Customer Reviews

John Peel: Margrave of the Marshes

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

for this to put on the shelves in the US so I ordered my copy from a UK shop.
Was a funny and bittersweet insight into my favorite voice on the radio.
Years spent listening to Peelie via internet at odd hours here in the States, collecting the Peel Sessions... Peel formed my youth and adult life by championing the champions of music.
Best to read about his life in his and his family's own words (and getting to the point where his are cut short is just as jarring and upsetting as hearing the news back in Oct '04).
John would probably be embarrassed by a five star review but here it is.

Having been one of the girls who was mesmerized by John Ravenscroft when I was 14 and a Beatlemaniac in Dallas, imagine my surprise to find out how famous he had become. Although he had a virtual throng of young ladies eager to spend time with anyone remotely connected with the Beatles I found him be quite the gentleman whenever we were together. I remember him playing the Stones and telling me that someday they would be as big as the Beatles. It was a pleasure reading about his life with Sheila and a little bittersweet that his life ended too soon.

A beautifully written account of the life and thoughts of one of the UK's most popular DJ's. This book is written in two halves. The first half is in the words of Peel himself, and due to his untimely death, he never got to complete the full autobiography. His wife Sheila Ravenscroft narrates the second half. This is an unusual way to have completed the book, but it works and both parties can be proud of their literary skills. The book charts Peels life through his tough unbringing, difficult parential relationship, his time in the army and his five years overseas in his own words. His wife picks up the latter years but also gives an insight into their life together. I must admit to never actually listening to his radio shows (they were a little before my time) but was quite familiar with his reputation of breaking through and discovering new music. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it will appeal to any music lover. It is well written and I think that John would be proud of the final draft even if he is in another heavenly place.

I stopped reading this once I discovered it was more of a love memoir from Peel's wife than a biography of his brilliant life as a dj.

The first half, written by Peel, is fairly interesting, if disjointed. But the half finished posthumously by his family is a shocking derailment of a narrative just getting underway. It's a shame that John couldn't finish his autobiography - he led an interesting life at an interesting time.