Apulanta
Encyclopedia
Apulanta is a Finnish
rock band
, founded in 1991 when its members were in their mid-teens. Initially playing various forms of rock such as punk
, ska
, and metal, they soon shifted to a catchier, more radio-friendly style, and have been fluctuating between these extremes and many others since. Their more recent songs tend to combine melodic and catchy choruses with heavy guitar riffs.
Their breakthrough came in 1996 with the hit song Mitä kuuluu from "Hajonnut EP" followed by the single Anna mulle piiskaa. Since then, they have consistently topped the Finnish charts, and they continue to be one of the most successful rock bands in Finland. Teit meistä kauniin is one of the all-time biggest-selling singles in Finland and their current hit-single Koneeseen kadonnut has been extremely successful. As of January 2006, 16 of their singles and 8 albums have reached the #1 spot on the Finnish charts. Still, they have not received any Finnish Emma-awards (the equivalent of the Grammys), since their record label Levy-yhtiö is not a member of the Ääni- ja kuvatallennetuottajat ÄKT
ry (the local representative of IFPI
). This has allowed records released through Levy-yhtiö to be sold at a lower price than those through the record labels that are members of ÄKT. Surprisingly, in the end of 2006, Apulanta was nominated for the Best Music DVD Emma for their DVD Kesäaine.
In September 2009, Apulanta members established an independent label
, Päijät-Hämeen Sorto ja Riisto ("Päijänne Tavastian Oppression and Exploitation"). Since its beginnings, the label has sofar managed to get one artist, pop singer Kaija Koo
in the summer of 2010. In February 2011, they revealed that they had a new prospective artist in the label, though not disclosing their name.
The band currently consists of founding members Toni Wirtanen
(lead vocals/guitar) and Simo Santapukki (drums), and more recent addition Sami Lehtinen (bass), who replaced Apulanta's previous bassist, Tuukka Temonen.
Blitzkrieg Bop simply because a fan asked them to. Their tracklists in gigs are changing, because they give the audience a chance to wish song. Usually there's from two to up to six songs, that audience have wished by shouting to Toni. Usually the songs are their older songs, which they wouldn't usually play. They have also taken a fan from audience to play guitar in encore. During a winter tour in 2005, Wirtanen handed out ice cream to fans before a gig at Helsinki's Nosturi because he spontaneously decided to promise the fans that he would do so. In the summer of 2006, Apulanta allowed a random American fan (notoriously nicknamed MF Elie) aboard their tour bus to work for them because the fan explained that it would look good on his college applications.
The band's most recent album (also their 10th album) Kuutio (kuinka aurinko voitettiin) was released on 5.11.2008.
, which they have since come to regret.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
, founded in 1991 when its members were in their mid-teens. Initially playing various forms of rock such as punk
Punk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
, ska
Ska
Ska |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
, and metal, they soon shifted to a catchier, more radio-friendly style, and have been fluctuating between these extremes and many others since. Their more recent songs tend to combine melodic and catchy choruses with heavy guitar riffs.
Their breakthrough came in 1996 with the hit song Mitä kuuluu from "Hajonnut EP" followed by the single Anna mulle piiskaa. Since then, they have consistently topped the Finnish charts, and they continue to be one of the most successful rock bands in Finland. Teit meistä kauniin is one of the all-time biggest-selling singles in Finland and their current hit-single Koneeseen kadonnut has been extremely successful. As of January 2006, 16 of their singles and 8 albums have reached the #1 spot on the Finnish charts. Still, they have not received any Finnish Emma-awards (the equivalent of the Grammys), since their record label Levy-yhtiö is not a member of the Ääni- ja kuvatallennetuottajat ÄKT
AKT
Akt, also known as Protein Kinase B , is a serine/threonine protein kinase that plays a key role in multiple cellular processes such as glucose metabolism, cell proliferation, apoptosis, transcription and cell migration.-Family members:...
ry (the local representative of IFPI
IFPI
The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland...
). This has allowed records released through Levy-yhtiö to be sold at a lower price than those through the record labels that are members of ÄKT. Surprisingly, in the end of 2006, Apulanta was nominated for the Best Music DVD Emma for their DVD Kesäaine.
In September 2009, Apulanta members established an independent label
Independent record label
An independent record label is a record label operating without the funding of or outside the organizations of the major record labels. A great number of bands and musical acts begin on independent labels.-Overview:...
, Päijät-Hämeen Sorto ja Riisto ("Päijänne Tavastian Oppression and Exploitation"). Since its beginnings, the label has sofar managed to get one artist, pop singer Kaija Koo
Kaija Koo
Kaija Kokkola , better known by her stage name Kaija Koo, is a Finnish singer.Kaija began her career when she was 17 years old, as a member of a band Steel City, later known as Kaija Koo Band, until it broke down and Kaija Koo became a soloist. Her debut solo album Kun savukkeet on loppuneet was...
in the summer of 2010. In February 2011, they revealed that they had a new prospective artist in the label, though not disclosing their name.
The band currently consists of founding members Toni Wirtanen
Toni Wirtanen
Toni Juhana Wirtanen is a Finnish musician, best known as the vocalist, guitarist and songwriter for the rock band Apulanta....
(lead vocals/guitar) and Simo Santapukki (drums), and more recent addition Sami Lehtinen (bass), who replaced Apulanta's previous bassist, Tuukka Temonen.
