McPeake
"Wasteland!"
John McPeake used to turn up at my shows all over the place.
McPeake was Canadian, so he turned up at all the Montreal and Toronto shows, but he might turn up anywhere.
In the late ‘90s, he famously got tossed out of The Bottom Line in New York City, before the show had even begun, for, well, being drunk and disorderly.
He’d turn up at some little roadhouse in rural New Jersey.
Or in Boston.
Or you’d be in Holland, and suddenly—there was McPeake!
McPeake was pretty much the greatest person you could ever have at your show.
If McPeake was there, you never had to worry about audience enthusiasm.
Even if no one but McPeake turned up, it was still going to be a good show.
I never knew how he got to the shows, or how he got home from the shows.
Maybe he took buses, and trains. And got rides.
McPeake seemed to manage.
McPeake
I made a little film once, using footage from some Dutch shows. And wouldn’t you know it, there was McPeake!
At 1:35 into the film, McPeake yells “Wasteland!”
You can hear him clearly.
“Wasteland!”
And now we learn that McPeake has sadly passed on into the next world.
I was looking forward to seeing him at my Canadian shows in June, with Orit Shimoni.
I am pretty sad I will not be seeing McPeake.
He was truly one-of-a-kind, and I will very much miss him.
Any room was better with him in it.
Any world was better with him in it.
He was an unrestrained person. His grin was from another century. Maybe the 16th. Maybe the 13th.
Here is “Wasteland.”
For McPeake.
Dear Dan, I had intended to write you today to tell you the sad news but someone beat me to it. Probably Neath. I like the way you captured his essence.
I will forever be grateful to him for many things. Most importantly is for being my friend. Also for introducing me to NYC which I fell in love with. And, for introducing me to YOU!!! John having been turned on to your music by the esteemed combo of Mitch Melnick and Bill Spaceman Lee. “You’ll love this guy” he said - and I did. Then following you around on this continent. Our Bern Western Tour extravaganza, including Calgary X 2, Edmonton and Athabaska, was especially memorable.
I was looking forward to seeing him at your Mtl show in June. (He already had tickets ). And now we’ll only mostly miss him. Damn.
I want to make a request if it works for you. Very fitting that you posted Wasteland here. I know another of your songs (there were Many)that John loved was Breathe. It would be wonderful if you would play that in Montreal in honour of him. A way of having him in the room with us….
Looking forward to seeing you in June! Sending you big hugs. XOX.
Love this song - I still recall the demo version of this on the cassette I got through Amanda Stark in the wayback - sounds like the dude was one of a kind- sweet homage- any world or room is better with you in it too