NEWS FROM ANDORRA

It seems that Ràdio Televisió d'Andorra are gonna bite the bullet and enter Eurovision for the 5th time in 2008. They probably reckon on balance that with the new two semi-final system they've got a better chance of qualifying. Fair play I say.

So, it appears they've recently been on the lookout for an act to represent Andorra in Belgrade and the name that keeps cropping up on the rumour mill is that of Gisela.

She's a young lass from Barcelona and took part in the first edition of Operación Triunfo in Spain in 2002. You know, the one that Rosa won, yeah remember that? Well Gisela actually also went to Eurovision then in Tallinn as well, albeit as one of Rosa's backing singers. It looks as though RTVA are actively courting her to be their representative in 2008.

Here's a couple of vids of her.

Turu Turu

Vida

Tu Voz Se Apagará

Ins and outs in 2008

The other day it was confirmed that AZTV (or Azerbaijani telly) won't be able to enter the 2008 Eurovision as they are too close to the Azerbaijan government. Thank fuck is all I can say to that. I mean their votes would be so predictable I can already give their top 5 without hearing any songs for 2008. Turkey (cultural), Georgia (neighbours), Armenia (Nagorno-Karabakh Armenian diaspora), Russia (history), Ukraine (history)!!!!!

So far the only other country that looks seriously likely to not take part in 2008 is Israel. The head dude of Israeli telly says that the Contest doesn't fit in with what he sees as his channel. It pretty much looks like he's gonna get his way and that Israel's about to do an 'Italy' or a 'Luxembourg'. Maybe one of the other Israeli TV channels will step into the void, but first they'd have to join the EBU so 2007 could see Israel's last participation for quite some time.

Other countries have said they're thinking of pulling out due to bloc voting:- Andorra, Denmark, Ireland, Malta. Of these Malta has now confirmed they'll definitely be in Belgrade.

I think Ireland will now look on balance and say ok we got top ten in 2006 so it's not impossible to do well... if Malta's taking part then so will we.

If Danish TV can get around their money issues then I don't really think they'll be wanting to spoil the party and will take part as well.

That leaves Andorra and I think if Monaco decide to come back in 2008 (which is pretty possible), then Andorra will enter again.

About Monaco, well they had a bit of a hissy fit last year and withdrew, but they screened the final live in 2007, which is the prerequisite to competing the next year so it seems they're keeping their options open. I really hope Monaco do come back as they've got such a great history in this contest.

It also seems that Slovakia might make a return in 2008 under pressure from Czech TV to rejoin. Slovakia last took part in 1998 and I guess the Czechs want them to rejoin the madness and swap 12 points!!

Countries that have confirmed they'll definitely be in Belgrade are:-

Serbia (obviously)

United Kingdom

Bulgaria

Greece

Armenia

Hungary

Latvia

Sweden

Lithuania

Poland

Cyprus

Netherlands

Estonia

Montenegro

Malta

Belgium

Austria

Czech Republic

Serbia at Eurovision

Serbia may have won Eurovision in 2007 on their debut as an independent country, but it wasn't the first time that Serbian singers have entered the contest. In fact the first time Serbia took part in Eurovision was as part of Yugoslavia, when a Serb sang the debut Yugoslav entry in 1961. Here's a look at Serbia's past attempts...


FEDERAL SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA


1) 1961 - Љиљaнa Пeтpoвић - Heкe Дaвнe Звeздe (Some Distant Stars)

Ljiljana, who comes from Novi Sad, sang the first Yugoslav entry. She was 17 years old when she entered Eurovision gaining a respectable 8th place, with this traditional ballad. Today she's a bit of a recluse and doesn't perform in public anymore.



2) 1962 - Лoлa Hoвaкoвић - He Пaли Cвeтлa У Cyмpaк (Don't Turn On The Lights At Twilight)

Lola sang the second Yugoslav entry and came joint 4th with the United Kingdom. She was born in Belgrade in 1935 and was a popular singer in Yugoslavia during the 60's.



