We had the privilege of chatting to Gary Welch and Karen Crossan about their latest project “Camden” and the importance of music supervision in the hit Disney+ docuseries.
In the pulsating heart of London lies Camden, a cultural hub woven with threads of music, history, and a diverse range of artistic influences. This tapestry is the subject of the new TV series “Camden,” a documentary that delves into the Borough’s storied musical heritage. We have spoken to Gary Welch, the series’ music supervisor, whose deep connection to Camden’s vibrant scene and extensive industry experience have been instrumental in bringing this ambitious project to life, along with his colleague Karen Crossan, his music coordinator at Eyehear.
Gary Welch, owner of Eyehear, has carved out a notable career in the music supervision realm, contributing to acclaimed documentaries and music films such as “Whitney,” “Woodstock ’99” and “Northern Soul.” His journey with “Camden” began long before the cameras started rolling. “I first started working on this project in September 2021, and it began to gain momentum in early 2022,” Welch recalls. His role encompasses everything from securing access and archival footage to handling interviews, licensing, and budgeting—a process he engages with right from the initial pitch.
Welch’s connection to Camden is deeply personal. In the early 1990s, he worked as a building surveyor near Kings Cross, not far from Camden. During this time, he frequented iconic venues and record stores like the Electric Ballroom and Zoom Records, immersing himself in the local music scene. This early exposure to Camden’s musical landscape laid the foundation for his passion for the project. “The opportunity to contribute to the widespread and diverse heritage of Camden’s history was something I couldn’t pass up,” he reminisces.
Crafting a Sonic Narrative
Creating a music-led documentary requires meticulous preparation and collaboration. For Welch, the process begins at the pre-production stage. “Before we even begin to think about the music, we get involved with the development. You get involved with the process from the concept and budgets and work out how the series is going to look,” he explains. Working alongside three directors and various producers, Welch was integral to discussions about the project’s direction.
One important aspect of a music supervisor’s role in such a project is their influence in the evolution of the script, shaped by access, resources and interviews.” The script was constantly evolving as it depended on which interviews we could get,” says Welch. This dynamic nature of the script allowed for the inclusion of diverse musical influences, ranging from Britpop to early New York-inspired genres. Mixtapes featuring different genres across Camden were created, with a wide range of influences from dance music, punk, reggae and new-wave.
Collaboration
Collaboration was key to ensuring the documentary’s musical authenticity. The production involved multiple teams, including the editorial team at Disney and the executive team at Lightbox, the production company. “There were three edits going on at one time,” Welch notes, highlighting the project’s complexity. Each team, comprising an editor and a director, worked on different episodes, ensuring a cohesive narrative.
Welch’s role also involved clearing music licenses and conducting due diligence for rights holders. This process was not without its challenges. “Some interviews took a while to secure. We were in constant contact with the labels” he shares. Despite these hurdles, Welch and Crossan ensured that the documentary featured a broad spectrum of music, reflecting Camden’s rich musical history.
Unearthing Musical Gems
One of the most rewarding aspects of working on “Camden” for Welch was the discovery of new music and untold stories – “learning new things.”
“We had a responsibility to reflect the history as detailed as possible,” he notes. Some of the underground music that made it into the documentary, like Landlord’s “I Like It,” Konk “Your Life,” Lonnie Liston “Expansions” and opening up the series with The Clash was particularly gratifying for Welch.
Reflecting on his favorite moments from the project, Welch highlights the Libertines footage and the Gilles Peterson segments. “I love the Libertines footage. Carl and Pete together are really good” he shares. Particularly memorable moments were a humorous story recounted by Questlove in Episode Three about living in the UK, Jazzy B and of course Suggs.
Music in the series includes: The Clash, James, Public Enemy, Roxy Music, Soul II Soul, Culture Club, Black Eyed Peas, Madness, Little Simz, The Libertines, Coldplay, Dua Lipa, Faithless, Visage, Babyshambles, Eliza Rose, Oasis, Lonnie Liston, Kenickie, Yungblud, The Roots, Mark Ronson, M-Beat, Jovonn, Leftfield, Nas, Bicep, Konk, JM Silk, Landlord.
Looking Ahead
As “Camden” captures audiences with its multifaceted narrative, Welch continues to work on other exciting projects. His recent releases include: “Cyndi Lauper: Let The Canary Sing” and “Kneecap,” a hybrid of documentary and scripted content starring Michael Fassbender. Additionally, he is involved in upcoming releases like “The Radleys,” based on Matt Haig’s book, and “Four Letters of Love,” featuring Helena Bonham Carter and Pierce Brosnan.
Welch’s dedication to his craft and his passion for music shine through in every project he undertakes. With “Camden,” he has not only honored the musical heritage that important figures like Amy Winehouse left behind, but he also set a new standard for music-led documentaries. As viewers tune in to “Camden,” they are taken on a melodic journey through the heart of one of London’s most iconic neighborhoods, guided by Welch and Crossan’s expert hands.
More on the Supervisors
Gary Welch
Gary is an independent film music supervisor with close to one hundred film credits plus TV. Widely known for being one of the most experienced in films with music led stories. He has worked on official approved films for music artists such as Eric Clapton, Tina Turner, Whitney Houston, Phil Spector, Cyndi Lauper, Lee Morgan, Sparks, KSI, Ronnie Dio, Sinead O’Connor and Betty Davis. As well as genre/music scene films such as “Woodstock ’99”, “Meet Me In The Bathroom”, “They Call It Acid”, “Can You Feel It: How Dance Music Conquered The World”, “Lost In Vagueness”, “Northern Soul” and more recently “Camden”, a doc series on the heritage of Camden’s music scene exec directed by Asif Kapadia.
Gary was the winner of the Music Week Sync Awards “Film Music Supervisor Of The Year” in 2016 and has been nominated multiple times at Guild Of Music Supervisor Awards in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022.
Karen Crossan
Karen began her career working in music publishing where she found her love for sync and the way music works within a project. This led to crossing over to become a music coordinator with almost 30 credits to her name so far. Highlights include “Trainwreck: Woodstock ’99”, “Meet Me in the Bathroom”, “Getting It Back: The Story of Cymande”, “Cyndi Lauper: Let the Canary Sing”, “Camden” and “Kneecap.”