I am one of those people who are addicted to Wikipedia and who can surf aimlessly for hours, finding out random bits and pieces and add up to all the trivial knowledge I already possessed.
Thanks to the German-languaged Wikipedia I now know that Beatrix Neundlinger is still around. I am definately weak for Beatrix. Very, very talented indeed and enigmatically beautiful, she was the natural point of focus both times she represented Austria in the ESC, as part of The Milestones in 1972 and with Schmetterlinge in 1977.
Last year she had a new entry and is still active. I am very happy to see that. And the musical snippets sound good. Check her website out here. She still looks fantastic, you know.
The Milestones - Falter im Wind - Austria 1972 5/18
Schmetterlinge - Boom Boom Boomerang - Austria 1977 17/18
Doesn't Laka's "Pokusaj" reminisce a bit of Alf Poier's "Weil der Mänsch zählt" from 2003, at least madness-wise? The attitude, the madness... not to mention priceless sidekicks.
Alf had his wonderful Tamara Stadnikow in red - Laka has his sister.
The real difference is that "Pokusaj" is an almost perfect composition, while Alf was more fun than good, in all fairness.
(What else unites them? They both compete in years when I sit at home instead of being present in the hall. Hooray.)
Alf Poier - Weil der Mänsch zählt - Austria 2003 6/26
Today, twelve years ago, I attended my first Eurovision, in Oslo, Norway. Looking back on it now, I am extremely happy to have been there and seen it, the last dinosaur Eurovision ever held.
It is very much old school, the way the contest was in the 90's when people were mainly watching out of habit and nobody in the recording industry enthused particularly about the event. There is a huge orchestra that efficiently erases every single drop of originality and own profile of each entry, and most songs sent in more or less sopoforic ballads in an attempt not to stand out enough to annoy the judges and at least attract some sympathy points from some bored jury.
Compared to 1995, the level of songs were at least a few steps up. Quite a few of the songs are good ones, and had there been compilations issued back then, some of them could have become at least radio hits. Very few of the singers really shone on the night, however, and most of the ditties sound better on record.
The craziest entry, by far, was a violent gospel from Austria and the most modern effort, from Gina G of the UK, managed to get a new rule through - for the first time ever anyone could use a drum machine in the backing tracks. The following year, it would be up to every country how heavy backing tracks they wanted and if they wanted any orchestra at all.
NRK really wanted the show to look modern and hip, but made use of some visual gimmicks that look very dated today. Much fuss was made about the virtual reality-studio where the score board was animated, but the voting was like any old voting back then, complete with Irish victory and all.
It could come across as if I didn't like the 1996 contest at all, and I must admit that the total production isn't among my favourites. But it doesn't matter, it is the year that my dream came true, to see Eurovision up close and personal. And I got to interview Maja Blagdan and wave my handmade Estonian flags for "Kaelakee hääl". (If I had only known then that we had Kreisiraadio coming...)
Maarja-Liis Ilus & Ivo Linna - Kaelakee hääl - Estonia 1996 5/23
I had to lend an eye and an ear to the rehearsals of Croatia, as they are one of my top personal favourites this year. They also have a few things to work on, especially they should think about giving some sedatives to dear old 75 Cents.
In the rehearsal he got a bit screamy and carried away, just like in the Dora final, and I dig him more when he is relaxed and sounds a bit sorry, like he does in the clip.
But he is adorable in the interview... "Was wollen Sie?"
Kraljevi Ulice & 75 Cents - Romanca - Croatia 2008
As I shaved this morning, it hit me that this song bears some vague ressemblance to an old, forgotten Eurosong, namely the Austrian entry of 1981 that nobody understood at the time. Too much dancing and weirdness, and too little focus on the song. Maybe Marty Brem should leap out of obscurity and attempt a comeback these days, when everybody brings ladders and books and dancers in a box?
Now, when everyone is happily rehearsing in Belgrade, I must admit that I still miss Austria. It is so easy to make fun of them and their somewhat pretentious attitude towards this old contest, but I would be a fool to deny that I like many of their entries through the years.
Besides, the years ORF bothered to make national finals, they always looked great and were sometimes way better tv-productions than song contests. I still hope for ORF to come back with a vengeance, so we can all go to Vienna.
Until then, let's reminisce with one of the best Austrian entries to date, and one of the best preview clips as well.
Thomas Forstner - Nur ein Lied - Austria 1989 5/22
Again Denmark has selected a song for Eurovision and yet again I stand here with my mouth hanging open. The Danes present at the event seem to be madly in love with this singalong, and I don't understand a bit what makes them all worked up like this.
The Danes are our brothers, we love them and cherish them. But lately, I have no idea what they are up to. To my ears, "All Night Long" sounds more like a jingle telling the kids that their tv-shows are coming up than a pop song. It is a very anemic little thing with very little going for it. A pleasant rhythm, I will give it that much. But there is no chorus, just an endless repeat of the words "All Night Long". It feels like it goes on all night long.
If everyone is just bonkers about Simon Mathew singing, then I can clearly understand them. He is an asset - he has the looks, the voice, the presence... Everything but the song, in fact. This is the kind of waste of talent that Austria normally does: good singer, hopeless song (Manuel Ortega, anyone? Eric Papilaya?) and not a chance in the entire Universe to score into the final.
Sorry Denmark. This won't do. Find something that will shake us up a bit next year. Safe and boring doesn't become you.
I read somewhere that late 80's/early 90's darlings New Kids On The Block will attempt a comeback. Nice. Just what the world needed. But that is usually what happens in showbiz - you feel you can contribute no more, and then, one day, for reasons best known to yourself, you decide to join the fun and crash the party again.
You know, just like Austria in Eurovision.
They come with big ambitions, they go home with bitter disappointment, they drop out and then they always come back in the end. Austria is the NKOTB of Eurovision, in other words.
So, welcome back, Austria. Will we have to wait 14 years for you too?
