10cc play at The Hexagon Hall, Reading on May 26 and the New Theatre, Oxford, on June 6 (From This Is Wiltshire)

10cc play at The Hexagon Hall, Reading on May 26 and the New Theatre, Oxford, on June 6

4:40pm Thursday 14th May 2009

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I’m Not In Love by 10cc is “our song” to thousands of couples and is still one of the most played singles of all time.

It was written by 10cc founder Graham Gouldman, pictured, who is currently touring with the band to promote their latest album,The Greatest Hits And More, out now on Universal.

The 1970s saw 10cc score three number one hit singles, five top 10 albums and hits, co-written by Graham, such as The Wall Street Shuffle, I’m Mandy Fly Me, Art For Art’s Sake, The Things We Do For Love and Dreadlock Holiday.

But Graham goes way back with his songwriting, influenced strongly by his father who was a playwright and journalist.

Graham said: ”He was marvellous with the written word. He wrote stories and newspaper articles. Dad was a fantastic help to me with lyrics and song titles.”

Over the years the musician has co-written with, and for, some of the top names in the industry. He says that sometimes he writes the song to fit the person and sometimes adapts a number he has already composed.

“Writing for Gary Barlow and Kirsty MacColl were the perfect scenario,” he said. He has also written with Jeff Beck, Suggs from Madness and more recently with McFly.

But it is his writing partnership with Kevin Godley that has weathered the test of time. They got together initially In 1965 in a band called The Mockingbirds with Kevin on drums and Graham on guitar. The Mockingbirds were the warm-up act for BBC TV’s Top Of The Pops. At that time Graham had written the song For Your Love, which became a huge hit for The Yardbirds and they were invited to appear on the pop programme.

“There was a strange moment when The Yardbirds appeared on the show doing For Your Love. Everyone clamoured around them - and there I was, the writer, just part of an anonymous group. I felt strange that night hearing them play my song.”

In 1970 the musician teamed up with Kevin again, producing and backing such artists as Dave Berry, Wayne Fontana, Herman’s Hermits and Neil Sedaka until in 1972, 10cc was signed by the madcap entrepreneur Jonathan King.

In 2004 Graham again caught up with his old writing partner initially creating songs to download.

“It was like the early days when we wrote and recorded for ourselves with one ear half cocked for something that broke the mould,” said Graham.

Today the guys are still working together and have a joint website where you can hear their songs: www.GG06.co.ukgouldman&godley. “And now six years on we have enough material for a whole album,” said Graham.

Unlike many artists Graham does not tire of singing the old songs and promises that on this tour which stops off in Oxford and Reading there will be heaps of the old favourites.

“We will be playing all the hits. We hope to play a lot of album tracks but no new stuff, people are not interested in new stuff.”

- FLICKY HARRISON n 10cc are at the Hexagon Hall in Reading on May 26 from 8pm. Tickets: £24.50, £22.50. Contact 0118 960 6060. They appear again at the New Theatre in Oxford on June 6 from 8pm. Tickets: £19.50 to £24.50.

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