10cc was formed in 1972. The band members already knew each other all together since 1968 and some of them even as a child. They already done a lot of things in the music industry before the band was formed. In 1964 Graham Gouldman's band The Whirlwinds recorded the Lol Creme composition "Baby Not Like You", as the B-side of their only single "Look At Me". After a line-up change the band was renamed to The Mockingbirds (including Singer/guitarist Graham Gouldman, bassist Bernard Basso and drummer Kevin Godley, formerly of The Sabres with Creme). They made 5 singles throughout 1965-1966 without any success. Godley & Creme released their first single as a duo as The Yellow Bellow Room Boom titled "Seeing Things Green" also without much success. In 1969 the four members including Eric Stewart released their first single together as Frabjoy and Runcible Spoon titled "I'm Beside Myself".
Graham Gouldman penned a few hits in the sixties we all know. First for the Yardbirds "For Your Love", The Hollies "Bus Stop" and Herman's Hermits "No Milk Today". Eric Stewart was in the Mindbenders. Later Gouldman joined that band as well. They scored at least two big hits with "A Game Of Love" and "A Groovy Kind of Love".
Ohio Express "Sausolito" - single cover
Then they started the Strawberry studios where recordings were made for the band Marmalade. All four members were working in the studios on a daily base. They produced many singles by bands with weird names. Then in 1969 they released "Sausalito" as Ohio Express with Gouldman on lead vocals and the other 3 on backing vocals. The song reached #86 in the US.
Hot Legs "Neanderthal Man" - single cover
Success was finally there when Godley, Creme and Stewart released the single "Neanderthal Man" as Hotlegs reaching #2 in the UK. Then the trio recorded their first album "Thinks: School Stinks". They recruited Gouldman for the follow-up single "Lady Sadie". Together they produced material for Dave Berry, Herman's Hermits and Neil Sedaka. They finally decided that it was time to use their creativity for their own music. Another single "Today" as Hotlegs failed to chart.
Donna - single cover
In 1972 they became 10cc and their first single was an immediate hit titled "Donna" reaching #2 in the UK and the Netherlands. Followed by "Rubber Bullets" (UK #1) and "The Dean And I" (UK #10). All released on their untitled debut album.
The Worst Band In The World - single cover
On their second album 10cc exploded creatively without boundaries. 10cc was recording in their own Strawberry Studios in the daytime while Paul McCartney recorded in the evening for his brother Mike's album "McGear". The band was divided into two camps. Godley and Creme on one hand and Stewart and Gouldman on the other hand. Every member of 10cc was a multi-instrumentalist, singer, writer and producer. The album released in 1974 was titled "Sheet Music" and offered many different music styles.
The Wall Street Shuffle - single cover
Three singles were released and the first one with the most unexpected but predicting title "The Worst Band in the World" failed to chart. It doesn't mean it's a bad song. It's a joking song about the music industry. "Here we are together on your hi-fi, a little piece of plastic with a hole" and the song ends with the words "fade me...fade me...".  "The Wall Street Shuffle" about the stock market reached #10 in the UK and number 1 in the Netherlands. "Silly Love" reached #24 in the UK and #10 in the Netherlands. The album itself reached #36 in the UK and #15 in the Netherlands.
LP inner sleeve
On "Old Wild Men" we can hear the gizmo AKA gizmotron. The music instrument invented and patented by Godly & Creme. The song "Clockwork Creep" describes a bomb aboard a jumbo jet describing the final minute in its countdown to detonation. "Hotel" is an oberservation of tourists on continental islands. The closing song "Oh Effendi" is a song about Arabs, Sheiks and Americans and ends with the double-edged "Goodbye friends, There's no more goodies in the pipeline". Referring to oil pipelines of course. This is the best album 10cc made and it's a shame we can find the CD nowadays in the budget sales.
Original album cover
Sheet Music (1973)
The Wall Street Shuffle / The Worst Band In The World / Hotel / Old
Wild Men / Clockwork Creep / Silly Love / Somewhere In Hollywood / Baron
Samedi / The Sacro-illiac / Oh Effendi

The Wall Street Shuffle
Clockwork Creep

Old Wild Men

Ohio Express - Sausolito

Hotlegs - Neanderthal Man