Finnish yle news interview roope. Finnish language. Hopefully someone better english skilled guy can translate this: https://yle.fi/aihe/artikkeli/2017/06/29/roope-latvala-selkaanpuukotettu-mies
Roope's interview
- Thread starter axeman92fromfinland
- Start date
ESA1996
Active Member
Won't do it all as it's 12 pages long and doing so would take ages, but here are some of the main points:
-Roope did not leave the band, he was fired.
-He doesn't know why.
-The band had planned on firing Roope for half a year before actually doing so.
-Roope didn't touch his guitars for almost two years. He has now begun climbing up from his hole and has done a few "punch in the face" songs.
-He spent a year or so doing little else other than drinking.
-He has not listened to IWC.
-Roope feels that "fame rose in the head of Alexi".
-He hasn't been contacted by much anyone in the last two years. Not fans nor fellow musicians etc. Roope was disappointed to find "RIP Roope Latvala" comments in his social media accounts after the incident.
-Roope hasn't posted in any social media in the last two years in an effort to maintain what peace remains between himself and the band.
-Roope describes the firing as a "backstab".
-The firing happened on the same day that the band begun recording IWC (Roope had all his gear already set up for recording etc.)
-Roope has a parrot that can say "Fuck".
-Roope did not leave the band, he was fired.
-He doesn't know why.
-The band had planned on firing Roope for half a year before actually doing so.
-Roope didn't touch his guitars for almost two years. He has now begun climbing up from his hole and has done a few "punch in the face" songs.
-He spent a year or so doing little else other than drinking.
-He has not listened to IWC.
-Roope feels that "fame rose in the head of Alexi".
-He hasn't been contacted by much anyone in the last two years. Not fans nor fellow musicians etc. Roope was disappointed to find "RIP Roope Latvala" comments in his social media accounts after the incident.
-Roope hasn't posted in any social media in the last two years in an effort to maintain what peace remains between himself and the band.
-Roope describes the firing as a "backstab".
-The firing happened on the same day that the band begun recording IWC (Roope had all his gear already set up for recording etc.)
-Roope has a parrot that can say "Fuck".
I read this interview super fast before leaving for band practice and I was like "well it isn't long i'm going to translate it when i get home" and fuck this is pretty long but I'm gonna translate since I started already.
But I have to say I'm very sad to hear Roope has been so depressed. He is such a great musician and I hope he gets back to it and comes up with something great. However, I refuse to believe they guys would just turn their backs suddenly like this... I don't really know what to think I just feel horrible right now. I hope Jaska would post a response I'm not really expecting Alexi to give a long post.
But I have to say I'm very sad to hear Roope has been so depressed. He is such a great musician and I hope he gets back to it and comes up with something great. However, I refuse to believe they guys would just turn their backs suddenly like this... I don't really know what to think I just feel horrible right now. I hope Jaska would post a response I'm not really expecting Alexi to give a long post.
I almost knew it, that Roope was kicked out! We all know that Alexi can be a bitch, no wonder: he doesnt sleep long and i dont know how hes still alive... Anywas i feel sorry for Roope, i hope he will soon be again on stage. Maybe he reads this or opens his Twitter Account, i will support this guy!
Hang On Roope, we are with you!!
I think he had a few days before Birthday?
Ahh yes, Happy 47th Roope!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BVww5WogfCv/
Hang On Roope, we are with you!!
I think he had a few days before Birthday?
Ahh yes, Happy 47th Roope!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BVww5WogfCv/
Last edited:
Ok this is the first part which tells us all the relevant information. This is a synopsis of a two hour audio.
Roope Latvala – a backstabbed man (original article by mervi vuorela & joonas josefsson)
Roope, who started his career in the band Stone is probably the best metal guitarist in Finland. But right now is work isn't needed by anyone and even his closest friends have turned their backs. The downhill started in spring 2015 when it was announced that he has left Children Of Bodom. He says the news is bullshit, and now he'll tell us what really happened.
In march 2015 it happened. A backstabbing, from which scars are still visible today.
One of Finland's most successful metal bands Children Of Bodom was entering the studio to record their ninth studio album I Worship Chaos. Roope, who had joined the band in 2003 was fully prepared and his guitars were in perfect shape for the recording. And that was the day when he was told his effort isn't needed anymore.
”Roope Latvala has surprisingly left Children Of Bodom” reported Helsingin Sanomat on 29. of May 2015. The same story was repeated through the media by different sites. The source of the news being COB's facebook page, where it was said that ”Roope has left without any bad blood”. Later the keyboardist Janne Wirman said the departure was because ”Roope wasn't fully with us”.
No one cared to ask Roope what had happened. And when someone asked, he didn't want to comment.
Only a day after the news about Roope's departure, Children Of Bodom played a secret show in Nosturi, Helsinki, with their fill in guitarist Antti Wirman. The timing tells us that firing Roope had been planned.
Of course people started immediately speculating on the internet. Some said the departure had to do with alcohol, some with injured hands, some thought it was because Roope was much older than the other guys.
On July 13th, vocalist Alexi Laiho commented the issue in a Radio Rock interview, saying the reasons behind the departure ”didn't really matter”.
”As I've said before; we grew apart. I just want to say we didn't part ways with a fight. There isn't a fight going on.”
Maybe on Laiho's side there wasn't a fight going on, but after being kicked out, Roope went to a war inside his head. He packed his guitars in their bags and went to his home in Kannelmäki, Helsinki and started drinking.
Knife in the back.
Kantsun Kulma bar aka KB is a typical bar in Kannelmäki, next to an old shopping mall. The bar run by Bangladeshian staff serves cheap beer and the deck is full of regulars already before midday. At night there's Karaoke.
