Page 10 - January 2021 Issue 1

My name is is Rob Atkins I have worked as as as an an an occasional freelance journalist in in in the the past sung and and played bass in in bands of various genres over the the years and and and ama published songwriter and and and poet I am am the the father of Helena Helena Mace who presents Radiodowntown’s Country Music Show Helena Helena is also a a a a a a a a singer songwriter and musician in in her her own own own right she has four albums to her her her credit (those of you who’ve read the notes on her her her CDs may have spotted that I I wrote three of hertracks) Although I I I was born in London (UK not Ontario) most of of of of my life has been spent on on on the the Isle of of of of Wight a a a a a a a a a a a a small island off the the the south coast of of of of England The Wight has always had a a a a a a a a a a a a a a reputation for being the the haunt of artists writers poets philosophers and mystics Tennyson lived here here as did J B Priestley Swinburne and and and Stacpoole Turner painted here here here Keats and and and and Longfellow holidayed here here and and and and authors thinkers and and and and dreamers diverse as Charles Dickens D D D H Lawrence KarlMarx and and and David Icke cultivated their ideas inspirations and and theories withinthese acres In 1968 the the Island hosted the the first of its three three vanguard rock festivals Dylan broke a a a a a a a a a three three year self-imposed exile to play the 69 event and in August 1970 Hendrix performed his his magnificent swansong here -just weeks before his his untimely death The festivals are now an an an annual feature of It Runs in the Family
By Rob Atkins Island life Various mini-festivals highlightingrock folk jazz and and and blues idioms also occur throughout the summer The Island music scene has always been a a a a a a a vibrant and and multi-genre one Homegrown talent making an an an impact beyond our shores includes fifties balladeer Craig Douglas Mark King singer/bassist with with Level 42 and session guitarist SnowyWhite (who cut his teeth with with local bands before moving on to Thin Lizzy andPink Floyd) In his formative years another local prodigy the the late Anthony Minghella played keyboards in in Island combos These snippets are some of stories I I look forward to to exploring with you -in greater detail- during the months ahead 10