‘He was beautiful inside and out’: Tributes paid to beloved Sheffield musician who 'shaped alternative music'

Richard Pyne fronted the band Killing Miranda and later, Uberbyte, becoming a widely recognised and influential figure in the alternative music scene.

His partner, Dorian Ibbotson, remembers the first time they met back in February 2022.

They had been drinking in a pub, when Richard walked out wearing sunglasses.

“I asked him, ‘Why have you got them on?’,” she recalled.

“He grinned and said, ‘Cos I’m pretentious.’

“I said, ‘No, you’re not,’ and that became our little back-and-forth.

“He’d say, ‘I’m the God of chaos,’ and I’d say, ‘No, you’re not,’ - that was our bit.”

One of his best friends, Joanna (Joey) Holmes, who had known rich since 2010, recalls a similarly amusing story from their first meeting:

“I was working for a music magazine at the time and I gave his band a bad review because one of the members was rude to me. He begged me to come back for another review, which I eventually did.

“It was that second time I realised how incredibly talented he was, just so musically gifted - one of a kind.”

Joey says that Killing Miranda were “huge” in the ’90s and 2000s, touring all over Europe and America.

Later, the band split when Richard became involved in Uberbyte.

But more recently, Killing Miranda had been ‘rebooted’ and had plans to play in 2026.

“Their Sheffield show at Corporation drew an incredible crowd,” said Joey.

“People were so glad he came back - he helped shape who they were, and the audience loved him for it.”

Dorian added: “Rich was a natural performer, he would light up the stage - especially when people sang his songs back to him.

“That was where he was always truly himself.”

Joey notes that Rich’s influence extended far beyond just showmanship:

“He was so intelligent and his lyrics were meaningful - they spoke about struggles with mental health, life, and the human experience. But he was also funny.

“He brought humour into the alternative scene that didn’t always exist with other artists. Songs like ‘Teenage Vampire’ are a perfect example. He never took himself too seriously, but at the same time, he lifted people up.

His loved ones said he was a kind and caring person who brightened the lives of those around him.

Dorian added: “He was so supportive and selfless, and just beautiful inside and out - I’d always tell him that, even though he wouldn’t believe me.”

“He was also incredibly intelligent, knew history like the back of his hand - it was like having a professor in the house,” she joked.

When he wasn’t immersed in history, Rich loved alternative films, especially the Lord of the Rings franchise.

“He always knew more than me, and it annoyed me endlessly,” said Dorian.

Beyond that, Richard was at the heart of his friendship group, Joey said:

“We have such a beautiful friendship group, and it’s all thanks to him. He was the glue between us, the centre point - he made everyone feel seen.”

“He was incredibly close to his bandmates too, those friends were like brothers to him, and they were such a big part of his life.”

Above all, family was everything to Richard and he adored his daughters, Eva and Frida, and his parents, Pat and Ron.

“He loved them more than anything,” Joey says.

“He took great care of them, just like he took care of all of us in different ways.”

Rich had a way of lifting people’s spirits, which Dorian says had a profound impact on her life.

“I didn’t really enjoy my twenties, but when I met him, it was like I got to go back and experience my twenties the way they should have been,” she said,

“We’d sing, dance, laugh together, and we healed each other. Even mundane things became magical when he was around.”

A GoFundMe has been set up in his memory to contribute towards funeral costs, a memorial, and support for Dorian and Richard’s daughters.

Just days after launching, the fund has already raised £5,000, showing the outpouring of support for the father of two.

Friends are also organising an alternative night at Corporation this Saturday, raising a glass at midnight in his honour.

Joey sums up the feeling shared by everyone who knew him: “He was the centre of our universe, he doesn’t realise how much he mattered, but he changed our lives forever.

“He was a musician, a friend, a father, a partner. The world is a little darker without him, but his music, humour, and spirit will never fade.”