Tommy Vance (off topic?)

[dunelm61]

The lives and careers of John Peel and Tommy Vance ran parallel for 
almost half a century. From beginning their broadcasting careers in 
America, working on pirate radio, joining the BBC . . . through to 
embarrassing TV voice-overs and even meeting the Grim Reaper within 
months of each other.

However, given the current media blitz (the book, the magazine and 
newspaper articles, TV and radio programmes, you name it) 
surrounding Peel, it's striking just how differently they are 
regarded by music fans and by the public in general.

For me, listening to NWOBHM bands on the Friday Rock Show in the 
late seventies was something of a guilty pleasure after Peel's 
Monday to Thursday shows. I suspect that this is true of several 
members of this group, although perhaps not many of you will admit 
it publicly!

The last occasion on which I heard Tommy Vance was when he was 
interviewed on Radio 5 Live on the day of Peel's death almost a year 
ago. Vance declared his opinion of Peel to be at variance with the 
warm tributes that had been paid so far. In essence, he accused Peel 
of being a wily opportunist who would jump on any bandwagon seen to 
be gaining momentum. It sad that such inappropriate and distasteful 
bitching about John Peel should mark what may well have been Tommy's 
last appearance on the radio.

And perhaps the current manifestations of the public's continuing 
high regard for Peel and his legacy simply underline the reasons for 
such resentment.