The Sacrament

HIM => News & Rumors => Topic started by: Inferno on September 05, 2015, 07:01:37 AM

Title: Jukka "Kosmo" Kröger Interview
Post by: Inferno on September 05, 2015, 07:01:37 AM
The Mexican HIM Team had a chance to interview Kosmo and it went like this:
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First of all, we truly appreciate that you are willing to talk with us and, speaking on behalf of all members of HIM Mexico City (HIMexicanTeam), we would like to express both admiration for your work and gratitude for the openness and disposition to interact that you have shown to us fans.

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HOLA and thank you very much, it’s always a pleasure! And super thanks for that welcome pic with welcome sign on it! You people are awesome!

So, since the announcement of you joining the band was made, we all started wondering who was Jukka “Kosmo” Kröger, we searched in Google and ended up in the Finnish Wikipedia. Could you share with us a little more? Maybe information that you would like us all to know about you?

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Well i am Jukka, people used to call me by the name Kosmo and i am just a regular-down earth-silent boy from town called Pieksämäki in middle of nowhere in this country called Finland and i love music and playing drums and guitar, hehe! :)

I was 12 years old when i started to play for real, i was a bass player first, because of Metallica´s Cliff Burton was just so amazing! But year after that i got my first real drumkit and guitar. I started studying music in schools when i was 20. First year in training college, in city called Savonlinna, then 2 years in Palmgren Conservatory, Pori and 3 years in Conservatory in Jyväskylä where i graduated as pop/jazz musician/drummer.

After these many early bands in the 1993-1998 we founded this band called “FM2000” in 1999. I played in band almost like 11 years and did many albums and live shows and tours. I had to quit with the band because i don’t have so much time that they needed and i didn’t have so much effort to focus on two active live and recording bands at the same time as a drummer.

In 2007 i joyned in Herra Ylppö & Ihmiset, we did 4 full albums and 4 big Finland tours in 2007-2014.

Other “side projects” as drummer are VIHA (2004-), Split Cranium (2010-2015).

As a guitarist i play these bands called Verine (1999-) and Maple Cross (2010 -)

It has not been long since you are HIM’s drummer and we have read that the initial invitation to join the band was made through a text message sent by Ville, how was that moment like?

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It was one morning in March, I woke up at my girlfriend’s place in north of Finland in this town called Oulu. I reached the phone and saw incoming text message at my phone.

(All the credits goes to my former band mates Herra Ylppö and Janne Joutsenniemi who are friends with HIM guys and they kind of praised me to Ville and Burton and the rest of the HIM Family that i´m very interested and available for HIM).

Message says; “Hello, i get your contacts from Ylppö and there is a drummer size hole in our band. Are you interested? -VIlle Valo”

My heart jumped and i sat down with biggest smile on my face…I was like HELL YEAH!!!! ;)

Have your plans changed after that call? If so, what are the new ones?

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Yeah they have, in that point i didn’t have any big musical plans, only few small things, i was like taking a little break because we were just finished with our former band called Herra Ylppö & Ihmiset. And now i am the new member and new drummer of this awesome band called HIM. One of my biggest dreams come true! ;)

Some musicians define their lives based on the projects they are in. Having joined HIM, would you say that yours has changed? What is the main difference before and after this event? If there is one, which is the main difference in your life since you joined the band?

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Not really changed, music for me is the life, i can’t think life without it, it’s like air you breath, the obligatory element for been alive.

The band setup between my former band Herra Ylppö & Ihmiset and HIM are exactly the same, lead vocalist, one guitarist, keyboard, bass and drums.

But like professional way everything is couple of levels way higher and we got this possibility to make living out of it and that is one of my biggest dream come true!

Everybody should follow your heart and own dreams and make them come true in this very own, one-off thing called life. :)

How did you feel in your first gig with the band?

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First gig was the secret one in Qstock Festival, Oulu in the end of July. And it were very precious thing for me personally that the first gig were in my second home town in Oulu.

