An incredibly emotional Memory Tape today from Tom Piercy, who spoke to us all the way from Kyoto, dedicated to his mum and celebrating her life. Here he is in his own words:
"Dear Lauren and the 6 Music team,
I am constantly touched, inspired and moved by peoples Memory Tapes and have felt a strong urge to submit my own in memory of my recently departed dear mother.
Known to friends as Dee, family as Diana, but forever to me and my sister Lisa as Diesel, she passed on the 17th December somewhat out of the blue when it was discovered that she had an inoperable brain tumour and not a whole lotta time left.
Over the coming weeks, once back at her home in Brighton, we embarked on fulfilling a local bucket list. This included amazingly going to see Metronomy at The Old Market in Hove only 10 days before she went to sleep for all time. And it was only in November that she was getting down with the kids at a Chase & Status gig.
Needless to say, she was an absolute music junky, with a constant appetite for new music. And one of the 'benefits' of knowing how much fuel is left in the tank means you get to pick the music at your own funeral. Here is a tracklisting:
Tubular Bells - Mike Oldfield as people entered the (de-consecrated) church
Everybody's Free - Quindon Tarver (as the wicker coffin entered)
Praise You - Fatboy Slim
I Feel Love - Donna Summer
In My Life - The Beatles
Live performances from:
Pheobe's Song - Della Lupa
Murmuration - Johnny Flynn
Muzzle of Bees – Wilco
Followed by:
Blind Faith - Chase & Status
I Remember - Deadmau5
Space Oddity - David Bowie
Tiny Dancer - Elton John (as coffin left)
At this point the congregation went out onto the street to wave, clap and cheer her of into the sunset as she rode away in the side car hearse of a Triumph Motorbike towards the seafront with the sea glistening all the way to the horizon. It was truly a beautiful thing for all 100+ people there.
The music really did represent all periods of her 57 years of life. If there was one song I could add to the playlist though, it would be Muzzle Of Bees by Wilco. As a massive fan of a good box set, I had bought her the incredible Friday Night Lights for Christmas. At one point I thought she'd never get to see it. But always one to prove me wrong, once back at home she worked through all 70+ hours in record time. In one suitably emotional montage scene, there was a song playing I liked. Quick as a flash she Shazzam’d it and it was Muzzle of Bees. The song only really hit a massive chord with me after she passed away. This is because one of the final things she said to me only 12 hours before her passing was "I know you're going to think I'm tripping, but I really want a bumble bee to come in the room". I have no idea what this means, but I know I'll always think of her when seeing a Bee! This is the song I'd add to that playlist.
She was truly an amazing character. She didn't care how old you were, she only cared about who you were. She had an appetite for life and adventure few people can match. For much of the last decade, she was either dancing away the summer in Ibiza, or traveling to festivals in her VW camper van.
In honour of this fact, and at her request, we will be spreading her ashes in Ibiza and a certain Somerset gathering. The perfect place for our mother to rest her beautiful spirit. I wish I was able to present a better idea of the person she was, what music meant to her, what she meant to us, but words could never convey this. Her playlist for the service only scratched the surface of her character, but it opens up a window into what lied beneath.
People tell me that it'll get easier, but all I know is that I miss her more each day not less. Thank you so much for taking the time to read my ramblings.
Tom"
