Today over 200 gigs will take place in the UK, across Europe and as far away as New Zealand, as we near the first anniversary of the death of the legendary John Peel.
The event was launched in London last night with a sold out show featuring Peel favorites New Order, Jarvis Cocker and Super Furry Animals along with a number of smaller artists. Acts taking part throughout the UK today include Bloc Party, Dizzee Rascal and Engineers, as well as hundreds of emerging and unsigned bands.
The advert that ran on Radio 1 for John's show in the final months of his life, contained the quote:
"You'll hear music you've never heard before, and there's a chance you might even like some of it."
It was this open mindedness towards all music, regardless of whether it could top the charts or was simply unlistenable to most, that made John one of the most important figures in British music. A CD will be released on Monday highlighting many of his favorite bands including David Bowie, Captain Beefheart, The Fall, Undertones and Pulp.
It is fair to say that Peel had a greater influence on the British music industry than both Lennon and McCartney, and it's ironic really that his radio career was ignited by a claim to a somewhat näive American radio station that because he was from Liverpool that meant he was a friend of the band whose mania was at that point sweeping across the States. Anyhow if you can't get in by knowing people then pretending to know will clearly do and from that moment on he would devote his life to improving the personal music collections of generations.
John Peel died suddenly from a heart attack last October while on holiday in Peru.