•
Mikko Von
Hertzen - vocals, guitar
•
Kie Von
Hertzen - guitar, vocals
•
Jonne Von
Hertzen - bass, vocals
•
Mikko
Kaakkuriniemi - drums
•
Juha Kuoppala
- keyboards
Von Hertzen Brothers - Biography
For a progressive and challenging rock
album to top the national charts is a rare phenomenon. Yet
that's exactly what von Hertzen Brothers have done with
their latest opus, Love Remains the Same. How did this
happen?
The Story
After each had attained success in their individual bands,
in 2001 the three reputedly hotheaded brothers decided to
test the strength of their fraternity with a collaboration.
For VHB, the music was simply a matter of the heart—born out
of the desire to weave their thoughts about life with their
immense love for the colorful rock of the ’70s.
VHB’s turning point came upon the release of their second
album, Approach (Dynasty Recordings, May 2006). Riding a
wave of positive reviews and massive sales, the album soon
won the Finnish Grammy Award for “Best Rock Album of the
Year, 2006.” Thereafter, word of VHB’s phenomenal live shows
spread and soon the band was playing bigger and bigger
venues, their success rapidly growing.
By May 2008, the fans were eagerly waiting VHB’s third
album, Love Remains the Same. As soon as the album hit, it
went straight to No. 1 on the national chart, remaining
there for three weeks. The demand for the band was
outrageous and the summer saw the brothers performing on the
stages of numerous festivals in Finland and abroad.
The Music
Although its impossible to pigeonhole these "mad brothers of
rock" into a single genre, their influences range from AC/DC
and Black Sabbath to Queen, U2 and Jimi Hendrix. A song can
start with a Pink Floyd-inspired intro and morph into a
Soundgarden-like explosion, before fading into a gospel
hymn. “It’s always an adventure, when a song eventually
starts to take shape”, says Mikko. “But I guess, the songs
are just another reflection our attitude towards life, which
is that you never know what will happen next.”
The songs are full of longing and fascinating stories about
love and the glory of life. Mikko says their lyrics are
partly inspired by writers such as William Blake, classical
Indian authors and numerous well-known Finnish poets.
However, ultimately, all the songs a born out of the
brothers’ deep yearning for freedom and peace of mind.
"Our family name, ‘Von Hertzen,’ is German and means ‘from
the heart,’ Mikko explains. “That’s what we try to always
keep in mind when writing or performing. We feel music is
pointless if it doesn’t come from our hearts. The raison
d’être of music, any kind of music, is to create wonderful
experiences that are somehow elevating and encouraging.
That’s our mission. The band is our instrument.”
Albums
* Experience (2001)
In the beginning of the new millennium, Mikko Von Hertzen
asked his brothers if they wanted to hear what he had been
up to. They found themselves sharing a similar vision about
their future music. Debut album, Experience, was born.
* Approach (2006)
Approach took four years to complete. The album became a
huge success and reached gold status in sales. It was
awarded the Finnish Grammy for the “Best Rock Album of the
year 2006.”
* Love Remains the Same (2008)
Love Remains the Same is the most gigantic piece of art by
Von Hertzen Brothers. Released in Finland in May 2008, it
stayed three weeks as No. 1 on the national sales chart. The
album now has gold status in sales and was nominated for a
Finnish Grammy as “Best Rock Album 2008.”
Performances
The sharpest and classiest live band in Finland. Period.
The interesting fact
The band features three brothers. It delivers a special
feeling when there are guys sharing the same blood. Maybe
because of that, there’s certain depth to the band’s sound
that others lack.
