The Bands

And while plenty wish for nothing more than to continue making music in the island for the love of it, others will begin to wonder whether they want to branch out beyond the shores of the Channel Islands.

It’s a decision Jersey favourites The Valentines and The Author both made when they decided to try and further their musical careers.

And while The Valentines upped drum-sticks and moved to Brighton, The Author remain based in the island but make regular hops across the water to the mainland.

Both bands discussed the advantages and disadvantages with playing in Jersey and the UK.

'So few places to play'

The Author’s singer and guitarist Chris told BBC Jersey Introducing: “It’s really cool we’ve got so many bands over here [Jersey], but unfortunately so few places to play.

“There’s a lot of unity, everyone knows everyone so it makes it a lot easier to get gigs and stuff. Whereas in the UK no one knows anyone and there’s a bit more rivalry."

He added: “Over here it’s pretty cool because you always get all your mates to a gig and it’s quite an event, although the gigs are few and far between in Jersey – in London you can gig every night.”

“It’s nice to play to the home crowd because they know you as people, not just people on the stage."

Jegard said to make it you have to move to the UK

'If you want to get noticed...'

But Chris believes if you want to get noticed by the music industry, you’ve got to go and play in the UK.

“Over here you can’t get noticed by anyone apart from your mates and Mad Mark,” he said.

And The Author know a thing or two about being noticed, as Chris explained:

“We formed just over a year ago and we’ve been pretty lucky and successful so far, we signed to Weekender records, released two singles, we’ve done a couple of tours and supported some pretty cool bands.”

'Wide ranging'

The Valentines, fronted by Jegard, took the decision to move the band to Brighton permanently in an attempt take their musical careers to the next level.

But he described the music scene in Jersey as ‘great’ and ‘alive’, and said he was impressed with the variety of music made here.

“The good thing about the Jersey music scene compared to other music scenes in the UK and stuff is that it’s wide ranging in styles.

“You’ll have a band in Jersey who is all metal, and then you’ll have another band who is completely pop and then you’ll have a band in the middle who will take you by surprise.

“You can go to a gig in Jersey where you’ll have someone playing an accordion and the next band on you’ll see a glockenspiel. It's great.”

'I bet you're not that good'

But like Chris, Jegard advised if you’re searching for fame and fortune then you've got to do it outside of Jersey:

“If you want to make it in a band you’ve got to be in the UK,” he told the BBC.

Jegard has also noticed a difference in the way people react to gigs in the island and other places in England.

“In the UK people are a little bit slightly cool, they stand there with their arms folded and say ‘Go on then impress me, I bet you’re not that good’.

“In Jersey they just go mental,” he concluded.