron – Music columnist, contributor
Jeffrey R. Fernandez – Music columnist/contributor
Mathan Erhardt – Music/comics/TV columnist/contributor
Tom D’Errico – Music columnist/contributor
Jed Shaffer – Wrestling columnist
Beth Gottfried – Music contributor
Mike Lawrence – TV contributor
Widro – Top Story Image Creator
“DualDiscs” to Be Introduced to U.S. Market
(10/25/04)
Beginning tomorrow, Warner Music Group (WMG) will release four albums in the U.S. from critically acclaimed artists on the new music product DualDisc — a two-sided disc made up of a CD on one side and a DVD on the other. In stores on October 26th, Simple Plan’s highly anticipated new album Still Not Getting Any… and The Donnas’ eagerly awaited new album Gold Medal will be on DualDisc. Additionally, the Grateful Dead’s American Beauty and Trapt’s self-titled album will be made available on DualDisc November 23rd.
Said John Esposito, President WEA Corp., WMG’s U.S. sales and retail marketing company, “DualDisc offers music consumers a wider array of options to enhance their experience with our artists. Limited only by the artist’s imagination, DualDisc’s unique audio and video features give our artists a broader palette for creative expression. We are excited that two of our most anticipated new albums this fall will be released on DualDisc.”
New Music Product Combines CD and DVD.
DualDisc is a new music product unveiled by major and independent record companies in August. DualDiscs do not require new equipment and are compatible with nearly any device that can currently play a CD or a DVD — whether a home stereo system, portable disc player, car stereo, game console or PC. The result is a product that provides consumers with an exciting new dimension to the recorded music experience.
In addition to a full album on the CD side, the DVD side of WMG’s DualDiscs provides the full album in enhanced sound (such as Surround Sound and/or DVD-Audio or LPCM stereo), and also includes a wide range of special features such as music videos, interviews, photo galleries, concert footage and lyrics.
Simple Plan’s Still Not Getting Any… DualDisc (Lava Records) will include the entire album on the CD side while the DVD side provides 20 minutes of exclusive, behind-the-scenes “making of the album” footage, photo galleries of the band, lyrics, bonus material as well as the entire album available in enhanced sound (5.1 Surround Sound and/or DVD-Audio or LPCM stereo).
In addition to the full album on the CD side of Atlantic Records’ The Donnas’ Gold Medal DualDisc, the DVD side features each track available in 5.1 Surround Sound and high-resolution stereo. It also features The Donnas’ “Fall Behind Me” music video in Surround Sound, a 15-minute “making of the video” piece and a lyrics section for the album.
Included on the DVD side of Trapt’s DualDisc (Warner Bros. Records) are seven music videos from their debut album Trapt for the following songs: “Headstrong,” “Still Frame,” “Echo,” “Made of Glass” (live performance version), “Stories” (live performance version), “Headstrong” (live performance version), “Echo” (live performance version).
The Grateful Dead’s DualDisc (Rhino Records) contains two recent, exclusive video interviews on the DVD side. The first never-before-seen interview is with Bob Weir, who discusses his inspiration for writing the song “Sugar Magnolia.” The second is with Mickey Hart who offers fans a look into how the album was mixed into Surround Sound. The DualDisc also includes song lyrics and a picture gallery of the band.
(The Associated Press)
Matthew Michael: It’s smart, plain and simple. With so many folks downloading their music, any little thing the music industry can do to get people to buy the actual discs is a good thing. Plus, for “collectors” who like having the actual disc there rather than on an iPod, I think it’ll be a nice type of item to add to your collection. Scratching may be an issue, of course, but shit, be careful people!
Cameron: And technology marches on. There seems to be a lot of hand-wringing for a topic that’s effectively a novelty non-issue. This whole thing has ‘New Coke’ and ‘McDLT’ written all over and in a year, I doubt anyone will even remember it.
