Island, Brian (Brian Cowieson)

Websites:  https://brianisland.com/
Origin: West Lothian, Scotland - Winnipeg, Manitoba
Biography:

I was born in West Lothian Scotland. I was an only child when my parents decided to immigrate to Canada. We landed in Quebec headed west by train and settled in Winnipeg Canada . I would not realize till I was much older that this city was one of the hubs of music in Canada and was the home to many of my musical peers such as Randy Bachman, Neil Young and others that had their start in the city. It was a struggle as a young boy with a strange accent in a new country, and because of this I turned to music and a guitar that was given to me for Christmas as a way to pass my time at home alone. In High School after several years of teaching myself guitar, learning and writing songs did I take the leap and decide to start playing out. It started with small gigs, coffee houses, school dances and eventually the local folk circuit.

I traveled as a solo act playing folk music until I met up with Robert Bartlett and Graham Jones. We formed the Winnipeg based band Bootleg, playing bars and eventually releasing a single “Queen of Hearts". From there I played and sang with several other bands such as Prototype releasing top 40 songs "Video Kids", "Sorry" and the band IO. After several years playing and working as a studio vocal arranger and bass player I released my self titled solo Album in 1989.

Now many years later after a long departure from the spotlight I am releasing “Looking Back”. A few of the tracks on this album are songs that were written in the 70s that were never recorded. I felt they needed their time to shine along with newer songs that have been written over the last few months. These songs are a retrospective of my music career from the early years to current day.

I hope you enjoy the music just as much as I enjoyed creating it.
-Brian

Brian Island is a Canadian bass player and vocalist. Island was part of the Canadian AOR / synthpop band Prototype which released an album in 1983 and had a hit with the song Video Kids. Brian was born in West Lothian Scotland and when he was a child moved to Winnipeg Manitoba Canada. In High School after several years of teaching himself guitar, learning and writing songs did he take the leap and decide to start playing out. He traveled as a solo act playing folk music until he met up with Robert Bartlett and Graham Jones. They formed the Winnipeg based band Bootleg, playing bars and eventually releasing a single “Queen of Hearts". From there he played and sang with several other bands such as Prototype releasing top 40 songs "Video Kids", "Sorry" and the band IO. After several years playing and working as a studio vocal arranger and bass player he released a self titled solo Album in 1989.

Brian Island: vocals, bass, backing vocals
Brad Steckel: guitar, backing vocals
Brent Saks: guitar
Amin Bhatia: keyboards
Ted Alexander: keyboards
Jerry Adolphe: drums
Dan Lowe: guitar

Backup Vocals:
Martha Cobb
Debbie Hughes
Georgina Skebo
Deanna Dubbin