Best 10cc Album
Jen Ronnfeldt
Sheet Music is a classic of smartness and concision, compressing an array of styles into its 10 tracks, from anti-capitalist rant The Wall Street Shuffle to a song about an aeroplane bomb (Clockwork Creep) and a Technicolor epic about Marilyn Monroe (Somewhere In Hollywood). Music for the eyes and ears.
10cc split in 1976, giving us the art-school axis (Godley & Creme) and the professional songwriter wing of Gouldman and Stewart. The latter, retaining custody of the 10cc name, emerged as the commercially viable partnership with Deceptive Bends, including The Things We Do For Love and Good Morning Judge, possessing the pizazz of yore.
Consequences found Godley & Creme at the furthest extreme from their former bandmates. A triple box-set concept album concerning ecological disaster, with narration by comedian Peter Cook and a cameo from jazz singer Sarah Vaughan? Hardly surprising that Godley had baulked at the banal limitations of People In Love.
Consequences was an audacious quasi-musical with avant-garde elements. Some of it was accessible, but G&C insisted on adding random noise bursts to it. Still, there were tracks that proved their pop sensibility was intact, albeit surrounded by acres of demented experimentation.
On their third album, Godley & Creme came across as peers of the new-wave art-punk brigade. The title track was mutoid funk that name-checked the early 10cc (when they were called Hotlegs) hit Neanderthal Man. With their referential, postmodern techniques, 10cc were more precursors of the sampling age than they were remnants of the Merseybeat era.
Paul Lester is the editor of Record Collector. He began freelancing for Melody Maker in the late 80s, and was later made Features Editor. He was a member of the team that launched Uncut Magazine, where he became Deputy Editor. In 2006 he went freelance again and has written for The Guardian, The Times, the Sunday Times, the Telegraph, Classic Rock, Q and the Jewish Chronicle. He has also written books on Oasis, Blur, Pulp, Bjork, The Verve, Gang Of Four, Wire, Lady Gaga, Robbie Williams, the Spice Girls, and Pink."}), " -0-10/js/authorBio.js"); } else console.error('%c FTE ','background: #9306F9; color: #ffffff','no lazy slice hydration function available'); Paul LesterSocial Links NavigationPaul Lester is the editor of Record Collector. He began freelancing for Melody Maker in the late 80s, and was later made Features Editor. He was a member of the team that launched Uncut Magazine, where he became Deputy Editor. In 2006 he went freelance again and has written for The Guardian, The Times, the Sunday Times, the Telegraph, Classic Rock, Q and the Jewish Chronicle. He has also written books on Oasis, Blur, Pulp, Bjork, The Verve, Gang Of Four, Wire, Lady Gaga, Robbie Williams, the Spice Girls, and Pink.
The presented albums showcase the best of 10cc, reflecting their substantial contributions and evolutions in the music industry. Each album, a poignant chapter in the 10cc discography, narrates their compelling journey from the soaring heights of chart triumphs to the daring explorations into uncharted sonic territories. These records are not merely melodies engrained in vinyl; they are the story of a band perpetually reinventing their sound and reshaping musical landscapes.
For instance, The Original Soundtrack stands tall among the best 10cc albums, cementing the band's place in the annals of music history with its innovative arrangements and catchy tunes. Sheet Music, another cornerstone in the 10cc discography, serves as a master class in melodic rock that continues to inspire and amaze even after decades. Moreover, records like Deceptive Bends and How Dare You are pivotal entries in the canon of 10cc. Each of these albums embodies the unique allure of 10cc, exhibiting their versatility and unparalleled creativity. Convenient purchase buttons placed below each album cater to fans eager for an immersive listening experience, bridging the gap between admiration and acquisition.
In the broad tapestry of music history, 10cc holds a significant place with their dynamic soundscape that continues to resonate across generations. This compilation of their finest works represents 10cc's best albums, inviting audiences on an exhilarating musical expedition. Each record bears testament to the band's evolving artistry and their remarkable ability to rewrite the rules while staying true to their roots. As you delve into these records, prepare to witness the legacy and lasting impact of one of the most influential bands in rock history.
I have had the honor of speaking with Kevin Godley on several occasions over the years. A few weeks ago, he very graciously sat down with me to talk about the 50th anniversary of 10cc's debut album. Listen or read the transcript below:
Up until this point, Kevin, you guys had recorded so many songs for others in the previous year or two, including that great work you did with Neil Sedaka. So how did you decide which songs to include on your debut album? Were any of these songs written from the Kasenetz-Katz days?
