Ultra Bra

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, most likely because all of the songs are in Finnish.

Ultra Bra band members
Ultra Bra band members
Contents

Band history

In 1994, Olli Virtaperko heard about a contest of political songs and told about it to Kerkko Koskinen. Kerkko composed a few songs based on lyrics that he got from his friends. A group of singers and musicians was assembled and then this band won the contest.

In the summer of 1995, they published their first single, Houkutusten kiihottava maku. In the course of the recording sessions they also came up with a name for the band: Ultra Bra. During 1995, a lot of new people joined the band while others left, however the lineup started to become fixed towards the end of the year. In the end of the year, Anni Sinnemäki, who was to become the most famous of all UB's lyrics writers, started to write lyrics, starting with Sankaritar and Ken Saro Wiwa on kuollut.

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. This is when Ultra Bra really started to gain the fame they have today. Kroketti sold very well; it is their best-selling album and contains some of their biggest hits, namely Sinä lähdit pois and Minä suojelen sinua kaikelta. Almost everyone in Finland has heard Sinä lähdit pois.

In 1998 they participated in the contest for the song to represent Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest. Ultra Bra didn't win, but their entry, Tyttöjen välisestä ystävyydestä (English: about friendship between girls), became a hit song. The third album, Kalifornia, was released in the spring of 1999. In the beginning of the new millennium, Ultra Bra tried to participate again, in the Finnish Eurovision song elimination (with the song Kaikki on hetken tässä (English: everyone is here for a moment), but they didn't even get into the final contest. In the spring they also released a couple of new singles. Heikko Valo (English: weak light) was also featured in the Finnish movie Levottomat (English: Restless).

Their fourth album, Vesireittejä, came out on October 13. The week before it was released, all of Finland was focused on Ultra Bra. Numerous magazine and newspaper wrote an article about them, and they appeared on TV and on the radio. On its first week in the Finnish charts, Vesireittejä got to first place and had also sold gold.

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 (English: On the day I was born), 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

Where are they now

  • 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.
  • Terhi, Joel, Tommi and Antti have joined together to form a new band called Scandinavian Music Group. Terhi writes the lyrics and Joel makes the music for their songs. They have released a single with two songs, Kun tuuli oli viilee/Kun puut tekee seittiä and have released two albums.
  • 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 has become the new drummer of Don Huonot, a popular Finnish band. He also 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 Vilkkumaa, a Finnish singer-songwriter.
  • Olli Virtaperko continues to make music with his band Ensemble Ambrosius.
  • Ilmari Pohjola is a part of a band called Gourmet.
  • Anni Sinnemäki is a member of the Finnish parliament.

Discography

Albums

  • Vapaaherran elämää (1996) (English: A baron's life)
  • Kroketti (1997) (English: Croquet)
  • Kalifornia (1999)
  • Vesireittejä (2000) (English: Water routes)
  • Sinä päivänä kun synnyin (2001) (English: On the day I was born )

Singles

  • Houkutusten kiihottava maku (1995) (English: The arousing taste of temptations)
  • Ken Saro-Wiva on kuollut/Sankaritar/Moskova (1996) (English: Ken Saro-Wiva is dead/Heroine/Moscow)
  • Kahdeksanvuotiaana/remix (1997) (English: At the age of eight)
  • Sinä lähdit pois/Lähetystyö/Haikara (1997) (English: You went away/Missionary work/A stork)
  • Tyttöjen välisestä ystävyydestä/a few other songs (1998) (English: About friendship between girls)
  • Hei kuule Suomi/Helsinki-Vantaa (1999) (English: Hey listen Finland/Helsinki-Vantaa (a Helsinki airport))
  • Ilmiöitä/Eniten (1999) (English: Phenomena/Most of all)
  • Heikko Valo (2000) (English: Weak light)
  • Villiviini/Itket ja kuuntelet (2000) (English: Wild Vine/You cry and you listen)
  • Rubikin kuutio/Lapsuus loppui (2000) (English: Rubik's Cube/Childhood ended)

Other releases

  • Kaikki laulut (sheet music book) (2001)
  • Ultra Bra: Videot 1996-2001 (music video tape) (2001)

External links

  • Ultra Bra in English (http://www.thenook.net/ultrabra/ultrabra.php) (has translations of the band's songs and lots of information)


This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from Wikipedia article. Browse Wikipedia for more information.