Raising A Rock Child

**Diane** · 08 Aug 2008, 23:01

Found here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/aug/08/popandrock

Meat Loaf rock singer: father of Pearl Aday rock singer

When I was growing up in the 1960s rock music was seen as an undesirable field for one's children to go into. When I was asked to play a gig with a rock band my mother said: "There is no way you're going 90 miles to play a gig with THEM!" My mother and father had passed away by the time I started having the crazy adventures, but my mother would have greatly disapproved of me using the F-word on stage. My grandfather would have had a stroke.

It was different for Pearl. She has a song about sleeping in a guitar case, which was pretty much how it was - she was always around. When she was a kid she'd sit in her bedroom, mimicking singers, but she wouldn't come out of the bedroom and sing. She wanted to walk straight on a stage with me but she didn't understand that it's not that simple. You have to work and get good first. Finally she got it, and when she was old enough I put her on the road with us. She was fine doing backing but very timid doing anything solo. Gradually she got louder and decided she was going to do her own band, which brought her out of her shell.

She is named after an album by Janis Joplin, who was my biggest influence - not vocally, but how she attacked the stage - so it's uncanny that she sounds a bit like Janis. When you're on stage, it's emotion. You're not going through the motions. It's like [Laurence] Olivier - as an actor, it always felt like his life depended on every scene. Pearl has grasped that - if you're really angry before a performance, you can use it in the performance.

On stage, people can drop their shoulders and turn around and walk away, and I've instilled in her never to do that because it breaks the tension with the audience, and she's learned from me to play to the back, not the front row. But it's obvious the apple fell close to the tree. She's got it. The difference between me and her is I sang loud and I wanted everyone to know it. She had to overcome her shyness, but now she sings incredibly loud!
Even though she's a woman in a very tough, male-dominated industry, the only time I was concerned was when she went on the road with Mötley Crüe. I went to a gig and she was wearing a little G-string. It was hard to watch. I went up to [bassist] Nikki Sixx and said "I wanna talk to you NOW!" and scared the hell out of him. But it was a joke.

I've warned her about lifestyle, but she's a grown woman. In the 1970s I'd have two beers before going on stage, but I'd get so angsty I'd have a beta blocker or something to just back me off a hair. But I've never really drunk. Pearl was in that Hollywood scene, but now she'll say: "I'm going to bed to rest my voice." She's engaged to guitarist Scott Ian who plays in her band, Pearl, and also in Anthrax. It took me a while to approve, but I have a lot of respect for Scott now because he really loves her. I tease him that I'm going to sneak into his room and shave his beard off.

Pearl knows that the only way she's gonna get better now is to keep doing it. She's always going to be known as Meat Loaf's daughter like [songwriter-producer] Jim Steinman's name is always mentioned alongside mine, but she'll get over that and stand on her own, because she's really good.

**Monstro** · 08 Aug 2008, 23:11

Cool interview, cheers Diane

Feleena · 08 Aug 2008, 23:18

She really rocks enjoyed hearing her at Blickling Hall.

Thanks for posting this Diane.

**Monstro** · 08 Aug 2008, 23:22

Was great seeing her on the big stage with her band behind her, Camden Barfly was good but she really deserves the big stage and the venues.

Was it just me or were the audiences more into her as the tour progressed?

Would've put the icing on the cake if she'd opened at London (no offence Arnon lol)

SamCat · 08 Aug 2008, 23:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monstro

Was great seeing her on the big stage with her band behind her, Camden Barfly was good but she really deserves the big stage and the venues.

Was it just me or were the audiences more into her as the tour progressed?

Would've put the icing on the cake if she'd opened at London (no offence Arnon lol)

He might take less offence if you got his name right lol!!

**Monstro** · 08 Aug 2008, 23:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamCat

He might take less offence if you got his name right lol!!

Could've been worse, could've called him Arnandonandonandon

Pudding · 08 Aug 2008, 23:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diane

and she's learned from me to play to the back, not the front row.

Which is why I always go for the cheap seats

Pud

24K · 09 Aug 2008, 23:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monstro

Could've been worse, could've called him Arnandonandonandon

LOL....No offense but i really didn't like his singing one bit.
Pearl on the other hand is superb and with the band and the stage setting she shone! Looking forward to seeing her again!

djfierce · 10 Aug 2008, 21:48

really nice article.....she really is ready for a full on career now, hope it happens for her as well as it did for her dad

Cpl Mickey · 11 Aug 2008, 12:25

Loved the article. Pearl has an amazing voice, so powerful. I loved her at Bath, she commanded the stage and to see Meat standing at the side watching her for a short while with a big grin on his face, said it all, just how proud he is of her. xx

**allrevvedup** · 11 Aug 2008, 13:06

Really good article...she has some voice, and the Joplin thing is something I found the first time I heard the demo/studio cd...she's got a fiery powerful attitude on stage to take things by the scruff of the neck

MissAsh · 11 Aug 2008, 13:34

That's a really good article, thanks Diane!

MeatGrl1 · 13 Aug 2008, 20:12

I am so slow !!!

I bought this and only today realisied it had a music/film section

.
Lovely pic of Meat on the cover and a great peice on Pearl that I have yet to read

!!

The paper is thin so their not the best quality. But go to the link Diane has given to read the artical properly.

~Helen~ · 13 Aug 2008, 20:42

glad you did that - i brought it home from work (I'll be honest and say I'm not a Guardian Reader so after a quick flick through, the rest of it went in the [recyling] bin!) intending to scan it in - you beat me to it and saved me the job, thank you!

MeatGrl1 · 13 Aug 2008, 20:50

NP Helen

.