Kevin Godley, my very special guest. He, of course, starting out in 10 CC and then moving on to an incredible solo career, directing videos, movies. And we got a chance to talk about a truly beautiful album in my collection. And it was a joy to have you on Kevin. Thank you so much and all the best to you, sir.
The compilation brings together all the band's charting UK singles between 1972 and 1978 and is the first to include the band's recordings both with UK Records and Mercury. "Rubber Bullets", "Life Is a Minestrone" and "Art for Art's Sake" are presented in single edited forms.
The album was released in time for Christmas 1979 and was intended as a stop-gap between albums, whilst Eric Stewart recovered from his car accident that temporary halted the band's activity. The album was a big success reaching No.5 in the UK charts. A single was released alongside, coupling 10cc biggest hit "I'm Not in Love" with "For You And I" from the Bloody Tourists album. The single failed to chart.
Reviewing in Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981), Robert Christgau wrote: "Separating the jokes from the japes, eschewing atmospheric preciosity, and climaxing with two great pieces of lovesong schmaltz that define the group's seriousness, this is as consistent a 10cc LP as you can buy. But I miss oldies like 'Johnny, Don't Do It,' 'The Worst Band in the World,' 'Oh Effendi.' And I still don't believe 'Dreadlock Holiday' is 'Safe European Home' in corporate-rock drag."[2]
Paul and Sean have been busy, of late... We may have been embroiled in an uber-ambitious tribute gig, but secretly, Sean's just enjoyed not having to edit endless podcasts in the wee small hours these past few months!
In the meantime, our good chum Panayiotis Bogdanos chimed in from San Leandro, California with a proposition: let's talk about 50cc... We've missed the old chap, so we had to give in! We really hope you enjoy our random snapshot of our lovingly-concocted live rendition of what this podcast has been all about.
Pany quizzes us on the genesis of the 50cc project, the concept and the crazy ideas, the songs we were dying to play, the challenges, the crushing disappointments and the surprising successes, and of course the extraordinary team that we suddenly found ourselves with on those two nights in Stockport on June 24th and 25th 2022.
You'll hear lots of music clips here, including some outtakes that don't appear in the released video, but also a sample of how we attempted to capture Consequences, Godley and Creme solo and 10cc's eclectic career in three hours. The full video download and YouTube stream can be found here:
The only thing we can say is WOW.
Being the go-to 10cc live drummer for just short of 50 years has been a surprisingly small part of Paul Burgess's drumming career. This is a journeyman and a half, taking in the likes of Invisible Girls, Jethro Tull, Camel, Magna Carta, The Hee Bee Gee Bees, The Christians, Icicle Works, Gloria Gaynor, Alvin Stardust, Engelbert Humperdink, Joan Armatrading, Gilbert O'Sullivan, The Blockheads, The Helicasters and dozens more. He's rubbed shoulders with members of many bands: Strawbs, Fairport, Wings, Argent and many other Folk, Rock, Pop and Prog luminaries.
He also talks us through the later 10cc albums he *didn't* play on, and his much later reunion with Graham for 10cc mk 4.
Been round the block, this lad! And many thanks to Henry for laying his hands on that fabulous session tape.
10cc in its prime was a collaboration between four talented songwriters: Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley and Lol Creme. Needless to say, it's highly unusual to have four talented songwriters in one band. Even the Beatles only managed three (since Ringo Starr only dabbles in writing songs). The problem is, songwriters generally want to do their own things with their own songs. Sure enough, 10cc proved to be unstable. The line-up with all four songwriters only lasted four years, from 1972 to 1976. At that point, Godley and Creme left to form a duo, logically named "Godley and Creme."
I wanted a live album from the time all four songwriters were in the band, preferrably near the end of that time, so that most of their best songs as a foursome could be included. It turns out there are very few good bootlegs from that era, and no official live albums. Luckily, there's one that stands far above the rest, and that's this one. (The band's first live album, "Live and Let Live," comes from 1977 concerts, so it doesn't feature Godley and Creme or feature their songs.)
This bootleg was in very good shape. It obviously comes from a soundboard source. I didn't have to do any tinkering, except to break up the banter between songs into their own tracks. In my opinion, it sounds as good as their official 1977 album. There was only one album with all four songwriters released after this, "How Dare You!" in 1976. The best known song from that album is "Art for Art's Sake." Happily, that played that song here. Thus, all the best known songs from that era are included, with the exception of "I'm Mandy Fly Me," also from the "How Dare You!" album.
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