Whistle Bait – Whistlin For You
Goofin’ Records – GOOFY 506 [1987]
Cat Talk – I’m Nobody To You / Whistlin For You – Hit That Jive Jack
Vesa Haaja founded The Whistle Bait (named after the Collins Kids song) in 1984 in Hamina, a coastal town not far from the Russian border. The other members of the band were Vesa Tynkkynen on guitar, Juha Tynkkynen on drums, and Marko Mäkelä on double bass. The following month, The Whistle Bait played its first concert. In the band’s early days, the style was purely rockabilly, influenced by Johnny Burnette and the Sun label. This changed when Jarkko Ravi joined the band on saxophone in June of the same year, shifting the sound towards a style more influenced by Bill Haley and the Stargazers.
Little by little, the band honed their skills and played more and more concerts, sharing the stage with the Ballroomers and the Butterfingers, and opening for the Rapiers in Helsinki in 1985. However, it wasn’t until February 1987 that they recorded Whistlin For You, their first EP for Goofin’ Records. In the meantime, a pianist, Kim Drockila, joined the line-up. One side of the EP features a cover of Lew Williams’ Cat Talk, transformed into a Bill Haley-esque rock ‘n’ roll number, and a subtle ballad by Haaja (I’m Nobody To You) perfectly showcased by Drockila’s piano. The other side offers another original composition, a mid-tempo rock ‘n’ roll number, and a cover of Hit That Jive Jack.
Whistle Bait – Honeysuckle Jump
Goofin’ records – GOOFY 510 [1988]
Honeysuckle Jump – Dream a Little Dream Of Me
In 1988, Whistle Bait entered the studio to record Honeysuckle Jump, their second single, still for Goofin’ Records.
Side A is a pure, infectious jive with accordion, a bouncy rhythm, and blistering saxophone solos. Timo Jarvinen also features on baritone saxophone.
Side B is a cover of the jazz classic Dream a Little Dream of Me (erroneously credited to Haaja), transformed into a rock ‘n’ roll number. The single served as a great calling card and allowed the band to play in Germany and the Netherlands.
Whistle Bait – Tiikerihai
Goofin’ Records – GOOFY 513 [1989]
Tiikerihai / Käy Tanssimaan
Recorded in 1989, the band’s third single is quite surprising, as it’s sung in Finnish. The result, a resounding success, oscillates between rock ‘n’ roll and traditional song, featuring Jussi Huhtakangas on steel guitar.
Fred “Virgil” Turgis
