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At least it appears they are taking Eurovision more seriously this year. It seems rather British to enter a poo poo act, then wonder why you come last when a lot of other countries enter the best acts they have available and promote the poo poo out of them before the contest.
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 11:33 |
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# ? May 15, 2024 03:03 |
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Thing is, when the UK did take Eurovision fairly seriously in 2009, it went quite well: got someone well-known (if a tad Andrew LLoyd Webber-y) involved, went through a relatively rigorous selection process, got someone who could actually sing, prmoted the crap out of it across Europe, and ended up with a reasonably respectable 5th. Then last year, sent some poor lad with no preparation, with a bobbins song, and got surprised when it came last. To be honest, I preferred the 2009 option. Tinribs fucked around with this message at 14:14 on Jan 30, 2011 |
# ? Jan 30, 2011 11:47 |
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Wonders of the Universe March 6th, 9PM BBC 2.
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 12:41 |
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I always thought there was a rule that you couldn't enter someone with an existing record contract and that's why we always entered new people. Is that just something I imagined?
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 13:04 |
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Pyrovile posted:I always thought there was a rule that you couldn't enter someone with an existing record contract and that's why we always entered new people. Is that just something I imagined? Nah, a lot of the other countries enter people who are supposedly really famous in Russia or Finland or whatever, it's just us who enters people no one has ever heard of all the time.
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 13:19 |
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Pyrovile posted:I always thought there was a rule that you couldn't enter someone with an existing record contract and that's why we always entered new people. Is that just something I imagined? Nope, the rule is that you can't enter a song that has been previously released for sale, ie. new material is fine.
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 13:41 |
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Pyrovile posted:I always thought there was a rule that you couldn't enter someone with an existing record contract and that's why we always entered new people. Is that just something I imagined? While there's nothing in the rules about it, I think there's an unspoken contract that we won't send The Rolling Stones or someone similarly high-profile. We should also shoot Lloyd-Webber and Cowell if they even look in it's direction. L-W because he really doesn't understand the show and made a bollox of it, and Cowell because he wants to. It might be a good idea to we should actually take up the offers from Jarvis Cocker, Morrissey and the like who keep saying they'll write it?
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 13:41 |
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Rarity posted:Nope, the rule is that you can't enter a song that has been previously released for sale, ie. new material is fine. So how come Lordi's song was available on an album a few months beforehand?
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 13:54 |
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Rarity posted:Because Israel is a member of the European Broadcasting Comission (I think that's it's name). See also, Israel's participation in the European section of World Cup qualifiers. That's different though. Isreal are in UEFA because it would be too dangerous for them to be in the Asia confederation. Anyway, Jedward may be representing Ireland.
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 13:57 |
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Junkenstein posted:So how come Lordi's song was available on an album a few months beforehand? There's a cutoff, and it's probably before the Semifinals and stuff that are barely publicised.
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 13:58 |
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I mean I don't think there is an unwritten rule about not sending our top bands or singers in to the Eurovision, it is more that if you are a successful British musician why would you enter something that is regarded as incredibly naff and a massive joke?
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 14:09 |
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Kerbtree posted:While there's nothing in the rules about it, I think there's an unspoken contract that we won't send The Rolling Stones or someone similarly high-profile. I wouldn't say Lloyd-Webber made that much of a bollocks of it compared to some of what we've sent: quick check at previous years shows his was the UK's best result since 2002 (and still is at the mo). Taking the Cocker / Morrissey option could be a good one, seeing as this year shows nobody cares about the whole Song For Britain or whatever palaver any more. But then the backlash you'd receive if they did a Sebastien Tellier and didn't get anywhere near the top of the final would just be a pain. Sorry, just realised I've written the most I have in a year and it's about Eurovision.
