Ultra Bra

Infobox Musical artist
Name = Ultra Bra


Img_capt = Ultra Bra band members
Img_size =
Landscape = yes
Background = group_or_band
Alias =
Origin = Helsinki, Finland
Genre = Pop, rock
Years_active = 1994–2001
Label = Johanna
Associated_acts =
URL = [http://www.musicfinland.com/ultrabra/ www.musicfinland.com/ultrabra]
Current_members =
Past_members = Kerkko Koskinen Vuokko Hovatta Terhi Kokkonen Arto Talme Olli Virtaperko Antti Lehtinen Joel Melasniemi Marko Portin Tommi Saarikivi Jan Pethman Kari Pelttari Ilmari Pohjola Anna Tulusto

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.

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 comissioners, those crazy 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). Unfortunately, they did not reach 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. 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 – piano, main composer and quasi-leader
* Vuokko Hovatta – vocals
* Terhi Kokkonen – vocals
* Arto Talme – vocals
* Olli Virtaperko – vocals
* Antti Lehtinen – drums
* Joel Melasniemi – guitar
* Marko Portin – saxophone
* Tommi Saarikivi – bass
* Jan Pethman – percussion
* Kari Pelttari – trumpet
* Ilmari Pohjola – trombone
* Anna Tulusto – vocals (until summer 1998)

In many orchestral pieces Ultra Bra also had an additional string section and a chorus.

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". 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 Group. 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 three albums, "Onnelliset kohtaa" (2002), "Nimikirjaimet" (2004) and "Hölmö rakkaus, ylpeä sydän" (2006). Joel has also played in an Iron Maiden 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 Huonot, 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 Vilkkumaa, a Finnish singer-songwriter.
* Olli Virtaperko continues to make music with his band Ensemble Ambrosius.
* Ilmari Pohjola is a member of the bands Gourmet and Silvio. He also plays for the experimental jazz group Oddarang.
* Anni Sinnemäki is a member of the Finnish parliament.

Discography

Albums

* "Vapaaherran elämää" (1996) ("Life of a Baron/Playboy")
* "Kroketti" (1997) ("Croquet")
* "Kalifornia" (1999) ("California")
* "Vesireittejä" (2000) ("Waterways")
* "Sinä päivänä kun synnyin" (2001) ("On the Day I Was Born")

ingles

* "Houkutusten kiihottava maku" (1995) ("The Exciting Taste of Temptations")
* "Ken Saro-Wiwa on kuollut"/"Sankaritar"/"Moskova" (1996) ("Ken Saro-Wiwa 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-Vantaa)
* "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 Cube/Childhood Ended")

Other releases

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

External links

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