by beauties vs beasts
(Lordi – Photo from Eurovision)
The first that I ever heard of LORDI was in an email about two weeks ago from fellow-blogger Anna in England: “Lordi lordi, whatever next? I really think that you should do a piece about these guys…we are about to be deeply shocked apparently.” I wrote back, “I’m missing something here… what guys? what’s shocking?” Then Anna sent me this link. Ohh!
So, Lordi is the monster heavy-metal band that is representing Finland in this year’s Eurovision song contest. I must say I’m not a fan of heavy-metal rock. I first heard their entry Hard Rock Hallelujah at BBC (via Pinseri). The Lordi members are from Finnish Saame (Lapland) and credit Kiss for their inspiration. They have never appeared without the heavy grotesque makeup and costumes nor revealed their true identities.
What got me interested in them initially is this mystery, a hint of Lord of the Rings, the “Arockalypse” (as they post on their homepage) and the pyrotechnics in their huge performances – is it clever marketing? The huge media coverage Lordi is getting seems to indicate success, just look at the blogs, online news in Finland, the UK and Canada including the CBC, and print news such as even our conservative Vancouver Sun with two articles “Monster-rock band has even fellow-Finns feeling horrified” and “Euro songfest’s easy-beat challenged”. (That’s enough links already, eh!)
Lordi was voted in as one of ten finalists, a first ever for Finland, both elating and upsetting many conservative Finns. The finals of this 50 year old contest are presently underway as I write this, and I’ll be back as soon as I know the final results of the voting.
UPDATE 3:45 pm PDT – FINLAND WINS! Learned first at Pinseri, then Finland for Thought (great photo here). The Eurovision site is slow updating, guess the Finns have been watching TV into the wee hours!!
LATER: BBC has a report and list of runner-ups.
ADDENDUM: May 21st: Lordi is now in Wikipedia in English and Finnish. (Thanks to blogisisko)
AND the feedback from Helsinki’s main newspaper: Helsingit Sanomat where there are also some great photos
May 24th: Lordi-mania is still humming away, though I said to myself that I wouldn’t write anymore about this. However an interesting article about lead Tomi Putaansuu and his labour of love is too good not to share. Also, read the comment and question from Anna Amnell below – anyone have an answer?
May 20, 2006 in Finland, Estonia & Finno-Ugric, Music by Marja-Leena
Oh I love it. Getting conservatives upset about your band is an easy way to win popularity with most teenagers. (I was warned off KISS by my Christian family before I even knew who they were LOL).
We don’t get the Eurovision on TV ’til tonight, but before I read your update I was going to say that, suprisingly, their song was pretty good compared to the rest I saw in the semifinal.
Hi Claire! I had a peak at your blog – looks interesting so will be back!
Yes, that is what teenagers do. I wonder what the average age of the voters was? I liked the lyrics too, sort of Christian rock-like, not at all Satanic. I don’t watch TV much so have no idea if Eurovision is shown, maybe on those extra cable channels. Sorry for revealing the results – hope you will still enjoy the show, and who the runner-ups are.
Marja-Leena,
Kun näin Lordin eilen, oikeammin tänä aamuna TV:ssä, ajattelin, että hänen maskissaan oli jotain hyvin tuttua. Sitten tajusin: rupikonna. Onkohan Lordi saanut siitä idean ulkomuodolleen?
Don’t you think the mask of Lordi looks like the face of a toad (bufo bufo). Picture of the more beautiful one of those two – bufo bufo – in my blog.
Has the Eurovision contest been the kiss that has turned this toad into a prince?
I listened to music like this well into my thirties. Some of the best death metal bands were from Norway and Sweden then. Glad to hear the Saami are getting into the act.
Hei Anna! Yes, I saw that on your blog earlier and thought there is indeed a similarity. The costumes seem quite reptilian or dinosaur-ish. I’ve only seem them on the net. From what I’ve read it seems that Lordi has opened up the staid contest to some other types of music performance, whether or not you like them. I say good for them and for Finland!
Hi Dave, yes and Finland too though they weren’t so well known. I wonder if we’ll ever learn who these guys are behind the masks. The mystery is intriguing.
