Alan "Fluff" Freeman has died at
the age of 79.
Although he
gave up broadcasting in 2000, due to poor health, he will always be remembered as the man who invented the chart rundown, complete with background music and jingles.
He is probably best known for
Pick of the Pops, which reached a mainstream audience, but was also a champion of rock music. Along with
John Peel and
Tommy Vance, Fluff was the last of the three great DJ's I grew up listening to on late night radio. I'm too young to remember his Radio Luxembourg shows, but The Saturday Night Rock Show on Radio 1 was compulsory listening, part for the music and part for Fluff's unique catchphrases and jingles, particularly
Sign of the Swingin' Cymbal (rm) which became his theme on all his radio shows. He was also the inspiration behind the Harry Enfield character
Dave Nice. We'll miss you Fluff. Not 'arf!
posted by bap98189
on Nov 28, 2006 -
29 comments