Finland Rock (And Frighten) Eurovision With Their First Win in 41 Years

[IBrake4Rainbows]

Source: NineMSN.com.au

Originally Posted by NineMSN.com.au

Finnish death rockers Lordi are claiming “victory for rock music” after winning this year's Eurovision song contest with a grotesquely masked performance that both shocked and amused viewers.

The band’s song 'Hard Rock Hallelujah' put them ahead of 23 other competitors, including an Australian-fronted German act.

The band members, who never appear in public without their latex masks and elaborate makeup have had to defend themselves against a barrage of comments made by critics, who claim their music is demonic.

"This is a victory for rock music ... and also a victory for open-mindedness," Mr Lordi said.

We are not Satanists. We are not devil-worshippers. This is entertainment."

"What this has shown is that there are different styles of music than just"pop and rock," Mr Lordi told a news conference after the win. "That should be the goal of Eurovision."

Originally hailing from arctic Lapland, Lordi has been plagued by allegations of links with Satanism but became a phenomenon in Finland with the platinum-selling debut album Get Heavy in 2002.

At Eurovision, Lordi scored 292 points from telephone voters in 38 countries with a performance that left the audience speechless.

The 51st annual Eurovision was broadcast live across Europe with an estimated 100 million viewers tuning in, including fans making their way to the contest from all over the world.

"You don't imagine something so bad could be so good," said Carmela Pellegrino, an Australian who travelled to Athens from London to witness the contest.

Although many past Eurovision winners have faded into obscurity, it has helped launched the careers of performers like Abba, which won in 1974 with Waterloo, and Canada's Celine Dion, who won for Switzerland in 1988.

In Finland, young people on the streets of the capital Helsinki welcomed the news of the triumph enthusiastically.

"It's amazing that Finland has finally won something. Though I don't like Lordi myself, it's great! We don't win anything," said Mari Pelli, an 18-year-old childminder.

Groups of young people walked from bar to bar shouting the lyrics of the winning song at the tops of their voices.

"I'm very happy that they won. Eurovision is a show for entertainment, not for music," said Mikko Mattila, a 30-year-old student.

The cartoon metalheads, who sport latex monster masks and spark-spewing instruments", fought off a strong challenge from Russian heart throb Dima Bilan, who finished second with 248 points for the song 'Never Let You Go'.

Bosnia was third with 229 points going to the group Hari Mata Hari singing the melodic 'Layla'.

The Australian-fronted German act Texas Lightning came 15th with 36 points for their country music-inspired song 'No No Never', written and sung by Newcastle-born Jane Comerford.

The Finnish band thanked viewers for voting for their song, which featured the lead singer hoisting a double-headed axe over his head - a radical departure from the catchy pop tunes, folk songs and emotional ballads usually associated with Eurovision.

Initially shocking many people in the traditionally Christian Orthodox host country with their masks, which Lordi members refuse to take off in public, even the Greeks ended up giving the outrageous group top points.

Finland had never before won Eurovision, and even before coming to Athens the band upset many Finns with their outrageous behavior, many even requesting the president to intervene for fear of a national humiliation.

The band has scored Finnish hits with albums The Monsterican Dream and The Arockalypse.

I was rocking out (At eurovision?!) to these guys on the TV. and although I would have liked to see the Bosnian-Herzigovinan Entry win it, these guys did rock.

[drakkie]

Lets hope the Netherlands get another style of music in next year How about Sander van doorn (purple haze/filterfunk/SVD all aliasses of him)with a really good singer and a good vocal trance song

[Coventrysucks]

I liked Terry Wogan's comments on the BBC that they had made the effort and "dressed up".

Shame on the countries who voted for the British entry.

[drakkie]

Originally Posted by Coventrysucks

I liked Terry Wogan's comments on the BBC that they had made the effort and "dressed up".

Shame on the countries who voted for the British entry.

I loved the comments that i saw on the Dutch host Yes he is gay and he probably was drunk,he has ADHD anyway Every country took less than a minute and he took like an hour

[IBrake4Rainbows]

The voting, despite the Dutch caller, went remarkably smoothly.

Wogan always makes it an enjoyable event. I particularly liked last year's ridicule of the Female host - she was atrocious

It was an 'Amazing' night

[RazaBlade]

I used to find Terry funny, but now his comments are just the same thing over and over and over and over. I prob catch him at the wrong time, as he's always saying "i wonder how many points they give to them".....
was the host the woman in the black dress? Saw a clip where she had just started to say someething and the camera flicked over to someone else!! Came back to her though!

[IBrake4Rainbows]

Her and a Greek Pop-Star (And former contestant) were the hosts for the evening.

Probably the funniest part was when the Male Host and Nana Mouskouri (Sp?) tried to turn the hourglass for the 10 minutes of voting. 10 seconds later it flipped back over!

[twinspark]

I'm really hoping that this unusual finish will change the contest for better. So that there won't be the same 20 something contestants that repeat the chorus part of their song and are only a pleasure to watch, and the few odd entrys, such as Lithuania and Iceland had this year. (The Lithuanian song, along with our own, has been playing in Finnish radios yesterday and today for some reason. )

It might well be that I'm hoping too much, probably we'll have some europop singer in the contest next year representing ourselves as usual. But maybe now that Lordi has opened the way, also the skilled rock/metal groups will get interested in the contest too, of course it depends on the countries too whether they're brave enough to choose one for the contest.

[Pando]

Originally Posted by twinspark

But maybe now that Lordi has opened the way, also the skilled rock/metal groups will get interested in the contest

LOL! Yes, Lordi sucks, but it was good for a laugh.

Almost everyone in Finland was so hyped up about the win that they forgot that we lost to the Czech's in the hockey IIHF world championships semi finals that day... I didn't. Well, we beat Canada for the bronze.

[Jack_Bauer]

For those that didn't have the 'pleasure' of watching Eurovision, here is the *ahem* spectacular winning entry, enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py5Of...sion%20finland

[carbrochuretom]

To be honest, it was kinda shite...the lead cant sing, the high pitch crap was shockingly bad and what they are wearing really doesnt suit the poppy song. I thouhgt Russia were so much better than them. I would even of given the UK rap dude 12 points rather than Lordi. Good Lord(i), what is the world coming to????

[jorismo]

It was one of the best Eurovisions ever IMO. I loved the Finnish entry right away and Lithuania was pretty funny too. (All the keep sinning was: "We are the winners, we are the winners of Eurovision") I hope next year is going to be as good as this one!

[Piacki_117]

Is the Eurovision still existing???

[Ferrer]

Originally Posted by Piacki_117

Is the Eurovision still existing???

So it seems...

[Matra et Alpine]

Originally Posted by Piacki_117

Is the Eurovision still existing???

I guess France TV doesn't broadcast it as it is now run almost exlcusively in English. Ol' Terry pointed out the French presenter adamantly sticking to her French