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Backstage: Herman van Veen

Born in 1945 in Utrecht in the Netherlands, Herman van Veen became famous in German-speaking countries with the song Ich hab’ ein zärtliches Gefühl and as the creator of the cartoon duck Alfred Jodocus Kwak. Singer, musician, clown, comedian, composer, poet and painter, there seems to be no end to van Veen’s creativity. A master of gentle song, his witty, cheerful and subtly ironic lyrics are all about love, but without ever descending into kitsch.

Portrait of the musician Herman van Veen.
Copyright: Bell'Arte Konzertdirektion Dr. Schreyer GmbH

Do you have a special ritual before a performance?

I sleep for an hour and then get an hour-long physiotherapy session. Then we have a bite to eat and do the soundcheck. I take a deep breath and walk out onto the stage.

Do you rather tend to be nervous or more of a show-off on stage?

I’m pretty calm. After all, more things usually go right than wrong.

What things should not be missing backstage?

Coffee, a cheese roll, blackcurrant juice, a change of clothes, WiFi and good vibes.

Final applause, off the stage – and then what? What’s the first thing you do after a performance?

Take a deep breath and then go and chat with guests. We walk to the hotel, I have a drink or two, take a shower, and then off to bed.

Who would you like to perform with and why?

With my granddaughter. She already plays the violin and also sings. We recently played together on my 80th birthday. It was so moving to see her, bashful and full of joy.

Herman van Veen & Band: Achtzig (Eighty)

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