VALENTINO Tear is a Bermudian who's making a name for himself on the international music scene.

He is currently living in the United Kingdom producing a variety of music that he hopes will inspire people through his production company VIP Productions (Valentino Is Platinum). He will be a featured guest on BBC Radio Merseyside at the end of the month to promote his new album in the hope of obtaining a distribution deal.

He has been away from Bermuda for the last eight years but came home recently for a visit and to promote some of his ongoing projects.

Mr. Tear said: "Since I've been back in Bermuda I've noticed some things. The voice of Bermuda needs to be believed in. It is unique. We have to look out for one another regardless of class. People can't blame others for our problems. Let's not destroy Bermuda with our hate and jealousy. The riots and civil unrest of 1977 are over and we have an opportunity to heal those wounds and rise from the ashes like a Phoenix."

Mr. Tear has been interested in music his whole life. Fostered with the Tear family in Pembroke as a baby, he grew up in a family full of music.

"I grew up in a musical family. When I was a boy my father would sit us down and we would listen to jazz records and learn about all the musicians. My uncle was, and still is, in a Gombey troupe and they have inspired me continually my whole life," he said.

When he was a teenager Mr. Tear attended Northlands Secondary for high school. While there he would have break-dancing competitions which further led to his interest in making music.

Another huge inspiration was the blind Bermudian musician Jean Howes' version of This Land is Your Land, which he attributes to giving him the ultimate inspiration to get going and make his own music.

Mr. Tear grew up on Parsons Road and in 1986 he built his first studio out of his mother Phylis' house where he started to produce his own music as well as help produce some local reggae.

From there he started to deejay and in the early '90s he started Bermuda's first gay night at Showbiz Restaurant. The night was a big success and shortly afterwards he launched Attitudes, Bermuda's first gay night club that he describes as "a fantastic place where gay people could meet, have a drink and have a good time".

In 2000 Mr. Tear went to study at the Toronto Film School and when he started studying audio engineering "I'd finally found my true calling. I was in heaven at school and aced all my classes."

Following that Mr. Tear moved to Liverpool in northen England and started producing music full time. When asked how he would classify his music, Mr. Tear said: "I'm a producer. One day I'm working with reggae artists and the next it can be an Irish folk band, but really I have a passion for house music."

Mr. Tear, a recovering subtance abuser, said it was possible to move on and clean up his life after a good friend helped him by accepting him for who he is.

Mr. Tear explained: "I've been clean for four years now. I want to be an inspiration by virtue of my life. I had a friend, Marvin Robinson, who helped me get out of the drug scene. As a black gay person, to have my black brothers accept and call me brother made me want to clean my life up. It was nice to finally have acceptance. Be proud of who you are.

"My responsibility is to the gay community of Bermuda. Too many people have died in the struggle for acceptance. If you have a passion for something, no matter how afraid you are you just have to go for it."

He is also very critical of Bermuda's role in accepting gays.

"Pushing away the proposed Rosie O'Donnell gay cruise should not have been allowed to happen. The Government is not allowed to chase tourists away, regardless of sexual preference. We have a responsibility to England to follow their laws especially with regard to human rights ¿ and gay rights are human rights. But Bermuda is still living in the Dark Ages in this regard.

"I use my music to promote gay rights for people who don't have them or can't fight for them. My music shields me from some of the hate but it doesn't make me impervious."

Anyone interested in his music may contact him through his facebook, myspace (www.myspace.com/vipinbda) or through his e-mail address vipstudioshotmail.com