3) 1974 - Кopни - Гeнepaциja '42 (Generation '42)

The third Serb entry at Eurovision came in 1974 (the year ABBA won), when Korni represented Yugoslavia and came 12th. Unfortunately, the orchestra in Brighton virtually killed all the low-key charm of the studio version, by blaring out a load of brass, knocking out the moog that runs through the whole song. The song itself is about being born in 1942 during the hardest part of the Second World War in Yugoslavia (particularly in Serbia, which suffered extreme hardship during the years of the puppet Croatian nationalist government).



4) 1982 - Acкa - Xaлo Xaлo (Hello Hello)

Serbia got their next attempt in 1982 at Harrogate, when the girl group Aska represented Yugoslavia and they came 14th. The song's asking about where the girls' lovers might be now and is a typical 80's schlager pop song. Again the BBC orchestra can't match the bounce of the studio version, but the three singers are so wooden and look like they really don't want to be there. Not Yugoslavia's finest hour!



5) 1991 - Бeби Дoл - Бpaзил (Brazil)

Baby Doll was unleashed upon the unsuspecting European public as Yugoslavia's 1991 entry. The Yugoslavs tried to turn Rome into Latin America for three minutes, with what can only be described as drag on acid (even though she's actually a real woman!). The song is about creating a new kind of dance, with the end result of the partakers getting naked!!! Thankfully the language rule in place at the time ensured most people didn't get this! The dancing is atrocious and Baby Doll herself is totally out of tune. The RAI orchestra didn't help matters and massacred the song completely (not the only time that night they did so) and turned the guitar solo into a joke. If anyone laments the loss of the orchestra at Eurovision, 1991 is a great year to show how bad some of the orchestras have been in the past. The camera director also thinks that half-way through the song's proceedings would be a great time to show off the Italian film set used as the stage!!! Yugoslavia came second last with 1 point! All in all, car crash telly at its best!




FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA


1) 1992 - Eкcтpa Heнa - Љyбим Te Пecмaмa (I'm Kissing You With My Songs)

As Yugoslavia was haemorrhaging its constituent parts at an alarming rate and with the Bosnian War having broke out the previous month, JRT soldiered on regardless and kept its promise to enter the 1992 contest. When the deadline to confirm entry had been set in 1991, Yugoslavia was still intact, but even by the time they had come to their national final, Slovenia and Croatia had broken away. At the time of the contest, in May, both Bosnia and Macedonia had also declared themselves independent states. Extra Nena went to Malmö representing an area effectively the same as Serbia and Montenegro, but even though she sang well and the song was well arranged, there was no way on God's earth that the juries were ever going to let this song win, which is a shame as it's possibly the best song that Serbia entered to the contest, whilst they were a part of Yugoslavia. They came 13th with 44 points. As for the following year, well JRT was expelled from the EBU after the 1992 contest in protest of the wars in the former Yugoslavia and Serbia wouldn't be able to enter the contest until after the revolution, which ousted Milošević from power.




SERBIA & MONTENEGRO


1) 2004 - Жeљкo Joкcимoвић & Ad Hoc Orchestra - Лaнe Moje (My Dear)

Serbia returned to the Eurovision in 2004 with the introduction of the semi-final as a part of the new country of Serbia & Montenegro. Željko sang his heart out in Istanbul and won the semi-final, but was defeated in the final by some Ukrainian Miss Whiplash! They came 2nd gaining points from every other participating country. To me this is a better song than Molitva, which won for Serbia in 2007, but it obviously wasn't to be. Željko himself is a big star in his homeland and is famous across the former Yugoslavia. Serbia & Montenegro found themselves automatically in the 2005 final where they were represented by Montenegrin boyband No Name, who came 7th. Automatically qualified to the 2006 final, Serbia & Montenegro couldn't pick a winner of their national selection with the Serbs blaming the Montenegrins of vote fixing and demanding a re-run of the national contest. Despite appeals to the EBU, the deadline for 2006 came and went without an agreement on who should represent Serbia & Montenegro. They were disqualified from the 2006 contest, although still retained their voting rights. The day after the Athens contest, Montenegro held a referendum on independence, which agreed to the peaceful division of Serbia & Montenegro into two seperate countries.





