WALTARI is Jariot Lehtinen guitars, vocals Kärtsy Hatakka leadvocals, bass, keyboards Roope Latvala guitars, vocals Janne Parviainen drums
Formed 1986 in Helsinki by Kärtsy (voc+b), Jariot (gtr) and Sale (dr).
1988: first EP "Waltari", 1989 single "Rap Your Body Beat". Sami joins the band as 2nd guitarist.
A lot of gigs in Helsinki and elsewhere in Finland. "Mut hei" EP 1990. Sale leaves and Janne joins the band as a new drummer. "Good God" single 1991.
August -91: first album Monk Punk released in Finland and the Continent of Europe (Stupido Twins/Angry Fish Music).
"Good God" video.
October -91: Berlin Independence Days, band moves to Berlin for a few months to write new material and play in small clubs in East- and West-Berlin
February -92: Frozen Tour in Finland with german band Alan International.
March -92: signed to Roadrunner Records. "Aika tuulee" EP.
Summer -92: e.g. Rheinkultur Festival in Bonn, Hultsfred Festivalen in Sweden, Popkomm in Köln.
September -92: second album Torcha! released in Europe, Australia, Japan and Korea.
Album of the month in german Metal Hammer.
"Vogue" and "Lights On" videos.
December -92: Rock Hard Metal X-mas festivals in Germany and Austria with Prong, C.O.C. and Mordred.
4.2.-1.4.1993: Carry The Torch Club tour in Europe (38 gigs in GER, FRA, I, NL, A, SWI, UK).
Summer -93: festivals in Finland, Sweden, Germany and Austria.
Autumn -93: a compilation of the band's early years Pala Leipää - Ein Stückchen Brot released in Finland and Germany.
Tour in South Germany and Czech Republic.
February -94: Forest Tour in Lapland with Angelin Tytöt.
March -94: 3rd album So Fine! released in Europe and Brazil. Album of the Month in german Rock Hard. "So Fine"-video and single. Album TOP 20 in Finland, single in sales- & radioplay-charts in The Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Czech and Finland.
6.3.-4.6. So Fine So Far Tour in Europe (48 gigs in FIN, SWE, GER, TCH, NL, UK, FRA, A, SWI).
Summer -94: e.g. Roskilde Festival in Denmark, Superbang Open Air in Germany, festivals in Finland.
"Misty Man"-single. "So Fine" represented Finland in MTV's Video Grand Prix Final.
Nov. - Dec. -94: recordings of "Big Bang" on Manssila Farm, Orimattila, Finland.
April -95: Ethno Meets Metal Tour in Europe with Angelin Tytöt (e.g. Wiener Festwoche).
Summer -95: Roskilde Festival with Angelin Tytöt, festivals in Finland.
August -95: signed to EMI Electrola. Popkomm in Köln.
"Atmosfear/Feel!"-single. "Feel!"-video.
22.8.1995: Kärtsy's composition "Yeah! Yeah! Die! Die! Death Metal Symphony in Deep C" performed in Helsinki Festival with Avanti! Symphony Orchestra.
September -95: 4th album Big Bang released in Finland, Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Album of the month in german Rock Hard, TOP 10 in Finland, TOP 100 in Germany. "The Stage"-single & video.
24.9.-1.11.1995: European Tour with Die Krupps (31 gigs in GER, NL, SWI, A, UK, FRA, CZ).
November -95: Sami leaves the band and Roope (ex-Stone) joins the group as a new guitarist.
13.12.-20.12. Big Bang Tour in Finland, "The Stage" in radioplaycharts in Finland and Denmark.
January -96: Big Bang album release in most other european countries. Venue Festival in Denmark."Atmosfear"-video.
23.2.-23.3. Big Bang European Tour (22 gigs in SWE, GER, POL, A, SWI, CZ, B, FRA, DEN).
May -96: release Yeah! Yeah! Die! Die! Death Metal Symphony in Deep C in Finland, Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
Summer -96: Festivals in Finland and Germany.
September -96: 10th anniversary tour in Finland.
Nov. 1996 - Jan. -1997: recording Space Avenue in Cologne and Helsinki with Canadian producer Rhys Fulber and engineer Greg Reely. Mixing in Vancouver, Canada.
April -97:: release Space Avenue in most of Europe. Chart album in Germany, Austria and Finland. "Far Away"-video.
3.4.-97:: Death Metal Symphony performed with Turku Symphony Orchestra in Turku Concert Hall, Finland.
May -97: Space Avenue Tour in Finland and Germany.
Summer -97: Festivals in Germany, Austria, Czech, Finland, Estonia and Latvia. Support to KISS at Prague Stadium. Club tour in Czech & Slovakia.
August -97: "Far Away" #5 in Japanese import metal single charts.
September -97: Dedicated To The Flyers club tour in Finland.
13.10.-25.11.1997: Band on promotion trip in New York; eight gigs in local clubs.
8.-31.3.1998: Back in The States; SXSW Music Festival in Austin, Texas and three gigs in New York.
Summer -98: Rehearsing new material for two following albums. Recording & remixing tracks for a "Best Of..." compilation. Holidays In The Forests and only a few festivals here and there.
September -98: Release "Anybody" promotion single in Finland and Germany. Album recordings together with Angelit in Helsinki.
Oct.-Nov. -98: Release Decade compilation album including single- and radiohits, remixes, live material & four new songs in Finland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Norway, Czech, Slovakia, Hungary, Belgium and The Netherlands. "Walkin´ In The Neon" single in Scandinavia.
January -99: "Anybody"-video.
29.1.-5.3: Decade European Tour (21 gigs in 8 countries).
Spring -99: New Europeanwide recording contract with Edel. Recording & mixing next album in Helsinki.
Summer -99: Kärtsy composing "Evangelicum". Festivals & club gigs and rehearsing the next symphony.
10.9. Promosingle "Every Bad Day" released in many European countries.
4.10. 7th studio album "Radium Round" released in almost all of Europe.
15.10.-8.11.1999 Eight performances of Kärtsy´s metal symphony Evangelicum at Finnish National Opera.
10.11.-3.12. Radium Round Tour in Finland.
14.1.-8.2. Radium Round European Tour.
16.-22.2. Three sold-out shows of Evangelicum at Finnish National Opera.
Source: http://www.scene.sci.fi/waltari/
