In the mid-’80s, two highly accomplished songwriters and musicians, Andrew Gold and Graham Gouldman, on a series of studio albums and a brief tour. Gouldman, from the U.K.’s Manchester area, was a founding member of 10cc and had previously written British Invasion hits for the Hollies, the Yardbirds and Herman’s Hermits. Gold, a key player in the Los Angeles music scene of the 1970s, had served as Linda Ronstadt’s arranger and as a member of her band for many years. He released several hit singles as a solo artist.
Together as Wax, they collaborated on two albums for RCA. Cherry Red Records’ Esoteric Recordings is releasing a digipack edition of two CDs and DVD of a previously unreleased concert, recorded in the U.K. in 1987.
Wax issued their debut album, Magnetic Heaven, in 1986 and followed this in 1987 with American English. In November 1987, Wax undertook a U.K. tour with a line-up featuring Gold and Gouldman, plus Rick Fenn (lead guitar, vocals), Roger Jackson (keyboards) and Mike Richardson (drums).
A November 27 concert in Harrogate was captured both on audio and video tape, but has languished in the vaults. The set performed that evening featured Wax material, including the ultra-catchy single, “Bridge to Your Heart,” alongside favorites from Gold and Gouldman’s careers.
The release includes the entire concert over two CDs and also features highlights on a NTSC / Region Free DVD. The set includes an illustrated booklet with a new interview with Gouldman.
Among Gouldman‘s compositions are “Bus Stop” for the Hollies, “For Your Love” and “Heart Full of Soul” for the Yardbirds, and “Listen People” for Herman’s Hermits. As a founding member of 10cc, he co-wrote (with Eric Stewart) the smash hits “I’m Not in Love” and “The Things We Do For Love.”
He continues to tour regularly and has dates with 10cc booked into 2020. Tickets are available here.
Related: Our interview with Gouldman
In the early ’70s, Gold was a member of Bryndle, with Wendy Waldman, Karla Bonoff and Kenny Edwards. He was the arranger and performed on Ronstadt’s 1974 breakthrough, Heart Like a Wheel, and was a longtime member of her touring band.
Gold recorded four albums for Asylum Records and enjoyed Top 40 hits with “Lonely Boy” (#7) and “Thank You For Being a Friend” (#25) in the 1970s.
Watch a mashup of performances of “Lonely Boy” (not from this release)
Gold came from a show business family. His father, Ernest Gold, won an Academy Award for his score of the feature film, Exodus. His mother, Marni Gold, was the musical voice for such noted actresses as Natalie Wood in West Side Story and Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady. He died of heart failure on June 3, 2011, at just 59.
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