Ville Valo
| Ville Valo | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Ville Hermanni Valo |
| Also known as | Don Vittu,[1] Valo, Rakohammas |
| Born | 22 November 1976 Helsinki, Finland |
| Origin | Finland |
| Genres | Love metal Alternative rock |
| Occupations | Musician, Songwriter, Singer, Guitarist, Bassist, Drummer, Pianist |
| Instruments | Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Piano |
| Years active | 1991 - Present |
| Labels | Warner Brothers, Sire Records, Warner Music Group, Helsinki Music Company |
| Associated acts | HIM Daniel Lioneye The 69 Eyes Cradle of Filth |
| Website | Official website |
Ville Hermanni Valo (born November 22, 1976) is a Finnish singer, songwriter and frontman of the Finnish rock band HIM. Valo was also the drummer for the Daniel Lioneye project. Valo has a baritone vocal range. He has received the "Golden God" award in 2004 by the heavy metal magazine Metal Hammer.[2]
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Early life
Ville Hermanni Valo was born in a district of Helsinki, called Vallila. His father, Kari, is Finnish and his mother, Anita, is of Hungarian descent.[3] Soon after his birth, the family moved to the riverside community of Oulunkylä where they lived throughout his teenage years. In 1984 his younger brother and only sibling Jesse, a professional Thai boxer (left 'Iconcrash' in 2008), was born.[4] In his late teens, he worked at his father's sex shop[5] and later moved out on his own when he was 18. As a child, Valo was exposed to the songs of popular Finnish performers such as Tapio Rautavaara and Rauli Badding Somerjoki. In various interviews he has listed as his influences bands like: Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Depeche Mode, Kiss etc.
Former projects
Valo was in Helsinki based bands B.L.O.O.D 1987-1988, Eloveena Boys 1987-1988, Kemoterapia 1989-1999, Donits-Osmo Experience 1992-1993 and Daniel Lioneye. He has also starred in the video of Wasting the Dawn by the Finnish band The 69 Eyes. He has also taken part as a backing vocalist for their first two albums.
Current
Valo is frontman of the Finnish rock band HIM, who have released seven studio albums and four compilation albums. They became the first Finnish rock band to achieve a gold record (more than 500,000 copies) in the United States. Valo was also the drummer for the Daniel Lioneye project which featured HIM's guitarist Linde Lindström on vocals/lead guitar and Migé Amour on bass. The newest album of HIM, Screamworks: Love in Theory and Practice has been released between February 5 and February 12, 2010. He currently lives in Helsinki. HIM are currently touring, played the first half of their tour that included Rock Am Ring and Download 2010 and are set to play the Finnish leg of Sonisphere.
Films and TV
Ville is close friends with CKY, Jackass and Viva La Bam star Bam Margera, who shares many of Valo's tattoos. Valo can be seen in the movie Jackass Number Two and the movie Bam Margera Presents: Where the #$&% Is Santa?, which includes the whole band playing "Dead Lover's Lane". Valo can also be seen in a couple of episodes of Viva La Bam (season 1: episode 5, season 3: episode 4, season 4: episode 1, season 5: episode 8). He also acts the role of Moto-Moto in the Finnish version of Madagascar 2. He is also in CKY 3. Valo also portrayed Jim Morrison in the 69 Eyes music video "Wasting The Dawn".
HIM and other side projects
- Main articles: HIM (Finnish band) and HIM discography
- Skreppers & Ville Valo (1995)
- Apocalyptica & Ville Valo (1996)
- The 69 Eyes & Ville Valo (1997)
- Tehosekoitin & Ville Valo (1999)
- The 69 Eyes & Ville Valo (1999)
- Neljä Ruusua & HIM (1999)
- Agents & Ville Valo - Paratiisi, Jykevää On Rakkaus, Ikkunaprinsessa, Valo Yössä (Tuomari Nurmio Cover) (1999)
- Tributti Tuomari Nurmio: Ville Valo & Others (2000)
- The 69 Eyes & Ville Valo (2000)
- Musta Paraati, Ville Valo, Gas Lipstick & Others (2001)
- Daniel Lioneye And The Rollers/Daniel Lioneye And The Blues Explosion (2001)
- The 69 Eyes & Thulsa Doom (2001)
- Five Fifteen & Ville Valo - The Prostitute & Season Of The Witch (2001)
- The 69 Eyes & Ville Valo (2002)
- The Skreppers, Ville Valo, Migé Amour & Lily Lazer (2002)
- The Mission & Ville Valo (2002)
- Lowemotor Corporation & Ville Valo - Love Me (2003/2004)
- The Skreppers & Ville Valo (2004)
- The 69 Eyes & Ville Valo - Beneath the Blue (2004)
- Apocalyptica feat. Ville Valo & Lauri Ylönen - Bittersweet (2004) (FIN: #1, D: #6)
- Two Witches & Ville Valo - Dracula Rising (2005)
- Bloodhound Gang feat. Ville Valo - Something Diabolical (2005)
- Isabelle´s Gift feat. Ville Valo - If I Die Tonight (2006)
- Cradle of Filth feat. Ville Valo - The Byronic Man (2006)
- Daniel Cavanagh feat. Ville Valo - Inner silence(Acoustic)(2006)
- Ville Valo & Tommi Viksten - Kun Minä Kotoani Läksin (2006)
- Kari Tapio & Ville Valo - Täällä Pohjantähden Alla (2006)
- Ville Valo & Natalia Avelon - Summer Wine (2007) (FIN: #1, D: #2, AU: #4, CH: #2, GR: #1)
- Ville Valo & Mariam "Manna Lindström" Jäntti - Just for Tonight (2007)
- Dani Filth & Ville Valo - Untitled (Tribute to Black Sabbath) (2010)
- Anathema & Ville Valo - Angels Walk Among Us (2010)
References
- ↑ Slessor, D, "Random Question Generator", pg 44. Kerrang!, 21 May 2008
- ↑ Ville Valo review.
- ↑ [1]. Heartagram.org. Retrieved 21 November 2007.
- ↑ Jesse Valo
- ↑ Kerrang! magazine - June 2008
External links
- Official website of HIM
- UK HIM website of HIM
- Ville Valo at Notable Names Database
- Ville Valo at Internet Movie Database
- Ville Valo interview on SuicideGirls 2007
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