Musically I've always needed a DJ to guide me, and Charlie, who has just died, was perhaps the best. Although I came to him pretty late in 2001 in fact, his programmes were a touchstone of good taste and pure love of music, respect for the artists, respect for the best of the old and the most interesting of the new.
The astonishing list of tributes on his website is moving not only because of the sheer numbers of people who've taken the trouble to say something, but also for the depth of feeling, the warmth, the respect, the feeling that they had not only been inspired or entertained musically but touched by a decent human being, a good man. That is rare and very worthy of record.
