Ed Welch

Who is Ed Welch?

Edward William "Ed" Welch is an English television composer.

Ed Welch had a classical music upbringing, being Head Chorister at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford then a first music scholar at Ardingly College in Sussex. He gained a scholarship to Trinity College of Music London, studying composition with Arnold Cooke. Upon graduating in 1965, he joined United Artists Music where he learn the various branches of the music business under the guiding eye of Vera Lynn's brother Roger Welch He wrote arrangements, composed 'B' sides and plugged the UA catalogue at the BBC.

In 1971, he recorded an album, Clowns, including songs he had co-written with Tom Paxton, and session musicians including Mike de Albuquerque and Cozy Powell. In 1972, acted as producer on a version of “I Don't Know How to Love Him” by Sylvie McNeill on a UK 45 on United Artists UA UP35415 released in time for the first UK Stage Musical of Jesus Christ Superstar. In 1973 he wrote the title song to Spike Milligan's film Adolf Hitler my part in his downfall, which marked the start of a 25 year collaboration with Milligan.

In 1978 and 1979, he appeared in the Spike Milligan BBC series Q8 and Q9, performing his own songs and songs co-written with Milligan, including "I've Got This Photograph of You!" and "Silly Old Baboon". This unlikely duo released an album in 1979 on the United Artists label, Spike Milligan and Ed Welch Sing Songs from Q8. In 1976, he composed the score for Spike's adaptation of Paul Gallico's The Snow Goose. Narrated by Milligan and performed by the LSO, the RCA recording was such a success it entered the pop LP charts and has been performed at many concerts since.