Hei Marja-Leena,
As always, your topic of Lordi and music struck me with memories of my days as a professional musician during the 50’s and early 60’s. As a member of a fledgling R&R band, we didn’t have much success until Mel Shaw (Canadian Music Hall of Famer), used his creative talents and gave us the name of Tony Mystery & the Masquerades. He hid our identity by having us wear black outfits with a black hood over our heads portraying us as ‘Super Heros’ Batman, the Phantom, Spiderman, Green Hornet etc. As we progressed, our fame became known on television, records, appearances on stage and reviews. The Masquerades’s success lead us to a tour of England sponsored by Joe Loss of Polydor Records. However, the band broke up two weeks prior to our departure. When photos are viewed today, they appear to be terrorist outfits. Nonetheless, it was a milestone in my life that shall never be forgotten. An old friend and musician Alice Cooper founded the ‘gimmick’ of hiding his identify as well. What made his success eminant was tossing rubber chickens into his audience. Heavy metal music generally focuses towards the satanic cult audience until the make-up comes of to disclose just an ordinary guy who has an insightful manager. Your Blog is an inspiration for me to forge ahead – and your eloquent writing thoughtful and meaningful!
Hi “Popsicle” – great to have you commenting here for the first time (though for a moment I didn’t “recognize” you)! You certainly have led an interesting life. Your personal experience with bands gives you a unique appreciation for those like Lordi. My speculation about marketing isn’t far off then!
Hmm. You know, given the earthy blood’n’guts of the Kalevala, I’m surprised that any Finnish eyebrows are being raised at this.
Hi Peter, great point! Aren’t we all fed on fairy tales, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars and so many other stories based on good vs evil? What about Hallowe’en? So, what’s wrong with monster costumes used in performance art and music, I say?
Saami (Lapps) make only about 5 percent of population of Province of Lapland in Finland. Besides, most Lapps live in three northern municipalities.
Calling Lordi a Lapp is like saying the Beatles were Welsh. Or French.
So are you saying that Lordi members are not Saami? Only partially Saami? Not Saami at all?
And how important is that, either way? In Canada, use the term “aboriginal” for Native Canadians, and don’t usually give the tribal affiliation unless it is meaningful to do so.
Hi Tommi, Mr. Lordi himself has frequently mentioned that they are from Saame, so it’s an important distinction for him, and for us to acknowledge as well. It’s a wonderful achievement for a people that has been disadvantaged, like so many aboriginals around the world. They are Finns too. In North America, we are used to calling ourselves Finnish-Canadian, Japanese-Canadian, etc. as a way of acknowledging our roots in both places.
Peter, I don’t know the details of their exact ancestry, whether pure or mixed, and I agree that it doesn’t really matter.
Congratulations – after years of zero points a triumph! We started out to watch the competition but the first few songs were so awful we just couldn’t stick it any more and turned off. I am frightened by masks, so Lordi will give me the shivers – but from the comments above they certainly have something that turned you all on.
Thanks to you, Anna – I might have not had a clue about this phenomenon if you hadn’t sent me on this google chase!
Marja-Leena,
Mr. Lordi’s surname Putaansuu is a very unusual geographical word. It seems to be a Finnish word, not Saami. A farm called Putaansuu is mentioned already in the 16th century (in Lappland). The familyname comes from the name of the farm.
The word “putaansuu” is the place where the river bends or is divided in two rivers – to become one again later. Or it could also mean the place where a stream or river drops into deep. The Finnish-Finnish dictionary gives several meanings.
What could the word “putaansuu ” be in English?
http://blogisisko2.blogspot.com/2006/05/mit-sana-putaansuu-tarkoittaa-what.html
Hi Anna, That’s an interesting discussion about the name or word Putaansuu. Language is a such an evolving phenomena that it’s hard to be sure of all the subtle meanings. My Finnish-English dictionary doesn’t have that word, and I can’t think of an English word for it myself at the moment (maybe it will pop up much later on its own – my brain does that!). Any readers out there know what it might be?