SERBIA


1) 2007 - Mapиja Шepифoвић - Moлитвa (Prayer)

Serbia returned to the 2007 Eurovision semi-final as an independent country and proceded to win the entire thing. It's not my favourite song in the 2007 contest and not my favourite Serbian entry, but I can see it's appeal, even though Marija sounds a bit histrionic live. It's not the best winner ever, by a long shot, but at least it kept Ukraine's drag queen from winning, which is a good thing by me!!! It also goes to prove that a ballad can win Eurovision and that you can also win the contest by singing in your own language and not in English. Let's see what Belgrade has in store for us in 2008.

Eurovision 2007 DVD

The DVD of the 2007 contest arrived on my doormat the other day courtesy of HMV.co.uk (a snip at £9,99!). Not watched it all yet as I'm not sure I can cope with seeing that Serbian dyke win again or watch Andorra fail to qualify to the final, but no doubt in time I'll overcome my fear... it was still a great week after all!

Helena Paparizou

After a year without much of the ol' Paparizou, I thought I'd upload her discography... so here goes...

2003 - Aναπάντητις Kλήσεις (Unanswered Calls)



2004 - Tρελή Kάρδια (Crazy Heart)



2004 - Aντιθέσεις (Antithesis)



2004 - Kάτσε Kαλά (Just Sit Down)



2004 - Στην Kαρδιά Mου Mόνο Θλίψη (Sorrow In My Heart)



2005 - My Number One



2005 - Light In Our Soul



2005 - Mambo (Greenglish Version)



2006 - Υπάρχει Λόγος (There's A Reason)



2006 - Mambo (English Version)



2006 - Gigolo



2006 - Φως (Shine)



2006 - Aν Eίχες Έρθει Πιο Nωρίς (If You'd Come Earlier)



2007 - Mαζί Σου (With You)

Eurovision voting changes

Here's my two ideas to change the voting in Eurovision.

1) Points given to each competing country from each competing country

OK, so pretty self explanatory really, but each country gives points to every other country taking part in order of how well each country scored in the televote. This would mean votes given out in the final of between 1 and 24 points from each country. The points 22, 23 and 24 could still be announced as 8, 10 and 12 are now, whilst the lower points flash up automatically on the screen as points 1 through 7 do now.

The benefit of this system is that it gives a fairer representation of the success of each competing country. It ensures that a country needs to do better across the board than get a few high points from a few countries to still do well.

2) In the semi-final, the qualifiers should be the countries with the votes from the largest amount of other countries, irrespective of their actual score

In this way, a country with votes between 8 and 12 points from eight other countries, wouldn't qualify over a country receiving votes between 1 and 10 points from sixteen other countries. Tie-breaks could be split by using the current points system (or the points system above). In the 2007 semi-final under this system, the qualifiers would have been:-

Serbia - 38
Hungary - 35
Belarus - 29
Latvia - 29
Turkey - 27
Bulgaria - 27
Slovenia - 26
Georgia - 19
Andorra - 19
Poland - 19
Portugal - 15
Norway - 15
Moldova - 14
FYR Macedonia - 13
Albania - 11
Iceland - 10
Cyprus - 10
Denmark - 10
Switzerland - 10
Croatia - 9
Netherlands - 9
Estonia - 6
Montenegro - 6
Israel - 6
Malta - 3
Belgium - 2
Austria - 2
Czech Republic - 1

It doesn't make a difference at the extremes of the table, but does stop some countries having an unfair advantage of qualifying every year.

What do you think?

MUU & Being interviewed on Finnish TV

Kiitos Heli ja Tomi!!!

