Born in Bristol, Ed was educated at Clifton College, and whilst there in the early 1960’s he developed a healthy interest in pop music. He played bass guitar in an instrumental band called The Sidewinders, whilst at school, playing mostly covers of music by The Shadows. On leaving school in 1964 he continued to play bass guitar with a local band, The Kingbees. The line-up was just guitar, bass and drums, and they somehow managed to get all their gear, including themselves, into Ed’s Mini-van when going to gigs up and down the West Country. They were a covers band, playing whatever was Top of the Pops at the time. The guitarist, Geoff Nicholson went on to join Bristol’s famous prog rock band East of Eden, and Ed gave up playing bass to become their part-time roadie in 1967-68 (he had a bigger van by then). There followed some memorable gigs at London’s famous Marquee Club, supporting the likes of Jethro Tull. The Nice, and The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Perhaps the most memorable gig for Ed as a roadie was when the band supported The Who at the Eel Pie Island Hotel on 30th October 1968.
East Of Eden had a residency at Bristol’s Dug Out Club at this time also, but when they moved to London in search of fame and fortune, Ed stayed behind and was closely involved with the rock music scene at The Old Granary Club at the end of 1968, where he became the first DJ spinning records before and after the bands went on stage. Around this time Ed had to give up his roadying duties, due to the demands of his daytime job working for a building society. Burning the candle at both ends, Ed continued to work as a DJ at the Granary several nights a week, whilst working for the building society during the day until December 1971, when he was promoted to a job in London. On returning to Bristol 18 months later as a Branch Manager, he had to play a reduced role in the goings on at The Granary Club. He thought his DJing days were over, but since 2005 he has been spinning the discs again at regular Granary Club reunion events (known as Granareunited) at various venues in Bristol.
Appeared at: