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Farewell, Charlie Gillett

10:15 AM GMT 19/03/2010

Farewell, Charlie Gillett

THE MUSIC WRITER and broadcaster Charlie Gillett, who died on March 17, aged 68, had spent 40 years introducing new music to an appreciative audience. In the 1960s, it was American soul; in the 1970s, he provided the first radio exposure for the cream of the new wave as well as one of the biggest bands of all time; for the past 25 years, he had been world music's most enthusiastic evangelist. Above all, however, he was a fan of good music.

Living far from London and unable to hear his Honky Tonk radio show in the 1970s, I initially came across Charlie in the 1980s, when his 1970 book The Sound Of The City was required reading for anybody trying to understand the heritage of rock music. MOJO contributor Richie Unterberger called it "the first serious and comprehensive history of rock'n'roll", but I didn't appreciate its significance at the time; I was busy spluttering over the idea that anybody could claim Buddy Holly was past it by 1958. One day, I thought, I'd like to argue that out with this guy.

A decade later, London's Time Out magazine approached him to become their world music correspondent. He turned them down, replying that they'd already found somebody who could do the job. And so began my writing career. While hanging around the office, I'd previewed some gigs, but I had never thought about giving up my life as a van driver and becoming a music journalist.

A few weeks later, I met him for the first time and he quickly explained the gig he'd just put me down for. Anybody can list facts, but you can't convincingly fake enthusiasm. Say what you believe about what you like - and in Charlie's case that included his "discoveries" Ian Dury, Elvis Costello, Lene Lovich and Dire Straits - and you will persuade others they should be interested; recite facts and you'll turn them off. It's good to have erudition to back your argument up (and The Sound Of The City was Charlie's Master's thesis in expanded form), but it's the love that counts.

We were both soul fans who had stumbled into a whole new sphere of music and knew we could never convince ourselves that we were experts, but that wasn't going to stop us trying persuade others to join in our journey into the unknown. On his radio shows, Charlie held our hands as he opened a new CD and wondered aloud what Youssou N'Dour, Mariza or Salif Keita would sound like. We knew he already knew, and we knew he wouldn't play it if he didn't like it.

Charlie would sneak up on you in gigs and open conversations with something like, "Have you heard Sekouba Bambino's version of It's A Man's Man's Man's World? I think you'd like it." He'd argue that concerts were inferior to recordings, because the artist would put so much thought into seven inches of vinyl that the single had to be the definitive statement. He'd rail against iPod culture because when he was in Memphis or New Orleans or Bamako, he wanted to hear the city, not be shut off from it. And he'd end the conversation by telling you of another tune you had to hear.

I know I'm not alone in owing Charlie a lot more than my musical education. As a writer, producer, label-owner and warm voice in the darkness, he nurtured likeminded souls and encouraged them to have a go at doing his job. In an era sterilised by professionals and experts, his peerless amateur enthusiasm stood out as a beacon. Thanks for the music, Charlie - now you can take your Buddy Holly theory up with the man himself.

David Hutcheon is MOJO's world music correspondent

Posted by Ross_Bennett at 10:15 AM GMT 19/03/2010

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  • My last email exchange with Charlie was about Buddy Holly - I was thrilled that he'd offered to write something about the man for theartsdesk.com, where I'm looking after the "new music" (as opposed to classical) section. But his email said that we'd have to wait as he was in hospital and under the weather. We will miss him, a lovely man. We have a small tribute to the man on the site, but if only we'd have his latest Buddy theories instead.

    Posted by Peter Culshaw at 1:15 PM GMT 19/03/2010 Report Abuse

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  • RE: Peter Culshaw

    Charlie was a true inspiration and a lovely bloke. I listened to his radio shows from the 70's until his stints with BBC Radio 3 and the World Service. Discovered something new every single week. There was absolutley nobody else like him - the voice - the easy going manner - the knowledge. He had a passion for music and loved to share it. he will be greatly missed.

