Classic Rock Interview
 

There is a Q and A with Meat in the Feb edition of Classic Rock.

Interesting points include:

Meat's Xmas album is called Hot Holidays and is "nasty". It has a song called "Back Door Santa" and he also sings a traditional Irish Xmas song with Imelda May.

Meat has dismissed the "he doesn't know it yet" remark about working with Jim again as an aside.

Six months ago Meat got an email from Jim saying "Would you play Hook?". Meat will be there in " in a heartbeat"

There won't be a BAT IV. It would be called "Beginning and Conclusions". (If it ever happened!)

And there's a funny quip about MATLAF!

A "nasty" holiday album sounds very interesting. I hope he sings a naughty duet or two with Patti. ;)
Thanks for sharing the info.

Is there a link?

I subscribe to Classic Rock so it pops through the door way in advance of going on sale in the shops. I am afraid I am clueless when it comes to links etc. so little short of typing out the whole script I apologise for not being able to help!!

Other points:

Voice Okay after coughing up blood ( a drop ) in NZ

Doesn't know if he can tour in 2012 though "they" want him to.

Meat songs difficult to sing ( compared to Springsteen and even Bohemian Rhapsody)

Considers HIAH a success cos HE loves it.

Sounds like Bat: The Musical will happen

Excellent all good things! So happy I've wanted a duet between him and Imelda since I saw her supporting him last time!

Okay, presuming it's this Back Door Santa, I could see it work. Still, the whole christmas album idea doesn't excite me, but then, nothing related to christmas does.

OMG! I wonder if this is Fairytale Of New York? Don't suppose that's traditional really. But, still, if it IS this song, swoon!

The thought of a rock/pop singer releasing an album full of Christmas songs makes me yawn but wow - what a discovery on this thread... Clarence Carter is cool! :faint: Hadn't heard of him before but now I know him, thanks to evil nickname. Just ordered a CD.

Meat Loaf doing folk punk? Hard to believe... I better go to the pub, have a Guinness and listen to some Irish music before that crazy idea captures my mind. :hic: Besides, I don't think that anybody can do this significantly better than The Pogues & Kirsty MacColl. But then again, someone has been asking for a banjo on a Meat Loaf album for quite a while, LOL. A rock and roll dream coming through? ;)

for those of us who dont have acess to the magazine, whats the quip about MATLAF

the greatest christmas song ever... (and it was recorded in july)

Bon Jovi did a rock version of it, too (nice Bruce impression, there, Jon :roll: :twisted:):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIOR7xhQt8Y

I like the version you posted better. :cool:

The Review, downloaded via mac app:

http://i533.photobucket.com/albums/e...ck_2012-02.jpg

Based on that quip, maybe Blind Before I Stop doesn't even know there's a game on that day

I hope not, Tesco using it for their background music in their christmas ads was bad enough.

It's just a song that shouldn't be covered, apart from the spoken word version that you can find on youtube.

"There's a whole lot of people who don't like that record. Go to Amazon and read the reviews..."

I just had a look and 104 out of a total of 123 reviews come along with a 4- or 5-star rating. So much for "a whole lot of people don't like that record". The interviewer asks him about the album that made him famous and he focuses on the fact that a few people said that they don't like it on Amazon. :??::??::??:

I second that.

P.S.: What about all those Springsteen references Meat Loaf comes up with recently?

he can say what he wants about hes own record surely?

Maybe cause there are lots of alikes in their career (i.e. musicians, success, a recent AFL-performance). But Bruce is always credited as the second coming whereas Meat, Jim (and us fans) for whatever reason often have to fight for credibility.

MM

Of course but he told the interviewer / the readers to go to Amazon and read the reviews, so I did and checked his statement. :twisted: It's a bit odd to claim that many people don't like it and refer to a rather small number of negative reviews on Amazon. I wonder if it makes sense to judge the importance and popularity of an album that has sold millions of copies by a couple of customer reviews on a website. Why does he pay that much attention to negative feedback, while not mentioning the positive at all? What are about 20 unfavorable comments on Amazon, compared to the number of copies sold? Has Paul McCartney ever said "people think it's overrated, I've seen reviews on Amazon that say so" when being asked a question about Sgt. Pepper?

