A major name in alternative rock in the 2000s, The Rasmus returns to Brazil after eight years for a single performance. The Finnish group will perform on October 31st with the WEIRDO TOUR at Carioca Club in São Paulo – tickets on sale at Uhuu!.
In an interview with Wikimetal, vocalist Lauri Ylönen spoke about the reasons for the band's long absence from the country, the preparation for a tour with 38 shows in 60 days, the concept of WEIRDO, the band's most recent album, and more. The musician also discussed the success of the hit "In The Shadows," the group's adaptation to changes in the music industry, and whether they are already working on a new album. Read the full interview.
Wikimetal: The show next month marks The Rasmus' return to Brazil after eight long years. What were the main reasons that kept the band away from the country for so long?
Lauri Ylönen: Well, it's a very distant country. We come from Finland, which is literally on the opposite side of the planet. I'm very happy that we can come back, and Brazil is a great country to play shows in. All musicians know that, so we're excited. I think eight years seems like a long time, but in perspective, in the band's history, we've been together for over thirty years, so eight years is almost nothing. We're very excited to come back.
WM: Speaking of numbers, the WEIRDO TOUR is noteworthy because you'll be performing 38 shows in 60 days across 13 different countries, which averages out to almost one show every day and a half. What's the preparation process like for such an intense journey on the road?
LY: I think the main thing that needs to be there is a good vibe. We're good friends within the band, we almost consider ourselves family. And also the crew that travels with us, they're people very close to us. Some of them have been traveling and working for us for thirty years. So, the atmosphere is good, everyone enjoys what they do and we really love playing the shows. That's the starting point for us to be able to handle two months on the road. And the other thing is realizing that I'm not 20 anymore, I can't drink until six in the morning every day. I have to try to have a slightly healthier life.
And, in fact, I've come to value the reason we're able to do this, and I try to focus on being able to deliver the perfect show every night. That's all that matters to me. I don't care about what else happens during the day, as long as I can put on the perfect show and give my best to the audience. So, I build my day from the morning, trying to avoid anything negative and silly things, saving my energy for myself. I usually write songs most of the time during the day. It's very inspiring to be on tour, to have lots of ideas, to do the shows, to meet the fans, to travel, all those things. And then to try to deliver the best show night after night.
WM: Your latest album, WEIRDO, addresses themes of identity, authenticity, and belonging. What inspired you to explore the feeling of being an "outsider" at this particular point in the band's journey?
LY: We considered ourselves weird our whole lives. It started when I was a young teenager. I always dressed very eccentrically, with different colored hair, different hairstyles, and went to school. Some days I wore horns, and I was always playing around with my look, wearing makeup and things like that. I suffered a bit of bullying, and someone used to call me a "weirdo," but I always felt strong enough to keep my head held high and continue being who I am.
And I ended up sending a message to all the other people like me to meet me. It's almost like an invitation; the way you dress, the type of music you like, that's how you create connections, and that's how I made friends with my bandmates in the beginning. And I think we're still on that same path. That's, in a way, the main message of the band: to be a bit of an underdog and weird, but also to find comfort and joy in belonging to this group.
WM: The creative process behind WEIRDO involved two great composers: Desmond Child and Marti Frederiksen. What was it like working with the authors of some of the biggest hits in hard rock history?
LY: I've been lucky enough to work with Desmond for many years now. The first time we composed an album together was in 2007, when we made the album Black Roses. Since then, we've been great friends and try to see each other at least once a year. We have a tradition of going to Greece. There's an island there called Folegandros, which is tiny and not very famous. But it's a very calm and peaceful place where we usually go to compose. And it's become a tradition for us to meet there every June.
Besides being a songwriting partner, he's also a great friend and almost a father figure to me. He's older, obviously, but he also has more life experience, and it's good to talk to him about anything. Whether it's about politics, love, or being a "weirdo," he's seen it all. That's why it's good to have a friend like him to guide me through life a little from time to time. I consider him my mentor.
WM: “In The Shadows” went from being just a hit video on MTV to becoming a generational anthem. How has your personal relationship with this song evolved from when Dead Letters became a success to the present day?
LY: When we wrote this song, I didn't even think it was going to be a single. It was just another track, and I even thought it was a little annoying, with that "uh oh, uh oh" thing. I kept saying, "I can't get this thing out of my head." I think it took me a while to realize there was something special about it. But I think the reason it's still popular is that the song's message never gets old.
People will always be lost, afraid of the future, feeling like they don't belong anywhere and trying to find their way through difficulties. So, this is a message that speaks to people generation after generation. But I also think this song has a special energy, the rhythm is very pulsating, it's almost an invitation to dance. All these things together make it a very unique track, and that's why I think it still sounds current after all these years.
WM: When the band started, music was driven by radio and physical CD sales. Today, the industry is driven by algorithms and consumption on streaming platforms. How was the band's adaptation process to this model, especially considering that rock is a genre that has traditionally always demanded a deeper immersion from the listener?
LY: Yes, we've seen this change up close and I honestly loved every step. I think it's fair that things develop in new directions and I don't want to be stuck in the past. I'm happy that the music is available for everyone to find. Even as a young artist, you can write a song in your bedroom and it can become a huge worldwide hit if people like it. The public has the power to share it and choose what becomes popular.
Back in the day, it was mostly the radio that pushed the hit songs and said, “This summer, everyone’s going to hear this song, and we’re going to make it a hit.” We were lucky to be there in the early 2000s and be one of those bands. But I think this new era is fairer. There isn’t as much money involved as a requirement to become really famous. If you write a good song, you’ll be heard, people will discover you.
WM: As you mentioned regarding the early 2000s, we are witnessing a strong revival of the aesthetics and music of that era. How does the band see its role as an influence on a new wave of alternative rock and pop rock artists that is emerging now?
LY: It's been fun following the return of the rock and emo scene that we were a part of in the early 2000s. They usually say things go in cycles and it takes about 20 years for something to come back. It's been almost 20 years already. Linkin Park, Evanescence , and all those bands are rocking the stage again. And obviously new music is emerging, people are still influenced by that, but they're adding something new, which is wonderful.
I think this dark and mysterious style of music always resonates with people, with a little added touch, like urban elements, such as Sleep Token, for example, which changed the game quite a bit. I love that; it's great that things don't repeat themselves but evolve. People are brave enough to try different things, and the audience likes it when someone brings something new to the table.
WM: Are you already composing or discussing ideas for a new album? What can fans expect from The Rasmus after this tour ends?
LY: We've already started the new album. I've been composing songs constantly for the last two years and we've already recorded some things with the band. The plan is to work between tours. Now we have these two months, then comes the Christmas period off, when we go to the studio in Los Angeles to record more songs. And then we have the last part of the tour in February and March in Europe, and that practically closes the cycle for this album.
After that, I think it will be time to put the finishing touches on the next album and move on. We feel we shouldn't wait so long for the next album; we want to move faster because we feel very energized and happy, and we feel the joy of playing night after night. We feel we have to keep going.
WM: To wrap things up, what message would The Rasmus like to send to Brazilian fans before the show?
LY: Thank you for waiting patiently for eight years. We've been talking to many of you online and we feel that people are really waiting for us. The feeling is mutual. We've had great times in Brazil before, and I think now, after a little bit of waiting, it's going to be amazing and we're going to have a lot of fun.
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