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The Streets John Peel Stage Glastonbury 2019. Photo by Simoncromptonreid –

Top 10 Amazing Facts About John Peel

 John Peel was the professional name for Jon Robert Parker Ravenscrott. As put down in a new book, Peel鈥檚 former Radio 1 colleagues say he was a broadcaster who was famed for discovering new bands concocted as an anti-establishment persona.

His colleagues have also claimed that John Peel, who was a legendary broadcaster was also a 鈥渕an of the people鈥� and to say the least a carefully constructed fabrication. A new history of Radio 1 where Peel worked tells how he as a DJ was famed for not only discovering new bands but also swapping his public-school accent for a Liverpudlian drawl.

1. John Peel鈥檚 Early Life

Peel in a record shop in Bochum, Germany. Photo by Zetkin-

John was born on 30^th August 1939 in Heswall, Cheshire. Peel was the son of an upper-middle-class cotton merchant. He was sent away from home at 13 years of age to be educated as a border at the prestigious Shrewsbury School in Shropshire.

Peel happened to be a shy and quiet boy at boarding school where the head boys bullied him oftentimes. There is when he preferred to shirk off games of rugby in favor of kicking back with a choice selection of rare vinyl.

2. Apart from DJing, Peel was also a football fun

John Peel mural, Belfast. Photo by Albert Bridge –

He also snubbed the class system by becoming an avid Liverpool FC fan. Football was something that was seen to be a very working-class passion and certainly not a suitable pursuit for a well-educated boy.

However, Peel was adamant that he wouldn鈥檛 fall in with the 鈥淗eswall Henry鈥� of his school.

3. The things people who interacted in school with John Peel remember about him

John Peel’s nameplate on BR Class 507 #507020 stationary at Liverpool Central Station. Photo by
Rodhullandemu –

His housemaster R. H.J Brooke remembers John well and encouraged his 鈥渕ore wayward pursuits鈥�, allowing him to listen to 鈥渧ery noisy records in the study next door to the library鈥�.

John described Reverend Brooke as 鈥渢he greatest man I ever met鈥� and Reverend Brooke certainly saw the potential of a kind in John鈥檚 writing, as can be seen in one of his school reports:

鈥淧erhaps it鈥檚 possible that John can form some kind of nightmarish career out of his enthusiasm for unlistenable records and his delight in writing long and facetious essays.鈥�

4. Peel鈥檚 life as a DJ was really exciting for him

The John Peel Memorial Traffic Island. Photo by Phil Thirkell –

John鈥檚 first foray as a radio DJ was at Dallas, Texas station WRRR where they failed to give him a penny for his efforts. However, money was not his manna and he was not deterred. Rock 鈥榥鈥� roll had truly arrived Stateside and John Peel was hooked to the thrill of it all.  

5. In 1963, John Peel found himself on the frontline of one of the most significant political moments in the history of the modern USA

JOHN PEEL AND THE UNDERTONES. Photo by William Murphy from Dublin, Ireland –

In 1963, John Peel found himself on the frontline of one of the most significant political moments in the history of the modern USA. It was the shooting of American President, John F. Kennedy 鈥� a story he felt proud of when telling it.

It was just after President John. F. Kennedy鈥檚 assassination, that Peel bluffed his way into the midnight press conference, where Lee Harvey Oswald was charged with the murder of Kennedy.

This happened after Oswald claimed to be a stringer for the Liverpool Echo. A film of the conference still exists, showing John in the background, in his own words, 鈥渓ooking like a tourist鈥�.

6. Peel鈥檚 romantic relationship was rocky 

John Peel’s funeral, Bury St. Edmunds cathedral. Photo by John Goldsmith –

 Peel married Shirley Anne Milburn, a local girl, with whom he had a stormy relationship.

Their marriage did not last as they divorced in 1971, and while in the marriage he rarely discussed it.  

7. Critical changes Peel did to his life and who was known to be

Sign for the Old John Peel Inn. Photo by Maigheach-gheal –

Peel also underwent his first name change, dropping the 鈥榮鈥� from his surname. He later explained why did this through this statement 鈥� 鈥淭he Americans believed 鈥楻avenscroft鈥� was too much for any one person to remember鈥�.

The metamorphosis from Ravenscroft to Peel was almost complete.

8. The reason why Peel kicked himself out of KOMA radio was an interesting one

The observation platform in Peel Park, Bradford, West Yorkshire. Photo by
John Yeadon –

John happened to be paired up with a comedy jock on the breakfast show, but his northern wit was lost in his co-presenter and he was soon shunted off to an evening slot before eventually being given the boot by KOMA.

John said of the experience: 鈥淪ince I was the last guy they鈥檇 taken on, I was the first they got rid of when the going got rough. So 鈥� I went off to work in California where I started taking drugs and leading a generally depraved kind of life鈥�.

9. Peel acted on all he dreamt of while working in California

Peel Acres. Photo by
Arno Matthias –

Peel finally found his feet at KMEN radio in San Bernardino, California. In Dallas and Oklahoma, he has reluctantly stuck to the playlist, playing popular tracks for screaming teeny鈥揵oppers and Beatles fans.

However, at KMEN in California Peel began to act like the broadcaster British audiences are familiar with and played pretty much whatever he liked. San Bernardino鈥檚 location helped as well as John was only 60 miles east of Los Angeles 鈥� an ideal location for checking out gigs and hanging out with bands.

10. John鈥檚 second wedding and his final path in life

John Peel mural, Belfast. Photo by Albert Bridge –

John got married once more to Sheila Gilhooly on August 31^st, 1974. The wedding reception was held in London鈥檚 Regent鈥檚 Park, with Rod Stewart as the best man.

John wore Liverpool colors and proudly walked down the aisle to 鈥� You鈥檒l Never Walk Alone.

 John鈥檚 relationship with Sheila was one of the most important things in his life. At the start of the new millennium, John Peel was working more than ever, with Home Truths, an internet radio presence, World Service, and as an increasingly in-demand voice-over artist.

But he still found time to introduce the White Stripes, The Datsuns, The Strokes, and The Hives to the UK. John also finalized a book deal for an autobiography, 100,000 words long to be delivered by March 2005, but the book was never finished.

 On October 25, 2004, John had a heart attack whilst on a working holiday in the Inca city of Cuzco in Peru. He died suddenly, with his wife Sheila by his side.