10cc...Jikes!

[NancyJohnson]

Over the last few days (laid up/knee), I've been reading Liam Newton's rather excellent biography of 10cc; 10cc: The Worst Band In The World and in keeping with the Supertramp thread, I've been immersing myself in their back catalogue while reading.  I'm enjoying this immensely.

 

My brother is ten years older than me and as a kid fed me with cassettes of his purchases, the first 10cc album was in there, still buried deep in my conscience.  More than aware of the do-wop and powerpop stylings the like of Johnny Don't Do It, Donna and Rubber Bullets, I've dipped into the catalogue beyond that previously (Sheet Music, Original Soundtrack etc.) and I'm more than aware of their singles. 

 

It's a phenomenal story, from Graham Gouldman's pre-10cc career (in his mid-teens he was writing for The Hollies, The Yardbirds, Herman's Hermits and Wayne Fontana), Eric Stewart's work with The Mindbenders and setting up Strawberry Studios in Manchester (with the fledgling 10cc effectively becoming the house band and providing music for a lot of Jonathan King's UK Records projects/gimmick singles).  Did I mention Neil Sedaka?  My heart pines for times when music was like this; I grew up on a steady diet of Sweet, Sparks, Mott The Hoople.  I honestly wish I'd paid more attention to 10cc.

 

There's a rather splendid BBC documentary from 2015 up on You Tube - link below - that's well worth the watch if you need a primer before exploring: 

 

 

 

[Oopsdabassist]

Love a bit of 10cc, think I've seen that doc before, but what the heck...tnx for the link!

[neepheid]

There was a 10cc greatest hits tape in the parental house when I was growing up, enjoy a lot of their stuff.

 

Also really enjoy the mashup 2manydjs did with Dreadlock Holiday and Destiny's Child's Independent Women part 1 - it mashed together really well!

 

 

Edited July 26, 2023 by neepheid

[Beedster]

10cc songs, despite their extraordinary diversity in terms of genre, were always instantly recognisable, a truly great but largely forgotten band. And yes, very much the soundtrack to my pre-punk/pre-metal childhood. IIRC that documentary was great 👍 

[rushbo]

10cc were the first band I ever saw live, in September 1978. "Dreadlock Holiday" was just about to get to #1.

 

Their first four albums are all brilliant examples over upscale pop rock. If you haven't got "Sheet Music," you really should think about sorting your life out. Their lack of an image seems to render them invisible from all those "weren't things better 50 years ago?" type programmes, but they can still fill most theatres in the UK without trying too hard. Graham Gouldman is doing a fine job of keeping the name alive. 

 

I'm a fan. 

[Trueno]

I was a huge fan. I had the first four albums and played them to death. If I could only listen to one, it would be Sheet Music. Saw them live in 1977… great gig.

 

Time for a re-visit, I think.

[Steve Browning]

There was a sort of 10cc or Queen situation when they both first emerged. I was in the latter camp, but do appreciate their ability. 

 

They seemed a bit too clever for themselves for me. Can't argue with their success though. 

[Barking Spiders]

I prefer Godley and Creme's duo stuff as they seemed to have the more interesting experimental ideas than the other two geezers. 'Under your thumb' and 'Cry' are a cracking pair of singles. Kevin Godley was the best singer in 10cc IMO

Edited July 26, 2023 by Barking Spiders

[NancyJohnson]

12 minutes ago, Steve Browning said:

There was a sort of 10cc or Queen situation when they both first emerged. I was in the latter camp, but do appreciate their ability. 

 

They seemed a bit too clever for themselves for me. Can't argue with their success though. 

 

There was always this thing that Queen said the last band they ever supported was Mott The Hoople, but the book lays claim that it was 10cc somewhere up north (wherever that is).

 

[Lozz196]

One of those bands that I`ve really come to appreciate later in life, think I`ll go to see them when they`re next nearby.

[NancyJohnson]

12 minutes ago, Barking Spiders said:

I prefer Godley and Creme's duo stuff as they seemed to have the more interesting experimental ideas than the other two geezers. 'Under your thumb' and 'Cry' are a cracking pair of singles. Kevin Godley was the best singer in 10cc IMO

 

Gotta say I prefer Lol and Eric's vocals over Kevin's, but it's very much horses for courses.  Couldn't imagine Eric singing Donna or Rubber Bullets, any more than I could Lol singing I'm Mandy Fly Me or I'm Not In Love. 

[casapete]

1 hour ago, Trueno said:

I was a huge fan. I had the first four albums and played them to death. If I could only listen to one, it would be Sheet Music. Saw them live in 1977… great gig.

 

Time for a re-visit, I think.

I saw them at Hull City Hall around that time, great gig. They had a great run of singles that were all stylistically different, yet

retained their unique sound. I didn't like 'Dreadlock Holiday' which for me signified the end of their good stuff.

Eric Stewart was a great player with a nice old LP Standard, as well as Lol and him using tasty LP Juniors. 

