Hi all. You can find the 2006 Eurovision preview videos on www.eurovision.tv under the multimedia and videos section. They are minus France & Ukraine at moment as they are finalising their videos.

I think Daz is in with a very good shout this time for the UK. Also Finland, Greece and Bosnia should be in the final shake up too. Finland a very generous 25/1 with most bookies too!

Anyone heard all of the songs? Any opinions?? A few known names this year with Kate Ryan and Las Ketchup and 1991 winner Carola too!

don't you hate it when they tell you to download Windows which my machine will not take?
It looks like we're 15th... not a bad slot (sadly, my idea of introducing televoting means the first performers stand less chance, as viewers arrive late. I insisted on the RUNDOWN being in reverse order with at least 30 seconds of each repeated but I could not convince the EBU to agree).

Let's hear it for DAZ... carrying the tradition of a KING involvement in the contest. When I was running the UK part, we WON with the biggest ratio of 12 point votes ever, came second, had the most young appeal entry ever (Love City Groove) and the BEST ever entry (in my opinion) with Gina G.

Whilst I was otherwise occupied, the UK managed to sink so low - NUL POINTS - we couldn't get any lower!

Now I'm out and back, the fairy dust has been sprinkled once more.

Personally I don't agree with phone voting, it lends itself to national prejudice and votes been won for superficial reasons. I know it makes lots of money for the phone companies and tv companies but at the end of the day I think we should leave the decisions to the "experts".

which was why there were increasingly odd results.
At least if 240,567 Serbians all decide to give Croatia the vote (or Cyprus votes for Greece), it's a fair decision.
And in my experience whilst regional friendships influence, regional culture and language does so even more (a good thing) and a genuine hit does so even more (there are so few REAL hits).
When France gave the UK 12 points for Gina G, I felt vindicated.

Granted the jury probably wasn't made up of "experts", but Britain's world wide unpopularity due to it's involvement in the war and other issues must have some influence on their poor placings in recent years. Granted the songs were'nt that great, but many of the 80's songs such as Belle and the Devotions and Sweet Dreams were equally as bad, but made it into the top 10 placings.

No; ordinary people judge the music and the performance whether it's by IRAN or JAPAN!

Yes I would personally, but then not everyone is as subjective as me. I don't care whether they are croation or French or Irish.

The masses are asses, this is illustrated by the fact that "The Sun" is the most read newspaper in the country.

The Uk have got a good song this year, but I don't think they will come anywhere near winning the thing. By the way what was your involvement in Daz's Song, with reference to your first post.

Joe Taylor (my ex Editor of the Tip Sheet) manages Daz and his co writer and co producer is Ricardo of The Cuban Boys (I was involved in that 1999 hit and we've remained in touch since)...

and of course I was involved in Eurovision through the nineties.

Not necessarily to do with any wars, but neighbouring countries tend to vote for each other, and 'out of favour' countries get fewer votes. However, I still believe that a song of real quality can break this pattern.

Unfortunately this year's UK entry is not a song of quality, but I do like quite a few of the other entries.

And instant catchiness is a key ingredient for winning Eurovision.

I've heard the Daz song several times but still can never remember how it goes, so maybe it's not all that catchy. The Lithuanian one does stay in mind, even though it's a nick of an old schoolyard chant. In fact I can remember a few of the other songs. That said, however, some recent Eurovision winners have been instantly forgettable.

Russia could win this year, if they can beat the regional voting pattern.

The only thing that lets it down is the presentation. He looks like Gazza and those pouting dancers are of highly questionable taste lip-inking to children whilst resembling the slappers u see puking on the pavement in hammersmith when it's chuck out time at school disco.

Yeah I agree, Daz does look a bit like an extra from Brookside, I'm sure that he must be pushing 40. It shouldn't be a problem, but the pop world is very youth obsessed. It's definetly not your typical formula for a Eurovision winner. The most popular format is to have a female singer. However it's time to break the mould.