VICKIE'S WORLD

Well, not a real discovery, really. It's not something for which I started with a clue and tracked until I had found the band. Rather, I saw them on a DVD my Norwegian friend Kristin sent to me. She had recorded the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest http://www.eurovision.tv/english/index.htm Each year, this contest happens, and at the moment, about 37 countries in Europe and the middle east participate. It's been going on for about 50 years without many people in American being aware of it! Europe loves it like America loves American Idol. But Eurovision is a better conttest, in my opinion. First, it's the song that's entered, and the song must be original. Secondly...there are no music style or genre limitations. Third...the performance of the song is an entire band or musical act...very rarely a lone singer with a soundtrack. All of Europe votes, and the winning country hosts the next year's contest. it's very cool.

In any case, I was COMPLETELY blown awat by the Norwegian entry, Wig Wam! I already stated that I've always had a love and appreciation for hair metal. I was sorry to see the music industry move beyond it. But then, in 2003, a British Band, The Darkness, released their single "I Believe in a Thing Called Love", along with the video that let everyone know there was a retro-band out there trying to revive the hair/glam/stadium rock type thing. I was totally happy to see this happen, but very disappointed in the example. In my opinion, they are more of a spoof band than a revival, and Justin Hawkins' voice just falls short of "good".

But then...as I was watching this Eurovision thing Kristin had sent me, after a few other acts, I saw this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyomLDnnSsU&search=wig%20wam AND YES, IT'S ALL IN ENGLISH!! WOW!!! I mean HOLY CRAP!!!!! The REAL THING! This guy SO blows Hawkins out of the water with vocals. For one thing, he's able to hold onto his high-pitched falsetta and pull off solid vocals without sounding like a squealing girl.

Well, as soon as I heard this, I had to find more. And find more I did. I made myself a CD, and CDs for many of my friends, and now Wig Wam is a staple of listening among us all. What a fresh breath of hard rock air!! They do have a web page http://www.wigwam.no/ Just click the British flag at the bottom to enter and see everything in English. Once you're on the page, put your cursor over MEDIA and it'll drop a menu. Choose MUSIC/VIDEO, then click on the Hard to be a Rock 'n' Roller Listening Tour. This will play a music file that is a series of samples from almost all their songs.

I do have favorites, however. Despite the fact that I was able to see "In My Dreams" performed, my absolute favorite Wig Wam song is "Hard to Be a Rock 'n' Roller". it's not only kick-ass, but damn funny, too! Next would be "Out of Time". it's a typical metal song that harkens back to the material of Malmsteen, Sabbath and Maiden. It's a song about a guy getting ready to be hanged, reflecting on life and remembering his love. VERY awesome song! NEXT would be "In My Dreams", followed up by "Tell Me Where to Go"...just because it's the first power metal ballad we've had in a very long time! In the listening tour on the web site, samples of these fall:
Out of Time - 3rd
Hard to Be a Rock 'n' Roller - 5th
Tell Me Where to Go - 6th

But don't just stop at the clips. Find these songs if you're a rocker. You'd be a negligent rocker if you didn't!


But the song contest did show me a few other songs I liked very much. Unlike Wig Wam, however, I was able to find much more at all by any of the artists. The first is a group representing Serbia & Montenegro. They're actually called No Name...and they're a boy band. Ordinarily, I hate boy bands..but this group, because the cultural aspect of their country is part of their act, were not a burden. The dancing was cultural...not the crap we've been getting out of boy bands here since the 80's. Also, the song is just realy good. It bores into your brain and stays there a long time, despite it not being in English. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a clip of the very awesome stage performance, but here is the music video for their song "Zauvijek Moja": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCfzCCsGFd4&search=Zauvijek%20Moja I love the drum in this song, actually. And during the Eurovision performance, they had two kettle drums, one on each side of the stage, and during the performance, two of the guys grabbed up sticks and beat the hell out of the, like a couple of island natives with arms flying high and coming down with some serious power.

Also, I hate rap...but this band from the Ukraine, Green Jolly, does a rap in their language that is just as catchy as the Serbian's boy band song. It's "Razom Nas Bahato", and unfortunately, I could find no music or video file to link to. But find it to download and give it a listen!

Next, the Russian rock song "Nobody Hurt No One", performed by Natalia Podolskaya was one that I though was worth some merit. And it's in English! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlpQ0WWMlw4&search=eurovision%20nobody%20hurt

On the pretty ballad/contemporary side, I was impressed with two final entries. From Malta, Chira singing "Angel". No clips, unfortunately. And Israel's Shiri MayMon singing "Hasheket Shenishar" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Stg3svNqzc&search=eurovision%202005%20hasheket%20shenishar

This music is also amazing. Its da' bomb yo! LOL :) Especially Wig Wam and No Name. I have listened to "Zauvijek Moja" all day every day for the past week. Its catchy, I promise you!! Plus Wig Wam makes you just want to start head banging. Not that I would do that at this point because - A) I am at work and that would just be bad, and B) I have a head ache from heck and that would make it 10 times worse. LOL :) Anywho, its all good music. I also liked the Chira song "Angel" which I also have on my computer play list here at work. All good stuff. Thanks Vix!!!

Toodles,
L'Gitan