Children of Bodom Interview

Interview
Henkka T. Blacksmith
Children of Bodom

Lamb of God / Fear Factory
Children of Bodom
Throwdown
11/09/04
HOB
Interviewer: Karma E. Omowale

Photos: Sharita Lumpkin

Lineup:
Alexi Laiho - Vocals / Guitar
Henkka T. Blacksmith - Bass
Jaska Raatikainen - Drums
Roope Latvala - Guitars
Janne Warman - Keys

Henkka T. Blacksmith of Children of Bodom (Photo: Sharita Lumpkin)

"It would be nice if there were more honest people, if that were possible. It would be nice if everybody was honest."

Children of Bodom, one Finland's finest exports. The band may be named for a brutal slaying that took place in the history of their native town of Espoo, Finland in 1960 but the boys of Bodom have to be one of the most approachable and nicest bunch of death metallers there are. Join me in my conversation with bassist extraordinaire, Henkka T. Blacksmith, as he answers your questions you asked of him, discusses the band's upcoming EP Trashed, Lost, & Strungout, and more...

Karma: For starters, I'd like to thank you for doing the interview.

Henkka: You're welcome.

Karma: What do you think needs to change in the Industry?

Henkka: [laughs] It would be nice if there were more honest people if that were possible. It would be nice if everybody was honest.

Karma: In the perfect would, that would be nice! In the interim, what do you think you can do to change your part, asides from being honest?

Henkka: [smiles] Being honest. I mean that's the only way but that's not going to happen because it's not an honest business.

Karma: Who are you are listening to right now?

Henkka: There are, for example: Lamb of God, Throwdown, Hatebreed, and In Flames.

Karma: How has your song writing changed since the Something Wild days?

Henkka: Probably it has changed more as in a democratic way within the band. Alexi has all of the main ideas but as a band, we can structure them and we can split them in different parts and do it together. With Something Wild, it was pretty much Alexi who completed the songs, and then he showed them to us. Nowadays its different, we can all share our experiences and put our own stuff in there too.

Karma: Where do you see CoB 5 years from now?

Henkka: I hope we do a world tour of these kinds of venues [HOB] that would be where I would like to be in 5 years.

Karma: I asked your fans via your message board polled your questions to ask you.

Henkka: Okay! [smiles]

Karma: Here we go: they heard there was a third cover song, which was recorded for the Trashed, Lost & Strungout EP. Which song is it?

Henkka: They are Andrew W.K. "She Is Beautiful", Alice Cooper "Bed of Nails".

Karma: Will the new songs be on the upcoming album or only on the EP?

Henkka: None of the cover songs will, it will only be on the EP.

Karma: Is there a release date for the DVD?

Henkka: No, but I hope it will be at the end of 2005 or early 2006, so that is the plan.

Karma: "When are you in the best mood to talk to fans, for example, not in a hurry/tired?" They would like to know because "I'm sure the guys don't want to be hassled right after they've played or whatever", but of course they would like to talk to and meet you.

Henkka: Probably the best time would be before the show when the show is not within a half hour before the show is always good or during the day. Then half hour after the show or half hour before the show, there are a lot of things going on and its nice to have silence and privacy.

Karma: That's understood. Are you guys planning on working with blast-beats again?

Henkka: I hope so. [smiles] I mean if it's up to me then yes we will do it. [laughs]

Karma: Could you confirm or deny the rumour: that you covered a Sentenced song back in 1997 in Finland and which song was it?

Henkka: Yeah we did do a Sentenced song but we never recorded it. I think it was "Bleed".

Karma: It's been said that you guys are playing modern Nu-Metal now and should write songs like on the Hatebreeder album again, what are your thoughts on this?

Henkka: I don't actually know what the definition of nu-metal is. I mean obviously in the metal scene it is considered to be very negative thing of course if you would ask me what nu-metal was I would say Linkin Park or Limp Bizkit, they would be nu-metal to me.

Karma: [nods head]

Henkka: So I would not consider us being nu-metal but like I said, I don't really know what the definition is…

Karma: No, that's pretty much it therefore I'd disagree with that completely.

Henkka: [laughs]

Karma: Considering you not that fond of Something Wild and don't perform many songs from it live anymore (except two). However, the fans would like to know if you would consider doing a Something Wild medley?

