I don't like reggae, oh no. I love it...

[TrevorR]

We've been a bit spoiled for rock docs the last few weeks. First Wilko's and then there was a rather good documentary on 10cc on BBC4 on Friday. I'd forgotten what great careers Gouldman and Stewart had even before forming 10cc, let alone with the band and afterwards.

Well worth a look on iPlayer.

I'm Not In Love: The Story of 10cc: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b06r14pr via @bbciplayer

[gary mac]

Thanks for the reminder Trevor, I meant to watch that but then forgot.

[Cosmo Valdemar]

Although prone to smart-arsery, I do love 10cc. I could listen to Kevin Godley's singing all day. Nice to see them get their own documentary but as always with these things it felt a bit hurried.

[howdenspur]

A band of two halves - they needed that creative tension to make their best stuff. IMHO of course.

[Cosmo Valdemar]

[quote name='howdenspur' timestamp='1449398028' post='2923095']
A band of two halves - they needed that creative tension to make their best stuff. IMHO of course.
[/quote]

Undoubtedly.

[BottomE]

I met Gouldman in 2011 when he was gigging (along with Kiki Dee, Paul Young and some other names from the past - it was with Spike Edneys All Stars. He seemed as keen as ever to get on stage and do his thing and quite spritely.

[Pete Academy]

I love 10cc. The documentary was brilliant.

[spectoremg]

Well done for posting this. Nice to see a documentary respectfully getting the facts right. And I absolutely love 10cc!

[KevB]

I didn't realise that two of them had married sisters, must have made it awkward when the 2 'halves' of the band split. I noticed that they weren't all in the same room together even now
It's OK, I know they usually make these docs interviewing people separately.

[Dropzone]

I was thinking that a reunion would be very fruitful for them. Wasn't aware how many massive videos godley and crème directed.

[KevB]

One thing I thought from the video is that Eric Stewart seems to be morphing into Gerry Marsden. Mind you they can't be too far off in ages.

[ezbass]

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1449494243' post='2923966']
I didn't realise that two of them had married sisters, must have made it awkward when the 2 'halves' of the band split. I noticed that they weren't all in the same room together even now
It's OK, I know they usually make these docs interviewing people separately.
[/quote]The way ES refers to GG as Gouldman and not Graham seemed to indicate an undercurrent of tension.

I liked the program, I learnt some stuff and it was good to reconnect with 10cc after many years. Back when I had vinyl, one of the best albums I had was their, Live and Let Live; stunning.

[spectoremg]

[quote name='ezbass' timestamp='1449500542' post='2924093']
The way ES refers to GG as Gouldman and not Graham seemed to indicate an undercurrent of tension.

I liked the program, I learnt some stuff and it was good to reconnect with 10cc after many years. Back when I had vinyl, one of the best albums I had was their, Live and Let Live; stunning.
[/quote]Yes I thought not referring to him as Graham was poor regardless of any bad blood. I know Gouldman now tours as 10cc as the only original member.

[spectoremg]

A reunion would be very lucrative I'd imagine - especially for Ticketshysters!
Anyone else spot the pic with Neil Sedaka that they re-used later in the program with him airbrushed out?

[rogerstodge]

lol Creme's voice on Donna, fantastic..

[NancyJohnson]

[quote name='KevB' timestamp='1449497239' post='2924018']
One thing I thought from the video is that Eric Stewart seems to be morphing into Gerry Marsden. Mind you they can't be too far off in ages.
[/quote]

My wife said Lol looked like Alan Titchmarsh.

[lonestar]

I saw them a couple of years ago at Brentwood sports centre with Kiki Dee supporting.
Brilliant show and they sounded great.

[rushbo]

I'm evangelical about this band...even now. Those first five albums are pretty much perfect and Gouldman plays some Godlike bass throughout. I saw them earlier this year at the RAH and they were excellent-as ever. As for a reunion...don't hold your breath.

[chriswareham]

Loved the bit about how they recorded the "choral" sounds on "Not In Love" (the only song I knew by them before watching the show). Three weeks of recording tape loops for each note, and then playing the mixer like a keyboard. Of course, now it would be trivial to do on a sampler, but incredible imagination to come up with that in the pre-sampler era since even a Mellotron wouldn't be able to do it (no long sustained notes due to the tapes only being a few centimetres long).

[RhysP]

[quote name='chriswareham' timestamp='1449531311' post='2924493']
Loved the bit about how they recorded the "choral" sounds on "Not In Love" (the only song I knew by them before watching the show). Three weeks of recording tape loops for each note, and then playing the mixer like a keyboard. Of course, now it would be trivial to do on a sampler, but incredible imagination to come up with that in the pre-sampler era since even a Mellotron wouldn't be able to do it (no long sustained notes due to the tapes only being a few centimetres long).
[/quote]

Mellotron tapes are a hell of a lot longer than a few centimetres.

[yorks5stringer]

Saw the original Band at Leeds University , 1973 or 1974 I think and a great gig. Think I may have a poster for it somewhere too. They did some PR for an anniversary earlier this year so I listened to the first 3 albums again, it was quite apparent many songs had complete sections written by the opposing halves.

[chriswareham]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1449532082' post='2924502']
Mellotron tapes are a hell of a lot longer than a few centimetres.
[/quote]

Yeah, I was being a bit facetious, but the time it takes the tapes to reset means that sometimes a subsequent press of the same key will restart a note playing with an annoying click.

[RhysP]

10cc played at Cardiff Castle in 1975.
I didn't go (my elder brother & sister did) but we lived pretty close to the castle so we could easily hear them from our garden.

A couple of the photos used in the documentary were from the Cardiff Castle gig.

[spectoremg]

[quote name='chriswareham' timestamp='1449531311' post='2924493']
Loved the bit about how they recorded the "choral" sounds on "Not In Love" (the only song I knew by them before watching the show). Three weeks of recording tape loops for each note, and then playing the mixer like a keyboard. Of course, now it would be trivial to do on a sampler, but incredible imagination to come up with that in the pre-sampler era since even a Mellotron wouldn't be able to do it (no long sustained notes due to the tapes only being a few centimetres long).
[/quote]I heard once you could get eight seconds out of a Mellotron note?

[Marvin]

10cc -10cc was the first album I bought with my own money, I think I was about 8. I played it continuously for 2 years, that's how long it took me to save up for my next purchase

Hugely creative, and I suppose I still look for that in the music I listen to now.

Very interesting programme.