I wonder how Meat would rank his studio albums from least to greatest
 

Its really quite an intriguing question..

We know meat LOVES HCTB, Bat, and Bat 2.

He's said in an interview pre Bat 2 his favorite album was Bad Attitude at one point.

I wonder how he'd rank his albums :shrug:

Since CHSIB Meat always said his next album was the best. ;)

Which is how any creative artist should feel, or they are treading water .. and Meat doesn't tread water

Exactly - if you're next project isn't your very best then don't bother, no point going ahead with something you know (or at least feel) is inferior.

In fairness I think he knew Hell in a Hand Basket wasn't a particularly good album and didn't go over the top promoting it. Probably a bit rushed out and quite telling he doesn't use any of the songs from it in his shows.

Ummmm giving tree was played right through the last at bat tour

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Album released and followed by Mad Mad World tour to promote the album. As has become customary, Meat spent roughly half the show featuring the classics/big hits that he knows the vast majority of any audience expect to hear and have come to hear. He featured 2 songs from HCTB and 3 from HIAH .. Stand in the Storm, Giving Tree and Mad, Mad World ..

His next and last big tour was Last at Bat which featured the whole of BOOH. In the medley he gave during Act 1, he featured songs from 6 studio albums, including (as Mel has pointed out) Giving Tree from his most recent one. So to say he doesn't use any of the songs from it just doesn't make sense, and not imo "telling" or suggestive that he thinks HIAH "wasn't a particularly good album".

That he doesn't feature any of the songs in R&C isn't telling either. He has selected classics that the broadest audience could relate to, which makes sound sense, given the show is a residency and is pitched at the thousands of visitors who arrive daily in Vegas looking for shows to see at night. At those I've attended I have every time talked to people who were seeing him for the first time ever, and for whom songs from BOOH and the song that won him his Grammy will be their main expectation.

Yes, as Mel and Caryl have both stated, Meat played Giving Tree up until his Vegas run. When I saw his Mad Mad World Tour he played the three songs that Caryl mentioned as well as played Our Love and Our Souls. Meat has commented several times that HIAHB is the first album where he was not in character. He also commented about how this album is a reflection of what he thinks is going on in the world as he sees it.

To say that Meat didn't think that this was a very good album is contrary to what Meat himself has said. Where would he rank it in his list, I have no idea. I do know that he as well as Paul (who has spoken highly of the album in the production thread) are both very proud of their work.

Well I think clearly that Bat III (I hate to even call it that) he was not happy with, nor with Desmond as he has made both clear. So I'm sure that was not an "my best since.." moment.

To be fair thats not exactly true.

Meat said publicly & on here that he likes HIAHB and thinks its a good album he was incredibly active on here while making it constantly saying how happy he was both making it and with how it sounded.

To say that he didnt use any songs from it in the tour because he didn't like the album is overlooking the blatantly obvious elephant in the room.

The tour that came after the release of HIAHB was Last at Bat his farewell tour where half of the show was given over to playing Bat in full & the other half to his hits & fan favourites. Simple fact is that its more likely that with how new the album was at the start of LAB tour none of the songs from it had been around long enough that if he had used any it would not have upset his long standing fans that he removed well loved pieces like DR etc to replace them with something new & untried live.

It's actually ignoring the reality .. 3-4 songs showcased on the tour immediately following the album release, and one featured in the first act on Last at Bat in the UK

To say he doesn't like HIAHB because the songs weren't in the previous tour is insane. Its all about crowd response. Its the reason OL&OS was taken out in favor of Two out of three during the MM tour.

Would the audience like Giving Tree better, or out of the frying pan?

You all know my personal preference and i don't like stagnet set lists each tour, but I have to admit it makes sense.

What was sad tho was that DIST, Testify, and CHISIB got the boot for good after the CHSIB tour. Doesnt mean he dislikes CHSIB. I loveee DIST, wouldn't doubt Meat likes that song too. It just doesn't work in a live enviorment.

I would agree with your comment, but the song CHSIB got a huge audience response at the shows I saw, so I'm not sure why it wasn't performed on any of the later tours.

I don't think that's the case at all. There was promotion for HIAH just as there has been for every other Meat Loaf album and at the time Meat seemed very pleased with it.

Hell In A Handbasket was and still is my favourite Meat Loaf album and I don't think the lack of songs in the Las Vegas set list has anything to do with Meat Loaf's feelings towards the album and as several others have stated, songs from this album WERE played in the live environment. I'd check your facts before making such statements in future.

As someone who loves HIAH, that's a tour I wish I'd have seen. Particularly the earlier shows that also featured 'Our Love and Our Souls'.

I whole-heartedly agree with your DIST comment. Great song which somehow didn't come across well live. I still vividly remember my excitement and anticipation as that song started but as you say it just didn't click live. Just one of those things!

Not true. Meat had contractual obligations in the 80's to pump out albums and he's admitted he wasn't happy with them.

Our Love and Our Souls was beautiful live. I think the problem was the song's placement in the show. There were 3 new songs in a row and the audience had grown restless by the 3rd new song.