Mauri Antero Numminen (born 12 March 1940, Somero) is one of the best-known Finnish artists, who has worked in several different fields of music and culture. In the 1960s M.A. Numminen was known particularly as an avantgarde/underground artist, stirring controversy with such songs asNuoren aviomiehen on syytä muistaa ("What a young husband should remember"; the lyrics of the song were taken directly from a guide to newly married couples) and Naiseni kanssa eduskuntatalon puistossa ("With my woman at the parliament house's park"). He was also a member of the band Suomen Talvisota 1939-1940. In his early days Numminen often consciously tried to provoke people. Here he succeeded well, for example by his interpretations of Franz Schubert's lieds, sung with his own idiosyncratic singing voice, or managing to create a scandal at the Jyväskylän kesä festival of Jyväskylä in 1966 with song lyrics taken from a sex guide. Numminen also composed music