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PERSONAL
TRIBUTES
Farewell
Tommy Vance
"We're
sorry to report the death of the radio DJ Tommy Vance on March 6th.
For rock fans during the eighties, Vance's Friday Night Rock show flew
the flag nationally for a genre which was deeply unfashionable in most
British media circles. As well as new acts, he played a lot of older
classics and delved into the BBC archives for rare sessions. He gave
the various members of Deep Purple plenty of national exposure too,
and it was for this reason that the band gave Tommy the opportunity
to be the first to officially announce the band's reunion, which he
did on his show on April 27th 1984." Simon Robinson
"Dear
Purple People, I was very saddened to read on the website that Tommy
Vance has died. Personally I remember Tommy best for his work on the
Friday Rock Show. I can still remember that familiar deep voice breaking
the news of Deep Purple's reunion in 1984, and the interviews he did
with each band member for a whole programme devoted to the reunion.
And where else on radio could you hear entire (or near entire) concerts
by so many great rock bands? Whether it be recordings from the Monsters
of Rock festival, one off concerts, or Purple's legendary Knebworth
gig. And then there were the various sessions by bands recorded especially
for the programme, not to mention interviews and a constant supply of
the LPs and singles released by new and old bands alike. Without Tommy
Vance we'd all be a great deal poorer. He was a great champion for rock
and metal music, and in the words of one of his favourite bands, Rose
Tattoo, a real Rock N Roll Outlaw!" Martin Burton
"In
the dark distant early 1980’s Tommy Vance was the single public voice
who dared to even mention that there had been a band called “Deep Purple”.
Without him and the occasional Sounds Magazine article, I might have
thought I was the only Purple fan around who still listened to the wonderful
Mark 1 Purple and beyond. I remember Tommy for his enthusiasm and dedication
to the “hard rock” genre through many years where it was simply not
fashionable whatsoever. I remember meeting up every Friday night (with
a bag of fish and chips) to listen to whatever he had to throw at us.
He was the only one who cared in those days. God bless you Tommy, rest
in peace." John Blackburn
"A
great loss, he was the the only DJ that kept heavy rock alive on BBC.
Although John Peel's recent demise was tragic to rock broadcasting generally,
Tommy's passing away will be marked by all true hard rock/heavy metal
call it what you will fans of real music. He particularly stood up for
Purple when others before him ( including JP ) would not. God Bless
Him." Geoff Quade
"Tommy
Vance, what a guy. He loved to rock, and genuinely loved the music,
but you always got the feeling that he also knew (as we all do) how
ludicrous hard rock can be. Sadly, ‘TV on the radio’ will be no more.
Cheers and RIP, oh velvet-tonsilled one!!" Dave Hobbs, Churchdown.
"Saddened
to hear that Tommy Vance has passed-on - the Friday nights of my teenage
years wouldn't have been the same without his luxurient tones introducing
some great music on the radio. Happy memories of him introducing a New
Year some 23 years ago by saying "Bang on through '82"...and then announcing
that he'd just collided heads with producer Tony Wilson...and of course
breaking the news of the DP reunion to a disbelieving nation a couple
of years later." Tim Summers
"I
guess like many of us UK based folks, we all grew up listening to TV
on the Radio. The only place to hear NWOBHM, the only place to hear
rock. I still have a few tapes somewhere of the top 10 shows from the
early 80's. He filled 2 hours with 10 tracks including Child in Time
and Stargazer. And thought nothing of playing the live version of Supper's
Ready, all of it. Many a Friday night was spent in the bedroom, the
headphones on and Tommy introducing another session from some weird
named band. Iron Maiden, Samson, Toad the Wet Sprocket, yes all the
greats started there. I recall the excitement as he trailered a soon
to be broadcast exclusive Deep Purple show. Waiting all night until
he said the immortal words, "it's in mono, it's Deep Purple", and the
first broadcast of Cal Jam hit the airwaves. And that night when the
reformation was announced will always stay with me.Getting home just
in time to catch the last half hour, and wondering why The Maze was
on, then Episode Six and so on. The interviews, the two hour special,
my first listen to Knocking at Your Back Door. The Knebworth special,
both of them. Sadly I lost touch with the radio show, but caught up
with Tommy again when he started VH1's Friday Rock show, always a Purple
related track every week it seemed. The man is a legend and KTel ads
will never be as good again. A sad loss." Kevin Dixon
"Tommy
you were the man to listen to on a Friday night. In a week where we
lost Chris Curtis, it seems even more tragic. As significant as any
musician, he will be missed." J.Rodericks
"Along
with Brian Mathew and Alan Freeman, Tommy is responsible for the size
of my music collection swelling enormously as a result of the Friday
Rock Show. Friday nights were never the same after his programme was
taken off. He will be sadly missed." Clive Robey
"Very
sad to hear that "Thomas The Vance" has passed away. As a fan of rock
music I have a lot to thank him for, where else would I have been able
to hear such great music or hear my favourite artists being interviewed?
The Friday Rock Show was essential listening when I was a teenager in
the 80's and I remember hearing Purple's California Jam gig and the
announcement of the Purple reunion. I can also recall David Coverdale
being interviewed when the 1987 album was released and, much later,
Ian Gillan when The Battle Rages On came out. Tommy was always enthusiastic
about the bands he championed and thanks to him I was introduced to
a lot of great music that I still love to this day. He may not have
been "cool" like John Peel but he was passionate about the music that
he played and he will be greatly missed by those of us who huddled around
our radios for two hours late on a Friday night getting excited as Steve
Morse started kicking out the riff to "Take It Off The Top"...happy
days." Paul Hackett
"I
heard the very sad news about Tommy on the Sunday he died, and just
couldn't believe that another friend of Deep Purple has passed away
so suddenly. As with many people, during my teenage years, he formulated
my Friday nights so radically, and as a result, I developed many tastes
thanks to TV on the radio. He had genuine enthusiasm for many of my
favourite bands. Amongst the pop pap of the 80's, he certainly brightened
up my life. God bless you Thomas, we loved your style."