It was very exciting with all the hiding and secrecy. It were kind of easy way to start for me and the band because the audience were expected to see Rambo Rimbaud show but well well well it turns to be HIM show. It was a kind of small tent and it was just packed full of screaming people. We performed a short set and it went very fast but everything went just awesome! It was a blast!
Are you enjoying this tour?

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Yeah i’m enjoying every part of my body and soul! All the shows have gone great and the fans..uuuuh..you are just awesome!! Thank you all! Gas posted greetings in facebook : “You will “inherit” the best fans in the Universe. Enjoy brother!” , which was so kind and awesome thing from him, he is so kind person and has biggest heart in the universe!! And Hell Yeah, he knew that all about the HIM fans! Respect you, mi amigo! ;)

In your opinion, which one was the defining factor that made you the “chosen one”? In other words, which aspect of your personality would you say that goes along with HIM better?

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It’s kind of hard for me to explain this, you have to ask this from the other guys, haha! :)

But maybe i am this regular, smiling, positive, northern boy who has his feet on the ground and gets along with everybody and maybe i can play drums on some tolerable level. ;)

Considering your musical career, we dare to say that you’ve got a heavier style, was HIM part of your musical taste before you became their drummer?

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Yeah i got heavy metal background, but also the weird jazzy stuff. ;)

Yes, i have known the band from the first EP, and they are popped up for me every now and then and i’ve always liked HIM very much and their style and knew the hit songs but never gone to that deeper until now…And now i gave my heart and soul for HIM and i am a true fan like all of you awesome people!

We have witnessed that your integration with fans has been totally natural and warm, so tell us, how has been like to join this internationally well-known band whose members have known each other for so long?

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Thank you for your kind words! It is always a pleasure! I am a fan also and i know how does it feel to meet your idol, if we or i can do that kind of thing to somebody, it is least that we or i can do and it is always a pleasure and very important thing.

It’s odd situation because Gas was in the band like 16 years and the all guys knew each others when they were just a little boys in Helsinki.

But everything went well! It was amazing how all the chemistry and things clicked so naturally. like i were playing in the band all the time. It was just amazing! All the HIM guys and family have been so nice and kind to me and the fans are so awesome! I knew there were lots of dedicated HIM fans all around the world but never thought it would be THISSSSS HUGEEEEE! Love you all!

Which HIM song is the one that you feel more pleased about when playing?

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hmmm..only one song,,,That will be Sleepwalking Past Hope. That is some awesome piece of work, legendary song from legendary album.

Now, about your musical taste, what is your favorite band or the last band that has conquered your heart? Do you have any guilty pleasures?

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There’s many. I listen to all kinds of music from evergreen jazz to norwegian black metal but the heavier ones and underground stuff are close to my heart.

The last ones that has blown my mind are Gojira and Wardruna. Guilty pleasures…hhmmm… Laila Kinnunen. ;)

We are absolutely excited about HIM’s next gig in Mexico City, have you been in this part of the world before? What are your expectations regarding your participation in the Knot Fest?

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Hell yeah us too! I have never been in Mexico or South America before and really excited and looking forward it! It will be blast! Lots of awesome bands and lots of awesome people!

We must thank to Slipknot for inviting us in KnotFest Mexico! See you all there!

Finally, if you would, some random and basic stuff: Favourite book, movie, food, TV Series?

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Favourite Book : Thus Spoke Zarathustra: A Book for All and None by Friedrich Nietzsche
Movie : Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Fight Club, Lord of the Rings-trilogy
Food : Anything with (Heinz) ketchup on it
TV Series : Twin Peaks, Bron-Broen, Modern Family

King Kong or Godzilla?
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Gojira! ;)

If you like comics: Marvel or DC?
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Don’t really read comics

Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter?
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LOTR

Star Trek or Star Wars?
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Star Wars

Coffee or Tea?
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Coffee

Milk or Beer? Which beer? :P
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Both! Any beer, i have this mission to taste different kind of beers. :)

We all thank you for your time and can´t wait to see you on december!
Cheers from HMC.


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Thank you so much! It’s always a pleasure! Me neither! See you on December!

Take care! Gracias!!
- kosmo /HIM
Source: https://goo.gl/3GTj22 (https://goo.gl/3GTj22)