The sight of the mall from the KB deck is heartbreaking. The mall is meant to be demolished soon and there's only some pieces left, one of them being Helsinki's oldest brit pub, which is going to move out soon to a new location. It is much like an example of Roope's situation right now; how all old things and times together can suddenly be thrown away.
Roope has been a regular customer of KB for a while now. Ever since he was kicked out of COB.
”Everything was just as fucked up as it could possibly be.” Latvala says. ”It was such a downer for me, that for the next year I didn't do basically anything besides drinking and dealing with the bureaucracy. That day I just threw my guitars in a bag and haven't opened since. There they have been fucking laying for two years, some even longer.”
”I felt like I couldn't even touch the guitars anymore.”
Roope says abandoning the guitars wasn't because he didn't feel like playing anymore. He just went into a complete shock so that he couldn't grab his guitars anymore.
”Playing guitar has always been an important and even holy thing for me. And then I had to deal with this. It felt like I wasn't allowed to play anymore. Like I'm too scared to touch my guitars.”
As he was fired, Roope lost basically everything; Practice spaces, studios, garages, friends. From the Bodom guys he hasn't heard anything ever since, except through their lawyers.
”When there was that 100 guitars thing, no one even told me anything about that.” He says, referring to the 100 Guitars From Hell performance in the summer 2015 where a hundred guitarists performed with Alexi on the Senate Square.
”I have been very bitter towards those guys. They just stabbed me in the back and have been turning the knife more. It all started with silent treatment and that's where it fucking ended too. I don't know what I've done wrong. I just don't know.”
What has bothered him the most is that all the things built together were just taken from him without any explanation. A history of 12 years in the same band was ended with a Facebook post, and the people who he thought as his friends turned their backs.
One of the worst betrayers was Alexi Laiho: a man who admired Roope when younger and who took a lot of influences to his own playing. The history of these two playing together started in the late 90's in the band Sinergy and continued later in COB. -Until March 2015-
RIP Roope Latvala
Until this day, Roope Latvala still hasn't found out what caused him to get fired. But when practicing for the recording of I Worship Chaos he noticed a change in the atmosphere of the band.
”There wasn't much else happening except the guys doing stuff on their phones, then we would go through some riff and everyone has to coddle Alexi all the time. I think that Laiho kid has become a little arrogant or something. He seemed to start looking down on me. They even planned firing me for half a year before they told me. Suddenly they just kicked me out when we were supposed to start recording. ”
Part of the reason may be that COB isn't the same party band as it was when Roope joined in 2003. Alexi has had to stop drinking because of stomach ulcers and some in the band have had children. Roope says that in his last years in the band it had started to be like sunday school. Everyone just moralising all the time.
Being kicked out felt unfair. Roope played all shows really well and none had to be cancelled because of his alcohol use. He worked as they had agreed to together, knew how to maintain his guitars and was a man of order. And most importantly Roope is a phenomenal guitarist. Who could possibly fit in to Children Of Bodom better than him?
”Apparently anyone” Roope hums. ”Some kind of antipathy happened.”
What makes this antipathy weird is that Roope seems like the world's friendliest person. You can see humanity, sensitivity and silent power in him. When he is talking he looks calmly in the eyes and sometimes he talks with a little sort of Tampere accent even though he is not from anywhere near that area.
”I decided then to just concentrate in my own business. It can't go on like this:”
It seems like Roope would be a nice guy to have in a band. He says that he is hard to get into a fight with. Even after being kicked out of COB, he didn't want to fight even though there might be a good reason to. Instead he just stopped using social media.
”I didn't want to go to Facebook anymore. I actually still havent, because I didn't want to start talking shit. If I'd carried on using it I probably could have said something rude at some point.” Latvala says.
One could imagine that Latvala would have been contacted many times by people who would like to make music with him. Wrong.
”No one has contacted me. Maybe because I don't use social media, I haven't fucking heard of anyone for two years. All those touring friends, Lamb Of God guys and all those are not in any contact with me.”
Even the fans have been quiet. When one day Roope logged in to Facebook, he saw people posting things like ”RIP Roope Latvala”.
”Then one time I actually posted there, that by the way guys, I'm not dead or anything and I didn't even leave the band. I was kicked out. Then I got a message from Henkka, that the guys didn't really like my message.”
Today Roope still hasn't been able to listen to Children Of Bodom's album I Worship Chaos, on which Alexi Laiho ended up playing his parts. In January 2016 Latvala was replaced by Daniel Freyberg, who is known from the bands Naildown and Norther.
Even though he is bitter, Roope seems like he hasn't burned all bridges. His shy interest in his old band's life seems almost moving.
”I kind of feel like those guys haven't been having such a great time lately either. There's nothing new about them. I have been trying to look at their pages but there's nothing. How are they doing now? Well, I'll leave those boys be. I decided to start thinking more about my own business now. It can't go on like this.”
Back to the bunker
A calm day in the KB deck is starting to become night. The price of the beer rises by 50 cents and the karaoke host appears behind the counter to hear the song requests. This is when some of the regular customer come to talk to the reporter and tell stories about how Roope is a great person. They say he is an activist too and has for example resisted the demolition of the shopping mall.
One of the regulars is a former football player Kimmo Tarkkio: his story sounds much like Roope's. They have fallen from the top to the bottom, and not in a very pretty way.
For a football player, this situation is much harder, because aging and drinking damage the most important of the tools. His own body. Roope can continue working when he just gets his confidence and his inspiration back. There is nothing wrong with his hands and there's no reason to think his composing skills are out of order.
”I don't think there's much else to do than just to get back into my man cave also known as the bunker and start working on some songs.”
