A brand-new project, Side by Side, launched at the weekend with the aim of providing a platform and exposure for typically underrepresented communities within music.
The special compilation album has been curated by record label Come Play With Me (CPWM) and is entirely compiled of songs by women and LGBTQIA+ artists in the area. And amongst the artists involved is Manchester-based Tyron Webster.
A graduate from the Leeds College of Music, Tyron has already become an exciting name within the Manchester scene, with performances at Manchester Pride and a headline show at The Castle.
He’s set about using his music and experiences of the industry so far to show why it’s important for projects like Side By Side to exist.
“I wanted to get involved as a black queer artist as I really do understand that importance of representation,” he told Audio.
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“CPWM have always been pioneers of a fair music game and they really do want to rep people so genuinely and not in a tokenistic way which is why I was so keen to get involved as they’ve always shown me love.
“Representation is so, so, so important. It’s good for the young musicians that are woman, people of marginalised gender or part of the LGBTQIA+ community that think the industry isn’t for them.”
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Looking back at his own experiences, Tyron says underrepresented communities such as these are often overlooked and usually have to work that bit harder to be seen and heard. So much so, he’s found himself questioning his own place in the industry in the past because of who he is.
Not wanting others to go through the same, Tyron hopes the project will restore a sense of self-assurance for artists and prove to everyone that they have the right to be there just as much as the next.
Naturally, it’ll unlock opportunities and build a new level of confidence for them to express themselves and have their music heard by the masses.
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Tyron Webster
With a multi-ethnic background, Tyron grew up with all kinds of musical influences. From a young age he was surrounded by all the wonderful Caribbean sounds with the reggae, calypso and ska that were played at family gatherings. Meanwhile, pop, rock and R&B were always at the forefront of his own music tastes.
But without being able to really pin down a moment that he knew music was the career for him, he recalls it just being a part of him for as long as he can remember.
“I used to watch Prince – Purple Rain movie on repeat all day, every day when I was little. Music has always been an escape for me, so I’d sing for family and in school shows,” said Tyron.
“Then I took it seriously from college where I studied it and then when I went to university to do music is where it really became a career. So, I can’t really recall a time where I thought this is it, I’ve always just done music.”
Regardless of his influences, Tyron’s own music is packed with soul and personal experience, making it pretty easy to connect with.
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His track on the Side by Side compilation – ‘Love Ya, Pt. 2’ – is a sequel to ‘Love Ya Pt. 1’ that he wrote with his producer Chris Durkin earlier this year.
Themes of heartbreak, break ups and pain set the tone for both instalments. But overall, Tyron wants the message that ‘love is love’ to come across loud and clear. Because no matter what our sexual orientation, love is the same for us all. This is something absolutely everyone will have in common. So for inspiration, Tyron draws on that common ground to show we’re all human.
“The song is a self-love, self-discovery song,” he said.
“I felt at the time there was so much pressure to be in love and find your ‘soul mate’. I met a guy who on paper was great, amazing and perfect for me, but I knew I had work to do on myself for me to be able to let him in and to be able to genuinely love him.
“I know too many people that will just settle – especially in the gay community due to the pressure from society so I took inspiration from that. All of my songs are written on personal experiences. Part. I is more of an R&B production, while Part. II is a ‘sad boi’ violin stripped back moment to really bring the message and emotion of the song across.”
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Elsewhere on the album there’s a healthy mix of genres, with all kinds of pop, R&B and hip-hop productions making up the 12-track collection. But also on there is Manchester-based The Elephant Trees, whose track ‘Day 42’ is an ode to the repetitiveness of lockdown and the mental health implications that come with it.
To add to the occasion, CPWM have made 500 vinyl copies of the compilation using repurposed wax from the pressing factory that would otherwise be binned. Not only does this make them more eco-friendly, but means each one is completely unique using different colours.
Side by Side is out now where you’ll find Tyron’s track ‘Love Ya, Pt. 2’ at track one. Check it out below and drop Tyron a follow here.
