Kojo

KOJO

So Mean (1979)

Lucky Street (1980)

Go All the Way (1981)

Hitparade (1982)

Time Won't Wait (1983)

FinnArctic-esittely:

"Timo Kojo is mostly remembered today for his unforgettable non-success on the Eurovision Song Contest in Harrogate, Britain, in 1982 - with the song "Nuku pommiin" ("Bomb Out") he finished last with a total of nil points. This earned him the nickname Nolla-Kojo (Zero Kojo). His early career as Finland's toughest and most skilled soul/funk/rhythm'n'blues/rock vocalist has somewhat vanished in the mists of time.

Born in 1953, Kojo made his first recordings in the band Madame George, who released one LP "What's Happening?!!" on the Love Records label. The album was rush-recorded, but still an artistically - if not commercially - successful hard funk/soul album. Line-up was Janne Brunberg, bass - Jukka Orma, guitar - Bill Carson, drums - Kojo, vocals + Matti Kankkunen, drums on first single "Feelins' / I'm a Man".

Kojo's first solo album "So Mean" (1979) contained songs penned by Jim Pembroke. A gold record, a fantastic melange of soul, funk and rock'n'roll with Kojo's incredibly raspy and powerful voice as practically the leading instrument despite all the strong musicianship included. The title track (a smash hit), "Green Dollar" and the closer "Veronica Hillside" (another radio hit) stand out. Released on CD in 2002.

The second album "Lucky Street" was for some reason regarded as inferior to "So Mean" (I beg to differ), but it sold gold nonetheless. However, Kojo's irreverent behavior started to infect his collaborating relationship with Jim Pembroke, as Kojo reputedly physically attacked his songwriter, badmouthing him and pointing out that his name should be on the writing credits as well, if he did some slight changes on the songs. Pembroke pointed out that these slight changes should be classified as arranging. Kojo lost this battle, and nearly all songs on this second album became credited to Pembroke only. Kojo was only credited as co-arranger.

Studio battles aside, "Lucky Street" offers more first-class rock'n'roll like the single "Workout", the no-holds-barred hard rocker "DeSoto Sweet", the driving "Runnin' Out of Time", the classy ballad "Stay By You" and the French-style "Francoise" which turns into a unisono chant by seemingly the entire recording studio.

Kojo's third solo album "Go All the Way", released in 1981, had a rockier sound than the previous albums "So Mean" and "Lucky Street". Only a tough, funky version of "Hard to Handle" reminded the public about Timo Kojo's soulful side. Also includes a heavy cover of aforementioned Rock'n'Roll Band's "I Know What You Want, Sister" - except the title here is just "Hey Sister". Never released on CD.

As bonus, I've added three songs: "On This Summernight" was probably a leftover from some recording session, since it appeared only on Kojo's best-of collection "Bomb Out" in 1982. He re-recorded it in Finnish as "Kesäyö" for his first Finnish-language album "Bee tai pop" in 1985. In 1982, Kojo also permanently ruined his credibility with the all-time worst Eurovision Song Contest entry, "Nuku pommiin". "Bomb Out" is the English version of it, "Video Venus" became the b-side when it was released as a single.

Here are the rest of Kojo's albums I have. "Hit Parade", released in early 1982, was recorded as though it was a live performance with a German backing band called Karl-Heinz Halombutan's Studio Orchestra. Actually that name was a pseudonym for producer Kassu Halonen, the musicians were all Finnish, and the recording session took place in a studio. The hideous album sleeve mocked the way Germans used to market dance albums.

On "Hit Parade" Kojo performed his renditions of a number of soul classics. The instrumental kick-off "Soul Finger" is followed by a medley of six songs, including "Sweet Soul Music", "Hold On I'm Coming", "Land of 1000 Dances" and "Funky Street". In between tracks we hear corny introductions by American-born DJ Black Mike, and the album closes with "Munich Soul Stew", which is inexplicably credited to Kojo and producers Juha Tikka and Halonen, even though it's just a slightly modified version of the old King Curtis classic "Memphis Soul Stew".

After his fiasco at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1982, Kojo kept a low profile for a while, resurfacing with an album cut with American musicians. "Time Won't Wait" (1983) is up to the old Kojo standards, a terrific funk-rock album that unfortunately marked the end of the best phase in Kojo's career. He returned in 1985 as a singer of light Finnish material, a path he's followed ever since. The only later Kojo recording that I find the least bit interesting is the rare football cheer single "Rops'n'Roll" (1990), recorded as encouragement for the football team Rovaniemen Palloseura. I added it as a bonus track to the "Time Won't Wait" album.

