Graham Gouldman

Graham Keith Gouldman (born 10 May 1946) is an English musician. He is best known as the co-lead singer and bassist of the art rock band 10cc. He has been the band's only constant member since its formation in 1972. Before 10cc, Gouldman worked as a freelance songwriter and penned many hits for major rock and pop groups, including the Yardbirds, the Hollies, Herman's Hermits and Ohio Express.

Gouldman was born in Broughton, Salford, Lancashire, into a Jewish family. He received his first guitar at the age of 11. In a 2025 interview he stated that from that point "music was it for (him)", adding that he was not academically gifted, which was recognised by his parents who encouraged his musical activities as "they recognised that songwriting is a gift and I was lucky enough to have it". Although Gouldman's father worked in the clothing industry, he was a keen amateur poet and playwright and advised him whilst he developed his songwriting craft. Gouldman was "barmitzvahed", and attended the synagogue growing up, "and then that gradually faded out, as it does with all Jewish boys." Considering that three of the 10cc songwriters were Jewish, the band jokingly referred to themselves as "three yids and a yok."

Gouldman played in a number of Manchester bands from 1963, including the High Spots, the Crevattes, the Planets and the Whirlwinds, which became a house band at his local Jewish Lads' Brigade. The Whirlwinds – comprising Gouldman (vocals, guitar), Maurice Sperling (vocals/drums), Bernard Basso (bass), Stephen Jacobson (guitar, bongos), Malcolm Wagner and Phil Cohen – secured a recording contract with His Master's Voice, releasing a recording of the Buddy Holly song "Look at Me", backed with "Baby Not Like You", written by future 10cc bandmate Lol Creme, on 22 May 1964.

Gouldman dissolved the Whirlwinds in late 1964, and the following February formed the Mockingbirds with Jacobson, Basso, and a former member of fellow Manchester band the Sabres, Kevin Godley (drums). The Mockingbirds signed with the Columbia label, which rejected Gouldman's first offering as a single – "For Your Love" (later a major hit for the Yardbirds) – and issued two singles, "That's How (It's Gonna Stay)" (February 1965, also issued in the US on ABC-Paramount) and "I Can Feel We're Parting" (May 1965). The band switched to the Immediate label for "You Stole My Love" (October 1965) and Decca for "One By One" (July 1966) and "How to Find a Lover" (October 1966).

The Mockingbirds also began a regular warm-up spot for BBC Television's Top of the Pops, transmitted from Manchester. He recalled: "There was one strange moment when the Yardbirds appeared on the show doing 'For Your Love', which was a song that I'd written. Everyone clamoured around them – and there I was just part of an anonymous group. I felt strange that night, hearing them play my song."

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.