PMMP

PMMP

PMMP in ilosaarirock 2007
Background information
Origin Helsinki, Finland
Genres Pop rock
Years active 2003–2013
Labels Sony BMG
Website Official website
Members Paula Vesala
Mira Luoti
Mikko Virta
Juho Vehmanen
Heikki Kytölä

PMMP was a Finnish band fronted by singers Paula Vesala and Mira Luoti and backed by musicians Mikko Virta, Juho Vehmanen and Heikki Kytölä. The name of the band is often said to be an abbreviation of the sentence "Paulan ja Miran Molemmat Puolet", which can be translated in English as "Both Sides of Paula and Mira". However, in an interview on the Finnish talk show Krisse Show, they stated that the name of the band comes, like ABBA, from the names of 4 of its members: so PMMP is Paula, Mira, Mira, Paula. PMMP's albums are produced by Jori Sjöroos who also wrote the music for all the songs. The lyrics are written by Paula and Mira. The band is an acclaimed live act.

PMMP first became well known in Finland with the 2003 summer hit Rusketusraidat ("Tan Lines"). They then enjoyed great success with their second album Kovemmat kädet ("Rougher Hands"), which went gold (double platinum year 2010). An extended version of the album was released in August 2005. Oo siellä jossain mun, a single from the aforementioned album, is PMMP's biggest hit so far in Finland.

In November 2006 PMMP released their third album Leskiäidin tyttäret ("Daughters of a widow mother"), which went platinum on the day it was released.

They released an album labeled Puuhevonen ("Wooden Horse") with traditional children's songs in 2007, around the time their first children were born. In 2009 they released their fourth rock/pop album Veden varaan ("Overboard") and their fifth album Rakkaudesta ("For Love"), released in 2012, is considered as their comeback album.

PMMP played their final concert on October 27, 2013 at the Helsinki Ice Hall. The concert was sold out.

"Matka jatkuu vaan" – The Journey Continues

In an article titled "Matka jatkuu vaan" in the biggest Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat (17.2.2007), journalist Leena Virtanen attempts to explain how it is that PMMP appeal to both children and adults, concluding that while indeed an energetic pop band PMMP "live within the space between childhood and adulthood", referring to the lifeworlds of both children and adults, carried through with eternal optimism. Virtanen concludes with the words from one of PMMP's best known songs "Matkalaulu" (travel song), which is in fact a song about the band being on the road: "Tämä voi olla koko elämämme ihanin päivä. Ajetaan hiljempaa. Toivon, että matka jatkuu, jatkuu vaan" [This could be the most wonderful day of our whole life. Let's drive slower. I hope the journey goes on, goes on and on..."]

Activism

PMMP has supported Amnesty International's work against the violence towards women. The song Joku raja from the album Leskiäidin tyttäret is named after Amnesty's campaign by the same name.[1]

On 25 May 2013 PMMP was supposed to perform together with two members of the Russian punk band Pussy Riot at the Maailma kylässä (World Village) festival in Helsinki. The members of Pussy Riot had disappeared and PMMP performed without them but supported their cause for human rights in Russia.[2]

The members of PMMP

PMMP in concert, 2006

Discography

Albums

Year Album Peak
position[3]		 Certification[4]
2003 Kuulkaas enot!
  • Released: 5 September 2003
  • Record label: BMG
 6 Platinum
2005 Kovemmat kädet
  • Released: 9 March 2005
  • Record label: Sony BMG
  • Also special release
    Kovemmat kädet (Kumipainos)
2 2x platinum
2006 Leskiäidin tyttäret
  • Released: 15 November 2006
  • Record label: Sony BMG
 1 Platinum
2007 Puuhevonen
  • Released: 14 November 2007
  • Record label: Sony BMG
 3 Platinum
2009 Veden varaan
  • Released: 25 November 2009
  • Record label: Sony Music
 1 Platinum
2012 Rakkaudesta
  • Released: 11 June 2012
  • Record label: Sony Music
 1 Gold[5]
2013 Hitit
  • Released: December 2013
  • Record label: Sony Music
 16

Singles

References

  1. ↑ "29.4.2011 - PMMP tukee Amnestyn Joku raja -kampanjaa - osta valokuvavedokset ja paidat Storesta! | Amnesty Store". Amnestystore.fi. 2011-04-29. Retrieved 2014-05-08.
  2. ↑ "Pussy Riot members cancel appearances, whereabouts unknown | Yle Uutiset". yle.fi. Retrieved 2014-05-08.
  3. ↑ FinnishCharts.com PMMP page
  4. ↑ IFPI - PMMP page
  5. ↑ "PMMP myi kultaa - Katso uusi musiikkivideo! - Radio Nova". Radionova.fi. Retrieved 2014-05-08.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to PMMP.