Clock (British group)
British Eurodance group known for 1990s cover hits.
Clock were a Manchester-based British group, with Stu Allan and Pete Pritchard as its core producers. The act featured rapper Marcus Thomas, known as ODC MC, and vocalist Lorna Saunders, who performed as Tinka. Their lineup—a female singer paired with a male rapper—was typical of 1990s Eurodance acts. Early on, their sound was harder, comparable to Cappella, but shifted toward dance-pop after they began releasing cover versions. The single "Keep the Fires Burning" was sung by Georgia Lewis instead of Saunders. Thomas left in 1998 to join Tzant and was replaced by Ché-gun Peters. The group scored eight top-40 singles on the UK Singles Chart during the 1990s (including original tracks like 'In the House'), and also issued harder, hardcore versions of their tracks under the alias Visa. Clock disbanded in 1999 due to various personal reasons, as they could no longer sustain their previous pace.
In 2004, Saunders appeared as a celebrity guest on BBC’s *Never Mind the Buzzcocks*, where it was mentioned she worked as a legal secretary. By 2015, she was a lawyer at Jackamans, married with two children. Allan died in September 2022 at age 60 from cancer.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- Manchester, England
- Genre
- Eurodance, electronic, hip house
- Years Active
- 1993–1999
- Label
- Media Records
- Past Members
- Stu Allan / Pete Pritchard / Marcus Thomas / Lorna Saunders / Ché-gun Peters
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Clock were formed in Manchester, England, led by Stu Allan and Pete Pritchard, with Marcus Thomas (ODC MC) as rapper and Lorna Saunders (Tinka) as vocalist. Their earlier work was harder, similar to Cappella, but after they began releasing covers, their sound became more dance/pop oriented. The single 'Keep the Fires Burning' was sung by Georgia Lewis. Thomas left in 1998 to join the band Tzant, replaced by Ché-gun Peters. They also released hardcore versions of their hits under the name Visa. Clock broke up in 1999 due to a number of personal reasons; they were not able to continue at the same pace as they had before.
Reader's Guide
Clock were a British group from Manchester that achieved a string of top 40 hits on the UK Singles Chart during the 1990s, all nine of which were covers. Their sound evolved from harder Eurodance reminiscent of Cappella to a more dance/pop orientation after they started releasing covers. They also issued hardcore versions of their tracks under the alias Visa. The group disbanded in 1999 due to personal reasons. After the group's end, Lorna Saunders appeared on BBC Television's Never Mind the Buzzcocks in 2004, where it was announced she worked as a legal secretary; by 2015 she was a lawyer for Jackamans and married with two children. Stu Allan died in September 2022 at age 60 from gastrointestinal cancer. Clock's legacy lies in their prolific cover output and their place among 1990s UK Eurodance acts.
Origins & Sonic Identity
Clock emerged from Manchester, England, as a British act built around the production duo of Stu Allan and Pete Pritchard. The group's front-and-center presence was shared between rapper Marcus Thomas, who performed under the stage name ODC MC, and vocalist Lorna Saunders, known professionally as Tinka. One notable exception to this pairing was the single "Keep the Fires Burning," which featured Georgia Lewis on lead vocals instead. Visually and structurally, Clock fit squarely into the Eurodance template that dominated late-1990s dance floors: a female singer paired with a male rapper delivering rhythmic verses over a driving beat. Their earliest material leaned toward a harder, more aggressive register, drawing comparisons to the Italian group Cappella. However, as the project pivoted toward covering existing pop and dance tracks, the overall texture softened considerably, shifting into a more accessible dance-pop territory that broadened their commercial appeal.
Chart Dominance & the Cover Machine
Throughout the 1990s, Clock established themselves as one of the UK's most reliable hit-makers, amassing a remarkable string of nine top-40 entries on the UK Singles Chart. The bulk of this success came from their cover versions of existing songs, which they reworked into high-energy dance arrangements that resonated with club audiences and mainstream radio listeners alike. The group's output was remarkably prolific, and to satisfy fans who craved even more intensity, they also issued hardcore remixes of their biggest tracks under the alias Visa. This dual approach—polished dance-pop singles paired with harder-edged alternative versions—gave Clock a distinctive footprint in the British dance scene. The sheer volume of releases and the relentless pace at which the team operated became both their greatest strength and, ultimately, a source of strain that would contribute to the project's eventual dissolution.
Lineup Shifts & the 1999 Split
Clock's run came to an end in 1999, when the group disbanded for a combination of personal reasons that made it impossible to sustain the grueling pace of releases they had maintained throughout the decade. The breakup was not a sudden collapse but rather the culmination of mounting pressures. Even before the final split, the lineup had already undergone a significant change: in 1998, rapper Marcus Thomas departed the project to join the band Tzant, and his role as ODC MC was taken over by Ché-gun Peters. This transition marked a shift in the group's vocal dynamic and creative direction. By the time 1999 arrived, the collective energy that had driven nine charting singles simply could not be replicated. The members acknowledged that they were no longer able to operate at the same intensity, and rather than force a continuation that would dilute their work, they chose to part ways. The decision, while bittersweet, reflected a mutual recognition that the project had reached a natural endpoint.
Life After the Spotlight
In the years following Clock's dissolution, the members largely stepped away from the music industry and built new lives. Lorna Saunders made a memorable television appearance in 2004, competing in the celebrity line-up of BBC's Never Mind the Buzzcocks, where she revealed she was working as a legal secretary. By 2015, her career had progressed further: she was practicing as a lawyer at the firm Jackamans, and she had settled into family life, married with two children. Her trajectory from Eurodance vocalist to qualified legal professional became a point of gentle fascination for fans who remembered her as Tinka. The group's story, however, was not without sorrow. In September 2022, founding member and producer Stu Allan passed away at the age of sixty, his death attributed to gastrointestinal cancer. His loss marked a poignant final chapter for a project that had defined a brief but vivid slice of British dance music in the 1990s.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Clock (British group)?
Clock was a Manchester-based Eurodance act from the 1990s, built around producers Stu Allan and Pete Pritchard. The group paired a female vocalist with a male rapper in the style typical of that era's dance-pop scene.
What are Clock's most notable chart achievements?
The group scored eight top-40 entries on the UK Singles Chart across both original material and cover versions. Their peak popularity came during the mid-to-late 1990s when they leaned heavily into dance-pop covers.
Who performed in Clock?
The original lineup featured rapper Marcus Thomas (credited as ODC MC) alongside vocalist Lorna Saunders, who performed under the name Tinka. After Thomas departed in 1998 to join Tzant, Ché-gun Peters took over the rap role.
How did Clock's music style change over time?
Early releases had a harder, more aggressive sound in the vein of Cappella. The group gradually softened into a more accessible dance-pop approach once they began putting out cover versions.
Who sang "Keep the Fires Burning" for Clock?
That particular single featured Georgia Lewis on vocals rather than the group's usual singer Lorna Saunders. It stands out as a notable exception in the group's otherwise consistent lineup.
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