Do Not Bend is the third solo album by British pop musician and songwriter Eric Stewart, a founding member of 10cc. Released in 2003, it did not chart in the UK or US. A studio album is a collection of previously unreleased, studio-recorded tracks by a recording artist. ... Eric Stewart is a musician and songwriter most known for his tenure in 10CC in the 1970s. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... For popular forms of music in general, see Popular music. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Eric Stewart is a musician and songwriter most known for his tenure in 10CC in the 1970s. ... Eric Stewart is a musician and songwriter most known for his tenure in 10CC in the 1970s. ... Eric Stewart is a musician and songwriter most known for his tenure in 10CC in the 1970s. ... 10cc was a British pop band which achieved its greatest commercial success during the 1970s. ...

The album was recorded over five years at Stewart's Templar Studios in France, with final sessions for the female backing vocals done at David Gilmour's Astoria Studios in London. For the Canadian writer and television journalist, see David Gilmour (writer), for the British politician see David Gillmore. ... Aerial shot of The Astoria compliments of Google Earth The Astoria is a house boat turned recording studio owned by David Gilmour, guitarist for Pink Floyd. ...

Stewart has said the album's title was inspired by a label posted on a package being mailed by his son Jody.

His website explains the background of each song on the album:

• "Can't Take It With You" – This is just my philosophy on people pursuing wealth without taking time to enjoy what life can give us all naturally and some people feel they have to buy friends. From personal experience of these sad people and situations, I'm saying that when we leave this mortal coil, You can't take it with you, can you?

• "A Friend in Need" is the most important thing in my own life, again, if you don't have a friend when you really need one, life is much tougher, we should always try to help our friends if it's possible, proving that we are indeed, good friends in times of need.

• "The Gods Are Smiling" is my own euphoric state of mind at the moment, I have finished my album at last and I'm pleased and excited about my music for the first time in a long time. I am enjoying my life very much, and my family are all progressing nicely along their own paths. This must be Heaven!

• "Fred and Dis-Audrey" is a thank you song to a dear friend of mine who is a wonderful painter. I went to Venice with him and his wife Audrey and I really learned so much from him about art, colour, techniques and painters.

• "I Will Love You Tomorrow" is a message to somebody very close to me. The title comes from an inscription I found on an old French pocket watch that I bought as a present. I think the words could apply to anybody in any language though.

• "Sleeping with the Ghosts" is the story of another old friend who went though a nasty divorce and, sadly, although she says she feels she is better off now, she's still living in the past inside her head and misses what she no longer has. She needs to break free.

• "Rappin with Yves" is the story of Yves, a very good friend of mine in France. He and his wife Raphaelle (Rap) introduced me to Morocco, Marrakesh in particular, which I loved, and I love them both for showing me another side of life there that I never knew existed. Ta Ta Ta, Bla Bla Blee is one of their lovely ways of saying what they cannot remember, the way we would say "oh you know, whatshisname, or thingymebob".

• "Norman Conquest II" is story about some of my oldest friends, they are a family totally involved in flying aeroplanes, even the children fly! They got me so hooked on it, I learned to fly and got my Private Pilots' licence. I wrote "Norman Conquest" as a present for their 30th wedding anniversary and it inspired me to keep writing what became the album Do Not Bend.

• "No No Nettie" – This is the true story of the wife of a musician friend of mine who is quite a funny but totally tactless person, a bit like the girlfriend in the film Spinal Tap. My description of her in the song is certainly accurate and a bit naughty, so I hope she sees the humour in it when she listens to it, but I somehow doubt it.

• "Mister Decadent" is the tale of another old friend who moves from woman to woman, without ever really understanding that he already has Heaven on Earth. Maybe one day he'll settle, my message is to try to make him aware of what he's already got before it gets too late.

• "Do The Books" is my protest song about the greed that goes on in Big Business all round the world. It's also a personal story involving close friends who were nearly made bankrupt by one of these big Engulf and Devour type companies. Fortunately they beat the bad guys in court and the story has a very happy and financially rewarding ending.

• "Set in Blancmange" is the story of a soapbox race that takes place every year in France. It's a crazy day that I look forward to very much. Everybody wins prizes, even for the worst cart, or worst paint job, there is a lot of cheating of course, but it all works well and our host is very generous with his wines and food after the race. Last year I got all the 25 competitors and their families to sing the end choruses (rather inebriated) on this song with me.

• "A Human Being" is my own philosophy on religion, race, and gender problems that we humans cripple each other with each day. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all live together as Humans just Being, existing without prejudices against colour, creed, or worship. It's not an original thought, I'm really just continuing John Lennon's Imagine message as the world gets more and more dangerous these days.

• "You Are Not Me", again is a plea for tolerance with somebody you may disagree with, neither of us is always right, we just have a different outlook sometimes. It would be good indeed to see eye to eye, but can we stand so tall?

Marrakech (مراكش marrākish), known as the Pearl of the South, is a city in southwestern Morocco in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains. ... Spinal Tap is a fictitious heavy metal band, the subject of the 1984 rockumentary/mockumentary film This Is Spinal Tap. ...

Track listing

(All songs by Eric Stewart)

1. "You Can't Take It With You" – 4:04
2. "A Friend in Need" – 5:08
3. "The Gods Are Smiling" – 4:30
4. "Fred and Dis-Audrey" – 4:13
5. "I Will Love You Tomorrow" – 5:04
6. "Sleeping With the Ghosts" – 5:12
7. "Rappin' with Yves" – 3:21
8. "Norman Conquest II" – 4:18
9. "No No Nettie" – 3:13
10. "Mr Dacadent" – 3:50
11. "Do the Books" – 5:37
12. "Set in Blancmange" – 5:55
13. "A Human, Being" – 4:18
14. "You Are Not Me" – 4:37

Personnel

• Eric Stewart – vocals, guitar, bass, piano, synthesiser, drums and percussion, steel drums, brass
• Sam Brown – backing vocals
• Helen McRobbie – backing vocals
• Louise Marshall – backing vocals