Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

  Janet's Control album gave a hint of things to come and Rhythm Nation 1814 was fabulous, even if for me the best one is janet. that followed. I have never been a Michael Jackson fan but Janet, I always had a soft spot for her.  Check out also:

After Lionel Ritchie left Commodores in 1982 the group's members kept changing, and even if the band is still active, Grammy winning Nightshift in 1985 is their last major hit (US #3, UK #3). The song was written and dedicated to Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson who died the year before. What's going on by Gaye is mentioned in the song, as are Wilson's (Love keeps me lifting) Higher and higher as well as Baby work out.In 2010 they released a new version dedicated to Michael Jackson and his 1,2,3 and I'll be there as well as Rock with you are mentioned, along with many late singers.   Winston Groovy has recorded the song and dedicated to Bob Marley. Fantasia sampled the song into her Lose to win

The Temptations would take this song to #1 and win three Grammys in 1973 with it, but it was originally recorded by another Motown group: The Undisputed Truth in 1971. Their  original version only went to #63, and pretty much forgotten these days as the Temps made it theirs so well.  Anyways, this is a real weird single track as even the single mix almost 7 minutes long, and the album one over 12 minutes! It also has four different lead vocalists and the instruments keep changing and variating.  It would also be The Temptations fourth #1 and also the last. In UK this went to #14.    Countless cover versions have been recorded and performed throughout the decades, including Bill "Wolf" Wolfer with backing vocals by Michael Jackson, Issac Hayes with Soul II Soul's Charlotte Kelly,   Seal , Was (Not Was) , George Michael , Craig David and many others. Run-D.M-C sampled it to their Papa Crazy as did Montenegrin Eurovision star Knez in Autom...

This song has a curious story as well. Co-writtten by Mick Jackson he recorded it in 1977 but its release was delayed due to a problem at the pressing plant and his publisher sold it to Motown without his knowledge at MIDEM. On the other hand he had hoped Stevie Wonder would record it. Instead it went to The Jacksons who released it in August 1978, just before Mick's version. Also in the UK the versions were released within a few days in September. In the end Mick peaked at #61 and The Jacksons #54. The song did better in UK where The Jacksons scored a #8 hit with it and Mick #15.    In 1989 Stock, Aitken and Waterman produced the song for Big Fun and scored its best placing yet:  #4 UK hit. The song has been covered countless times either live or in studio by big and not so big artists. 

This song has a curious story, or rather faith. Originally recorded and mastered between April 1967 and January 1968 for February release for The Supremes (that were by then already Diana Ross solo project as the other girls were nowhere near the studios) as they didn't have anything ele to release as the songwriting team Holland-Dozier-Holland, responsable for all their hits until then were ready to leave Motown and were arguing (and not writing songs) with Gordy. It was a "flop": only #28, their worst since their pre-hits  Run, run, run in 1963. Forever came indeed that day, as soon HDH would also leave Motown, be sued by them and sue them back..... When The Supremes (without Diana, of course) went down The Jackson 5 replaced them as Motown's #1 group. But by 1975 they were already moving on to better contracts and bigger money and curiously released this very song with similar result: #60 and their worst chart placing ever and soon after Michael would go solo...

Rockwell (aka Kennedy William Gordy) is true Motown royalty: he's a son of founder and CEO Berry Gordy and named after William "Smokey" Robinson. To avoid accusations of nepotism he secured his record deal without his father's knowledge and agreed to be called Rockwell instead of using his Gordy name.  His career however idn't last long; three albums in mid 1980's and Somebody's watching me, his debut single his only real hit. The chorus is sung by Michael Jackson and no one can miss his voice really.  Additional backing vocals are by Jermaine Jackson.  This was a #2 in the US, #6 in the UK and topped the charts in Belgium, France and Spain, while being a top-10 all over Europe and New Zealand.  DJ Bobo used the song in his Somebody dance with me (#1 in Sweden and Switzerland among other) with various remixed and re-releases over the years, as did Beatfreakz in their pseudo-cover (#1 in Spain and charting most everywhere). Several other co...

