Leningrad Cowboys

Leningrad Cowboys Ltd Oy

Company type	Private company
Industry	Music, Entertainment
Founded	1986
Founder	Aki Kaurismäki, Sakke Järvenpää, Mato Valtonen
Fate	Filed for bankruptcy (date not specified)
Headquarters	Finland
Products	Music albums, music videos, animated features, mobile games
Owner	Leningrad Cowboys Ltd Oy (holding company)

The Leningrad Cowboys—also referred to as LC Cowboys—are a Finnish rock group distinguished by their exaggerated pompadour hairstyles and elongated, pointed footwear. Their repertoire includes both rock and roll covers and original compositions, frequently performed alongside the Russian military ensemble known as the Alexandrov Ensemble.

Origins

Founded in 1986 through the collaboration of Finnish filmmaker Aki Kaurismäki and Sakke Järvenpää along with Mato Valtonen from the comedic rock outfit Sleepy Sleepers, the band originated as a satirical commentary on the waning Soviet Union. The members invited Kaurismäki to direct their debut music video, which culminated in the short film Rocky VI (1986). This was followed by two additional shorts, "Thru the Wire" (1987) and "L.A. Woman" (1988), before Kaurismäki helmed their full-length feature film Leningrad Cowboys Go America in 1989.

Post-Leningrad Cowboys Go America Activities

The group continued to produce music videos such as Those Were the Days (1992) and These Boots (1993), along with the concert documentary The Total Balalaika Show (1994), all under Kaurismäki's direction.

In 1994, Kaurismäki also directed the sequel Leningrad Cowboys Meet Moses.

December 2012 saw the release of an animated holiday-themed video featuring Dog'Y'Dog—a character originating from their "You're My Heart, You're My Soul" clip—performing a rendition of "Christmas in Hollis" from an album scheduled for 2013.

Their 2013 Red X-Mas tour in Finland involved more than 60 performers, including both the Leningrad Cowboys and the Russian Air Force Choir.

Together with Anima Vitae, they developed an animated feature titled Dog'y'dog, centered on a dog of mixed Siberian and Mexican heritage journeying from Siberia to Mexico through the United States.

Dog'Y'Dog was also featured in two iOS games: Dog ' Y ' Dog Adventures and Dog ' Y ' Dog Chicky Puzzle, as well as appearing in the Android game Bonehead, which was created by Leningrad Cowboys Studios in partnership with Fingersoft and launched in May 2014.

Break and Revival

Following challenges in repaying a loan from Tekes intended for mobile game development, Leningrad Cowboys Ltd Oy—the band's holding company—filed for bankruptcy after their application for corporate restructuring was rejected. A commemorative concert marking the 30th anniversary of the Total Balalaika Show planned for 2023 was canceled due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In 2025, the ensemble rebranded themselves as "LC Cowboys" and embarked on a revival tour entitled Tis is tö komepäk (This is the Comeback), which featured collaboration with the American choir Harlem Angels. A new holiday album called Christmas Gift was digitally released on 7 November 2025, with physical formats on vinyl and CD set to follow.

Band Lineup

Current members

• Sakke Järvenpää: vocals (1986–2015, 2025–present)
• Varre Vartiainen: guitar (2003–2015, 2025–present)
• Timo Tolonen: bass guitar (2003–2015, 2025–present)
• Tume Uusitalo: vocals, guitar (2003–2015, 2025–present)
• Ville Tuomi: lead vocals (2011–2015, 2025–present)
• Pauli Hauta-aho: guitar (2004–2015, 2025–present)
• Sami Järvinen: drums (2003–2015, 2025–present)
• Okke Komulainen: keyboards, accordion (2011–2015, 2025–present)
• Anna Sainila: dancer, vocals (2011–2015, 2025–present)
• Hanna Moisala: dancer, vocals (2011–2015, 2025–present)
• Aino Laakso (2025–present)
• Esa Niiva (1991–1998, 2025–present)

Former members

• Mato Valtonen: vocals (1986–1997)
• Nicky Tesco: vocals (1986–1989)
• Silu Seppälä: bass guitar (1989–2002)
• Mauri Sumén: keyboards, accordion (1989–2006)
• Puka Oinonen: guitar (1989)
• Pimme Korhonen: drums (1989)
• Sakari Kuosmanen: vocals (1989)
• : guitar (1989)
• Ben Granfelt: guitar (1992–1996)
• Esa Niiva: saxophone (1991–1998)
• Teijo "Twist Twist" Erkinharju: drums (1991–2002)
• Vesa Kääpä: guitar (1996–2002)
• Mari Hatakka: Go-Go dancer, vocals (1996–2000)
• Tiina Isohanni: Go-Go dancer, vocals (1996–2000)
• Jore Marjaranta: lead vocals (1989–1996)
• Pemo Ojala: trumpet, Mitten player (1991–2013)
• Tatu Kemppainen: guitar (1996–1999)
• Veeti Kallio: vocals (1997)
• Tipe Johnson: vocals (1998–2010)
• Ykä Putkinen: guitar (2000)
• Antti Snellman: saxophone (2000)
• Marzi Nyman: guitar, vocals (2003–2006)
• Juuso Hannukainen: percussionist (2003)
• Sami Järvenpää: vocals (2003)
• Pope Puolitaival: saxophone (2003–2013)
• Jay Kortehisto: trombone (2003–2013)
• Petri Puolitaival: tenor saxophone, vocals (2006)

Discography

• 1917–1987 (released 1987)
• Leningrad Cowboys Go America (1989)
• We Cum From Brooklyn (1992)
• Happy Together (1994)
• Go Space (1996)
• Mongolian Barbeque (1997)
• Terzo Mondo (2000)
• Zombies Paradise (2006)
• Buena Vodka Social Club (2011)
• Merry Christmas (2013)
• Christmas Gift (scheduled for 2025)