Fernandez: I got one of these about two years ago from Red Distribution. It was a movie/soundtrack called One Big Trip. The movie and soundtrack were both mediocre, but as far as the item itself goes, I thought it was a clever idea. I remember back in the day when DVDs were double-sided, with one side fullscreen and the other widescreen (that was awesome). I honestly don’t see the harm in these items as long as they are kept to a “special edition” sort of status, because otherwise it will eventually result in standard issue CDs being more expensive if they include an unwanted DVD.
Mathan: First off, why isn’t this called “Roctober Fest”? This is our only chance to this people, we’ve got to take it. No other month lends itself to “Rock” like the tenth one. Now back to the topic.
Um, am I the only guy here who appreciates the artwork on the disc? Sure some is boring, but I enjoy Gang Starr’s “record” motif. Digable Planets’ “Blowout Comb” also had a cool design. And does anyone remember when Hiero releases had the three eye logo on the discs? I’m against dual discs for that reason. It’s bad enough we don’t have the quality of album art that was present when records roamed the Earth, but now they are attempting to get rid of even more art? I’m again’ it.
D’Errico: Am I the only one who just wants to buy a CD without all the extra garbage? Hopefully the problems connected to these discs (like them jamming front-loading CD players) have been worked out. It’d be nice if these were only one option, and fans could still buy the disc-proper. And so help me god if this is just an excuse to jack up (or justify) high(er) prices!!!
Jed: So, not only will we have a potential nightmare with extra-thick discs not fitting in car stereos and such, now, if I want potential extra-super-secret-bonus stuff, I may have to repurchase a CD? Get bent. Hey, RIAA…wanna encourage the American public to buy more CDs? I got two suggestions: 1>Try pushing artists who are ACTUALLY ARTISTS! Enough with the one-hit wonder pop princesses and American Idol rejects… how about a BAND once in a while? And suggestion #2: LOWER THE FUCKING PRICES ON CD’S!!! I paid $20.00 a couple months ago for Bloodhound Gang’s “One Fierce Beer Coaster”. TWENTY BUCKS! Why should CD’s be that much?
Beth: If I cared about any of these bands or had a DVD player, I’d be really excited…I think? Personally I’m still trying to wrap my head around who the H*ll “Simple Plan” is and what they want with me.
Mike Lawrence: It’s just a ploy to get people to stop downloading and to also raise the prices eventually. I am one of those downloading bastards so any stunt like this isn’t going to effect me. Behind the Scenes features are usually sugarcoated and rarely actually go into the rigors of the recording process. You basically get the musicians saying crap like “I loved Producer X’s work and it’s such a pleasure to be in his studio” and “I wrote this song for all those days you feel so alone in the world”.
I don’t think this is going to be as successful as they want, and anyone dumb enough to buy a Simple Plan album will do it regardless of the features. I’d reckon that the “Grateful Dead” release will sell the most copies since over-the-hill yuppies are the most likely to buy something.
Widro: This reeks of yet another attempt by the music industry to create a new format to squeeze more money out of the consumer. As hard product will become less and less relevant for the music industry, they will keep trying to up the ante on what’s included in each package, but it will be harder and harder to make anything so compelling as to compete with downloading.
Incubus Singer Arrested at La Guardia Airport
(10/7/04)
The lead singer of the rock band Incubus was arrested for a carrying a switchblade in his bag while trying to board a plane in Queens on his way to a concert in North Carolina.
Brandon Boyd, 28, was stopped Wednesday afternoon at the U.S. Airways terminal at LaGuardia Airport when baggage screeners spotted the knife in his carry-on luggage, said Lou Martinez, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport.
Boyd was charged with criminal possession of weapon and was released after four hours with a desk appearance ticket, Martinez said.
The singer then continued on to Raleigh, N.C., in time for the concert, said a spokeswoman for the band’s label, Epic Records.
Boyd admitted he accidentally left the knife in his bag and called the incident “my bad,” spokeswoman Lois Najarian said.
