BAFTA Award winner pays tribute after death of Harrogate musician and 'lovely man'

Grant Kirkhope, who went on to become one of the world’s most successful video game soundtrack composers after playing in Harrogate rock bands in the early 1990s, said he had “never met a more talented musician” than Nick Dunne.

"I really don’t have the words after I heard the tragic news about Nick Dunne passing away,” said BAFTA Award and Ivor Novello Award winning Grant Kirkhope.

"We spent many years playing together in Harrogate and were friends for a lot longer.

"I don’t think I’ve met a more talented musician.”

The passing just before Christmas of Nick Dunne, who taught generations of Harrogate youngsters to play guitar, leaves a giant hole in Harrogate music history which is unlikely to be filled.

The versatile and multi-talented instrumentalist and songwriter could - and did - do everything in music.

The bands he was in from the late 1980s onwards, the venues he played in and the different cultural events his talent shone in tell their own history of Harrogate's artistic life over the last 35 years, even if the version of that life featuring Nick remains unacknowledged outside Harrogate’s own close-knit music scene.

But his peers all knew just how good Nick was and what a nice man he was - sharp but quietly spoken, intelligent but generous, tolerant and liable to break out in a slightly quizzical smile.

As well as being part of Harrogate’s all-original heavy metal band Noussommes, which formed in 1986 and also included Paul Kettley on lead vocals, bassist Gareth McKenzie, drummer Brian Wilson and Grant Kirkhope also on guitar, Nick Dunne was also a key member of much-loved Harrogate glam covers band Roger Scorpio and the Children of Love in the early 1990s as ‘The Flame’, alongside Ashley Reaks (Ruby Toadstool), Martin Billany (Roger Scorpio) and Nige Harrison (Bobby Dazzler).

More than simply a brilliant guitarist, Nick was also an all-round musician, adept, in particular, on keyboards.

Influenced by Frank Zappa, his own dazzling songs blinded everyone with the complexity of their structures and were probably too good for the times we live in.

As well as other Harrogate rock bands including Rest In Power and Blood Simple, Nick scored music soundtracks for a variety of theatre productions.

He was also nifty lounge piano player in top hotels, when the mood took him.

When dealing with this writer in the days of Gig Scene in the Harrogate Advertiser with Chris Wilson, Nick was no push over, critical but tolerant, often directing a sceptical look my way but allowing me the chance to explain myself.

I liked him a lot.

Nick Dunne’s final few months saw him not only still recording but working on a project designed to get both primary and secondary school children interested in writing music for the first time using the GarageBand app.

Called The Sanctuary Stones, it followed his interest in working with neuro-diverse pupils.

Tributes to Nick Dunne

Ian Abbott: "A lovely man. He taught me guitar in the 90s.

"He's been such a patient teacher and contributor to music in Harrogate for several decades and never wavered from his own path of creativity.

Drummer Nige Harrison: “Untouchable talent".

Singer-songwriter Ade Payne: “If I practiced until I was 100 every day, eight hours a day I would never even come close to be able to play as well as the genius that was Nick Dunne. RIP buddy.”

Musician Ashley Reaks: “It’s such shocking and sad news that my long-term friend and musical collaborator Nick Dunne has died.

"Nick was one of the only people I knew who had a similar never-ending compulsion to create, to make something out of anything and everything.

"He was an insanely gifted musician, equally as proficient on guitar, piano and viola.

"His musical brain was so ridiculously knowledgeable and fast.

“RIP Nick - thanks for all the fun times, for the many long, deep conversations and for all the wonderful music.”