THE RASMUS Shares Cover Of ALPHAVILLE's '80s Classic 'Forever Young'

Finnish rockers THE RASMUS — Lauri Ylönen (founder, frontman, lead singer-songwriter); Eero Heinonen (bass); Emilia "Emppu" Suhonen (guitar); and Aki Hakala (drums) — have shared their rousing cover of ALPHAVILLE's '80s classic "Forever Young". Listen to the track below.

THE RASMUS members chose the song not only because it transports them (and listeners) to another time and place but because it remains incredibly current 42 years on from its initial release. THE RASMUS truly put its stamp on it — remaining faithful to the spirit of the original in the verses, but turning up the fury and the guitar energy, giving it a fresh and unexpected punk rock twist, picking up the pace and adding more grit and energy to the iconic song. The track takes on a static-charged edge as the band puts its own punchy spin on the familiar melody, making it feel faster, louder, and further alive. It's a fun take on a classic that feels right at home in THE RASMUS's world.

"This song 'Forever Young' originally performed by German artist ALPHAVILLE is kind of like a soundtrack of our youth," says Ylönen. "Covering this song feels nostalgic but lyrically also quite relevant considering what's happening in the world right now."

THE RASMUS has also just embarked on its first-ever headline tour of North America, which kicked off on September 6 in Chicago and runs through October 12 in Los Angeles. SAINT AGNES and DEATH VALLEY DREAMS are serving as support.

"It feels surreal that after all these years, we finally get to play our first ever headline tour in the U.S.," enthused Ylönen at the time the tour was announced. "We have super-devoted fans who some have been waiting over 20 years to see us live. These shows will be loaded with emotion and fierce energy."

After the North American trek, THE RASMUS will travel to Latin America for a headline trek through November. THE RASMUS will then launch into 2027 with a headline run of Europe, which begins on January 28 and wraps on March 18.

It is often said that the best bands are the ones which keep surprising you time and time again, in the most thrilling of ways. This is something THE RASMUS have been doing since their major label debut and a creative responsibility they take great pride in. If you've listened to any of their albums, you'll be able to hear a kaleidoscopic collage of heavy guitars against futuristic electronics, as well as pop hooks that can find their way into the heart of music fans of any kind. Best known for its 2003 hit single "In The Shadows", the band has sold over five million albums worldwide (350,000 albums in Finland alone),has earned gold and platinum certifications, and has won numerous awards, both domestic and international, including Finnish EMMAs and an MTV Europe VMA. THE RASMUS's latest album, "Weirdo", is out now via Better Noise Music.

Most of the songs on "Weirdo" were written by Lauri Ylönen, Desmond Child (who contributed to the band's "Black Roses" and "Rise" albums and has worked with BON JOVI, JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS, AEROSMITH and ALICE COOPER, among countless others) and Marti Fredriksen (AEROSMITH, OZZY OSBOURNE, BLACK VEIL BRIDES) in Folegandros, Greece. That's where Lauri and Desmond met up to work on material that Lauri brought. THE RASMUS then did full band demos of all the tracks in Finland in July 2023, with production led by Frederiksen and Child. Later, they finalized the songs and recorded the album with the whole band in Marti Fredriksen's Sienna Studios in Nashville. Some of the tracks were mixed by Fredriksen in Nashville, assisted by Evan Fredriksen, while other mixes were done by Chris Baseford (NICKELBACK, SHINEDOWN, DAUGHTRY) in Vancouver, Canada and by Claudius Mittendorfer (PANIC! AT THE DISCO, WE ARE SCIENTISTS) in London, and Joseph McQueen (BAD WOLVES, AS I LAY DYING, FROM ASHES TO NEW) in Los Angeles. Additional production by McQueen injects a fresh intensity into tracks like "Creatures Of Chaos" and "Break These Chains", while Ylönen himself takes the helm on "Rest In Pieces" alongside Alex Mattson.

Photo credit: Shawn Brandon