There isn't anyone reading this page who wouldn't want to reunite the four original members of 10cc. I did. On film anyway. Here's how.

I'm a producer at the BBC. One of my most recent projects is a series of short films called Song Secrets Unlocked - 20x 10 minute films about some of the greatest songs from the 60s right up to today.
I've been a huge 10cc fan since I was a teenager and I taught myself to play guitar and piano to their records....so I thought I had to include I'm Not in Love in the series.
Relationships between various members of the band not being what they were, I wasn't hopeful of getting all four to contribute.

My first interviewee was Graham. We met in a studio in West London. He was very charming and I had to only really ask him about 10 questions since once you ask Graham something he gives you a very full answer, taking in 10 other subjects.
I brought my guitar along in case Graham needed to illustrate anything about the writing of the song. He treated me to a few bars of the famous calypso version.
The way things have gone, this guitar will be worth a fortune one day. I have photos of everyone from Noel Gallagher to Francis Rossi, Roy Wood to Suzanne Vega, strumming my acoustic...(not that I'd sell it).
Graham's main point was that he was very proud to have co-written a song that has lasted so long.

My next interviewee was Lol. I thought Lol would be the most difficult person to persuade as he seems to have stopped talking about his musical past. However, we met at Trevor Horn's studio and he chatted for an hour. It's hard to imagine anyone more charming than Lol and despite my fears, he was perhaps the most eloquent of the four about the subject.
He clearly has a great regard for the music he created with both 10cc and Godley and Creme and told me some very funny stories. My favourite was how he and Kev had gone off on holiday to Italy or France to write for How Dare You. Up in their villa they sat bashing out songs on the piano, including the sublime Don't Hang Up. After a few days of this, thinking they were alone, they were most surprised to hear a very posh English woman shout up from downstairs "Please...no more peearno...." Presumably they stuck at it anyway as the song made it to the album!
I showed him the 10cc at the Hard Rock cafe film and he had no recollection of performing there whatsoever!! Later, though, he remembered an excellent but highly libellous story about how the band came to make that recording...but I can't tell it here!

Kev was next. We interviewed him in a meeting room in his Soho offices. Another charming man and also very keen to see 10cc's reputation bolstered. I think all four generally felt that the music press and the media generally had overlooked their contribution to music.
Kev dwelt on the working relationships between all four of them at the time and how unique it was. He discounted being involved with them ever again (he says he does not have any instruments at home). It reminded me a little of the Beatles Anthology in that it was apparent they had all once been good and close friends but that reconciliation was now impossible.

Last up was Eric. For me that was the highpoint!

We arranged Eric's interview to be done at the BBC's famous recording studios in Maida Vale because they own a Fender Rhodes electric piano similar to the one Eric used on INIL. The studio is quite big and empty so I set up a grand piano just behind it to provide a backdrop.

Eric turned up and began reminiscing about his days with the Mindbenders - they used to record at Maida Vale.

Eric had dug out an old phaser pedal...the very one used on 'I'm Not In Love'. It took the two of us quite a while to get it going but we gaffa taped it together and it worked!

Eric chatted for an hour about the band and his relationships with the others.

4 out of 4 - Eric too turned out to be a very amicable and charming man.

Again, he was obviously immensely proud of the work the band had done together.
He clearly wishes the name 10cc had dropped out of use before it did and feels unhappy with the quality of some of the later material. I must admit that I tend to agree with him. The first four albums fizz with strange noises, lyrical ideas and arrangements and after that there was a tendency for the songs to become not so tight - although still better than 9 out of 10 bands' efforts.

I asked Eric if he would mind playing a bit of INIL for the film and play it he did!
Afterwards - and this is my favourite bit - Eric sang the song for me again while I played on the grand piano. My cameraman captured the moment on film and that really was a childhood dream come true.

I am glad the guys are all so pleasant but also felt sad that it is clearly impossible for them ever to work as a band again.

But at least I got them back together briefly...even if it is only on film!

Links:
www.bbc.co.uk