Stage performances
Apulanta has a history for energetic performances. They have had many "themed" concerts in which the bands would dress up in costumes and have the stage set up with a scene to match. Some examples include the following: In 1995 Apulanta made a playback performance in Lista (The List). Toni wore women's underwear and Tuukka had PVC-pants. In 1998 Apulanta made a playback performance in Jyrki Hit Challenge in which they fought each other with their instruments while wearing only swimsuits and shaving cream. On their summer tours of 2003 and 2004 they wore knight armor. As well, their relationship with their fans can be considered extraordinary when put into perspective with their fame. They once performed a cover of The Ramones'Ramones
The Ramones were an American rock band that formed in the New York City neighborhood of Forest Hills, Queens, in 1974. They are often cited as the first punk rock group...
Blitzkrieg Bop simply because a fan asked them to. Their tracklists in gigs are changing, because they give the audience a chance to wish song. Usually there's from two to up to six songs, that audience have wished by shouting to Toni. Usually the songs are their older songs, which they wouldn't usually play. They have also taken a fan from audience to play guitar in encore. During a winter tour in 2005, Wirtanen handed out ice cream to fans before a gig at Helsinki's Nosturi because he spontaneously decided to promise the fans that he would do so. In the summer of 2006, Apulanta allowed a random American fan (notoriously nicknamed MF Elie) aboard their tour bus to work for them because the fan explained that it would look good on his college applications.
The band's most recent album (also their 10th album) Kuutio (kuinka aurinko voitettiin) was released on 5.11.2008.
Current members
- Toni WirtanenToni WirtanenToni Juhana Wirtanen is a Finnish musician, best known as the vocalist, guitarist and songwriter for the rock band Apulanta....
- lead vocals and guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(+ bass 1991-1992) (1991–) - Simo ”Sipe” Santapukki - drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
and backing vocalsBacking vocalistA backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
(1991–) - Sami ”Parta-Sami” Lehtinen - bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
and backing vocals (touring guitar 2001-2004) (2005–)
Former members
- Antti Lautala - lead vocals and guitar (+ bass 1991-1992) (1991–1994)
- Amanda ”Mandy” Gaynor - bass, tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
and vocals (1992–1993) - Tuukka Temonen - bass (1993–2004)
- Jani Törmälä - touringConcertA concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
(1997, 1998, 2000) - Sami Yli-Pihlaja - touring guitar (1998–1999, 2000)
- Marzi Nyman - touring guitar (2000)
- Markus "Masi" Hukari - touring guitar (2001)
Discography
Studio albums
- Attack of the A.L. People (1994)
- Ehjä ("Whole", 1996)
- Kolme ("Three", 1997)
- Aivan kuin kaikki muutkin ("Just Like Everyone Else", 1998)
- Plastik (2000)
- Heinola 10 (2001)
- Hiekka ("Sand", 2002)
- KiilaKiilaKiila is the eighth studio album by the Finnish rock band Apulanta. It was released on March 16, 2005. Some tracks on the album also contain violins. The album is sung in Finnish...
("Chock", 2005) - Eikä vielä ole edes ilta ("And It's Not Even Evening Yet", 2007)
- Kuutio (kuinka aurinko voitettiin) ("Cube (How the Sun was defeated)", 2008)
Singles & EPs
- Mikä ihmeen Apulanta? (in English "What the heck is Apulanta?", 1993)
- T.S. + A.L. (1994)
- Tuttu TV:stä ("As seen on TV", 1994)
- Hajonnut EP ("Broken", 1995)
- Anna mulle piiskaa ("Spank me", 1996)
- Mato ("Worm", 1997)
- Mitä vaan ("Anything", 1997)
- Liikaa ("Too much", 1997)
- Teit meistä kauniin ("You Made us Beautiful", 1998)
- Hallaa ("Frost", 1999)
- Torremolinos 2000 (1999)
- Käännä se pois A ("Turn it away", 1999)
- Käännä se pois B (1999)
- Ei yhtään todistajaa ("No Witnesses", 2000)
- Maanantai ("Monday", 2000)
- Viivakoodit ("Bar codes", 2001)
- Reunalla ("On the Edge", 2001)
- Kadut ("Streets", 2001)
- Saasta ("Filth", 2002)
- Hiekka ("Sand", 2002)
- Jumala ("God", 2003)
- Pudota EP ("Drop", 2004)
- Pahempi toistaan ("One Worse Than the Other", 2005)
- Armo ("Mercy", 2005)
- Koneeseen kadonnut ("Lost in the Machine", 2006)
- Kesä EP ("Summer", 2008)
- Vauriot // Kumi, nahka, piiska / Punainen helvetti ("Damages // Rubber, Leather, Whip / Red Hell", 2008)
- Ravistettava ennen käyttöä ("Shake Before Use", 2009)
- Vääryyttä!!!1! ("Injustice!!!1!", 2011)
- Pihtiote ("Pliers' Grasp", 2011)
DVDs
- Liikkuvat kuvat (in English "Motion Pictures", 2002)
- Kesäaine ("Summer Essay", 2006)
External links
Trivia
The name of the band means literally help manure, or fertilizerFertilizer
Fertilizer is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of plants. A recent assessment found that about 40 to 60% of crop yields are attributable to commercial fertilizer use...
, which they have since come to regret.