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John Peel : A Life in Music
Book by Heatley, Michael
224 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2004
5 people are currently reading
135 people want to read
About the author
Michael Heatley
253 books6 followersMichael Heatley is the author or editor of over thirty biographies, including Backstreet Boys: The Unofficial Book, Bon Jovi: In Their Own Words and Rolf Harris: The Most Talented Man In The World. In 1995, he wrote the liner notes to Rolf's best-selling album Rolf Rules OK!
Since 1977 he has written more than a hundred music, sport and TV books.
He has written for magazines including Privileged View (for viewers of UK Gold and UK Living), 442 and Fultime (Fulham FC), Music Week, Billboard, Goldmine (US record collecting magazine), Radio Times, Daily Record and the Mail on Sunday color supplement.
In addition, Michael runs a fanzine in honor of legendary Welsh psychedelic rock band Man called The Welsh Connection which is circulated to a small but fervent fanbase on a bi-monthly basis.
Since 1977 he has written more than a hundred music, sport and TV books.
He has written for magazines including Privileged View (for viewers of UK Gold and UK Living), 442 and Fultime (Fulham FC), Music Week, Billboard, Goldmine (US record collecting magazine), Radio Times, Daily Record and the Mail on Sunday color supplement.
In addition, Michael runs a fanzine in honor of legendary Welsh psychedelic rock band Man called The Welsh Connection which is circulated to a small but fervent fanbase on a bi-monthly basis.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 27, 2012
John Peel was essential listening for me every Sunday afternoon in the late sixties. His BBC radio programme provided the underground and eclectic sounds that I could record onto a small reel to reel tape machine. 'John Peel-A Life In Music' was published in 2004, and as the man himself passed away in October of that year, this short little book could be seen as another of those 'cashing in' biographies. However, Michael Heatley's treatment of his subject is certainly affectionate and something of a tribute to the man and his forty years of broadcasts.
A review for the Sunday Times describes this book as "quite simply stunning. It is a monumental achievement, and essential reading for all those whose tastes Peel influenced over so many years."
Stunning and monumental achievement seem a tad over the top.
My surprise was learning that the man was working in Dallas at the time of Kennedy's assassination. Not only that, but he attended the D.P.D. press conference with the alleged assassin along with the assassins assassin Jack Ruby. The biography is light on the personal side and mainly documents the BBC career, where I found the book to be less than stunning.
Never a Smashie or Nicey is why the man is missed.
A review for the Sunday Times describes this book as "quite simply stunning. It is a monumental achievement, and essential reading for all those whose tastes Peel influenced over so many years."
Stunning and monumental achievement seem a tad over the top.
My surprise was learning that the man was working in Dallas at the time of Kennedy's assassination. Not only that, but he attended the D.P.D. press conference with the alleged assassin along with the assassins assassin Jack Ruby. The biography is light on the personal side and mainly documents the BBC career, where I found the book to be less than stunning.
Never a Smashie or Nicey is why the man is missed.
May 21, 2013
I have this memory of John that sticks in my mind from the early eighties and I can hear his voice say " here is a song from the Neon Babies" and I'm lying there in bed listening and thinking weird name! Weird band! Book is a great read! RIP John
November 22, 2025
John Peel’s persona is incredibly endearing. A low-key, soft-spoken, but truly obsessive music nut who wanted nothing more than to listen to music he liked and to share it with others so they might like it too.
“‘My father would stick his head in and say “What’s that awful record you’re playing there?” and would mispronounce the names of the artists deliberately to inflame [me] further–and I thought, “What I’d really like is a job on the radio playing records I like to other people” – and that, in essence, is all I’ve ever done. People try to read more into it than that, but there isn’t any more to it’” (22).
It is remarkable that that’s virtually the only work he ever did. And, indeed, his record collection was the accumulated evidence of that career. Consider that Peel’s collection was “conservatively estimated at 26,000 LPs, 40,000 singles and 40,000 CDs by New Musical Express” (176). Think about how much space that occupies…
Peel’s approach to his career was disarming:
“At fifty, and describing himself as ‘dangerously free of ambition,’ his deadpan delivery, anti-celebrity stance and self-deprecating humour were all still intact, all essential ingredients of his ability to influence generations of more adventurous listeners by the simple expedient of playing them new music and treating them like intelligent adults” (148).
Consistent throughout the book artists and listeners alike recall approvingly how Peel challenged their tastes, that they initially were skeptical or prejudiced about a genre John was championing, only to come around to it later, by virtue of trusting him.
The writer Andrew O’Hagan, is quoted: “‘To have the Peel seal of approval, was, for several generations of bands and millions of listeners, like being inducted into the mysteries of some higher standard. We all believed in him because he seemed so pure. Peel didn’t sell music to you but, instead, exhibited a set of values and small humanities that could be imbibed by his audience every night for nothing’” (171-172).
“‘My father would stick his head in and say “What’s that awful record you’re playing there?” and would mispronounce the names of the artists deliberately to inflame [me] further–and I thought, “What I’d really like is a job on the radio playing records I like to other people” – and that, in essence, is all I’ve ever done. People try to read more into it than that, but there isn’t any more to it’” (22).
It is remarkable that that’s virtually the only work he ever did. And, indeed, his record collection was the accumulated evidence of that career. Consider that Peel’s collection was “conservatively estimated at 26,000 LPs, 40,000 singles and 40,000 CDs by New Musical Express” (176). Think about how much space that occupies…
Peel’s approach to his career was disarming:
“At fifty, and describing himself as ‘dangerously free of ambition,’ his deadpan delivery, anti-celebrity stance and self-deprecating humour were all still intact, all essential ingredients of his ability to influence generations of more adventurous listeners by the simple expedient of playing them new music and treating them like intelligent adults” (148).
Consistent throughout the book artists and listeners alike recall approvingly how Peel challenged their tastes, that they initially were skeptical or prejudiced about a genre John was championing, only to come around to it later, by virtue of trusting him.
The writer Andrew O’Hagan, is quoted: “‘To have the Peel seal of approval, was, for several generations of bands and millions of listeners, like being inducted into the mysteries of some higher standard. We all believed in him because he seemed so pure. Peel didn’t sell music to you but, instead, exhibited a set of values and small humanities that could be imbibed by his audience every night for nothing’” (171-172).
March 23, 2008
I read this book while I was waiting for "Margrave of the Marshes", John's autobiography, to be published. It is a reasonable enough biography of John by Michael Heatley, and worth having as it has John's "Festive Fifty" at the back, his favourite music spanning over 30 years from 1976.
October 19, 2018
I was one of those white grammar school boys who grew up with John Peel. I first hated then learnt to love so many different kinds of music thanks to John: Captain Beefheart, Roy Harper, irish folk, english folk (Billy Pigg, king of Northumbrian pipers anyone?) , krautrock, reggae, punk, african music, etc. No-one was anything like him. This book is a good biography tracking his career.
September 16, 2018
RIP John Peel.
September 12, 2021
I did enjoy the musical history in this and learned about his time in the US but felt it was a bit impersonal for a biography
May 19, 2025
Interesting John Peel / Ravenscourt life story but for me I found it jumble up and all over the place, it didn’t flow as expected, with John quotes throughout.
October 21, 2011
Thoroughly enjoyed this one,
a good insight into the world of one of my heroes and inspirations.
No one can ever be like him or replace him.
R.I.P. John you legend
a good insight into the world of one of my heroes and inspirations.
No one can ever be like him or replace him.
R.I.P. John you legend
Want to read
August 19, 2015I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/12862641
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/12862641
March 8, 2014
A good read about a great man, much missed.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews