CHILDREN OF BODOM 05.01.2006.ZAGREB,CROATIA

[Natali]

Before 3 days I've got the luck to meet Henkka and Alexi,to do some interview with them!
Guyz were in their visit in Croatia-Zagreb,so we've chated a lil bit...
You can find interviews down here,on this page,and you can take a look at the pics on
http://public.fotki.com/Blackwings under title Children of Bodom.
Children of Bodom are on tour together with One many army and Ektomorf.They played on stage some 80 min.before CoB.Children were amazing as always,and think that they're MUST SEE LIVE band!This was the set-list:

1.Living dead beat
2.Silent Night Bodom Night
3.Sixpounder
4.Follow the reaper
5.Hate me
6.We're not gonna fall
7.Angels don't kill
8.Half of Bodom after midnight and half of Bodom Beach terror
9.In your face
10.Needled 24/7
11.Are you dead yet?
12.Hate crew deathroll
13.Everytime I die
14.Downfall

I wanna thank Tuula Rossi from Spinefarm for making me able to spend some time with guys,to tour manager,for being so kind and nice with me,all the time,to Henkka and Alexi on their interviews and kindlyness....and to the whole crew!

 

[Natali]

CHILDREN OF BODOM
05.01.2006. CLUB BOOGALOO,ZAGREB CROATIA

INTERVIEW WITH HENKKA(bass player)

