Ultra Bra
Encyclopedia
Ultra Bra was a Finnish
band, formed in 1994 by Olli Virtaperko and Kerkko Koskinen
, and disbanded in 2001. Throughout the 1990s, the band was very popular in Finland, but never spread to other countries.
, those mad dogs).
In the summer of 1995, they released their first single, "Houkutusten kiihottava maku". Over the course of the recording sessions, they also came up with a name for the band: Ultra Bra. During 1995, many new people joined the band, while others left. However, the lineup started to become fixed towards the end of the year. By the end of the year Anni Sinnemäki
, Koskinen's wife who was to become the most celebrated of all UB's lyricists, began writing lyrics, starting with "Sankaritar" and "Ken Saro-Wiwa on kuollut". (The latter song refers to Nigerian environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa
, and the circumstances surrounding his execution. The statement he made before his execution is specifically referenced.)
Their first real album, Vapaaherran elämää, came out in the autumn of 1996. All the while, they had been doing a lot of touring and their live reputation had become substantial. In 1997, the second album Kroketti came out. With the release of this album Ultra Bra really started to gain fame. Kroketti sold very well, remains their best selling album and contains some of their biggest hits, namely "Sinä lähdit pois" ("You Went Away") and "Minä suojelen sinua kaikelta" ("I Shall Protect You From Everything").
In 1998, they participated in the contest for a song to represent Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest
. Ultra Bra didn't win, but their entry, "Tyttöjen välisestä ystävyydestä" ("About Friendship Between Girls"), became a hit song. The third album, Kalifornia, was released in the spring of 1999. At the start of 2000, Ultra Bra again participated in the Finnish Eurovision song selection process, with "Kaikki on hetken tässä" ("In This Moment, Everything's here") without reaching the final round. In the spring, they also released several new singles. The song "Heikko valo" ("The Weak Light") also featured in the Finnish movie Levottomat (The Restless).
Their fourth album, Vesireittejä, came out on October 13, 2000. The week before it was released, all of Finland was focused on Ultra Bra. Numerous magazines and newspapers wrote articles about them, and they appeared on TV and on the radio. Vesireittejä went number one – and gold – on its first week in the Finnish charts.
In many orchestral pieces Ultra Bra also had an additional string
section and a chorus
.
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...
band, formed in 1994 by Olli Virtaperko and Kerkko Koskinen
Kerkko Koskinen
Kerkko Klemetti Koskinen is a Finnish musician. Koskinen was the founding member and lead figure of the retired band Ultra Bra. He composed nearly all of Ultra Bra's songs and was the band's pianist...
, and disbanded in 2001. Throughout the 1990s, the band was very popular in Finland, but never spread to other countries.
Band history
In 1994, Olli Virtaperko heard about a political song contest and decided to enter it with his friend Kerkko Koskinen. Koskinen composed several songs based on lyrics from his friends. A group of singers and musicians was assembled and this brand-new band won the contest with their song Ampukaa komissaarit, nuo hullut koirat (Shoot the commissionersEuropean Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
, those mad dogs).
In the summer of 1995, they released their first single, "Houkutusten kiihottava maku". Over the course of the recording sessions, they also came up with a name for the band: Ultra Bra. During 1995, many new people joined the band, while others left. However, the lineup started to become fixed towards the end of the year. By the end of the year Anni Sinnemäki
Anni Sinnemäki
Anni Milja Maaria Sinnemäki is a Finnish politician and a member of the Finnish Parliament, representing the Green League. She was first elected to the parliament in 1999 and acted as the Minister for Labour from 2009 to 2011...
, Koskinen's wife who was to become the most celebrated of all UB's lyricists, began writing lyrics, starting with "Sankaritar" and "Ken Saro-Wiwa on kuollut". (The latter song refers to Nigerian environmental activist Ken Saro-Wiwa
Ken Saro-Wiwa
Kenule "Ken" Beeson Saro Wiwa was a Nigerian author, television producer, environmental activist, and winner of the Right Livelihood Award and the Goldman Environmental Prize...
, and the circumstances surrounding his execution. The statement he made before his execution is specifically referenced.)
Their first real album, Vapaaherran elämää, came out in the autumn of 1996. All the while, they had been doing a lot of touring and their live reputation had become substantial. In 1997, the second album Kroketti came out. With the release of this album Ultra Bra really started to gain fame. Kroketti sold very well, remains their best selling album and contains some of their biggest hits, namely "Sinä lähdit pois" ("You Went Away") and "Minä suojelen sinua kaikelta" ("I Shall Protect You From Everything").
