Steve Vai pays tribute to Alexi Laiho as he recalls sharing a Guitar World cover with the late metal hero
With Children of Bodom, Laiho “was part of a powerful movement that ushered in high octane, intense metal at its most brutal and beautiful,” Vai says
Tributes have been pouring in for Children of Bodom electric guitar player Alexi Laiho, who passed away at his home in Helsinki, Finland at the age of 41 after suffering "long term health issues" in his final years.
Now, guitar great Steve Vai has added his voice to the mix, writing on Facebook:
“So sorry to hear of the passing of Alexi Laiho of Children of Bodom. With his band he was part of a powerful movement that ushered in hi octane, intense Metal at its most brutal and beautiful.”
Vai also recalled a Guitar World cover that the two shared with Zakk Wylde back in 2005, writing, “I had the good fortune of meeting him several times and being a part of this Guitar World story with him.
“He was always respectful, personable, quiet and unassuming, but then you'd hear him play and you realize that embodied in that delicate frame was a fiercely confident and monstrous guitar commander of the highest order.
"Rock on young brother.”
Vai joins the likes of Nita Strauss in paying tribute to Laiho. The Alice Cooper guitarist dubbed Laiho one of her "biggest inspirations when I got serious about playing guitar".
Get The Pick Newsletter
All the latest guitar news, interviews, lessons, reviews, deals and more, direct to your inbox!
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month**
Join now for unlimited access
US pricing $3.99 per month or $39.00 per year
UK pricing £2.99 per month or £29.00 per year
Europe pricing €3.49 per month or €34.00 per year
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Rich is the co-author of the best-selling Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion. He is also a recording and performing musician, and a former editor of Guitar World magazine and executive editor of Guitar Aficionado magazine. He has authored several additional books, among them Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, the companion to the documentary of the same name.
“There was a time you wouldn’t have touched a Superstrat, at least in my world – that was very illegal. It’s cool to be able to let go of those old feelings and those silly rules”: How Chris Shiflett learned to love his inner shredder
“The guitar can be your best friend one day and your rival the next – it keeps you on your toes”: London jazz ace Artie Zaitz on why the amp is your second instrument and how he learned to love mistakes