Above: with Giorgos Manisalis in 1996.
Apostolos Nikolaidis: Biography Part 4
Although the Greek musical landscape had changed considerably since the 1980s, Apostolos found the general environment much more conducive to recording, performing and promoting his work. He teamed up with Giorgos Manisalis — one of the great composers of elafra songs from the golden age of Greek music — to release "Ti Mou Thimises Tora" on VASIPAP Records in 1996.
Many appearances and live performances on all of the major Greek channels followed, as well as considerable press coverage and a memorable video clip for the title track, "Ti mou thimises tora." Other popular songs included "Na me agapas" and "Ise esi ise esi."
In 1997, hot on the heels of "Ti Mou Thimises Tora", Apostolos released "Na Haro Magia," another collaboration with Manisalis. The title track, "Na haro magia," was another hit for Apostolos, as was "Ta thelo ta thelo." The video clip for "Na haro magia" was played constantly on the Greek TV stations ERT3, Makedonia TV, Vergina TV, Antenna, MEGA and SKY (now Alpha).
With the release of these albums, Apostolos had returned to the contemporary music scene in Greece as a force to be reckoned with. He established himself as an "old school" singing great and a respected international performer who, at the same time, was perfectly comfortable creating and performing in the popular Greek music circuit of the 1990s.
Along with the two new album releases, Apostolos performed in clubs and concerts in Thessaloniki to standing-room only audiences. In countless interviews on TV and on the radio, he promoted his work and answered questions about his past, present and future with a candor and directness that was entirely his. Apostolos also gave special concerts throughout northern Greece, Cyprus and in New York during this time.
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 In 1998, Apostolos recorded and released "Magia mou pou 'me Paoktzis," a 2-track ode to a Thessaloniki soccer team. The songs were met with great enthusiasm from the fans of the team. In April 1999, Apostolos released "Allagi Frouras," a collection of elafra and laika tragoudia with a decidedly contemporary feel. With "Allagi Frouras," Apostolos once again proved he could sing any type of song. Outstanding tracks included the title track, "Allagi frouras," "Ena sakidio" and "Mesa se mia nihta ," Apostolos' modern remake of a classic Manisalis song. In 1999, Apostolos Nikolaidis seemed poised for even further greatness. He was already well-known all over the Greek-speaking world through his classic rebetika albums. He had had a long and successful career in America, a land he loved greatly and was proud to have lived and worked in. After more than 25 collective years away from his native country, he was flourishing in Greece as an established popular recording artist. Apostolos' plans for 1999 and the new millennium included a new, permanent gig at a popular Athens nightclub; much more new material; and a live recording of all of the classic rebetika songs he had become famous for. Unfortunately, Apostolos passed away unexpectedly in April 1999 and was not allowed to realize those goals. But Apostolos Nikolaidis lives on. He lives on through his family; he lives on through his images, interviews, videos and appearances; and he lives on through the moments of joy he brought and brings his multitude of fans with his remarkable voice and extraordinary body of work. Perhaps most importantly, Apostolos Nikolaidis lives on through the indelible mark he made on the world of Greek music. It is a mark that can never be forgotten or erased. |