Also, for those who are unaware, I was also interviewed on Finnish TV twice in Helsinki, so I'm now something of a Finnish icon having sung Shanghain Valot at the top of my voice in a Finnish Karaoke bar. It was possibly not the finest hour of my life and sadly evidence of this exists on the internet, but you'll be hard pressed to get the website address from me.

Suffice to say it was broadcast on YLE extra. Oh dear!

They then invited me and Markku to the studio to film a segment of a chat show, in which I was asked about 6 questions to do with Athens and 2 about Helsinki! Go figure! This included the painful question "so which is nicer... Athens or Helsinki?" If ever an interviewer was gonna pick a dumb question this was the one to pick!! I think I just about held it together - well they weren't burning effigies of me in the street so we must've done ok... funniest moment having me singing Salvem El Món and trying in vain to get Markku to play the bongos on live TV.... only in Finland!!!

Quick plug for the muu café below!
http://www.muu.fi/eurovision2007

Pics of Helsinki

ME WITH ANONYMOUS FROM ANDORRA

To view all the pictures I took in Helsinki click on the link below....






http://www.box.net/shared/kftm9ih666

Glad that's over then....

...came back from hospital earlier today after my Tympanoplasty op.

It went well... I feel much better now than I did 24 hours after my last two Mastoidectomies... a bit dizzy and spaced out, but that's to be expected after a good few hours of surgery on me head!!

The cut's really small and just goes around the top part of my ear, not all the way round like the last couple of times... and big bonus.... my facial nerve's still intact so no facial paralysis, which is excellent.

Just gotta get better now and hope that it's a bit longer than 2 years before the tumour comes back again... fingers crossed!

For now though, things are good.

Back from Helsinki

We arrived back from Helsinki on Sunday afternoon... it's now Tuesday and I've had a couple of days to digest what happened over there.

OK, so what did I learn? Well most importantly I learnt a lot about friendship and what it takes to be a good friend (and also what traits I value in friendship). Secondly, I learnt that Finnish food isn't as bad as M. Chirac believes it is!!! We tried reindeer and I can tell you it's bloody good! Thirdly, I learnt that the Finns are a friendly, organised people, who are generally reserved (until Saturday night that is when I saw more drunks and more blatant drunkeness than I've ever seen in my life). Fourthly, I learnt that for right or wrong the Eastern European countries have become a major powerhouse in this Eurovision Contest.

The semi-final came and with great expectation we went to the Hartwall Areena wrapped in Andorran flags, convinced this was the year Andorra was certain to get out of the semis and make it to Saturday's event. I have to say that the semi-final was slickly presented and I can't find fault with the way the Finns presented the Contest. My only gripe was the empty seats given free to VIP's who failed to turn up.... this was bad, but at least it allowed us to move down and get a great view of the semi.

Watching all 28 semi-finalists perform, it was hard to pick the ten that would go through. It was possibly the strongest semi-final fielded so far... there wasn't one duff note and everyone really gave their all... We cheered hard for Andorra and given the reaction in the hall I was absolutely convinced they'd walk it.

Then came the announcements of the 10 qualifiers... Belarus (OK it was slick), FYR Macedonia (for the 4th year running and I really don't get this), Slovenia (yep she had a huge voice), Hungary (again yes, this was possibly the most credible song on offer), Georgia (well not my thing really, but a memorable show), Latvia (this was just bad opera to me), Serbia (not my thing, but she has an amazing voice), Bulgaria (this did sound massive in the arena), Turkey (again a great show and performance of a great RnB effort) and finally Moldova (yeh again she nailed this). So nothing from the west of Europe and no Andorra.

To say I was gutted would be an understatement. I was obviously in agreement to the rest of the audience due to the booing, which even drowned out the presenters. We chatted to the UK and Austrian commentators afterwards and both agreed with us that never has bloc voting been this extreme. On reflection, I can understand why 7 of the 10 qualified and I do believe that they were decent qualifiers, but FYR Macedonia, Georgia and Latvia? I just don't get it. How could they qualify over Andorra, Netherlands and Denmark? It's just odd and they way it came across was that the West is helpless against this blatant Eastern bloc voting.

