Sebastian Bach has paid tribute to Alexi Laiho, calling the former CHILDREN OF BODOM frontman “an incredible guitar player” who “rocked it hard.”
On Monday (January 4), Bach shared a few backstage photos of him and his wife hanging out with members of CHILDREN OF BODOM, including Laiho, and he wrote in an accompanying message: “Another day, another death.
“I just don’t understand how somebody can die at the age of 41. I just don’t understand how.
“These pictures were taken at our last show in Europe where we shared the stage with CHILDREN OF BODOM at the Barcelona Rock Fest July 7th 2019. Not only did we share the stage but we shared a dressing room with @cobhc on one side and @testamentofficial on the other.
“I’ve known Alexi for years. One of the first times we ever hung out in Hollywood he went into great detail explaining to me that one of his earliest memories of loving rock n’ roll was when his big sister went to see SKID ROW at the arena in Helsinki Finland & he was too young to go. He explained to me how it drove him completely insane that we were playing a show in his hometown and he couldn’t go, he begged and pleaded with his parents but they would not let him go to the show. He told me that he decided right there and then what he wanted to do for a living.
“Well I just want to thank Alexi for all the talent what an incredible guitar player. I was lucky enough to jam with Alexi at the House of Blues in Hollywood (RIP) when his band members told me to go tap him on the shoulder in the middle of a guitar solo, he was not amused! But then he turned around and saw it was me and gave me a big hug on stage, right in the middle of the song.
“We had a great time backstage in Spain last year. My very last memory of Alexi is making him laugh, to tears, when I mistakenly called Janne the keyboard player ‘Yay-Hoo‘ . Alexi turned to me and said ‘What did you call him??? Yayhoo???’ he laughed so f****** hard he was crying, repeating the name Yayhoo over and over again.
“Thank you for the talent and thank you for the laughs Alexi. You are gone way way too soon. My thoughts go out to my co-Manager Kristen Mulderig @sassys8n who loved Alexi and CHILDREN OF BODOM for years, like everybody else who met him. My sincerest condolences go out to the band, and also his new band, and more than anything to his big sister and his family. My heart is with all of you.
“We will all miss you Alexi!!!! You f****** rocked it hard man!!!! Just like you said you would in Finland all those years ago!!!!!!!”
Laiho died in his home in Helsinki last week. The 41-year-old had suffered from long-term health issues in the years leading up to his death.
Laiho and drummer Jaska Raatikainen founded CHILDREN OF BODOM in 1993, and the band was one of the most internationally acclaimed metal acts in Finland up until their very last farewell concert in December of 2019. Last year, Alexi put together BODOM AFTER MIDNIGHT, which recorded three songs and shot one music video, to be released posthumously.
