Since it is the high point of the year this weekend, Eurovision Song Contest 2023, in Liverpool, UK, I decided to make more lighthearted post this time. I have been planning for this for long time, and ESC just gave me a good reason to actualize it now. I will post this after we will know the results, and finish the last details.
Here I'm going to take a look at musical influences in my life. My taste is very broad, from some classical music to metal, from electric pop to rock. I don't care what genre it is, I just know if I like it, and I'm proud that at my age I'm not stuck with nostalgia: I still always try to find something new. I try to keep this short, and only focus on the most essential, so remember it's a small proportion of wide variety. You can check my YouTube Channel (see the sidebar), and my playlists for more.
So, as a child my first musical interest was Elvis Presley. I'm almost ashamed to admit that, but I didn't know anything yet. But soon, as a teen of the 1980's, I became a fan of Hanoi Rocks - Finland's first international success story. They never quite made it, because at the critical moment their drummer died in car crash on tour in the USA 1984, in a car driven by Vince Neil of Motley Crue. But they still had a huge influence on other bands of an era, and gathered a cult following. Their singer, Michael Monroe, has continued on successful international solo career, and last year he celebrated his 60th birthday with huge concert in Helsinki, where original line up of Hanoi Rocks also performed. People came to see it from abroad too. To be honest, I don't really listen to his music nowadays, but as 53 years old myself, I find him very inspiring person: He can still ROCK, and he has always dared to be himself! (And still looks amazing!) He is the living legend, and very much liked in Finland. Following sample I chose from their 1983 album, "Back to Mystery City":
Hanoi Rocks: "Until I get you" live 1983
This year we got the new release of the second studio album of Hanoi Rocks, Oriental Beat - 40th Anniversary The Re(al)mix. (See Wikipedia: Oriental Beat)
Update 13.6.23: I just have to add this global news few days ago; Michael finally met Vince Neil on June 2023 at festival in Finland, and he himself wrote: "One of the most important moments of my life was meeting Vince Neil for the first time last night. Razzle [Nicholas "Razzle" Dingley] always wanted us to meet as he thought 'us singers' were a lot alike. Under different circumstances both bands probably would've ended up as good friends, but fate had other plans... Thank you for your time, Vince. We didn't say much but your eyes told me more than 1000 words ever could. And your singing was great at the show. Nice to finally see you guys live!" - That's Michael, that's the sort of guy he is!
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| Vince Neil and Michael Monroe |
Of course in 1980's I listened to all sorts of music, including international top artists and bands, like Duran Duran, Culture Club, Eurythmics... (God, I'm old! 😄) Music, along with some movies and Tv-shows, was the bright side of that era to me; in other aspects my life was very depressing.
Also, I remember first time watching Eurovision Song Contest in the 1980's, but it was quite different back then: so rigid and boring. Although, I don't think there is any doubt that ABBA is the most successful winner of the contest ever, and that was already in the 70's! (Title of this post is a name of one of their songs, you know.)
I didn't watch it every year. Nowadays it is THE ULTIMATE QUEER SHOW! (Or "Gay Paralympics", as someone said.) Live performance, costumes, dancers, lights, pyro... all that is important as well. It is so unpredictable: sometimes the winner is very artsy (and I don't really like that kind), sometimes it is more campy, and everything in between. That's diversity! You never know what people will like this year. It's never "the same old". Juries in each country give their points first in Grand Final, but public vote often changes everything. I have been watching ESC regularly only after I met my husband in 2016, because he is a big fan!
For a while in the 1990's, when I had my "spiritual awakening", so to speak, I listened to a lot of New Age music, but soon there was a short period when I only listened to classical music, and that was because I was a member of cult, and they said popular music is bad for you ("rock is satanic", and all that shit... but New Age music was considered bad as well).
When I had to bury my late partner, and later my mother, it was my wish that at both funerals they played Albinoni's Adagio in G minor (which in fact was not composed by Albinoni) for opening, and J.S. Bach's "Jesu, Joy of man's desiring" BMW 147 for closing. First, melancholic tunes in the beginning, and then almost hopeful tone in the end. That's life.
When I started to listen to pop and rock in the 1990's again, after meeting my late partner, and leaving that cult, there was a lot of excellent music on that decade, as we all know. The one song that summarizes all that, is the world wide hit from Finland, Sandstorm by Darude. Not long ago I visited with my husband, who was born in 1991, a museum exhibition of the 1990's, and this was the song they played there:
Darude: Sandstorm (1999)
In 2001, Finnish world-famous rock band, The Rasmus, published their album Into, and I was very much into it. I saw them live many times. However, the next album didn't impress me that much, they changed their style to darker, and my enthusiasm faded. Last year they represented Finland in ESC, but didn't reach very high.