ME(Natali):So this is your first time in Croatia,and how does it feels to see new place,play in a new place,see new fans,etc.?
HENKKA:It's very nice...It's very exciting...Because usually...We've been touring so much,that we have almost played...like wherever we go,we've usually already played there before!I have no idea how croatian fans are,and...yeah I'm just...I was looking forward...
ME(Natali):Are you excited now,before concert?
HENKKA:Yes...and I'm realy happy that we can make it now in Croatia.I've been waiting for it,realy long time.
ME(Natali):Realy?
HENKKA:Yes!I always wanted to be here!
ME(Natali):No way?
HENKKA: (smiles)Yes!Last summer I was supposed to go to south coast of Croatia,to Split and Dubrovnik,but I didn't have time,so that's why I'm happy...But maybe next summer....
ME(Natali): Oh,you're welcome!So,you're on the tour since September!Does it boders you to be in the bus all the time,with the same people,every day on the road?
HENKKA:Well we started our tour in Japan,Australia...then we've had couple of weeks at home,and then we went to America,and then we've had 10days at home,and then we came here.So,we're on tour 3 months now...And...Well it's...Of course,sometimes it's realy hard ,but it's fun to see new places,and new people...
ME(Natali): Do you miss your home,familly...?How you face with that?
HENKKA:Yes of course...But you just have to ...For example on this tour we've been one month at home,so...You just don't think about that...
ME(Natali):Tell me how it is to be big in Japan?
HENKKA:It's nice...(smiles)We're not...But I guess that we're big for a metal band.
Fans and people are very polite,they're very....They don't...Not so euphoric when they see you...I mean they're not like(shows crazy huging with his armsJ)...They're peacefull people.
Yeah...It's good to be in Japan,it's nice country to play!
ME(Natali):Why so many cover songs?What's the story behind that?
HENKKA:Cover songs?In the past we've been always asked..if record label is doing some tribute album for some band to do cover song for that band,and we've always said yes,cause it's fun to do cover songs.Since then,we have always...When we've been in the studio,we would usually pick 2 cover songs,just in case if we would need them in some point...
It's fun to play somebody elses songs....to hear how some song can sound on our way.
ME(Natali):When did you realised that you wanna be/play in some band?
HENKKA:I was just listening to metal music,and I was like...I've asked my mom,if she could buy me a guitar,and then she bought me guitar,and I started to play guitar...And Alexi invited me to play in his band...I've never realised anything...I just played,and played and played...
ME(Natali):And now you're here!!!
HENKKA:Yeah(smiles).Never know what's gonna happen.
ME(Natali):And who were your idols...in your childhood?
HENKKA:In my childhood....?Hm...One of the biggiest bands was maybe Guns 'n Roses,and
Pantera was really big too!
ME(Natali):Which music you're into nowadays?
HENKKA:I listen to all kinds of music...From glam to hip-hop.I don't like progressive rock,or power metal,but everything else is ok.
ME(Natali):Name some bands you like!
HENKKA:I like Slayer,In Flames...I like Soilwork...HIM,Entoombed...which bands more...I always forget...I like Cemichal Corpse,I like Cardigans...everything that is good.
ME(Natali):If you ask your fans,most of them will say that they like every song,that they can't decide which album they like the most,cause everything is so awesome...But can you say which is your fave song,or album maybe,when it comes to Children of Bodom?
HENKKA:Yes I can decide!The last one album is the best,and probably some song from the last album is my fave song....For me...It's always that the last album is the best.And it doesn't matter which song or album is better or whatever,cause as long as people like our music it's ok.....And on our shows we always play songs from each album...so we can keep everybody happy!
ME(Natali):How much you give attention to the videos,cause it's important that song is played on tv too,not just on the radio!?
HENKKA:We would like to do videos..of course,but it's up to record label,if they give us some money for the video...So,it's up to them actually!But lately we've been doing more videos,and we would do another one video for Are you dead yet,at some point!We like to do videos,but it's very expensive,so...It's up to record label.
ME(Natali):How much time it took you,to create last album?
HENKKA:We started in January,and everything was ready in June.So it's six months,including songwriting,recording,....and everything.
ME(Natali):And what are you doing when you're not on tour,not doing anything related to the band and how does it feels to be at home...to have your free time?
HENKKA:I'm hanging out with my friends,I try to study for university,I play football,as much as I can...and I get drunk with my friends(smiles)...yes,that's what I do.
ME(Natali): Do you more like to play in small places/clubs or on festivals?Or everything has it's good side?
HENKKA:Yeah,both have good sides...That's the thing...But I prefear to play in small clubs...cause then it's more personal with the public,you can almost see everybody,and that's the good thing with the club shows...you have personal conntact with audience.
ME(Natali):Tell me which atmosphere is now around Children of Bodom,and how it was before?I mean...Are you better treated then before...Are you more well served now,when you're popular,then before?
HENKKA:Well,yes...now on tour...Cause we're doing now head-lining tour,we're the main band,and of course that we're better served,so...It's always,when you're in the main band,you get good service...You know,everybody are treating us very well....so...It's nice!
ME(Natali):Ok,and now some more music quests again...Which music era is your fave one,70's,80's...or it's now maybe?
HENKKA:I like the new stuff!
ME(Natali):What's the most precious thing that you own,beside your guitar?Like....you're going on some abandoned island,and which 3 things you would take with you?
HENKKA:I would take my i-Pod,I would take(pauses)...hm...it's hard...I would take my cauch(we laugh),yes from my dad's first apartment,it's very nice...And...
ME(Natali):Some boat to go back!
HENKKA:Yeah!Actually my brother bought boat last summer,so...yeah I would take the boat!
ME(Natali):If you could choose some person from history to live his/her life,who would that be,and why?
HENKKA:Oh,one of my friends asked me this before...and I was realy confused,cause I couldn't...Depends how you look at that...It's realy hard(we laugh)!Maybe,like...If I would like to change something in history I would be for example Hitler and not to start the war,you know...And save the world from World War 2...but if you don't take it on that way I would probably be Mozart.Even if his life wasn't so nice...But,yeah...for example him!
ME(Natali):And now and before,if you ask me the best music comes from Finland,and I wanna konw with which bands are you good friends and which bands you listen at your home,which are from Finland?
HENKKA:Well...I don't like Nightwish,but they're our good friends,and I don't listen to them at home...They have couple of songs which I like....Sentenced...I used to be big fan of them,and I like HIM and I like one hard core band which is called Down my throath,they just have new album out,and it's good band too,from Helsinki...
ME(Natali):Tell me which is the diference between finnish fans and other world-wide fans...Which is the difference to play in front of your people,and to play in front of other fans?
HENKKA:Well,Europe fans usually don't speek english very well,so it's sometimes hard to comunicate...So,people are like...more just taking pictures and ask me autographs.And in Finland people are more talking...cause we have the same language,and the same is with people from States,cause they're speaking english...But for example people in Spain,Italy,Portugal are like...little wild,you know,and they go like,crazy...
ME(Natali):I've heard that fans in Mexico are euphoric?
HENKKA:Yeah,and Brazil,Chile,Columbia...yeah..But in North Europe people are more calm...But there are not so many differences in the end.
ME(Natali):Which culture do you like the most,which you've got to know?The way of living,tradition,etc.?
HENKKA:For example,when I've had holidays I went to Asia to Cambodia and Tajland,I like far east asian people and their culture as well,and food...everything!

