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REIJO MÄÄTTÄ WRITES SONGS FOR THE FINNS
Born in KUUSAMO in 1949

FROM RUKA WITH LOVE
Reijo Määttä, who's going to turn 50 within a year, moved to Sweden in 1971. Music had always fascinated him
although he couldn't play a note. Not until he was forming the band FENIKS with his co-workers at Volvo
assembly-line, he got around to learn an instrument. It was decided that Reijo would be the drummer. The first
drumkit was bought from a fellow worker. 
- It was an old Ludwig drumkit. The bassdrum was big that I couldn't see any audience behind it, Reijo laughs.
- We were living in an apartment and I was practising the drums 4-5 hours a day. Our Finnish neighbor upstairs
didn't seem to mind it at all. I have no clue what the other neighbors thought about it. I doubt if they loved it.

FENIKS
- Our first gig was in September -72. We had Pauli Mynttinen on accordion, Raimo Virri on guitar and another
rookie, Teuvo Lehtinen on drums. At that time I couldn't play drums and sing simultaneously. Therefore we needed a
vocalist. I've forgotten his name but I remember that he was so shy that he was hiding behind the pillar while singing.
Occassionally he would peak from his hideaway at the audience. 
- I played with Feniks for 5 years also learning to play guitar and keyboards.

OTHER BANDS
- In AMARILLO I was a full-time keyboard player. Helge Hirvonen was on drums and our vocalist was a 17-year-old
Merja Välijeesiö. Somewhere around 1979 I began writing songs. 
1995 I was gigging around with my daughter, Anne. We did that for a couple of years.
- After that I formed the band REVONTULI with Kimmo Tuomaala. But now I just want to concentrate on
song-writing and developing the studio. I leave all the touring for younger musicians.

HOME SWEET HOME
One of the things you notice at Reijo's house, are the CD's hanging on the wall. There you can find many top names
in Finnish popular music.
- Those are only a part of the CD?s I have written music for, says Reijo while carrying around his one-week-old
grandchild Jesper in his arms.
- Artists have started ordering songs from me. I guess they like my works.
Reijo Määttä has written 520 songs. Two hundred of them have been recorded by various artists on about 30 CD's.
Many of them have been on Finnish charts. His lucky break came through singer Leif Lindgren who ordered 3 gypsy
songs from Reijo and lyricist Rikard Palm. The word started getting around about a good songwriter hiding in
Sweden and nowadays Reijo gets calls from established and upcoming stars.

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