Recently Roope has been coming to the light from the darkness. He has taken some Les Pauls from their cases and written a couple of songs that he describes as ”punching people in the face stuff”.
”I don't know what else I should start doing. Really close there, a cycling trip from here there's Ensiferum's space. I asked them if I could come and play this stuff with some friends. That would be a good solution. The only way from here is up now.”
If you wanted to find something positive from this situation, it would be that Roope didn't fall down without any safety network.
”I'm okay. I have money left from Bodom and a roof over my head. A nice girlfriend and some good friends. And theres stuff to do.”
With 'stuff to do', Roope refers to his yard and home renovation work. He lives in a 50's wooden house in Kannelmäki, Helsinki, with his partner Eeva, a couple cats and a parrot. The parrot has a room of his own and can say ”fuck” among other things. Besides all the housework, Roope keeps himself in good shape by bicycling and swimming.
One of his hobbies is also cars. Roope has a Corvette Stingray (1973) and a two seated Datsun 280Z (1976). Then those cars that he regularly uses he has a Datsun 180B (1974) and a wintertime car that he calls the armor ship, a Volvo 244 GL (1980). Right now those cars – and some of Roope's guitars are located in various places all over Helsinki.
You could think that an abandoned rockstar would be bored in suburban areas and make his way to bars in Kallio to fish for compliments and heal his hurt confidence. Latvala isn't that kind of a star. Kannelmäki is enough.
”Sitting here in this bar has actually been kind of refreshing. Don't have to worry about anything and I can just talk with all these people.” Roope says and reminds us of some Freud Marx Engels & Jung lyrics: ”Those with broken hearts seem to be drinking / to drown those feelings that float like feathers / and maybe life is just a bad prank, but we'll be laughing / who's ordering the next ones, we'll be the ones taking them.”
”But that first year I was so pissed off. Sometimes I still get into those moods. All that we had built together was just taken away suddenly. But I guess I'll have to just carry on. There's been hard times before too. Fuck.”
It isn't hard to believe in his new beginning. He is Roope Latvala after all. But how did he become one of the best finnish guitarists?
(to be finished soon I hope there wasn't much errors)
Roope Latvala – a backstabbed man (original article by mervi vuorela & joonas josefsson)
Roope, who started his career in the band Stone is probably the best metal guitarist in Finland. But right now is work isn't needed by anyone and even his closest friends have turned their backs. The downhill started in spring 2015 when it was announced that he has left Children Of Bodom. He says the news is bullshit, and now he'll tell us what really happened.
In march 2015 it happened. A backstabbing, from which scars are still visible today.
One of Finland's most successful metal bands Children Of Bodom was entering the studio to record their ninth studio album I Worship Chaos. Roope, who had joined the band in 2003 was fully prepared and his guitars were in perfect shape for the recording. And that was the day when he was told his effort isn't needed anymore.
”Roope Latvala has surprisingly left Children Of Bodom” reported Helsingin Sanomat on 29. of May 2015. The same story was repeated through the media by different sites. The source of the news being COB's facebook page, where it was said that ”Roope has left without any bad blood”. Later the keyboardist Janne Wirman said the departure was because ”Roope wasn't fully with us”.
No one cared to ask Roope what had happened. And when someone asked, he didn't want to comment.
Only a day after the news about Roope's departure, Children Of Bodom played a secret show in Nosturi, Helsinki, with their fill in guitarist Antti Wirman. The timing tells us that firing Roope had been planned.
Of course people started immediately speculating on the internet. Some said the departure had to do with alcohol, some with injured hands, some thought it was because Roope was much older than the other guys.
On July 13th, vocalist Alexi Laiho commented the issue in a Radio Rock interview, saying the reasons behind the departure ”didn't really matter”.
”As I've said before; we grew apart. I just want to say we didn't part ways with a fight. There isn't a fight going on.”
Maybe on Laiho's side there wasn't a fight going on, but after being kicked out, Roope went to a war inside his head. He packed his guitars in their bags and went to his home in Kannelmäki, Helsinki and started drinking.
Knife in the back.
Kantsun Kulma bar aka KB is a typical bar in Kannelmäki, next to an old shopping mall. The bar run by Bangladeshian staff serves cheap beer and the deck is full of regulars already before midday. At night there's Karaoke.
The sight of the mall from the KB deck is heartbreaking. The mall is meant to be demolished soon and there's only some pieces left, one of them being Helsinki's oldest brit pub, which is going to move out soon to a new location. It is much like an example of Roope's situation right now; how all old things and times together can suddenly be thrown away.
Roope has been a regular customer of KB for a while now. Ever since he was kicked out of COB.
”Everything was just as fucked up as it could possibly be.” Latvala says. ”It was such a downer for me, that for the next year I didn't do basically anything besides drinking and dealing with the bureaucracy. That day I just threw my guitars in a bag and haven't opened since. There they have been fucking laying for two years, some even longer.”
”I felt like I couldn't even touch the guitars anymore.”
Roope says abandoning the guitars wasn't because he didn't feel like playing anymore. He just went into a complete shock so that he couldn't grab his guitars anymore.
”Playing guitar has always been an important and even holy thing for me. And then I had to deal with this. It felt like I wasn't allowed to play anymore. Like I'm too scared to touch my guitars.”
As he was fired, Roope lost basically everything; Practice spaces, studios, garages, friends. From the Bodom guys he hasn't heard anything ever since, except through their lawyers.
”When there was that 100 guitars thing, no one even told me anything about that.” He says, referring to the 100 Guitars From Hell performance in the summer 2015 where a hundred guitarists performed with Alexi on the Senate Square.
