Gerbera, originally uploaded by http://andrewskelton.net.
It’s wrong I know.. I really shouldn’t.. in fact I shouldn’t even be discussing it with anyone, but then Dear Reader, you’re not just anyone are you… we’ve been through so much over the last 17 months of daily blogging so I feel I can trust you. Are you sitting down as I have a rather major admittance? I’m watching… E..e..eu… give me a minute and I should be able to say it… I’m watching the Eurovision Song Contest. For many years I wouldn’t give the songs, the show, in fact the very idea of the Song Contest the time of day, until watching the 2006 contest, a Finnish Heavy Metal shock-rock band bedecked in outfits that looked like they’d walked straight out of Mordor won the contest. This one band, for me, had subverted and ridiculed a contest that seemed to have taken itself too serious for many years and from that point onwards I’ve started to enjoy the spectacle… waiting for another Lordi (the band in question) to stick two fingers up to a competition where the songs all tend to sound the same (Russia are on at the moment, and they aren’t falling into the latter category (though they’re no heavy metal band) it’s a 8 old ladies singing a bit of a eurobeat song… daft, but it’s making me smile!).
Iceland are on at the moment and for one second I was actually quite scared! A male and female act, I’d not heard of the female but the man’s name sent a shiver down my spine… Jonsi. Now that might not mean much to you, but I was seriously concerned that it was Jonsi of Sigur Ros fame, a band I’ve mentioned many times and just the thought of one of their songs has me welling up now – I’ve mentioned the song enough, but I’ll say it again Hoppipolla. Of course, I should have known a serious artist like Jonsi wouldn’t enter such a contest any more than someone like Tom Jones or Engelbert Humperdinck would, and one look at the chap singing put my mind at rest that it wasn’t the man who’s written some of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard (up there with the Cocteau Twins).
I’m not sure when England’s entrant will be on, but it’s suddenly struck me we should enter New Order one year (as long as Hookie joins in of course). They have the type of sound that would fit right in and yet retain some sort of coolness about them. Taking it one step further, I’d actually like to have seen the earlier incarnation of New Order play.. Joy Division. The spectacle of the late Ian Curtis “dancing”** – if you’ve never witness him dance… well… let’s just say there never has been and never will be anyone like Curtis, he’s up there with Hendrix, Joplin, Morrisson, Elvis, Lennon, White to name but a few. One of the best versions I’ve seen of the “Keep Calm and Carry On” paraphrases was an homage to Curtis – “Keep Calm and Dance Like Ian Curtis”. You’ll understand the irony of that once you see this video.
Photography? Oh yes, I took over 800 photos for my son’s football team today as they were playing in a competition against a local team. Having reviewed the photos over 500 are “keepers” which is a pretty good hit rate – and I actually deleted the ones I wasn’t happy with. When I say keepers, I’m not just referring to the ones that are not as sharp as I’d like but ones that I don’t think are very “artistic”.
Right, they’re about to go to speak to Englands entry who was on first, and which I missed, it’s oh… damn… it’s Engelbert Humperdinck!
* First title is Humperdinck’s song, the second Joy Division!
** This isn’t actually Ian Curtis, it’s from the film about him, but it’s an uncanny resemblance.
Andrew Skelton: 
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