This was backed up in the final, when the remaining Western countries competing:- Ireland, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden and Finland found themselves in the last third of the scoreboard come the end of the night. Surely they weren't ALL so bad? Ireland and the UK I can agree with (the performances were shockingly bad), but Germany? Sweden? Finland? they rocked and were light years ahead of Romania's, Bosnia's and Latvia's attempts. I dunno, the EBU seriously needs to sort this out before the West just thinks enough is enough and pack their bags.

However, it takes more than Eastern bloc votes to give a good placing and the Western countries are also voting for the Eastern countries. The reason? On balance they send better songs. They have better, more original performances. They know how to put on a show. It means much more to an artist from Belarus or Armenia to compete in Eurovision than it does an artist from the UK or Norway. And this is also part of the problem. How do we in the west convince a generation of people who still consider the Eurovision to be a contest of schlager music that it no longer is this? Schlager has had it's day and that was proven so dramatically in the semi-final.

On balance the top ten in the final all deserved their place there. There isn't one duff song (save the Ukrainian effort, but even that is cleverly camp, unlike the UK's naff camp). There isn't one duff performance in that top ten:- Serbia, Ukraine, Russia, Turkey, Bulgaria, Belarus, Greece, Armenia, Hungary and Moldova all nailed their performances and all deserve their top ten placings. There's no denying that bloc voting helps, but where was Bosnia, Slovenia, FYR Macedonia, Latvia, Georgia or Lithuania in this list? They were further down the table - proof that you need more than just having a lot of neighbours to do well at Eurovision. If all it took was having lots of neighbours, well Russia would win every year. Russia's never won. If Finland - a country never having got higher than 6th - can win in 2006, then surely all it takes for the West is to come up with a great song, a great act and a great performer. Sadly, the East just did this better than the West last Saturday night. The West still thinks of Eurovision as stuck in the past... the East see it as very much in the present and therefore they are always going to do better until the West realises this.

I'm still gutted for Andorra... they had a great song, a great performance and quite frankly, they were robbed. But, they got 12th place in the semi-final and were only 12 points behind qualifying. Similarly, Portugal shockingly came 11th in the semi - just 3 points behind qualifying - Portugal's best result for years. My advice to RTVA and also RTP.... don't give up. You were close this year and proof that with a little effort the West can do well. With a crap song you will always do bad - Montenegro (part of the former Yugoslavia) bombed big time in the semi-final.

All this talk of broadcasters withdrawing is bad sportsmanship in my opinion. Yes I agree that the EBU needs to look closely at the bloc voting (which is blatant) - especially in the semi-final where it is far more decisive I feel. But to simply have the Western broadcasters give up is bad taste. They just need to make more effort.

So... 2008... Belgrade here we come!

Download the winning song Molitva by Marija Šerifović below:-

Serbian version - http://www.box.net/shared/dpcrla3622

Serbian dance mix - http://www.box.net/shared/e28acoazpl

English version (Destiny) - http://www.box.net/shared/hlmtj58h0p

English dance mix (Destiny)- http://www.box.net/shared/catfao2fhl

Finnish version (Rukoilen) - http://www.box.net/shared/1poacxc847

Watch the winning performance below:-

Best of 2007 national finals:- part four

01 - Monrose - Even Heaven Cries
2nd in the German national final
http://www.box.net/shared/f702dokpen

02 - Jennifer Chevallier - Mon Étoile (My Star)
Unplaced in the French national final
http://www.box.net/shared/zoie57p4qg

03 - Sonya Aldén - För Att Du Finns (Because You Are)
6th in the Swedish national final
http://www.box.net/shared/0kitf0vhy3

04 - Tάμτα - With Love
2nd in the Greek national final
http://www.box.net/shared/knkgsjvkb4

05 - Luka Nižetić - Pusti Me U San (Let Me Into A Dream)
11th in the Croatian national final
http://www.box.net/shared/k0r97m6s9l

