Working Like a Bat Out of Hell

RoknRollJesus · 21 Nov 2006, 18:14

THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Monday, November 20, 2006
By Doug Pullen

Making a third "Bat Out of Hell" album was a lot easier for 59-year-old singer and actor Meat Loaf than promoting it. A small, uncredited role in the movie "Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny," opening Wednesday, won't hurt.

He plays Jack Black's strict, religious father who sings and tears down a young Jack's rock posters in a scene that sets the story in motion - before the credits roll.

"In that amount of time that I was singing, I felt like a sprinter at the Olympics," he said of the scene. "It doesn't look like it, but I did it fairly calmly."

"He had a certain style," Black said of his hero on "Late Show With Conan O'Brien" last week, "like a theatrical rock that I've always bitten off of."

The man whom The New York Times stiffly refers to as Mr. Loaf - real name Michael Aday, Meat to his friends - said he didn't worry about how the public would receive the third bite of the "Bat" series, "Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose," until after he finished making it earlier this year.

"I don't think about that when we're doing it," he said. "I thought about that when we started to put it out, when we started to get the release going. I thought, 'What the hell have I done?' But we worked really hard, the audience is there, and it is just a matter of letting them know."

Which is one reason he did this interview and myriad others to promote the album, the third in the bombastic rock-as-musical theater trilogy that started in 1977, continued in 1993 and has sold nearly 50 million copies around the world.

Though the new album debuted at No. 8 in the United States and in the Top 5 of several European and Scandanavian countries after its release on Halloween, the first single "It's All Coming Back to Me Now," a hit for Celine Dion in 1996, is doing well across the pond but only so-so here.

He says American radio isn't friendly to veteran artists like him. "The (radio) landscape is like a moon with no oxygen. Have you ever been to Iceland?" the Texas native asked. "The radio's like Iceland. It's like a big glacier and there's a volcano on one side and it's all rock on the other, with a hot springs and no trees."

Today's homogenized playlists are more likely to wing it with "Bat" classics "Paradise by the Dashboard Lights," "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" and the Grammy-winning "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" than "Bat III" tracks like "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" and the forthcoming single "The Blind as a Bat," which he says was his choice for first single "but everybody wanted to go with a ballad."

So to pump up the third volume, Meat Loaf has given countless interviews, released a "Making of" documentary to movie theaters last month and recently concluded a three-country, five-city theater tour, "Bat Out of Hell: The Bases Are Loaded," a three-act, two-hour show highlighting songs from all three albums.

It's a prelude to a more extensive concert tour launching March 1. Dates next summer in the United Kingdom and Germany, where he's more of an icon, are already on sale; North American dates have not been announced.

Born Marvin Aday in Dallas (he changed his name to Michael in 2001), Loaf was more into football and musical theater than rock 'n' roll as a kid. He dropped out of college his junior year and lit out for Los Angeles, where he played in bands that opened for Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Iggy Pop and the Stooges.

He also landed roles in the theater, including a production of "Hair" that ran for six months in Detroit, where he signed with Motown and released an album with a singer named Stoney Murphy (Shaun Murphy of Little Feat and Bob Seger fame) in 1971.

Loaf (a childhood nickname) later landed a dual role in "The Rocky Horror Show," which he promptly quit once the actor who played the cross-dressing lead showed up in fishnet stockings and high heels. "I got up and left," he recalled. "I thought, 'This is insane.'"

But he came around, later reprising his role as '50s rocker Eddie in the movie version, which quickly became a cult hit. Around that time, Aday started work on the first "Bat" album at that time with songwriter and guitarist Jim Steinman, whom he met in a New York theater production.

The album, produced by Todd Rundgren, was a huge, but slow-building hit, eventually selling more than 35 million copies worldwide. Tensions over money and billing strained his friendship with Steinman, leading to lawsuits and, possibly, Loaf's subsequent problems with drugs and alcohol.

Their love-hate relationship continues. Steinman is the architect of the first two albums, writing the songs for both and producing the second, as well as several of Loaf's non-"Bat" efforts. His involvement with the third is limited to seven songs. They settled a recent lawsuit over ownership of the "Bat Out of Hell" trademark earlier this year.

Despite their legal squabbles, Loaf dedicated the new album to Steinman, even though his former collaborator does not appear anywhere on the disc, and sang his praises in a recent teleconference with several journalists: "You can find writers that are very good, but I would never say to anybody, 'Oh, write a song like Jim Steinman,' because it's impossible and it becomes a cliche of itself."

Though Steinman, whose slyly humorous, overly theatrical style has influenced modern rock's Fall Out Boy and Panic! At the Disco, isn't a big part of "Bat III," noted Aerosmith and Bon Jovi collaborator Desmond Child is. He contributed songs and produced the record, which also includes contributions from pop songwriter Dianne Warren, Motley Crue's Nikki Sixx, Queen's Brian May and first "Bat" producer Rundgren.

