COB Interviews

This is from 2005 or something..

Children of Bodom Interview
by Mark Hensch

.
Mark Hensch took a break from his new duties as editor of Thrashpit.com to speak with Children of Bodom's Keyboardist Janne Warman about a variety of topics including their new album, cover tunes and touring.

Mark Hensch: First off, congratulations on the new album. I must say I find it getting more and more playing time in my CD player as weeks go by...something about it really grows on ya dude! I really enjoy how far Bodom continues to progress...in an age when power/speed metal is really popular all over the world, something always manages to set you apart.

Janne Warman: Thanks man. Always great to hear somebody likes the new album.

MH: Alright, we'll start with a crazy question. Pretend for a moment that a huge tribe of natives has just been discovered in a remote jungle in the middle of nowhere, and somebody mentions to them that Children of Bodom is a band they should all listen to....when they come to you with no prior knowledge or experience with your band, how would you describe Children of Bodom's sound to them?

JW: Man, I hate this question!!! Haha, I wouldn't even try to do it. We're just Children of Bodom, ya know?

MH: Now, in my humble opinion, Are You Dead Yet? is a pretty wicked album. However, metalheads today have so many great albums to pick up at their record stores, so what would you say is the best reason to get a copy of your band's new album?

JW: Umm, no fucking idea!!! I guess if you're into guitar shredding and soloing I'd say you'll like the new record.

MH: I'll admit that I wanted to interview you Janne as your keyboards are so important to Bodom's sound. How did you become so talented at playing the keyboards, and where did you pick up the ability to play such awesome, subtle melodies on all the songs (on any album, including Are You Dead Yet?)?

JW: We try to approach the keyboard with some thought into it....new and fresh ideas are key. We like to have me backup the songs with some underlying melody just as you said, and the leads and solos are just my own little parts I think up myself.

MH: Musicians are often called their own harshest critics. Going by this theme, what do you think is the worse song on Are You Dead Yet? and why? How about the best? Any reasons?

JW: In my mind the worse songs are "Bastards of Bodom" and "Trashed, Lost, and Strung-Out." I just don't like them because they don't sound good live. It just isn't any good!

MH: Wow, I didn't see that coming. Those are two of my favorite songs on the whole album!

JW: Sucks for you dude (haha). The best songs are probably "In Your Face" as that one always gets a great reaction live and its really fun for us to play..."We Aren't Going to Fall" has lots of energy so I like that one a lot too.

MH: Your musical output is pretty diverse, and you have strayed outside of Bodom a bit in the past. Are there any thoughts you'd like to offer about your solo-project, Warmen? How about your time in Masterplan or Kotipelto, led by the lead singer of a band as famous as Stratovirus (Timo Kotipelto)?

JW: Seeing as I was only with Kotipelto and Masterplan for one album or so, I don't really have any comments on that. As for Warmen, those three albums are like therapy for me. They are like my free time activity. I really enjoy being able to studio gadgets and being able to produce in my own studio as well, and I've done that with each of the three Warmen albums.

MH: What is your favorite album of all time and why?

JW: Everytime I give a new interview I say a new album! I'm going to have to say Alice Cooper's Trash. It's just such a classic hard rock album ya know? Hell, there's no bad songs on the whole CD!

MH: I'm going to leave the more musically focused questions behind for a bit....I'd like to ask you about Bodom's upcoming involvement with the Unholy Alliance Tour....I know I'm psyched to see Mastodon, Lamb of God, Bodom, and Slayer all on one bill! How did all this come together?

JW: This is a dream come true for us, as you almost have to be a Slayer fan (laughs). We're happy to be on it this summer as it's a really great line-up and we like Slayer and the other bands. We're actually doing it instead of Ozzfest, who've been trying to get us to play for the last three years or so.

MH: Speaking of tours, I'm assuming you've got some decent downtime in-between shows on the road and such. What are some of your personal hobbies and interests outside of music?

JW: Well, on tour, all we do is the waiting between shows! At home meanwhile, I do lots of driving. I belong to this sports car club with Ferraris and shit, and I just love driving around in my cars.