 

[Natali]

CHILDREN OF BODOM
05.01.2006.CLUB BOOGALOO,ZAGREB CROATIA

INTERVIEW WITH ALEXI(vocal/guitar)

ME(Natali):This is your first visit to Croatia!Have you been out,to take a look around?
ALEXI:Actually,I just woke up,so didn't had time!
ME(Natali):How it is to be every day on some other place/town,to see new people,etc.?
ALEXI:I like it!I like to move,that's lot of fun!
ME(Natali):You're on tour since September,and does it boders you to be on the road all the time,and to watch the same faces every day...Do you miss your home?
ALEXI:Well...we get along with each other,we don't fight or anything...That's not the problem...you know...I like touring...and of course that sometimes you get tired and sick of it for couple of days,but after that,it's ok.And when it comes to familly,it's better,not to think about that.You just have to fix that in your head you know...It's better just to think that you're here,where you are,and that you can't get somewhere else,so..you just forget about things like that,until you get there....
ME(Natali):How it is to be big in Japan?
ALEXI: (smiles)Well,it's nice...I mean...In Japan it's always fun to play...They're just diferent,you know....Fans in there are very polite....They're not so euphoric like in South America for example!
ME(Natali):Why so many cover songs?
ALEXI: I don't know...Usually we do that cause of bonus-tracks,for example for Japan edition,the b-side of the single,or whatever...We love doing cover songs,it's always fun.
ME(Natali):When did you realised that you wanna have your own band,that you wanna do and be what you're now?
ALEXI:Well I guess,that it's something I've been dreaming of,since I was a lil kid...I started to play guitar age 11,and think that it was...age 13 when I've realised that I don't wanna study,or anything...I just wanted to have my band,and that's what I did!
ME(Natali):Who were your idols in childhood?
ALEXI:A lot of bands of course...you know,but think these glam rock bands like Twisted Sister,Skid Row,Guns 'n Roses.
ME(Natali):Which music you're into nowadays?Still this bands,or...?
ALEXI:Yes I'm still into that bands and also black,death metal,and a lot of punk-rock too,so...I'm into a lot of diferent things!
ME(Natali): Can you decide which is your fave album or song of Children of Bodom?
ALEXI:I think that my fave song is the first song from our last album.
ME(Natali):How much attention you give to videos,cause I know that you weren't satisfied with video for Needled 24/7,and Henkka told me that videos are expensive and then you got video which you don't like at all...?!
ALEXI:Yeah!It was this director...and he's not been listening to us....We were like,we don't want this,or that,or do this,or do that....But,he wasn't listening to us...And it was crapy...
ME(Natali):How much time it took you,to create this album?
ALEXI:Hm....It was maybe..erm..(counts months on his fingers),all in all 6 months maybe.
ME(Natali):You have 2 bands,CoB and Sinergy...So,how do you organise your time to be able to work in 2 bands,and that everything goes right with both bands?
ALEXI:Well,since I'm touring with CoB,I don't have time to do anything else,but there should be new album of Sinergy pretty soon,and couple of things are already recorded,so...I can handle with that!
ME(Natali): Do you like more to play in small places/clubs,or on festivals?
ALEXI:I think both!There're different vibes,but of course that it's exciting to play infront of so many people on some festival,but then again in small venues you have more conntact with the crowd...If I should pick,I would pick up small clubs...
ME(Natali):Which atmosphere is now around Children of Bodom,and how it was before?Are you better served then before?Do you get more attention then before?
ALEXI:Well,yeah...But it really doesn't change us as human beings,we're still the same dudes that we've were before.....Well,ok it changes you,but not in a way that we think that we're big fuckin' rock stars...We're still like...on the ground.
ME(Natali):Which is the most precious thing that you own,beside your guitar?
ALEXIrobably my car!(laughs)It has a sentimental value to me!
ME(Natali):Ok,and if you could pick up some person from history,to live his/her life,who would that be?
ALEXI:Well...I would probably be Randy Rose,and not to jump on that small plane,and not to die,so...
ME(Natali):Let's say that you're going on the abandoned island,and name 3 things,which you would take with you!
ALEXI:Hm...my guitar defenetley,the biggiest bottle of alchocol....Like big,big,big Jack Daniels...and...yeah...probably my girlfriend!
ME(Natali)o you like to read,watch movies?Which is your fave book/film?
ALEXI:I'm into movies defenetley!It's hard to pick up,the fave one...but...I like Blues Brothers.
ME(Natali):I don't want to ask you where does the name CoB comes from,cause think that we all know the story behind that....But I wanna know,does it still inspires you,what have happened on Bodom lake when it comes to writing lyrics?
ALEXI:Well...It's like we do the one song about that on every album...and it's always kinda black humor...
ME(Natali):How it is to be/play at home,and how it is to play in other countries...The difference?
ALEXI:Well...there is some difference!But in a way it's not such a big difference...
ME(Natali):And which finnish bands are your friends,or you listen to them at home?
ALEXI:Nightwish!We're good friends...
ME(Natali):Ok,and some quickie quest!Your fave coulour...?
ALEXI:Think that it's obvious that it's black!

