kristi

I'd like to meet:

The captivating Ville Valo and the exceptional band members from H.I.M.

Here's a little about him.
My sweet Ville Hermanni Valo was born on November 22, 1976,(same year as me), at 8:28 a.m, in a small wood-house in Vallila, Helsinki to a Finnish father named Kari, who is a taxi driver, and Hungarian mother named Anita.

As a child, Ville was influenced by his music-loving parents, who introduced him to the songs of popular Finnish performers such as Tapio Rautavaara and Rauli Badding Somerjoki. His older cousin introduced him to the heavier sounds of bands like Kiss, Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden. Ville's first musical step was as a three year old bongo player. Aged nine, he attended the Pop and Jazz Conservatory in Helsinki, where he studied several different musical genres. His father opened an adult shop in the riverside community of Oulunkyl?; and during his late teens Ville worked there before launching his career in music. Ville's enthusiasm for music also took a more active form of expression, when he participated in a large number of different Helsinki-based bands: B.L.O.O.D. (1986-89), Eloveena Boys (1987-88), Kemoterapia (1989-97) and numerous other, obscure projects.

He actually started out playing bass for his band HIM, however he had to sing for their first demo as they couldn't find a vocalist. He then became full-time vocalist for them. He also plays drums and guitar on some of HIM's songs.

He is an extremely talented singer with a voice that captivates and enchants me... His music has real meaning and depth to it and I admire that.............

Ville Valo is a beautiful person with a full heart and deep soul that's NOT afraid to express it, regardless of what's said about him!!!!

He's my modern day shakespear....

BAND MEMBERS BIO

Name:Ville Hermanni Valo

Instrument: Vocals, lyricist

Born: November 22 1976 in Helsinki, Finland

Zodiac: Scorpio

Ville spent most of his childhood and youth in the Oulunkylä suburb of Helsinki. In the biographic book Synnin Viemää, Ville describes his childhood as 'normal'. Ville got involved with music early, and during his third year of elementary school Ville attended a musical education class. When it was time to pick an instrument, Ville - influenced by Gene Simmons of Kiss - chose bass. Ville was in his first band in elementary school. After finishing his compulsory education Ville attended night high school but dropped out and began attending The Helsinki Pop & Jazz conservatory. Ville and Mige started His Infernal Majesty in 1991.

Trivia: Ville is featured on a number of other bands' albums, including the Bloodhoud Gang, Cradle of Filth, and the 69 Eyes.

Name: Michael "Mige" Eros – Mikko Henrik Julius Paananen

Instrument: Bass

Born: December 19 1974, in Helsinki, Finland.

Zodiac: Sagittarius

Mige was born into a family of artists - his father played in the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra and his mother was an actress. As a child Mige heard rather too much classical music for his liking, and decided to do something else. After finishing compulsory education / comprehensive school Mige attended the Sibelius high school (of musical education). After graduating, Mige played in the first incarnation of HIM that Ville started, but the band fell apart when Mige had to do his mandatory army service.

Trivia: Mige is not especially fond of liquor.

Name: Lily "Linde" Lazer - Mikko Viljami Lindström

Instrument: Guitar

Born: August 12 1976, in Nurmijärvi, Finland

Zodiac: Leo

Linde was born into a middle-class family and had an all-around happy childhood, being - in his own words - a 'good' kid. From childhood, this son of not-so-musical parents discovered an interest in music and got his first guitar at the age of ten. Around this time, he'd had enough with being 'good' and started to drink, smoke and indulge in other insalubrious diversions. But Linde found time to attend school too, even graduating from high school in two and a half years instead of the usual three. Around that time Ville put together a new band called HIM, and Linde joined them. Lindes solos kick serious a@$!!

Trivia: Linde is also known as the infamous superstar Daniel Lioneye.

Name: Gas "Kaasu" Lipstick – Mika Kristian Karppinen

Instrument: Drums

Born: February 8 1971 in Eskilstuna, Sweden

Zodiac: Aquarius

Gas was born into a Swedish-Finnish family in Eskilstuna. By the age of two this future drummer could be heard tapping and knocking on anything that produced an interesting sound. In addition to drums, Gas was interested in other instuments as well, and at the age three got a play drum set, a small piano and a mini-guitar as christmas gifts. At six years old, Gas discovered Kiss. During the early years of the second decade of his life Gas was already playing guitar in several punk bands. When Gas was thirteen his parents moved back to Finland. There were plenty of bands to play in Finland as well, and Gas could be found playing in up to seven bands simultaneously. He is best remembered from Kyyria, though, for whom he played before joining HIM. Gas is an ASTONISHING drummer, he really is one of a kind!!

Trivia: Gas is a trained carpenter. His childhood friends included Harri Mänty, the guitarist of the hugely popular Swedish band Kent.

Name: Emerson "Puppe" Burton - Janne Johannes Puurtinen

Instrument: Keyboards

Born: October 17 1974 in Helsinki, Finland

Zodiac: Libra

Burton, aka Puppe, the son of ballet dancer parents, was classically trained in the field of music. Burton did his non-military service as a stage hand at the Helsinki Aleksanteri theatre, and has also worked as a chef. The first band he played in that recorded and had gigs was Cosmos Tango - who, incidentally, won the Finnish Rock Championship. Subsequent bands that Burton played in before joining HIM were Sub-Urban Tribe and Torpedo.

Trivia: Burton loves chess, which he and Mige play often while touring.