Aldo Nova has finished a Rock Opera that took him 8 years, Mastered & Mixed ready to go
Jimmy Kay from Canada's The Metal Voice (https://www.facebook.com/themetalvoice) Spoke To Canadian solo Artist Aldo Nova about his new Album 2.0 coming out on October 19 2018 via Megaforce, his upcoming Tour and his Rock Opera that he has been working on for the past 8 years.
When asked about his new Album 2.0 a re-recording of his classic songs
"It happened casually it wasn't planned, on April 1 2017 was the 35 anniversary of my debut album and usually when there are landmark albums like that record companies and bands what they do is remaster, repackage those albums. So I knew that Sony would want to remaster. So I thought to myself what can I do that would be really special for the anniversary, something special for me, my fans and something that would get new fans. Then I got the idea why don't I redo everything from scratch and turbo charge the songs while keeping the innocence of the songs that I had when I was 22 years old and add the 35-36 years of experience that I have now. If I can do Fantasy and get it to be exciting at the point where it excites me I will keep going otherwise I will drop this whole concept. I wanted 2.0 to sound like you were coming to see me at a live concert, that's why there are extended solos, there is breaks, time changes and key changes. It's a guitar oriented album. I also wanted 2.0 to have a more timeless sound to the album and today a mix of both worlds. I really worked hard on the arrangements to be exciting to me. Plus I added a new song called 'I am a survivor' and people have been telling me it's a standout track. "
When asked about how his debut album was the template and blueprint of the 80's sound
"Many bands copied that formula. I think I was the template for a lot of bands that followed"
When asked about the ups and downs after the success of his albums in the 80's
"I got shafted financially so much back then and I am feeling it today more than ever, when I go back and look at all these old contracts. The first album, I had my dreams come true to be a successful musician. I got to play with Cheap Trick, Blue Oyster Cult, Sammy Hagar, there really was no down side, even with my second album there was no down side. The down side really started to get bad on my third album Twitch, that is when the record company really got involved and that's when I really started to hate music and hate the whole business. The contracts were really unfair I had a manager that was extremely crooked when it came time to buy a house in New York after my first album sold a couple of millions of albums I couldn't. Nothing really expensive ($200,000) and I went to the accountant and they told me I don't have enough money and I said what do you mean I sold a couple of million albums, I toured the world. he said your manager put all your money into your tour. :
When asked about his contribution to Bon Jovi's debut album
"Jon Bon Jovi's cousin Tony Bongiovi mixed my first album at the Power Station in New York and I got to know Jon at the coffee machine andi invited him to hear my songs. So when it came time for Jon to do the demo of the song Runaway and others his cousin called me up and I was more than glad to come and do it, Jon and Tony were my friends. I went into the studio and it was me on guitar, I did all the background vocals with others and I played keyboards on a lot of tracks on that album too. I was pretty involved with the debut album especially from the initial track Runaway. That track basically got them the record deal they got so much airplay from it , it did really well."
When asked about him losing confidence in his voice in the late 80's
"I lost confidence in my voice many times because I was in such a bad marriage, I stayed in it too long. It's kind of hard being told you have a bad voice and after a while you start believing it. Also there was a physical side why I could not sing. Your mind is a powerful thing. I think at that point of time I convinced myself I could not sing but it came back naturally. "
When asked if he will be releasing a new album with new material
"From February 2008 to 2016 I have been working on a Rock Opera called Space and I have been working on it non stop night and day for 8 years. I kept writing song after song. Now I have a 32 song rock opera ready to go. It's mixed it's mastered and it's played on by the best players. It's style classical, heavy rock , my voice changes in almost every song to suit the characters."
When asked if he will be touring
"I will be touring the most extensively as possible, the band is set and I am in shape."
Nova initially gained fame with his self-titled debut album Aldo Nova in 1982 which climbed to Billboard's number 8 position, and its accompanying single, "Fantasy", which climbed to number 23 on the Billboard Hot 100.
The debut album reached number 8 on the Billboard 200 and was certified Gold by the RIAA on May 14, 1982, Platinum on February 14, 1989, and Double Platinum on December 5, 1994
Nova provided guitar, keys and background vocals for the demo of BON JOVI's first hit, "Runaway", and ended up playing with an assemblage of session musicians throughout BON JOVI's 1984 self-titled debut.
01. Fantasy 2.0
02. Ball and Chain 2.0
03. Heart to Heart 2.0
04. It's Too Late 2.0
05. Can't Stop Lovin' You 2.0
06. Foolin' Yourself 2.0
07. I'm a Survivor
Influential Rock Pioneer Drops from the Spotlight, Produces Celine Dion,
Returns 30 Years Later on His Own Terms with New Album 2.0 (October 19 / Megaforce), Featuring Re-recordings of His Biggest Hits
“I was like a ghost. I would always be there in the background, but I was never there in the foreground. I let the artists do that. And that was a plan.” - Aldo
A fit, handsome twentysomething in a leopard-print bodysuit exits a helicopter and is followed by armed guards toward some kind of warehouse. Entry is gained via a magical Gibson Les Paul, which, naturally, the young hero uses to fire laser beams at the door. Inside, he meets his band onstage and performs “Fantasy,” among the earliest staples on MTV, and one of the best and most perfect singles in rock history—a flawless balance of pop-metal craftsmanship, studio ingenuity and hard-earned musicianship, flaunting killer guitar leads and trailblazing synth parts.