What's wrong with that? :))

Why do "us fans" have to fight for credibility?

you went and checked the reviews?:lol:,, talk about hanging on every word hes says!!!! funny funny.

Okay, if I understand you correctly, you think it is totally irrelevant and meaningless what he says? Or that you're stupid if you bother to read Meat Loaf's words? Interesting... In this case I wonder what's the use of such interviews.

no, im just saying i dont believe what everyone says to or tells me. maybe Meat views 20 bad comments alot? horses for corses my dear!!! if Meat tells me its a good album, i will listen to it and then i will agree or not with him? then everybodys opinion is different so? not everybodys life is the same nor do they all act in the same way. Meat says things like every other human on planet earth, its down to the person listening what way they think he said it.
people do and say what they want at the end of the day

An unconventional holiday album would be great. In a YT video, Meat said there are two holiday duets with Patti so I hope that happens. I'm looking forward to the album.

Wario, thanks for posting the review. I was going to type it out this evening whilst watching the mighty chairboys live on sky sports tonight!

In my daughter's nativity play they performed "Little Donkey". Is that song nasty enough for Hot Holidays?

Which territory did you look at? There are different reviews on each Amazon site, according to country.

You don't even believe Meat Loaf? I'm shocked! :shock: :lawl: FYI: The statement above is exactly why I had a look at the reviews. ;)

That explains it, LOL. Wait... When I still read music magazines, I looked for the negative reviews first. They are often more interesting and entertaining than the favorable ones, maybe because people tend to put more passion into explaining why they hate something than into praising something. Some of those reviews are hilarious.

You're right and to be fair, I don't even know if he was quoted correctly. But judging by what he said in other interviews, too, and on this forum, he seems to pay a lot of attention to negativity. I just wonder why? You can't please everybody and negative feedback is very common, not only on Amazon. You can make the best album in the world, there'll always be people who don't like it. I think Meat Loaf himself said in a recent interview "be grateful for what you have". He can be proud of the fact that a lot of people all over the world love that album and that they still come to his shows to hear its songs live. He (along with Steinman, Rundgren and others) accomplished something not many people are lucky enough to accomplish. Does it really matter if there are a people who think it's horrible (they must be interested in it somehow, though - otherwise they wouldn't spend time on writing a review, LOL)?

Amazon.com as that's the site I assume he referred to. Amazon.co.uk could be possible as well. (There are apparently even less negative reviews.) I doubt that he checked the reviews on amazon.fr, amazon.de or amazon.co.jp or the Chinese or Italian site. ;)

Re: Sarge's posts about Meat being cynical about the album that made him famous.

Is there any way to ban people who hate the artist that this forum belongs to ?

I am just tired of it. sorry ppl. *shrug*

Where exactly has Sarge claimed that she hates Meat Loaf?

If Sarge is a girl, I'll eat your enormous golden clad bauble.

Would you like some french fries with that?

:nuts: Is there a way to ban people who read weird things into other members posts? I said Meat was "cynical" (???) about his album and "hate" :wtf: him? Good Lord... Some people need help, really. (Sorry mods, but I don't know what else to say about such nonsense.)

You guys are taking meat to heart really too too seriously. Hes always said some people love BOOH and some people hate it. He just was in an interview and used the amazon reference off the top of his head. He probably didn't read the amzon reviews and just used it as a current reference readers would understand.

the point is what he was trying to say: BOOH isnt the most universally acclaimed album of all time. Its high time re realized that. Sure it has more lovers then haters, but the haters really hate and the lovers really love. Rolling Stone has bashed meat's album and its superior sequel, and other magazines have praised it. Its an album thats not for everyone.

If CDs were given MPAA ratings, BOOH would be rated NC-17

The CDs is a success and meat was just referencing not everyone has a soft spot for it. relax.