A special bonus: in 1979 Kojo recorded a radio session for the national broadcasting company YLE. Three tracks composed by Eero Koivistoinen were recorded: "Lennosta kii", "Liekkihotellin linja" and "Kallista on ja halvalla menee". The first song was originally found on Koivistoinen's 1968 album "Valtakunta", where it was sung by Eero Raittinen. The other two were officially released in 1988 on Koivistoinen's "Kallista on ja halvalla menee" album, where they were performed by Maarit Hurmerinta and Sakari Kuosmanen. Kojo's versions have never been commercially released, but they were played on the radio, and my Mom managed to catch at least one of them, "Liekkihotellin linja", on tape.

Liekkihotellin linja ("The Liekkihotelli Line" - "Liekkihotelli" was a hostel for homeless alcoholics, until it was emptied in 1978)

Finally, an obscure outfit called Dance, who released one single on Love Records in 1977. The members were pseudonyms Consta and Rébert, who actually were bassist Pertti Lehtonen and drummer Matti Kankkunen. The latter had played in Madame George - on this single they were aided by Jukka Orma (guitar), Kojo and Maarit Hurmerinta (vocals), Heikki "Pedro" Hietanen (keyboards), and Olli Haavisto (steel guitar). All of them except Haavisto had also appeared on Madame George's album! The a-side "Nevada By Sunset" is pleasant, soft disco funk, the b-side a nice five-minute instrumental - truly a marvellous single which unfortunately didn't get a follow-up - Dance remained a one-off project despite favorable reviews."

Kojo tuli tutuksi jo äidin nauhoittamilta kaseteilta, ja kunnollisempi tutustuminen tapahtui Karjaalla opiskellessani 1995, kun paikallisesta divarista ostin kaksi Kojo-kasettia, Go All the Way ja Bomb Out. Niitä soitin sitten kämpässäni hirveällä volyymilla yrittäen epätoivoisesti peittää Kojon musiikilla sen Jimi Hendrix -musan, jota kämppäkaverini samassa huoneessa soittivat yhtä kovalla voimakkuudella.

FinnArctic-aikoina minulla ei ollut muita Kojon levyjä kuin Go All the Way, ja Hitparade oli kasetille kirjastovinyyliltä äänitetty. Muut englanninkieliset albumit lainasin kirjastoista. Hitparadea ei ollut saatavilla enää mistään kirjastosta, joten jouduin jakelemaan FinnArcticissa kasettinauhoitustani. Mutta tuntui se hyvältä, kun kerrankin vaihteeksi sain jaella edes yhtä levyä, jota ei tarvinnut käydä kirjastosta hakemassa. Siirtää kovalevylle ja skannata kannet.

Myöhemmin ostin So Meanin, Lucky Streetin ja Time Won't Waitin Fennica Recordsista ("Kojo olisi mielissään, jos näkisi", kommentoivat myyjät). Hitparade-LP löytyi Vallilan kirpputorilta, jonne Harri oli minua pyytänyt lähtemään muistaakseni jotain Nääsvillen veljekset -LP:tä hakemaan. Harri oli huomannut älppärin siellä, mutta hänellä ei ollut silloin yhtään rahaa, joten hän pyysi minua ostamaan sen puolestaan. No, ei sitä enää näkynyt siellä, mutta itselleni löysin sentään sen Kojon.

Kojon musiikki muuttui tylsäksi ja mielenkiinnottomaksi heti kun laulukieli vaihtui suomeksi. 1990 tuli sentään hyvä suomenkielinen futiskannustuslaulu Rops'n'Roll. Ja YLEn kantanauhalla oleva Liekkihotellin linja on upea biisi. Miksei noita YLEn kantanauhoja ole laajasti julkaistu CD:nä? Kyllä jonkun pitäisi, niistähän löytyy melkoisia aarteita.

Hesarin Aikakone-palvelun avulla sain selville, että Kojon "Liekkihotellin linja", samoin kuin "Lennosta kii" ja Maaritin kanssa duetoitu "Kallista on ja halvalla menee" soitettiin radiossa 7. lokakuuta 1980. Silloin äitini siis nauhoitti tuon Liekkihotellin linjan kasetille.

Jos joku ihmettelee vuonna 1982 julkaistua Hitparade-LP:tä ja sitä, miten siinä soittaneita muusikoita ei ole lainkaan kreditoitu, niin Kojo kertoo tässä Soundi-artikkelissa tuosta levystä, sen tekemisestä ja siinä mukana olleista muusikoista ja muista puuhamiehistä.

Kojo mainitsi DJ Black Miken. Mainio tiskijukka, kuuntelin hänen ohjelmaansa Black Mike Showta Radio Ykköseltä 80-luvulla. Mörinä "kuuntelet Black Mike Showta" soi vieläkin korvissani.



Artikkeliskannaukset:

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