”I have been very bitter towards those guys. They just stabbed me in the back and have been turning the knife more. It all started with silent treatment and that's where it fucking ended too. I don't know what I've done wrong. I just don't know.”
What has bothered him the most is that all the things built together were just taken from him without any explanation. A history of 12 years in the same band was ended with a Facebook post, and the people who he thought as his friends turned their backs.
One of the worst betrayers was Alexi Laiho: a man who admired Roope when younger and who took a lot of influences to his own playing. The history of these two playing together started in the late 90's in the band Sinergy and continued later in COB. -Until March 2015-
RIP Roope Latvala
Until this day, Roope Latvala still hasn't found out what caused him to get fired. But when practicing for the recording of I Worship Chaos he noticed a change in the atmosphere of the band.
”There wasn't much else happening except the guys doing stuff on their phones, then we would go through some riff and everyone has to coddle Alexi all the time. I think that Laiho kid has become a little arrogant or something. He seemed to start looking down on me. They even planned firing me for half a year before they told me. Suddenly they just kicked me out when we were supposed to start recording. ”
Part of the reason may be that COB isn't the same party band as it was when Roope joined in 2003. Alexi has had to stop drinking because of stomach ulcers and some in the band have had children. Roope says that in his last years in the band it had started to be like sunday school. Everyone just moralising all the time.
Being kicked out felt unfair. Roope played all shows really well and none had to be cancelled because of his alcohol use. He worked as they had agreed to together, knew how to maintain his guitars and was a man of order. And most importantly Roope is a phenomenal guitarist. Who could possibly fit in to Children Of Bodom better than him?
”Apparently anyone” Roope hums. ”Some kind of antipathy happened.”
What makes this antipathy weird is that Roope seems like the world's friendliest person. You can see humanity, sensitivity and silent power in him. When he is talking he looks calmly in the eyes and sometimes he talks with a little sort of Tampere accent even though he is not from anywhere near that area.
”I decided then to just concentrate in my own business. It can't go on like this:”
It seems like Roope would be a nice guy to have in a band. He says that he is hard to get into a fight with. Even after being kicked out of COB, he didn't want to fight even though there might be a good reason to. Instead he just stopped using social media.
”I didn't want to go to Facebook anymore. I actually still havent, because I didn't want to start talking shit. If I'd carried on using it I probably could have said something rude at some point.” Latvala says.
One could imagine that Latvala would have been contacted many times by people who would like to make music with him. Wrong.
”No one has contacted me. Maybe because I don't use social media, I haven't fucking heard of anyone for two years. All those touring friends, Lamb Of God guys and all those are not in any contact with me.”
Even the fans have been quiet. When one day Roope logged in to Facebook, he saw people posting things like ”RIP Roope Latvala”.
”Then one time I actually posted there, that by the way guys, I'm not dead or anything and I didn't even leave the band. I was kicked out. Then I got a message from Henkka, that the guys didn't really like my message.”
Today Roope still hasn't been able to listen to Children Of Bodom's album I Worship Chaos, on which Alexi Laiho ended up playing his parts. In January 2016 Latvala was replaced by Daniel Freyberg, who is known from the bands Naildown and Norther.
Even though he is bitter, Roope seems like he hasn't burned all bridges. His shy interest in his old band's life seems almost moving.
”I kind of feel like those guys haven't been having such a great time lately either. There's nothing new about them. I have been trying to look at their pages but there's nothing. How are they doing now? Well, I'll leave those boys be. I decided to start thinking more about my own business now. It can't go on like this.”
Back to the bunker
A calm day in the KB deck is starting to become night. The price of the beer rises by 50 cents and the karaoke host appears behind the counter to hear the song requests. This is when some of the regular customer come to talk to the reporter and tell stories about how Roope is a great person. They say he is an activist too and has for example resisted the demolition of the shopping mall.
One of the regulars is a former football player Kimmo Tarkkio: his story sounds much like Roope's. They have fallen from the top to the bottom, and not in a very pretty way.
For a football player, this situation is much harder, because aging and drinking damage the most important of the tools. His own body. Roope can continue working when he just gets his confidence and his inspiration back. There is nothing wrong with his hands and there's no reason to think his composing skills are out of order.
”I don't think there's much else to do than just to get back into my man cave also known as the bunker and start working on some songs.”
Recently Roope has been coming to the light from the darkness. He has taken some Les Pauls from their cases and written a couple of songs that he describes as ”punching people in the face stuff”.
”I don't know what else I should start doing. Really close there, a cycling trip from here there's Ensiferum's space. I asked them if I could come and play this stuff with some friends. That would be a good solution. The only way from here is up now.”
If you wanted to find something positive from this situation, it would be that Roope didn't fall down without any safety network.
”I'm okay. I have money left from Bodom and a roof over my head. A nice girlfriend and some good friends. And theres stuff to do.”
With 'stuff to do', Roope refers to his yard and home renovation work. He lives in a 50's wooden house in Kannelmäki, Helsinki, with his partner Eeva, a couple cats and a parrot. The parrot has a room of his own and can say ”fuck” among other things. Besides all the housework, Roope keeps himself in good shape by bicycling and swimming.
One of his hobbies is also cars. Roope has a Corvette Stingray (1973) and a two seated Datsun 280Z (1976). Then those cars that he regularly uses he has a Datsun 180B (1974) and a wintertime car that he calls the armor ship, a Volvo 244 GL (1980). Right now those cars – and some of Roope's guitars are located in various places all over Helsinki.
You could think that an abandoned rockstar would be bored in suburban areas and make his way to bars in Kallio to fish for compliments and heal his hurt confidence. Latvala isn't that kind of a star. Kannelmäki is enough.
