David Peel

Hailing from New York City’s Lower East Side, David Peel worked as a street musician and political activist. A circle of friends formed his backing group, which took the name the Lower East Side, and together they cut two pioneering Elektra Records albums devoted to social commentary, city vignettes, and hippie lore. Have a Marijuana appeared in 1968, followed by The American Revolution in 1970. Each release matched the expectations set by its title, offering guitar-led countercultural statements delivered with evident good humor. Peel kept performing, recording, and agitating through the 21st century until complications from a heart attack ended his life in April 2017 at age 74.