[Sarge]

Originally Posted by Metal Loaf

Throughout the entire HCTB process both ROB and MEAT brought up different Artists/ Bands to focus on as we were reviewing the songs.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN came up a lot as did TOM PETTY and QUEEN.

I noticed Queen references in the music (and some Led Zep) but I still have to find Tom Petty.

Originally Posted by renegadeangel

The only other artist I've seen that can perform as well as Meat and the Neverland Express is Bruce Springsteen.
But I think Meat has always been better.

In which respect exactly? I don't know why some members of this forum are that obsessed with comparing Meat Loaf to Bruce Springsteen all the time. They are different artists with different shows, different audiences with different expectations (although there are a couple of Meat Loaf fans who are Springsteen fans as well), and different approaches to their work/performances. A singer/songwriter like Springsteen trying to be like Meat Loaf would appear ridiculous as well as I can't imagine Meat picking up an acoustic guitar and just play and sing a song on his own in front of a large audience (I'd really like to see that, though).

I've always been more interested in Meat Loaf's live performances than in his records. When it comes to Springsteen, it were the songs that drew me to him. Bruce (and Kojak ) shaped my concept of America when I was kid, whereas I consider Meat Loaf good entertainment.

What you think is "better" depends on your personal preferences (which may vary in the course of time). This will probably get me a lot of "dislikes" but if Bruce and Meat played in my town at the same night, I'd go to Bruce's show. 15 years ago I might have opted for Meat, who knows? The NLE has always been one of the greatest bands I know and consisted of truly amazing musicians, the current line-up is especially interesting, but at the moment Bruce attracts me more than Meat.

Originally Posted by renegadeangel

He sets the bar so high I think its almost intimidating for anyone to even admit they want to be compared to him.

It was a couple of things that came together at the right time that formed the "Meat Loaf style", that made it unique and hard to imitate. (Which is a blessing as well as burden as many people associate him with and love him for the Bat sound. That makes him stand out but it also makes it harder to be successful with something new.) Since he and his performance use to be unusual, over the top and theater-like, most people who try to be like him will fail and/or appear like a caricature. That does not only go for Meat Loaf. Try to be like David Bowie, for example. There are things that just can't be credibly reproduced. But how many other atists actually desire to be like Meat Loaf or Bowie? I don't know any artist who is like Springsteen either. Some may be able to create something similar to the typical Springsteen sound (but not necessarily that of the E Street Band, musicians like Clemons or Bittan have/had a very distinctive style of playing) but what about his personality? You might be able to copy some features of another artist's style and sound but not the artist. It doesn't have anything to do with being "better" than someone else but with being different from other artists. You can't be exactly like someone else, even if you want to.