Loaf has described this collection as "rockier," "edgier" and more personal. The stage show, which he hopes to "focus" on more next year, is "true theater."

"It's about the people, about the words ... it's not about the costumes," he said, though he admitted that there are some sexy outfits for some of the women in the show.

"I'm not stupid."

Article here

*AndyK* · 21 Nov 2006, 18:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoknRollJesus

THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION

... and the forthcoming single " Blind as a Bat," which he says was his choice for first single "but everybody wanted to go with a ballad."

Now there's some real news, all we need now is a release date ...

Thanks Jo

LucyK! · 21 Nov 2006, 18:23

Fabulous!! Very happy little Loafette!!!

Paul191 · 21 Nov 2006, 18:24

Thank You..... That's great.......... And thank God it confirms the second single is 'Blind As A Bat'!

Meataholic · 21 Nov 2006, 19:14

Wonderful, wonderful news about BAAB

Thanks Jo for posting this

geordieloaf · 21 Nov 2006, 19:39

I'm pleased it will be BAAB, And pleased to see a half decent write up for a change.
Excellent.

Jeanie · 21 Nov 2006, 20:19

Thanks, Jo.

J.

meatloaf-unofficial · 21 Nov 2006, 20:25

great single song !!

Benny · 21 Nov 2006, 20:53

Awesome

needmoremeat · 21 Nov 2006, 21:03

Didn't know Jim was a guitarist too!

Is there no end to this man's talents?!

Blackkat13 · 22 Nov 2006, 05:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoknRollJesus

THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Monday, November 20, 2006
By Doug Pullen

Article here

WOW!!!!!! Thats From The Flint Journal....I get the journal here Flint is like 15 to 20 miles away.....I didn't really care for that guys review of Bat 3 cause he's quote was "Well 2 out of 3 ain't bad" on the cd review. He is strict on alot of cd's but I guess that is what a he is suppose to do.

Rockette · 22 Nov 2006, 08:12

So now the guessing game can end!

What a brilliant choice of single! Hoping BAAB will tear up the charts.

