10CC

**Progbear** · 03-29-2018

Originally Posted by jlneudorf

Sounds like Bloody Tourists isn't that well liked. I think it's one of their best discs.

I’m of the opposite perception. It seemed to be the “shark jump” moment for me (so much mediocrity and lack of inspiration), but I see a disproportionate number of positive reviews for it for some reason. I mean, it’s better than Look Hear and Ten Out of 10 (either version), but that’s really damning it with faint praise.

**Steve983** · 03-30-2018

I quite like Bloody Tourists, it has some great songs like Old Mister Time, For You And I and even Reds In My Bed - it still felt like 10cc to me.

**EdWiser** · 03-30-2018

10 cc was two different song writing teams. Who tried to top each other. When Goddley and Cream made Consequences album to show off their invention Gismotron for guitar. They had to split from the other two.
Here is the BBC doc I mentioned earlier

https://youtu.be/XtPae3K-rUw

Great info about how the band went about making their music.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

**yesstiles** · 03-30-2018

Godley always seemed like an ass didn't he? He was great on "Don't Hang Up."

**3LockBox** · 03-30-2018

I love Bloody Tourists. But then again I'm late to the prog rock, having only come into it the last 16 years or so. I tend not to be too much of a fan of Godley & Creme's busy for busy sake musical approach and have little to no use for their "solo" stuff, together or apart.

I only started listening to 10 CC's whole albums as of about 10 years ago, having been familiar with their few radio hits. I picked up a vinyl copy of Bloody Tourists
(used) years ago and liked it well enough to go buy CD copy. I still play it all the time probably more so than any other album.

**yesstiles** · 03-30-2018

Originally Posted by 3LockBox

I love Bloody Tourists. But then again I'm late to the prog rock, having only come into it the last 16 years or so. I tend not to be too much of a fan of Godley & Creme's busy for busy sake musical approach and have little to no use for their "solo" stuff, together or apart.

I only started listening to 10 CC's whole albums as of about 10 years ago, having been familiar with their few radio hits. I picked up a vinyl copy of Bloody Tourists
(used) years ago and liked it well enough to go buy CD copy. I still play it all the time probably more so than any other album.

Bloody Tourists took me a couple listens to warm up to, but it's a good one!

If you only have the remaster cd, you need to get the original cd pressing. The remaster is botched and crappy!

**Progbear** · 03-31-2018

Originally Posted by Steve983

I quite like Bloody Tourists, it has some great songs like Old Mister Time, For You And I and even Reds In My Bed - it still felt like 10cc to me.

Everyone always points out those songs to me, but they’re just in one ear and out the other to me. I can never remember a thing about them when they’re done playing. All right, “For You and I” had some nice synth playing, but if that’s all I want, I can just listen to Paul McCartney’s “With a Little Luck” and get a better, more memorable melody as a bonus. The fact that it was used as the “love theme” in the execrable Lily Tomlin/John Travolta vanity project Moment by Moment likewise does it no favors.

The only songs I really like off of this are “The Anonymous Alcoholic” (one of the few post-G&C attempts at “satire” that didn’t feel forced and/or obvious) and “Everything You Always Wanted to Know About!!!”

**spacefreak** · 03-31-2018

Originally Posted by yesstiles

Bloody Tourists took me a couple listens to warm up to, but it's a good one!

If you only have the remaster cd, you need to get the original cd pressing. The remaster is botched and crappy!

The 1997 pressing plays at different speed than the original and the 00s editions sound overcompressed. End 80s original release is the way to go if you don't mind a little hiss and need to stick to the CD medium.

**olivetti** · 03-31-2018

Originally Posted by yesstiles

Godley always seemed like an ass didn't he?

Why?

**Trane** · 03-31-2018

Originally Posted by 3LockBox

I love Bloody Tourists. But then again I'm late to the prog rock, having only come into it the last 16 years or so. I tend not to be too much of a fan of Godley & Creme's busy for busy sake musical approach and have little to no use for their "solo" stuff, together or apart.

I only started listening to 10 CC's whole albums as of about 10 years ago, having been familiar with their few radio hits. I picked up a vinyl copy of Bloody Tourists
(used) years ago and liked it well enough to go buy CD copy. I still play it all the time probably more so than any other album.

For some 20 years, I was also only familiar with the hits only, but I tried this album many times... It's the only 10 CC album I'd bought as a vinyl (apart from that greatest hits), because I adored Dreadlock Holidays, and I wanted to like the rest of the album... I never warmed to it, TBH.

