10cc

Assembly Hall, Stoke Abbott Road, Worthing, Friday, August 21

THEIR self-titled debut album contained their breakthrough hits Donna and Rubber Bullets.

But when it came to recreating one of 10cc’s albums in full on stage Graham Gouldman was keen to perform its follow-up – 1974’s cheekily titled Sheet Music.

“The first album was put together piecemeal,” he says. “We got a chance to really think about what we were doing with Sheet Music – it was a joy to make it.”

Home to the hits Silly Love and the ever-more relevant satire The Wall Street Shuffle, the actual recording experience was especially memorable for Beatle fan Gouldman.

“Paul McCartney was in the studio recording an album with his brother [Mike McGear],” says Gouldman. “He was my greatest influence – I’m still influenced by The Beatles to this day. I just finished a track yesterday for a BBC Radio 4 programme where I went completely into The Beatles for my recording references – not the songwriting, but the production and sounds, the whole approach to it. The Beatles were where I learned my craft.”

Before co-founding 10cc with fellow songwriters Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley and Lol Creme in 1972, Gouldman established a name as a one-man Brill Building, penning songs for The Hollies, The Yardbirds and Herman’s Hermits including hits For Your Love, Look Through Any Window, Bus Stop and No Milk Today.

He believes what worked in 10cc was the chemistry between the four founders.

“There were so many different influences,” he says. “We did mash things up quite a lot, but it seemed to work.”

Part of their unique approach was their skill at “throwing songs together from bits of other songs”.

“I don’t think you can hear the joins,” says Gouldman. “I still enjoy doing that – I can write a part of a song, and then be writing something else when the song I wrote a year ago comes flying in.”

During the making of Sheet Music Gouldman likens his former band members as being like the Four Musketeers.

“It was very all for one and one for all,” he says. “We had two-man writing teams, but the songs would be adopted by the others as if it was their own. We never rejected a song – our principle was if you like it, we will do it, but I reserve the right if I don’t like a bit to suggest something else. It was all very positive.”

The biggest hit from the album came from a cab ride in New York.

“We had just crossed over Wall Street,” says Gouldman. “I don’t remember who said ‘We’re doing the Wall Street shuffle’ - or words to that effect - but it was one of those details which stick. The thing about a good detail is it gives you a lot of information. Knowing we were going to write about money we could employ a lot of wordplay – sometimes it could get quite school-boy-ish.

“It’s a song which will always be prescient whenever there’s a financial crisis. We should have done a version in Greek!”

For this recreation of Sheet Music, which forms the first half of the show, Gouldman contacted his old band-mate Kevin Godley, who had gone on record saying it was his favourite album.

“Kevin is somewhere in Hollywood now,” says Gouldman. “He didn’t want to come on the road with us, but he did a video of him singing. We have these great video screens in the show.”

Although Gouldman is the only original member of 10cc still touring under the band name, he has been working with his fellow musicians for many years.

“[Drummer] Paul Burgess joined the band in 1973,” he says. “I’ve worked with [guitarist] Rick Fenn in several different projects since 1976. Mike Stevens and Mick Wilson have been with us for 12 years. We’ve done our 10,000 hours together!”

Performing 10cc’s work can be a challenge on stage – not least because they refused to be limited in the studio.

“We never thought about doing a song live,” says Gouldman. “Everything that happened was best for the song. If it required 5,000 drummers then somehow we would do it. Everything we ever recorded we put out – if it wasn’t good enough we used to erase the tapes as we didn’t want anybody to hear it.”

Gouldman still has a parallel solo career too, and has been working on the follow-up to his 2012 album Love And Work, which he plans to release online only.

“I’m recording stuff with other songwriters,” he says. “With Love And Work there was a lot of expense involved in getting a nice album cover and promoting it. I was happy to do it because I believed in the album, but it is easier and cheaper to put an album online.”

He is also looking forward to reviving a recent solo acoustic tour.

“I write pretty much all my songs on guitar,” he says. “I’m Not In Love has a massive production, but at its heart it is still a great song.

"I enjoy playing them in their original state how they were first conceived and getting the opportunity to talk about the songs.”

Starts 8pm, tickets £29. Call 01903 206206.