“The most exciting time is the beginning,” says Graham Gouldman, who knows more than most about the life of a rock group.
“When you’re creating the band, you’re doing the first album and you’re hoping it’s going to work. Then it does work and you’ve created the machine, it’s the beginning of the journey… although we haven’t completed it yet.”
Stars of the ’70s
Gouldman’s group 10cc, formed in Stockport in 1972, were one of the most successful of the 1970s, and their three number one songs of the era – Rubber Bullets (1973), the global hit I’m Not in Love (1975) and Dreadlock Holiday (1978) – all still get played today.
For him, though, the most memorable of all their songs was 1972’s Donna.
“That was our first single, and it proved we could do it,” he says. “That’s fifty years ago now. Like any anniversary, you think, what the hell happened to the time?”
Writing the hits
Gouldman his filled it well. Playing in a bunch of almost-famous Manchester beat groups during the 1960s, he became a successful songwriter, penning the Yardbirds’ For Your Love, Herman’s Hermits’ No Milk Today and the Hollies’ Bus Stop.
In 1972, the producer and owner of Stockport’s renowned Strawberry Studios Eric Stewart recruited Gouldman and fellow local musicians Kevin Godley and Lol Creme as Neil Sedaka’s backing band.
The quartet continued as 10cc, although the latter pair left in 1976, becoming famous as pop video directors under the name Godley & Creme.
Dreadlock Holiday
Dreadlock Holiday was 10cc’s last major hit, although Gouldman and Stewart continued a productive album-writing partnership until their final split in 1995.
Four years later Gouldman reconvened the band for live touring, initially under the title 10cc with Graham Gouldman and Friends, including drummer Paul Burgess and guitarist Rick Fenn. The pair have been in 10cc since ’76 and continue to this day.
“I missed being on the road with a band,” says Gouldman. “I did acoustic gigs, and it eventually morphed into this line-up. It just happened naturally, people seemed to accept it. I know there could be some controversy over the name, but Kevin Godley’s fully supported me in it – in fact, he appears in a video in our set and has supplied videos for us.”
He says the current set is 95% 10cc, both the hits and classic album tracks, with a couple of his own recent works thrown in.
Modesty Forbids
“I put an album out in March 2020, just when the pandemic started, called Modesty Forbids,” he says. “The opening track is a song called Standing Next to Me, about my time with Ringo Starr in the All Star Band, which Ringo played on.
“I put that song in the set because of the connection between the Beatles and 10cc, as we would never have existed without them. The original four of us had different influences, but they were our common benchmark.
“Another song I’m doing is called Floating in Heaven, Brian May played on it, sang on it and helped me produce it. It’s about the James Webb Space Telescope, I’m playing it just because I fancy doing it.”
Take away happiness
Alongside these small indulgences, he’s thrilled by the response the classic songs get, and by the abilities of his versatile band. What does he hope the audience takes from a 10cc show?
“Happiness,” says Gouldman. “Being uplifted. Feeling good. And that they’ll come and see us again.”
10cc play Perth Concert Hall on Tuesday October 4.
