Apulanta

All Music Guide:

Apulanta is a chart-topping Finnish rock band whose style draws from punk and alternative rock. Starting in 1996, the band hit number one on the Finnish charts practically every single year with either a hit single, album, or both. Founded in 1991 and based in Heinola, Finland, Apulanta is comprised of Toni Wirtanen (vocals, guitar), Simo Santapukki (drums), and Sami Lehtinen (bass). The band made its recording debut in 1993 with Mikä Ihmeen Apulanta? (1993), a nine-song EP featuring former bandmembers Antti Lautala (vocals, guitar) and Amanda "Mandy" Gaynor (bass, vocals), in addition to founding members Wirtanen and Santapukki. Following a couple more EPs the next year, Apulanta made their full-length album debut in 1995 with Attack of the A.L. People, which found the band lineup reduced to the trio of Wirtanen, Santapukki, and Tuukka Temonen (bass). Late in the year, the band released the Hajonnut EP (1995), whose song "Mitä Kuuluu" was a smash hit, going all the way to number two on the Finnish singles chart. Apulanta would henceforth hit the upper reaches of the Finnish charts with remarkable regularly. Second album Ehjä (1996) was a Top Five hit, while the seven to follow it -- Kolme (1997), Singlet 1993-1997 (1998), Aivan Kuin Kaikki Muutkin (1998), Plastik (2000), Heinola 10 (2001), Syitä Ja Seurauksia -- 30 Parasta (2001), Hiekka (2002) -- were all number ones. Subsequent years brought more chart-topping albums. Apulanta also topped the singles chart with remarkable regularity, beginning with "Anna Mulle Piiskaa" in 1996. Their greatest hits are compiled on Singlet 1993-1997 (1998) and Singlet 1998-2003 (2003).

Wikipedia:

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 so far 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.

Members

Current members

Former members

Trivia

The name of the band means literally help manure, or fertilizer, which they have since come to regret.