Eppu Normaali

Eppu Normaali (Finnish translation of "Abby Normal," from Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein) is one of the most popular bands -- perhaps the most popular -- in the history of Finnish rock music. They have recorded 13 studio albums since their inception in 1976 -- nine of these have gone platinum and the rest gold. They've sold over a million albums in Finland, which is a significant amount for a country of five million, and are the rare Finnish act able to sell out 30,000 tickets in a stadium concert. They began as an irreverent punk band that turned toward guitar-oriented rock. Finns have called them "the poor man's Dire Straits," although their output is far more varied than that of Mark Knopfler. Eppu Normaali was founded by two brothers, Martti Syrjä (vocals) and Mikko Syrjä (guitar), their cousin Aku Syrjä (drums), as well as Juha Torvinen (lead guitar) and Mikko Saarela (bass). With the exception of the bass player, the band has remained with the same lineup from the beginning. Eppu Normaali started recording their Ramones and Sex Pistols inspired freewheeling punk rock in 1977. Their first album Aknepop ("Acnepop" 1978), was among the earliest and most popular records on the early Finnish punk scene. Their sarcastic and hilarious songs, such as "Poliisi Pamputtaa Taas" ("The Police Pounces Again") were beloved by both the music press and the kids, while the mainstream and adult contemporary crowds were either unimpressed or hostile. Their second album, Maximum Jee Jee ("Maximum Yeah Yeah" 1979), had the sharp edges filed away, and the pace was reduced from the chaotic debut album. Combined with clever pop hooks and melodies, this slower pace resulted in a record some new wave purists consider the finest Eppu Normaali would record. The main lyricist and bass player...