Oh my God. I'm staggered beyond all belief. In the last 20 years I've had little trouble walking up to most any famous performer, DJ, band, whathaveyou, that I wanted to meet - either because they seemed like interesting people or simply because I respected their musical talent and wanted to say thanks - as it's been easy to rationalize (hey, they all put their pants on one leg at a time, just like me - and, as I've gotten older, invariably they're all younger than I am, which helps).
Except for John Peel. At Sonar last year I saw him standing around in SonarVillage and I kept trying to get up the nerve to go shake his hand. I was too intimidated. Not by his presence - he seems jovial and approachable enough in person - but for an old fart like me, the man is simply a God among men. Back in the Punk days when you were lucky to get a beaten-up 6-8 week old copy of the NME in your local (US) record shop, the man and his playlists (and his end of the year Festive 50 lists) and of course the Peel Sessions were an absolute godsend to an overseas Punk fanatic. I told myself that if I saw him at Sonar next time 'round that I'd right the wrong and go up to him this time. Now I'll never get that chance. I see that Tony Blair chimed in with his 2p - do the right thing, Tony, give this man a state funeral. Few Britons over the last 35 years have been as important as this man was - to this overseas observer, anyway. - Greg