The Queen of Motown, freshy gone solo Diana Ross had a tv-show where she presented the Jackson brothers from Indiana. They became the first group ever to have four #1s in a row with their first four singles. Those were even followed by two #2s, this Never can say goodbye being the 2nd one and their sixth single, released in 1971. The song was originally ment for The Supremes though....Michael was 12 at the time. The song however is maybe better known as two cover versions. Gloria Gaynor has her firsr real hit with this in 1974, four years before I will survive . Her version peaked at #9 and was the first ever #1 in Billboards new Dance chart. The Communards released this in 1987 and peaked at #4 in UK (and being a huge hit all over Europe) and #51 in US.  Countless other versions has been released, even from Motown acts. 

ABBA's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus are planning and considering a possible comeback concerts and tour with the British music mogul Simon Fuller - as holograms. "Nobody wants to see us old people on stage" they have stated many times before and are searching through the material from their 1977 and 1979 world tours that could possible used for the project. Techically it would be possible as likes of Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and Frank Sinatra regularly keep on performing in Las Vegas shows these days. Björn and Benny and their represants don't want to comment the plans at the moment except with "there are always all kinds of plans in the air"....  Meanwhile you can enjoy them as holograms in Stockholm's ABBA Museum. 

The ultimate tango king Jari Sillanpää is set to conquer the pop market when he releases his new album Rakkaudella merkitty mies - his first studio one in three years - on September 26, 2014. The first single Malagaan is already out. The album features some young and popular song writers being more pop oriented than any of his previous albums after the recent success with playing with various music styles from opera to reggae, heavy and pop. About this new single he says he first thought it was just too corny and he coudn't possibly record it. After listening to it a couple of days he thought it was amusing and he just had to do it. Indeed it's kinda silly.... yet, it somehow works. Jari Sillanpää has managed to stay on top since his victory in Tangomarkkinat 1995 and his defeat in Eurovision 2004 or coming out in 2006 hasn't changed his status one bit. He has always been adored by elderly women in particular and now he may be crossing over to younger generations - ha...

Sängyn reunalla ( At the edge of the bed) sits Mikko Pohjola. Originally from Oulu, now based in Helsinki this 22-year-old started making music to attract girls but since then he has already scored a radio hit with Kuuluuko, kuulen and after UMK 2014 he will surely become a household name. And not only, he wants his name known all over Europe as well!  He has also written his entry himself and it is from his second album he's recording at the moment. His influences include Michael Jackson, Finnish band Don Huonot and John Mayer. This is also one of the entries the judges disagreed a lot whether to add it to the top-12. You can like him on his Facebook here , and vote for him in my poll on the right hand side. His other songs include Paikkani tiedän and Et nää .

Chisu has been the most played artist in the Finnish radios in 2012. Her songs were aired a total of 23.278 times - or there were 2-3 of her songs playing somewhere all the time - and she had three big hits besides the older ones still playing: Kohtalon oma (5.107 being the 2nd most played song of the year beated only by Loreen's Euphoria , 5.574), Tie (4.588) and Kolnas pyörä . Madonna was once again the most played foreign artist followed by Bruce Springsteen, Juha Tapio, late Michael Jackson, Nickelback, Rihanna, Eppu Normaali, Jenni Vartiainen and Bon Jovi. That's for all the radio stations. If we look at only the nationwide ones, Bruce and Michael has to do way to locals Laura Närhi and Samuli Edelmann in top-10.

"We want to make the wildest Eurovision Song Contest ever" , says Ola Melzig. One of the things that separates this year's scene from previous years is that production is done deliberately to create depth. The scene is built up in several layers and is also located further out in the arena than before. "Scene edge is approximately at the blue line. It would have never worked if we were not at an early stage have chosen to have standing audiences." Another important difference is the video screens in the background. They are both set very far back and also the techincal quality is far superior to be able to also show details in better quality on screen. The stage will be built in five days. In Moscow that took three weeks to cobble together. The stage will be assembled in the stadium's far end and then rolled into place. It is extremely short time for such a sophisticated stage set building. The Tait Technologies, responsable for construction have been ...

The Swedish guys of Man Meadow tried their luck twice in Poland with Viva la musica in 2008 and with Love is gonna get you in 2009 and then came back to the wonderful world of Eurovision from the backdoor by making of cover of a Danish national final song of 2012, Overflow . And now they have entered the Swiss selection with  How does it feel that comes with a video full of New York. Will they be third time, second country lucky? Well, they have some life outside Eurovision as well, like this pretty decent cover of Eaten alive , originally by Diana Ross ft Michael Jackson. 