MH: You have a rep as being pretty kind to all the Children of Bodom fans out there. For example, your official forum has a large thread called "Ask Janne" where fans can ask you pretty much anything and you'll answer them if you get time....keeping with this theme, how important are the fans to Bodom in general and you in particular?

JW: The fans are the thing...really important of course! I always try to meet new people in-between shows and meeting cool folks is always ok.

MH: The video for "Are You Dead Yet?" hasn't been out too long here, and before that, "In Your Face" hit American airwaves. What can you tell us about the filming process for both of these videos? Where were both put to tape, and who came up with the ideas for each video?

*At this time a massive train goes by in Wisconsin, the stop on Bodom's tour*

JW: You hear that fucking train? Anyways, our videos are mainly about us just playing. That's really all we like so we generally just leave it to the directors.

MH: Back to more musical questions....Bodom has this rich history of covering all number of crazy songs. Seriously, you guys have covered The Ramones, Billy Idol, Britney Spears, Slayer, Poison, W.A.S.P., Ozzy, and the Scorpions!!! Obviously, those are some pretty diverse choices. Who decides what to cover, and how do you guys imprint your sound on something like Britney Spears without making it be either lame or boring?

JW: Making cover songs is really fun and it is something all of us in Bodom really enjoy. We just, ya know...(trails off to word himself)...it is more odd for our fans to hear us cover say Britney Spears than say Iron Maiden. It is a stranger choice, and that is why we pick some of the songs we do. As for adding our sound, we just shred!

MH: Children of Bodom's guitarist Alexi Laiho has a reputation as a pretty wild dude. He recently spoke out in an interview against the guitarist of Dream Theater, and in a quote that in my opinion was taken out of context by Dream Theater fans, ignited some smoldering controversy in some arenas. Personally, I think it is a mark of courage when someone can freely speak their mind regardless of who it offends...however, do you guys in Bodom ever get sick of people thinking you are nothing but party-animals?

JW: Coining us as party animals is definitely fair! We like to party quite a bit as it passes the time on tours...if we have to drive everywhere we might as well have fun when we're not playing right? It is a lot of good times for us. Hell, I slept off a hangover till 7 in the evening so you know we get pretty crazy! I was really drunk last night and we had nine naked guys chilling out in the back lounge (laughs).

MH: Nine naked guys? Why not girls (laughs)?

JW: It has to do with Finnish culture...you'll grow into it someday (laughs again).

MH: Back to your keyboards again....when you play, I can hear hints of neo-classical influence in your keys, notes, and chords. Are you a classical music fan, and if you are, how do you take those influences and crossover with them into Bodom's sound without betraying either side?

JW: Some of the early albums were neo-classical...that shit is so early 1990's! We want to move away from it somewhat as it's really popular right now and we want to find our own distinct sound.

MH: Many would say Bodom is a band on the rise in the music world. Is there any one moment for you that sticks out as a milestone for the band, almost as if you could look back and say that things got better for the music after just that one single point?

JW: I'm going to have to say our first show in Tokyo, Japan, back in 1998. It was a really special moment for me personally. The crowd was just nuts for everything we did. Bands always love being a big hit in Japan!

MH: You probably get this every interview haha....but any comments on the Bodom murders that inspired your band's name?

JW: Hell no! I don't even want to talk about Bodom, Finland. We get that every f**king interview!

MH: Thanks Janne for your time, I greatly appreciate it. I hope you guys tear down roof after roof on your current tour, and maybe I'll see you this summer with Slayer and all those other great bands. Any last words or closing thoughts for our readers out there in cyberspace?

JW: Thanks for your time too. We're planning on lots of American and Japanese tour dates....next there's a short break in there...we then have Wacken Open Air Festival and a few Finnish concerts/festivals...then we have a short break before the Unholy Alliance Tour with Slayer...after that who knows? Thanks again! Stay metal!
 
mocobhc said:
Let’s talk about some important sounds used on specific songs you’ve recorded.
On “Living Dead Beat”, the first song on the Are You Dead Yet? CD, the intro starts with a synth bass. This is from the original demo Alexi and I recorded, before we went into the studio. It was a Nord Lead Rack combined with something from a Roland JV—just a killer bass sound. We tried to recreate it in the real studio sessions, but everything we did sucked compared to this demo we’d recorded drunk in the middle of the night! So we used the track from the demo.
Click to expand...

