Quick Facts
Biography
Jukka Antero "Julius" Nevalainen (born 21 April 1978, Kitee, Finland) is the drummer in the Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish and the Finnish progressive metal band Sethian.
Biography
He spent his early years in the city of Kitee. His drumming career started at the age of eleven when his music teacher at school told him that a new educational program for music was opening, and he thought Nevalainen would fit in well as a drummer. He lacked a suitable place to practice so he made do at his home. His first band was "The Highway" but he joined his first real band at the age of 15–16. The band had a rehearsal place, but was restricted to practice only a couple of days a week. After he left that band, he joined up with Emppu Vuorinen and they got a permanent practice place.
At the age of 17, Vuorinen had already been contacted by the songwriter and keyboard-player Tuomas Holopainen. Holopainen wanted to start an acoustic music project that would later become Nightwish and they needed a drummer, at which point Vuorinen recommended Nevalainen to him.
After the early years of the band, Nevalainen got a new professional drum kit. He used that kit on the album Wishmaster to the end of the Once world tour in 2005. He is currently endorsed by Tama drums, Paiste cymbals and Pro-Mark sticks. (Previously, he used Drum Workshop and Premier Percussion drums.) He is famous among Nightwish fans for wearing a bandana on his head, even during shows, his energetic drumming style, and for his spinning of his drumsticks. He has a side-project; Sethian, but this band is almost completely dormant because of band members being busy with other bands.
On 6 August 2014, it was announced that Nevalainen would not be able to take part of Nightwish's eighth album and its subsequent tour due to insomnia, thus making the album Endless Forms Most Beautiful the first Nightwish recording without his participation. Nevalainen will still handle the day-to-day affairs of the band, though. Kai Hahto (Wintersun) would be taking his place in the album and on the subsequent tour. He returned during their unofficial 20th-anniversary concert in August 2016 at Himos Park in Jämsä, Finland
Personal life
Nevalainen lives with his wife Satu, daughter Luna (born in 2003) and son Niki (born on 19 December 2005) in Joensuu, Finland. His second daughter Lara was born on 22 June 2010. He is a vegetarian. He is 1.75 m (5'9").
Equipment
Tama Starclassic Maple drums
22"x18" Bass drum (x2)
6"x14" Starclassic G Maple Snare drum
9"x10" Tom
10"x12" Tom
14"x14" Floor Tom
16"x16" Floor Tom
Paiste Cymbals
14" 2002 Medium Hi-hats
8" Signature Splash
10" Signature Splash
13" Signature Dark Energy Hats Mark I
17" 2002 Wild Crash (x2)
18" 2002 Wild Crash
19" 2002 Wild Crash
22" Signature Power Ride
18" RUDE China (x2)