Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät


Location: Helsinki

Challenge: Various Disabilities

Website: facebook.com/PerttiKurikanNimipaivat

Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät (Pertti Kurikka’s Name Day) was founded in 2009, a punk band. The band's front man Pertti Kurikka to compose the songs, plays guitar and writes the lyrics of the band together with Kari Aalto (vocals). Pertti and Karin In addition to the band include Sami Helle (bass) and Toni Välitalo (drums). The band's lyrics deal with all the possible shortcomings of society always unpleasant Podiatry up.

Pertti says "the band’s biggest influences are Finnish punk bands from the last millennium, such as Karanteeni, Kollaa kestää, Ratsia, Sensuuri, Ypö-Viis and Pelle Miljoona."

The band achieved cult status with its first demo Kallioon. The band’s EP Ei yhteiskunta yhtä miestä kaipaa was released in 2010 and immediately sold out.

The record was released in Germany as well. The band has also released a maxi single titled Päättäjä on pettäjä (2011) and a vinyl EP titled Osaa eläimetkin pieree (2011). PKN has been asked about the band also abroad. In addition to Finland, the band has toured. United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Norway, Canada, Kosovo, the Netherlands, England and Switzerland.

The band is the subject of the documentary, The Punk Syndrome, by Jukka Kärkkäinen and J-P Passi; the film premieres in spring 2012. The band also performed in Gimme Some Respect, a feature film directed by Pekka Karjalainen and released in 2010.

"We are rebelling against society in different ways, but we are not political," bassist Sami Helle told The Guardian. He adds "We are changing attitudes somewhat, a lot of people are coming to our gigs and we have a lot of fans."

In 2015, PKN were selected to represent Finland at the Eurovision Song Contest. PKN were chosen by Finnish viewers and has now been ranked by bookmakers as among the favourites for the contest.

Sam says "We don't want people to vote for us to feel sorry for us, we are not that different from everybody else - just normal guys with a mental handicap."

PKN will also become the first punk band to compete at Eurovision. They will perform their 85-second song Aina Mun Pitaa (I Always Have To) at the event in Vienna in May.

Finland - Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät


Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät - Aina Mun Pitää (Finland) - LIVE at Eurovision 2015