Interview: Von Hertzen Brothers

The Von Hertzen Brothers are massive chart toppers back home in Finland and over the past few years have been making a name for themselves in Europe and the UK. They are lazily tagged as prog but they’re much more than that – heavy riffs feature, as do some superb vocal harmonies but they have a way with a catchy chorus and a punkish energy.  Live, the band are a genuinely thrilling proposition – the last show they played at the Fleece was rather superb and for all their technical chops the shows are joyful affairs. Here’s what guitarist & lead vocalist Mikko has to say about touring the UK (in support of excellent new recording War is Over) and the family business.

It’s great to see UK dates from the band again, how important is it to be successful here in the UK?

The kind of music we play is pretty much influenced mainly by stuff that originated from the UK. We’ve been huge fans of British music ever since we were kids and feel that musically/spiritually we kind of belong there. Touring in the UK is therefore quite exciting and rewarding. People seem to understand what we are about and that’s a great thing to see.

When you see British dates on the schedule what do you most look forward to the most?

We’ve made many friends over in the UK so I’m always happy to come and meet everyone. Playing in the UK can be tough depending on the venues and time of the year, but usually we have a really good time!

And when you see those dates, what do you look forward to least?

The cold, the unheated spaces, the dampness, the double faucets but all that is something that just kind of belongs to the touring of the UK.

Meanwhile what will you miss most about home?

My cat, my better half, and the bed you know. But I’m actually a traveler and love moving around and seeing different things. I miss cooking food, since sometimes it’s hard to find good stuff to eat on tours.

How different are gigs back home to UK dates?

Basically it’s all the same, but maybe since we have such a long career here in Finland, it’s hard to find new places and new people to play to. The live venues of Finland have become quite familiar to us so there is nothing new to experience except of course the music that is always fresh and new when we have a new album out.

What are the bands that you are all collectively happy to listen to on the road, and what bands drive massive wedges between you?

This is actually a fun question since we do NOT listen to music together anymore. Only rarely if we are partying or something, do we play songs to each other. Otherwise people just sit with their headphones on and watch Netflix.

How important do you think artwork is for bands in these digital days?

There are no rules anymore. Bands come up with different approach individually and some might even decide not to have any artwork presenting the individuals of the band. Some have neither pictures nor art attached to their music. It all depends on the image and brand you’re building. We tend to just take it easy and be ourselves. Personally we are into artwork and want to have good looking simple imagery on our releases.

The N.M.E., Rolling Stone, Mojo, Classic Rock – how important is print media to a working band in the age of social media?

Depends on the genre. Guitar oriented stuff still needs print media, since its followers want to have physical things.

Speaking of the digital world: vinyl, CD or download – does it really matter (except to blokes of a certain age)?

I guess the main thing is to create experiences to the listener. MP3’s do that to some extent. Of course, the quality of the music when it’s packed like that is not great, but you can still have the same (or at least almost the same) experiences. A good song is a good song whether it be in 92 KHz or 128 Mbp.

Looking back, what have been both the best and worst things about being a musician in Finland?

The best thing is definitely that there is a lot of support from the society. I guess it’s the remnants of the era of social democratic thinking. Anyone here can learn to play instruments because the schooling for it is free. Most kids who have interest to learn to sing or play can easily find ways to do it. The worst part of being a Finn is the remoteness of the country and the language barrier we experience with the rest of Europe.

And by similar token what are the best and worst things about being (literally) a band of brothers?

Since we are brothers, there are no family dinners or Christmases where you can “get away” form the job. VHB is constantly present in our lives. So the stuff that we would maybe otherwise do in our free time as brothers we simply don’t. The best thing about being together in this band is that we have a very strong collective vision, push and energy, which when directed in a conducive way, has a lot of power and is empowering us at the same time.

Finally, what’s the most important piece of advice you’d give to a musician starting out right here, right now?

Spend some time reflecting on what is your voice. Your unique voice that contributes to the world of music. Find it and use it never hesitating to be yourself. Learn to play but more essentially, learn to listen. Learn to listen to your innermost need of being creative. And make sure to stand fully behind the way you want to be creative.

The Von Hertzen Brothers: The Fleece, Sunday 12th November.