“I don’t know what possessed me to wear a stripper’s leopard-print outfit,” Aldo Nova says today, chuckling. A remarkable record from start to finish, Also Nova can be understood in rock history as both an icon of its era and a profound but still unsung influence on things to come.
On October 19, the guitarist, vocalist, keyboardist, songwriter and producer will release his first new album release in over three decades. Titled 2.0 (Megaforce), it’s a collection of supercharged reinventions of six classic songs off his self-titled smash debut, plus one new original, “I’m a Survivor,” initially written for Foreigner singer Lou Gramm.
2.0 stands as a testament to the extraordinary integrity and continuing imagination of an uncompromising artist who would only make his comeback on his terms. “I thought, ‘I’m gonna become visible again when I have something to say, and when I have something that’s good enough that I can present it to my fans,’” Nova says. “Because that’s always been my priority.”
The idea for 2.0 was set in motion in late 2016. “When I turned 60, I told myself I was going to turn the page,” Nova says. “I realized I had to shut the book and write a completely new book.” He wanted to celebrate his debut’s 35th anniversary in some fashion, but rather than simply remaster and reissue the album, he thought to “bring the songs into the 22nd century.” He was sober, calm, confident, full of faith and in the best shape of his life. As it turned out, the angst, ego and hunger of his younger days were overrated.
A Montreal native, Nova was approached by a 15-year-old Celine Dion to producer her first album, and released Blood on the Bricks on Jon Bon Jovi’s Jambco label in 1991. It stood as the culmination of a long-running friendship and, as any knowledgeable rock fan might argue, a thank-you note of sorts: the rock superstar lifting up the personal hero whose sound provided the blueprint for his own hits.
Nova provided guitar, keys and background vocals for the demo of Bon Jovi’s first hit, “Runaway,” and ended up playing with an assemblage of session musicians throughout Bon Jovi’s 1984 self-titled debut. Nova’s imprint is also all over Jon Bon Jovi’s debut solo album, Blaze of Glory—especially the chart-topping title track, on which Nova’s writing and producing went uncredited but were absolutely essential.
Blood on the Bricks was released alongside “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” and the landscape changed completely. “Nirvana was amazing,” he says. “Just the way Kurt Cobain could rip his own soul out when he sang.”
Over the next three decades, Nova’s journey would take him through great professional highs and painful personal lows, and eventually into self-discovery and spiritual contentment. He decided again to focus on his roles as a writer, producer and session musician, capitalizing on the goodwill he’d generated in the industry to put food on the table for his family.
During the ’90s and 2000s, in addition to tracks for popular foreign-language artists, Nova collaborated with Jon Bon Jovi, Faith Hill and Clay Aiken (he co-wrote his hit “This Is the Night”), and did hugely successful work with Celine Dion. In 1997, Nova won a Grammy for Dion’s blockbuster album Falling Into You—“It’s a paperweight,” he laughs; “what I do today is what counts”—and co-produced/co-wrote later Dion singles like the global smash “A New Day Has Come” and “You and I,” the latter chosen as Hillary Clinton’s campaign song in 2008.
Canadian music-industry bigwig Paola Simonetto became the love of Nova’s life, as well as his advocate and catalyst. Simonetto continues to inspire and support Nova, though not from this earthly plane. “During the time that I was working on 2.0, my wife was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer,” he explains. “I managed to finish the album right before she passed away on Christmas Day. I still was able to take care of every doctor’s appointment, every chemo treatment. I was cooking and cleaning and at night I worked on my album.
“She always had very good ears. She gave me a lot of pointers on what to do with the music and what not to do,” he continues. “She was a big part of why 2.0 sounds as good as it does.”
“With 2.0, my goal has already been achieved, as far as I’m concerned,” Nova says. “I wanted to beat the 1.0 to death. The second thing is to reintroduce my music to the old fans, and play to a new generation of fans who just developed an interest. I don’t think that young generation has heard music like this ever before. I’m on top of my game now. I’m ready for it.”
News!!! Fantasy 2.0 the single goes to radio on 08/20/2018 The song will be available on all the major digital platforms such as ITunes, Amazon, Spotify, Google Play etc on 08/24/2018 and preorders for the entire album Aldo Nova 2.0 also start on 08/24/2018. Request the song on all your radio stations and when the album comes out do yourself a favour and buy a CD copy because the artwork is stunning!
