Best known as a founder member of 10cc who still leads the current touring line up to this day, it is easy to forget quite what a significant career Graham Gouldman has had, as a songwriter just as much as a performer.

For proof look no further than his ‘Heart Full of Songs’ shows which he has begun touring in between 10cc activity: his biggest run yet of 18 shows culminated in this London date, playing under the high ceilings at the prestigious Cadogan Hall concert venue.

 

For the show he is joined by a largely unplugged band, but he made a solo entrance, a bit more casually dressed than at 10cc shows in jeans and untucked shirt, and looking way younger than his 80 years. He opened with a tale of young love in ‘Pamela Pamela’ and his introducing it as a Wayne Fontana song was a reminder of the fact that pre- 10cc, he was a precocious young hit songwriter in the sixties.

Now joined by Andy Park to handle some of the more intricate guitar work as well as harmonising well, the Yardbirds ‘Heart Full Of Soul’ was an even better example, and after the first of many dry anecdotes about the inspiration for songs, Herman’s Hermits ‘No Milk Today’ was a third.

By the time of the first 10cc oldie in ‘Good Morning Judge’ now he had been joined by a current colleague in multi-instrumentalist Keith Hayman and percussionist Ben Stone, while Andy shone on slide. After recounting how the space telescope inspired him to write a more recent song, ‘Floating in Heaven’ and perform a duet with Brian May, he motioned to the side of the stage but in the first of a series of running gags it wasn’t the Queen legend and astrophysics expert who appeared but the ponytailed support act Seb Wesson, who from time to time augmented the line up with some impressive lead guitar.

Graham played a couple of songs he had contributed to soundtracks in ‘Songbird’, even featuring a bit of a singalong, and ‘Love’s Not For Me’ from the bizarre sounding ‘Animalympics’ film, with Keith adding melodica. We went from the sixties in ‘Look Through Any Window’ to the present in ‘Daylight’, his tribute to former songwriting partner in Wax Andrew Gold co-written with Chris Braide.

 

Delivered in urbane and soft-spoken fashion, there was invariably a droll anecdote about every songwriting collaborator, including Nashville legend Gary Burr as ‘Dancing Days’ tipped into country rock territory, while he donned a ukulele for a whimsical song about the same instrument, ‘Play Me’.

Indeed his melodic writing style, strong sense of harmony and an ability to create songs out of ordinary situations meant that comparisons with another bass playing songwriter and singer further down the M62 were springing to mind.

 

The Wax song ‘Bridge To Your Heart’ had a fuller arrangement, though it I was only vaguely familiar to me and it was only after I discovered it had been a top 20 UK single in the eighties. In contrast the universally revered ‘I’m Not In Love’ was given a sensitive vocal interpretation assisted by Keith’s keys. ‘That’s Love Right There’ had a jazzy feel while the sound of ‘Say You Love Me Tonight’ confirmed Graham’s inspiration from the Everley Brothers.

He wore his fame modestly but could not hide his pride in being inducted into the songwriters hall of fame, prior to the song he chose to perform at their ceremony in The Hollies’ ‘Bus Stop’. ‘The Things We Do For Love’ was as jaunty as ever but this was not primarily a night for 10cc favourites, instead a broader variety of songs including another country rock co-write ‘We’re Alive’, and ‘Memory Lane’, about taking his wife back to his old childhood haunts, something I strongly believe we should all do.

 

The set ‘ended’ where it all began with the Yardbirds’ ‘For Your Love’ and it was astonishing that such an influential piece of baroque pop was written when he was a teenager. However he kept the band on stage for the final two songs. His pride again showed through when explaining how the moving ‘Ready To Go Home’ had helped people through their grief, though your melodic rock editor could not resist boasting to his partner how he was familiar with the cover versions by Asia and Mitch Malloy.

There could be only one song to end on, in the 10cc hit he is probably most associated with personally in ‘Dreadlock Holiday’, which fortunately has not yet been cancelled by the younger generation.  It got a previously reserved crowd singing along, though only a couple of women were brave to stand up and dance. It was a suitable end to a very convivial evening in the presence of greatness, albeit in endearingly modest form.

Review and Photos by Andy Nathan

---

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions,

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

Josh now hosts “Taerk’s Tracks” as part of the Singer Songwriter Sunday sequence on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio.

This is the second show broadcast on 25 October Josh presents some of his inspirational artists and tracks.

---

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast 18 October 2026.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen live or listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

---

Power Plays w/c 26 October 2026

BLACK RIVER DELTA Shame On You (Despotz Records)
DAYTONA Listen To The Silence (Escape Music)
SUCKERTRAP Sacred Lies (indie)
WOOD BURNT RED Count My Blessings (indie)
BLACKLIST UNION Heavy Is The Crown (indie)

Featured Albums w/c 26 October 2026

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Singer Songwriter)

---

Our occasional Newsletter signposts latest additions to the website(s). We also include a selection of recent top albums, based on GRTR! reviewer ratings.  The newsletter is sent out a few times a year.

If you’d like to register to receive this occasional mailing please complete the form:

If using a smartphone/tablet please tap here or re-orientate your device

(Note that this registration is separate from site registration which allows you to leave comments and receive daily emails about new content. If you wish to register for this – in addition or separately – please click or tap here – for more information – the form is at the foot of each page. Please read our privacy policy when opting-in to receive emails.

---

Recent (last 30 days)

---