06 - Mariza Ikonomi - Ku Është Dashuria? (Where's The Love?)
3rd in the Albanian national final
http://www.box.net/shared/l9mccgb71i

07 - Trilogy - Starlight
2nd in the Maltese national final
http://www.box.net/shared/isyykg1s5v

08 - Johanna Kurkela - Olet Uneni Kaunein (You're My Most Beautiful Dream)
6th in the Finnish national final
http://www.box.net/shared/jsla8usuvm

09 - Hele Kõre & Kristjan Kasearu - Romeo Ja Julia (Romeo And Juliet)
2nd in the Estonian national final
http://www.box.net/shared/ry1ebb4esr

10 - Cyndi - I'll Leave My Heart
2nd in the British national final
http://www.box.net/shared/aex02bumn4

11 - Marie Lindberg - Trying To Recall
5th in the Swedish national final
http://www.box.net/shared/ks5sjmree3

12 - Дзiянa Гypцкaя - How Long?
2nd in the Belarussian national final
http://www.box.net/shared/luuznk75vx

13 - Vanessa & Henrique Feist - Além Do Sonho (Beyond The Dream)
3rd in the Portuguese national final
http://www.box.net/shared/ep0kc5ffnu

14 - Гpyпaтa - Back In Your Heart
5th in the Bulgarian national final
http://www.box.net/shared/jf9e5ycgbs

15 - Re:public - Home
6th in the Latvian national final
http://www.box.net/shared/oqoa2kj1az

Best of 2007 national finals:- part two

01 - Andra & Simplu - Dracula, My Love
Disqualified from the Romanian national final
http://www.box.net/shared/ba4nn26flx

02 - Кpyм - Дoкoгa (How Long)
Unplaced in the Bulgarian semi-final
http://www.box.net/shared/4xj7g684qo

03 - Medhi-T - On And On
2nd in the French national final
http://www.box.net/shared/t8ec783602

04 - Big Brovaz - Big Bro Thang
Unplaced in the British national final
http://www.box.net/shared/tbpy6dvah3

05 - Coфи Mapинoвa И Уcтaтa - Я Tвoя (I'm Your's)
3rd in the Bulgarian national final
http://www.box.net/shared/mm5fc9stgq

06 - BZR feat. Cheb Hamid - Galbi
Unplaced in the French national final
http://www.box.net/shared/z2s5ml5cmy

07 - D'NASH - Tu Voz Se Apagará (Your Voice Will Fade Away)
3rd in the Spanish national final
http://www.box.net/shared/t019o9abej

08 - Arne Lauri & Deva Deva Dance - Supreme Nature
9th in the Estonian national final
http://www.box.net/shared/aaqb4ukrhc

09 - Eлeнa Пeтpecкa - Пeaм (I'm Singing)
5th in the FYR Macedonian national final
http://www.box.net/shared/jg9xus0ngg

10 - S-Lavina - Higher (Balkan Heart)
10th in the Bulgarian national final
http://www.box.net/shared/e16d8x5yz9

11 - Claudia Faniello - L-Imћabba Ghamja (Love Is Blind)
7th in the Maltese semi-final
http://www.box.net/shared/tq16ay7fe7

12 - Helena Vondráčková - Samba
Disqualified from the Czech national final
http://www.box.net/shared/jy94rzczzh

13 - Unknown artist - Báilame (Dance For Me)
Unplaced in the Spanish selection process
http://www.box.net/shared/h5tnjnxpdh

14 - Sebastian - Naj Svet Zakriči (Let The World Cry Out)
9th in the Slovenian national final
http://www.box.net/shared/e5fhlgmeu0

15 - Maja Гpoздaнoвcкa Пaнчeвa - Кaвиjap И Cвилa (Caviar And Silk)
15th in the FYR Macedonian national final
http://www.box.net/shared/epukitydo2

16 - Feminnem - Navika (Habit)
9th in the Croatian national final
http://www.box.net/shared/mgxp61o69s

Best of 2007 national finals:- part one

Download my favourite songs of the 2007 national finals season. I've only included studio quality versions, which explains the lack of anything from Armenia, and I've tried to be as democratic as possible and find something from every country. However I was unable to find anything worthwhile from Montenegro as all 10 songs in their final were, in my opinion, rubbish!