After two episodes of Kuorosota it is pretty evident Mr Lordi's Rovaniemi choir is the most likely candidate to win, Kaija Koo's Tuusula coming close second. The first to be voted out was Ressu's choir from Turku. In the second episode the theme was Halloween and Lordi's choir did Michael Jackson's Thriller in full Lordi-esque mask. In the first episode they did We're not gonna take it and won the evening (the other nights the order is not revealed, except for the last and eliminated one)

Man Meadow, the Swedish duo that has graced the Polish Eurovision stage twice, in 2008 with Viva la musica and the year after with Love is gonna get you has managed to record a cover of Diana Ross's 1985 album's title track Eaten alive written and produced by Michael Jackson. Jackson also sings Diana's backing vocals. But here's Man Meadow Eaten alive . Not bad even if totally missing the urgency of Diana's and Michael's vocals.

Eric Saade has also released an official videoclip for his entry Popular . Dark and gloomy affair it is that surely doesn't make me like the song more or better. Rather the contrary. Besides it's so dark one can't really make out what's it about: Is it remake of West side story 's gangs or Michael Jackson's living deads from Thriller ? And as expected he has changed his dance crew for Germany in Malena Ernman fashion: out those who can't sing! And only one of the Melodifestivalen dancers made the cut it seems - there it was all so easy with play-back backing vocals, just like Malena. But he gets to bring his glass cage to break on stage, maybe that will take the attention from the lacking vocals?

Share the moment? Yes indeed. The interval act in Oslo 2010 will feature one of the latest trends, Flash mob event! Sounds good on paper at least. Here's the video for the moves , so start learning! One of the most famous Flash mob events took place in Stockholm to honor Michael Jackson last year, and in Finland Signmark did one for their video, too. One of the best ever is the Frozen Grand Central in New York, happening when all this was still so new no one knew what is was all about!

And here are the most sold foreign albums in Finland in 2009. The German band Baseballs has really conquered the market and Madonna follows far behind. Another German band Rammstein takes the bronze! Baseballs Strike! Warner | 2009 (73 626) Madonna Celebration Warner | 2009 (28 999) Rammstein Liebe Ist Für Alle Universal | 2009 (24 067) Lady Gaga The Fame Universal | 2008 (20 741) Andrea Bocelli My Christmas Universal | 2009 (18 274) U2 No Line On the Horizon Universal | 2009 (17 019) 7. Green Day 21st Century Breakdown Warner | 2009 (15 116) Robbie Williams Reality Killed the Videostar EMI | 2009 (14 862) Michael Jackson Essential Sony Music | 2005 (14 535) Muse The Resistance Warner | 2009 (14 342) You can see the full list here .

Laura Pausini releases her 13th album and 3rd live album later this month. The CD has 18 tracks, each of them recorded in a different city during her tour and Helsinki gets the honor to open the show as the Intro - It's too late was recorded here on May 20, 2009 (and I was there). The Italian and Spanish version have different tracks recorded in different towns plus three new tracks including the latest single Con la musica alla radio , Non sono lei, Casomai, recorded live during the soundcheck in Sao Paolo and extra track E poi , a cover of Giorgia's megahit. The DVD has various video clips including Un fatto ovvio and extra tracks Napule é , cover di Pino Daniele, Sicilian folk song Vitti na grozza and Michael Jackson cover Heal the world . Oh and yes, she just won yet another Latin Grammy!

Madonna's visit to Finland was a success in every way. The biggest concert on entire Sticky & Sweet tour 2008/2009 and all sold out. Organization was perfect, weather was perfect, people happy and city survived with no harm. And apparently even Madonna herself had a good time looking extremely happy all through the concert and doing a lot of things in Helsinki and around; shopping, visiting sights, spending a day in countryside by the sea with kids... And now she have more to be happy with: Celebration hits the number one in the Finnish charts but not only: Give it 2 me enters at number 4, 4 minutes is at number 10, Miles away at number 11, Like a prayer at number 12, Beat goes on at number 15 and finally La isla bonita at number 18. She surely beats Michael Jackson's recent chart success. In albums Hard candy climbs to number 2 while Confessions on a dance floor re-enters at 31. What else is going on? Waldo's People's New vibration is at number 5 in sin...