Meat's Vocal Technique.

[PanicLord]

Originally Posted by robgomm

I think you're all missing a huge point here guys, and thats that his songs are SO hard to sing! I would say they are harder than almost anyone else in the history of music. When I sing take that or the younger solo artists of todays songs, i can sing through pretty much an enitre concerts worth. If I try to sing through a Meat Loaf album or concert, I will last maybe 4 or 5 songs until my voice gives out.

It might just be my opinion but Meat sings harder songs than anyone I have ever heard in the music industry, past or present. This, coupled with the fact that the songs are so long, and he was doing shows every other night on tour over the years, do affect the voice. I've even noticed it with my own voice, I can't always sing Meat Loaf songs like I used to simply because i've damamged my voice in the past by singing them.

Having said that Meat has adpated his voice brilliantly over the years, and having been to the current tour, I can't disbelieve Meat when he says that HCTB was his vocals more or less untouched. In fact i'd go far as to say that on the current tour his vocals are as close to the album as i've heard in many a year. And I really love Meats voice right now, and i'm so happy that he's happy with it too.

I totally agree - you really did take the words right out of my... um... fingers!

Certainly they must be some of the hardest male vocals, as they tend to be very high, very long, very dramatic, very powerful, with few decent pauses to recover in the middle!

I also find I can only sing a small number of Meat songs in a row, whereas most other artists I can sing all day.

Meat's voice is awesome on HCTB, and he throws a whole lot of attack into it, which makes it sound superbly powerful and charismatic.

[meatfanforlife]

@Rob only 4 or 5 songs? Haha Jk m8

I am working on a small meat loaf cover album for one of my classes, and let me tell you...its not bloody easy. I have to do a song a day, because my voice gives out if I try to do say BOOH, and then follow it up with a live rendition of AFL.

My favorite song to sing now is actually BOOH, the live version from MSO 04. Because of the power and how it challenges my vocals. I can upload a version to youtube if anyone is interested.

[Monstro]

You lot don't know what you're talking about, after several whiskey's I'm a rock god, I can sing Meat songs for hours and all in tune, just ask my neighbours

[renegadeangel]

I don't think its fair to compare Meat to someone like Peter Frampton as far as vocal performances go over the years. Meat puts far more into it then anyone I've ever seen. So for sure his voice has changed over the years but I still stand by what I think...
Meat gets better the more he tours. His voice gets stronger and he sounds better. Maybe its the comfort of the stage or the energy of the audience. Don't know. But he definitely gets better.
I think the BAT 3 tour was demanding moreso than any other because of the emotional strain of having people upset with Steinman not being involved and the general character assisination that was taking place. Guilty until proven innocent. Hardly fair but again maybe Meat took it too heart and it affected his vocal performance.

[stretch37]

Originally Posted by renegadeangel

I don't think its fair to compare Meat to someone like Peter Frampton as far as vocal performances go over the years. Meat puts far more into it then anyone I've ever seen. So for sure his voice has changed over the years but I still stand by what I think...
Meat gets better the more he tours. His voice gets stronger and he sounds better. Maybe its the comfort of the stage or the energy of the audience. Don't know. But he definitely gets better.
I think the BAT 3 tour was demanding moreso than any other because of the emotional strain of having people upset with Steinman not being involved and the general character assisination that was taking place. Guilty until proven innocent. Hardly fair but again maybe Meat took it too heart and it affected his vocal performance.

well said, yeah i think like 90% of it has to do with the complexity surrounding all aspects of that album, and the politics, and hurt feelings. Your right, we all know how much it effected Meat. I will never believe or say "meat lost his voice, and has either not regained it, or has now regained it", and i dislike when people say either of those things. Because its bullshit. He has never lost anything, he's gone through ups and downs and when he builds himself up, he's invincible. This time, with HCTB still being pushed and a new album in the works, Meat performing with such stamina and enthusiasm and sounding and looking like a man in his 40's (if you've seen it live, you know what I speak of)....This is a time of celebration and i hope we can all celebrate on these forums with Meat! No, we don't all get exactly what we envisioned, song-wise or style-wise...but you cannot deny that this is special and we should enjoy it and relish in it while it lasts, party on! Can't wait for March 18/19

[Evil One]

Originally Posted by stretch37

well said, yeah i think like 90% of it has to do with the complexity surrounding all aspects of that album, and the politics, and hurt feelings.