In the 90's I got to listen to all their early albums, and I was immediately shocked by the drop of quality contents after Godley & Creme left .
I mean, with Deceptive Bends, you could still tell it was 10 CC , but only a quarter of the songs on Deceptive Bends could've fitted on OST or HDY. I only liked Modern Man Blues and the 11-mins + Feel The Benefit, which were the album's two longer tracks (BTW, I don't care at all about Things We Do).

Here is what I had to say about Bloody Tourist in PA:
After having kept their fans waiting with a live album, the remaining duo produced another album that would yield the usual hits. Yet somehow, what had appeared on the previous studio effort now became evident and produced side-effects. As the quartet were writing in partnership (using almost every single imaginable combination), the remaining duo was obviously stuck with each other, not only reducing the possibilities, but also starting to stretch out their talents as the sheer number of songs needed for an album was also meaning that the lesser ideas were now kept also. Somehow, a part of the press started accusing them of being too calculating (not as intuitive or inventive enough) and mechanical (which was partially true), but what if the original quartet had remained together? Would somehow the group's "formulas" eroded anyways and the same conclusions arrived?

Although the albums starts really strongly with the major hit Dreadlock Holidays (one of the first proofs that white men could also write reggae as this superb hit was treated with much Zappa-esque humour), the album sinks fairly quickly into a dull series of typical 10 CC tracks. Not that those tracks are any good, but by this time, the 10 CC formulas were wearing thin and their recipes growing stale. From the first side (outside the opener), only For You And I and Last Night are pleasant and would only be fillers in previous albums. Interestingly almost all tracks are collab between the duo.The second side of the album is filled with tracks that are penned by either Gouldman or Stewart, either solo or with another writer, and this spells trouble. It is now plainly evident that 10 CC's inspiration was waning and although they will be doing many more studio albums.

**yesstiles** · 03-31-2018

Originally Posted by olivetti

Why?

In the documentary he seems to always slag Stewarts or Gouldman's songwriting, like his songwriting was so much better.

**olivetti** · 03-31-2018

Originally Posted by yesstiles

In the documentary he seems to always slag Stewarts or Gouldman's songwriting, like his songwriting was so much better.

Ah, ok!
I did not get that feeling when watching it.

**3LockBox** · 03-31-2018

Originally Posted by yesstiles

In the documentary he seems to always slag Stewarts or Gouldman's songwriting, like his songwriting was so much better.

Yeah, Godley came across to me like that as well.

**Progbear** · 03-31-2018

Originally Posted by Trane

In the 90's I got to listen to all their early albums, and I was immediately shocked by the drop of quality contents after Godley & Creme left .
I mean, with Deceptive Bends, you could still tell it was 10 CC , but only a quarter of the songs on Deceptive Bends could've fitted on OST or HDY. I only liked Modern Man Blues and the 11-mins + Feel The Benefit, which were the album's two longer tracks (BTW, I don't care at all about Things We Do).

Well, I thought the cracks were already beginning to show with How Dare You. It has its moments, but it feels like either side is holding out on the other. Is there anyone out there who actually likes “Rock & Roll Lullaby” or “Head Room”? Both just scream “filler” to me. Worth it for “Don’t Hang Up,” which is a masterpiece.

Anyway, feeling that HDY was already a drop in quality, I didn’t think that Deceptive Bends was so much worse. I personally think the two are on a par. But...yeah, you could tell there was something missing minus G&C. “People in Love” was the first 10cc song that was just out-and-out MOR drivel, without a shred of irony, and you can bet it would never have made the cut with G&C on board.

**Steve983** · 04-01-2018

^ There were always tracks/filler on 10cc albums that I didn't like and that didn't change too much when G&C left but I agree with you about People In Love. Feel The Benefit was my fave track from Deceptive Bends and was a gateway to Prog. I'm planning to see 10cc for the first time ever when they play their UK tour later this year.

**yesstiles** · 04-01-2018

Originally Posted by Progbear

Well, I thought the cracks were already beginning to show with How Dare You. It has its moments, but it feels like either side is holding out on the other. Is there anyone out there who actually likes “Rock & Roll Lullaby” or “Head Room”? Both just scream “filler” to me. Worth it for “Don’t Hang Up,” which is a masterpiece.

I think 'How Dare You?" is way better than "Original Soundtrack." That one sounded too novelty-driven. "One Night In Paris" is so annoying. I agree "Don't Hang Up" is a major high point.

