Monster of the Day #1404

Updated on August 1, 2016 By Ken Begg 22 Comments

Galaxy Jane suggested these: “For the uninitiated, Lordi is a Finnish monster-themed band. All the makeup, appliances and costumes are designed and created by the lead singer (Mr. Lordi, AKA Tomi Putaansuu), which is fairly impressive work. Watching them perform under 50 pounds of latex apiece makes me admire the limits of human stamina (seriously, the one time I was able to see them live, I was close enough to watch the gallons of sweat pouring down behind the guitarists mask, I have no idea how he was able to keep going for 90 minutes like that).

They also made (as in wrote, produced, and featured in) Finland’s highest-grossing horror movie ever, Dark Floors, which would be more impressive had it not utterly shit the bed in the last 10 minutes.”

Pin It



Related Posts

  • Ha! Thanks for the shout-out! Hope everyone had a great weekend. I spent part of mine listening to these guys as I rolled up I 81.

  • The Rev.

    Hey, GJ! Where were you off to?

    I had a good weekend. I didn’t have too many responsibilities for a change; I visited a new restaurant that was superb; and, not to toot my own horn, I got a new written piece put up by a B-Master other than Ken. I’ll leave it to everyone to figure out which one, if you’re interested, but any of you who know me will probably not be surprised by which it is. As a bonus, I really enjoyed writing it, which has gotten me over the rut I’d been in so long; and as a result, I’ve picked up my work on all those stupidly tardy T-Fest write-ups that have been lingering over my head for years, and feel pretty confident I’ll have them all caught up come November. Not that I expect anyone to care at this point, but I’ll feel better about it.

    Also, Lordi is awesome, and I thank you for turning me onto them years ago. I have some of their songs on my exercise song list, and they’re quite motivating. Too true about that movie’s ending, though, and a damn shame it was.

    I have a feeling I know who’s coming tomorrow as a result, and may have to shoot Ken a note on possible others to continue the theme for the week.

  • Ericb

    I can think of two more in this theme.

  • Eric Hinkle

    Amazing work there. And am I wrong, or does Finland also have a band that performs in somewhat kiddie-looking dinosaur costumes?

    EDIT: Just checked and yeah, they’re called Hevisaurus. They have some videos on YouTube for those interested. And is it just Finnish bands that are so cheerily eccentric, or is it a part of their national culture?

  • I read your article this weekend and thought it very well-done!

    I was on my way to West Virginia to house hunt. Found something I’d really like, but we have a few things to settle here before we can even consider putting in a bid, plus it was rather more than we’d quite planned to spend, though doable. We’d certainly have enough room to put on the East Coast T-Fest Auxillary and sleep a crowd. And I’d be well placed to hobby farm up until the inevitable zombie apocalypse.

  • For the even more uninitiated, Lordi won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2007 with “Hard Rock Hallelujah”. Think of Eurovision as the world’s largest international “Battle of the Bands”… Lordi members refused to be interviewed without their makeup….

  • Hevisaurus is kind of awesome. I wish their movie had any chance whatsoever to be dubbed or subbed for us English speakers. They’ve also done the Wiggles thing and licensed the characters for other countries to have their own versions. Mexico and Brazil, maybe? Can’t recall off the top of my head.

    I don’t know for certain about the eccentricity, but Metal in general is a huge part of the culture and much less age-segregated than here. If you ever get a chance look up Lordi’s live Rovanaami(sp) Square concert from after they won Eurovision, you see grandparents with grandkids on their shoulders in the audience.

  • And they followed KISS’s lead in the licensing business too, theme restaurant, Lordi Cola. I think they still only do interviews in makeup, although they do sometimes speak Finnish instead of English only, which also used to be part of their shtick. I may be wrong though, they may have changed that after the Monsterman documentary , which I still haven’t seen as I’m too cheap to pay 10 bucks to watch a 45 minute movie online.

  • Only two? Amateur. ?

  • Eric Hinkle

    Are we sure they’re IN makeup? XD

  • The Rev.

    I saw that Lordi concert footage. There’s no way I’d get any family member to a Lordi or GWAR show. I am sad.

    Hevisaurus was one of the ones I thought of for this week, having discovered them last year. That is one of the loopiest things ever, and…yeah, it is kind of awesome.

  • The Rev.

    Thank you! It won’t be the last, either…I already have my next book ordered.

  • The Rev.

    As far as I know they still do that, although I’ve seen a bit of footage with Mr. Lordi in an interview as himself, sans costume, with his back to the camera and speaking Finnish. Maybe I hallucinated that, though.

    I’ve heard they’re going to tour North America next year for their upcoming new album…and I hope like hell they come anywhere near me; and if so, despite it being an older song I really hope I get to hear “Blood Red Sandman” live.

  • I know they have an NYC show planned for February ’17. Really hoping they hit the East Coast closer to me as I’d love to see them again and Hunter (both kids really but Sean is still too short to let near a pit) would have a fabulous time.

  • I could definitely get the kids to go, they love Lordi, no telling about Mr. GJ, although I did successfully get him out to see Sabaton.

    Wonder if we should pick up the US franchise for Hevisaurus, and go on tour to great acclaim, fame and whatever sort of groupies kiddie acts get? Oh, wait, I can’t play an instrument, nevermind.

  • The Rev.

    Can you scream gutturally? You could be the frontosaurus. ‘Cause I can play the drums. Might be able to relearn piano to be the keyboardist if need be.

  • The Rev.

    Good news: I found a listing for a concert here in Dallas in March.

    Bad news: I need the price to go WAY down, because they start at $182 and I didn’t pay that much to see freakin’ Fleetwood Mac; much as I want to see Lordi, that’s nuts.

  • Oh, I can totally nail the vocalist bit. Once upon a time I could have almost faked the keyboards too, but started too old to ever be much good and even that modicum of skill has gone by the wayside over the years.

  • Holy crap! That is obscene. I may have paid as much as $15 to see them play the old White Rabbit in San Antonio. Maybe. With Lizzy Borden opening, lol. Because I’m actually old enough for that to actually mean something.

  • Baltimore tickets are only 28 bucks for Feb 25th. I’ll put up and transport anyone who wants to come all the way to the East Coast for that one (I’m about 3 hours away, mind you).

  • The Rev.

    Crap, it’d probably be cheaper to fly out there and see it with you.

    I just may have to keep that offer in mind…I mean, what’s a three-hour drive after flying halfway across the continent?

  • The Rev.

    I had lessons K – 12, and had access to pianos in college. Since then, though, I haven’t. I’m sure it’d come back, but drumming would come back a lot easier, I’m thinking.

    Plus I could be the beatosaurus.