Margrave of the Marshes
When he died in 2004, John Peel was in the middle of writing his memoir, which was completed by his wife, Sheila Ravenscroft, with help from their four children. His compelling autobiography details his life as the most influential DJ in rock history. At BBC’s Radio 1, Peel helmed his own show from 1968 until his death, and first introduced UK listeners to reggae, punk, and hip-hop. T-Rex, David Bowie, the Faces, the Sex Pistols, Fairport Convention, Pink Floyd, the Clash, the Buzzcocks,...
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When he died in 2004, John Peel was in the middle of writing his memoir, which was completed by his wife, Sheila Ravenscroft, with help from their four children. His compelling autobiography details his life as the most influential DJ in rock history. At BBC’s Radio 1, Peel helmed his own show from 1968 until his death, and first introduced UK listeners to reggae, punk, and hip-hop. T-Rex, David Bowie, the Faces, the Sex Pistols, Fairport Convention, Pink Floyd, the Clash, the Buzzcocks, the Cure, Joy Division, the Wedding Present, Def Leppard, Pulp, the Smiths, and the White Stripes have all credited Peel as a major boost to their careers. This intimate portrait of the man and his music provides firsthand remembrances of many of these acts and illuminates how this modest and unassuming man singlehandedly changed the course of rock’n’roll. Rain Taxi Review of Books Slightly rambling, always entertaining, surprisingly memorable.
\ Entertainment WeeklyLike the man himself, both dryly humorous and engagingly sentimental.\ \ \ \ \ Rain Taxi Review of BooksSlightly rambling, always entertaining, surprisingly memorable.\ \ \ Islands of EcstacyA dryly humorous love letter to rock 'n' roll.\ \ \ \ \ Library JournalAt a time when the role of the D.J. has been whittled down to judge at your local bar's wet T-shirt contest, it is nearly impossible for Americans to grasp the integral role John Peel played in shaping British popular culture for more than three decades. A titan of Old Blighty's broadcasting, first on pirate radio and then a mainstay of the BBC, Peel was a tireless conduit of new music, giving airtime to bands (and genres) that might not have otherwise gained worldwide exposure (e.g., Pink Floyd, Napalm Death, and the White Stripes). Sadly, Peel died in 2004, barely midway through this memoir. Thus does Margravebecome a posthumous collaboration between Peel and wife Sheila Ravenscroft. Each writes basically half of the book, with an abrupt jump from where Peel's narrative ends and hers begins. In that respect, the writing is somewhat uneven, but the overall portrait of the man is surreal, funny, heartbreaking, and strangely heroic. Recommended for public and academic libraries with large music collections.\ —Matthew Moyer\ \ \