The Rasmus: F-F-F-Falling (2001)
And then the moment came when Finland finally won ESC in 2006, with monster band Lordi and their song, "Hard Rock Hallelujah": certainly one of the most memorable acts in the history of ESC until this day:
Lordi: Hard Rock Hallelujah at ESC 2006
In 2019 Hatari represented Iceland with their song, Hatrid mun sigra ("hate will prevail"), and suddenly I became a FAN. You can like many kinds of music, but being a true fan is rare, to me anyway; I would say it's almost like a religious experience. I saw them on gig in Helsinki that same year, and again after Covid in 2022. On March 2023 we were told that band's screamer, Matthias, is leaving. It was very sad news. How could they continue without him? I made a poster of one photo taken in Helsinki in remembrance. My unpopular opinion, which I haven't dared to put into words before this, is that I could sense on October 2022 that something was different: They performed very well, and quality of the sound was much better than the last time, but some chemistry, vibe, energy... whatever... that I felt in 2019 was lacking. They already knew about Matthias, and he soon told in interview that he didn't enjoy performing anymore.
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| This is the picture I made a poster of: Klemens and Matthias (Einar in drums in the background) performing "Soda Ritual". |
I just loved the fact that they sing in their native tongue! See: Hatari translations. They don't have a single song I wouldn't like.
Hatari: Hatrid mun sigra at ESC 2019
Amazingly enough, ESC 2023 introduced me a new band I immediately started to follow: Lord of the Lost from Germany! They already have a long history and many albums. I have been aware of them, but never payed attention. This is the power of ESC! Yes, I can say I am a fan now: Can't wait to see them live! Hatari and Lord of the Lost are very different, but there is one common word to describe their music, and that is "industrial", whatever that means...
Lord of the Lost: Blood & Glitter
This year at ESC the international hype around Finland's Käärijä has been massive. Even in my hometown they lighted the centre with green lights in support of him. I personally remained quite neutral. It's one song. Who had heard of Käärijä even in Finland before this? Of course I sincerely hoped Finland would win, it would be about time to redo it. I supported Germany and voted for them (this year it's been made possible to vote all around the world, outside of ESC participants too - you can't vote for your own country obviously, unless you are located in some other country). Lord of the Lost - who have connections to Finland - even made a cover of Käärijä's song in Finnish, and in my opinion it's better than the original (go find it on YouTube!). For the show I wore red instead of green, and put a golden glitter on my face. But for the first time in my life I bought a bottle of real Champagne... and I'm not going to waste it by pouring it on myself, as in lyrics of Cha Cha Cha (see them in English). Unfortunately, Germany was the last; still, it was a gain for myself (new favorite band; So, gain for them as well - new fans!). Nevertheless, Käärijä came second; Loreen from Sweden won. This time it was Jury points that made a difference. That was our second best place ever! But I know many people in Finland will think that was a loss; that's just the nature of this nation. But Käärijä has ascended to Eurovision hall of fame forever! Anyway, it will take a long, long time for us to beat this result, I'm afraid not in my lifetime, and that's why I am a little disappointed. It was very contradictory experience, and hopefully I will recover by next year, but meanwhile I feel like I don't even want to hear about ESC!
One week later (21.5.2023): I just have to add that now that we have seen Käärijä breaking all the records, I can only be proud of him, and proud of being Finn! He did win... hearts of people. 💚💚💚
Käärijä: Cha Cha Cha
If I should pick up one artist singing in Finnish whom I really like, that's easy: It is Olavi Uusivirta, singer - song writer, and actor. This song is quite old already (2006), but it's very touching; Hautalaulu ("Gravesong"). See lyrics in English. He's got more rocking tunes too. It's a shame I am yet to see him live; his live performances are praised.
Olavi Uusivirta: Hautalaulu
American Song Contest in 2022 was based on Eurovision Song Contest. It was shown on Finnish television as well, but I didn't watch it: it's not the same at all! I like to watch videos where Americans react to European things, and ESC is definitely one of my favorite subjects!
But not all Americans are unaware of ESC: On YouTube I follow American drag queen Maxxy Rainbow, who is a big fan of ESC: he/she was in Italy last year, and now in Liverpool. I just love how excited and emotional he/she is about everything! That's an example of real ESC fan for all of us! Check out his/her YouTube Channel: Maxxy Rainbow ESC.
Personally, I'm not musical at all. One time in my youth I have sung Karaoke, and that was also the last time ever, I promise! However, to include Buddhism/spirituality in this post, Tina Turner has said:
"Nam-myoho-renge-kyo is a song. In the Soka Gakkai tradition we are taught how to sing it. It is a sound and a rhythm and it touches a place inside you. That place we try to reach is the subconscious mind. I believe that it is the highest place and, if you communicate with it, that is when you receive information on what to do. Singing a song can make you cry. Singing a song can make you happy. That’s spirit—the spirit inside of you."
It is true, it actually feels like singing. If I start chanting after I have listened to music I like, I feel like that same energy music gave me, is coming forth from myself, it is uniting two experiences following one another as one. In 2020 Daimoku (Nam-myoho-renge-kyo) was part of Azerbaijan's Eurovision entry, Cleopatra. My husband was especially excited to point out this fact to me, and he still reminds me of it at times! Somehow it validated my practice for him, so I'm glad about the song, even if it feels a little forced and random how mantra is included, to add some mystical vibe. Sadly, that was the year contest was cancelled because of Pandemic.
Efendi: Cleopatra (ESC Azerbaijan 2020)
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