Tributes have been paid to beloved Isle of Wight broadcaster, prison administrator and music connoisseur, Brian Saunders.
A sad day for the Island radio fraternity, the 69-year-old died on March 8, surrounded by his family at St Mary’s Hospital.
Since 2014, the former prison administrator-turned-musical-expert had delighted audiences on Vectis Radio with his show celebrating music from the 1960s and 1970s.
Alongside his producer and son, Joe – a guitarist in band Blackfoot Daisy – Brian ran a bespoke show based on his extensive musical taste.
Beginning his musical career in the late 1960s as a DJ for parties and private events on the Island, Brian cultivated a passion for vinyl records which remained with him throughout his life.
His music collection was vast, and in the summer of 1976, during an unprecedented heatwave, Brian was heavily in demand at various Ryde venues.
He would often remark that the soaring temperatures had a negative impact upon the state of his records, and sometimes vinyl records would perish in the extreme heat, yet nothing put paid to his soaring passion for music.
Brian’s musical career simmered down in the early ‘80s when he married his wife, Jean, and had two children, Emily and Joe. Joe showed a flare for music from a young age, and this reignited Brian’s passion.
Brian’s talent as a raconteur, and Joe’s skills in sound design, made for the perfect team.
It helped develop his Vectis Radio shows, which were sometimes made on demand to suit the radio schedule and covered a whole host of music styles from the ’60s and ‘70s, as well as more contemporary tracks.
“Like myself, Joe was born with Cerebral Palsy, which made our paths cross, and it wasn’t long before we became firm friends,” said writer Josh Barry.
“I was lucky enough to witness the care and dedication both Joe and Brian had for their Vectis Radio show.
“This was the first time I had ever considered working with audio recordings, and if it hadn’t been for Brian and Joe, I could have never contemplated a podcast.
“His story may serve as a lesson for all of us with a profound passion for something specific to never give up on our dreams and aspirations.
“If we can hang on to this sentiment, Brian may be gone, but never forgotten.”
House Rules
We do not moderate comments, but we expect readers to adhere to certain rules in the interests of open and accountable debate.
Read the rules here