Episode 7: Brian Island - Brian Island (1989)

It is really rare to find an artist and album not signed to any major or small labels that really blows your socks off! The Brian Island solo album released in 1989 is a fantastic album that the labels at the time did not give a serious look. Rounded out by Jerry Adolphe and Brad Steckel - his bandmates from Canadian group - Prototype and produced by Dan Lowe (Boulevard, Pretty Rough, White Wolf) the production side was set. While the labels did not have the money available to take on the group or were not interested at the time; as an independent artist and publisher; Brian Island sold the albums through A&A records and it was a huge success for an independent artist. The ballad; "When You Lose Your Love" was an instant hit staying on the Canadian music charts for 5 consecutive months. Charting on the CANCON charts peaking at #4, the adult Contemporary top 40 chart peaking at #16, and the Top 100 singles chart at #86. For an independent artist he was able to outperform big label products such as the singles for Go West, Wilson Phillips, Celine Dion, Heart, Hall & Oates, Elton John and Michael Bolton in the most part of 1990. With A&A records going bankrupt in December 1990 and still no prospect of any manager or label taking on the project; the solo album hit a dead road by 1991. This is a fantastic release that deserves to be in your AOR rock collection. The music while an original sounding group fits within the mold of The Body Electric, Device, The Brian McDonald Group, and many New Wave sounds at that time. While currently a hard to find album on CD a 2021 remastered version is in the works. 

**Currently Available on AORHeaven**