Euro Music Talk

Time flew by. I have survived MTV Europe Awards 2007 that happened today at Olympiahalle in Munich Germany. It didn’t hurt. But I don’t recognise the “new sound of Europe” in Estonia’s The Bedwetters. They competed against Turkey’s Yakup, my favourite bet, and Romania’s Firma.

They are young. But they lack innovation. The saving grace might be that their sound don’t differ from the same bands crowding the radio stations today craving for the fans who favour this kind of sound.

“Everything is possible when you believe in yourself!” Shouted their lead singer Joosep Järvesaar as he and his group finished performing their first single “A Dramatic Letter to Conscience.” It was dramatic indeed complete with his stunning grimaces amidst the jubilating audience. The unsigned Bedwetters won a local band contest this year and was awarded to film their own video. They are scheduled to release their debut album in 2008. The band describes their musical influence from pop to rock.

So who are the winners and the losers? Who brought home the stinky cheese and the MTV trophy?

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You know the saying “if it rains, it pours”? There you have it. If you notice my sporadic updates, I am having difficulty with my internet connection. It might be wireless but it is so darn slowwwww and sometimes it implodes in the middle of the session that I end up not posting anything anymore. Like a few minutes ago.

At the same time, the urge to tell stories isn’t always there. I might be experiencing a sort of blogging disease, which I am trying to fight. Blame my pursuit of happiness.

Anyway, I finally got around with the social networking sites. If you have a Facebook account, please feel free to be a member of Euro Music Talk. Discuss, debate, argue, express your ideas and what have you.

It must be strange to listen to a young man sing Lolita.

Julien Doré, winner of Nouvelle Star season 5, the French version of UK’s “Pop Idol” or Germany’s “Deutschland sucht den Superstar,” captivated the public with his rendition of Alizee’s No. 1 hit “Moi…Lolita.”

The 25-year-old French singer’s entry to limelight might be accidental. He joined the much-hyped talent show in order to make a publicity for his own band Dig Up Elvis. Appearing with a ukulele, he also covered Britney Spears’ “Hit Me Baby One More Time” and Madonna’s “Like a Virgin.”

Right now he is earning the public attention due to his unusual yet naked version of “Moi..Lolita” that is currently enjoying its stay on European Singles Charts this week.

The grunge-faced Julien, rugged voice, stubbles and guitar, is also the great-great-great nephew of the French illustrator Gustave Doré, who happened to design the covers for such writers like Honore Balzac, Edgar Allan Poe and Lord Byron.

Not only his unpredictable interpretation is earning him accolades, the female swarm is also getting him. French Elle voted him as the “sexiest man of the year.” It was also rumoured that he posed for Playboy.

More about Julien the next coming days!

Julien Doré, Alizee, Dig Up Elvis

Does “Rock Me Amadeus” ring a bell? How about “Vienna Calling” or “Der Kommissar”?

It was 1986. I was 13. Pop music was at its finest. Sometime, somewhere there was an odd-sounding pop singer rapping in a strange staccato manner about the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The melody was fun, repetitive and most of all annoying but fun nonetheless.

Falco was the name. And he was considered to be a rising star that time. Though in his hometown Vienna, he had lots of fans and was revered, he had also some share of people mocking about his newfound fame. Especially, his former band, the members of Drahdibawerl. Though in the English-speaking countries he is considered to be a one-hit wonder, he certainly managed to get to the top of his career enjoying two Top 20 songs (US) and two Top 10 songs (UK).

Before Christina Stürmer became a hit, there was Falco. Born Johann “Hans” Hölzel in Vienna, Austria, he was considered a prodigy. He graduated from the world-renowned Vienna Music Conservatory in 1977. For a short while he lived Berlin, West Germany, singing in a jazz-rock band. From 1978 to 1983, he served as the bassist for the Austrian punk band Drahdiwaberl, headed by retired high school art teacher Stefan weber. The only Viennese band who got to play at the legendary CBGB in New York. The feedback was insane and the band became notorious of their elaborate stage acts that didn’t satisfy the audience.