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 14:23 |
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Speaking of Sebastien Tellier it reminds me that one of the nice things about the Eurovision is you get to hear some of the best music that other countries have to offer. Sure it is surrounded by Serbs wearing plastic and dancing in perspex cages, but you don't often get to see acts like Tellier or those Estonian violin players or whatever on British TV.
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 14:31 |
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Uncertain Frog posted:If we seriously wanted to win the thing (though why would we) we need to take a look at the rest of Europe and the sort of things they put forward. They don't want a generic boyband song, they want something stuck in the late 80's / mid 90's, plenty of neon, smoke machines, fans and pyrotechnics and hopefully an electric violin or two. They want a good song and they want to see we're trying and taking it seriously, nothing more. Scooch or that x-factor bin man fit your criteria and they bombed horribly because the Europeans rightly realised that we were not taking it seriously and were just mocking them. In fact the overriding respone to the x-factor guy was "He was a bin man? Are you loving serious? Why are you sending us this? The UK has many great bands, why do you always send us this poo poo?" We will never win if we send what we think they want because we always get it wrong. Besides, what DO they want? There is more variety in Eurovision songs than we perhaps think. Should we send a ballad? How about a dancy number? Or maybe an "indie" song like Germany did last year? Or maybe opera? or some sort of easy European tribal music ? We will only ever win if we send something that is genuinely, sincerely on par with what we are capable of producing. Tinribs posted:someone well-known (if a tad Andrew LLoyd Webber-y) It WAS Andrew Lloyd Webber. He was sat on stage during the performance "playing the Piano"! Alan BStard posted:if you are a successful British musician why would you enter something that is regarded as incredibly naff and a massive joke? It is a shame that it is this way but it's only us who consider it as a massive joke. Naff it may be but Europe in general takes it seriously, if with tongue-in-cheek. Other countries enter popular bands from their countries, but we never have until now which I suppose I should be applauding, but it's sticking in my throat because we've not had a say in who or what is going, we've just been told and it feels unfair, like a cynical attempt by a band who wants to ride on the Return Of Take That coattails and this is their fast track to achieve it.
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 15:14 |
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DaWolfey posted:They want a good song and they want to see we're trying and taking it seriously, nothing more. I agree entirely, I think a lot of the blame for this lands squarely on the shoulders of Terry Wogan. Don't get me wrong, I love Wogan and his commentary was always the highlight of the whole thing, but in the UK he was the face of Eurovision, and that face was one constantly making jokes about how poo poo it was. It should come as no surprise that after years of that, everyone in the UK thinks the Eurovision is poo poo and a massive joke. Then everyone complains about how we don't win and it must be because those cheating continentals all vote for each other.
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 15:24 |
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DaWolfey posted:It is a shame that it is this way but it's only us who consider it as a massive joke. Naff it may be but Europe in general takes it seriously, if with tongue-in-cheek. Ireland don't really take it seriously either. We sent a famous puppet last year (?) and this year we're apparently sending those tall-haired wank jobs.
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 16:02 |
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Steve Higginson posted:Ireland don't really take it seriously either. We sent a famous puppet last year (?) and this year we're apparently sending those tall-haired wank jobs. Ireland know drat well that if they wanted to win it, they could. When they try, they win. They choose not to because they can't afford it.
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 16:47 |
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Alan BStard posted:Speaking of Sebastien Tellier it reminds me that one of the nice things about the Eurovision is you get to hear some of the best music that other countries have to offer.
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 16:54 |
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DaWolfey posted:Ireland know drat well that if they wanted to win it, they could. When they try, they win. They choose not to because they can't afford it. That's not true. We put in a reasonably popular singer/songwriter a few years back and he got nowhere. I think he was favourite with the bookies here or something. He's poo poo, but the type of thing that should do well at it. Since then, we've stopped taking it seriosually and as Steve Higginson said above, we sent this a couple of years back:
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 17:21 |
DaWolfey posted:Ireland know drat well that if they wanted to win it, they could. When they try, they win. They choose not to because they can't afford it. The only true Irish Eurovision winner is My Lovely Horse.
