Interview with Randy of Children of Bodom
HOB - Las Vegas - October 31, 2004
Phil: We're sitting here backstage live with Children of Bodom. It's Halloween night 2004, it's an exclusive interview *laughs* and we're sitting here with....what's your name again?
Alexi: Alexi
Phil: Alexi, and your the lead guitarist and singer. You guys have been together for about 6 years now, and you've had some member changes along the way?
Alexi: Yea, something like that, the first album came late, like 7. So, it's still the same line up except for the guitar player.
Phil: Ok, so the only change was the guitarist. So who was the new replacement for him?
Alexi: He actually plays in the same band or used to play in the same band that I used to. It was originally just to help us out for a couple of shows, you know be a session guy. But then he just kinda ended up being a permant member. He's a good guitar player and a cool guy, so you know.
Phil: Yea, I think I talked to him inside. So, it's your first time playing in Vegas? Are you guys pretty excited about that, on Halloween night?
Alexi: I'm just really interested in what the crowd is going to be like.'Cause this is like Vegas, when you hear Vegas you don't really think of metal. You know what I'm saying? So I'm just like curious. But then again, it's really great to be here, the House of Blues is always a good venue. HOB's going to be cool anyway.
Phil: How has the tour been going so far?
Alexi: It's been going really good, I mean the venues have been packed and we get along with the other bands. So it's been good.
Phil: What's your most memorable tour so far? You've had some pretty good ones so far to date. Nevermore, Hypocrysy and a few others.
Alexi: Well, kind of, I don't know if it's the best but, in some way yea. We were opening up for Halford in Japan and that was really cool.
Phil: That would be awesome!
Alexi: Yea, and during the last show I ended up, I was invited to go up on the stage and play with them to play that 'Living After Midnight' song.
Phil: There ya go! That is pretty awesome! I guess that would be it! So how is the metal scene in Finland in comparison to the US? What have you noticed?
Alexi: Well I think, I mean of course so much more people live in the states but, considering that...I think metal is still more popular. For instance on the last album that we put out for Death Roll, that hit out for like Britney Spears.
Phil: Sweet!
Alexi: Yea dude, it's great. Metal is like, metal is the main stream there. So I think the metal scene there is like super good! It is different here, but I think it is getting a lot better than what I think it was like 5 years ago or something like that.
Phil: Depends where you're at too. The New Yorks, and LA's seems like there's a little more crowd response than in other cities.
Alexi: Yea, yea.
Phil: So is there any up and coming bands that are from Finland? That are going to be coming out that we should be looking out for?
Alexi: Oh, yea there is a bunch but I really can't think of them right now. There is a band called Norther, they kind of sound like Children of Bodom, at least there's a lot of people out there that told me that they do. But, shit, I can't think of anything right now.
Phil: How did you finally break into the US market touring?
Alexi: Well it was simply that we got signed with Century Media, that's when shit really started to happen. 'Cause the albums had been released here before but apparently they really didn't do any promotion and the input wasn't so we were like fuck it. Then when Century Media picked up the latest CD then the exposure, magazines, stuff like that. We got put out and at least stuff started to happen.
Phil: Hate Crew, was that your last one. It came out last year?
Alexi: Yea, that was our last one. It came out in year, I think it came out in Europe and Japan in February of 2003. There's a six month gap between Europe and the US so...it came out in six months after. We have a new EP out but then again, I don't know what happened but it's not going to come out until January in the states.
Phil: So earlier in the year it was nominated for an award. What happened out of that, did you get something from that?
Alexi: We were actually nominated for two different things. And from the other one we actually got an award, the other one we didn't.
Phil: Like a grammy? Or what was it like an MTV award or something like that?
Alexi: Yea, yea.
Phil: There was a bootleg that came out last year. Did we find out who was responsible for that?
Alexi: I don't know which bootleg you're talking about actually?
Phil: It supposedly looked real, the packaging and what not?
Alexi: Oh, yea, yea. The Wacken Festival back in Germany! Yea, I saw that. I remember they were selling those and the cover and the booklet and everything, they looked so fucking real. Professionally done. But the quality, was oh my god, was just so horrible. Like some dude was just like, you know, who was way back in the audience. Just probably has a, and just pressed record. You can hear the music, but you can hear all these just drunken German dudes.
Phil: People talking and stuff?
Alexi: Yea exactly! So we just put an announcement out on our website, it's not fucking legitimate, so don't fucking buy it.
Phil: What are future plans? Any thing in the works, big tour coming up?
Alexi: Well, we've been touring since the album came out actually. So that's kind of the last tour for now.
Phil: Right, until you get the new stuff out?
Alexi: Yea, exactly! So we just take out like the new stuff.
Phil: Any suprises for tonight? You going to be wearing any costume or anything for Halloween?
Alexi: Not during the show but I'm going to get dressed up later on.
Phil: Oh are you? Right on!
Alexi: I have a mask from the Shout at the Devil era!
Phil: There you go that will be awesome!
Alexi: Mine's gonna be Tommy Lee!
Phil: Are you guys gonna come out in the crowd like that later, and check it out.
Alexi: I don't know.
Phil: That would be funny! You guys have Halloween over in Finland, right? Is it the same thing or is it different?
Alexi: Yea, it's not as big. It's actually not nearly as big as the US but we still have it though.
Phil: It's more commercialized here. All the masks and....
Alexi: Yea, in Finland everything's decorated but people don't normally dress up that much.
Phil: You don't go trick or teating and knock on doors and get candy?
Alexi: No, I think I might have done that like twice.
Phil: Way back.
Alexi: Yea, when I was a kid. Not like last year.
Phil: Last year! *laughs* Well, ok, I'd like to thank you for taking the time out with closedcoffin.com in Las Vegas. I hope you guys have a good rest of the tour. Any last words you'd like to say to everybody out there?
Alexi: Thank you everybody for buying our albums and supporting Children of Bodom in any way. I really appreciate it, and come see the show!
Phil: Thank you, later dude!