Prog Stars Aligned “I want to be like ,” muses after some careful consideration. “They did a bit of everything and never restricted themselves in any way. They had simple songs with just a piano and Freddie singing; and then they had and , which are definitely progressive.
” The bronzed, athletic frontman of the eponymous Von Hertzen Brothers is determined and focused on this ambition. After 10 years of the band climbing the Finnish charts and performing sold-out shows in their home country, the siblings have finally decided to venture outside familiar territory. They formed in Finland in 2001 from the ashes of several well-known Nordic acts – guitarist Kie was part of the prolific Don Huonot while bassist Jonne played in pop singer Jonna Tervomaa’s band – and the three brothers quickly released their debut as an experiment to see whether they could in fact work together.
Three subsequent chart-topping albums suggest the answer was a resounding ‘yes!’ Their vision has spurred them on and enthused those around them, including Juhani Merimaa, manager of Helsinki’s famous Tavastia music venue (“He’s said to be the man who brought rock ’n’ roll to Finland,” Mikko Von Hertzen reveals) along with promoters and A&Rs around the world. Then there was a recent opening slot for the on the Finnish leg of the rock giants’ European tour. “We were floating afterwards,” says Mikko, all misty-eyes as he details his admiration for singer ’s career progressi.