Fans sought to help create ‘music map’

Sheffield University and the Sensoria festival are asking members of the public to contribute to the website www.uncommonpeople.co.uk, which started life as an online family tree of Sheffield bands from the Artic Monkeys to Human League and now features a band A-Z, a timeline and map of locations and venues.

People are being encouraged to submit footage, photos or memories to help the site become the “definitive guide to the wealth of musical talent in the city”.

Matt Cheeseman, a research fellow in the School of English at the university, recently curated Do It Thissen, an exhibition about Sheffield’s post-punk music scene.

He said: “The buildings and streets of our city have not only inspired some of the most important British music, past and present, they are also the sites where that music was physically made, recorded and played.

“This process is ongoing, and the musical map will enable local residents, visitors and researchers to understand the role of music in shaping the city’s past, present and future.”

Sensoria director Jo Wingate added: “I wanted to create a website that Sheffield people could get actively involved with and add their own stories to – and 
especially one that is animated 
by photos, tickets, flyers and footage that brings the stories to
 life.

“We’re really pleased with the results so far and can’t wait to get cracking on the Sheffield Music Map app, more proof that Sheffield really is a music city.”

The website is intended to go “as far back into the city’s history as possible and also reflect what’s going on today”.

A Sheffield University spokesman said: “No one is too old or too young to let us know their memories of Sheffield’s music.”