Sapphire Lady · 22 Nov 2006, 16:15

Excellent. Hopefully will be released before Christmas

21 Nov 2006, 18:14	#1
RoknRollJesus Livin' La Vida Loafa! Join Date: 03.10.2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,529	Working Like a Bat Out of Hell THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION Monday, November 20, 2006 By Doug Pullen Making a third "Bat Out of Hell" album was a lot easier for 59-year-old singer and actor Meat Loaf than promoting it. A small, uncredited role in the movie "Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny," opening Wednesday, won't hurt. He plays Jack Black's strict, religious father who sings and tears down a young Jack's rock posters in a scene that sets the story in motion - before the credits roll. "In that amount of time that I was singing, I felt like a sprinter at the Olympics," he said of the scene. "It doesn't look like it, but I did it fairly calmly." "He had a certain style," Black said of his hero on "Late Show With Conan O'Brien" last week, "like a theatrical rock that I've always bitten off of." The man whom The New York Times stiffly refers to as Mr. Loaf - real name Michael Aday, Meat to his friends - said he didn't worry about how the public would receive the third bite of the "Bat" series, "Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose," until after he finished making it earlier this year. "I don't think about that when we're doing it," he said. "I thought about that when we started to put it out, when we started to get the release going. I thought, 'What the hell have I done?' But we worked really hard, the audience is there, and it is just a matter of letting them know." Which is one reason he did this interview and myriad others to promote the album, the third in the bombastic rock-as-musical theater trilogy that started in 1977, continued in 1993 and has sold nearly 50 million copies around the world. Though the new album debuted at No. 8 in the United States and in the Top 5 of several European and Scandanavian countries after its release on Halloween, the first single "It's All Coming Back to Me Now," a hit for Celine Dion in 1996, is doing well across the pond but only so-so here. He says American radio isn't friendly to veteran artists like him. "The (radio) landscape is like a moon with no oxygen. Have you ever been to Iceland?" the Texas native asked. "The radio's like Iceland. It's like a big glacier and there's a volcano on one side and it's all rock on the other, with a hot springs and no trees." Today's homogenized playlists are more likely to wing it with "Bat" classics "Paradise by the Dashboard Lights," "Two Out of Three Ain't Bad" and the Grammy-winning "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" than "Bat III" tracks like "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" and the forthcoming single "The Blind as a Bat," which he says was his choice for first single "but everybody wanted to go with a ballad." So to pump up the third volume, Meat Loaf has given countless interviews, released a "Making of" documentary to movie theaters last month and recently concluded a three-country, five-city theater tour, "Bat Out of Hell: The Bases Are Loaded," a three-act, two-hour show highlighting songs from all three albums. It's a prelude to a more extensive concert tour launching March 1. Dates next summer in the United Kingdom and Germany, where he's more of an icon, are already on sale; North American dates have not been announced. Born Marvin Aday in Dallas (he changed his name to Michael in 2001), Loaf was more into football and musical theater than rock 'n' roll as a kid. He dropped out of college his junior year and lit out for Los Angeles, where he played in bands that opened for Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Iggy Pop and the Stooges. He also landed roles in the theater, including a production of "Hair" that ran for six months in Detroit, where he signed with Motown and released an album with a singer named Stoney Murphy (Shaun Murphy of Little Feat and Bob Seger fame) in 1971. Loaf (a childhood nickname) later landed a dual role in "The Rocky Horror Show," which he promptly quit once the actor who played the cross-dressing lead showed up in fishnet stockings and high heels. "I got up and left," he recalled. "I thought, 'This is insane.'" But he came around, later reprising his role as '50s rocker Eddie in the movie version, which quickly became a cult hit. Around that time, Aday started work on the first "Bat" album at that time with songwriter and guitarist Jim Steinman, whom he met in a New York theater production. The album, produced by Todd Rundgren, was a huge, but slow-building hit, eventually selling more than 35 million copies worldwide. Tensions over money and billing strained his friendship with Steinman, leading to lawsuits and, possibly, Loaf's subsequent problems with drugs and alcohol. Their love-hate relationship continues. Steinman is the architect of the first two albums, writing the songs for both and producing the second, as well as several of Loaf's non-"Bat" efforts. His involvement with the third is limited to seven songs. They settled a recent lawsuit over ownership of the "Bat Out of Hell" trademark earlier this year. Despite their legal squabbles, Loaf dedicated the new album to Steinman, even though his former collaborator does not appear anywhere on the disc, and sang his praises in a recent teleconference with several journalists: "You can find writers that are very good, but I would never say to anybody, 'Oh, write a song like Jim Steinman,' because it's impossible and it becomes a cliche of itself." Though Steinman, whose slyly humorous, overly theatrical style has influenced modern rock's Fall Out Boy and Panic! At the Disco, isn't a big part of "Bat III," noted Aerosmith and Bon Jovi collaborator Desmond Child is. He contributed songs and produced the record, which also includes contributions from pop songwriter Dianne Warren, Motley Crue's Nikki Sixx, Queen's Brian May and first "Bat" producer Rundgren. Loaf has described this collection as "rockier," "edgier" and more personal. The stage show, which he hopes to "focus" on more next year, is "true theater." "It's about the people, about the words ... it's not about the costumes," he said, though he admitted that there are some sexy outfits for some of the women in the show. "I'm not stupid." Article here

21 Nov 2006, 18:23	#3
LucyK! The Monster Is Luce Join Date: 14.04.2002 Location: Posts: 7,547	Fabulous!! Very happy little Loafette!!!

21 Nov 2006, 18:24	#4
Paul191 Mega Loafer Join Date: 26.11.2005 Location: Posts: 1,530	Thank You..... That's great.......... And thank God it confirms the second single is 'Blind As A Bat'!

21 Nov 2006, 19:14	#5
Meataholic Super Loafer Join Date: 01.03.2004 Location: Where angels sing Posts: 326	Wonderful, wonderful news about BAAB Thanks Jo for posting this

21 Nov 2006, 19:39	#6
geordieloaf Can't You See My Faded Geordie Jeans Bursting Apart Join Date: 25.10.2006 Location: Newcastle Posts: 1,360	I'm pleased it will be BAAB, And pleased to see a half decent write up for a change. Excellent.

21 Nov 2006, 20:19	#7
Jeanie Super Loafer Join Date: 09.07.2003 Location: Canada Posts: 996	Thanks, Jo. J.

21 Nov 2006, 20:25	#8
meatloaf-unofficial Mega Loafer Join Date: 06.02.2006 Location: Touring the Country Posts: 2,558	great single song !!

21 Nov 2006, 20:53	#9
Benny Massive Loafer Join Date: 07.09.2005 Location: Posts: 3,084	Awesome

21 Nov 2006, 21:03	#10
needmoremeat Mega Loafer Join Date: 23.11.2003 Location: Sunderland, UK Posts: 1,416	Didn't know Jim was a guitarist too! Is there no end to this man's talents?!

22 Nov 2006, 08:12	#12
Rockette Mega Loafer Join Date: 10.06.2005 Location: I think! Posts: 4,805	So now the guessing game can end! What a brilliant choice of single! Hoping BAAB will tear up the charts.

22 Nov 2006, 16:15	#13
Sapphire Lady Mega Loafer Join Date: 21.04.2003 Location: Scotland Posts: 1,213	Excellent. Hopefully will be released before Christmas