Deceptive Bends

The departure of Kevin Godley and Lol Creme in 1976 to form Godley & Creme could have spelled the end for 10cc. However Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman kept the group alive as a duo (with the assistance of percussionist Paul Burgess) and turned in a surprisingly solid album. Cover design was provided by Hipgnosis.

Stewart recalled: "I had a big challenge ahead of me to prove to the record world that we were not just 5cc, as some of the British media had graciously called us. The music was simpler than some of the previous 10cc albums, it was far more direct, streamlined and positive. The whole album was recorded very (in our terms) quickly. I was on a mission, and flying higher and faster than I had ever been before, and I knew by then that we had a very strong album. The new songs played a big part in the equation of course, I was out to prove also that we could write a hit album without Kevin and Lol ... we did!" ^[1]

Godley and Creme were still members of the group early in this album's history. The band's original lineup debuted a live version of "Good Morning Judge" at the Knebworth festival on August 21, 1976, and also did studio work on an early version of "People in Love" referred to as "Voodoo Boogie". "Voodoo Boogie" featured a more offbeat arrangement and prominent backing vocals by Lol Creme, but the track was considered "awful" when assembled together and Godley and Creme left the group shortly thereafter. The official versions of "Good Morning Judge" and "People in Love" were performed by Stewart and Gouldman alone (with the help of a few session musicians) in the eventual album release.

1 Track listing
2 Bonus tracks
3 Personnel
4 References

[edit] Track listing

(All songs by Eric Stewart, Graham Gouldman)

"Good Morning Judge" – 2:55
"The Things We Do for Love" – 3:29
"Marriage Bureau Rendezvous" – 4:04
"People in Love" – 3:48
"Modern Man Blues" – 5:35
"Honeymoon with B Troop" – 2:46
"I Bought a Flat Guitar Tutor" – 1:48
"You've Got a Cold" – 3:36
"Feel the Benefit, Pt. 1-3" – 11:31

[edit] Bonus tracks

Bonus tracks on 1997 remastered version:

10. "Hot to Trot" – 4:30
11. "Don't Squeeze Me Like Toothpaste" – 3:39
12. "I'm So Laid Back, I'm Laid Out" – 3:46

[edit] Personnel

Graham Gouldman — organ, guitars, dobro, fuzz bass, harmony vocals, handclapping, vocals, triangle, tambourine, autoharp, bass
Eric Stewart — organ, guitars, piano, keyboards, slide guitar, moog synthesizer, vocals, electric piano, maracas
Paul Burgess — percussion, triangle, tambourine, conga, claves, vibraphone, cabassa, bell tree, wood block, handclapping, bells, gong, drums, piano
Del Newman — string arrangement
Jean Roussel — organ, keyboards, electric piano
Tony Spath — piano, oboe