John Peel

John Peel (1939-2004) was a highly-influential radio DJ - most of his career was spent at Radio 1, where his evening shows and Peel Sessions attracted legions of fans.

Responsible for introducing the British (and worldwide) public to some of the finest indie oddities around, as well as passionately promoting unsung outfits 'til his lungs were sore, Peel's passing in 2004 was almost universally mourned in the music industry and beyond.

Peel also worked as a presenter on Top Of The Pops, and later in life undertook assorted television jobs. He'll always be known, though, for his radio shows, where records could be played at the wrong speed for a full running time before anyone would inform Peel of his mistake.

He was, basically, every indie-punk-rocker's grandad. Really.