**Enidi** · 04-02-2018

When I first heard them in 73' ...some of my immediate reaction/sensation was entertained by their ability to emulate or perhaps adding reflections of popular music in the 1920's ..and generally speaking it was kind of odd ..they way they did it. Their end result gave off the vibe of theater presentation through songs such as "I Wanna Rule The World", "Une Nuit A Paris", and "Brand New Day" which sounds very much like an excerpt from an old musical . "Head Room" though has sections sounding 1940's "Swing oriented" ..AND of the aforementioned , it is obvious to the ear that the style itself required intense..sometimes complex vocal harmonies..whether 4 part vocal harmonies or perhaps a choir , 10CC fused it with British Art Rock. When I was a teenager....I always wondered who came up with that idea first..Lol! QUEEN or 10CC?

Paul McCartney came up with "Honey Pie" ..but no back up vocals present in that. "She's Leaving Home" runs a connection to the essence of what 10CC sometimes produced through lead vocal "storytelling" with additives of organized back up vocal harmonies. I can definitely see that....however...the closest example of 10CC formula being discovered within a Beatles creation is in.."You Know My Name, (Look Up The Number)" where it presents a theatrical vibe and the vocals represent thought for your brain. Like a guideline to a story of humor. Not unlike Zappa..with the exception of the uniqueness in a British Rock sound and style.

A worthy comparison (IMO) is to hear "Le Sheik" ( Ted Snyder) and "Caravan" ( Juan Tizol/Duke Ellington) to trace a bit of 10CC 's influences in this area of writing. Not saying that it would be..as all period music reflects those aspects. Thus.."Iceberg" reflects signature lines evident in music of the 40's and 20's. WHICH! I did hear this approach on the early Queen albums. Was there another British band utilizing the essence of this style in Rock? Or was it narrowed down to just 10CC and Queen? That's something I don't know.

All 4 members of 10CC were impeccable lead vocalists and fine writers. I was very blown away by that . They reminded me of underdogs of the British Invasion period. Any influence of The Beatles style in the music of 10CC felt natural and in no way contrived. I attribute that beauty to they're growing up around the British Invasion Rock scene in England. On early performance films the band Rocks out....although several songs from 10CC and Sheet Music are zany or quirky , they put a bit more emphasis on Rocking them out for live transmission. Not unlike the first 4 Badfinger albums that included much piano, strings, and overall sweetness in POP MUSIC production...when you saw them live, they Rocked those ballads out as a 4 piece with 2 guitars, bass, and drums. And songs like "Constitution" ran a close race with the volume on Humble Pie's Performance , Fillmore East...In point, 10CC were like this for a short while...maybe a few tours. So the early films represent with a harder edge than the studio albums.

Unfortunately the flame burned out for me after Bloody Tourist...which it's sad that I feel that way...the band was great. I heard Bloody Tourist when I was staying at a beach house in the late 70's. It appealed to me personally regarding my life and the people around me. It was comical and sarcastic for the times and some of the lyrics are timeless . They are sometimes "dreamy" and if your in the right mood..they are satisfying.

**Progbear** · 04-02-2018

Originally Posted by Enidi

Was there another British band utilizing the essence of this style in Rock? Or was it narrowed down to just 10CC and Queen? That's something I don't know.

Stackridge, maybe?

All 4 members of 10CC were impeccable lead vocalists and fine writers. I was very blown away by that . They reminded me of underdogs of the British Invasion period.

They sort of were, since both Stewart and Gouldman had been in the Mindbenders.

**Enidi** · 04-02-2018

Originally Posted by Progbear

Stackridge, maybe?

They sort of were, since both Stewart and Gouldman had been in the Mindbenders.

Stackridge...I do remember them..must check them out

**moecurlythanu** · 04-02-2018

Originally Posted by Progbear

Stackridge, maybe?

.

Beat me to it.

**jkelman** · 04-02-2018

I love 'em. Every album up to and including Deceptive Bends is a winner, start to finish. Yes, the first album was a little less cohesive (but the signal to noise ratio is really good nevertheless) and the lost some of their quirkiness with Deceptive Bends (but if for nothing else but the 11-minute album closer, "Feel the Benefit," but there are a lot of other great tunes...including the rather clever "I Bought a Flat Guitar Tutor"), it they're all terrific, IMO.

And after that? Some albums better than others but most having at least a few worthwhile tunes.

I'd not call them progressive rock as most think of it. But remember that there was a time when bands like Procol Harum were considered progressive (I think they are). Certainly, the combination of wry humour, deep pop music skills, four great vocalists (allowing for a lot of stylistic latitude) and instrumentalists means that 10cc, at the very least should be considered a very intelligent pop band.

And influential, too. The younger group Field Music would absolutely not be who it is were it not for 10cc coming before.