”Sitting here in this bar has actually been kind of refreshing. Don't have to worry about anything and I can just talk with all these people.” Roope says and reminds us of some Freud Marx Engels & Jung lyrics: ”Those with broken hearts seem to be drinking / to drown those feelings that float like feathers / and maybe life is just a bad prank, but we'll be laughing / who's ordering the next ones, we'll be the ones taking them.”
”But that first year I was so pissed off. Sometimes I still get into those moods. All that we had built together was just taken away suddenly. But I guess I'll have to just carry on. There's been hard times before too. Fuck.”
It isn't hard to believe in his new beginning. He is Roope Latvala after all. But how did he become one of the best finnish guitarists?
(to be finished soon I hope there wasn't much errors)
Last edited:
Regardless of what happened, depression can lead to some really good metal songs. I hope Roope starts writing.
Case of jealousy i guess. For years i've heard conversations about how Bodom is getting boring and monotonous and how they should involve Roope's songwriting more. Maybe this general idea was too much for Allu. Well whatever the reason, it's a shame for Roopes sake and for the band, since Daniel seems to have as much charisma and personality as a carpet 
Roope seems to speak out of emotion. It's natural he feels that way. Like he's 'backstabbed' and all. It must feel insulting to his pride, because he approaches it as a musician. But it had nothing to do with his playing skills, I think... the band felt he wasn't in it as much or something.
Any intelligent person will read thru his message the ego, the decrease in motivation, the depression and alcohol lash. It's easy for him to say these things were because of what happened. But maybe, just maybe these elements were involved in why they grew apart. I have a strange feeling they were. But this is a touchy subject; I know nothing nor do I pretend to know, just the impression I get.
Roope always came across as a little depressed, to me. It's hard to specify as I don't know him. Who knows, maybe his rock'n'roll laid back behaviour was mistaken for being unmotivated? We don't know the inside nor can we read the minds of people we don't know.
It's common that people fucking ghost their best friend after ten years of close friendship, without ever giving any explanation, leaving the other one haunted and sad for life! This even happens when the other one grows up and starts living healthy, and the other person simply doesn't connect with that. It's not always the fault of the one who's been cut ties with. Time for new doors to open. It hurts but it happens. Your mission in each others' lives is over, paths cross, not everything is meant to last.
It's a mental crisis situation for Roope, but it is an opportunity to discover an even deeper purpose from his life, with or without guitars. The first step to rising up is to be humble, realize your fault no matter how small or unjust it may seem, and stop repelling it as the other one's fault. Alexi wished him the best, said there is no war, and seemed to have faith in Roope achieving more great things in future. Take it and move on.
I hope Roope gets his game back and will be involved as a lead guitarist in some quality metal CD soon.
I kind of understood there was an egoistical clash of two guitarists when it came to songwriting situations when jamming new material. It's just natural it hurts the other one's ego if his idea isn't accepted. There is however a primary song creator in COB. There is no room for ego in such a situation. Creating art is a sensitive process. Maybe this indicates Roope wants to get into songwriting himself and step out of the rhythm-guitarist shadow. Well, we'll see.
Any intelligent person will read thru his message the ego, the decrease in motivation, the depression and alcohol lash. It's easy for him to say these things were because of what happened. But maybe, just maybe these elements were involved in why they grew apart. I have a strange feeling they were. But this is a touchy subject; I know nothing nor do I pretend to know, just the impression I get.
Roope always came across as a little depressed, to me. It's hard to specify as I don't know him. Who knows, maybe his rock'n'roll laid back behaviour was mistaken for being unmotivated? We don't know the inside nor can we read the minds of people we don't know.
It's common that people fucking ghost their best friend after ten years of close friendship, without ever giving any explanation, leaving the other one haunted and sad for life! This even happens when the other one grows up and starts living healthy, and the other person simply doesn't connect with that. It's not always the fault of the one who's been cut ties with. Time for new doors to open. It hurts but it happens. Your mission in each others' lives is over, paths cross, not everything is meant to last.
It's a mental crisis situation for Roope, but it is an opportunity to discover an even deeper purpose from his life, with or without guitars. The first step to rising up is to be humble, realize your fault no matter how small or unjust it may seem, and stop repelling it as the other one's fault. Alexi wished him the best, said there is no war, and seemed to have faith in Roope achieving more great things in future. Take it and move on.
I hope Roope gets his game back and will be involved as a lead guitarist in some quality metal CD soon.
I kind of understood there was an egoistical clash of two guitarists when it came to songwriting situations when jamming new material. It's just natural it hurts the other one's ego if his idea isn't accepted. There is however a primary song creator in COB. There is no room for ego in such a situation. Creating art is a sensitive process. Maybe this indicates Roope wants to get into songwriting himself and step out of the rhythm-guitarist shadow. Well, we'll see.
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This whole thing about Roope being a "back-stabbed man" is pissing me off. It's all over the media and facebook making headlines. No wonder Alexi keeps a little distance from the mainstream. The shit they talk is illogical. For some strange reason all the people I know who talk shit about Laiho and Bodom are retarded assholes themselves. Why can't people just learn how to fucking live, respect and think with their brain...
In my mind you could only talk about being "back-stabbed" if you had composed the music and it was taken by the guys who'd showed you the door before studio, or something like that. Thus the term 'back-stabbing' is giving the wrong idea to public. Of course a journalist will pick the most dramatic and provocative words for headlines...
If they'd left the bitterness out of the interview it would've been genuinely good reading and constructive to his career. More insight to Roope than ever before anywhere... Shame. Then again, sometimes you gotta fall before you can rise. People can relate more easily when they see even stars experience tragedies and depression periods.
