Smash hit

Tony Blair’s spokesman said that the Prime Minister was “genuinely saddened”. He said: “John Peel was a unique voice in British broadcasting and used that voice to unearth new talent and different subjects and make them accessible to a much wider audience.”

Peel, a fervent Liverpool fan, always said that he wanted You’ll Never Walk Alone and Teenage Kicks to be played at his funeral. Feargal Sharkey, The Undertones singer and now the Government’s live music adviser, said that his life “changed forever” the day that Peel played his song. Sharkey said: “We have just lost the single most important broadcaster we have ever known. It was John’s efforts that brought us Jimi Hendrix, T Rex, The Undertones and countless others, music that touch the lives of millions. For that we should all be thankful.”

Damon Albarn, the Blur singer, said: “John Peel’s patronage was for me, like countless other musicians, one of the most significant things that happened to us in our careers. The world is going to be a poorer place with his sudden departure.”

Elvis Costello said: “He had an open mind about music, whether he was bringing the listener the Incredible String Band or The Fall, Mike Hart or Echo and the Bunnymen, and countless bands that appeared only to be heard on his great shows. Our brief conversations were centred on our mutual love of Liverpool FC. A great man, a fabulous curmudgeon, he was as rare as the music that he loved.”

Alan McGee, the Glasgow record mogul who discovered Oasis, told The Times: “John Peel played the first band I was in and the first release by Creation Records. Without John, Creation probably wouldn’t have happened. Kids listened to him under the bedclothes to hear new music. It was astonishing that he was still so up on new music aged 65.”

Michael Eavis, the organiser of the Glastonbury Festival, where Peel acted as compere and broadcaster, said: “The best advice he gave me was in 1983 when he said book The Smiths, they are going to be the greatest thing ever. John found them first. We loved him dearly.”

Billy Bragg was given his radio debut by Peel and became a family friend. The singer said: “Although he became an institution at the BBC, he was, in effect, running his own pirate radio station from within the Corporation, introducing us to music that could not be heard on any other radio show.”

Jarvis Cocker, the frontman of Peel favourites Pulp, said: “John Peel stuck up for the ‘sore thumbs’ of the music scene and I really can’t think of anyone who could have done it better or who’s going to do it now he’s gone.”

CLASSIC LINES

‘I never make stupid mistakes. Only very, very clever ones’

‘You’ll have to believe me when I say I don’t work at my appearance’

‘I hate it when they say I’m a national institution because, to me, they’re things covered in ivy’

On his wife, Sheila: ‘We got married the day after my birthday quite deliberately so I’d not forget’

On Germaine Greer: ‘She was sleeping with everyone famous. It just happened to be my night after George Best’

On breaking stars: ‘We’re like a youth team at a football club. They go into the first team and then by and large turn their backs on us’

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