As we gathered into Manchester’s chilly Factory 251 venue, a certain vibe cut through the cold. Listening to the tracks Happy Monday’s DJ Vince Vega was dropping behind the decks, one by one the crowd realised that this evening was going to be a genre bending, generation crossing evening of seriously high quality music. The tone was beautifully set, with Old School rap weaving in and out of Motown and a few indie classics – a celebration of all that is good was about to take place, something from a different time becoming current.
Clint Boon took the stage to introduce Nicky Lockett aka MC Tunes, a Mancunian rapper who made his name in the late 80’s/early 90’s with his own music and on the tracks of 808 State. Boon conducted a brief interview while artist Jay Smith merrily fumed up the crowd spraying canvas behind creating the cover for ‘Damage By Stereo’, the lost album at the centre of tonights event.
In between a few interruptions from Tunes’ pal ‘Ah Kelly’ (who seemed determined to give Boon a wee lap dance), the story of the album currently being tagged as ’23 Years Late’ transpired. Having been signed to ZTT Records, Tunes undertook the task of recording his 2nd album with acclaimed producer Trevor Horn (‘a speccy twat’ who seemed to be ‘sucking off Seal’, apparently) in 1991. Following a fall out with label, Tunes bought his master tapes and left, plonking them in his kitchen only for them to be excitedly discovered by his mate a couple of decades later. So here we had scientist and tape baker Andy Popplewell on stage, ready to carefully play the master tapes for the first time publicly.
The tracks peppered the interview; we heard the new tracks in their original state, then the backing track was played again for Tunes to rap over. This was because, as he said ‘I’m not a twat and I don’t want to play lyrics that are dated… I always thought I’d go back in and do the vocals’. I adored this part of the process. The initial songs sound both fresh and familiar, but with Tunes’ excellent live rhyming skills over the top the music started popping with colour and vitality, with tracks such as ‘Tunes’ Blues’ being ones to look forward to.
As a personality, MC Tunes is straight talking, funny and smart. He understands the hype and bullshit around the time he was working in, coming out with gems like ‘My first track was called ‘Back To Attack’, but I hadn’t been anywhere, I mean where was I coming from? Me Mams house?!’. In between the anecdotes, he relays his musical knowledge and influences with heaps of self belief that are actually really appealing on this man. He describes ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues’ as one of the first popular rap songs aswel as one of his favourites, and confidently asserts himself as “the first white rapper to rhyme on house music” – which is probably very true.
Hearing an artist speak with such fresh honesty is practically unheard of in the world of choreographed hip hop in which we live. MC Tunes both on and off the mike is a double entendre of harshly blunt and silky smooth. His basey purr has aged well, his voice sounding more controlled and honed to technique. The tracks he’s playing are excellent, they sound so throwback yet so very very fresh – I mean seriously, they just do NOT make them like that anymore. Funky undertones of base, a hard rhythm and Tunes’ honey-like vocals flowing through, it’s the music that makes you instantly want to have a party, a really big one. The evening was being filmed as part of an upcoming documentary on the rapper, which I personally cannot wait to wrap my oculars around, and the album itself was tentatively said to be out later this year. It’s gonna be a good one.
Keep your eyes on MC Tunes, he could just be the missing link in music and a bridge between old and new sensibilities.
Kate Tittley
@LeTitts
Kate Tittley
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