Uh-oh. Who'd've thunk Eurovision would get political - in Israel....

Quote :

Stars urge BBC to ask for Eurovision to be moved out of Israel

Dame Vivienne Westwood, Peter Gabriel and Wolf Alice are among 50 artists who have called for the Eurovision Song Contest to be relocated from Israel.

Citing human rights concerns, they have signed an open letter urging the BBC to ask organisers to move the contest.

"Eurovision may be light entertainment, but it is not exempt from human rights considerations," they wrote.

In response, the BBC said it was not appropriate "to use the BBC's participation for political reasons".

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-47054756

Like any of these actually watch the Eurovision Song Contest. Not that I've heard of most of them.

Quote :

Peter Ahrends, architect
Amir Amirani, filmmaker
Jonathan Arndell, architect, artist
Roy Battersby, director
Bloody Knees, band
brave timbers, band
Jen Brister, comedian
Carmen Callil, publisher, writer
Taghrid Choucair-Vizoso, performer
Julie Christie, actor
Ian Christie, film historian, broadcaster
Chipo Chung, actor
Caryl Churchill, playwright
Michael Darlow, tv writer and director
Paula Darwish, musician
April De Angelis, playwright
Tam Dean Burn, actor
Drones Club, band
Nancy Elan, violin
Gareth Evans, producer, curator
Peter Gabriel, musician, founder WOMAD festival
Lots Holloway, singer, songwriter
Rachel Holmes, writer
Brigid Keenan, author
Patrick Keiller, artist, filmmaker
Reem Kelani, musician, broadcaster
AL Kennedy, writer
Desmond Lambert, musician
Mike Leigh, writer, director
Ken Loach, director
Sabrina Mahfouz, writer
Miriam Margolyes, actor
Yann Martel, writer
Declan McKenna, singer, songwriter
JD Meatyard, musician
Pauline Melville, writer
Giuliano Modarelli, musician, composer
Object Blue, DJ
Maxine Peake, actor
Jocelyn Pook, composer
TJ Rehmi, composer, producer
Reverend & the Makers, band
Leon Rosselson, songwriter
Rrose, DJ
Alexei Sayle, comedian, author
David Scott, music producer
Nick Seymour, musician
Sarah Streatfeild, violin
Roger Waters, musician
Vivienne Westwood, fashion designer
Wolf Alice, band

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2019/jan/29/the-bbc-should-press-for-eurovision-to-be-moved-from-israel

I always get Maxine Peake confused with Maxine Carr.

Steviebaby wrote:

I always get Maxine Peake confused with Maxine Carr.

She's probably played her in some hard-hitting two-part ITV drama.

"Lots Holloway"

"Bloody Knees"





It's like 1992 all over again.

"Rrose"

And Alexei Sayle.

I think I've been getting Ken Loach and Mike Leigh confused,


I've seen Object Blue live,

Ken Loach and William Roache for me.

JD Meatyard


The one on the left. Amazing how everything in that picture screams 'boring music'.



Declan McKenna

Wikipedia, and I think we can all guess who edited his page can't we? wrote:

Declan Benedict McKenna[1] (24 December 1998) is an English singer, songwriter and musician. He initially gained recognition for winning the Glastonbury Festival's Emerging Talent Competition in 2015. McKenna self-released the song "Brazil", a protest song criticizing FIFA and the 2014 FIFA World Cup held in Brazil, as his debut single in December 2014. It gained recognition after its re-release in August 2015. It reached number one on Sirius XM Radio's Alt Nation Alt 18 Countdown for 23 January 2016 and held that spot for three weeks. The song also reached number 16 on the U.S. Billboard Alternative Songs chart, number 45 in Japan and number 135 in France. His popularity attracted the attention of many major music labels; he eventually signed to Columbia Records in 2016.

McKenna continued to write and record music for his debut studio album during 2016. During this time, he also performed concerts and appeared at festivals. He released What Do You Think About the Car? through Columbia on 21 July 2017. Songs that appear on the album that were released as singles prior to the album’s release include "Paracetamol", "Isombard" and "The Kids Don't Wanna Come Home", which peaked at number 84 on Belgium's Ultratop Flanders chart. Also during 2017, he made appearances at the Coachella and Lollapalooza festivals.

So this Declan McKenna was born AFTER the UK last won the Eurovision Song Contest. He could be scuppering his only chance to see us lift the trophy.

...Although I suppose that isn't the first thing on an activist's mind.

Apparently they'll be letting Kosovo apply for next year' Eurovision Song contest,

Dua Lipa will be happy, or very angry, I'm not quite sure,

I wonder if "FYR Macedonia" will be called its new name of North Macedonia in this year's contest.

It had better be. We can't have the likes of them laying claim to parts of Greece with their name games.

Darude of music fame 20 years ago has been confirmed as Finlands entrant.

What's that song at 0:33?

Steviebaby wrote:

What's that song at 0:33?

"Sandstorm" by, funnily enough, Darude. A UK number 3 hit in 2000 and one of those rare instrumental hits.

That video has had 144 million views.

Butterfield wrote:

Steviebaby wrote:

What's that song at 0:33?

"Sandstorm" by, funnily enough, Darude.

I see.