ROOPE LATVALA, GUITARS Year of birth? 1970

When did you start playing? Around 1983

Why did you start playing? Because it`s so cool, and I wanted to learn it

Favourite bands? About 500 bands I`ve heard recently in about 20 years

Favourite musicians? Same thing

Best musician of all times? Johan Sebastian Bach

First album bought? Eppu Normaali - Akun Tehdas (a great old Finnish band) 2nd: Sex Pistols - Nevermind The Bollocks

5 favourite albums of all time? Metallica - Ride The Lightning Ozzy Osbourne - Bark At The Moon AC/DC - For Those About To Rock David Lee Roth - Eat Em & Smile Accept - Balls To The Wall!!!!

Favourite albums from the 21st century? There`s some cool stuff coming out all the time, so It`s really hard to say...

First concert (as visitor)? Kiss - Lick It Up tour (Helsinki) or AC/DC - Flick Of The Switch tour (Helsinki) Best live show you've seen / would like to see? WASP: their first show in Helsinki 84. It was mad!

Favourite COB song / favourite album? The new album, not any particular favourites over others

Favourite song to play live? Needled 24/7

Which band would you like to open up for? Metallica

Highlight of your career on/off stage? Usually something when playing goes like a dream and there`s more than 10000 people in the audience and like it. And good party afterwards is always good!! Downpoint of your career on/off stage? When nobody came to our show (Stone) and I had a electric shock from the singing mic (230V) on the soundcheck of that same sorryass GIG

Craziest situation on/off stage? Thunder and lightning and fire all around and a band mate throwing up on your boot

Weirdest item/place you had to sign? Ass

Most embarassing moment of your career? Shit happens sometimes when you party naked

Craziest rumour you heard about yourself? Nobody ever tells me anything..

Favourite bands to tour with? Lamb Of God was cool, but so was Dimmu. But the very best band to tour with is COB

Favourite drink / smoke? Beer / L&M: blue

Dream car? Some old 40`s monster with new engine and all pimped up!

Favourite movies / actors? Lord Of The Rings / the whole thing

Favourite computer/console games? PC: Enemy Territory. (Wolfenstein) / I don`t have a console

What do you like to do on your freetime? Sauna and beer, or anything easy at home. Or... go to bar and get crazy

Worst habit? Smoking and drinking

What would be your job if not musician? Janitor or anything that pays but is near.

Describe yourself with 3 words: Gentle, Loving & Understanding

Where do you see yourself in 10 years? In the deep gutters of Helsinki

Equipment you use? ESP & Jackson guitars (custom shop), Amp: Lee Jackson GP 1000 pre-amp and alesis Quadraverb to VHT-power amp. Cabinets we usually rent because they are impossible to fly over...

Jacksons I have are all from the 80`s and ordered and designed by me. black with yellow stripes and white RR`s are from 87 and the matt black with cross inlays is 90. These ESP - stars are from last year and also customshop. Pretty much made like those Randys. 24 jumbo frets, oil necks and pretty much same electrics. That is jackson JE1000. I also have a Tokai les paul, custom. B.C.Rich Warlock (which is also hot!) and a Charvel 1. And of course a nylon classical old yamaha. I still practise some classical now and then..

GP 1000 is also a 80`s product and it`s a one sound, angry sounding little tube pre-amp. I`ts horrible as that, but if you add active electrics and gainboost from your guitar, the result is just great! Needs a little EQ though! Ou yea, and of course a wireless. My old samsons seem to be at the end of their road, so a new on will come soon.. And my rocktron HUSH just resighed too...

VHT is just a BIG and deepsounding tube power-amp. Also a little stereo chorus is cool, but olnly a little one. If I can pick a cabinet, I`d take 4 vintage marshalls. Usually I have jcm 900, the very basic cabs. I have 2 metaltronix cabinets at rehearsingsite...

That`s basically it, sometimes I use sansamp psa 1, cause it`s programmable and the distortion is pretty good. At home I have boss GS-10, lots of sounds and goes with computer, so it`s very handy at home...