Years active 1988 (1988)– Website penniless.biz Origin Nakkila, Finland (1988) | Associated acts Maj Karma, Salaliitto Past members Timo Pääkkö | |
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Also known as Penniless People of Bulgaria Members Kimmo Kurittu, Ossi Alisaari, Mikko Pere , Pekka Alisaari, Lasse Alisaari , Timo Pääkkö Albums A Cab to the City, Rows of Houses, Anola Genres Alternative rock, Indie rock, Power pop Record labels Poko Rekords, A West Side Fabrication, Ulftone Music, A West Side Fabrication - X5 Music Group Similar Salaliitto, Maj Karma, Deep Turtle, Limonadi Elohopea, Herra Ylppö Profiles | ||
Penniless (previously Penniless People of Bulgaria) is a rock band, formed in Nakkila, Finland in 1988. As of July 2015, Penniless has released ten studio albums (the first four as Penniless People of Bulgaria), as well as nineteen singles/EPs. Penniless have been signed to and released its records through Swedish label A West Side Fabrication since 1996.
Contents
- Musical style and influences
- Side projects
- Current members
- Past members
- Albums
- Singles and EPs
- Songs
- References
During its career, Penniless has enjoyed moderate commercial success. The Adam's Apple Pie single spent 13 weeks on Finnish public radio station Radiomafia's playlist in 2001. The band reached the The Official Finnish Charts for the first time ever in 2010 with the A Cab To The City album, which spent one week at No. 30 on the Official Finnish Albums Chart.
In 1998, Penniless covered Eva Dahlgren's song Sommarbarn for the Yle X3M radio station's compilation album entitled Extrema Sommarhits Volume 1. The song was also released on the Cyberhand CD EP.
Penniless has toured mainly in its native Finland, but the band has also supported American band Mucky Pup on their European tour in 1996 and performed at the 1998 Roskilde Festival in Denmark. Penniless has performed several times at the Swedish Trästockfestivalen, an annual free festival in Skellefteå, founded and arranged by Joakim Wallström. Wallström is also the founder of Penniless' long-time record label A Westside Fabrication.
Musical style and influences
Finnish monthly music magazine Soundi has described Penniless’ music as "beautiful and catchy melodies, stellar guitars and a matching 'tongue in cheek' attitude". PopMatters highlighted Penniless' "artful employment of every indie trick and guitar hook in the book"., while Nöjesguiden praised the band's "unusually distinctive talent for coming up with great refrains", but rued its "lack of individuality in an atonal jungle of similar bands".
Music critics have compared Penniless to a number of mostly American rock bands, including Pixies, Hüsker Dü, Weezer and Nirvana. Penniless guitarist, vocalist and main songwriter Ossi Alisaari has cited The Who and Sonic Youth among his influences.
Side projects
Outside Penniless, Ossi Alisaari sings and plays guitar in the band Salaliitto. Kimmo Kurittu is the bass player of Maj Karma. Pekka Alisaari has produced albums for Finnish acts Euforia and Markus Perttula.
Current members
Past members
Albums
Singles and EPs
Songs
CyberhandJoe · 1998
One Penny Love SongVelocity · 1996
Adam's Apple PieAnola · 2002