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**Godley & Creme: The Art Rock Alchemists Who Dared to Dream**

When Kevin Godley and Lol Creme walked away from 10cc at the height of their commercial success in 1976, the music world collectively scratched its head. Here were two-thirds of one of Britain's most successful pop acts, abandoning chart-topping glory to chase artistic windmills with something called the "Gismotron" – a contraption that made guitars sound like orchestras and probably cost more than most people's houses. What followed was a career that zigzagged between brilliant innovation and maddening pretension, producing some of the most fascinating music of the late 70s and 80s.

Their debut triple album "Consequences" (1977) remains one of rock's most audacious follies. This sprawling rock opera about the end of the world was simultaneously their masterpiece and their millstone – a work so ambitious it nearly bankrupted them before they'd properly started. Featuring Peter Cook's sardonic narration and Sarah Vaughan's jazz vocals alongside their own experimental soundscapes, it was prog rock's last great gasp disguised as art rock's first breath. The Gismotron, their mechanical muse, created textures that were genuinely otherworldly, turning simple guitar lines into sweeping orchestral movements. Critics were baffled, fans were divided, and accountants wept, but "Consequences" established Godley & Creme as artists willing to risk everything for their vision.

The duo's second crucial statement came with "Freeze Frame" (1979), where they began their love affair with the music video medium that would eventually eclipse their recording career. The album itself was a streamlined affair compared to "Consequences," but it showcased their growing mastery of studio technology and pop sensibilities. Songs like "An Englishman in New York" demonstrated their ability to craft memorable hooks while maintaining their experimental edge. The accompanying videos, created using their pioneering techniques, were years ahead of their time – MTV wouldn't even launch for another two years.

But it was "Ismism" (1981) where Godley & Creme truly found their sweet spot between accessibility and innovation. This album captured them at their most focused, delivering their biggest hit with "Under Your Thumb" while exploring themes of power, manipulation, and human relationships with characteristic wit and musical sophistication. The production was immaculate – every synthesizer line precisely placed, every drum hit perfectly weighted. "Wedding Bells" showcased their ability to craft genuinely moving ballads, while "Ready for Ralph" proved they could still unleash controlled chaos when the mood struck. The album benefited from the MTV revolution they had helped create, with their videos for these songs becoming as influential as the music itself.

Throughout their catalog, Godley & Creme's musical style defied easy categorization. They were post-prog pioneers who embraced new wave sensibilities, art rock experimentalists who weren't afraid of a good pop hook, and technology enthusiasts who never forgot the importance of songcraft. Their sound was built on Creme's inventive guitar work, Godley's distinctive vocals and percussion, and their shared genius for studio manipulation. They could make a simple love song sound like a transmission from another planet, or turn a political statement into an irresistible dance track.

The duo's influence on music video as an art form cannot be overstated. Their work with artists like The Police, Duran Duran, and Frankie Goes to Hollywood helped define the visual language of 80s pop music. Their techniques – morphing faces, impossible camera moves, surreal narratives – became the standard vocabulary of music video directors worldwide.

Today, Godley & Creme occupy a unique position in rock history. They're remembered as much for what they gave up as for what they achieved – the eternal "what if" of 10cc's abandoned trajectory. Yet their solo work stands as a testament to artistic courage and innovation. In an era of increasing musical conservatism, they chose the path less traveled and created a body of work that sounds as fresh and challenging today as it did forty years ago. They may never have achieved the commercial success of their former band, but they created something far rarer – a genuinely unique artistic vision that influenced generations of musicians and filmmakers. Sometimes the most important journeys are the ones that take you furthest from home.