Formed in Toronto in 1970, Island was centred around frontman Alex Machin and guitarist Paul Naumann, after he'd left Leather. They added Ed Clemens on bass and drummer Kim Hunt, and soon became fixtures on the local 'b' circuit bars.

By the spring of 1971 they'd moved up the ladder, and were also writing their own material and slipping it in to their live sets. They were noticed by manager Don Harding who agreed to work them, and soon the band was playing throughout southern Ontario, with a few Stateside dates as well.

But while Harding shopped around for a recording deal, the band drifted apart and the nucleus of Alex Machin and Paul Naumann formed Foot In Cold Water, releasing over a dozen gold singles, including the #1 hit in 1974, "Make Me Do Anything You Want".

Naumann passed away on October 20, 2009. Ed Clemens meanwhile got out of the business all together. Kim Hunt went on to play with a few bands, including Bond, Hanover Fist, Zon, Urgent, and Moxy, and would also become one of Toronto's top session drummers.