08 Aug 2008, 23:01	#1
Diane Super Moderator Join Date: 04.02.2003 Location: Guernsey, Channel Islands Posts: 3,462	Raising A Rock Child Found here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/aug/08/popandrock Meat Loaf rock singer: father of Pearl Aday rock singer When I was growing up in the 1960s rock music was seen as an undesirable field for one's children to go into. When I was asked to play a gig with a rock band my mother said: "There is no way you're going 90 miles to play a gig with THEM!" My mother and father had passed away by the time I started having the crazy adventures, but my mother would have greatly disapproved of me using the F-word on stage. My grandfather would have had a stroke. It was different for Pearl. She has a song about sleeping in a guitar case, which was pretty much how it was - she was always around. When she was a kid she'd sit in her bedroom, mimicking singers, but she wouldn't come out of the bedroom and sing. She wanted to walk straight on a stage with me but she didn't understand that it's not that simple. You have to work and get good first. Finally she got it, and when she was old enough I put her on the road with us. She was fine doing backing but very timid doing anything solo. Gradually she got louder and decided she was going to do her own band, which brought her out of her shell. She is named after an album by Janis Joplin, who was my biggest influence - not vocally, but how she attacked the stage - so it's uncanny that she sounds a bit like Janis. When you're on stage, it's emotion. You're not going through the motions. It's like [Laurence] Olivier - as an actor, it always felt like his life depended on every scene. Pearl has grasped that - if you're really angry before a performance, you can use it in the performance. On stage, people can drop their shoulders and turn around and walk away, and I've instilled in her never to do that because it breaks the tension with the audience, and she's learned from me to play to the back, not the front row. But it's obvious the apple fell close to the tree. She's got it. The difference between me and her is I sang loud and I wanted everyone to know it. She had to overcome her shyness, but now she sings incredibly loud! Even though she's a woman in a very tough, male-dominated industry, the only time I was concerned was when she went on the road with Mötley Crüe. I went to a gig and she was wearing a little G-string. It was hard to watch. I went up to [bassist] Nikki Sixx and said "I wanna talk to you NOW!" and scared the hell out of him. But it was a joke. I've warned her about lifestyle, but she's a grown woman. In the 1970s I'd have two beers before going on stage, but I'd get so angsty I'd have a beta blocker or something to just back me off a hair. But I've never really drunk. Pearl was in that Hollywood scene, but now she'll say: "I'm going to bed to rest my voice." She's engaged to guitarist Scott Ian who plays in her band, Pearl, and also in Anthrax. It took me a while to approve, but I have a lot of respect for Scott now because he really loves her. I tease him that I'm going to sneak into his room and shave his beard off. Pearl knows that the only way she's gonna get better now is to keep doing it. She's always going to be known as Meat Loaf's daughter like [songwriter-producer] Jim Steinman's name is always mentioned alongside mine, but she'll get over that and stand on her own, because she's really good.

08 Aug 2008, 23:11	#2
Monstro Promoted to Wario's spellchecker Join Date: 17.09.2005 Location: London Posts: 12,947	Cool interview, cheers Diane

08 Aug 2008, 23:18	#3
Feleena Super Loafer Join Date: 14.04.2002 Location: Bedford UK Posts: 562	She really rocks enjoyed hearing her at Blickling Hall. Thanks for posting this Diane.

08 Aug 2008, 23:22	#4
Monstro Promoted to Wario's spellchecker Join Date: 17.09.2005 Location: London Posts: 12,947	Was great seeing her on the big stage with her band behind her, Camden Barfly was good but she really deserves the big stage and the venues. Was it just me or were the audiences more into her as the tour progressed? Would've put the icing on the cake if she'd opened at London (no offence Arnon lol)

10 Aug 2008, 21:48	#9
djfierce Mega Loafer Join Date: 15.06.2005 Location: Posts: 3,596	really nice article.....she really is ready for a full on career now, hope it happens for her as well as it did for her dad

11 Aug 2008, 12:25	#10
Cpl Mickey Mega Loafer Join Date: 15.09.2003 Location: Maidstone. England Posts: 1,378	Loved the article. Pearl has an amazing voice, so powerful. I loved her at Bath, she commanded the stage and to see Meat standing at the side watching her for a short while with a big grin on his face, said it all, just how proud he is of her. xx

11 Aug 2008, 13:06	#11
allrevvedup "Most things that i worry about, never happen anyway" Join Date: 29.11.2003 Location: Liverpool Posts: 5,354	Really good article...she has some voice, and the Joplin thing is something I found the first time I heard the demo/studio cd...she's got a fiery powerful attitude on stage to take things by the scruff of the neck

11 Aug 2008, 13:34	#12
MissAsh Super Loafer Join Date: 14.02.2005 Location: Glasgow, Scotland Posts: 743	That's a really good article, thanks Diane!

13 Aug 2008, 20:12	#13
MeatGrl1 No Day But Today Join Date: 29.05.2006 Location: Sitting on the steps outside looking so restless and reckless and lost! Posts: 9,089	I am so slow !!! I bought this and only today realisied it had a music/film section . Lovely pic of Meat on the cover and a great peice on Pearl that I have yet to read !! The paper is thin so their not the best quality. But go to the link Diane has given to read the artical properly.

13 Aug 2008, 20:42	#14
~Helen~ Mega Loafer Join Date: 01.11.2007 Location: Manchester Posts: 1,958	glad you did that - i brought it home from work (I'll be honest and say I'm not a Guardian Reader so after a quick flick through, the rest of it went in the [recyling] bin!) intending to scan it in - you beat me to it and saved me the job, thank you!

13 Aug 2008, 20:50	#15
MeatGrl1 No Day But Today Join Date: 29.05.2006 Location: Sitting on the steps outside looking so restless and reckless and lost! Posts: 9,089	NP Helen .