EUROPE Guitarist: What I Really Think Of 'The Final Countdown'

June 21, 2010

Guitarist John Norum of Swedish hard rockers EUROPE revealed to U.K.'s Classic Rock magazine that he was less than impressed with the band's mega-hit "The Final Countdown" when he first heard it.

"When Joey [Tempest, EUROPE vocalist] first played us the demo, I was one of those who said, 'Are you mad? This isn't what we're about.' It had synthesizers all over it, and we were more into THIN LIZZY, UFO and DEEP PURPLE. But the song did grow on me."

However, Norum has admitted he finds the track boring to play in concert.

"As a guitarist, there's not much for me to do on that song. Sure, there's a Ritchie Blackmore-type solo, but that's it. Yet when you see the crowd reaction… well, it does make it all worthwhile. I suppose this is a song that now belongs to the world.

"We've never dropped 'The Final Countdown' from our set, and I doubt we ever will I can just imagine how angry our fans would be!"

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