01 - Elli U - Trans-European Express
10th in the first Latvian semi-final
http://www.box.net/shared/m3p5zzidot

02 - Andreas Lundstedt - Move
6th in the first Swedish semi-final
http://www.box.net/shared/ipxgoxcznl

03 - Indiggo - Lovestruck
Withdrawn from the Romanian national final
http://www.box.net/shared/yrvcb7h0vm

04 - Infinity - Hooked On You
Unplaced in the Norwegian national final
http://www.box.net/shared/a02pezyduh

05 - Пeтя Пaвлoвa - Runaway
Unplaced in the Bulgarian semi-final
http://www.box.net/shared/sg87fcr54n

06 - Cвaякi - Caлoдкi Mëдзiк (Tasty Honey)
5th in the Belarussian semi-final
http://www.box.net/shared/4l1rubeqf4

07 - Hafsteinn Þórólfsson - Þú Tryllir Mig (You Make Me Mad)
3rd in the Icelandic national final
http://www.box.net/shared/xflctfy1jh

08 - Måns Zelmerlöw - Cara Mia (My Beloved)
3rd in the Swedish national final
http://www.box.net/shared/zlr7uufr38

09 - Charizma - Emily
Unplaced in the Polish national final
http://www.box.net/shared/n9pmofm5i8

10 - Laura Voutilainen - Take A Chance
4th in the Finnish national final
http://www.box.net/shared/mj40x316cn

11 - Ragnheiður Eiríksdóttir - Ég Og Heilinn Minn (Me And My Mind)
Unplaced in the Icelandic national final
http://www.box.net/shared/rmnyb2o0qy

12 - Sopho Khalvashi - Fantasy Land
4th in the Georgian national final
http://www.box.net/shared/ef8mv3ksdt

13 - Vanilla Ninja - Birds Of Peace
4th in the Estonian national final
http://www.box.net/shared/poc4djtz09

14 - Elin Lanto - Money
Lost to Kom by Jessica Andersson in the Swedish wild-card round
http://www.box.net/shared/tj0jxghzil

15 - Aвiaтop - Aнгeли (Angels)
5th in the Ukrainian national final
http://www.box.net/shared/sc6qyiuzvq

Portugal:- Studio version

The last studio version from the songs for 2007 is here. At long last!

http://www.box.net/shared/ls7rm3m5od

A few good men

Today the US military announced that they would no longer allow army soldiers / marines to have large visible tattoos other than those they already possess.

What a shame I say as it'll lead to less of this:-



In order to ensure that the finest American military guys don't go getting any more tattoos, the army is photographing each soldier. Oh to be that photographer!

I can but dream!!!!

Joleen, Joleen, Joleen, Joleen!

On Saturday night David, Nicola and myself went to see Dolly at Sheffield Arena. It was all very poppy and not as good as the last time I saw her when she played with only a bluegrass band. However, her voice was, as usual, note perfect and she played a couple of the songs I like including Shine, Two Doors Down and Joleen. Sadly though she never did some of my favourites, especially her version of Stairway To Heaven, which is amazing. For me she could have done more bluegrass as I always think that's where she really excels and not in songs like Those Were The Days, but there ya go!

Ukraine:- Studio version

If you're seriously head-fucked then you can find the Ukrainian entry below in studio quality.

It's mental and hideously infectious... I'm having a bad feeling.... very bad.

The title change is to avoid the confusion that they had sung "I want to hear you say... Russia goodbye" in the national final version. Apparently they never did such a thing!

Oh they wouldn't have done that to secure a big vote from the anti-Russian lobby in Ukraine. Would they? Hahaha...

