10cc

Deriving their name from the metric total of semen ejaculated by the average male, the tongue-in-cheek British art pop band 10cc comprised an all-star roster of Manchester-based musicians: vocalist/guitarist Graham Gouldman was a former member of the Mockingbirds and the author of hits for the Yardbirds, the Hollies, Herman's Hermits and Jeff Beck; singer/guitarist Eric Stewart was an alum of Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders; and vocalists/multi-instrumentalists Kevin Godley and Lol Creme were both highly regarded studio players…

10cc's second album was the next phase in what guitarist Eric Stewart called the band's "masterplan to control the universe. The Sweet, Slade, and Gary Glitter are all very valuable pop," he proclaimed, "but it's fragile because it's so dependent on a vogue. We don't try to appeal to one audience, or aspire to instant stardom, we're satisfied to move ahead a little at a time as long as we're always moving forward." Sheet Music, perhaps the most widely adventurous album of what would become a wildly adventurous year, would more than justify that claim.

Alive (Live In Japan) is a live album by 10cc released in 1993. It was recorded in Japan during the opening nights of the band's comeback tour following the release of the album …Meanwhile. The line-up of 10cc for the tour consisted of core members Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman, longtime 10cc members Rick Fenn and Stuart Tosh and newcomers Stephen Pigott on keyboards and Gary Wallis on drums. The album is notable to feature several cover versions, which is not typical for 10cc shows. The album was reissued several times with titles Alive: The Classic Hits Tour, Alive in Japan and Live in Japan. Separate releases of two discs were also available.

2008 reissue of this compilation from the British Art-Rockers featuring one bonus track: 'The Secret Life of Henry'. Essentially a Best of the band's recordings for Mercury Records this includes the UK hit singles 'Life Is a Minestrone' 'Good Morning Judge' and 'Dreadlock Holiday' amongst others. Also features the rare 'We've Heard It All Before' and 'The Power of Love' singles, both non-LP and both co-writes with Andrew Gold.

Deriving their name from the metric total of semen ejaculated by the average male, the tongue-in-cheek British art pop band 10cc comprised an all-star roster of Manchester-based musicians: vocalist/guitarist Graham Gouldman was a former member of the Mockingbirds and the author of hits for the Yardbirds, the Hollies, Herman's Hermits and Jeff Beck; singer/guitarist Eric Stewart was an alum of Wayne Fontana & the Mindbenders; and vocalists/multi-instrumentalists Kevin Godley and Lol Creme were both highly regarded studio players…

10cc's second album was the next phase in what guitarist Eric Stewart called the band's "masterplan to control the universe. The Sweet, Slade, and Gary Glitter are all very valuable pop," he proclaimed, "but it's fragile because it's so dependent on a vogue. We don't try to appeal to one audience, or aspire to instant stardom, we're satisfied to move ahead a little at a time as long as we're always moving forward." Sheet Music, perhaps the most widely adventurous album of what would become a wildly adventurous year, would more than justify that claim.

The Very Best of 10cc is a comprehensive collection, featuring all of the group's biggest hits and best-known songs – including "Neanderthal Man," "Donna," "Rubber Bullets," "The Dean & I," "I'm Not in Love," and "The Things We Do for Love," as well as Godley & Creme's solo hit "Cry" – making it a definitive retrospective and introduction…

In a 7 year period from the autumn of 1972 to the winter of 1978, 10cc were rarely ‘off air’ as a series of singles repeatedly crashed the UK charts. With 11 top 10’s of which 3 hit the top spot,10cc established themselves as a stellar pop band capable of producing memorable, yet stylistically diverse songs with broad appeal. Formed in Stockport in 1968, the ability to create these very different yet equally catchy songs came from the fact that unlike most groups who’d usually have one songwriter or song-writing team, within 10cc there were two teams. Kevin Godley and Lol Crème were essentially more experimental and interested in the visual arts as much as song, whilst Graham Gouldman and Eric Stewart were predominantly ‘pop’ writers. All were multi-instrumentalists and competent producers so in short each could very much ‘hold their own’ when it came to making music.

10cc's first two albums, recorded under the sponsorship of entrepreneur and one-time pop star Jonathan King, are combined on one disc for this CD reissue. 1973's 10cc shows that from the start, the group had an uncommon command of recording studio technique; the performances are polished, the harmonies superb, and the production flawless and often witty (all the more remarkable from a new band producing themselves, albeit one comprised of music-biz vets). However, the group was still getting up to speed in terms of their songwriting at this point, and while the craft is fine, there isn't a lot of inspiration on hand. Except for the sardonic "Rubber Bullets" and sarcastically sprightly "The Dean and I," the '50s-inspired parodies on side one don't wear well, and most of side two is clever but not terribly distinguished. 1974's Sheet Music was where 10cc truly hit their stride; the album is full of effective barbed humor buffered by the superbly polished production, which leans toward pretension without quite falling into the pool.

In a 7 year period from the autumn of 1972 to the winter of 1978, 10cc were rarely ‘off air’ as a series of singles repeatedly crashed the UK charts. With 11 top 10’s of which 3 hit the top spot,10cc established themselves as a stellar pop band capable of producing memorable, yet stylistically diverse songs with broad appeal. Formed in Stockport in 1968, the ability to create these very different yet equally catchy songs came from the fact that unlike most groups who’d usually have one songwriter or song-writing team, within 10cc there were two teams. Kevin Godley and Lol Crème were essentially more experimental and interested in the visual arts as much as song, whilst Graham Gouldman and Eric Stewart were predominantly ‘pop’ writers. All were multi-instrumentalists and competent producers so in short each could very much ‘hold their own’ when it came to making music.