Graham Gouldman Chats About 10cc’s First U.S. Tour In Decades
10cc. Eric Stewart, Graham Gouldman, Lol Creme and Kevin Godley. They saved my musical life. I’ve written that before, but it’s the 100% truth. After the breakup of The Beatles, I had no other bad to call “my own,” a band I loved so much I knew every word to every one of their songs. And then along came 10cc. Hooked as I was, I never got the chance to see them live. Now, 10cc have announced their first U.S. tour in decades, taking them to the Keswick Theatre on July 26, and you can bet I will not miss it this time!
10cc – The Classic Lineup
10cc were already polished studio musicians and songwriters when they formed in 1972. Guitarist Eric Stewart first found fame in the 60s in The Mindbenders. Remember this lovely song? That’s Eric on lead vocal. Graham Gouldman, on the other hand, had big hits as a hired-gun songwriter, penning some of the 60s’ most memorable songs like “Bus Stop” for the Hollies, “Heart Full Of Soul” and “For Your Love” for the Yardbirds, and “No Milk Today” for Herman’s Hermits. As 10cc, Gouldman and Stewart, along with Lol Creme and Kevin Godley, made some of the most inventive, clever and wonderful music you’ll ever hear. Rather than work amidst the hustle and bustle of London, they preferred to make their music in their own workshop, 200 miles to the north in Stockport, Strawberry Studios. Their first four albums were flawless, stunning pieces of work, though the band’s second album, Sheet Music, ranks as my favorite non-Beatles album ever made.
Post-Godley and Creme 10cc
In 1976, Godley and Creme left 10cc to make their own music, and later direct music videos, as a duo. Stewart and Gouldman carried on, adding longtime 10cc touring drummer Paul Burgess and guitarist Ric Fenn to the lineup. The first album with this new lineup was Deceptive Bends, am excellent work, followed the next year by Bloody Tourists. On and off since then, they’ve reformed, broken up and reformed again, even made an album with the original lineup.
10cc Today
Now, this new lineup of 10cc with Graham Gouldman are hitting the road for their first U.S. tour in decades. The tour will take them to the Keswick Theater for one night only, Friday night July 26, and you can bet I will be there singing along to every single song!
My Chat With 10cc’s Graham Gouldman
As a long time huge fan of this band, it was quite an honor to have several conversations with Kevin Godley over the years. Imagine my shock when I was given the chance to speak with another of my second favorite band, Graham Gouldman! He was as kind as I’d hoped, and we had a wonderful conversation about a myriad of topics including his poet Dad, his mighty Rickenbacker bass, how Neil Sedaka played a key role in the formation of 10cc, and how he loves the timelessness of the songs he and the guys in the band wrote. We also chatted about the time Paul McCartney came to the band’s studio to record an album with his brother Mike. What a thrill it was to speak with one of my major rock and roll heroes!!
Thanks so much to Graham Gouldman for taking the time to chat with one of his biggest fans!! Take a listen to my conversaton with one of the great ones, Graham Gouldman of 10cc below:
10cc’s first U.S. tour in decades takes them to the Keswick Theatre on Friday, July 26, 2024. Get your tickets here.