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 17:52 |
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Ratjaculation posted:Wonders of the Universe Oh my. I seem to have got an erection. Wonders of the Solar System was one of the best and most engaging shows I have ever seen. I am very excited for this.
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 19:57 |
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SeanBeansShako posted:The only true Irish Eurovision winner is My Lovely Horse. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzYzVMcgWhg
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 20:03 |
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Cypriots and Greeks go loving mental for Eurovision. I lived with a few of them and they were genuinely perplexed when I told them I wouldn't be making an extra special effort to watch it. They had a huge party and were especially loud that evening (they have one volume and it's SHOUTING).
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 21:23 |
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Royality posted:Cypriots and Greeks go loving mental for Eurovision. I lived with a few of them and they were genuinely perplexed when I told them I wouldn't be making an extra special effort to watch it. They had a huge party and were especially loud that evening (they have one volume and it's SHOUTING). To be fair, having a Eurovision party is pretty awesome. I hate X-Factor and all that sort of processed pop gubbins, but going to a party with about 20 other people, picking out a country to cheer on and drinking the national drink of said country whilst noisily berating the blatantly prejudiced Eastern Bloc voters is jolly good fun. Last year I recall cheering on a couple of women whose costumes exploded into giant butterfly wings during their final chorus. It was amazingly entertaining. You just don't get that level of pure, joyous insanity in the cynical world of British and American pop.
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 21:36 |
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So apparently Blue have a rather big fan base in Europe. My sister's a huge Eurovision geek and has been to Eastern Europe tons and they still get airplay over there. She reckons we've actually given ourselves a decent shot this year, and while I'm not entirely convinced about that I can buy that Blue are loved by other countries. After all, Germany adores the Hoff.
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 21:40 |
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I think everywhere that was conquered by Alexander the Great should be allowed to join Eurovision. Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, India... Also Kerbtree your av reminded me to check today's Oglaf
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 22:35 |
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Rarity posted:So apparently Blue have a rather big fan base in Europe. My sister's a huge Eurovision geek and has been to Eastern Europe tons and they still get airplay over there. She reckons we've actually given ourselves a decent shot this year, and while I'm not entirely convinced about that I can buy that Blue are loved by other countries. After all, Germany adores the Hoff.
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 22:50 |
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Akuma posted:I always assumed this was seriously overplayed by the Hoff himself. Is that not the case?
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# ? Jan 30, 2011 23:10 |
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Irisi posted:Last year I recall cheering on a couple of women whose costumes exploded into giant butterfly wings during their final chorus. Belarus, it was Belarus. And I'd say there's at least one act a year that is pretty decent. It was Lena last year - her album is amazing! And she's entering again for Germany this year which I find a bit bizzare.
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# ? Jan 31, 2011 00:51 |
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Taear posted:And I'd say there's at least one act a year that is pretty decent. It was Lena last year Oh Jesus you are literally wrong about everything, aren't you? That song was loving dogshit, it made me want to perforate my eardrums. Edit: Well at least she got naked on TV. HoldYourFire fucked around with this message at 01:50 on Jan 31, 2011 |
# ? Jan 31, 2011 01:40 |
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HoldYourFire posted:Oh Jesus you are literally wrong about everything, aren't you? That song was loving dogshit, it made me want to perforate my eardrums. It was a great song and definitely deserved to win. It's pretty similar to a lot of the decent music that's in the charts nowadays too. She should release her album in the UK!
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# ? Jan 31, 2011 02:43 |
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HoldYourFire posted:Oh Jesus you are literally wrong about everything, aren't you? That song was loving dogshit, it made me want to perforate my eardrums. That song was so terrible that even now it sends my sister in to a rage should I say the word "Eurovision" around her.
