Aki Markus Hakala on the 28 October 1979, Aki was a band merchandise kiosk jockey at concerts for Rasmus and other bands who had a serious affliction in his eyes that caused him to take on his trademark black glasses.
Before joining the Rasmus after Janne Heiskanen's departure in 1998 (also helped along by a jamming session with the guitarist Pauli Rantasalmi), Aki was a drummer for Killer and Kwan (obscure, but not totally hopeless).
Aki's first album with The Rasmus was "Into" (2001) and the first song he played for was Last Waltz. Just after he joined the band, in 2000, The Rasmus signed on with Playground Music and their jet set their careers for fame and fortune. Aki's entrance into the band was almost like a blessing on the future of their music and their place in the music industry as well as in music history. For the first album that Aki participated in with the band, they swept the Finnish Grammy Awards of 2001, taking home not 2, not 3, but 4 awards, for Best Band (overall), Best Single (for Last Waltz), Best Rock/Pop Band and Album of the Year-it seemed that The Rasmus was finally taking off and getting the recognition it deserved, all thanks to a little kiosk salesman who could really pound those drums.
Aki and the band received their next mega break in 2003, with the release of their album "Dead Letters," which sold over a million and half copies worldwide. And earned them (all still at age 24) eight Gold and five Platinum awards, and their single "In the Shadows" graced the limelight with top 10 positions in eleven countries and became the #1 most played video on MTV Europe. That same year, they were nominated for two Kerrag awards for Best International Newcomer and Best Single and in 2004 (for the 2003 season).
In 2006, Aki had eye surgery and now no longer needs his signature black glasses, although he can often be seen wearing them anyway.
Currently, The Rasmus is working on their next big album, keeping Aki, their good luck charm, close at hand.
So whether you next see him selling t-shirts at a kiosk during your favorite concert or up on the stage raking in all the dough you spend to look like him, Aki's talents as a drummer, though overlooked in the early days of his career, have made him worthy of the star status he has since achieved with the help of his friends and bandmates, The Rasmus.