Or it could possibly be due to a cyst in his throat that may have been totally unrelated to the Bat 3 bullshit.

[stretch37]

Originally Posted by Evil One

Or it could possibly be due to a cyst in his throat that may have been totally unrelated to the Bat 3 bullshit.

ya that likely had something to do with it. But a few months earlier during that same tour, his voice rocked. But overall, wasn't as good as previous tours. I think that was caused by stress and negativity, could be wrong tho who knows.

[Devil's Son]

Originally Posted by TheDoode

Like most singers Meat's voice has changed over the span of his career, but there seems to be a definite point where his technique changed too.

it changed and it is interesting, to me. I like the different eras but
you may kill me for the following words.
i don't like his technique on hctb - sorry. except in just three songs: los angeloser, song of madness and prize fight lover which isn't on the cd.

[TheDoode]

That's interesting, man. I think that on PFL his delivery is way more Bat II like. At least, it is for a vocally uneducated, non vocalist listener (i.e. me).

[stretch37]

Originally Posted by TheDoode

That's interesting, man. I think that on PFL his delivery is way more Bat II like. At least, it is for a vocally uneducated, non vocalist listener (i.e. me).

first time i heard PFL two things popped into my head. Bat II and Jim Steinman. I dont know why, but i definitely enjoyed the connection. Here's hoping for more of that or something similarly exciting on HIAH

[duke knooby]

first time i heard PFL one thing popped into my mind... springsteen

[TheDoode]

I don't get the Springsteen thing at all. I don't really think PFL sounds like anything other than Meat Loaf (to me at least).

[renegadeangel]

Originally Posted by TheDoode

I don't get the Springsteen thing at all. I don't really think PFL sounds like anything other than Meat Loaf (to me at least).

Meat said once in an interview that he loved BORN TO RUN. We all pay homage to what we find the most interested, whether we mean to or not. Compare Meats version to Rick Brantley's.
Meat basically took a song and revved it up and gave it a highway to run.
Its a great driving song.

[CarylB]

Originally Posted by stretch37

ya that likely had something to do with it. But a few months earlier during that same tour, his voice rocked. But overall, wasn't as good as previous tours. I think that was caused by stress and negativity, could be wrong tho who knows.

Vocal lesions like nodules, polyps, cysts etc are chronic mucosal lesions and a cumulative process. Singers on tour are often treated by doctors to enable them to deliver the performances they are comitted to, and these treatments frequently mask the condition for some time. After a break the singer can often return to performing with renewed vocal vigour, and many singers will be able to give strong performances for many years despite the underlying problem; lack of sleep when touring, jetlag, erratic eating, the length of shows (most vocalists are advised to limit their singing to an hour and a half a day) and respiratory infections all impact, as can stress. But the issue was the underlying chronic vocal problem imo.

So I'd say that the vocal lesion that was finally diagnosed and treated would have had everything to do with it; the fact that the lesion healed and the subsequent vocal coaching Meat underwent to restore his voice and give him the control he needs to avoid a recurrence has resulted in the strength of vocal performance he is now achieving. The discovery must have been terrifying, but the end result has been to restore him to peak performance and a renewed confidence in his voice and his ability to manage/maintain it, which is wonderful.

Originally Posted by duke knooby

first time i heard PFL one thing popped into my mind... springsteen

I certainly made that connection, although Meat made it his own. I didn't get any "Steinman" influence at all.

Caryl

[Sarge]

Originally Posted by renegadeangel

Meat basically took a song and revved it up and gave it a highway to run.

How do you know that it was Meat who made the changes? I haven't seen any songwriting credits for this version so far. There are major differences and Meat has always claimed that he isn't a songwriter... The similarities to Springsteen have been mentioned already. Considering Brantley's musical preferences and influences, and the fact that many songwriters create different versions of a song, it could be possible that there already was an alternative version.