Before Falco left the group he penned the song “Ganz Wien” with the band. Throughout the ’80s, Austria and the rest of Europe had become his stage. While other musicians such as After the Fire (”Der Kommissar”) and Laura Branigan (”Deep in the Dark”) translated his songs to English.

He reached the top then came the downward spiral. There were failed singles, lukewarm audience reception and drug use. His appeal waned. After numerous attempts to revive his sleeping career, on February 6, 1998, the singer had an accident. He died of severe injuries after he Mitsubishi Pajero collided with a bus near the resort of Puerto Plata, in the Dominican Republic. According to autopsy, his blood showed high blood levels of alcohol and cocaine. He was working on a new album when he died. Some said it was a suicide. His body lies at the Zentralfriedhof (Central Cemetery) in Vienna, Austria.

Austrian director Thomas Roth is planning to release a film bio just in time for Falco’s death 10th anniversary. Titled, “Falco - Verdammt, wir leben noch!” (Damn, we are still alive!), after several actors /artists denied to play the tragic singer, Manuel Rubey of the Austrian band Mondscheiner eventually landed to portray Falco.

The singer still lives on. At least in Vienna.

Falco, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Christina Stürmer, Drahdiwaberl, Laura Branigan, Rock Me Amadeus, Mondscheiner, Thomas Roth, Manuel Rubey

Ahhh, to be young and to have lots of fans.

For more than two years, the kids of Tokio Hotel are driving every female teenager and prepubescent girls in Europe on fire. I cannot say I don’t like them. But I admire their ability to to play music and their determination to reach the zenith of fame.

Luck? Talent? The band, which comprises of identical twins Bill (vocals) and Tom Kaulitz (lead guitars), George Listing (bass) and Gustav Shäfer (drums), is steadily climbing on top of the charts and garnering more fan base.

So far, they released three albums in German and one album in English (”Scream”) and has won several awards notably in Germany. Everyone expects them to get awards in the upcoming MTV Europe Awards.

The German rock boy band is from the urban city of Magdeburg, somewhere on the eastern part of the country. They were initially named Devilish in 2001 but changed it to Tokio Hotel their new manager. The boys said to have loved Tokio, the German version of the Japanese capital, and have stayed for several times in a hotel during touring. Hence, Tokio Hotel.

The first time I saw a clip of their first single, “Durch den Monsun” (Monsoon), I was pretty sure that the vocalist was a female. I learned later that the androgynous Gothic-looking singer was a boy. Bill is the most popular member of the group. And lately, he was the subject of a, shall we say, nasty rumour.

There’s nothing wrong with being a homosexual. But if many female adoring fans are ready to give their body to Bill, it would be a mistake to come out of the closet at this stage. Supposedly that was the thought of his band’s record label. The French gossip magazine, Voici, the equivalent of Star, reported that on September 1 Bill wrote a blog entry after a series of heavy partying on the night of his 18th birthday that he likes boys and he would be in league of the Greek philosophers Aristotle, Plato and Socrates.

Fans in every corner of Europe regarded this as trash and so speculations easily vanish. Still, in a world of black and white, it would be nice if Bill is straight and his appearance is to taunt the establishment, which by the way likes him very much.

The band launched its first English album in United Kingdom titled “Scream” in June. And if it would be successful, get ready United States for Tokio Hotel.

Tokio Hotel, Bill Kaulitz, gay, schwul

I salute you for coming here and taking a look at my new venture to discuss about what’s happening in the other side of Atlantic. This is where you get your other Old Europe’s fix and the New Europe as well.

That means you will find me mentioning some German bands, blabbering about a French lyric or two or even ranting some fresh new band from the east. Europe is not only haven for classical music, but a host of new ideas.

You hear the trendy bands from the United Kingdom that shaping the map of music scene. But it is seldom you find an exotic band from Europe break through in the Billboard’s Top 40.

So prepare yourself. This will take a long bumpy yet (hopefully) informative and entertaining ride. For you and for me…