Origin: Mannheim, Baden-Wuerttemberg (Germany)

AIDEAN

Angelo Vilardo - Markus Neutard - Klaus Neskudla - Steve Lydakis - Peter Nardo - Michael Gudjan

Aidean albums:

	Promises - 1988 (with lyrics)
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Notes about Aidean:

 Text in English

- The melodic hard rock band Aidean was founded in Mannheim, Baden-Württemberg, in 1980 [1, 2]. In July 1985 the group recorded five songs at Klangstudio Leyh in Sandhausen for a demo cassette titled *Rocks You Up!* [1, 3]. Frank Heukemes sang lead vocals on the tape, with Michael Gudjan and Peter Nardo on guitars, Markus Neutard on bass and synthesizer and Klaus Neskudla on drums, the four instrumentalists also singing backing vocals [3]. Steve Lydakis later replaced Heukemes, and after keyboard player Angelo Vilardo joined, Aidean signed with the independent label Run Records in 1987 [1, 2].

*Promises*, the band's only album, was recorded at Klangstudio Leyh between July 1987 and March 1988, produced by Winnie Leyh for Band & Scheibe, the Mannheim company that handled Run Records' promotion [4]. Reginald Stadler was the recording engineer, and Leyh mixed the album with Gudjan and Neskudla as assistants [4]. Lydakis sang lead vocals, Gudjan and Nardo played guitars and shared the solos, Neutard played bass, Neskudla drums and Vilardo keyboards, and all but Lydakis and Vilardo sang backing vocals [4]. Every song is credited to Michael Gudjan and Aidean, with MKW-Musik Ed. as music publisher; Peter Nardo was also credited with the illustration and cover, the band was managed by Ralf Padberg, and Heukemes appears among those thanked on the inner sleeve [4].

Run Records released *Promises* on LP in 1988 [2, 5]. Its ten tracks include the title song, "Tokyo (Light Stopped Shining On)", "Fell In Love Again" and "Children Of The Night", and the second side closes with the "Aidean Medley" [4]. The label also issued a 7-inch single (A 0203) with "Livin' Lovin' Losin'" on the A-side and "Tokyo (Light Stopped Shining On)" on the B-side [6]. A CD edition followed in January 1989 (A 0210), distributed by Aris-Ariola [7].

On March 14, 1989, Band & Scheibe presented Aidean as the hard rock "Senkrechtstarter" (rising star) of 1988/89 in a letter to the Mainz-based Rhineland-Palatinate music department of the public broadcaster Südwestfunk (SWF) [8]. The letter enclosed "Livin' Lovin' Losin'", described as the band's current single, recommended the album's ballad "Fell In Love Again" for airplay, and offered tickets, posters and copies of the CD for listener giveaways [8]. It also announced a concert at the Alte Feuerwache in Mannheim on March 23, 1989, billed as a warm-up for a German tour that year, with the Hagen band Sign as support act [8].

Aidean released no second album and disappeared from the scene soon after *Promises* [1, 2]. Peter Nardo later worked part-time as a journalist [2].

In 2000 the German label Break Out Classics reissued *Promises* on CD in a digipak (20436), remastered at Klangstudio Leyh by Markus Born, with Winnie Leyh and Mike Möller as reissue producers and liner notes by Klaus Neskudla [2, 9]. The reissue added demo versions of "Nighttime", "Children Of The Night" and "Rocks You Up" recorded in 1987 [9, 10]. In 2019 Fata Morgana Recordings released the five songs of the 1985 demo on CD under the title *Rocks You Up!* [11]. -

Notas sobre Aidean:

 Texto en Español

- El grupo de hard rock melódico Aidean se fundó en Mannheim (Baden-Wurtemberg) en 1980 [1, 2]. En julio de 1985 grabó cinco canciones en el Klangstudio Leyh de Sandhausen para una maqueta en casete titulada *Rocks You Up!* [1, 3]. En la maqueta cantaba Frank Heukemes, con Michael Gudjan y Peter Nardo a las guitarras, Markus Neutard al bajo y al sintetizador y Klaus Neskudla a la batería; los cuatro instrumentistas hacían también los coros [3]. Steve Lydakis sustituyó más tarde a Heukemes y, tras la incorporación del teclista Angelo Vilardo, Aidean firmó en 1987 con el sello independiente Run Records [1, 2].

