Eurovision... GRAAAAAAARG!

The Eurovision is usually a bore. Even though it is watched by over 100 million people, it is often ridiculed in Europe for being tedious, whith cheezy soft bubble-gum pop music with 'inspirational' lyrics like "Every song is a cry for love," (Ireland's Brian Kennedy).

So you'll understand why this year's win came as shock : a hard rock band from Finland dressed as bloodthirsty orcs, wearing latex monster masks and holding spark-spewing instruments.

Quite a change from your Abba and Celine Dion! Lordi (that's their name) and their song Hardrock Halellujah! won with 292 points, the highest score in Eurovision history.

Personally, I find the whole thing hilarious. I know some people might be worried to have their kids listen to such 'monsters' and even in Finland they caused a bit of a national identity crisis, where opponents accused it of devil worship and cringed at the thought that it might win. That may be because they refuse to be photographed or even interviewed without their frightful wardrobes, even though in some cases it has led to their own discomfort. In fact, some people go even further:

Those protesting against Lordi argued that the five key members of the band were KGB agents that Russian President Vladimir Putin sent to destabilize Finland in preparation for an eventual Russian coup, and that this was the main reason why the group has consistently refused to take off their freakish masks in public.

In't it funny? It seems so obvious to me that their mock-demonic imagery is more about fun and entertainment than anything else - not unlike U.S. band KISS (an acknowledged inspiration of lead singer Mr Lordi):

“We have the same aesthetic as horror films,” says Mr Lordi, who has studied at a film school. “The scarier the film, the more fun it is. And rock music should be all about fun.”

On their Eurovision victory, here's what the band leader said:

"This is a victory for rock music ... and also a victory for open-mindedness." . "We are not Satanists. We are not devil worshipers," adding, "This is entertainment. Underneath [the mask] there's a boring normal guy, who walks the dogs, goes to the supermarket, watches DVDs, eats candies. You really don't want to see him."

As for those who say it is not good music (I agree), so what? When did quality music ever come from the Eurovision anyway? At least this time it was fun and silly.

NOTE: in case you don't know, the Eurovision is the annual televised song contest with participants from numerous countries whose national television broadcasters are members of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Apparently, NBC is working on a US version of the same show with representatives from each of the 50 states competing against each other.