If you haven’t heard of the Eurovision Song Contest, now is a good time to educate yourself. Essentially it’s a competition to find the best bands in Europe and each country sends a representative band to compete. They’ve been around for 50 years and of course receive little attention here in the US.
Nevertheless, I am hooked after seen this winning performance from Lordi, a Finnish rock band of sorts. They remind me of Gwar, but they have their own destinctive flavor. They won the whole show with a song called Hard Rock Hallelujah. It’s hillarious, and a blast to watch. I love the singers hat!
Congratulations Lordi and hats off to Finland!! If any of my European readers have any info or comments on Lordi or Eurovision, please share them with us… I’d love to hear ‘em!
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May 24th, 2006 at 10:12 am
Lordi Rocks!
Are you ready for the ARockaclypse?
Several of
Lordi’s videos are on YouTube — check out Would You Love A Monsterman.
May 24th, 2006 at 12:17 pm
I think it’s a bit, uh, misplaced to suggest that the Eurovision Song Contest is a competition to find the best bands in Europe. That may be the official line, but the reality of the situation is very different.
* The artists (that may be a very strong word) are almost all terrible. We’re talking the level of musicianship that gets ejected from the first round of Pop Idol etc. I didn’t see much of this year’s event, but last year the UK had a duet where the couple were both out of tune *in different directions*. You must admit that takes some skill.
* The voting system works a bit like reality show, where each country gathers together its votes, and these are treated as one vote from that country. This results in massive political voting, since everyone votes for their neighbours and political friends, etc. The Balkan countries generally vote for each other. Germany and Turkey have a historical rapport, so they vote for each other. The Cyprus/Greece/Turkey feuding always results in interesting votes. If anything, it’s a good way of determining what the local people think of the rest of Europe…
Still, if you’re in the mood (eg, very drunk) it can be a good laugh to watch.
May 24th, 2006 at 12:20 pm
heh thanks for the heads up, seems i have a new band to watch ^^
May 24th, 2006 at 12:23 pm
LOL, thanks for the scoop. But I did see some rather famous performers on the website. ABBA was on there back in the 70s.
gasmonso
May 24th, 2006 at 1:20 pm
yeah but abba are cheesy. Eurovision bands are usually unknown up to that point in their respective contries. Listen to the UK entry for this year, it’s so bad that it pains me to watch. I despise my country for picking it, shows how retarded the general population are.
May 24th, 2006 at 4:37 pm
I’m a finn. This year’s winning song will probably change the contest so that next time there will be more diverse songs, which is good. For the past years the trend seemed to be to send a group that does ethnic music or a “try to appeal to as many people as possible” pop music. With a cherry on top. The bands that get to perform on the contest are definetely not the best any of the countries have to offer, unless a country is a first-timer and don’t know what the contest is all about.
May 25th, 2006 at 4:28 am
I don’t like Flash, so YouTube is out. But Lordi’s on Google Video too:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5798623101377514296
May 25th, 2006 at 8:25 am
If I’m not mistaken, Google video uses a flash interface aswell :) Nonetheless, thanks for the alternative link.
gasmonso
May 26th, 2006 at 1:09 am
They also have a download (.avi) option, so no flash required :-)
May 30th, 2006 at 2:00 pm
Hmm “The best bands in europe” is a bit far fetched… I’m not sure how other countries think of it but in the UK it has long been looked upon as a joke with the UK presenter (Terry Wogan) basically lambasting the whole thing which can be pretty amusing…
Stil the UK entry this year was bad on so many levels an offence against music, cruel and unusual punishment etc etc…
May 31st, 2006 at 4:33 pm
I’ve heard several very good bands from Europe, from all genres - this is not one of them. The mere fact that they would ever win an award is disrespectful of all the truly talented musicians in Europe, even worldwide. Nevertheless, awards ceremonies usually do not serve as celebrations of achievement, rather, overblown popularity contests. Such ignorant statements as “best bands in europe” brings down all of us to the level of a child in intellect.
My opinion is also somewhat jaded because I’ve been a diehard fan of GWAR from the very beginning, and the comparison between the two bands is insulting - GWAR have become truly dedicated and innovative musicians since their inception in the mid-late 1980s, and the aforementioned “Lordi” is nothing short of glorified pop-rock garbage.
June 1st, 2006 at 4:42 am
Yeah!
First time ever Finland won Eurovision !
First time ever winner was not just a product of
“professionals”, but a real band (they participated
just to get publicity totheir latest album). I like this stuff,
guys from Lordi are big KISS fans and this is their “theater”,
they have never shown themselfs without masks (and one finnish
gossip-magazine that published picture of vocalist
mr.Putaansuu,was boycotted by its readers).
My Favorite song is “Devil is a loser, and he is my bitch” :)
P.S. Eurovision song contest has been a source of camp-humor in
Finland, specially within gay-community.
June 12th, 2006 at 5:08 pm
whos thinkin that this is the best band in europe… thn u can screw u!or u have little knowledege whts goin on outside america
July 14th, 2006 at 1:57 pm
The Eurovision song contest is seen as a joke here in the UK.
March 22nd, 2007 at 9:04 pm
Tell me this is a joke
April 30th, 2007 at 9:49 pm
LOVE lordi!!!! Love this song! And they own GWAR.
May 1st, 2007 at 9:37 am
No one can own GWAR. They perfected the costume clad superhero.
Who can argue with a bassist named Beefcake the Mighty?
June 3rd, 2007 at 3:33 am
GWar and Lordi are very different bands imo.
Both are good bands,So argument is quite meaningless.
Some like GWar more,Some like Lordi.
I like both bands.
June 3rd, 2007 at 7:32 pm
Lovejez:
Of course it is, the idiot Wogan (Sir Terrance - what a joke) is hosting it. We didn’t take is seriously, everyone else does, and we lose. A bit like Iraq. Sorry for being serious. (Only joking!) I’m sorry, but now I’m confused…