LOL. That intro is so ripped of from Accept's song Dogs on Leads...

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Don't think this has already been posted: interview with Janne last month from Recoil Magazine (new Warmen album incoming, apparently :kickass:)


How's the tour going so far?

Janne Wirman: Really good.

What do you think about the whole Black Label Berzerkus lineup?

Janne I think it works. I'm surprised how well Clutch works in that package. I like Clutch and I went to their show in Helsinki, and at first I thought, 'Oh really? I don't know how well they'll work with this package,' but, yeah, I think it's a really good touring package.

Had you guys toured with Zack Wilde before?

Janne No, we haven't.

What's it like touring with him?

Janne It's cool. He's sober now, so he doesn't hang out much. [Laughs.]

Yeah, since you mention that, you guys are known for your tour bus lifestyle, is that what you guys are bringing to this tour?

Janne Well, I guess so.

How different is touring in the U.S. for you from the tours you do back in Europe?

Janne You know, it's not that much different. It's just knowing that you're in the States or Europe or Canada. I mean, touring is touring. It's not that much different at all.

Is there more or less drinking on your bus during your tours in the States than your tours in Europe?

Janne No, it's the same. When you're on tour, you're on tour. It doesn't matter where you are.

When you play live, you often perform with your keyboard tilted forward. When did you first start playing like that?

Janne Yeah, I saw Jens Johansson [keyboardist for Finnish power metal band Stratovarius] playing like that, and I went, 'Whoa, that's weird.' And I was wondering what the reason was for it. And then I played [like that] and I realized that, like, my whole hand... like, you don't have to tilt your wrist. If your keyboard was straight you would have to sort of angle your wrist while you're playing, but now you're whole hand is straight and it's a lot easier to play fast shit, like technical stuff, with the keyboard in that position.

Did that take some getting used to, or does that feel more natural now?

Janne No, I totally feel more natural nowadays playing with the keyboard tilted like that.

When you record, do you play like that?

Janne No, when I record I sit down and the keyboard is like normally set up.

Right before heading over here to the States to do this tour, you guys were working on your upcoming new album. Are you guys completely finished recording now?

Janne Yes, we are. Well, we finished the last bits in Vancouver when the tour started, and now the album is in mixing.

How long total did it take you to work on this album?

Janne Actually we did it in a little bit shorter time than last time. I think the recording took maybe five weeks total, or something. I think that the recording process was a little more organized. We didn't drink and party too much this time. We were more focused on working on the album, which is good. [Laughs] So yeah, everybody was more focused, so it didn't take us that long this time.

I've been checking out the COBTV episode you guys have on your website about working on the new album, and I saw that you guys were stuck in the studio without power after a tornado came by where you were recording. What was that part of the experience like?

Janne Yeah, that was weird. That was a crazy storm. Finland never has tornadoes. I've never seen one; I don't think I've ever heard of one. And a huge storm hit the area and the power went down and the power didn't come back on for days. And well, luckily we were just finishing up... like, we did some festivals between the two recording sessions, so we were actually just finishing up, but still we were supposed to record the next day, but the power went out. And the studio is in the middle of nowhere, so the roads were blocked. It was pretty crazy.

Do you think that storm influenced the album at all or how you spent the rest of your time in the studio?

Janne No, I don't think it influenced anything, but it was really cool though. [Laughs.]

Overall, how do you look back on recording?

Janne Like I said, we were more focused, we were working with a different producer, but it was a really nice process and we got everything done on time, and I'm really happy with result. I think it was a really good session, a really good recording.

What should COB fans expect from the new album?

Janne Well, I would say we're bringing back melodies. I would say there's more melody on this album. Like, we went a little bit more aggressive on Are You Dead Yet? and then I think Blooddrunk had a little bit more melodies, but I think there's more on the new one. We always try to evolve somehow. We don't want to do the same album over and over again, so it's always a little bit different. But so far, I'm happy with the new one.

As far as your keyboard parts, were melodies mostly what you focused on, as far as how you tried to challenge yourself this time?

