8th March 1999 will always be a special day for me. It’s the day I started with the very first incarnation of this site. Now, 25 years later, I’m still at this fecking keyboard talking the shits about the Eurovision Song Contest.
I have a lot of people to thank for getting me this far.
- My incredible team over the years, most of whom have stuck with me through thick and thin and me whinging that no one is viewing the site.
- My dad and my late mother, both never quite got why I was jetting all over foreign in May every year but accepted it with good grace.
- The EBU and the BBC – for accrediting me and my chums so we can give you a peek behind the curtain.
But most of all, you, my loyal reader, because without you I wouldn’t have had the strength to carry on, especially in the last two years when both my health and this website’s very existence have been under attack ( One from infection and amputation, one from being “Fan media” – I’ll leave it to you to decide which has damaged me the most).
This year has been more challenging than ever because of the toxicity that the inclusion, or not, of Israel, has brought out in the community. Contra opinions, something that this site prides itself on, are becoming more and more marginalized, and explanation and understanding have given way to loud bellowing and shouting that you are right and no one else can be right. As I have said in other places, the moral high ground is all well and good, but it’s lonely up there and could well find you in trouble.
Am I boycotting the contest in Sweden? – Fuck, no. I’m not going to cut my nose, slice my ears off, and shave my eyebrows to spite my face. Me not being there will show to the EBU that they can do without “fan media” – They can’t, no matter how much they would like to try and marginalize us… we do enough of that in our community thank you very much so I shan’t be helping them out with that more than I have to. It also means that the other 35/6 artists have fewer people around, I’d be punishing them by not asking them what their favorite cake was, or who would win in a fight between a baboon and a badger (both questions that people on this site have posed to artists!)
I’m proud of this site. I’m proud of what It and I have achieved. We were one of the first sites to be live blogging from a fucken cold Parken arena. Traveling to Ukraine after two revolutions and being stuck by their population on both occasions. Being left out in the warmth of Athens because the BBC didn’t spell my name properly. Telling RUV’s delegation ” No, Sylvia Night isn’t going to swear because you won’t let her”. The list goes on and I couldn’t have done any of that if you didn’t read, laugh, sigh, tell me I talk the shits and interact (a bit). I wish I was more popular, but then again more pressure comes with that.
So, what are we gonna do now? – Well currently as I write this I’m watching rehearsals for Melodifestivalen 2024 on the other screen cos SVT knows who I am! – We’ll be doing the usual stuff in the coming months and there will be more podcast reviews – I bet you can’t wait!
I can only end this as I began it, thank you. Thank you for making this site the fun, hard work, annoying, exhilarating thing it is to create.
Make sure you turn off your television sets…..
Phil
Thank you Phil.
One of my favourite sites!! Dont ever change
Good evening Phil,
First, thank you for the last 25 years, it has been always a pleasure following this site.
The site is a labor of love and underneath the sometime harsh words, exist a man who truly loves the contest, without any doubt and hesitation.
I think I have discovered your site somewhere in 1999. Have no idea how your site came to my attention, but I did and stayed. To find a site which shared my love for the contest, was a wonder. Unlike today, it was quite unique.
I even remember that on the first years you had a top 100( or was top 250) Eurovision songs. Can’t remember how this was decided but it was fun.
In course of the years, the site has evolved and changed. Some features disappeared, other came by. The style of the site has changed(in one of the styling round , I have even contributed ideas , which were implemented). But the main focus of the site has never changed, a love for a contest.
I still enjoy coming back here, after all these years. Sometimes I leave a comment( and make full of myself) and once I have even contributed an article for this site.
In short, I will come back as long as you don’t throw me away or ban me from participation.
Take care of yourself-Health is the most important thing, and I happy to hear you have overcome a severe illness.
Bring on the good stuff on the way to Malmo 2024.
Shai
Huge congrats on your anniversary – long may you keep going!