Roope's a verbally hilarious character and rocks the guitar, I'd watch his youtube channel and listen to what he gets recorded.
In my mind you could only talk about being "back-stabbed" if you had composed the music and it was taken by the guys who'd showed you the door before studio, or something like that. Thus the term 'back-stabbing' is giving the wrong idea to public. Of course a journalist will pick the most dramatic and provocative words for headlines...
If they'd left the bitterness out of the interview it would've been genuinely good reading and constructive to his career. More insight to Roope than ever before anywhere... Shame. Then again, sometimes you gotta fall before you can rise. People can relate more easily when they see even stars experience tragedies and depression periods.
Roope's a verbally hilarious character and rocks the guitar, I'd watch his youtube channel and listen to what he gets recorded.
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I dunno, Joonas. If Roope's side of the story is true then it's a pretty literal back stab. I say that because Roope makes it sound like they knew for a long time that they'd fire him and then they fired him on the day of recording without any indication or warning.
To me it doesn't matter who composed the music. It's always been 99% alexi writing the music so it is his band. But at the same time Roope has been with the band for over a decade. No matter which stance you take, friendship or business, the band handled it in the worst way possible. It's entirely within reason that Alexi's ego got in the way, or that he wanted a youthful boost, but it's simply bad business to just straight up fire a loyal employee without so much as a thank you and goodbye. After such a long period of time you owe it to Roope to have a conversation about it. If Roope is telling the truth, he was blindsided and that just isn't acceptable.
That said, I won't stop supporting COB and Alexi. I think a big reason metal artists make good music is because they've had unnatural upbringings and are unhinged. I'm not making excuses for the band but I'm not surprised. I think after this the band should reach out to Roope with apologies at the very least but my opinion doesn't mean shit. In the end I'm here for good music. Alexi's life is pretty pampered these days but he still produces good shit (not legendary). Roope's situation is unfortunate but it usually produces good music. It could all work out in the best for everyone if Roope unleashes his rage in a new talented band.
To me it doesn't matter who composed the music. It's always been 99% alexi writing the music so it is his band. But at the same time Roope has been with the band for over a decade. No matter which stance you take, friendship or business, the band handled it in the worst way possible. It's entirely within reason that Alexi's ego got in the way, or that he wanted a youthful boost, but it's simply bad business to just straight up fire a loyal employee without so much as a thank you and goodbye. After such a long period of time you owe it to Roope to have a conversation about it. If Roope is telling the truth, he was blindsided and that just isn't acceptable.
That said, I won't stop supporting COB and Alexi. I think a big reason metal artists make good music is because they've had unnatural upbringings and are unhinged. I'm not making excuses for the band but I'm not surprised. I think after this the band should reach out to Roope with apologies at the very least but my opinion doesn't mean shit. In the end I'm here for good music. Alexi's life is pretty pampered these days but he still produces good shit (not legendary). Roope's situation is unfortunate but it usually produces good music. It could all work out in the best for everyone if Roope unleashes his rage in a new talented band.
mrKRB64
Member
It wouldn't surprise me if Roope said something about the new stuff Alexi wrote and Laiho got pissed off when they were jamming and arranging songs before hitting the studio- would make sense for him to get fired like that- especially just before recording. I remember in the Blooddrunk sessions Alexi said they both hated each other at that moment kind of jokingly and set their amps up far away from each other- maybe it wasn't a joke? Either way Alexi seems pretty controlling when it comes to Bodom and the few songs that he let Roope solo for a bit were great- wish more of their stuff had Alexi/Roope/Janne back and forth solos.
I just think the only thing that really matters is the music, and nothing should get in the way of it. Only the rare occasion of musicians are also good songwriters. I think Alexi would let the genuinely good ideas slip through. It's not just about technicality, but serving the song's melodic backbone. I'm purist enough not to want other ideas get into the music just to be emotionally coherent and let the other guys get their ideas in. It's been their recipe to success and it would be delusional to think anything under the name Bodom is as good. I can understand this might sound egoistic as fuck, but one needs certain maturity to accept his role. It's not that the other ideas would be bad, but when there's a certain song idea the artist has in mind, that idea would get disturbed when something else is thrown in. But surely every musician should get at least one idea through, there's so many songs so surely there's some room. The reason Alexi's so good in songwriting is he has a sensitive feel to the energy flow of a songs melodic procession.
I guess Roope being a rock star before joining Bodom, and a decade older, could've felt insulted and diminished if his ideas didn't get into new songs, especially if he thought the new stuff needed it. I think if that happened then it was good to not warn him, because someone pretending to be okay (not to lose his job) might poison the chemistry. We'll never know (nor do I care) but it seems better like this. Now they're both making new music and there's no conflict...
I guess Roope being a rock star before joining Bodom, and a decade older, could've felt insulted and diminished if his ideas didn't get into new songs, especially if he thought the new stuff needed it. I think if that happened then it was good to not warn him, because someone pretending to be okay (not to lose his job) might poison the chemistry. We'll never know (nor do I care) but it seems better like this. Now they're both making new music and there's no conflict...
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CharIie
Moss
No surprise here. Roope's point of view on the situation may be biased as he was the "victime" here (so this choice was surely motivated by something even though he doesn't see why), but the way CoB handled the firing with a 12years old friendship is absolutely disgusting.
Used to be some Laiho fanboy a few years ago, but the more I grow up, the more I see him for what he really is: a twat. This man is so fucking obscessed with his ego that it's no wonder he would end up disliking Roope. At all the CoB concert I've been to these last years, the fans wanted to meet with Roope first. It's like, the faithful audience of CoB understand that the only good musician left in the band were Roope and Jaska and they started giving up on the others. So Alexi probably had some kind of tantrum and decided to get a new guitarist. Just like that.
