Deceptive Bends Press Kit

Promotional Album 1977
by Kennedy Artists Management

Press kit: White folder with b&w cover photo, tinted green, taken from back cover of LP, inside green circular border with 10cc "Deceptive Bends" in black; contains 8-by-10 photo of Stewart and Gouldman on semi-glossy 8-1/2-by-11 paper and three-page bio on cream-colored paper, typed in black ink.

Bio:

With "The Things We Do For Love" by 10cc the first U.S. gold record of their career and a new album, "Deceptive Bends," just released, the recently revamped 10cc shows no sign of giving one inch of ground in terms of success and quality music.

"The Things We Do For Love" was composed by Graham Gouldman and Eric Stewart (Stewart sings lead), the two members of 10cc.

Gouldman and Stewart co-authored many of the group's classic songs including "I'm Not In Love," "I'm Mandy, Fly Me," and "Wall Street Shuffle." [The comma after "Mandy" was added belatedly.]

The two first encountered each other toward the end of the Mindbenders, best known for the number one hit, "Groovy Kind Of Love," which Eric sang. The group was looking for a bass player who could also write songs. Graham fit both bills, since his writing credits included "For Your Love" and "Heart Full of Soul," for the Yardbirds, "Bus Stop" and "Look Through Any Window" for the Hollies, and "Listen People" and "No Milk Today" for Herman's Hermits.

Following the Mindbenders, Graham became a producer, where he met with Kevin Godley and Lol Creme, the two other original members of 10cc. Graham introduced the two to Stewart, and Eric, Lol, and Kevin formed Hotlegs, who recorded the worldwide million seller, "Neanderthal Man." When it came time to tour, Graham joined up, and the 10cc lineup was complete.

The first single, "Donna," a spoof of 1950's doo-wop, was released in August, 1972. Some spoof. Within weeks, "Donna" was Top 5 in England as was the followup [sic], "Rubber Bullets." The debut album, "10cc," was an instant U.K. monster and also a U.S. hit, resulting in Cash Box naming 10cc "Best New Group of 1973."

A second album, "Sheet Music," produced the British smashes "Wall Street Shuffle" and "Silly Love." The group spent from September of 1974 through early 1975 working on "The Original Soundtrack," the first LP [by 10cc] released worldwide on Mercury Records. The album climbed to the top of the U.S. charts, with the single "I'm Not in Love," reaching number two for three weeks, at that point the biggest hit yet for the group.

The group's successful headlining tour of the U.S. in late 1975 showcased a fifth member [sic], drummer Paul Burgess, who has continued as a percussionist with 10cc on stage, and now on record. "How Dare You," the fourth 10cc LP, solidified their position, both in the U.S. and Europe, as the purveyors of state-of-the-art studio techniques.

During the fall of 1976, however, it became evident that a split was forthcoming. Eric and Graham were busy writing and recording material for "Deceptive Bends," while Lol and Kevin were recording tracks for their own project which took so much time that they felt they were holding back Graham and Eric, and thus the two bowed out of 10cc.

The first single from the new 10cc was "The Things We Do For Love," and within three months of release it was Top 5, and by mid-April it was certified gold, surpassing the sales of "I'm Not In Love." In England and in Europe, the record was equally as big. [Indeed, in all those places, it was 7 inches in diameter.]

The new album, "Deceptive Bends," is their most unique work yet as well as the recording debut of Paul Burgess with 10cc. There is the bizarre lyric approach of "I Bought a Flat Guitar Tutor," which contains almost every pun imaginable on music terminology. The good time rocking approach is evident on "Good Morning Judge." An immensely beautiful ballad is found in "People in Love." But the capper is the three part finale, "Feel The Benefit." Moving from an orchestrated ballad through a Latin flavor [sic] break, and back to the ballad, it ends with one of the finest guitar solos ever recorded, courtesy of Eric.

Obviously 10cc will not only hold its own with Graham Gouldman and Eric Stewart at the helm, they are already beginning to surpass their previous success. No matter how you slice it, 10cc has been and will be a creative force for years to come.

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