Both Annikki and I are absolutely shocked and horrified that the Finnish entry won the Eurovision Song Contest a few minutes ago. It certainly looks as if the outlandish is what people like. I know many who appreciate the music of Lordi, but I am not one of them!
The Finnish "horror rock" band Lordi who dress in monster costumes pulled off a surprise win at the 51st Eurovision Song Contest in Athens. Lordi's masks, armour and jets of flame attracted widespread attention before the contest - but many thought they were too outlandish to win.
Usually Finns get just a couple of votes or sometimes none at all. European viewers voted for Lordi's song "Hard Rock Hallelujah" in a show that is normally associated with catchy pop and big ballads. Russia came second with Dima Bilan's Never Let You Go.
The band members wear scary masks, which they refuse to take off, and the lead singer wields a chain-saw. Finnish online chatrooms are full of comments from people concerned about Finnish reputation. Some Finns asked President Halonento intervene.
But Lordi was a people's choice: their hit got more than 42% of the votes cast by televoting in the Finnish final. Lordi, which has been influenced by the American hard rock band Kiss and its lead singer Gene Simmons, has not escaped allegations of links with Satanism.
Rumours have been fuelled by the group's refusal to give television interviews, to take off their masks or reveal their real names.
But in other media interviews, the rockers have stressed their tongue-in-cheek attitude to entertainment. As if to prove the point, they had a hit in Finland with a song called "The Devil Is A Loser".
Coming from Arctic Lapland, not very far from where we live, Lordi became a phenomenon in Finland with a platinum-selling debut album, Get Heavy, in 2002. Their compilation album "The Monster Show" has been released in more than 20 countries.
What is world coming to when people need such horror shows to make their lives complete?
Never never let you go!!! =) Love that song!
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well, the lordi music hard rock hallalujah..was good, if u do not see the masks, and other things....there is noting satanic about it, the Beetles when they came on, was considered satanic, because it made the girls week;) so this is also harmless, do we all get scared of scary masks..what about hallowen, is it not a celebration of masks.....it is really an entertainment, don't make it more!!
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