“We’ve been on tour since February, and along the way we all have been acquiring stuff in our bags,” Boyd said in a statement issued Thursday by the spokeswoman. “I totally forgot it was at the bottom of my bag, and when the security person pulled it out, I thought, ‘Oh, no.”‘
Upon arriving in Raleigh, Boyd had only 22 minutes to get from the airport to the concert hall, so Incubus’ manager arranged for a police escort.
“That was the most rock star of an entrance I’ve ever made,” Boyd said. “The police cars pulled up to the venue and I literally walked right on stage.”
(The Associated Press)
Matthew Michael: Why is this a story? Don’t bring knives on planes — is it that hard a rule to follow?
Cameron: I’m actually surprised sh*t like this doesn’t happen more often with the hectic schedules of the rock and/or rollers, or any other musician. It seems pretty easy to forget that concealed weapon or dime bag after weeks of touring and groupie plowing.
Fernandez: I highly doubt this guy actually had malevolent intentions while trying to board the plane with a switchblade in his luggage. The only reason this is such a big deal is because it’s someome moderately famous. I mean, this type of thing happens very, very often at airports all over the country. In most cases, they usually take the person aside, grope them for a while, ask them some questions, and let them go if they don’t seem to be a threat. Then again, perhaps hijacking an airplane was all part of Boyd’s deal with the devil to make his band popular, as if watering down their music wasn?t enough.
Mathan: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, Brandon Boyd is a dreamboat. However dreamboats are kind of passe. Y’know what’s really “in” right now; street cred. 50 Cent has nine bullet wounds, and Brandon’s people want to toughen his image up a bit. I like it. I like my Brandon Boyd, with a twist of gangsta.
For the record the reason why Jude Law’s movies do make any money is because he’s a pretty boy with no “edge.”
D’Errico: We all make mistakes… if he forgot he forgot. But at least he got “rock star treatment” in transit to the venue. Do I smell publicity ploy? (Or at the very least, that’s what it’s become.)
Jed: Last I checked, September 11th, and the resulting security restrictions in airports, weren’t exactly buried stories in the evening news. You mean to tell me this idiot hasn’t heard that bladed instruments are verboten in the past THREE YEARS?!? Stupidity like this only deserves one response: immediate castration to prevent the stupidity from continuing.
Beth: I like how switchblades fall under the category of “stuff we have acquired.” Boyd’s response to the incident: “My Bad.” Yeah, I mean really we need to get our priorities straight here. This country has a little more to worry about. If you’re going to pick on men with switchblades, at least make sure they look Middle Eastern first.
Mike Lawrence: If Brandon doesn’t do a new version of “Father and Son” with Cat Stevens with a video that shows them being arrested for stupid reasons, then he really is as big a dumbass as I think.
Widro: This is borderline news at best. If I were a millionaire rock star, I’d probably carry something to fend off insane fans too. It’s weird enough having online fans or psychos (read: Seth Monroe), it’s probably totally crazy to have these people all over you everywhere you go.
Michael Jackson Infuriated Over Eminem Video
(10/12/04)
Michael Jackson has not taken kindly to the way he’s portrayed in rapper Eminem’s recently released video, “Just Lose It.” The pop singer is so upset that he has asked networks to remove the video from their playlists.
“Michael Jackson is very angry. He feels that Eminem has crossed the line,” Jackson representative Ramone Bain said in today’s (Oct. 12) New York Daily News. “Michael is calling on all networks to pull the video. It’s one thing to spoof someone, it’s another to be completely insensitive and disrespectful.”
Jackson even called in to Los Angeles radio station KKBT’s “The Steve Harvey Morning” show today to discuss the video. “I’ve admired Eminem as an artist, and was shocked by this,” he said. “The video was inappropriate and disrespectful to me, my children, my family and the community at large.”
In the video, Eminem appears dressed mockingly as Jackson with a group of boys in the background, jumping up and down. He then references Jackson’s child molestation allegations: “Come here little kiddie, on my lap. Guess who’s back with a brand new rap…”
Later in the video, Eminem also ridicules Jackson’s penchant for plastic surgery and a 1984 accident in which his hair caught on fire while filming a Pepsi commercial.
