Interview With Jonne Von Hertzen, Hard Rock Hell XI
MoM: You're about halfway through a UK tour at the moment, how is it going so far?
Jonne: Good
(Panic set in as this may have been a one word interview)
MoM: I saw you guys in Bogiez, which was really little club in Cardiff, probably about 5 years ago and I remember you had the iPad sound desk because you couldn't fit yours in.
Jonne: Yeah I remember that show
MoM: I'd say it's been quite a big rise from playing there, to playing here to quite a big crowd, your show in Bristol on the last tour was sold out and Steelhouse (the one on top of the mountain where it rains all the time). Do you ever notice a difference between UK fans and European ones?
Jonne: If you look at the festivals in England and compare them to Finnish festivals, but we haven't done that much in other countries, but we have done Eastern Europe twice. We have noticed a difference between the UK and Finland, Eastern Europe there is a major difference
MoM: They seem a lot more hard core...
Jonne: Yes they are. I like the audiences here as they tend to listen to the band
MoM: I'd like to talk about the fantastic new album War Is Over, I read that you recorded this record a little differently than your previous ones is that right?
Jonne: We wrote it separately yes, not like we've done before
MoM: Was there a concerted effort too bring back the longer song format rather than directness of your last records? Did you want to go back to the stuff on Arrival etc where it featured elongated tracks mixed with shorter songs?
Jonne: I think it was just on the last album, we kind of decided not to have those, we tried to make a short punchy rock album, that would get more rock audiences. We have always tried to make something different. I really liked the last album
MoM: It certainly brought you more acclaim
Jonne: Yeah but this one we didn't want to throw out good songs just because they are too proggy or long. If it was a good song then we'd keep it
MoM: Moving on from the albums you've played here before. What do you think of the Hard Rock Hell is playing a gig in a holiday camp your most surreal experience?
Jonne: Yes it definitely is surreal even after playing it a few times now (and again the following week). It's a weird place for sure
MoM: What does the next year hold for you guys?
Jonne: When we go back to Finland we go back to touring, then we break for Christmas, then the summer festivals but at the beginning of the year we haven't got anything planned yet but we'd love to play more German speaking countries for sure. (You hear that Deutschland)
MoM: So finally our killer question. What is your favourite sheep?
Jonne: *Thinks long and hard* I have a dog so I'm trying to see which one is most doglike...maybe this one The Herdwick.
Luckily we had a bit more time to chat to Jonne and before the interview we chatted with the other members of the band, down to earth rockers who genuinely take all the annoying side of being in band (interviews etc) in their stride (they did seem to be in high demand). If you've seen them this tour you'll know why we love them here a MoM, if you haven't then I urge you to see them on their next pass.
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