Pauli Rantasalmi
| The Rasmus | |
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From left to right: Rantasalmi, Hakala, Ylönen and Heinonen
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| Background information | |
| Origin | Helsinki, Finland |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 1994–present |
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| Associated acts | |
| Website | www |
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| Past members |
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The Rasmus are a Finnish rock band that formed in 1994 in Helsinki while the band members were still in upper comprehensive school. The original band members were Lauri Ylönen (lead singer/songwriter), Eero Heinonen (bass), Pauli Rantasalmi (guitar) and Jarno Lahti (drums). Jarno Lahti left the year after and was replaced by Janne Heiskanen in 1995. Heiskanen quit the band in 1998 and was soon replaced by Aki Hakala. The Rasmus has sold 4 million albums worldwide, 310,000 copies in their native Finland alone. They have won numerous awards, both domestic and international.
While still in highschool, Lauri Ylönen, Eero Heinonen, Pauli Rantasalmi and Jarno Lahti formed the band "Rasmus". The band played their first gig at their schools pre-Christmas party (23 December 1994). In 1995 Jarno left the band, and was replaced by Janne Heiskanen. In December 1995 they released their debut EP 1st, including the songs "Funky Jam", "Myself", "Frog" and "Rakkauslaulu". In only a few weeks the EP had already sold 1000 copies. The EP was originally released independently through Teja G. Records but was re-released through Warner Music Finland after they signed with them early in 1996. The band also wrote the song "Don't Shut the Door" which would stay unused until it was re-written in 2009 as "October & April" for their compilation album Best of 2001–2009. In 1996 they released their debut album Peep through Warner Music Finland. The album was first released in Finland on 23 September, where it went Gold, and later in Estonia and Russia, and subsequently worldwide. Later in 1996 the band released two more EP's, 2nd and 3rd. Even though labeled as an EP, 3rd went No. 8 on the Finnish Singles Chart later that year. Next year the band won an EMMA (the Finnish equivalent of Grammys) for the best new comer of 1996. Lauri and Pauli decided to quit school to focus fully on Rasmus and on 29 August they released their second album Playboys. It went Gold in Finland, and the single "Blue" also went Gold when it was released in May the same year.
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Wikipedia