Janne Yeah, and solos. Solos are of course always important for me. But yeah, I had a little bit different approach to the keyboard this time as well. I used some older sound modules as well, and some other different stuff and I tried to make it sound so it wouldn't sound like the exact same COB stuff.

On one of your COBTV episodes I think I heard your guys talking about considering an accordion, as a joke, right?

Janne [Laughs] That was a joke, yes. We had an accordion in the studio, but we didn't record with it.

Have you ever sat down and played one before?

Janne Yeah, when I was a kid I played the accordion. It's funny. But, no, we didn't use it on the album. Don't worry. [Laughs.]

I've read that you grew up playing the piano and studied jazz when you were a teenager. How did you go from that realm to getting into metal?

Janne Yeah, like you said, I was studying jazz piano for years, and then I got kind of bored with it, so I actually quit playing piano for a year, and I was just concentrating on playing drums. I was playing drums at the time as well. But then I was asked to join COB, so I thought, 'Okay, what the hell, I'll try some heavy metal.' [Laughs] And that's how it started. But yeah, it was funny, because at the time I was asked to join COB I was more focused on concentrating on my drummer career, actually.

Were you really into metal as far as what you were listening to at that time?

Janne I wasn't into like really extreme metal. I hadn't heard about Slayer before I joined COB, but I was listening to Metallica and Megadeth and that kind of stuff when I was a kid, so yeah.

Do you think studying jazz for as long as you did help prepare you for what you're doing with COB, as far as solos and everything you're doing now?

Janne Yeah, jazz helped. And just knowing music theory, it makes communicating in a band so much easier. Because I like to talk about things with their correct terms, so just studying music theory and all that stuff helped. And, of course, you know, jazz playing really helps when you have to improvise. When you have to play solos, that's when it's really helpful to know some of that stuff.

A lot of your fans like to debate about what genre best describes your music. Do you like that there is that debate surrounding your music?

Janne Yeah, but I don't know. COB is really hard to put into a genre. We just call it heavy metal. Some people say it's melodic thrash metal nowadays. I don't really know. But, yeah, I don't know about the debate. Just call it heavy metal and be done with it.

Do you think you do anything to maybe fuel that debate, as far as your writing? Or do you think you just allow yourselves to do whatever you want, and then people have a hard time defining that?

Janne Yeah, we do whatever we want to do with the stuff we're writing. We don't think about those kinds of labels or anything like that.

You guys did an album of cover songs (2009's Skeletons in the Closet), and have gotten some heat from some metal fans for doing a cover of Britney Spears' 'Oops I Did It Again.' What's your response all of that?

Janne Well, I mean, it's a fun thing. It's a fun album. Covers are a fun thing to do, and if you have no sense of humor, then please stop listening to COB. [Laughs.] Because I was pretty amazed by some of the reactions. Like people were saying like, 'Fuck, I'm going to burn all my COB records,' and I was like, 'Okay, please do.' [Laughs] If you can't understand a little joke, fuck off. It's not that fucking serious. We just decided to do a bunch of covers, because covers are so much fun. You don't have to be that fucking stressed, and you can pick up a fun song or a great song and then turn it into a COB version, and it's a lot of fun every time.

Are there other types of music or any bands or musicians that you like that you think might surprise COB fans?

Janne I do listen to a lot of music. I listen to everything, from pop music to whatever. Nowadays I'm very open-minded. When I first joined the band, and for years and years, I just listened to metal music. That was like ten years ago or something. But now I really try to listen to all kinds of music. And now that we're on tour with Clutch, I've been listening to a lot of Clutch, because they are a killer, killer live band, I want to say. But yeah, I do listen to all kinds of music nowadays.

I also wanted to talk a little about your side-project, Warmen. Why did you decide to start the band as a side-project?

Janne Well, it was just... I'm a studio geek. I love recording, and I love fiddling with old gear, and so just to get to go into the studio with some of my good friends and do something, is actually what Warmen is all about. It was never really a real band. Even though now we've played some shows with it and I'd love to play more shows, but I'm just too busy with COB most of the time. But Warmen, it started and it still is a way for me to get some of my good friends together and fiddle with studio gear. [Laughs.]

