808 State

Graham Massey's Manchester dance legends and Acid House pioneers have been described as "masters of their art" (Q), "pioneers" (Future Music), "for sonic trailblazing and inestimable influence, among our most important groups" (Record Collector) and "Godfathers" (Nude), who "sketched the blueprint for British techno as we know it." (Mixmag).

Indisputably one of the most important UK acts of the late 80s and 90s dance music explosion, 808 State’s influence will reverberate in the genre for years to come.

They were that particularly rare beast: an accomplished singles outfit that was also taken very seriously as an albums act.

At the height of the Hacienda and Madchester's popularity between 1989 and 1992, their psychoecstatic, trance-inducing, groove-riding, techno-funkalogical sound produced UK Top 10 hit singles with "Pacific State", "In Yer Face", "The Only Rhyme That Bites" (with MC Tunes), and "Cübik" / "Olympic".

Following the death of Andy Barker in 2021 and the jailing of Darren Partington for drug dealing in 2015, Graham Massey remains the sole member of the iconic act.