Returning to one of the better things in life: music. The Guardian Guide – and none of the local press (apart from community news site SalfordOnline) as yet – picked up on a new exhibition that opens on Friday in Salford:

Quiffs, Riffs and Tiffs: The story of popular music in Salford from 1950 to today

This exhibition explores and celebrates the history of popular music in Salford over the past fifty years right up to the present day. A huge number of musicians hail from Salford or have connections with the city. This has not always been recognised and many famous bands, musicians and ’sounds’ have often been attributed to Manchester.

Now Salford musicians, bands, managers, producers, fans and music people recount their personal stories for this exhibition, and show the unique musical character of this city and its influence on the local, national and international music scene.

The exhibition, at the Salford Museum and Art and Gallery, Peel Park Crescent, Little Hulton, includes new research, plus unpublished audio and film footage to ‘follow the story to the Beat scene of the 60s, and the contrast between disco and punk bands in the 70s’. A Music Timeline comes right up to the present day with the likes of the Ting Tings and Sugababes (who played at St Philip’s Church last year).

Some other names to feature include John Cooper Clarke, Nico, the Fall, the Sex Pistols, the Hollies, Happy Mondays and Joy Division. They’ve even got one of Hooky’s basses on display to get the Factory fans salivating.

The exhibition also contains a 3D version of the Salford Music Map, a new fold-out map that the MEN wrote about last month. I’m looking forward to getting my hands on a free copy and taking a long bike ride to check out the main points of interest.

Quiffs, Riffs and Tiffs will launch with a guided tour by author, TV producer and Salford University lecturer David Nolan on Friday afternoon (3.30-4.30pm for the map; 5-6pm for interviews with the research team; 6-9pm for refreshments and live music, including from the Suzuki Method).