Ruja
Ruja was one of the foremost Estonian rock bands of the 1970s and 1980s. The name of the band comes from a neologism "ruja", for science fiction, 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 while in the 11th grade . 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 sinking of passenger ferry M/S Estonia. After Alender's funeral concert a couple of days later, the remaining members of the band decided never to perform under the name of "Ruja" again.