Live and Local with Isle of Wight Radio

It is well known that the Island has a history of great music and bands, whether it is Dancer, The Waltons or Reminder — and of course there’s Level 42 and Thin Lizzy’s Snowy White.

It seems that now we are in lockdown once again that more Isle of Wight musicians and producers are using the time to make music. In fact, 99 Bears are a band who got together because of lockdown and their new album Dances with Demons was written and recorded on the Island last summer. It is an album that talks about mental health from all angles, as John from the band told me: “The track Therapy is a sneer at the underfunding in the NHS and the lack of individual care, it’s a cynical look at what the doctors and nurses are having to deal with.”

There are 13 tracks on Dances with Demons, all with a slightly different musical sound. The production and performance on the album are incredible and if you have a chance listen to the Vaudeville sounding You Gotta Learn to Love Yourself. You can hear more from 99 Bears in my Live and Local Podcast which is available now from your podcast provider.

The diversity in music that is being made on the Island is fascinating. Beth Brookfield is 17 years old and recently released the haunting country track The Journey. Beth explained that she wrote the track when she was 15 years old and has been inspired by bands like The Carpenters through to Taylor Swift’s new album. Beth also gave some tips on how to get into the music industry and it's not just picking the right instrument — networking is the key and with a community of musicians that seems to be unique on the Island it seems there is space for anyone, no matter what the genre or style.

If you have a band or perhaps, you’re a solo artist or a producer and you would like to have your music heard on the Live and Local Podcast then email me an MP3 with a biography and send it to me at [email protected]

Live and Local is sponsored by Strings Bar and Venue.