Helsinki, Finland (1994 – present)
The Rasmus is a rock band formed in 1994 in Helsinki, Finland. Consisting of Lauri Ylönen (lead singer/songwriter), Eero Heinonen (
bass), Pauli Rantasalmi (
guitar) and Aki Hakala (drums). The band was formed at the end of the band members’ schooling and were initially known as Rasmus. They recorded their first
single, 1st, released independently through Teja Kotilainen Records in late 1995. They signed with Warner Music Finland in 1996 and released their first album,
Peep, that same year. The album went gold in Finland.
The
band won the Finnish Grammy Award
EMMA for “Best New Artist” in 1996. Playboys, the band’s second studio album, and its
single Blue, released in 1997, both went gold in Finland. Hellofatester was released in 1998, spawning singles Liquid and Swimming With the Kids. The video for Liquid received regular airplay on Nordic
MTV.
Rasmus became The Rasmus in 2000 to avoid confusion with the similarly named Swedish electronica artist, known simply as Rasmus. Into was released in 2001 and went double platinum in Finland debuting at #1. The first
single F-F-F-Falling was #1 in Finland during three months in early 2001. The second
single Chill reached the #2 place in Finland. The Rasmus toured Scandinavia and Europe along with HIM and Roxette that year to promote the album. The band finally gained international fame with their 2003 album Dead Letters which went gold and platinum in several countries, accompanied with the
single In the Shadows which reached #1 in a number of countries. iTunes Music Store offered the
track as one of its
free singles, a positive public response prompted many listeners to buy the rest of the album.
The Rasmus song list includes, but is not limited to:
Livin in A World Without You
Jutify
No Fear
Funeral Song
Firts Lady Of My Life
Guilty
Ect.