So far, Black Entertainment Television has agreed to pull the video but MTV says it will keep it in rotation. “Just Lose It” is the first single from Eminem’s new album, Encore, due Nov. 16 via Shady/Interscope.
(The Associated Press)
Matthew Michael: Maybe Jackson will respond by, I donno, writing a good album? “Leave Me Alone 2” even?
Cameron: Jacko has never been convicted of any crimes against children and I *still* wouldn’t want him in the same area code as my kid. He’s a public figure and open to ridicule. And his thinly-veiled claims of racism from Em are as laughable as the B-list stand-up comedians and C-list rappers/magazine owners running to defend MJ.
Fernandez: While the Michael Jackson video is amusing, and is consistent with every other video Eminem has done and therefore should be allowed, let’s not forget how much of a f*cking cunt Mr. Mathers really is. First, he throws a shit fit at the VMAs a year or two back when Triumph the Insult Comic Dog was approaching him (with the obvious intent of poking fun at him), and has Smigel bumrushed by his goons and pushed away. Then, he allows Weird Al to produce a parody of his song, but refuses to allow him to make an accompanying video, which would have no doubt been great. The guy has no problem tearing into others, but he can?t handle it himself, so he makes it so that others can’t do it to him. That?s about as big of a weasel as you can get.
Mathan: Y’know what? I’ll step up and defend the guy. What Em did was wrong.
The difference between what Em did and what stand up comedians do is that comedians can only aspire to reach the heights of those that they attack. Em and MJ, for all intents and purposes are peers.
MJ does deserve to be treated better by MTV and all the other video networks. Maybe everyone can’t remember way back then, but Michael Jackson made the videos that made you watch MTV. Michael Jackson had the draw that made MTV able to command advertising dollars. I can remember being a kid and have the entire family gather around to watch a MJ video, and this is in Iowa, on my mom’s side.
So while MJ may not have been the man behind MTV’s assent, he’s certainly one of the key figures behind it, and thus is deserving of better treatment.
I do find it odd that MTV, who championed political rockers Rage Against the Machine (who once profiled Leonard Peltier in a video) wouldn’t air a video by Public Enemy featuring the image of Mumia Abu Jamal. But apparently it’s better business to lampoon a Black man than to defend one.
D’Errico: Come on. I’ve seen the video. It’s funny. If Jackson thinks it’s insensitive, don’t watch. The hair thing happened, Jackson lived, end of story. The nose thing might be in poor taste but everyone’s making fun of him. As for the kids on the bed, why be so mad about that … unless … nevermind, don’t want Jackson e-mailing Widro next.
Jed: A child molester vs. a wife-beater. Funny. Last I checked, parody was protected by the First Amendment. And slamming people in rap songs ain’t new (“Fuck Wit Dre Day” is still a classic, even if Dre forgave Easy E). Me doth protest too much, Mr. Jackson. Or should I say, future inmate.
Beth: Since when did BET play white people videos?
Mike Lawrence: Well as we all know the immediate outcome of this was BET yanking the video, which really is an empty gesture if you think about it. They’re owned by Viacom, who also owns MTV, MTV2, and VH-1, and I’ve seen this video on all three. Now if Viacom as a whole had yanked the video, that’d really be something.
Also, since when is it wrong to make fun of a pedophile? If you can’t make fun of people who MOLEST CHILDREN REPEATEDLY who can you make fun of? Deaf midgets? The Irish? I could give a flying f*ck how this scumbag feels since he first wanted to see how MacCauley feels. He’s guilty and you know it, and deserves to suffer. I’m against the death penalty, so I say we lock him in a room and make him play that atrocious “Moonraker” game over and over again. Then he’ll really lose it.
Widro: Eminem has been mocking people that were long over beaten to death, and this is no different. Will Smith? Moby? Michael Jackson? Why exactly are these cutting edge or offensive?
