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[patrick boo]

I think only as time goes on folk will realise just how important John Peel was, when there's nobody quite like him to take his place.

I have personal memories of Mr Peel, being involved with a band going down to do a session way back. The singer was still at school and he got home to find a note from his Mum pinned to his bedroom door saying, 'A Mr Peel called about you playing on his radio show, could you call hime back?' The band lived like kings on the BBC/PRS for weeks after - a lot for a bunch of penniless students.
Three years later I was at a Cornershop gig at the Dry bar in Manchester with about twelve other people, one being John. we were quite taken aback 'cuz he remembered us - he must have met thousand of wannabes, but apparently he had an amazing memory. He bought us some "expensive European lager" and he chatted to us like a favourite uncle for most of the evening - I recall one particular anecdote which involved himself, David Jensen and Paul Gambaccini waiting in the BBC carpark to kick the shit out of Simon Bates after a Christmas party where they found out Bates had hit a female assistant.
Anyhoo, not much more to say except for platitudes - sorely missed, sad loss, yadda yadda - none of which really come close.

[steve]

i would also like to pay my respects to an amazing man.

An amazing guy. Probibly had the most eclectic taste in music known to anyone. It's a huge loss to young and undiscovered bands, as he would have probibly found and plugged them if they were good enough. As said before will be missed greatly by many...

[Godshole]

I never realy listened to his radio 1 work but what I will miss is his wry sideways slant on the world in his radio 4 show Home Truths, Like Alistair Cooke, another great radio voice lost this year, John Peel's dulcit tones drifting into my conciousness through a weekend mornings hangover always made me feel, despite how ill I actually felt, that all was well with the world and I could now relax and let my ears be massaged by the forthcoming show. A fine man. A great loss.