[rushbo]

1 hour ago, Barking Spiders said:

I prefer Godley and Creme's duo stuff as they seemed to have the more interesting experimental ideas than the other two geezers. 'Under your thumb' and 'Cry' are a cracking pair of singles. Kevin Godley was the best singer in 10cc IMO

If you get a chance and you're open to a bit of weirdness, Godley and Creme's second album 'L' is a bit of an overlooked gem. Their first album after they left 10cc, was 'Consequences' - an incredibly self indulgent, if sporadically brilliant triple album. It was released when Punk Rock ruled the world and was quietly ignored. 'L' was the follow-up and is a spiteful, sulky, bile-filled record which must have horrified their record company who were desperate to recoup the hideous amount of money they'd spent on the previous album. It's a desert island disc for me, but it isn't an easy album to listen to. There is one moment of loveliness on an otherwise bleak record. Here's 'Art School Canteen.'

 

 

[BigRedX]

10CC One of those bands who, IMO, were much greater than the sum of their parts.

[Rich]

My favourite story about 10cc is one that Graham Gouldman told to Mo Foster for his book. They were just starting out, and were playing in a crappy social club one night. The MC gets up to introduce them: "Right, well here's a new young band, not my cup of tea quite frankly but anyway... put yer hands together for EYE-OCK!"

[ezbass]

Line & Let Live is a fabulous album, with decidedly prog leanings in some of the tunes, Ships Just Don't Disappear In The Night as a case in point.

[dmccombe7]

Great band. Have the greatest hits CD and enjoy it a lot. I remember the singles back in 70's and always enjoyed hearing them on the radio.

Dave

[Mickeyboro]

10 hours ago, casapete said:

I saw them at Hull City Hall around that time, great gig. They had a great run of singles that were all stylistically different, yet

retained their unique sound. I didn't like 'Dreadlock Holiday' which for me signified the end of their good stuff.

Eric Stewart was a great player with a nice old LP Standard, as well as Lol and him using tasty LP Juniors. 

Funnily enough Pete, I feel the same way about Dreadlock as I do Mr Blue Sky! Heard it too often…

 

BTW is it me, or is Dreadlock somewhat politically incorrect?

 

 

[casapete]

4 minutes ago, Mickeyboro said:

Funnily enough Pete, I feel the same way about Dreadlock as I do Mr Blue Sky! Heard it too often…

 

BTW is it me, or is Dreadlock somewhat politically incorrect?

 

 

I think so Mick, different times and all that? 
As for Mr BS, I concur! 😆

[Cosmo Valdemar]

On 26/07/2023 at 11:45, Barking Spiders said:

Kevin Godley was the best singer in 10cc IMO

Kevin Godley has the most beautiful voice, completely at odds to his 70s geography teacher appearance.

Fresh Air For My Mama is just sublime.

[Barking Spiders]

40 minutes ago, Cosmo Valdemar said:

Kevin Godley has the most beautiful voice, completely at odds to his 70s geography teacher appearance.

Fresh Air For My Mama is just sublime.

I was at school in the 80s and we still had geog teachers that looked somewhat like him. 

[Cosmo Valdemar]

8 minutes ago, Barking Spiders said:

I was at school in the 80s and we still had geog teachers that looked somewhat like him. 

They were not known to update their appearance with the passing of time.

[Gasman]

Back in '72 I was with a London-based covers band (Sweeny) on sax. We worked exclusively through agents and got some interesting support act gigs although none anywhere near London! One of these involved a trip to Scunthorpe Baths Hall to support 10cc - nice guys to chat to and a stonking set from them with Donna, The Dean and I, Rubber Bullets and many more done to perfection; we were very  impressed with them having two drummers - one to cover when lead vocals plus drumming were just too much to do properly, also they had a brand-new Merc 600 van. Ours was a dodgy old transit.... 

[Waddo Soqable]

10cc were a regular "sound in the background" when I was an early teenager, but I never really paid that much attention, by the time I'd started to play music myself they'd kind of morphed into Godley & Creme as I recall, and being a dyed in the wool Punk by then I would've despised them anyway 😁

Didn't they invent that gizmotron thing, a sort of weird mechanical Ebow equivalent ? 

[BassTractor]

1 hour ago, Waddo Soqable said:

10cc were a regular "sound in the background" when I was an early teenager, but I never really paid that much attention, by the time I'd started to play music myself they'd kind of morphed into Godley & Creme as I recall, and being a dyed in the wool Punk by then I would've despised them anyway 😁

Didn't they invent that gizmotron thing, a sort of weird mechanical Ebow equivalent ? 

Yeah, the Gizmotron was Godley and Creme before they became Godley & Creme. I think they may still have been in 10CC then.
It's mechanical, but with that same make-the-strings-vibrate thing going on. IMS the bowing wheels had a button each, close to the bridge.

 

Edited July 27, 2023 by BassTractor