 

[Excess]

Thanks for sharing!

I've noticed a lots of bad grammar and some words in the text that you (or someone else) might want to correct before posting the interview on a more serious place (OBSERVE that I am not complaining nor trying to be a teacher or perfectionist here, I just wanted to give my opinion/advice ) Or maybe you're going to post it in your language? (I don't know for whom or what you did the interview so it's kinda hard to know.) If that's the case, then I'm just even more grateful that you took your sparetime to translate it for us.

The band you're looking for is Cannibal Corpse btw (because I don't think that was a typo heh.)

Anyway, nice reading and thanks, much better than the morningpaper

Edit: PS. There's a sticky-thread for Interwievs in the top, you might want to post it there also.

 

[Draznog]

that wasn't the best interview ive seen but it was ok keep it up!

 

[Natali]

Thanks for sharing!

I've noticed a lots of bad grammar and some words in the text that you (or someone else) might want to correct before posting the interview on a more serious place (OBSERVE that I am not complaining nor trying to be a teacher or perfectionist here, I just wanted to give my opinion/advice ) Or maybe you're going to post it in your language? (I don't know for whom or what you did the interview so it's kinda hard to know.) If that's the case, then I'm just even more grateful that you took your sparetime to translate it for us.

The band you're looking for is Cannibal Corpse btw (because I don't think that was a typo heh.)

Anyway, nice reading and thanks, much better than the morningpaper

Edit: PS. There's a sticky-thread for Interwievs in the top, you might want to post it there also.

Yes I know that I've done some mistakes,but I've wrote it on english,just cause I wanted to share it with you!

It'll be published on my language-croatian!

Stay in spirit of CoB!

 

[Natali]

that wasn't the best interview ive seen but it was ok keep it up!

Actually that was my first CoB interview and for croatian fans,so...
Hope that next one will be better!

 

[rayden_ad]

How did you meet the band ? backstage or something ? Do you got a pass ?

Thnaks for sharing