Bleeding Ears

I have a complaint. They have a music competition on TV here called Melodiefestivalen, which is sort of an American Idol type competition. But it's different, and they already have Swedish Idol here. I don't know how long this thing goes on, and I still don't quite understand how it works, but here's the general idea. They televise the competition every Sunday, which is a really big deal with the people around here, and especially the girls on Kristy's team. You see the performers being interviewed on news shows, see them featured in newspaper and magazine articles, and and see pictures around town in various places. The competition is open to everyone from bands, vocal groups, solo artists, etc, and the performers range from teenagers to people who look like they're in their 50's, and every kind of genre. And from what I have learned, a lot of these performers are already music stars in Sweden with music contracts and CD's. Each week there are 8 or so different artists/groups that perform. After everyone performs, they put numbers on the screen, and the viewers call in to vote. They have brackets, and narrow it down to the top 2 every week. But, just because an artist gets eliminated doesn't mean they're done. I don't really get it. But they somehow narrow it down week by week until they determine the winner. The winner then competes in a similar Europe-wide competition. 

Now, I believe everyone is entitled to their own opinion when it comes to music. But it doesn't mean I can't complain about it. THIS SHOW IS PISSING ME OFF. There are a few things about it that piss me off. First of all, there are some talented people on the show, with very good voices, and decent songs. The problem is, the one's I think are really good always lose to what I would consider some very bad artists, singing some very bad songs. It's usually the bands/groups that are terrible, in my opinion. The one's that, when you see them take the stage, you have to ask yourself if they're really serious. The song lyrics are horrible, and their outfits are worse. The people I like NEVER win. It baffles me. I don't know what people are thinking when they vote for some of these clowns. There's a band called BWO that features a lead singer, and two people on keyboards. They are all wearing matching outfits that look like these silky futuristic silver jumpsuits. The one dude on keyboards resembles a 50 year old Devo reject who wears horse riding gear with his outfit, including the helmet, boots, and riding crop. The other keyboardist is a 50 something woman, and the lead singer is this young pretty boy. A really weird combination, even before they started into their cheesy ballad. Then there are the Star Pilots, who sing a song called "Higher". It's four guys who look like 90's boy band rejects. One guy that sings, and three backup singers/dancers. They all dress like they're going as Tom Cruise from Top Gun for Halloween. And one of the guys is kind of dumpy, and has a receding hairline, which makes it even more comical to see him dance and sing like he's in the Backstreet Boys. And if their look wasn't annoying enough, there are the song lyrics. The lyrics for the Star Pilots song sound like they took familiar lines from a half dozen old songs, and threw them together. It sounds familiar, but you can't quite place where you've heard them before. And then when you put them together, it's a nightmare. Here are a few of the lyrics that I was able to make out....

Take a chance on the edge of life, Keep trading passion for glory (Eye Of The Tiger??)

You're coming on like a hurricane, with no surrender in sight.

Play the game moving straight ahead, it'll cut you like a knife.

Just take my hand, run away with me, we can dance the night away 

I would give you the sky, baby it's now or never.

(Chorus) Tonight I'm gonna take you higher, can you feel the heat is on. Yeah tonight I'm gonna take you higher, till the end of time. 

And if you get a chill up and down your spine when you hear a song, you're in luck, because it seems like they play each song a half dozen times during the show. That's what made it so easy to remember the lyrics. When they pound this crap into your head over and over, it's bound to stick. And if that's not enough, this artist who makes you cringe will be back next week so you can hear the song repeated numerous times once again. And, if that still wasn't enough, you hear the songs everywhere you go, including one in the grocery store today. But I haven't even reached the best part. I heard one of the girls on Kristy's team singing one of the songs that I can't stand at Bandy practice. I told her I detested that song. Big mistake. I think she might be the male version of me, so naturally, she sings it every time she's around me because she knows I hate it. Then she went and recruited the other girls on the team to do the same thing. And before I could talk the coach into being on my side by punishing anyone caught singing the song with laps, I hear him singing it in their little team huddle as the girls are all looking over at me and laughing. They got to him first!  >:(  She had half a dozen of the girls in on her evil little plan, and they each kept singing the song as they skated past. And of course, she made a CD, brought it in, and cranked it up at top volume in the locker room. I am in the locker room next door, fortunately, but it was loud enough where I could hear it loud and clear from where I was. In the end though, I can't really complain. This is a classic case of what comes around goes around. They are doing to me, what I usually do to others. When I was in Vasteras with the U.S. men's bandy team, I would walk by people or groups of people singing Pump Up The Jam by Technotronic, in an attempt to get a somewhat annoying song stuck in people's heads.

And I know what you're thinking, why doesn't he just watch something else? There really is nothing else. And it's the old car wreck scenario, you can't look away. Well, if there is a silver lining to this whole thing, I'll save a lot of money on music here in Sweden.