Pop synth bands were a dime a dozen in the 80s, but it is surprising that Wax, which combined the talents of Andrew Gold and Graham Gouldman (10cc), failed to attract much attention in the US. 10cc scored an impressive run of hits in the 70s and early 80s while Gold's biggest hit was "Lonely Boy," which went to #7 in 1977. Gold's other hit, "Thank You For Being A Friend," only reached #25, but became widely known after it was used as the theme song for The Golden Girls. Wax nearly cracked the US Top 40 when "Right Between The Eyes" reached #43 in 1986. It came from their debut album, "Magnetic Heaven," which also contains this hidden gem, "Systematic." Wax would release a couple more records, but Gold passed away in 2011 at the age of 59.
Formerly called Hotlegs, 10cc was a quirky band from England composed of former members of The Mindbenders and two members who would later form Godley & Creme in 1976 and have a hit with "Cry" (#16 in 1985). 10cc began as an artful pop band in the early 70s and enjoyed great success in the UK. In the US, they scored big when their sound veered more towards soft rock. "I'm Not In Love" spent three weeks at #2 in 1975 and "The Things We Do For Love" reached #5 in 1977. The only other Top 40 tune they hit with in the US was "People In Love," which peaked at #40 in 1977. "The Dean and I" goes back to their pop roots. It is a bouncy and funny pop song that deserved better. It is in the same vein as "Rubber Bullets," which was the first chart single for 10cc in the US, reaching #73 in 1973 (and also comes from the same self-titled debut album).
