The band later to be known as Special Friends was initially started on October 25th 2008 in Helsinki, Finland. Before that first meeting Harri Holopainen (drums) had played with Johan Forslund (guitar) and Olli Heiskanen (bass) in other bands and he asked both of them to join him for something new. Also, a reasonably handsome lead vocalist with a sweet voice (Pauli Nissinen) was found from an Internet ad. Line-up was complete when Pauli's co worker Pietari Mikkonen (keyboards) joined the band. Special Friends was ready to start the creative process. Special Friends has patiently taken it's time to really put effort on their songs and sounds. A lot of songwriting, practice and studio work later, it is their time to crawl out of the basements. It is their time to flaunt their tasty mix of five individual musical forces. Special Friends started recording their debut album in late 2011. Album was recorded and mixed in several shorter sessions by a long time friend Pekka "Splendid" Laine at East Sound Studios in Helsinki, Finland. Final mixes were ready in early 2013 and Special Friends was ready to launch their self-titled debut in May 2013. The Special Friends album features ten brilliant songs covering a wide variety of moods from the funky rhythms of M.L.Y.G. to the gloom and doom of Madame Mamie. Take a whiff of that!