    Posted by Michael Leigh at 3:17 PM GMT 19/03/2010 Report Abuse

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  • His early days: he wrote a classic book. In 1971 when I was 16 "Sound of the City" was the bible. We learned rock history from it. It wasn't the first - Nik Cohn's Awopbopaloobop came out c1969 but it was more polemical(!). SOTC was the business. It united swots & rocknrollfans like me with blueshounds & reprobates like my classmates. For that alone this man should be in any and every rock hall of fame. What will we do as a suitable tribute I wonder?

    Posted by Calum Warthog at 3:38 PM GMT 19/03/2010 Report Abuse

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  • I listened to Charlie on Saturday nights at 8pm for years i couldn't wait for Sat @ 8pm and gleaned so so much info from his broadcast i also remember when he co presented a Jazz prog on TV in channel 4's early days and he didnt look comfortable and mis pronounced the jazz guitarist Pat Metheny's name as "Meathany" but I loved it and him.
    BUT... I am Gob smacked to learn that he was born in Morecambe Lancashire which is where [I] was born, I always wanted to have a word with him at Womad and tell him about the Methany (sic) thing but to learn that we are both "Sand Grown Uns" makes it even worse that I didn't speak to him.
    Goodbye Charlie, I hope you are able to read your tributes up there...we will miss you madly.....Baz Francis.

    Posted by Baz Francis at 1:42 AM GMT 20/03/2010 Report Abuse

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  • Here in middle America, I discovered Charlie and his World Music compilations belatedly -- only about a year and a half ago. He cordially responded to my e-mails inquiring about various artists. And I have greatly enjoyed the World Music CDs. It was a shock to learn of Charlie's death. He will be sorely missed, but fondly remembered, by a very large following. I won't forget him.

    Posted by Larry Stout at 10:20 AM GMT 20/03/2010 Report Abuse

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  • Five years ago Charlie used to join us, a group of young Eritreans, for Sunday morning football at Clapham Common. I never knew he was so famous. He was gentle and interested in the nobody's like us. RIP, Charlie. With love.

    Posted by Eritrean at 1:10 PM GMT 22/03/2010 Report Abuse

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  • Five years ago Charlie used to join us, a group of young Eritreans, for Sunday morning football at Clapham Common. I never knew he was so famous. He was gentle and interested in the nobody's like us. RIP, Charlie. With love.

    Posted by Eritrean at 1:11 PM GMT 22/03/2010 Report Abuse

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  • THANKS FOR THE BIBLE OF ROCK'N'ROLL AND... THANKS FOR THE MUSIC
    RIP CHARLIE

    Posted by haris.kavadias,athens,greece at 4:09 PM GMT 22/03/2010 Report Abuse

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  • i was a 16-year-old in north london in the early '70s when i began to listen religiously to radio london's "honky tonk" each sunday, when -- as one of charlie's favorite bands of the era, bees make honey, put it -- "charlie's on the radio from 12 to 1." he changed my life. soon i was traveling across london to pick up some definitive louis jordan compilation charlie had recommended, or scouring the second-hand shops for every session the meters did, tony joe white imports, or every allen toussaint production, or cornell dupree's first solo album, or that bobby charles album. spending saturdays at let it rock and the record stalls in ladbroke grove. and soon i became a regular at the tally-ho, dingwalls, the kensington and all the other music pubs charlie mentioned on the air when he'd list the week's gigs -- the wonderful bees make honey, ducks deluxe, the feelgoods, kokomo, etc. he had such marvelous taste. a few years ago i interviewed him by telephone from l.a., where i was living, for a newspaper article about his world music CD series, and managed to tell him what a difference he made in my life. there aren't many people that have that sort of impact. bless him. one of the great ones in this mediocre world.

    Posted by samuel apthong at 8:04 PM GMT 24/03/2010 Report Abuse

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  • Last October I was in the UK and on my last day I was about to visit a reggae shop in Clapham Junction. This reminded me about Clapham Common and Charlie Gillett. I hadn't spoken to him in thirty years but on the off chance I rang him and we had a conversation as though no time at all had passed. His warmth and empathy had no bounds. I'm lucky enough to have two vinyl copies of Another Saturday Night (Oval 1974), and a cassette tape of a radio program he did on Dr.John in 1980.

    Posted by Tom Zelinka, Sydney at 4:49 AM GMT 05/04/2010 Report Abuse

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