The December 2020 passing of Alexi Laiho, the charismatic guitarist and vocalist of Children of Bodom, left a profound void in the metal world. Now, nearly five years later, keyboardist Janne Wirman has provided a candid, heartbreaking account of Laiho‘s struggles with addiction and the agonizing final years of the band, emphasizing the helplessness felt by those closest to him.
In a recent interview with Chris Akin Presents, Wirman painfully recalled the period from 2016 onwards as a precipitous decline for Laiho. “In 2016, everything just went to hell with Alexi,” Janne stated (as transcribed by Blabbermouth), describing the grim reality faced by the remaining bandmates. “And the remaining timing in the band is you know that you’re watching your friend commit a slow s*icide. You know, with his addictions, that he shouldn’t drink, he shouldn’t do this and this, and he keeps doing it daily, and you’re, like, ‘F**k! This is not gonna end well.’ So that is not fun.”
Laiho‘s cause of death was later revealed as alcohol-induced degeneration of the liver and pancreas connective tissue.
When questioned about potential actions that might have altered Laiho‘s trajectory, Janne expressed a nuanced and difficult truth about addiction. “Yes and no, ’cause at the same time, what I then later on learned about addictions is that — ’cause he didn’t want help; he refused our help,” Wirman explained.
He underscored the grim reality when an individual refuses assistance: “So, a grown man who’s decided kind of to die by his addiction, you can’t help a person like that. They’ve made up their mind. And I don’t think he wanted to die, but that’s what he was doing. So it’s crazy. And you try to help.”
Wirman further revealed the stark clarity of Laiho‘s intentions: “And also he said it to me, and he made it perfectly clear that he’s not gonna get sober ever again, and he’s just gonna whatever. So, yes and no. There’s, of course, things that could have been handled differently, but in the end, if a grown man decides to die by their addictions, that’s what they’re gonna do. If they’re gonna refuse all help and they’ve f**king made up their mind, that’s what’s gonna happen.”
The realization of Laiho‘s unwavering path ultimately forced Wirman to consider his own future within the band. “Well, yeah, this is now the very end in 2016 to 2019,” Janne clarified. “When he said that to me, I started making other plans and removing myself from the band.” The situation became increasingly chaotic: “It got so confusing. There’s a book coming out about Bodom that explains everything, by the way. But I announced that I’m gonna leave the band [around] 2018… So it got so f**king confusing with Alexi. And then there were better times. And it was just a f**king mess.”
The full, unvarnished story of Children of Bodom‘s rise and fall, including these challenging final years, will be chronicled in the band’s official book. Set for publication in August by the London-based Rocket 88, the book is presented as an oral history. It features accounts from Wirman, bassist Henkka Seppälä, drummer Jaska Raatikainen, early guitarist Alexander Kuoppala, along with other former members, friends, and colleagues, offering a comprehensive look at their 30-plus-year career.
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