John Peel and his favourite record

Hello again, it’s lunchtime on the last day of the decade and I wasn’t sure what to write about today. This being a slow time of year for news so perhaps I should reflect a bit. I passed a mirror today and thought I’m looking old and then got nervy about ten years from now its hardly going to get better is it?

Not intentionally ending the decade on a sour note I thought it was a suitable time to reflect on some of the artists that we’ve lost this decade. I’m 42 now and most of the punk/post punk musicians I grew up listening to are somewhere in the 47-59 age group and based on that we shouldn’t have lost so many of these musicians so soon. Naturally this strikes a chord especially with fans of the Clash with Joe Strummer passing away at just 50 years of age but there are so many others. With that said – a chance to look backwards at those that influenced my youth. Obviously this list is by no means comprehensive….but was my list of influences. I’m sure I’ll add to this when I go through my record collection!

Hoping you have a safe and excellent New Years eve and a positive year in 2010.

2000

Kirsty MacColl – Still miss her voice

Ian Dury – …genius

2001

Joey Ramone – Aged just 49

Stuart Adamson – The Skids, Big Country

Bryan Gregory – The Cramps

David Rocastle – Not a musician but his passing at age 34 impacted me greatly, born 90 days before me.

2002

Joe Strummer – Strummerville keeps the man with us

Dee Dee Ramone – Overdosed in Los Angeles at 51

Mary Hansen – Stereolab, tragic accident riding her bike in London

2003

Elliott Smith – If you don’t own his records…you should

2004

John Peel – So influential and what a lovely bloke

Robert  Quine – Richard Hell and Voidods

Johnny Ramone – Couldn’t believe this one….sadly cancer

2005

Derrick Plourde – Drummer with Lagwagon and many other bands

Stevo – The Vandals

Paul Hester  -Split Enz and Crowded House

2006

Nikki Sudden – Swell Maps plus the Jacobites. A fascinating bloke

Arthur Lee – If you don’t like Love (60′s band) you don’t like music….

Desmond Dekker – No Desmond, No Ska?

G W McLennan – Devastating, I think the Go Betweens are one of the greatest bands ever

2007

Brent Lyles – Social Distortion and Agent Orange

Paul Fox – The Ruts

2008

Levi Stubbs – Four Tops (personal favourite)

Bo Diddley – In the beginning there was Bo

2009

Lux Interior – The Cramps

Les Paul – No explanation needed

Margaret Thatcher – wishful thinking…there’s still time….