Oh Lordi

I haven’t watched the Eurovision Song Contest for many a year, but judging by this article about the Finnish entry I might just have to make an exception this time round:

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 article is actually pretty interesting, focussing as much on the Finnish national character as on the Eurovision entry:

Finns are so uncomfortable with themselves, says Alexander Stubb, a Finnish member of the European Parliament, that when they meet someone for the first time, they stare at their own feet. Then, after 10 years of friendship, they stare at the other person’s feet. But there is little risk that anyone, Finnish or otherwise, will stare at Lordi’s furry platform demon boots, he adds, noting that Lordi could embarrass Finland when it takes over the European Union presidency in July.

[Via Peace Dividend]