CoB has always been and will always be my favorite band, no matter what they release, but the musicians in it suck, big time!
Used to be some Laiho fanboy a few years ago, but the more I grow up, the more I see him for what he really is: a twat. This man is so fucking obscessed with his ego that it's no wonder he would end up disliking Roope. At all the CoB concert I've been to these last years, the fans wanted to meet with Roope first. It's like, the faithful audience of CoB understand that the only good musician left in the band were Roope and Jaska and they started giving up on the others. So Alexi probably had some kind of tantrum and decided to get a new guitarist. Just like that.
CoB has always been and will always be my favorite band, no matter what they release, but the musicians in it suck, big time!
Well, to jump in defense, isn't COB's music the only thing that matters? It's the only great thing they can do for job and Alexi's the songwriter. They just played a tour with only songs from the first two albums, so can't complain about not trying now. It might have seemed cruel, but they have to keep the atmosphere good, it would've disturbed things if they started giving Roope terms, it would've only made it unbearable. Also this might not be as 'sudden' as you're led to believe.
I don't get why people have such hard time with Alexi's ego and rock star attitude. He does the best music in the world yet 'everyone' thinks it's shit, because they're stupid themselves. I think Alexi is aware most people in the world are disgusting, there's more jealousy than there's respect.
I don't know how good your friends are, but in my experience people just dump you cruelly when they grow in different direction, sometimes even when you're the better half. Maybe it's the Finnish way, we don't usually talk to guys what's annoying about them, until eventually it just snaps. Can't expect to remain the same for over twelve years. It's a miracle the other four guys still get along. It's windy at the top.
I've seen bands crucify ex members in public, and there was nothing like that in this this case. Should they have pretended Roope dumped them, like Alexander? No, Alexi just said they grew apart, there was no war, and expected great things from Roope in the future.
Waiting for the next COB album, I hope it's crushing. And it would be intense to hear some metal from Roope again, when he can rise above the situation.
I don't get why people have such hard time with Alexi's ego and rock star attitude. He does the best music in the world yet 'everyone' thinks it's shit, because they're stupid themselves. I think Alexi is aware most people in the world are disgusting, there's more jealousy than there's respect.
I don't know how good your friends are, but in my experience people just dump you cruelly when they grow in different direction, sometimes even when you're the better half. Maybe it's the Finnish way, we don't usually talk to guys what's annoying about them, until eventually it just snaps. Can't expect to remain the same for over twelve years. It's a miracle the other four guys still get along. It's windy at the top.
I've seen bands crucify ex members in public, and there was nothing like that in this this case. Should they have pretended Roope dumped them, like Alexander? No, Alexi just said they grew apart, there was no war, and expected great things from Roope in the future.
Waiting for the next COB album, I hope it's crushing. And it would be intense to hear some metal from Roope again, when he can rise above the situation.
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I guess for some the music is the only thing that matters. For me the band's personalities and actions are important, too. Their interviews, trashed lost and strung out in Helinksi DVD, and just general actions/personalities outside of the music help me personally bond with the band.
Until now Alexi had my respect as a person but he's lost it with the way he handled firing Roope. I think a public statement from the band would help a lot. Something along the lines of we're sorry for the way we handled the letting go of Roope and didn't know it would affect him in such a way, blah blah.
I still respect the musician. Still gonna go to the shows, listen/play the music, etc.
Until now Alexi had my respect as a person but he's lost it with the way he handled firing Roope. I think a public statement from the band would help a lot. Something along the lines of we're sorry for the way we handled the letting go of Roope and didn't know it would affect him in such a way, blah blah.
I still respect the musician. Still gonna go to the shows, listen/play the music, etc.
Now everyone is talking about Roope
http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/ex...-stabbed-in-the-back-by-his-former-bandmates/
http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/ex...-stabbed-in-the-back-by-his-former-bandmates/
Okay now I think I have an opinion about this... I have had a couple conversations and been remembering old interviews. Of course we can never know the full story.
I don't think it has to do with anyone's ego. Or the writing process because Roope knew what kind of a band he was getting into when he joined. He knew how this works so I don't think Alexi being the boss was a problem.
I think it has to do with the drinking. This Yle interview says it like Roope started drinking because he was fired, but I remember Alexi saying in 2009 already that he is a regular in the bar they mentioned. I completely understand that of course he got depressed as fuck because he was fired and the not playing is a pretty natural reaction to a shock like this. But the drinking isn't new, we have always known Roope as a heavy drinker.
When Alexi had to slow down with the drinking he admitted he has a problem with it and the other members in the band seemed to support it and in the later years they all have kinda grown up... And in this Yle interview (audio) Roope is like "Well then Alexi you know he ruined his own stomach with booze and had to stop... And this turned into some sunday school where no one else was allowed to have a beer either..." I can't help but to feel like it sounds like the others wanted to be sober but he wasn't agreeing? Also on radio rock when interviewed by Jussi69 Alexi said that stopping drinking on tour was hard because he felt lonely when the others got drunk and he didn't... So maybe he felt like Roope wasn't respecting his decisions for a healthier life?
I can't think of anything else really?
Also Roope's comment later in the interview (a part which i havent translated yet): he's like "i like going out and meeting fans but some others like Our Guitar Hero Here are scared of the fans..." And he says it in a kinda sarcastic way like Alexi is too arrogant to go outside and meet fans. But Alexi has admitted that his issues with drinking are partly because of his anxiety/insomnia issues which would make it understandable to not want to always hang out with complete strangers. Idk it just sounds like he isn't taking Alexi seriously, also that he calls him "that laiho kid".