How do you balance your time between COB and what you'd also like to do with Warmen?

Janne Actually, after this tour I'm going to have three months off from COB, because we'll just be waiting for the release to happen, so I was thinking we could sit down and maybe record a new Warmen album. I have some ideas and stuff, so hopefully maybe sometime in January or February we will start recording a new Warmen album.

Is there anyone else you'd like to collaborate with, or anything else you like to try?

Janne Well, like I said about my whole studio geek-ness, and that COB had a new producer on this album, we've been thinking about how we could maybe work together producing and recording bands, so I would actually really like to look into that. But, then again, when the COB album comes out, I'll be really busy with touring next year. But someday, I'd really like to work with bands as a producer, or do more of that kind of studio stuff.

Do you have a title for the new COB disc yet, and do you have any idea when that will be released next year?

Janne It'll be out at the end of February, or early March. Sometime around there. And even though we have a title, I don't think it's public info just yet. [Laughs.]

http://recoilmag.com/interviews/?1316
November 2010
 
-Bringing back melodies!
-COB on holiday until they start preparing for the Ugly tour.
-Title exists but is still secret.

Awesome to hear something.
 
Agree with joonas, Thought im kinda disappointed cause the album is coming out or merch, so ... it sucks XD
he sholdve ask im about "was it worth it " video ,and ask about when it comes out? i really want some taste of the new album NOW !!
 
thanks for posting this interview, sleeper!
New Warmen album and more melodies in the next COB album- that sounds good :)
 
Thanks sleeper, on spot quick again :) Some really nice info over there, and great to know there's also another Warmen album on the way, after so much wait between the last two, it's going to be just a year between those two then, cool!
 
More melodies? Some old sound modules? Other new stuff? Janne, I love you for these words :lol: This sounds really, really good. And of course I can't wait to hear more about a new Warmen album, too :dopey: Hopefully with a few more Warmen live shows afterwards, I'd be there for sure :lol:
Thank you for posting, Stella!
 
But also:
We don't want to do the same album over and over again, so it's always a little bit different. But so far, I'm happy with the new one.

(...)and I tried to make it sound so it wouldn't sound like the exact same COB stuff.
Click to expand...
So don't fully expect a return to the old days. Maybe more old influences though.
either way, more melodic is always good.
 
i think this cd is goning to be like a mix from all the albums exepct something wild , i hope it will be like hatebreeder+alexi's blooddrunk new voice, anyways COBHC4EVER
 
We already know how it sounds like.. crispy, green which is a nice change after the dusty gray Blooddrunk.. at least they have more melody which was crucial to get back.. what they do with the guitar tone remains to be seen.. it can still fail for retarded vocals and shit so let's just wait, we've only heard bits from one song, but yes the overall change seems good after the shitty drop-C crap they were doing.. of course sound is just one thing, songwriting is most important obviously.. just hoping to hear some real Bodom metal, the stuff of legends, and not the horrible crap like Roadkill Morning.
 
<Joonas> said:
We already know how it sounds like.. crispy, green which is a nice change after the dusty gray Blooddrunk.. at least they have more melody which was crucial to get back.. what they do with the guitar tone remains to be seen.. it can still fail for retarded vocals and shit so let's just wait, we've only heard bits from one song, but yes the overall change seems good after the shitty drop-C crap they were doing.. of course sound is just one thing, songwriting is most important obviously.. just hoping to hear some real Bodom metal, the stuff of legends, and not the horrible crap like Roadkill Morning.
Click to expand...

More nordic sound, and less US-crap.
 
Wow, just finished about three hours of catching up on interviews I have missed over the past months. Thanks to everyone who has put them up. Surprising there were no interviews with Henkka, though. I especially enjoyed the interview from the keyboard magazine with Janne. I have been waiting for an interview like that for a while now.
 
Well, from the clip I think the guitar tone looks really promising, away from the too crispy for my taste that Blooddrunk had, more fitting to their style, and vocals look pretty great too, as well as keys and drum tone (another letdown in Blooddrunk for me, I love the songs but the drum and guitar tone is not good imo), so I think we're going to get a great thing.
 
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