John Philip Sousa for Monty Python's Flying Circus), "The Thunderer" and "The Washington Post". Sousa began his career playing violin and studying music theory and composition under John Esputa and George Felix Benkert. His father enlisted him in the United States Marine Band as an apprentice in 1868. After departing the band in 1875, Sousa learned to conduct. From 1880 until his death, he focused exclusively on conducting and the writing of music. He eventually rejoined the Marine Band and served there for 12 years as director. On leaving the Marine Band, Sousa organized his own band. Sousa aided in the development of
John Mealing Shop Boys. Between 1986 and 1993, he composed the music to the hit BBC Television quiz shows "Every Second Counts" and "Bob's Full House". He is credited with the music for the 1991 "The Secret Policeman's Biggest Ball". He is also credited as co-composer of the theme tune to the British TV comedy-drama series "Press Gang" which ran from 1989 to 1993. John Mealing John Mealing (born 5 April 1942 in Yeovil, Somerset) is a keyboards player, composer and arranger. After leaving the Don Rendell-Ian Carr Quintet in the late sixties, he joined the pioneering British jazz-rock band If until