But sadly missed, again. 3000 at John Peel’s funeral. I was almost there myself. Can’t help thinking some irony Peel would have appreciated in Liverpool FC Captain Emlyn Hughes death also in the news yesterday and the very hour his own funeral today coinciding with Yasser Arafat’s.
How many times did Peel say “If I died tomorrow, I couldn’t complain.” ?
Peel’s brother Dave made a brief comparison with Diana’s death, but didn’t make any specific comment. Given also Boris Johnson’s troubles last month, daring to suggest Liverpudlians were wallowing in mock grief at the execution of their hostage in Iraq, there’s no denying the “overwhelming response” to Peel’s death was genuine and personal. Emotional, but celebratory – not the mawkish, exaggerated, victim culture of those others. He’ll never walk alone.