ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR) – Fuzz from an electric guitar opens one of the last songs released by Aidan McLane. “Daydreem” starts with the musician building up his bass before they dropped into the lyrics “When I die…”
“Music is, I think, a universal language. It says a lot if you listen to it,” contended Jim Thomas, Aiden’s uncle. “Our way as musicians is sometimes the things that are harder to talk about come through.”
On Jan. 19, Aidan died from hypothermia at Aldeen Park in Rockford. Family, friends and fans describe the musician as possessing a heart of punk. They noted Aidan identified as nonbinary but accepted any pronouns.
“They’ve touched a lot of people through music and through just being who they are,” characterized Thomas.
Loved ones considered Aidan McLane the caregiver of Rockford’s punk scene, who couldn’t get the care they needed.(Aidan McLane’s Family)
Nearly a week after Aidan’s death, loved ones assembled in Jeremy McLane’s dining room, transformed into a performance space. Aidan’s dad hangs electric guitars along the wall with drums sitting where a dinner table may typically rest.
There’s a crack in the cymbal: a mark left during Jeremy’s anger the night he learned his son died.
“He was so talented. He’s traveled all over the place,” described the dad. “I haven’t really been able to listen to his music without breaking down.”
Sydney McLane contends her sibling faced a mental health battle exasperated by barriers to insurance — a dilemma family believes played a role in his death.
“It was strange because like, they would be completely fine in the summer… but every winter we were committing Aidan.”
Life in Music
Aidan started their music career at age 5, when they connected an amp to a guitar. By 10, they hit their first stage in Rockford’s then-burgeoning punk scene.
“They helped inject kind of like a life vein of youthfulness into a subculture that’s kind of dying out,” contended John Ping, a family friend — “like an uncle” — of Aidan’s.
The musician played in about eight bands across the area, including Led Zeppelin Reunion Tour, Karate Gossip and Cashgrab Hearttrobs. Joseph Owens formed Vatican Pity with Aidan in their mid-teens.
“I always had to have Aidan do the lyrics for me because he was always way more of a poet than I was,” conceded Joseph. He describes the period as a jungle for young musicians: cigarette smoke filled the entrances to homes, drinks placed in nearly every hand and bands blared upstairs and downstairs.
Aidan’s sound stuck to “fuzz punk,” where lyrics included raw emotions and rage in chorus with distorted instruments nearly overtaking vocals.
“They let you know that they were angry at you. They let you know that they loved you,” detailed John.
Sydney found her listening experience unique.
“Aidan was this big musician, but at the same, I hear my brother and the passion and the feeling and the things that I know that he felt… It’s strange almost, but it’s also really powerful.”
Loved ones sense Aidan’s struggle with mental health scattered across their music. Family noted any attempts to help the musician were rejected, since Aidan didn’t wish to accept money or support from people.
“He was already clean. He had a job… There’s one red flag, and it’s systemic,” Joseph said of the mental health fight.
“Hurts 2 B Human”
Sydney says Aidan earned a job at Rockford University in the last year. After missing open enrollment, she noticed a turn in her sibling’s mood.
“I think it kind of brought them like doom and gloom.” The sister mentioned strolls through forest preserves brought joy to her sibling.
“Aidan loved people, loved animals, loved the outside,” she recounted.
The Winnebago County Coroner’s Office confirms Aidan died from hypothermia at Aldeen Park and awaits further testing.
Sydney and Jeremy mentioned the musician also stopped taking medication leading up to their death. The dad argued health care providers turned away Aidan from receiving any treatment — “he said he got laughed at by the staff.”
“If there was better mental health things around this area… it’s something that could have totally been avoided,” said Jeremy. “I hope this actually really makes a change for mental health.”
Sydney raised Aidan’s predicament as well since working at Rockford University.
“My brother made too much to make state aid, which is fine, but they didn’t make enough to have somewhere to live.”
Family see the musician’s life as a lesson for the health care system.
“Mental health needs to be fixed in this country,” declared the dad. Jim added a lack of health insurance leaves anyone limited with where to seek help.
“A lot of people feel like they don’t have those resources, and the actual resources can be hard for a lot of people to obtain as well,” held the uncle. “There’s a lot of loops to go through, and I just think it’s important to talk to somebody if you’re ever dealing with things like that because we only have one life and Aidan lived their life to the fullest.”
Jeremy maintained Aidan’s death isn’t a suicide nor were they confirmed homeless. He wonders if the musician experienced hypothermia walking home from work to their motel.
“Aidan leaves behind a lot of love,” thought Sydney.
With Jeremy on drums, as well as Jim, Joseph and John on guitars, the group attempts to gather for a jam session. Brief moments of harmony arise, but the mic stand sits empty without Aidan.
“For a while, man, he didn’t feel like anybody liked him anymore. And I wish he could have seen the outcry that’s been going on lately,” said Jeremy.
Sydney feels one lesson from Aidan’s life should be to ask for help in any form possible.
“Even if you are worried about a medical bill and you need help, still go get help because you’re going to have bills regardless, but you might as well be alive while you have them.”
Jeremy plans a memorial show for his son when the weather warms up. Local band Chai Teeth will dedicate a performance to Aidan on February 15 at the Norwegian Lofts; doors open at 5 p.m., the show starts at 6 p.m. and proceeds benefit the McLanes.
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