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Music
Oasis, Joy Division and New Order named as 2026 inductees into world-famous Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Emily Sergeant
It’s official – three of Manchester’s most iconic bands are joining history.
That’s because it’s been announced today that both Oasis, and Joy Division/New Order (as one act) are being inducted into the world-famous Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as part of the 2026 cohort, which is not only a huge deal for the bands individually, but also for our city’s music legacy.
It would not be an understatement to say that these past few years have been some of the biggest in Oasis‘ career, given the fact that they played all across the world 2025 on what is one of the biggest reunion tours of all time – including five nostalgia-drenched gigs in Manchester’s Heaton Park last summer.
But despite everything they’ve done over the past three decades, this could still be one of the iconic Manchester band’s greatest achievements.
Announcing Oasis’ induction this week, a statement on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame website reads: “Oasis are one of the most successful and influential acts of all time. Exploding out of the 1990s UK music scene, they reclaimed big, brash, hook-filled rock & roll with their anthemic sound, cool swagger, expertly crafted lyrics, and electrifying live performances – eventually selling over a hundred million records.
“Their songs have become England’s go-to anthems, sung in unison by fans at sporting events and social gatherings and inspiring countless bands.”
The Gallagher brothers reunion last year was also noted by the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as being one of the key reasons for their induction, proving that the band’s influence ‘remains as strong as ever’.
I wanna thank all the people who voted for us it’s a real honour ever since I was a little kid and singing in the shower I’d dream about 1 day being in the RnR hall of fame it’s true what they say anything is possible if you have a dream LG x
It’s not just celebration for Oasis, of course, as two of Manchester’s other most revered bands, Joy Division and New Order, have also been chosen as 2026 inductees into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
A statement on the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame website about Joy Division and New Order’s joint induction reads: “Joy Division and New Order were postpunk pioneers and electronic dance-floor innovators, inspiring thousands of bands and becoming a beacon for millions of listeners.
“Spearheading the late 1970s Manchester music scene, their story is a remarkable tale of revolution, metamorphosis, and influence.
“Their dark and droning transmissions ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’ and ‘Blue Monday’ were foundational to both dance music and alternative rock, and they still resonate deeply with outsiders and adventurous souls.
“They were innovative musicians who created something revolutionary and massively influential – not once, but twice.”
The 2026 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held on 14 November at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles.
Featured Image – Jill Furmanovsky (Publicity Picture)
Music
Morrissey claims sole credit for The Smiths’ iconic Salford Lads’ Club photo shoot idea
Danny Jones
Morrissey is once again raising the issue of credit and disputes over The Smiths’ legacy, as the controversial former frontman has now claimed that their iconic photo shoot outside of Salford Lads’ Club was entirely his idea.
The 66-year-old lead singer turned solo star from Urmston is no stranger to sparking debates and attracting controversy, and it seems his latest is to do with one of the most iconic images in British music history, let alone just Greater Manchester.
The Davyhulme-born bard and divisive artist goes on to claim that the other co-founding members of the iconic Manc band initially viewed as more of his “lunacy” – the suggestion seemingly being (as it often is with Morrissey) that they simply didn’t understand the ‘genius’ at the time.
Many of his most die-hard fans still believe that most don’t and never will.
He even jokes that, in another life, it could very well have been something entirely different and random, such as the Kellogg’s factory in Trafford, basically suggesting that other members would have simply followed suit.
In his words, he argues that “now millions of people come from all over the world to be photographed on that very spot, it is claimed as a Smiths idea. It wasn’t, it isn’t, and it never shall be.”
Once again, this is by no means the first time he’s called into question, ‘who did what’ and/or who owns what bit of intellectual property; in fact, there was apparently another one of these instances with Johnny Marr only recently.
‘Moz’ and Marr have been at loggerheads pretty much ever since the group disbanded back in 1987, and still look to be far away from seeing eye to eye on virtually anything.
Hannah Starkie -
15th June 2021 
