10cc Star Graham Gouldman To Release First Solo Album in Eight Years
On 21 Febuary 2020, 10cc’s Graham Gouldmanwill release ‘Modesty Forbids’,his first solo album in eight years.Released on British independent record label Lojinx, Modesty Forbids is the fifth solo album of Graham’s career, and his first since 2012’s ‘Love And Work’. Featuring eleven tracks, the album’s release will coincide with 10cc’s 14-date Australia and New Zealand tour, ahead of the rest-of-world release in March 2020.
With Graham’s 10cc tours enjoying ever-increasing success around the world in recent years, in 2018 he was invited by former Beatles’ drummer Ringo Starr to join his All Starr Band for tours of Europe and the USA, during which the band played three 10cc songs, elevating Graham’s profile yet further.
That relationship continues, with Ringo making a very special guest appearance on Modesty Forbids, playing drums on a song called ‘Standing Next To Me’.
Heres the tracklist along with Graham’s succinct descriptions-
Track-by-track guide to ‘Modesty Forbids’, by Graham Gouldman
- ‘Standing Next To Me’(written by Graham Gouldman)
“A song about being asked to join, and my experiences with, Ringo Starr And His All Starr Band. I would stand next to Ringo front of stage when he wasn’t playing the drums. It was a surreal and wonderful experience to see him ‘Standing Next To Me’. It was also brilliant to be on the road with the other members of the All Starr Band, namely Steve Lukather, Colin Hay, Gregg Rolie, Gregg Bissonette, and Warren Ham. A dream come true.”
- ‘That’s Love Right There’ (written by Graham Gouldman)
“Whenever I go on the road my wife Ariella leaves little notes in my suitcase that I come across when I’m unpacking. She also leaves me little chocolate bars. I was with the band when I found one of these bars and exclaimed ‘That’s Love Right There’. I wanted to make an authentic sounding ‘swing’ record so I asked these brilliant players, Jamie Salisbury piano, Ralph Salmins drums and Chris Hill bass to play on the record with me.”
- ‘All Around The World’ (written by Beth Neilson Chapman, Graham Gouldman and Gordon Kennedy)
“I asked Beth to send me her take on the song. I couldn’t top her description. At a time of such upheaval and chaos this song reminds me that all is not lost. It doesn’t hide from the truth of the challenges but it brings it all into perspective and it just fills me with such joy! I loved writing this with two of the great songwriters on this planet! ‘It can only get better’says it all.”
- ‘It’s Not You It’s Me’ (written by Graham Gouldman)
“This song was originally written for the Yardbirds who approached me to write something for a new album they were hoping to record, but it never got made. Don’t ask. I liked the song not least because it uses the old excuse when you want to break up with someone that ‘It’s Not You It’s Me’.”
- ‘What Time Won’t Heal’ (written by Graham Gouldman and Bill Lloyd)
“This song was written very quickly like all the good ones do. I had a chord sequence and melody and Bill came up with this great title, he also wrote most of the lyrics. Bill is from Nashville and I think you can hear that influence in the song.”
- ‘Different Times’ (written by Graham Gouldman, Anna Krantz and Graeme Pleeth)
“I’d written with Anna before and was very happy to work with her again. This song came out of a session we had at Graeme Pleeth’s studio. As well as co-writing the song Graeme wrote a beautiful string arrangement. A song of regret and what might have been.”
- ‘Wake Up Dreamer’ (written by Graham Gouldman and Iain Hornal)
“I already had a lot of the musical ideas for this, which I shared with Iain, who came up with the title and more musical ideas. We have written together before and one of my favourite co-writes with him is ‘Say The Word’ from his first solo album and a song we perform in our 10cc show. Let’s stop dreaming and wake up to what’s happening to our planet.”
- ‘Russian Doll’(written by Graham Gouldman and Graeme Pleeth)
“I started this instrumental years ago with the idea that it would make a great movie theme. Maybe it will someday. It was only after I’d overdubbed a mandolin, that sounds like a balalaika, that I came up with the title ‘Russian Doll’. I love its dark, melancholic feel.”
- ‘Hangin’ By A Thread’ (written by Graham Gouldman and Cassa Jackson)
“We’d already written one song and at the end of the session I started messing around and came up with the start of this. Cassa joined in with what was to become the title and the chorus of ‘Hangin’ By A Thread’.”
- ‘Waited All My Life For You’ (written by Graham Gouldman and Phil Thornalley)
“Phil discovered the demo of this whilst going through some old files and played it to me. I couldn’t understand why we’d never finished it before but I’m so glad we did. It has a lovely Beatles feel to it. Btw, I first met Phil in 1986 when he produced the first Wax album. We have remained friends and worked together occasionally ever since.”
- ‘New Star’ (written by Graham Gouldman and Iain Hornal)
“I got the idea for this walking home one day. I heard something being played in the distance on someone’s radio. I couldn’t hear the song very well but I heard the rhythm which I liked. The chords came into my head immediately. I originally wanted to repeat the verse chords for the whole of the song using different melodies but it just didn’t work, so I asked Iain to help me finish it adding new parts. I lost my mum in 2019 and the first line of the song, ‘There’s a new star up in heaven’, refers to her.”
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