I don't know if you've seen this astonishing video of some band warming up at some festival playing a cover of Europe's 'The Final Coundown'. There are numerous great things about it, like the moment when a roadie wearing hot pink short shorts wanders onto the stage, checks that the sound coming out of the speakers really is that bad, and wanders off. It's particularly special for a synth geek, as it contains perhaps the most powerful synthesizer lead sound ever recorded. For more on 'The Final Countdown', I'd highly recommend this Dutch rockumentary, telling the story of the track, from Joey Tempest's parent's house in Stockholm to their dismay at the arrival of the grunge scene. It contains many delicious Spinal Tap moments. (See also Part 2 and Part 3)(Thanks Alan)
4/17/2006
The birth and agonising death of 'The Final Countdown'
I don't know if you've seen this astonishing video of some band warming up at some festival playing a cover of Europe's 'The Final Coundown'. There are numerous great things about it, like the moment when a roadie wearing hot pink short shorts wanders onto the stage, checks that the sound coming out of the speakers really is that bad, and wanders off. It's particularly special for a synth geek, as it contains perhaps the most powerful synthesizer lead sound ever recorded. For more on 'The Final Countdown', I'd highly recommend this Dutch rockumentary, telling the story of the track, from Joey Tempest's parent's house in Stockholm to their dismay at the arrival of the grunge scene. It contains many delicious Spinal Tap moments. (See also Part 2 and Part 3)(Thanks Alan)
The Guitar/Keyboard solos are pure GOLD!
ReplyDeleteSo is vitamin enriched urine.
ReplyDeleteWow, no two members in the band were playing in the same key...
ReplyDeleteThis is no trick, Michael....
ReplyDeleteIt's an ILLUSION!
Okay, they're bad, I get it, but wow - those vocals really take the cake. Wow.
ReplyDeleteMan, that ended on a real downer note. It looked like a happy ending, what with playing a reunion show for the millenium or whatever, but then it has the guy playing it all somber on piano. Then it talks about each member, and they are just standing there, looking sad. Made me kinda depressed....
ReplyDeleteAnd there's never a firing squad around when you need it most.
ReplyDeleteWOW.
ReplyDeleteThe question is, who is the worst? The
Keyboardist with that 'pure' tone is my fave.
Thanks!!!
ReplyDeleteah, I'm replacing my Arrested Dev-influenced ringtone with this version... I kept waiting for Gob and his Segway to float by (hrm... After Effects anyone?)
ReplyDeletegenius. The doc's great as well.
I had the honor of finding this video at random one day, and it became an inside joke all last semester.
ReplyDeleteI actually enjoy their version better than Europe's... ('the final countdown final countdown... ooooOooOOOoooO') so bad!
those vox - whoa
ReplyDeletenice stage presence too, mr. front man
that guitar solo reminds me of greg ginn/early black flag circa 84-ish
(i thought this tune was just the opening riff for the NFL shows on TV here in the states - now i cant unknow the horrible truth)
Does anyone know what the synth playing the Final Countdown riff on the original version is?
ReplyDeleteRoland JX8p it is shown in the part II of the rockumentary.
ReplyDeleteThe keyboard that the coverband uses sounds alot like my Casio MT18.
ReplyDeleteIf you go by the number of comments, these guys get more of a reaction than Brian Eno.
ReplyDeleteHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
ReplyDeleteTop!!
They all wear baseball hats and black tshirts!
ReplyDeleteHmm. It's odd, but it sounds better backwards.
ReplyDeleteeverything sounds better backwards.
ReplyDeleteCredit is due to my old supervisor, Mark, at the county btw.
ReplyDelete-Alan
"It's part of a trilogy, a musical trilogy I'm working on in D minor which is the saddest of all keys, I find....It's like a Mach piece, really."
D minor... it makes people weep instantly
ReplyDeleteHere's Europe's version on youtube...sounds mostly the same :D
ReplyDeleteWow. That singer is so terrible. He makes William Hung from American idol sound like an amazing singer!
ReplyDeleteThe groupie does not simply check the sound from the monitor, he listens to the guitar and then dead-pan re-tunes one of the strings of the guitar player whil ethe guy's playing :-)
ReplyDeleteA very obscure modal harmony being attempted by the singer!!!!!
ReplyDeleteMy Band can play a million times better than them. they suck
ReplyDelete