But when talking about playing guitar he doesn't say negative things about Alexi. It seems it is more that they just didn't get along for whatever reason.
Also Janne's comment at the time of the departure; " Roope wasn't fully with us" reminds me of this one radio interview that aired on ylex in 2011 where Jaska and Henkka were asked if they ever think the other guys are annoying so they said something about having to wait for Roope and fill all kinds of papers for him (also you can see them signing papers for him on the airport on the holiday dvd) because he was not sober enough to. (can be that i remember wrong it was ages ago and it isnt available anymore)
Also this would explain why they didn't talk about it and made it seem like Roope left instead of being fired because then it would be up to him to explain... Just that now Roope wasn't informed well enough what was wrong. But If they had said "Roope was fired bc booze" people would have attacked them, especially Alexi that they're hypocrites because they all drink.
But whatever the case I think this was handled badly and they should have considered his feelings more and not shock him like this. I think I was mainly angry and disappointed when I first read this interview. Firing him like that sounds really shitty and childish. However I don't think they expected him to react so strongly. When you're angry you often forget that the other person has feelings too. This is why they should have discussed this more.
Then again I have kicked a long time best friend out of my life and I have no regrets and don't think I need to explain myself. She wasn't healthy company for me anymore. So I refuse to call Alexi a dick because this decision can't be fully his and I am not the one who has to spend 24/7 in a car with these guys.
I don't think it has to do with anyone's ego. Or the writing process because Roope knew what kind of a band he was getting into when he joined. He knew how this works so I don't think Alexi being the boss was a problem.
I think it has to do with the drinking. This Yle interview says it like Roope started drinking because he was fired, but I remember Alexi saying in 2009 already that he is a regular in the bar they mentioned. I completely understand that of course he got depressed as fuck because he was fired and the not playing is a pretty natural reaction to a shock like this. But the drinking isn't new, we have always known Roope as a heavy drinker.
When Alexi had to slow down with the drinking he admitted he has a problem with it and the other members in the band seemed to support it and in the later years they all have kinda grown up... And in this Yle interview (audio) Roope is like "Well then Alexi you know he ruined his own stomach with booze and had to stop... And this turned into some sunday school where no one else was allowed to have a beer either..." I can't help but to feel like it sounds like the others wanted to be sober but he wasn't agreeing? Also on radio rock when interviewed by Jussi69 Alexi said that stopping drinking on tour was hard because he felt lonely when the others got drunk and he didn't... So maybe he felt like Roope wasn't respecting his decisions for a healthier life?
I can't think of anything else really?
Also Roope's comment later in the interview (a part which i havent translated yet): he's like "i like going out and meeting fans but some others like Our Guitar Hero Here are scared of the fans..." And he says it in a kinda sarcastic way like Alexi is too arrogant to go outside and meet fans. But Alexi has admitted that his issues with drinking are partly because of his anxiety/insomnia issues which would make it understandable to not want to always hang out with complete strangers. Idk it just sounds like he isn't taking Alexi seriously, also that he calls him "that laiho kid".
But when talking about playing guitar he doesn't say negative things about Alexi. It seems it is more that they just didn't get along for whatever reason.
Also Janne's comment at the time of the departure; " Roope wasn't fully with us" reminds me of this one radio interview that aired on ylex in 2011 where Jaska and Henkka were asked if they ever think the other guys are annoying so they said something about having to wait for Roope and fill all kinds of papers for him (also you can see them signing papers for him on the airport on the holiday dvd) because he was not sober enough to. (can be that i remember wrong it was ages ago and it isnt available anymore)
Also this would explain why they didn't talk about it and made it seem like Roope left instead of being fired because then it would be up to him to explain... Just that now Roope wasn't informed well enough what was wrong. But If they had said "Roope was fired bc booze" people would have attacked them, especially Alexi that they're hypocrites because they all drink.
But whatever the case I think this was handled badly and they should have considered his feelings more and not shock him like this. I think I was mainly angry and disappointed when I first read this interview. Firing him like that sounds really shitty and childish. However I don't think they expected him to react so strongly. When you're angry you often forget that the other person has feelings too. This is why they should have discussed this more.
Then again I have kicked a long time best friend out of my life and I have no regrets and don't think I need to explain myself. She wasn't healthy company for me anymore. So I refuse to call Alexi a dick because this decision can't be fully his and I am not the one who has to spend 24/7 in a car with these guys.
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mrKRB64
Member
Damn dude I thought I was reading a novel- you need to add chapters to that post haha. Just joking- you make good points. I always though Janne was the one that drank the most. Still shitty that Roope saved their asses when Alexander quit suddenly & was treated in that way. I'm surprised Freyberg hasn't done much in terms of backing vocals live either because he's not allowed to outshine Alexi in vocals or can't be bothered but that's whats missing from COB- Alexander nailed it. That was the only thing I didn't like about Roope in COB- great guitarist but didn't add power to the performance. Naildown is good tho so I don't see why Daniel can't.
I think it's also childish to forget COB is a work place where these guys can play the best music in the world for hordes of worshiping fans and get paid very well, instead of wasting their lives spending all their time and energy into a hard job just to live. You think they're gonna risk that successful art project for some personal affairs??? Personal level is subsided in this context. Of course you're gonna treat the composer with the right mindset, otherwise you're gone, cos they can't risk poisoning the atmosphere in as successful, artistic, intimate job environment. In many jobs where you apply it's not just technical skill that matters but also character that happens to be fitting for the group.
This is of course just speculation on general level, since we don't know what happened, and the other person can have opposite opinion on who was treating who wrong...
This is of course just speculation on general level, since we don't know what happened, and the other person can have opposite opinion on who was treating who wrong...
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