Ashlee Simpson Caught Faking It on Saturday Night Live
(10/24/04)
Saturday Night Live was not as “Live” as people expected [on Saturday, 10/23]. Musical Guest Ashlee Simpson poorly lip-synched her first song, and then a technical glitch or mistake led to the wrong vocal track being played for her second performance proving her fraud as she stood there confused while her recorded voice filled the airwaves. Simpson’s band picked up the slack, attempting to save the show as Ashlee walked off the stage. Just a minute in (on a musical segment usually four or more minutes long) SNL pulled the plug, cutting quickly to a commercial.
(AngryCountry.com)
Matthew Michael: THIS was GREAT, and a moment I’m very upset I missed live. Although with Eminem as the next musical guest on SNL, something tells me we’re in for a treat the day before Halloween.
Cameron: Well, on the bright side, she’ll now be remembered for something other than ‘Jessica’s curiously much uglier sister’. Anyone who thinks that SNL was the ‘first time’ she’d ever lip sync’d a song should know that I have dozens of 1988 Donruss Gregg Jefferies Rated Rookie cards priced to MOVE! First come, first served.
Fernandez: It’s about time this happened to somebody. I have no respect at all for people who lip-synch at live performances. You make shit loads of money, but you can’t handle singing a song or two? What about all of those musicians out there that continue to struggle with success (or the lack thereof), and have never even considered lip-synching because they realize that it’s an insult to the audience? This type of chicanery as a direct slap in the face to artists out there that actually work for their money. Fuck off, Ashlee Simpson. I hope you never have any sort of success in anything you do ever again. You are a fluke and insult to the music industry, right alongside Limp Bizkit.
Mathan: She messed up. She compounded the error by blaming the band. She further hurt her rep by blaming poor innocent acid reflux. She further gummed up the works by actually attempting to sing at the RMA’s and failing badly. She’s in a world of hurt. It’s going to be hard for her to get any rest in that bed of hers. That bed filled with gobs of cash and jewel encrusted diamonds.
Of course it should be noted that Eminem also used a backing track when he performed “Mosh” a week later. He just didn’t mess up as badly.
D’Errico: Man, oh man. Was anyone really surprised? You almost have to feel bad for her because, as an inexperienced performer, she panicked on stage and ran away. At the very least it took guts to come out at the end of the show.
Sadly, the aftermath was worse than the actual event. Admit your mistake and move on, that was the best move. Instead: first we blame the band (and the drummer at that!!), then the father concocts an asinine acid-reflux story. Please. Last I heard Simpson finally came clean via a press release or her Web-site.
I’m sure her career will survive, but this just proves what most of us have been saying for a while, the music industry is permeated with no-talent singers who rely more on Pro-tools than on actual talent. Such is life.
Jed: I hated her from day 1, and I couldn’t figure out why. Then, I heard something from a guy in Blender magazine, and it all clicked: her career has been orchestrated and packaged from the very beginning, by her father. She was never a struggling artist trying to break through the layers. She was pushed due to name and appearence. Everything she has is undeserved. That there crystallized how phony she is, how much of a creation she was from the get-go. Getting busted for lip-synching (“guide vocal” my ass), and then blaming THE BAND for it…tactless bitch. Shrivel up and die, you hose beast.
Beth: Next.
Mike Lawrence: Not a really big deal since no one took her seriously to begin with. She’s a novelty, an example of MTV’s ever rampant strike while the iron is hot philosophy. She’s a terrible performer, and showed no class by blaming the band. A true showman takes a mistake in stride, despite the severity of it. She’s at an age and time where messing up can make for a stronger career and where the faker you are, the better you are. She got her name and the stunt mentioned on all the gossip shows and entertainment papers, something that wouldn’t have happened had the song gone on without a hitch.
Widro: On one hand I’m outraged at the low level of artistry in these pop acts. But on the other hand, I have some of her songs on my Ipod. It’s always upsetting to see the behind the curtain, but who at this point actually believes these pop acts are writing and performing everything? It’s the same as the Monkees and the Patridge Family and O-Town. It just sucks for her that she got caught.
