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John Peel Funeral To Be Open To The Public

added 04 November 2004 at 15.24

It has been announced today that the funeral for the late John Peel is to be held next Friday (November 12) and will be open to the public. Thousands of music fans are expected to attend to pay their final respects to the legendary DJ.

The public service will be held at St. Edmundsbury Cathedral in Bury St Edmunds, close to Peel's home, Peel Acres. It is to be followed by a private ceremony.

Since John Peel's death last Tuesday (October 25), fans and wellwishers have been posting messages in their thousands from all over the world. Glastonbury festival organiser Michael Eavis has hinted that, following the announcement that Glastonbury's New Bands Stage would be retitled the John Peel Stage, The Undertones may be the first band to headline the stage at the 2005 event.

"As soon as The Undertones found about the John Peel Stage they were on the phone asking if they could play on the stage because John helped make them too," Eavis told the Bristol Evening Post. "I expect they will be headlining on the John Peel Stage on the Saturday."

However, a statement from The Undertones manager Andy Ferguson has played down the rumour syaing, "To be honest the band's thoughts are for John's family and they are not ready to consider these sort of things so soon. Yes, one of the band did, in an emotional response to the announcement that there would be a John Peel Stage, indicate that he would like to play. However Glastonbury have not contacted or put any proposal to us. We don't know what the John Peel Stage will be all about. The Undertones have never been invited to play at Glastonbury before but if they are then all the band will be involved in considering any proposal."

As previously reported, John Peel tragically passed away following a heart attack aged 65 while on a working holiday in Cuzco, Peru. Since then, numerous musicians and music fans alike have been contacting Xfm to pay tribute to a DJ who occupied a unique place in people's memories and hearts.

To read a selection of the messages click here

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Jon Ford

Tagged as The Undertones

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