Pelle Miljoona

Pelle Miljoona (English: "Clown Million"), real name Petri Samuli Tiili (born 10 February 1955 in Hamina, Finland) is a Finnish musician, author and punk rock legend.

With lyrics that mocked the Finnish army and the politics of the time, Pelle Miljoona gained significant attention when his early records were released, as such themes were unprecedented in Finland.

He achieved exceptional success with Pelle Miljoona Oy's album Moottoritie On Kuuma (1980), whose title track became one of his biggest hits, perhaps the greatest of his career.

Musicians who played on that album included future Hanoi Rocks members Andy McCoy and Sami Yaffa.

The album Matkalla Tuntemattomaan (1981) was recorded in Germany's Hansa Tonstudio, a studio that had been used by artists such as Nina Hagen, Iggy Pop, and David Bowie.

The American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers happened to be performing in Finland the same evening and heard about the event.

Pelle Miljoona (2007)
Pelle Miljoona on stage in the early 1980s.