Henkka Seppälä facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Henkka T. Blacksmith
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Seppälä at Rockharz Open Air 2016
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Henri Samuli Seppälä |
| Born | 7 June 1980 Espoo, Finland |
| Genres | Melodic death metal, power metal |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Bass guitar |
| Years active | 1995–present |
Henri Seppälä (born June 7, 1980), also known as Henkka T. Blacksmith, is a talented Finnish musician. For many years, from 1995 to 2019, he was the bassist for the famous Finnish melodic death metal band Children of Bodom. He also sang backing vocals for the band, both in the studio and during live shows. In 2020, he announced that he would be joining a new band called Moon Shot as their bassist.
His nickname "Henkka" is a common short form for Henri in Finland. The name "Seppälä" means "blacksmith" in English, which is where his stage name "Blacksmith" comes from. The "T." in his name is because of another nickname he had: Torso.
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About Henkka
Henkka Seppälä was born in 1980 in Espoo, Finland. He started playing the guitar when he was eleven years old. He got into heavy metal because his brother listened to bands like Slayer and Pantera. Before that, he only knew glam metal bands such as Guns N' Roses and Poison. Over time, he became interested in heavier music. In the early 1990s, he discovered black metal and death metal bands like Burzum and Cannibal Corpse.
At 13, he played drums in his first band, called Aivokasvain (Brain Tumour). He was in this band for two years. After leaving, he switched his main instrument to the bass guitar.
Joining Children of Bodom
In 1996, the bassist of Inearthed (which later became Children of Bodom) left the band. Alexi Laiho, the lead guitarist and singer, asked Seppälä to join. When he joined, he started using a 5-string bass.
Henkka was often the one who spoke for Children of Bodom in interviews and public events. He is known for being a balanced and calm member of the band. He can speak many languages, including Russian, Finnish, English, Swedish, and some Spanish and French.
Life Outside Music
When he was not touring, Henkka studied political history at the University of Helsinki. In 2012, he earned his Master's Degree. His thesis was about how non-governmental organizations (NGOs) help with rural development in Finland.
He also enjoys sports, especially European football (soccer) and swimming. While he was with Children of Bodom, he focused only on that band. He did not join any other music projects. He has said that his family and his band were the most important things in his life.
Musical Influences
On the official Children of Bodom website, Henkka Seppälä listed some of the bassists who inspired him. These include Tom Araya, Billy Gould, Steve Brunner, Paulo Jr, Joe Principe, and David Ellefson.
Equipment Used
Henkka Seppälä used specific gear to create his sound. His main instruments were:
- ESP Henkka T. Blacksmith Forest Signature Bass (4-string)
- ESP Henkka T. Blacksmith Bottom Line Signature Bass (5-string)
- ESP Custom Shop "Assault" shaped bass
- ESP Custom Shop Viper Bass
- ESP Custom Shop Araya Shape bass
For his sound, he used an Ampeg SVT3pro amplifier and an Ampeg 810 speaker cabinet. He also used a Super Overdrive pedal or a Tech21 Sansamp pre-amp to boost his sound.
See also
In Spanish: Henkka Seppälä para niños