*Promises*, el único álbum del grupo, se grabó en el Klangstudio Leyh entre julio de 1987 y marzo de 1988, con producción de Winnie Leyh para Band & Scheibe, la empresa de Mannheim que se ocupaba de la promoción de Run Records [4]. Reginald Stadler fue el ingeniero de grabación, y Leyh mezcló el disco con Gudjan y Neskudla como ayudantes [4]. Lydakis era la voz solista; Gudjan y Nardo se repartían las guitarras y los solos, Neutard tocaba el bajo, Neskudla la batería y Vilardo los teclados, y todos salvo Lydakis y Vilardo hacían coros [4]. Todas las canciones están firmadas por Michael Gudjan y Aidean, con MKW-Musik Ed. como editorial musical; la ilustración y la portada se acreditan también a Peter Nardo, el mánager del grupo era Ralf Padberg y Heukemes aparece entre los agradecimientos de la portadilla interior [4].

Run Records publicó *Promises* en LP en 1988 [2, 5]. Entre sus diez temas figuran la canción titular, «Tokyo (Light Stopped Shining On)», «Fell In Love Again» y «Children Of The Night», y la segunda cara se cierra con «Aidean Medley» [4]. El sello editó además un sencillo de siete pulgadas (A 0203) con «Livin' Lovin' Losin'» en la cara A y «Tokyo (Light Stopped Shining On)» en la cara B [6]. La edición en CD llegó en enero de 1989 (A 0210), con distribución de Aris-Ariola [7].

El 14 de marzo de 1989, Band & Scheibe presentó a Aidean como la revelación («Senkrechtstarter») del hard rock de 1988/89 en una carta dirigida a la redacción musical que la emisora pública Südwestfunk (SWF) tenía en Maguncia para Renania-Palatinado [8]. La carta adjuntaba «Livin' Lovin' Losin'», descrito como el sencillo del momento, recomendaba para la radio la balada del álbum «Fell In Love Again» y ofrecía entradas, pósteres y ejemplares del CD para sortearlos entre los oyentes [8]. También anunciaba un concierto en la Alte Feuerwache de Mannheim el 23 de marzo de 1989, presentado como anticipo de una gira por Alemania ese mismo año, con el grupo de Hagen Sign como telonero [8].

Aidean no llegó a publicar un segundo álbum y desapareció de la escena poco después de *Promises* [1, 2]. Peter Nardo trabajó más tarde como periodista a tiempo parcial [2].

En 2000, el sello alemán Break Out Classics reeditó *Promises* en un CD digipak (20436) remasterizado en el Klangstudio Leyh por Markus Born, con Winnie Leyh y Mike Möller como productores de la reedición y notas del libreto a cargo de Klaus Neskudla [2, 9]. La reedición añadía las versiones en maqueta de «Nighttime», «Children Of The Night» y «Rocks You Up» grabadas en 1987 [9, 10]. En 2019, Fata Morgana Recordings publicó en CD las cinco canciones de la maqueta de 1985 con el título *Rocks You Up!* [11]. -

Sources/Fuentes

[1] "Aidean." *The Heavy Metal Mania: The German Hard Rock and Heavy Metal Guide*. The Corroseum. https://thecorroseum.org/features/germanmetal/index.php?char=A

[2] "Aidean." *Metallian*. https://metallian.com/aidean.php

[3] Aidean – *Rocks You Up!* Demo cassette, self-released, Germany, 1985. *Discogs*, release 16717734. https://www.discogs.com/release/16717734-Aidean-Rocks-You-Up

[4] Aidean. *Promises*. LP, Run Records, Germany, 1988. Back-cover credits (831023-928) and printed inner sleeve with credits and lyrics (831023-8). Physical source.

[5] Aidean – *Promises*. LP, Run Records, Germany, 1988. *Discogs*, release 3740450. https://www.discogs.com/release/3740450-Aidean-Promises

[6] Aidean. "Livin' Lovin' Losin'" / "Tokyo (Light Stopped Shining On)". 7-inch single, Run Records A 0203, Germany. Back-sleeve credits. Physical source.

[7] Aidean. *Promises*. CD, Run Records A 0210, Germany, January 1989. Booklet and back-inlay credits. Physical source.

[8] Band & Scheibe (Roland Wolf GmbH), Mannheim. Letter to the music department of Südwestfunk (SWF) Rheinland-Pfalz, Mainz, dated March 14, 1989, announcing Aidean's concert at the Alte Feuerwache, Mannheim, on March 23, 1989. Physical source.

[9] Aidean – *Promises*. CD reissue, remastered, digipak, Break Out Classics 20436, Germany, 2000. *Discogs*, release 2405691. https://www.discogs.com/release/2405691-Aidean-Promises

[10] "Aidean – Promises." *Heavy Harmonies* (track list of the 2000 Break Out Classics CD). https://heavyharmonies.com/cgi-bin/glamcd.cgi?BandNum=1412&CDName=Promises

[11] Aidean – *Rocks You Up!* CD, Fata Morgana Recordings 01452, Germany, June 10, 2019. *Discogs*, release 15956107. https://www.discogs.com/release/15956107-Aidean-Rocks-You-Up