Keeping it Peel

I thought I would break my blog-block today given the fact that it is Peel Day.

It is hard to believe that it is two years since Peely died.

It is probably a JFK moment for me. I’ll always remember where I was when I heard he’d died

It was in the first semester teaching Multimedia Journalism at the same establishment I’m at now. I remember having the BBC website up on the overhead board talking about web design.

The main headline was about Mark Thatcher’s coup attempt. I was about to let the class go for a break just as the site updated itself with the news of Peel’s death.

Gutted was an understatement. I managed to hold myself together for the rest of the session, just about.

I took myself home to listen to the endless tributes in the hope of making sense of dreadful news and in the hope that it wasn’t true. Sadly it is true. I might be overstating this but music hasn’t been same since.

Rest in Peace Peely.

National Poetry Day

Seeing as today is National Poetry Day I was planning to include my favourite poem, IF by Rudyard Kipling.

Having listened to the Mark Radcliffe show on Radio 2 tonight, I came across the following poet who was a guest on the show.

Further to this I checked out his website and it describes him as 'Slade fan and Evertonian' - so he can't be bad!!!

I have decided to use Paul Cookson's ode to Noddy Holder instead.

Touched by the Band of Nod

People seem to find it strange
Some may find it odd
But even after all these years
I still believe in Nod

I'm still that kid from school
Standing in the quad
Twenty five years on and more
I still singalonga Nod

I never really followed
Elton, Marc or Rod
I didn't wow 'bout Bowie
But the voice and power of Nod

The howl of Little Richard
The smile of Kenneth Dodd *
Showman, entertainer
The presence of Lord Nod

My ambition was to follow
In the path he trod
Instead of singing songs I've made
I'm writing poems about Slade
there's Jimmy, Don and there's Dave
Not forgetting Nod

Too young to be a punk
Too old to be a mod
I was just a glam rock kid
Touched by the band of Nod

(c) Paul Cookson

Shanks for the memories

Bill Shankly is the man who kick-started the "50 years of tradition you can't buy" that Liverpool fans are always screeching about on radio phone-ins and, with today marking the 25th anniversary of his death, it's no surprise to hear that there was a run on black ribbon across Merseyside today - or that opportunistic scallies are now making a killing in the lucrative bootleg black-armband market.

A commemorative ceremony is being staged at Anfield today for Shankly, who famously led Liverpool to three League titles, two FA Cups and the Uefa Cup. But the Fiver would like to do its own small bit to mark the anniversary of the passing of the man loved so much by Liverpool Football Club that they ejected him from the training ground shortly after his retirement and asked him not to come back, leaving him harbouring no end of resentment and bitterness.

Of course these weren't the only traits the Scot shared with your average Scouser. Shankly was also renowned for his famous "wit" - having peddled a mediocre line in observations that were only marginally less bland than the kind spouted today by Alan Shearer. Most often misquoted is that one about football being more important than life or death, but the Fiver's favourite came when Shanks was asked what he thought about the team on the other side of Stanley Park. "There are only two teams in Liverpool," he harrumphed. "Liverpool and Liverpool reserves." No doubt he changed his tune when Liverpool showed him the door, forcing him to live out his dotage helping Everton's youth team.