"Deeply personal and yet reassuringly universal."

Often it is those incidental moments in life that somehow, without us even realising, go on to shape what we do with our lives or how we see ourselves. In John Peel’s Shed, writer John Osborne recounts his life-long love affair with radio, and what happened after he won a box of records from the great man’s personal collection, revealing in a delightful way how it is doing what really makes us happy when we are sat alone of an evening which makes life the richest it can be.

Like the best radio shows, Osborne’s story is both deeply personal and yet reassuringly universal. As he gushes about his favourite presenter’s talent for speaking directly to every listener, or the revelation of hearing the Smiths for the first time, it does not matter if you share his tastes – each individual can fill in their own story with the sound of their own treasured voices or songs. The anecdotes he shares are amusingly real in their triviality, some the remembered lives of others gleaned from the radio, others tales of his frustrating work life or relationships formed off the back of mutual listenership. Osborne is a charming, if slightly awkward, storyteller and an hour in his company – devoid of artifice or hard-sell humour – feels more like getting a hug than an act.

While there is much to recognise for anyone who loves radio or discovering new music, John Peel’s Shed interestingly highlights the comparative failure of radio to provide those iconic, water-cooler moments, making us question why something which is a part of so many people’s lives is so rarely discussed in public. Perhaps it is merely a result of the sheer diversity on offer – Osborne’s account of listening to a different station each day certainly reveals the plethora of complete insanity floating about on the airwaves at any given moment. Yet it must also be the fact that radio rarely commands our attention as completely as other mediums: more often than not the noise in the background as we cook dinner or sit down with a book.

Of course, occasionally a broadcaster comes along who demands to be heard completely, and you picture their loyal band of followers sitting in reverence at the allotted time before discussing the experience in the pub later. Of these radio icons, John Peel was one of the best. While the piece is much more a tribute to radio than to any one man, there is a sense of indebtedness to Peel’s influence on both music and radio in Osborne’s show, and we all now owe the DJ our thanks for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sample the unique strains of Oizone, you guessed it, an Oi Punk Boyzone cover band!

John Peel’s Shed is a delightful show for anyone who has ever craved the sound of a familiar voice in a lonely hour, and turned to the dial on their radio to find it.