Interview with Kosmo
Interview with Jukka ‘Kosmo’ Kröger: “My main goal? Get that spark burst into higher flames just again and again!”
"He joined HIM recently, and we are honored to interview him. We are talking about the new drummer Jukka “Kosmo” Kroger, which I personally had the pleasure to know and see live dates in Warsaw and Gdansk.
Hello Jukka, and thank you so much for agreeing to answer our questions.First of all welcome to HIM’s family. We would like to know you a little more …. When and how did your passion for music start? Who has inspired you in your career as drummer? Do you play other instruments?
Well, hello and thank you so much! It’s a privilege to be part of this amazing world wide HIM family! And thank you so much, all of your warm welcomes and wishes! I´m speecless and honoured..
Well: back in the day, what i can remember, i was like six years old or something, my cousin Tommi and I, were jumping at the sofa and played with tennis rackets in our hands that W.A.S.P. – I wanna be somebody – song, and actually we even didn’t understand what the heck they were singing..but i guess that is the point where everything started, hehe! :)
But i was like 12 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.
Well… as a drummer and musician, many people, but there are two things that i remember that i get inspired to drums at the beginning:
First, when i was a bass player, that would be 1993, our first band’s drummer and my friend, guy called Jani Soikkeli. When we get to first rehersals to our guitar player´s garage and Jani started playing the drums, i was like woouh! How can anyone play so cool things with drums and he was like 12 years old. ;)
And second thing i remember is, there was this band called Ferox at my hometown and they played some fast speed/thrash metal and their drummer, called Zeba, has this super big and awesome white Tama’s Lars Ulrich kind a like drumkit with two bass drums and billion toms and cymbals and he beated like crazy.
I was like wow… hell yeah, me too!
I listen lots of early Metallica, Anthrax, Iron Maiden, Testament, Stone, Slayer, Nirvana etc. back then and i guess i grow in this thrashy grunge late ´80’s, early 90´s atmosphere, huh!
But if i say some drummers that i get inspired by all time they would be: Gene Hoglan, Buddy Rich, Charlie Benante, Dave Lombardo, Paul Bostaph, Pukomaster from Vox Flatus, my friend Jani Soikkeli, Frost from Satyricon, Sami Kuoppamäki from Kingston Wall, Tohtori Hillilä from Tuomari Nurmio… Well the list goes on and on.
Yes i do, started playing guitar at same time as drums and try to play it every time that i had a change and yeah, Pantera’s Dimebag Darrell is my king! ;)
Why “Kosmo”? How did this nickname?
Because of TV series “Seinfeld.” :) It was year 1999 i think…
I realized that Seinfeld character Kramer´s first name was Cosmo and i was like; “What a cool name!”, and my FM2000´s bandmate Rota started to call me with that name but with letter K like Russian Kosmonaut style.
In which band you played beyond HIM?
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’s not easy to get into a group replacing a historic band member, this is an important “pass the torch” : how has been starting your path with HIM? Would you like to tell us how you have been “hired”?
Yeah, all the credits goes to the almighty Gas and Pätkä, and their awesome drumming styles!!
Yes and i took the torch and carry it with pride and glory and keep the flame blazing forever on and on! ;) Remember, music never dies. ;)
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, and after. all these records, touring, success etc. there comes this northern boy from middle of nowhere to play some music together..but everything goes just great!
At the very first meeting and rehearsals..all just clicked so naturally, all the chemistry, everything, like i were playing in the band all the time. It was just amazing!
And the fans are just AMAZING!
THANK YOU ALL so much for everything, gifts, drawings, messages, greetings, all, i’m just speechless and honoured!
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, bro! ;)
It´s been a BLAST! :)
Hired, yes, 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. It was March when Ville texted me and asked me if i’m interested, i was like : «HELL YEAH I AM!»
Then we meet later that week with Ville and Mige in some bar in Helsinki and sat down and talked, it was kind of like “first date”, and then i got 10 songs to practise and:«Lets see how things goes!», they said. First reherseals were in April and all went pretty well! :)
We love your energy, we follow HIM for several years and we have noticed, in recent live as if the spark was rekindled. What do you think about it?
Thank you very much for your kind words! Well that’s very awesome thing to hear! As a new drummer and new member of this awesome band, my main goal is the get that spark burst in to higher flames just again and again with new spirit and exquisite twist and band groove on it and to fill the new energy in every member of the band, make awesome music, records, shows together with no limits!
Are you enjoying this tour? Did you expect this welcome by fans? What are your feelings and emotions during this time? What do you expect?
Thank you for everything, and we wish you all the best for your new adventure. See you in the next gig!
Yes i am enjoying, every part of my body and soul! It’s been so awesome! Like Gas said before, i was awared of it but i didn’t expect to be SOOOOO HUGE!
THANK YOU! I LOVE YOU ALL! :)
What to expect…- huh, what i can imagine. ;)
Lots of great shows all around the world and also touring in places where HIM were never played before and i were never been, meet and talk awesome and the best fans in the world and make awesome new music and records together with my new friends as a band with no limits! ;)"
- Marianna Piersante