Overview

The posthumous memoir of a legendary DJ

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.

Reviews

"The overall portrait of the man is surreal, funny, heartbreaking, and strangely heroic." —Library Journal

"A rich and technicolour life . . . The joy of this book comes from something more than spiky anecdotage, delicious though it is . . . the evocation of an age is so sharp. . . . An excellent read." —The Times

"Essential reading for any student of post-War popular culture." —The Observer

"Like the man himself, both drily humorous and engagingly sentimental." —Entertainment Weekly

"Slightly rambling, always entertaining, surprisingly memorable." —Rain Taxi Review of Books

"A fascinating story of one man’s enduring love affair with rock and roll." —Mojo

"Essential reading for any student of post-War popular culture." —The Observer

"Like the man himself, both drily humorous and engagingly sentimental." —Entertainment Weekly

Author Biography

John Peel was the most influential radio DJ in the United Kingdom for more than 35 years. Sheila Ravenscroft married Peel in 1974. Jack White is a Grammy-winning rock musician, singer, music producer, and actor. He is best known as the guitarist and lead vocalist of the rock duo The White Stripes.