Editing 10cc (section)

==1964–1969: Early bands==
Their first recorded collaboration was in 1964, when Gouldman's band The Whirlwinds recorded the Lol Creme composition "Baby Not Like You", as the B-side of their only single, "Look At Me". The Whirlwinds then changed members and name, becoming The Mockingbirds (including singer-guitarist Gouldman, bassist Bernard Basso and drummer Kevin Godley, formerly of The Sabres with Creme). The Mockingbirds recorded five singles in 1965–66 without any success, before dissolving.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tencc.fan-site.net/ggearly.html |title=Complete Mockingbirds discography at 10cc fan club website |publisher=Tencc.fan-site.net |access-date=10 August 2010 |archive-date=5 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205203618/http://tencc.fan-site.net/ggearly.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The guitarist in both The Whirlwinds and The Mockingbirds was Stephen Jacobson, brother of writer [[Howard Jacobson]].<ref>Egan, Shaun (2004), ''The Guys Who Wrote 'em: Songwriting Geniuses of Rock and Pop'', Askill Publishing, {{ISBN|978-0-9545750-1-4}}, Graham Gouldman.</ref>

In June 1967, Godley and Creme reunited and recorded a solitary single ("Seeing Things Green" b/w "Easy Life" on UK CBS) under the name "The Yellow Bellow Room Boom".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://tencc.fan-site.net/premarma.html#yellowbellow |title=See |publisher=Tencc.fan-site.net |access-date=23 August 2012 |archive-date=24 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324213419/http://tencc.fan-site.net/premarma.html#yellowbellow |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1969, Gouldman took them to a [[Marmalade Records]] recording session. The boss of Marmalade Records, [[Giorgio Gomelsky]], was impressed with Godley's falsetto voice and offered them a recording contract. In September 1969, Godley & Creme recorded some basic tracks at [[Strawberry Studios]], with Stewart on guitar and Gouldman on bass.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.the10ccfanclub.com/htm/injection004.htm |title=10cc : A Pure Injection of Pop, chapter 4, by Dave Thompson |publisher=The10ccfanclub.com |work=[[Goldmine (magazine)|Goldmine]] magazine, 11 April 1997|access-date=10 August 2010| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100803002653/http://www.the10ccfanclub.com/htm/injection004.htm| archive-date= 3 August 2010 }}</ref> The song, "I'm Beside Myself" b/w "Animal Song", was released as a single, credited to Frabjoy and Runcible Spoon.

Gomelsky (an ex-manager of [[The Yardbirds]]) planned to market Godley & Creme as a duo, in the vein of [[Simon & Garfunkel]].<ref name="Strawberry">Liner notes to ''[[Strawberry Bubblegum]]'' CD, written by David Wells, June 2003</ref> Plans for an album by Frabjoy and Runcible Spoon faltered, however, when Marmalade ran out of funds.<ref name="Strawberry" /> Solo tracks by Godley and Gouldman, however–both involved Stewart and Creme–were released on a 1969 Marmalade Records compilation album, ''100 Proof''. Gouldman's track was "The Late Mr. Late"; a year later, Godley's song "To Fly Away" reappeared as "Fly Away", in the debut [[Hotlegs]] album, ''[[Thinks: School Stinks]]''.

Gouldman, meanwhile, had made a name for himself as a hit songwriter, penning "[[Heart Full of Soul]]", "[[Evil Hearted You]]" and "[[For Your Love]]" for [[The Yardbirds]], "[[Look Through Any Window]]," and "[[Bus Stop (song)|Bus Stop]]" for [[The Hollies]] as well as "[[No Milk Today]]", "East West," and "[[Listen People]]" for [[Herman's Hermits]].