Craig Storey
"When
I was a teenager, there was a group of us who used to hang out together
and we all loved rock. Not much was played on radio in the early 80`s.
But we would all listen on Friday night and thanks to Tommy he satisfied
are requirement for good music. Like "Fluff" Freeman he had a unique
interesting voice, which alas is missing from radio today. He will be
sorely missed." Ashley and Angela - in Gloucester
"I
have two memories of Tommy Vance. Firstly, for about 3 years between
1980-1982, myself and DPAS man John Blackburn would listen to the Friday
Rock Show every Friday night, each week alternating between my parents'
and John parents' houses; it was great fun at a great time listening
tp Purple, Whitesnake, Rainbow, Motorhead etc. How our parents coped
with this week in, week out still amazes me. My second memory is of
when I was living in Germany in 1988 and I had a dedication from Tommy
on his weekly British Forces radio show (I was not in the army, by the
way). He made a dedication to my (now) wife, Marion. Rather unflatteringly
and rather to Marion's bemusement the dedication was 'The Ace of Spades'
by Motorhead. Not particularly romantic, as Marion would say. Great
times and great memories. Rock on Tommy!" Mark Connolly
"Only
just seen the sad news of the death of Tommy Vance. 'TV on the radio',
as he used to say, was great. Friday nights were a must, tape machine
at the ready, to record the live and studio sessions. Never forget the
great '85 knebworth broadcasts. He will be sadly missed. " Steve
McGrath
"When
other so called hip D.J's were deserting the Ship of Rock like the rats
they were, Tommy stayed true to the cause and Friday nights were the
beacons of light in a stormy sea of mediocrity. The distinctive voice
that seemed to be the result of too many smoky nights in clubs rockin
with the rest of us ,the encyclopaedic knowledge but most importantly
the shared love of the greatest music known to manmarked Tommy out as
a very special unique talent. We will miss you and mayt whichever God
you've gone to look after you and give you th special place you deserve.
God Bless you Tommy and thanks for the memories and the music. From
a mad Irish Rocker Tony and the rest of the guys from the Instigators."
Tony Bannon
"It
really seems like I have lost a dear friend with the death of Tommy
Vance. And with his passing goes all of those inspirational teenage
years sat eagerly in front of the radio, cassette at the ready, waiting
with baited breath to see if he would play my favourite bands and what
new music I could discover. From "Lie Back and Enjoy It" (a gloriously
un-PC title in retrospect! :-) right through to the 'Rock War' Tommy
always managed to offer something for everyone who loved rock.
Unlike
his contemporaries (and yes that includes John Peel) Tommy never pandered
to fashion, cool or cynical criticism. It seemed to be his own personal
crusade and passion to bring good rock music, old and new, to the masses.
His enthusiasm was infectious and I credit him for introducing me to
a whole world of classic rock music that I would never have heard about
otherwise.
I
remember with a much, much affection interviews he broadcast with Tony
Iommi, Cozy Powell, Ozzy, Robert Plant, Alice Cooper, Lemmy etc. But
nothing could ever surpass his Deep Purple interviews and features over
years.
I
remember being in a state of ecstasy for weeks afterwards when I heard
Tommy's Deep Purple reunion special! :-) And the Knebworth broadcasts
he made with Ian Gillan... Ian walking around the camp site the night
before the show, being mobbed by fans and then back in the studio again
for some laughs and banter with Tommy, were just classic. Tommy Vance
brought us many defining moments in rock music during the '80s. It is
an over-used phrase, but totally appropriate here... we will never see
his like again. God bless you Tommy, "good luck mate"... Simon Cooper
"Real
shame about Tommy Vance. I was a regular with the Friday Night Rock
Show waitng for any news, interviews or concerts related to Purple,
Rainbow, Whitesnake and Gillan, always with a cassette at the ready.
I have quite a number of cassettes recorded off his programme, including
a fantastic Reading Whitesnake performance that starts with Tommys deep,
dramatic voice, ' recorded at Reading, by Whitesnake,....for Forty,
Six, Minutes....'. Daft but it gives you goosies! " Neil Cutler
"On
hearing the news of Tommy's death I was genuinely stunned. Like others
here, I vividly remember his announcement of the Purple reunion. That
the announcement was made on the Friday Rock Show was truly fitting.
Only recently I watched a documentary on progressive rock, narrated
by Tommy, and it inspired me to go and listen to acts I'd either forgotten
or had never listened to at all. Together with the loss of John Peel,
this is a truly devastating blow to the music world. I hope the BBC
pay him the tribute he genuinely deserves." Brian Kelshaw
"A
brilliant DJ who will be sorely missed. Being a fan of Deep Purple and
Uriah Heep, Tommy meant a lot to me and I was lucky enough to meet him
in 2001 in London for the Uriah Heep "Magicians Birthday Party". A true
gent who knew his stuff. I remember him being the first to break the
news that Deep Purple were reforming back in 1984 and occasionally letting
Ian Gillan host his show. He was also an integral part of the NWOBHM
in the late 70's. Thanks Tommy. RIP." Andy Naish
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