ArtistInfo

Ruja

Band, 1971-1988 EE
Rock and Pop

Ruja was one of the foremost Estonian rock bands of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Band's name comes from a neologism "ruja", for fantasy, though there are people who believe that "ruja" is actually made up of the first letters of the band's important members (R - Rein Rannap, U - Urmas Alender, J - Jaanus Nõgisto and A - Andrus Vaht) The band released their first and self-titled album in 1979. Many of the original melodies of Ruja were composed by Rein Rannap. The band was created by Rein Rannap in 1971, who, while in the 11th grade, was searching for additional band members. On the first meeting, Ruja's 3 first members were Rein Rannap, Urmas Alender and Andrus Vaht. On September 28, 1994, the band's lead singer, Urmas Alender, died in the disaster that sank the car and passenger ferry M/S Estonia. After Alender's funeral concert a couple of weeks later, the remaining members of the band decided never to perform under the name of "Ruja" again.

Members

	Indrek Patte voc *1959 EE
	Andres Põldroo g, voc *1954 EE
	Priit Kuulberg b, eb *1955 EE
	Rein Rannap p, key, org *1953 EE
	Andrus Vaht dr, perc *1951 EE
	Jaanus Nõgisto g *1956 EE
	Margus Kappel key, voc *1956 EE
	Urmas Alender voc 1953-1994 EE
	Raul Sepper
	Toomas Rull dr, perc *1965
	Arvo Urb dr, perc *1958 EE
	Tiit Haagma b, eb *1954
	Jaan Karp dr, voc
	Ivo Varts perc, dr
	Igor Garšnek key *1958 EE
	Nevil Blumberg g, perc 1961-2015
	S.P. Gulliver b, voc, perc