In 1998, they participated in the contest for a song to represent Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest
Eurovision Song Contest
The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual competition held among active member countries of the European Broadcasting Union .Each member country submits a song to be performed on live television and then casts votes for the other countries' songs to determine the most popular song in the competition...
. Ultra Bra didn't win, but their entry, "Tyttöjen välisestä ystävyydestä" ("About Friendship Between Girls"), became a hit song. The third album, Kalifornia, was released in the spring of 1999. At the start of 2000, Ultra Bra again participated in the Finnish Eurovision song selection process, with "Kaikki on hetken tässä" ("In This Moment, Everything's here") without reaching the final round. In the spring, they also released several new singles. The song "Heikko valo" ("The Weak Light") also featured in the Finnish movie Levottomat (The Restless).
Their fourth album, Vesireittejä, came out on October 13, 2000. The week before it was released, all of Finland was focused on Ultra Bra. Numerous magazines and newspapers wrote articles about them, and they appeared on TV and on the radio. Vesireittejä went number one – and gold – on its first week in the Finnish charts.
The end of Ultra Bra
In the summer before the release of Vesireittejä, Ultra Bra decided they would continue for only about a year and then quit and start doing something else. In October 2001, they released a compilation album, Sinä päivänä kun synnyin, that contained a few new songs and many rarities, along with a music video tape and music book. After this they did a small tour of seven gigs, quitting on October 20, 2001, with maximum media coverage, surrounded by thousands of fans.Band members
- Kerkko Koskinen – pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, main composerComposerA composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
and quasi-leader - Vuokko Hovatta – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- Terhi Kokkonen – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- Arto Talme – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- Olli Virtaperko – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- Antti Lehtinen – 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 ....
- Joel Melasniemi – 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...
- Marko Portin – saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
- Tommi Saarikivi – bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
- Jan Pethman – percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
- Kari Pelttari – trumpetTrumpetThe trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
- Ilmari Pohjola – 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...
- Anna Tulusto – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
(until summer 1998)
In many orchestral pieces Ultra Bra also had an additional string
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
section and a chorus
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
.
Current projects
- Kerkko Koskinen is a solo artist. He composes and sings his own songs and has his own band. Anni Sinnemäki, Erpo Pakkala and Juhana Rossi have written lyrics for him. Kerkko released an album on April 5, 2002, called Rakkaus viiltää. He has also written music for Finnish movies. His second album Lolita was released in August 2005.
- Terhi, Joel, Tommi and Antti have joined together to form a new band called Scandinavian Music GroupScandinavian Music GroupScandinavian Music Group is a Finnish band founded in 2002 by former Ultra Bra members. They have released five albums.-Band members:* Terhi Kokkonen: vocals * Joel Melasniemi: guitar * Antti Lehtinen: drums...
. Terhi writes the lyrics and Joel makes the music for their songs. Tommi quit the band in 2003 to concentrate on family life and a career as a lawyer. The band has released five albums, Onnelliset kohtaa (2002), Nimikirjaimet (2004), Hölmö rakkaus, ylpeä sydän (2006), Missä olet Laila? (2007) and Palatkaa Pariisiin (2009). Joel has also played in an Iron MaidenIron MaidenIron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
tribute band called Mauron Maiden - Vuokko Hovatta has a new band, called Tekniikan ihmelapset. Vuokko is also an actress and continues to play many roles in Finnish theaters. She does many other things as well, such as Finnish movie dubbing and TV roles.
- Antti Lehtinen became the new drummer of Don HuonotDon HuonotDon Huonot was one of the most popular Finnish rock bands in Finland in the 1990s. They had many radio hits and their live sessions were known as being very emotional and energetic experiences.After 10 years and 7 albums, the band broke up...
, a popular Finnish band, until the band broke up in 2003. He plays percussion in Kerkko's band and has been involved in producing Kerkko's album. Antti also participates in numerous other music projects. - Jan Pethman continues to play in the band of Maija VilkkumaaMaija VilkkumaaMaija Johanna Vilkkumaa a Finnish pop rock singer-songwriter. Beginning her musical hobbies playing piano at an age before school, Vilkkumaa studied in high school where she and her friends set up the band Tarharyhmä in 1990, which broke up in 1995...