Also, on a side note, Im pretty sure Meat has soft spots for Bad Attitude and BBIS. In thee early 90s hes said BA was his favorite record pre-Bat 2 besides BOOH and hes made mention of adding two BBIS songs into the set in 2012 (if that ever happens). Id say they'd be waiting in the dugout in his eyes.

Maybe you're right, Wario. It just appeared strange to read a sentence that somehow seemed to void the previous one.

Don't mention ratings, I just saw one of these large ugly stickers :sick: of our local motion picture rating organization on the Welcome To The Neighborhood Collector's Edition. Not suitable for children below the age of 12, LOL.

Bad Attitude is his best non-Steinman 1980s album, Blind Before I Stop suffers from sounding more like a dance pop than a rock album. Some of the songs are not bad, though, they sounded pretty good when being performed live. It would be interesting to hear what they sound like if played by the current NLE lineup.

Whats this he doesn't know if he can tour in 2012? WHAAAAAAT?

She digs at him all the time, not sure why she even bothers coming here....I guess its a love/hate thing :?

Really, to read into what he said about Bat and basically get irritated at him for focusing on a few negative reviews says something right there....and you dont need to have super-effing-amazing hearing to pick up on it.

Who cares if he talks about some negative reviews from the album that made him famous? What should he be banned from certain discussions because it makes him appear un-appreciative?

holy christ.......This place is exhausting dude. if Meat didn't show up on here, and there weren't some really dedicated amazing fans, i'd be the ~~~~ out of here before you could blink an eye. Cynicism surrounding your favourite artist *ON THEIR FAN SITE* is so stupid, i cant believe its allowed.

i guess for entertainment purposes it adds to the fun ?

/rant

before I get jumped on. Cynical behavior does not mean negative opinions. Negative opinion of work, IE "I do not like bat out of hell" should be fine.

But "Meat Loaf is entirely unappreciative of his own success" or "Meat loaf sees his success as cup-half-empty because he focuses on 3 negative reviews on amazon", or a similar such untrue statement is a complete insult to the man, and should not be something that others can come and find as reading material on his fan club. We all know how much Meat is grateful for his success in life, and there is no need for such rubbish.

As it's an academic question, I'd say the answer doesn't really matter. But since you asked nicely, I'm more of a tobasco man.

:roll: If I read any more of your babble, I'll end up with a headache. You trying to be a wannabe psychologist is amusing, though. I wonder where in this thread I actually attacked Meat Loaf (aside from stating that I'm not into Christmas albums - by any rock singer that is). You seem to have a strange concept of what "digging at someone" is. Or you are just bored. You constantly try to show what a "good" fan you are by complaining about how bad others are just because they are not as "passionate" as you. Pretty cheap. If it's an "insult" to rather want to see an artist being happy with his / her work than to see him / her saying that allegedly "a whole lot of people" don't like it then you live in a pretty strange world. Besides, see my response to Wario.

are you ok dude?? you seem very upset

Yep ... guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens :shrug:

I'm a sad panda now... :'(

Chris, I think you're absolutely right, and expressed it perfectly

Caryl

If you can't discuss the interview without bickering at each other, then please don't bother posting in this thread.

A nasty christmas album.... sounds like my sort of christmas album :twisted:

Mine too Mel :))

Recent football appearances aside (Bruce played the American Superbowl halftime show, not the AFL, btw), their careers are only alike in that they both make rock records and became famous around the same time period. Springsteen is a well-respected songwriter who plays his own instruments (plural), and has released several solo albums in addition to the ones he made with various bands; Meat is "an actor who sings", by his own description. In fact, depending who you listen to, whether it's an homage or a parody, Bat I sounds the way it does because of Born to Run. They even "borrowed" two key members of Springsteen's band to make the album.

Bruce may be Rolling Stone's darling, I'll give you that, but he's more than earned every bit of "credibility" that he has.

And, I've never seen Bruce put down another artist's work in interviews or online, subtly or otherwise. Just saying.

The reviews weren't exactly glowing, but I wouldn't say either album was "bashed", either. I'm not exactly a fan of Dave Marsh, who wrote the review for Bat I anyway; he's something of a Springsteen "insider", and I wouldn't have expected him to say anything different.

