Klamydia (Chlamydia) are a Finnish D.I.Y. punk rock band formed in 1988. Their oft-mentioned inspirations are bands like the Ramones, Misfits and Motörhead. They've had a significant number of bass and guitar players, while only vocalist and main songwriter Vesa "Vesku" Jokinen and drummer Riku Purtola have been constant members (though Purtola joined the band in 1989, after their first couple of releases). They're best known for their offbeat, humorous attitude evident in album titles like 1993's Masturbaatio Ilman Käsiä (Masturbation Without Hands), a self-released album that rose to number two on the Finnish pop charts. Other popular records included 1991's Los Celibatos, 1995's Siittiöt Sotapolulla (Sperm Warpath), and the 1998 three-CD tenth anniversary collection Klamytologia. They rarely get any critical accolades for their music, but they have a strong fan base, and several of their albums have gone gold or even platinum in their native land. Klamydia veered into more traditional rock music in the late '90s with the album Zulupohjalta (1999), but bounced back into their own brand of craziness as soon as the new millennium rolled in with Klamytapit (2001). The band has also been successful in Germany, releasing split singles there and touring with such German punk bands as Die Schwarzen Schafe and Die Lokalmatadore. In 2001 Klamydia were presented with a prestigious cultural award by their hometown of Vaasa, which caused considerable consternation in more traditional art circles. The bandmembers chuckled at the attention while enjoying the improved sales and interest in the band. In 2007 the group's latest incarnation was still on the charts with its 22nd release, the eponymous Klamydia. ~ JT Lindroos