Agents was founded in 1979 on the ruins of Tuomari Nurmio's band Köyhien ystävät. All former members of Köyhien ystävät, with the exception of Tuomari Nurmio, played in the original Agents. The band also recruited Esa's brother Kai Pulliainen and keyboard player Jukka Ollila. The lead singer was Pekka Rytkönen, nicknamed Beat-Pete.
