Eppu Normaali

History

The members of the original band were Juha Torvinen (guitar), Mikko Saarela (bass), Aku Syrjä (drums), and brothers Martti Syrjä (vocals) and Mikko "Pantse" Syrjä (guitar). (The brothers are the sons of accomplished writers Kirsi Kunnas and Jaakko Syrjä). In 1979, bassist Mikko Saarela left the band, and Mikko Nevalainen played bass with Eppu Normaali until 1989. The current bassist is Sami Ruusukallio.

The band took its name from a character in the Mel Brooks movie Young Frankenstein, and the subtitler translated the name of the character Abby Normal (abnormal) into the Finnish equivalent Eppu Normaali (epänormaali, roughly 'abnormal'; a Finnish equivalent of the original play with words).

In 1977, the band participated in a local rock music competition. Finnish folk/pop legend Juice Leskinen was present and issued a demand that they "must win", but the judges were unimpressed—the band did not win. The band began sending demos to various record companies and they were soon signed to Poko Rekords.

They initially released albums in a punk pop style that gained favourable reviews, but the band did not gain mainstream acceptance until 1984 with what had evolved into a more AOR-oriented music style. Rupisia Riimejä, Karmeita Tarinoita was released in 1984, and it was followed by Kahdeksas Ihme in 1985 and Valkoinen Kupla in 1986. This trio of albums were all hits, with combined sales of over 300,000 copies. Kahdeksas Ihme is their top-selling non-greatest hits record to date.

Although their albums all sold well, the band's pace slowed down after the release of their 10th album, Imperiumin Vastaisku, in 1988. It took two years for the release of their 11th studio album, Historian Suurmiehiä, which came out in 1990. Despite this, the album contained several hits, including one of their best known songs, "Tahroja Paperilla". Three more years later, in 1993, they released Studio Etana, which became their last studio album for eleven years. The band came close to breaking up, citing "lacking inspiration" as the primary cause. Their 1996 release Repullinen hittejä, a greatest hits compilation sold over 240,000 copies, reaching the top of the Finnish charts. This record also stayed on the charts for over two years, a duration which is second of all time in Finland. After its release, the band effectively stopped touring or performing live.

In 2004, the band announced they would record a new album, Sadan vuoden päästäkin, which became one of the band's most successful releases. In 2007, they released their most recent album of new material, Syvään päähän.

In 2016, the band celebrated its 40th anniversary with a documentary film, book, photo exhibition and a massive show at Ratina stadium. The stadium concert had over 30 000 spectators.

On 23 October 2025, the band announced that it would retire from live performances after celebrating its 50th anniversary, with a farewell concert planned for 8 August 2026 in Tampere.

Discography

Studio albums

Live albums

• Elävänä Euroopassa (Alive in Europe) (1980)
• Onko vielä pitkä matka jonnekin? (Is there still a long way to somewhere?) (1994)
• Ratina (2016)

Compilation albums

• Pop pop pop (1982)
• Hatullinen paskaa (A hatful of shit) (1984)
• Aku, Juha, Martti ja Mikko² - soolot (Aku, Juha, Martti and Mikko² - solos) (1987)
• Poko-klassikko (Poko-classic) (1987)
• Lyömättömät (Unbeatables) (1989)
• Hatullinen paskaa/Soolot (A hatful of shit/Solos) (1990)
• Paskahatun paluu (Shithat's return) (1991)
• Repullinen hittejä (A bagful of hits) (1996)
• Reppu 2 - toinen repullinen kuolemattomia Eppu-klassikoita (Bag 2 - another bagful of immortal Eppu-classics) (2003)
• Singlet 1978–2003 (Singles 1978–2003) (2003)
• Jackpot - 101 Eppu-klassikkoa 1978–2009 (Jackpot - 101 Eppu-classics 1978–2009) (6 CD, 2009)
• Mutala (2011) - Acoustic versions of some of their most famous songs

Filmography

• The Saimaa Gesture (1981)

References

References

1. (6 August 2016). "Pamputtaako poliisi vai saadaanko suolaista sadetta? Seuraa Eppu Normaalin juhlakonsertin tunnelmia".
2. "Europopmusic's Eppu Normaali profile".
3. "Eppu Normaali Biography".
4. "Eppu Normaali". [[Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland]].
5. [http://finnishcharts.com/bestall_a.asp Finnish Charts]
6. "Eppu Normaalilla yllätys juhlavuoden kunniaksi: Bändistä dokumenttielokuva".
7. "Eppu Normaali lopettaa – jäähyväiskeikka Tampereella elokuussa".
8. "Eppunormaali.net - Eppunormaali.net - Sivukartta".
9. https://ifpi.fi
10. Pennanen, Timo. (2006). "Sisältää hitin, levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972". Otava.
11. "Eppu Normaali - Kulta- ja platinalevyt". Musiikkituottajat.
12. "finnishcharts.com - Eppu Normaali - Sadan vuoden päästäkin". finnishcharts.com.