They've said "lasha tumbai" is Mongolian, but according to the Mongolian embassy in Kyiv it ain't!!! Who knows!

Crazy!

Вєрка Сердючка - Dancing Lasha Tumbai

http://www.box.net/shared/4fpm1tztdl

Flying the UK flag (but not for me)

The British national final (and last one of this year) was held last night in Maidstone. Five of the six entries were well sung and whilst not all of the five would have been great ESC entries, I could have supported them.

Sadly the worst act won. For those that still don't know that was Scooch with their song Flying The Flag (For You).

They can't sing, they can't dance, they have zero song-writing ability. They have used every camp, gay innuendo in the book. They represent nothing of the current UK music scene. They are plastic pieces of nothing.

To say I'm embarrassed is an understatement.

I feel sorry for Cyndi (who sang her heart out) and what Wogan did to her at the end. He said that she'd won, when in fact she had come second... however we never saw the result of the televote and it all seems a bit suspicious to me.

I feel sorry for Big Brovaz (who were fucking excellent and took defeat graciously) whose career is now ruined by the idiotic British public.

I don't feel sorry for Justin Hawkins, who proved what an arrogant bastard he is by storming off the stage in a strop.

I feel sorry for the rest of Europe who will have to endure this nonsense on 12 May.

I feel sorry for the country that comes 11th in the semi when we have squandered our automatic place in the final with this.

Wogan should be sacked, how he decries "johnny foreigner" and makes people not take their opinion seriously is beyond me. The opinion of the 41 foreign countries was that Big Brovaz should be first with Cyndi second. Terry made people think that the opinions of the other 41 countries don't matter when ultimately that is ALL that matters. The BBC should pull out of ESC and give it to Channel 4 or take a year's break and evaluate the way they select the British entry.

We deserve nothing more than 0 points with this in my opinion.

And to all those Brits who will decry another abysmal UK result in Helsinki, they should take a look back at the MYMU on 17 March and think... well we only have ourselves to blame.

Scooch - Flying The Flag (For You)

The mp3 is here:- http://www.box.net/shared/ac0gkqvfei

Ear we go again!

On Friday I got some bad news.

I was at the hospital for a check-up on my ears when they told me that I've got a new tumour in my left ear. Again. This is the 3rd time now and only 18 months after the last one.

To say I'm gutted is an understatement. It's benign, but is attached to my inner ear so is quite dodgy, which means they need to operate quite soon. So... 3 days after we get back from Helsinki, I'll be in hospital having me head drilled apart... hahaha... soon there'll be fuck all left in there!

I'm so worried that this time I'm gonna lose my facial nerve... I mean how many times can they get in there without doing damage to it... not even to say if the cholesteatoma has damaged the nerve anyway. Because it's in a nasty place the risk of me losing 100% of my hearing in my left ear is about 90% apparantly, but to be honest that doesn't bother me as much as the possible paralasis to my face.

Luckily I saw the consultant who had a proper look inside, which is good as it might have been missed by a more junior doctor who would have said come back in 6 months!

I sound a bit doom and gloom and that's not what I want to sound like... I just want people to know that cholesteatoma is evil and it's not just an ear infection. There's little widespread knowledge of it and if me talking about it helps anyone then that's good.

All I have to say is that the risks are nasty and I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy... I don't know 100%, but I always wonder if I was misdiagnosed with my ear problems as a kid and if I had been correctly treated would I find myself in this situation now.

If you know any kids who have been diagnosed with glue ear, it's worth getting a second opinion from an ENT consultant or specialist. If they detect it as cholesteatoma in its early stages, then it can be removed and the child will likely have a good chance of it never recurring and of regaining 99% of their hearing. Leave cholesteatoma and the tumour will grow as the child grows:- it could then cause total hearing loss, facial paralasis, body paralasis, loss of taste, meningitis, abcesses in the brain and ultimately death.

So... my op is on 16 May and we'll see what happens from there.

Oh dear

What the fuck have we done?