Tony Reno

{{Short description|Swedish drummer}} {{for|the American football coach|Tony Reno (American football)}} {{BLP sources|date=June 2010}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Tony Reno | image = | birth_name = Tony Peter Niemistö | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1963|2|10}} |birth_place =Danderyd, Sweden | alias = Tony Lace | genre = Heavy metal, hard rock |occupation=Drummer | associated_acts = Europe, Geisha, =Y= | years_active = 1979–1992 | website = }}

'''Tony Peter Niemistö''' (born 10 February 1963) is a semi-retired Swedish musician, best known as '''Tony Reno''', the original drummer in the rock band Europe.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20101214103439/http://www.tvcoast.com/john-norum/biography.html John Norum biography]}}, TVcoast.com, accessed 14 June 2010</ref> He played on Europe's first two albums, ''Europe'' and ''Wings of Tomorrow''. He was fired from the band by producer Thomas Erdtman without informing the band members before the second leg of the ''Wings of Tomorrow'' tour in 1984. He was replaced by Ian Haugland.

In 1986 Niemistö joined the heavy metal band Geisha, replacing Mikkey Dee. Niemistö changed his stage name to Tony Lace, but eventually he went back to using his real name. Geisha released the album ''Phantasmagoria'' in 1987, before splitting up two years later. Geisha's vocalist Yenz Cheyenne then formed the band =Y=, which Niemistö joined. They released an EP, ''=Y='' in 1991, and an album, ''Rawchild'' in 1992.

Niemistö had not participated in anything related to Europe for 29 years. That activity drought ended in 2013, when the group was celebrating the 30th anniversary of the release of their original album. Niemistö autographed 30 copies of a canvas replica of the 1983 album's cover, and then later on took part in a 10-guitar auction (of which the proceeds from 'The Final Countdown' guitar benefitted the efforts of the 'Médecins Sans Frontiers' organization in the Philippines), where he autographed the guitar containing art of the debut album.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.europethebandmuseum.com/#!EUROPE-EXCLUSIVE-10-GUITAR-AUCTION/crew/1A04923D-DCBE-44C6-AFB0-9E2765382B9C |title = Europethebandmuseum.com}}</ref>

Niemistö is currently living in Vallentuna, Sweden,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hitta.se/tony+niemist%C3%B6/vallentuna/person/0zRPwXXXXm |title = Tony Niemistö, Brobyvägen 16, Vallentuna {{!}} hitta.se}}</ref> where he works for a computer company.

== Discography ==

=== Europe === *''Europe'' (1983) *''Wings of Tomorrow'' (1984)

=== Geisha === *''Phantasmagoria'' (1987)

=== ''=Y='' === *''=Y='' (1991) *''Rawchild'' (1992)

== References == {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Reno, Tony}} Category:1963 births Category:Living people Category:People from Danderyd Municipality Category:Musicians from Stockholm County Category:Europe (band) members Category:Swedish drummers Category:Swedish male drummers Category:Swedish heavy metal drummers