Pink Floyd Reuniting?
(10/7/04)
British music magazine Q said in its October issue that there’s another band that’s ready to follow The Pixies’ return to the stage: the classic lineup of Pink Floyd. So far though, a rumor is all there is to the story.
Q is the only print source that’s even hinting at something in the air. According to the magazine, Floyd, with bassist/lyricist Roger Waters, will play a “series of lucrative shows next year.” To do so, the members would have to set aside 20 years of differences. That includes acrimony left over following Waters’ 1986 legal action against his former bandmates. He sued guitarist David Gilmour and drummer Nick Mason to keep them from using the band’s name without him. Waters lost. A reunion tour of any significance could generate more than $100 million in gross revenues.
(ultimate-guitar.com)
Matthew Michael: But will Syd Barrett be with them? I’m still waiting for that rumored Led Zep reunion to happen — with all of these “classic” rockstars dying off each year, you’d think the bands that are all ALIVE would think hey, let’s give it one more go. Sigh.
Fernandez: I don’t think we’ll see this one come to fruition, mostly because it’s just a rumor right now. However, I could see how the band could get over their differences, as tickets to these shows would probably be somewhere in the “2001 Jeep Grand Cherokee” price range. Actually, if you just do a lot of drugs and go to the Pink Floyd Laser Light Show, you could imagine the entire band playing for you in the sky, and it would be much cheaper. Plus, you could even imagine them all wearing chicken suits, something they would probably never do in real life.
Mathan: That’s great news…for my parents. Unfortunately they don’t know how to work the “internets.” Isn’t the real reunion everyone’s talking about the reunion of the Fugees?
I mean c’mon, who hasn’t been clamoring for more Pras? We’re gonna party like it’s Pras-a-palooza!
D’Errico: This is just a rumor for now, so I’m sure fans will wait until something more concrete comes along before getting too excited. As it stands, I am not one of those fans, but I don’t hate the band or its music, just not something I’d go out of my way to check out. (Plus, my favorite of the Floyd catalogue was The Division Bell, featuring not-the-original lineup.)
Jed: Considering Roger is at work on no less then three projects (his opera “Ca Ira”, his 12-years-in-the-making fourth album, and a Broadway rendition of “The Wall”), and Dave Gilmour is going into the studio for 20-years-overdue third solo album…I give this as much credence as I do Ashlee Simpson being talented. Not that I don’t wish this would happen, even if I’d have to sell a kidney to afford a ticket.
Beth: I’ve never understood their popularity, but if they do reunite i want it to be done VH1 style so I can at least give a damn.
Mike Lawrence: The money to be made from nostalgia is too tempting for elder artists not to be lured back into the recording studio. Despite the personal differences members have, they will succumb to the almighty dollar, or pound in this case. You can really just leave out all parts of this article and focus on this, as they will… A reunion tour of any significance could generate more than $100 million in gross revenues.
Widro: I might be the only one of my “kind” not to really enjoy Pink Floyd at all.
Legendary British Radio Boadcaster John Peel Dead at 65
(10/26/04)
Veteran BBC broadcaster John Peel has died at the age of 65, while on holiday in Peru.
Peel, whose radio career spanned 40 years, was on a working holiday in the city of Cuzco with his wife Sheila when he suffered a heart attack. He was BBC Radio 1’s longest-serving DJ and in recent years had also presented Home Truths on Radio 4. Radio 1 controller Andy Parfitt said Peel’s contribution to modern music and culture was “immeasurable”.
He added: “John Peel was a broadcasting legend. I am deeply saddened by his death as are all who work at Radio 1. John’s influence has towered over the development of popular music for nearly four decades.
“Hopeful bands all over the world sent their demo tapes to John knowing that he really cared. “His commitment and passion for new music only grew stronger over the years. In fact, when I last saw him he was engaged in a lively debate with his fellow DJs over the state of new music today. “He will be hugely missed.”
