MC Tunes

MC Tunes

MC Tunes is a British rapper from Moss Side in Manchester, England. Born Nicholas William Dennis Hodgson in 1970, he changes his legal surname to Lockett in 1981. He is associated with the Madchester scene and is one of its notable promoters during the 1980s and 1990s.

Work with 808 State

MC Tunes first works with 808 State on The North At Its Heights, released by ZTT Records in 1990. The album reaches number 26 in the UK Albums Chart and also receives European and Japanese releases. It produces three UK singles: “The Only Rhyme That Bites”, which reaches number 10; “Tunes Splits The Atom”, which reaches number 18; and “Primary Rhyming”, which reaches number 67. “Primary Rhyming” is the first of these singles to drop the “vs 808 State” wording from the cover.

Further releases and collaborations

In 1992, he records “Digital Bad Boy/Could You Understand” with A Guy Called Gerald, credited as Gerald Simpson, who is also from 808 State. In 1996, while performing with Dust Junkys, he returns to 808 State for the track “Pump” from the album Thermo Kings on Warner. The track is planned as a single but does not appear as one.

Dust Junkys

After his solo career stalls, MC Tunes forms Dust Junkys in 1995. The group includes Sam Brox on guitar, Steven “Oj” Oliver Jones on bass guitar, Mykey Wilson on drums, and Ganiyu Pierre Gasper on turntables. The band builds an audience through gigs in the Manchester area and then national touring, combining British hip hop and rock. Signed to Polydor a few years later, they release “What Time Is It?” in 1997, which reaches number 39 in the UK chart.

Discography

His listed releases include The North at Its Heights (1990), “The Only Rhyme That Bites” (1990), “Tunes Splits the Atom” (1990), “Primary Rhyming” (1990), and “Damge By Stereo” on Hacienda in 2015, originally recorded for ZTT in 1991. Dust Junkys release Done and Dusted in 1997 and Done and Dusted Special Edition/Dub and Dusted in 1998.