Henkka: [smiles] Yeah, I heard about that. We actually thought about it for a while and it sounds so weird. I don't think we can do that but we will play some songs when we get enough show time. We will play some Something Wild songs; we always play songs from that album. You see right now we have 8 songs and it's like promotion for us since we are only a support band [for Lamb of God and Fear Factory] we decided to put an emphasis on the newer stuff. When we go for headlining, then we are going to give the older fans Something Wild songs but I hope they can understand the situation.

Karma: Here is a quick Speed Round of Questions.

Henkka: Okay.

Karma: What's your mantra or a rule of thumb that you live by?

Henkka: I try to be a good person!

Karma: Spiritual or religious?

Henkka: Neither.

Karma: You guys have pretty much been dubbed the drinking kings of metal.

Henkka: [snickers]

Karma: So you will be the captain of the drinking team, a new event in the Olympics: who would be on your team & whom would you oppose?

Henkka: [laughs] Well, [clears throat] I, myself, I'm not that big of a drinker but there are drinkers in the band! [we both laugh] My teammate would be Alexi, Alexi's pretty good!! And the sound guy, Hooch is pretty good. They would be my teammates but I don't know who I would run against I just know we would win! [we laugh]

Karma: What are your top 5 favorite movies?

Henkka: Eyes Wide Shut, Kill Bill I & II, Pulp Fiction is the best there is and Full Metal Jacket.

Karma: What's your favorite time of the year?

Henkka: In Finland it would be summer.

Karma: Color?

Henkka: Ha, ha ha…[smiles] Now it think it will green, it changes.

Karma: What's under your bed?

Henkka: Huh? [laughs] There's a bunch of stuff: there's a big case, now it's full of CD's and bass strings and some cables.

Karma: What’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to you?

Henkka: Worst?

Karma: Yes.

Henkka: My father's death when I was 11.

Karma: Oh my god! I am so sorry to hear that!

Henkka: [nods head] Yeah, that was pretty bad.

Karma: Well what was your best memory?

Henkka: [pauses and smiles] Oh that's pretty bad…there's a lot of them! Probably one of best…whenever there's an interview situation I tend to think of the band but when the band went to Japan for the first time. That was a big thing for me, for us. That was a good memory!

Karma: Do you play another instrument?

Henkka: I just bought a guitar; I used to play guitar before and then I changed into bass. Now a couple a months ago I bought a new guitar.

Karma: How cool is that? Congrats on your recent purchase!

Henkka: [smiles] Well thanks!

Karma: Introvert, extrovert?

Henkka: I'm a combination of both.

Karma: Would you say you're more introverted than extroverted?

Henkka: Extroverted.

Karma: All time favorite bands/musicians?

Henkka: Slayer and for musicians Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Karma: Live or dead: If you could host a dinner party of 5, whom would you invite?

Henkka: 5 people, a dinner party, whoever?

Karma: Yes, you can invite whomever!

Henkka: [laughs] It would be nice to meet the president of Finland [Tarja Halonen], she's a pretty cool woman, and it would be nice to get George Bush and John Kerry at the table too. Yeah that's enough, 3 people.

Karma: Okay [smiles] What pisses you off?

Henkka: People being selfish.

Karma: Is your glass half empty or full?

Henkka: It's half full.

Karma: Nicknames your friends would give you on the fly, off the tops of their heads?

Henkka: [laughs] In Finland they call me ape.

Karma: Ape?

Henkka: [smiles] Yeah, some people do. And those guys [pointing to the band] call me torso. [we all laugh]

Karma: If not music then what?

Henkka: I'd be studying in the university; it's what I'm doing now, too.

Karma: What are you studying?

Henkka: I take political science and political history, so if it wasn't for music then I would be studying there.

Karma: Favorite household chore?

Henkka: I don't, I just want to watch TV! [we all laugh]

Karma: What was your first job?

Henkka: …we had to put paper in envelopes and close them. [scrunches up face] That was pretty bad too! [laughs]

Karma: If stranded on a desert island, whom would you like to be marooned with?

Henkka: [pauses a long time] Probably my ex-girlfriend, my best friend right nowadays, that would be good.

Karma: If you were allowed to take your iPod, whom would you fill it up with?

Henkka: I would pick up some different stuff, for example: Hatebreed and some hip-hop.

Karma: Well thank you so very much Henkka…kiittääs!

Henkka: You're welcome. [smiles]

I'd like to thank Henkka for doing the interview since Alexi was ill, Neubi, the band's tour manager and last but not least, George from Century Media.