by Campbell Cameron

I caught up with 10CC at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow on Monday as they perform their Greatest Hits and more. We are treated to all the favourites including Rubber Bullets, I'm Not In Love, Dreadlock Holiday, Donna, Art For Art's Sake, Good Morning Judge, The Things We Do For Love, I'm Mandy Fly Me, Life Is A Minestrone, The Dean And I and The Wall Street Shuffle.

Not only were 10CC the creators of some of the Greatest Hits of the 70's as "purveyors of the finest in popular music since 1972" but they are genuinely one of the most exciting live bands in the country and are embarking on a string of major UK venues celebrating 40 years in the business. Tonight gets them off to a flying start.

It has been a patchy 40 years for the band.

I have been a fan since the beginning hitting the Bayview cafe in Oban when it had a record section at the rear to buy my copy of "Sheet Music" on cassette...1973 from memory. In 2012, Kevin Godley, Eric Stewart and Lol Creme have long gone from the original 10CC with fourth member Graham Gouldman remaining, now joined by Rick Fenn, Paul Burgess, Mick Wilson and Mike Stevens. Through the seventies I followed them through thick (all the hits) and thin (when Godley and Creme left). That was in 76 when the Art school duo left to go the arty route with the brilliant, in parts, Consequences triple album. This was a real concept album, which at the time; all the prog bands aspired too. Even the Osmond's had a go with Crazy Horses - however nobody really noticed that was a concept....

Deceptive Bends and Bloody Tourists followed from the Stewart Gouldman 10CC, albums which proved they were the commercial minds of this great pop band. Hit singles "The Things We Do for Love" and "Good Morning Judge" from the former and "Dreadlock Holiday" from the latter made the case for them. We got them all in Glasgow and we loved every moment. The band was excellent and obviously passionate about their task.

What we were less aware off was the prequel.

Before 10CC there was the Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders ...their hit "Pamela, Pamela" was penned by the 10CC man. But when Wayne left, Eric Stewart took over lead vocal and Gouldman later joined. Gouldman had penned the first of the Hollies hits, "Look through any window" and the later "Bus Stop". The Yardbirds had benefited from "For your love" and some others and Herman' hermits had "No Milk today" - Gouldman's dad came up with many of the song titles. This man is a pop writer extraordinaire! Gouldman opened the concert with just an acoustic guitar and a smile, and played the early pre- 10CC hits bringing on his band, one by one. He closed it with a standing ovation and a well deserved one at that. The "Wild Old Men" from 1972 are alive and well....

May, 2012

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