Kevin Godley

Kevin Michael Godley (born 7 October 1945) is an English singer-songwriter, drummer and music video director. He was a singer and drummer of the art rock band 10cc and later was part of collaboration duo Godley & Creme with Lol Creme.

Kevin Michael Godley was born on 7 October 1945 in Prestwich, Lancashire, England, to a Jewish family, and went to North Cestrian Grammar School in Altrincham.

While attending art college in Manchester Godley met future creative partner Lol Creme. Godley joined the R&B combo the Sabres, later to become the Magic Lanterns. Godley and Creme, like Graham Gouldman, grew up in Jewish households, although Godley downplayed the influence of Judaism on his life and work in later years. "I don’t think of myself as Jewish. I think of myself as Jew-ish. There’s a distinction. It never really occurred to me." In the same interview, he described his religion as "art and music."

They became involved in a number of bands such as the Mockingbirds, Hotlegs and later 10cc. As part of the bands Godley was a songwriter, lead vocalist, played drums, percussion and keyboards. Godley and Creme recorded four studio albums with 10cc. In 1977, early in the recording of the band's fifth studio album Deceptive Bends, unimpressed with the songs by bandmates Eric Stewart and Graham Gouldman and eager to work on other projects outside of the band, Godley and Creme left.

In 1977, they released their first album project – Consequences – a concept album demonstration piece for the "Gizmo" a device that enabled an electric guitar to mimic orchestral instruments the pair had begun developing early on in the 10cc years. Consequences is a story about meek Walter Stapleton divorcing his French playgirl wife, with English comedian and satirist Peter Cook voicing the parts of two solicitors, the irascible Pepperman and the alcoholic Haig, and Haig's downstairs resident and reclusive musician Mr Blint, who constantly interrupts them and confuses the proceedings, and singer Sarah Vaughan. The album was released as a three-LP box set.

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.