Finland's Heavy Metal Controversy

This is a pretty funny article from the New York Times, packed with generalizations about Finnish people (Finland Squirms as Its Latest Export Steps Into Spotlight):

"HELSINKI, Finland — They have eight-foot retractable latex Satan wings, sing hits like 'Chainsaw Buffet' and blow up slabs of smoking meat on stage. So members of the band Lordi expected a reaction when they beat a crooner of love ballads to represent Finland at the Eurovision song contest in Athens, the competition that was the springboard for Abba and Celine Dion."

This reminds me of a story I heard at the music conference I attended in Hollywood in February. Someone who used to tour with Marilyn Manson talked about the controversy when they played in Croatia. There was the tremendous irony that, in a region so troubled they had a three-way civil war, all sorts of leaders spoke against the dangers of having Manson perform there. I may be melding more than one Manson incident together, but I think in the end religious leaders formed a massive prayer circle around the entire concert arena.

Except when they go horribly awry or people try to imitate them in real life, the shock value of these types of things is usually hilarious, as is the reaction from those who are upset by them. Easy for me to say, but then if it were cartoonish violence against women I probably wouldn't be amused. I suppose it's whatever is the easy target du jour, and whatever hits close to home. There's a rap video that glorifies sideshows and dogfights that I really hate, and I guess that's doing the same number on me. On the other hand, I'm not moved to ban it or organize a prayer circle around the rapper's concert venue.