10cc Debut Album ‘10cc’.
My choice for this nomination Stockport’s own 10cc, a band that I loved in the 70s and 80s and one that I still listen to, particularly their first three Albums. I could have chosen any of them for this review as they are all excellent but I have gone for their debut which first attracted to me to this unique band.
First a little background if you are not too familiar with the band.
From Wiki:
10cc are an English rock band, formed in Stockport, England, in 1972. The group initially consisted of four musicians – Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley and Lol Creme – who had written and recorded together since 1968. The group featured two songwriting teams. Stewart and Gouldman were predominantly pop songwriters, who created most of the band's accessible songs. Godley and Creme were the predominantly experimental half of 10cc, featuring art and cinematically inspired writing.
Every member of 10cc was a multi-instrumentalist, singer, writer and producer. Most of the band's records were recorded at their own Strawberry Studios (North) in Stockport and Strawberry Studios (South) in Dorking, with most of those engineered by Stewart.
From 1972 to 1978, 10cc had five consecutive UK top-ten albums: Sheet Music (1974), The Original Soundtrack (1975), How Dare You! (1976), Deceptive Bends (1977) and Bloody Tourists (1978). 10cc also had twelve singles reach the UK Top 40, three of which were the chart-toppers "Rubber Bullets" (1973), "I'm Not in Love" (1975) and "Dreadlock Holiday" (1978). "I'm Not in Love" was their breakthrough worldwide hit and is known for its innovative backing track. Godley and Creme quit the band in 1976 due to artistic disagreements and became a duo act. Stewart left the band in 1995. Since 1999, Gouldman has led a touring version of 10cc.
Their debut, 10cc, was released in 1973 when I was 16 and heavily into Prog rock, Zeppelin, And the usual suspects so a liking for what was without doubt a pop group was quite unusual for me. I was attracted by the clever writing, humour, impeccable playing and just the overall ‘smartness’ of the group (which in truth suited my smart Alec teenage self down to a tee). I road tested the album round my friend circle, parties and the like and to my surprise found that it was a massive hit, partly on the back of the singles ‘The Dean and I’ and ‘Rubber Bullets’ but really every track is a kick .I think I was responsible for converting half of East Lothian to 10cc fandom.
Nothing is out of place, there is no filler here.
it continues to amaze me the lack of credit 10cc get when the great Manchester bands are talked about. They are certainly my favourite Manchester band and would always feature high in my all time favourite Bands.
The album introduces themes that 10cc were to run with and develop in subsequent albums such as the lush vocal arrangements, the overdubbing, Eric Stewart’s speed guitars, the deeply cynical lyrics sung angelically over a sumptuous melody. In fact the band were as literate as any I have come across, the references, puns, double entendres were exquisite and became a trademark on subsequent albums. The songwriting is exceptional throughout.
10cc albums were always well produced, Eric Stewart built Strawberry Studios with his bare hands and the four members would spend ions finessing until it sounded ‘just right’ to them. Sadly, some of you may feel it lacks ‘grit’ ;-).
When you pick a version of the album to listen to, best to go with this running list (the original) as more recent versions have shuffled the tracks to bring ‘the hits’ together.
1. Johnny, Don’t Do It (Kevin Godley/Lol Creme/Graham Gouldman)
One of the finest first tracks on any debut album a brilliant parody of Franki Valli doo wop with brilliant Rythm guitar by Eric Stewart
2. Sand In My Face (Kevin Godley/Lol Creme/Graham Gouldman)
An every day tale of Charles Atlas, dynamic tension and kicking sand in some motherfucker bullies face.
Where else would you find a lyric like this:
‘I looked in the magazine
What did you see?
I saw Mr France
What did he have?
A girl on each shoulder
What else?
And one in his pants’
With a nod to the Beach Boys harmonies, one of my very favourite tracks. It is complete genius.
3. Donna (Kevin Godley/Lol Creme)
Good joke as a single, not my favourite track on the album but nicely executed and an amazing falsetto vocal from Lol Creme
4. The Dean And I (Kevin Godley/Lol Creme) another single and maybe the best. Tells an upbeat story from courtship to marriage and material wealth in three minutes or so. Wonderful lyrics again
‘Church bells, three swells, the Dean, his daughter and me’
5. Headline Hustler (Graham Gouldman/Eric Stewart)
Exploring themes later developed in ‘somewhere in Hollywood’ on Sheet Music, a song about intrusive media and paparazzi. Some nice slide guitar from Eric Stewart (do I hear shades of Harrison?).
6. Speed Kills (Eric Stewart/Kevin Godley/Lol Creme/Graham I love this track. it builds steadily, features superb four part harmonies and some more scorching guitar work.
7. Rubber Bullets (Kevin Godley/Lol Creme/Graham Gouldman) another single and maybe their best. A Jailhouse rock story with again fantastic writing, joyful vocals which feature the line:
‘ we’ve all got balls and brains, but some got balls and chains’
8. The Hospital Song (Kevin Godley/Lol Creme) For me shades of Zappa and some wonderfully strange lyrics.
9. Ships Don’t Disappear In The Night (Do They?) (Graham Gouldman/Eric Stewart) a clever ditty about the supernatural
10. Fresh Air For My Momma (Kevin Godley/Lol Creme/Eric Stewart) the album is high energy but finishes with this gorgeous ballad which indicates a direction of travel for the band (I’m not in love) and features one of my favourite Godley vocals. A superb closing track to a simply brilliant album.
I see many of you have posted reviews already :-). Hope that’s a good sign. For those that don’t know the album, I really hope it gives you some of the pleasure it has given me over the years. Upbeat, clever, sly, joyful. It’s got the lot :-).