, a Finnish singer-songwriterSinger-songwriterSinger-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
. - Olli Virtaperko continues to make music with his band Ensemble AmbrosiusEnsemble AmbrosiusEnsemble Ambrosius is a Finnish chamber music group that plays on baroque instruments. It originated in 1995 when three music students performed music of Frank Zappa at a school concert. They added a fourth member and began touring in 1997, adding original music to their repertoire...
. - Ilmari Pohjola is a member of the bands Gourmet and Silvio. He also plays for the experimental jazz group Oddarang.
- Anni SinnemäkiAnni SinnemäkiAnni Milja Maaria Sinnemäki is a Finnish politician and a member of the Finnish Parliament, representing the Green League. She was first elected to the parliament in 1999 and acted as the Minister for Labour from 2009 to 2011...
has been a member of the Finnish parliamentParliament of FinlandThe Eduskunta , is the parliament of Finland. The unicameral parliament has 200 members and meets in the Parliament House in Helsinki. The latest election to the parliament took place on April 17, 2011.- Constitution :...
since 1999 and was the Minister for Labour and the chairwoman of Green LeagueGreen LeagueThe Green League is a centrist green liberal political party in Finland. It has ten seats in the Finnish Parliament and two in the European Parliament. The current chairperson is Ville Niinistö....
2009–2011.
Albums
- Vapaaherran elämää (1996) ("Life of a freemanFreeman- Things :* An individual not tied to land under medieval serfdom, unlike a villein or serf* A person who has been awarded Freedom of the City or "Freedom of the Company" in a Livery Company* Freeman * Freeman...
") - Kroketti (1997) ("Croquet")
- Kalifornia (1999) ("California")
- Vesireittejä (2000) ("Waterways")
- Sinä päivänä kun synnyin (2001) ("On the day I was born")
Singles
- Houkutusten kiihottava maku (1995) ("The Exciting Taste of Temptations")
- Ken Saro-Wiwa on kuollut/Sankaritar/Moskova (1996) ("Ken Saro-WiwaKen Saro-WiwaKenule "Ken" Beeson Saro Wiwa was a Nigerian author, television producer, environmental activist, and winner of the Right Livelihood Award and the Goldman Environmental Prize...
Is Dead/Heroine/Moscow") - Kahdeksanvuotiaana/remix (1997) ("At The Age of Eight")
- Sinä lähdit pois/Lähetystyö/Haikara (1997) ("You Went Away/Missionary work/Stork")
- Tyttöjen välisestä ystävyydestä/a few other songs (1998) (About a Friendship Between Girls")
- Hei kuule Suomi/Helsinki-Vantaa (1999) ("Hey Listen Finland/Helsinki-VantaaHelsinki-Vantaa AirportHelsinki Airport or Helsinki-Vantaa Airport is the main international airport of the Helsinki metropolitan region and the whole of Finland. It is located in Vantaa, Finland, about west of Tikkurila, the centre of Vantaa, and north of Helsinki city centre...
) - Ilmiöitä/Eniten (1999) ("Phenomena/Most of all")
- Heikko Valo (2000) ("Weak Light")
- Villiviini/Itket ja kuuntelet (2000) ("Boston Ivy/You Cry and You Listen")
- Rubikin kuutio/Lapsuus loppui (2000) ("Rubik's CubeRubik's CubeRubik's Cube is a 3-D mechanical puzzle invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and professor of architecture Ernő Rubik.Originally called the "Magic Cube", the puzzle was licensed by Rubik to be sold by Ideal Toy Corp. in 1980 and won the German Game of the Year special award for Best Puzzle that...
/Childhood Ended")
Other releases
- Kaikki laulut (sheet musicSheet musicSheet music is a hand-written or printed form of music notation that uses modern musical symbols; like its analogs—books, pamphlets, etc.—the medium of sheet music typically is paper , although the access to musical notation in recent years includes also presentation on computer screens...
book) (2001) - Ultra Bra: Videot 1996-2001 (music video tape) (2001)
External links
- Official site (in Finnish)
- "A Single is Born" — a Helsingin SanomatHelsingin SanomatHelsingin Sanomat is the largest subscription newspaper in Finland and the Nordic countries, owned by Sanoma. Except after certain holidays, it is published daily. In 2008, its daily circulation was 412,421 on weekdays and 468,505 on Sundays...
web reportage about the birth of the song "Villiviini"