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# ? Jan 31, 2011 03:49 |
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And here is the reason why no good UK bands ever enter Eurovision.http://eurovisiontimes.wordpress.com/2011/01/31/manager-blues-eurovision-bid-is-reckless-insanity/ posted:This Saturday the BBC announced that the boy band Blue would reunite and represent the United Kingdom at the Eurovision Song Contest in Germany this May. The band will enter their self-penned song “I can” into the competition. Now their former manager Daniel Glatman has called the decision of his former protegés to represent the United Kingdom “reckless insanity“. “They will have to win. Anything less and their reputation would be in tatters. It is the equivalent of Lewis Hamilton entering a go-kart race - he will be the strong favourite but there is also the possibility he could lose. So why risk it?,” he explained. Fear of humiliation. Humiliation being not winning because obviously we would have to win against all these unknown foreigners or we'd be a laughing stock of the whole world! Can't even win against Lordi? A rock band that's been around since 1996 and have made 5 albums? Nope, you've destroyed your reputation if you lose against them. Or how about that weirdo Verka Serduchka? What? 8 albums you say? Not just a Eurovision fad artist? Beloved in the Ukraine? Nope - sorry your reputation would be in tatters if you lost against him.
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# ? Jan 31, 2011 09:48 |
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Yeah, Britain's attitude towards Eurovision is based on the arrogant assumption that we are better then everyone else taking part in a stupid gimmicky song contest. What we fail to understand is a lot of countries that take part take things very seriously, and consider the greatest prize in Eurovision to be a chance to show their country off to Europe. Take Turkey for example, the last eight years they've had five top 4 entries, including one winner, and they always use established acts.
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# ? Jan 31, 2011 11:11 |
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Thinking more about it, I am kinda happy that Blue are doing this. Ok, they're poo poo (by my taste) and ok, they're doing it to stage a comeback but at least they are (or were) an established, popular band who is apparently known and liked in Europe already. I am starting to see this as the first unsure and trembling step of a country who may be starting to realise that we must send good artists. We have everything to gain if we win (or are more successful than in recent years at least) and if we lose? Well it's only Blue they're 10 years old and they're poo poo and why don't we send a better band next year.
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# ? Jan 31, 2011 13:21 |
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Ratjaculation posted:Wonders of the Universe Hell yeah! Just got Wonders of the Solar System on BluRay - so much so much
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# ? Jan 31, 2011 14:14 |
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Brown Moses posted:Yeah, Britain's attitude towards Eurovision is based on the arrogant assumption that we are better then everyone else taking part in a stupid gimmicky song contest. What we fail to understand is a lot of countries that take part take things very seriously, and consider the greatest prize in Eurovision to be a chance to show their country off to Europe. Well pretty much every time i've watched eurovision it's been a stupidly cheesy and tacky event where all the entries are just as bad as each other.
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# ? Jan 31, 2011 15:17 |
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So Channel One (formerly Virgin 1) is being closed tonight. A bit of trivia is that this is the larges channel ever to close down on British TV (Bravo holds the record as far as market share goes).
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# ? Jan 31, 2011 15:40 |
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Taear posted:Belarus, it was Belarus. That's great. It really adds to the winner stays on idea. Maybe if Blue win we should have them back time and time again until they are toppled. It's great the artist has been pre-chosen, and a massive improvement over recent years, where 'our choice' is a sham pick of terrible terrible options. If Blue had to enter a race to be chosen for representation, they never would've done it (although I think Anthony Costa tried by himself one year) for fear of not getting chosen. Justin Hawkins lost to Scooch and almost died on tv. I think they'll do pretty well with a good song. (INTERESTING FACT: Gary Barlow wrote a few songs for Blue in his post-solo pre-reunion years, none of which were used as singles. An album track he wrote ripped off Dr Dre!)
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# ? Jan 31, 2011 15:41 |
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# ? May 15, 2024 03:03 |
Goodnight, fresh prince.
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# ? Jan 31, 2011 15:42 |