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Helsinki Journal: Finland Squirms as Its Latest Export Steps Into Spotlight
NY Times ^ | April 24, 2006 | DAN BILEFSKY

Posted on 04/25/2006 4:02:44 AM PDT by Pharmboy


Heikki Saukkomaa/Lehtikuva, for International Herald Tribune
The band Lordi won a nationwide competition to represent Finland at the Eurovision song contest this year.

HELSINKI, Finland — They have eight-foot retractable latex Satan wings, sing hits like "Chainsaw Buffet" and blow up slabs of smoking meat on stage. So members of the band Lordi expected a reaction when they beat a crooner of love ballads to represent Finland at the Eurovision song contest in Athens, the competition that was the springboard for Abba and Celine Dion.

But the heavy-metal monster band did not imagine a national identity crisis.

First, Finnish religious leaders warned that the Freddy Krueger look-alikes could inspire Satanic worship. Then critics called for President Tarja Halonen to use her constitutional powers to veto the band and nominate a traditional Finnish folk singer instead. Rumors even circulated that Lordi members were agents sent by President Vladimir V. Putin to destabilize Finland before a Russian coup — an explanation for their refusal to take off their freakish masks in public.

The fury also spread in Greece, winner of last year's Eurovision and therefore the host of this year's contest, where an anti-Lordi movement called Hellenes urged the Finnish government "to say 'no' to this evil group." One young Finn calling himself Suomi (Finland in Finnish) wrote to a newspaper Web log saying, "If Lordi wins Eurovision, I am leaving the country."

The lead singer, Lordi — a former film student who goes by his real name, Tomi Putaansuu, when not wielding a blood-spurting electric chain saw — is philosophical about the uproar.

(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...


TOPICS: Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: europe; finland; popmusic
But what do they sound like?
1 posted on 04/25/2006 4:02:48 AM PDT by Pharmboy
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To: Pharmboy

yeah...well...they have a lot of darkness up there...but they make good knives and rifles...


2 posted on 04/25/2006 4:40:35 AM PDT by Khurkris (Don't blame me. I never answer the phone.)
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To: Pharmboy

line dancing


3 posted on 04/25/2006 4:46:09 AM PDT by battlegearboat
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To: Pharmboy

"Aren't you kids a little old for trick-or-treating? I suppose you can have some of the gross peanut butter taffy ones, nobody likes those anyway."


4 posted on 04/25/2006 7:59:48 AM PDT by Sax
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To: Pharmboy

LOL! They look like a week's worth of kills for Buffy the Vampire Slayer. ;)


5 posted on 04/25/2006 8:07:11 AM PDT by Mr. Jeeves ("When the government is invasive, the people are wanting." -- Tao Te Ching)
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To: Sax

LOL!


6 posted on 04/25/2006 8:42:17 AM PDT by Pharmboy (Democrats lie because they must)
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To: Pharmboy
But what do they sound like?

lol.

I'm sure their "music" is about as passe as their spooky, metal-encrusted outfits.

7 posted on 04/25/2006 11:27:05 AM PDT by MotleyGirl70
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To: Pharmboy

Their new album is co-produced by some people from Twisted Sister and an ex-Kiss guitarist, so no real hard rock. It's no screaming deahtmetal or whatever. More like a heavy ZZ-Top (also with the keyboards like ZZ-Top uses them), but a little darker themes and a little louder on the drums.

Their video's are wilder thought lol.


8 posted on 04/29/2006 7:25:19 AM PDT by knighthawk (We will always remember We will always be proud We will always be prepared so we may always be free)
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To: knighthawk; MotleyGirl70; Pharmboy; Sax; battlegearboat; Khurkris
to all those who posted on this thread: they actually WON the Eurovision songcontest (with a record # of points)

hard rock hallelujah!

9 posted on 05/20/2006 5:39:29 PM PDT by Palpatine (The lesson of modern politics is that no class is less fit to govern than that which governs us now.)
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To: Pharmboy

Feh...these jokers got nothing on Metallica.


10 posted on 05/20/2006 5:40:24 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (Conservatism is moderate, it is the center, it is the middle of the road)
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To: Pharmboy
Separated at birth?


Lordi


GWAR

11 posted on 05/20/2006 5:43:03 PM PDT by Zeroisanumber
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To: Zeroisanumber
LOL!

Battle for the scariest Halloween costume.

12 posted on 05/20/2006 5:47:02 PM PDT by MotleyGirl70 (Cooler than the other side of the pillow.)
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To: Palpatine; RockinRight

Now I can sleep sound tonight knowing they won :)


13 posted on 05/20/2006 5:49:12 PM PDT by MotleyGirl70 (Cooler than the other side of the pillow.)
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To: MotleyGirl70

I like the GWAR costumes better, and they have a giant worm stage prop that can actually engulf an audience member. How do you top something like that?


14 posted on 05/20/2006 5:50:31 PM PDT by Zeroisanumber
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To: MotleyGirl70
The winning song of 2006 Eurovision!
15 posted on 05/20/2006 5:52:51 PM PDT by Palpatine (The lesson of modern politics is that no class is less fit to govern than that which governs us now.)
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To: Zeroisanumber
That's pretty bad ass. I've been to many, many concerts and I've never seen anything like that.

The girl has a dangerous bra on. She could poke an eye out with that thing.

16 posted on 05/20/2006 5:54:39 PM PDT by MotleyGirl70 (Cooler than the other side of the pillow.)
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To: Palpatine
It's not death/satin music, but it reminds of a fad rock group from the late 80's.

I don't like it, but some others might like it. To each his own.

17 posted on 05/20/2006 6:04:07 PM PDT by MotleyGirl70 (Cooler than the other side of the pillow.)
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To: Palpatine

Watched it live. Never watch the contest but for this year I made an exception!


18 posted on 05/21/2006 3:57:47 AM PDT by knighthawk (We will always remember We will always be proud We will always be prepared so we may always be free)
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