Mr Parfitt told Radio 1’s Newsbeat that Peel had been on a holiday of a lifetime when he died. He added: “He had gone on holiday with Sheila to a place where he had always wanted to go.”
Prime Minister Tony Blair described Peel as “an extraordinary and unique personality … He unearthed different sounds and people and made them accessible and popular… he was a genuine one off-and a warm and decent human being too.”
BBC director general Mark Thompson said: “We are all very shocked and saddened by the news of John’s death … He was one of the giants of radio and will be missed, not just by everyone at the BBC, but by millions of listeners of all ages.”
Radio 1 DJ Jo Whiley, who presented coverage of the Glastonbury Festival with Peel, paid tribute to her colleague and close friend. She said: “John was simply one of my favourite men in the whole world-as a music fan and presenter he was simply an inspiration.”
Peel was born in Heswall, near Liverpool, and after completing his military service in Britain in 1962, went to the US where he began working for a radio station in Dallas. He joined Radio 1 at the launch in 1967, and established himself with the late night programme Top Gear. He became one of the first DJs to give exposure to punk, reggae and hip-hop, before they crossed over into the mainstream. Peel’s programme built up a reputation around the world, and in addition to his Radio 1 programme, he could also be heard on the BBC’s World Service.
James Dean Bradfield, lead singer of the Manic Street Preachers, paid tribute to Peel. He told BBC News Online: “It was because of him I got to hear some of the most obscure but influential music I ever heard … He was a lifeline to hearing music I would never have heard otherwise. The service he provided was getting to hear music that you couldn’t buy in Cardiff. He was a portal to a whole new world.”
Blur lead singer Damon Albarn said John Peel’s patronage was “one of the most significant things that happened to us in our careers … The world is going to be a poorer place with his sudden departure. I will miss him deeply,” he added. “I want to send my heartfelt sympathy to his lovely family. John’s memory will never be forgotten because he had the spirit of music in him.”
(BBC)
Matthew Michael: Finally! Maybe now my old Peel Sessions will be released. You should hear my British accent, folks, seriously. One of the last real DJs… of the pre-satellite era, that is.
Fernandez: The Birthday Party, Joy Division, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Siouxsie & the Banshees, Pixies, The Cure, Stiff Little Fingers, New Order, Madness, Smashing Pumpkins, The Jam, The Smiths, The Damned, Nirvana, Adam & the Ants, The Buzzcocks, T. Rex, Echo & the Bunnymen, Tubeway Army, The Specials… If you like any band that matters at all to music, chances are that you can find a Peel Sessions album by that band. Actually, no, these things are so difficult to find that they often go for exponentially more than what they were originally sold for. Giving exposure to early punk, new wave, and goth bands in the 80s, Peel also worked more recently with esoteric electronic acts like The Orb, Aphex Twin, Meat Beat Manifesto, Autechre, A Guy Called Gerald (formerly of 808 State), and Plaid. He will be sorely missed by musicians and music fans alike.
Mathan: I have honestly never heard the man’s work. However all the right people are saying all the right things, and if he touched that many people in that way then I’m going to mourn him, and regret not knowing him.
D’Errico: I’m sure most fans have never heard Peel or his BBC shows, but they might still have been a fan of what he did: give band’s we otherwise might not have heard a chance to shine. The term “Peel Session” is more well-known than some might realize, as the recording bands (from Hendrix to Smashing Pumpkins to Nirvana) did on his show quickly became collectors items, showing up on imports or “hits” collections. He had a special place in the metal genre, offering exposure to countless death metal bands over the years. Peel recently wrote the introduction to Choosing Death: The Improbable History of Death Metal & Grindcore, written by Albert Mudrian. The book revisits critical moments in the history of the grindcore and death metal genres. For more on Peel, check out the short piece I did on him in this Auditory Assault column.
Mike Lawrence: Can’t say I knew who he was, so I’m not going to pull an Ashlee and talk about how great he was, though forty years in broadcasting is impressive, any way you slice it.