Bat I review:
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/al...-hell-19771215

Bat II review:
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/al...-hell-19931028

Exactly.

I have an interview with Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman from 1978 in which Steinman mentions that Bruce Springsteen is one of his main influences. Bat Out Of Hell and Born To Run have a similar structure, yet Meat Loaf and Bruce are totally different artists who don't necessarily appeal to the same audience (although there are a couple of Meat Loaf fans who like Bruce as well). Meat Loaf is not a songwriter and depends on the people he collaborates with, their styles differ and don't appeal to everybody to the same degree. Steinman is not very productive and appears to be reclusive, it doesn't come as a surprise that Bruce gets more attention and recognition.

Not on my enormous golden clad bauble. :bleh:

Hey, blame R, he was the one that brought the sauce into this. The sauce? Get it? Aha-ha-ha-ha ahhhhhhhh.

i really like Bruce to be honest, a great talent!!! where Meat is concerned tho its all about hes look and image = he never fitted in to the whole rock star look. he never wrote much of hes own songs - BUT nor did Elvis!! and like Elvis he makes every song hes own. that can be sometimes harder to do imo.

I think that's not a disadvantage but part of his success. He was totally different from other rock singers and the perfect complement for Steinman's bombastic, over the top music. I don't understand the complaints saying that Meat Loaf allegedly hasn't gotten as much recognition as other artists. How do you measure it, by the way? By how often one has appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone?

Meat Loaf's only "problem" with regard to his place in music history is the fact that his name is primarily associated with two albums. There are albums even fans rarely listen to. (When was the last time you listened to Blind Before I Stop or Midnight At The Lost And Found?) Has he ever had a huge success with a non-Bat album? The bat is a blessing as well as a curse.

Maybe Meat Loaf is not praised for his albums as much as the songwiter / musician Bruce Springsteen but is that a problem? He is a performer. He needs a stage and a big show that has features of a theater performance to put the songs in perspective. That's what he is exceptionally good at and famous for. His 1980s albums weren't very sucessful, yet he was a popular live act.

There are some great artists who have had huge success but hadn't been taken seriously by critics for quite a while. There are artists who hardly get attention and recognition although they deserve it, and there are artists who have been forgotten. Meat Loaf might not be regarded as a musical genius but he is well-known, has appeared on TV countless times and he still has a comparatively large audience. That's not bad, is it?

Plus I suspect that Meat Loaf will never be forgotten. Good or bad the name will float around long after the man has gone. :rly:

His place in music history is more than secure.
I don't understand comparing one artist to another. Very pointless. Each and everyone of them, and by that I mean all artists in all genres bring something that maybe not be the flavour of the moment but still deserves the respect and admiration for getting where they are.

Love the song and Meat, but not sure about the combo. Will have to wait to hear, but i think its one that should be approached with caution. Just read this article by stewart lee...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisf...ditions-pogues

Careful of the traditions.

I bought this a few days ago, not had a chance to read it yet as I've been really busy but the new photo is also very cool :cool: !!

Meat Loaf Interview!
 

Link: http://imgur.com/LGOQ9

Hoping you enjoy reading this I thought it was a really good interview.
:cool:

Thats been posted before.

oops sorry! xx:shock:

I find it somewhat hilarious that Blind Before I Stop was evidently such a failure that the guy who reviewed Bat 2 (in the link someone posted above) doesn't even know it exists :D THAT is a fantastic example of journalism at it's finest ^_^

Also, at Meat's comment at four octave songs...what? Off the top of my head, Surf's Up and Bat out of Hell are probably his songs with the widest ranges, and that's only an octave and a half + two octaves respectively. That's not to say they're not hard to sing, but four octaves is overplaying their difficulty by a hell of a lot. You'd be hard pressed to find a song ANYWHERE that covers four octaves. The music nerd inside of me raised an eyebrow at that line :P

And, if Meat and Jim still have unfinished business, they really need to hurry up with it, because to be perfectly blunt, time isn't on their side.

:lol: