The Witching Hour Sessions – 28/01/2018
10CC
10cc were founded in Manchester in 1971. The band consisted of four musicians – Graham Gouldman (Who wrote hits for The Hollies and Herman’s Hermits’), Eric Stewart (Founder member of The Mindbenders), Kevin Godley, and Lol Creme – who assumed the name “10cc” in 1972 (They had a hit single in 1970 – ‘Neanderthal Man’ under the name ‘Hotlegs’.) 10cc featured two songwriting teams, one commercial and one artistic. Stewart and Gouldman were predominantly pop-songwriters, who created most of the band’s accessible songs. By way of contrast, Godley and Creme were the predominantly experimental half of 10cc.
The list of classic 10cc songs is as impressive as any released from the UK music scene in any era; ‘Donna’ their first single which reached #2 in 1972, followed by ‘Rubber Bullets’ which went one better in 1973 then add in ‘The Dean And I’, ‘Wall Street Shuffle’, ‘I’m Not In Love’ and ‘Art For Art’s Sake’ to name but a few of many superb numbers.
Tonight’s listening;
1 – Sheet Music (1974)
A couple of hit singles spun off this album ,’The Wall Street Shuffle’ and ‘Silly Love’ and most of the other tracks could have followed suit; it says much for ‘Sheet Music’s’ staying power that it has never lost its power to delight and excite.
2 – The Original Soundtrack (1975)
10cc’s third album, ‘The Original Soundtrack’, finally scored them a major hit in the United States, and rightly so; the single ‘I’m Not in Love’ was probably their artistic and commercial highpoint. ‘The Original Soundtrack’s’ best moments rank with the finest work 10cc ever released.
3 – Greatest Hits … And More (2006)
This superbly remastered compilation transforms even the most familiar 10cc tracks into a whole new listening experience. This 33-song selection that revives the greatest hits alongside some of their greatest bits, to present a truly well-rounded examination of the full 10cc experience. For anybody with even a passing fascination with the band, ‘Greatest Hits & More’ is such a treat that, no matter how many other “best-of” collections you already own, this is the only one you need.