Urmas Alender

Infobox musical artist
Name = Urmas Alender


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Background = solo_singer
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Born = Birth date|1953|11|22|mf=y
Died = Death date and age|1994|09|28|1953|11|22|mf=y
Origin = Tallinn, Estonia
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Genre = Rock
Progressive rock
Folk rock
Punk rock
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Associated_acts = Shades (1969–1970)
Andromeeda (1971–1974)
Teravik (1973–1976)
Data (1988–1989)
Propeller (1979–1980)
Ruja (1971–1988)
Kaseke (1983)
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Urmas Alender (November 22, 1953 - September 28, 1994) [ [http://www.postimees.ee/231103/esileht/kultuur/119804.php "Postimees: Urmas Alender – mitme näoga Janus." 22.11.2003] ] was an Estonian singer and musician who is possibly best recalled as the vocalist of such popular Estonian bands as Ruja and Propeller.

Born in Tallinn, Estonia [ [http://ruja.ee/?p=bio_alender Urmas Alender Biography] ] , Alender began his musical career in the rock band Shades in 1969 but departed the following year to become the vocalist for Andromeeda. [ [http://ruja.ee/?p=bio_alender Urmas Alender Biography] ]

In 1971, Alender fronted the progressive rock band Ruja with pianist Rein Rannap. The band was influenced by such Western acts as Genesis, Yes, Emerson Lake and Palmer and King Crimson and often incorporated the poetry of Estonian writers Juhan Viiding and Ott Arder into the lyrics. [ [http://www.ce-review.org/00/3/huang3_culture.html Central European Review:"Estonia's Purveyors of Prog"] ] The band were one of the first rock bands to perform in their native Estonian language. [ [http://www.ce-review.org/00/3/huang3_culture.html Central European Review:"Estonia's Purveyors of Prog"] ] Alender would remain with the band until its demise in 1988.

From 1979 until 1980, Urmas Alender also fronted the Estonian punk rock band Propeller. Other bands Alender performed with were Teravik (1973–1976), Data (1988–1989), and in 1983, he briefly played in an outfit called Kaseke.

In 1987, Alender appeared in the Estonian rockumentary "Pingul keel" ("Tightened String") alongside such other popular Estonian musicians as Tõnis Mägi, Ivo Linna and Anne Veski. [ [http://www.tallinnfilm.ee/index.php?page=117&product_id=739&action=show_product_details Tallinn Film] ]

After years of being harassed by the KGB and Soviet authorities, Alender temporarily emigrated to Sweden in 1989. [ [http://home.uninet.ee/~mel/estprog/proge/ruja.html Ruja] ] On September 28, 1994, while en route from Tallinn to Stockholm, Sweden, Urmas Alender was one of the 852 individuals who died when the cruiseferry MS Estonia sank in the Baltic Sea. He is survived by a daughter, Yoko Alender. [ [http://www.ce-review.org/00/3/huang3_culture.html Central European Review:"Estonia's Purveyors of Prog"] ]

In 2003, Liia Sakkos made a documentary about Alender, titled "Teisel pool vett" (English: "On the Other Side of the Water", also a title of a song by Ruja).

Discography

* "Vana kloun" (1992)
* "Hingelind" (1994)
* "Kogutud teosed. 1968-1980. Esimene osa." (2000)
* "Kogutud teosed. 1981-1993. Teine osa." (2000)
* "Kui mind enam ei ole" (2001)
* "Kohtumine Albertiga" (2-CD, 2003)
* "Kohtumine Albertiga" (2003)
* "Armastuse ämblik" (2003)

References

External links

*imdb name|id=1832027|name=Urmas Alender
* [http://home.uninet.ee/~mel/estprog/proge/ruja.html Ruja]
* [http://ruja.ee/?p=bio_alender Urmas Alender Biography]
* [http://www.postimees.ee/211103/online_uudised/119777.php "Postimees: Mitmekülgne Urmas Alender saanuks laupäeval 50" 21.11.2003]