Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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MEAT LOAF

(b Marvin Lee Aday, 27 Sep. '47, Dallas TX) Rock singer, actor. Early work with local R&B and rock bands then moved to West Coast, role in touring prod. of Hair; moved to De- troit, recorded Stoney And Meat Loaf '71 (reissued '79 with names reversed). Met playwright/ songwriter/keyboardist/arranger Jim Steinman '73, auditioning for a play; played rocker Eddie in film Rocky Horror Picture Show '75 and was album highlight with 'Whatever Happened To Saturday Night': Steinman and backing singer Ellen Foley were also involved in Rocky; they made Wagnerian rock'n'roll LP Bat Out Of Hell '77, prod. by Todd Rungren, with Meat Loaf's songs drawing unashamedly on sweeping rock styles of Bob Seger and Bruce Springsteen; it reached no. 14 USA and went platinum, stayed in the UK charts five years: lengthy soap-opera tracks 'You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth' and 'Paradise By The Dashboard Light' appealed to those still keen on overblown 'progressive' rock; critics are still trying to figure it out, but Meat Loaf's exuberance was rewarded. Predictably, a follow- up was difficult: Dead Ringer '81 was more of the same but not as successful, though Cher and Springsteen's E-Street Band appeared; epics incl. title track and 'Read 'Em And Weep'. Steinman made solo album Bad For Good '81 and successful collaboration with Bonnie Tyler; Meat Loaf acted in film Americathon '79 and engagingly with Blondie's Debbie Harry in Roadie '80; later The Squeeze '87, others. Meanwhile overblown rock was definitely out of style in Midnight At The Lost And Found '83; Bad Attitude '85 was more disciplined, with Roger Daltry as guest vocalist on title track, gloriously overproduced 'Modern Girl' (no. 17 UK hit '84). Hits Out Of Hell '85 was virtually a Bat reissue, Blind Before I Stop '86 returned to epic style incl. duet with John Parr on 'Rock'n'Roll Mercenaries'. Bat Out Of Hell II: Back Into Hell was a return to the chart in style, at no. 1; Welcome To The Neighborhood '95 was top 20. His hard-rocking power appeals, and his larger-than-life image had a tongue-in-cheek aspect; Live Around The World '97 on Tommy Boy was a compilation of live tracks '77--96 and remixed to death, but proved that Meat Loaf and Steinman were suited to each other.