Chris Welch (born 1941) is a music journalist, reviewer and critic with Melody Maker, famous during the 1960s and 1970s for reporting on the rise of such bands as Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Traffic, If, Cream, Jeff Beck and Jethro Tull. During that time he also reported on the UK jazz scene.
Welch, a former local newspaper reporter, joined the Melody Maker in 1964. He was later assistant editor of Musicians Only, editor of Metal Hammer, and a contributor to The Independent and Rhythm magazine. He has written books on several rock music personalities, including Jimi Hendrix, Yes, Steve Winwood, Black Sabbath, John Bonham, Led Zeppelin, Peter Grant, and Cream. He has also written liner notes for many rock albums.
Published works
Black Sabbath ISBN 0-86276-015-1 (1982)
Led Zeppelin: The Book ISBN 0-86276-113-1 (1984)
Paul McCartney: The Definitive Biography ISBN 0-86276-126-3 (1984)
Power and Glory: Jimmy Page and Robert Plant ISBN 5-551-35290-0 (1985)
Def Leppard: An Illustrated Biography ISBN 0-86276-263-4 (1986)
Take You Higher: The Tina Turner Story ISBN 0-491-03951-4 (1986)
The Tina Turner Experience ISBN 0-86379-138-7 (1987)
Cream: Strange Brew ISBN 1-898141-80-0 (1994)
The Complete Guide to the Music of Genesis ISBN 0-7119-5428-3 (1995)
The Who: Teenage Wasteland ISBN 1-898141-18-5 (1995)
Dazed and Confused: The Story Behind Every Led Zeppelin Song ISBN 1-85868-340-8 (1998)
Changes: The Story Behind Every David Bowie Song, 1970-1980 ISBN 1-85868-810-8 (1999)
Cream ISBN 0-87930-624-6 (2000)
John Bonham: A Thunder of Drums (with Geoff Nicholls) ISBN 0-87930-658-0 (2001)
Ginger Geezer: The Life of Vivian Stanshall (with Lucian Randall) ISBN 1-84115-679-5 (2002)
Peter Grant: The Man Who "Led Zeppelin" ISBN 0-7119-9195-2 (2002)
Close to the Edge – The Story of Yes ISBN 0-7119-9509-5 (2003)
Genesis: Complete Guide to Their Music ISBN 1-84449-868-9 (2005)
