Though he may not have known it at the time, Alexander Kuoppala’s eight-year tenure in Children of Bodom would prepare him for his future endeavors in music education.  When he joined the group in 1995 when they were still called IneartheD, he was five years older than most of the members of the band.   As the group progressed and advanced their career with each of their first four widely revered records, he became an older brother figure to his bandmates, especially their superstar guitarist and vocalist, Alexi Laiho.  Alexi and Alexander formed a strong bond in those early years of the band, whether through practicing for hours on end, driving the streets of Helsinki and beyond while listening to the Miami Vice soundtrack, or generally discussing life’s ups and downs.  

Though the band’s talent was evident from an early stage, Alexi would get easily frustrated and dejected with a less than perfect performance and want to abandon the entire thing.  It was at times like these that Alexander notes he spoke to the young frontman and tried to impress upon him that there was a third option between perfection and quitting.   The early years of the band were notably difficult for Laiho, as he struggled with depression and self-harm.   During these times, it was often Kuoppala who was called to be by his side to speak with him.

Now, more than two decades removed from his experiences in the band, Kuoppala is an integral member of Rock Camp Finland, which offers year-round music education, clinics, and mentorship for kids and teenagers who are interested in performing rock and metal.  They provide a positive, inclusive environment where these young people can build their self-esteem, work on social skills and personal growth, and interact and play their instruments with esteemed musicians from the Finnish metal scene.  The program also includes clinics with well-known metal players, including Alexander’s former bandmates in Children of Bodom, virtuoso keyboardist Janne Wirman and bassist Henkka Seppälä. The overarching message from Rock Camp is one of inclusion, support, and creating a positive environment for these young players to thrive musically and socially. 

I was able to catch up with Alexander to discuss his involvement with Rock Camp and a number of other topics, including:

• how he became a part of Rock Camp, how the program operates on a day-to-day basis, a growling clinic that’s available, and the students’ reactions to interacting with their favorite musicians. 
• his death metal band Thyrargo, how he came to be inspired to play in bands again, and when fans can expect to hear a full-length album from the group.
• the newly finished Children of Bodom oral history that will be released in August 2025, his memories of the early years of the band, and reconnecting with Janne, Jaska, and Henkka after Alexi’s passing.
• reflecting on the “older brother” role he played with Alexi and the group, a few stories from his time with Alexi, the parallels between his mentorship of Alexi and the work he does with Rock Camp, and his thoughts about the next generation of Finnish musicians embracing Alexi and Children of Bodom. 

It was a pleasure speaking with Alexander about all of these memories he has of the early stages of Children of Bodom, as well as his current pursuits.  His passion for working with the younger generation of musicians is evident in the way he speaks about the joy he gets from seeing them succeed, leaving no doubt he has found the right line of work after departing the band in 2003.  But I guess when you’ve already mentored one of the most famous musicians in Finnish history