News & Notes

Jeremy Jordan, Ellen Foley & More Star In TOTAL ECLIPSE: THE MUSIC OF JIM STEINMAN At 54 Below, 5/5

A total eclipse on Broadway!

Legendary Grammy Award-winning songwriter and performer, internationally recognized theatrical rock pioneer Jim Steinman, will be celebrated in a new 54 Below show honoring his multiple #1 songs and albums at 54 Below next month, titled TOTAL ECLIPSE: THE MUSIC OF JIM STEINMAN, with the starry cast of the evening announced earlier today.

The cast of TOTAL ECLIPSE: THE MUSIC OF JIM STEINMAN at 54 Below includes stage and screen superstar Jeremy Jordan and iconic original BAT OUT OF HELL vocalist Ellen Foley, plus several other popular performers including Constantine Maroulis, Josh Young, Justin Sargent, Kate Rockwell, Ariana DeBose, Jessica Hendy, Tyce Green and newcomer Christopher Lee Viljoen.

The official description of TOTAL ECLIPSE: THE MUSIC OF JIM STEINMAN is as follows: "'If you don't go over the top, you can't see what's on the other side.' Grammy Award-winning composer Jim Steinman is the only artist in history to write and produce the simultaneous #1 and #2 song on the 'Billboard' charts, as well as possess writing and producing credits on three of the best-selling albums ever made. Now, rock's most theatrical personality is celebrated by Broadway's biggest voices, bringing his iconic songs to the 54 Below stage. The evening will feature performances by: Tony nominee Jeremy Jordan ('The Last 5 Years,' Newsies, 'Smash'), Kate Rockwell (Rock of Ages, Bring It On: The Musical), Justin Matthew Sargent (Rock of Ages, Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark), Ariana DeBose (Hamilton, Pippin, Motown), Tony nominee Josh Young (Jesus Christ Superstar), Tony nominee Constantine Maroulis (Rock of Ages, 'American Idol'), Jessica Hendy (Radio City Spring Spectacular), Tyce Green (LMNOP), Christopher Lee Viljoen (54 Sings 'Chess') and Ellen Foley (Meat Loaf's duet partner on "Paradise by the Dashboard Light"). Featuring international smash hits such as "Total Eclipse Of The Heart," "It's All Coming Back To Me Now," "I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)", with special costume and design elements created by international celebrated haute couture designer Asher Levine, plus jaw-dropping new arrangements especially created for this one night only event, this is the epic rock theatrical event of the year. With a setlist crafted by the composer himself, the evening has been conceived by Jim Steinman and Pat Cerasaro, who will serve as director, and will be produced and music directed by Benjamin Rauhala."

TOTAL ECLIPSE: THE MUSIC OF JIM STEINMAN will occur on May 5 at 7 and 9:30 PM. Ticket information is available here.

SOURCE: http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Jeremy-Jordan-Ellen-Foley-More-Star-In-TOTAL-ECLIPSE-THE-MUSIC-OF-JIM-STEINMAN-At-54-Below-55-20150406

Le Bal Des Vampires

Tanz der Vampire, Roman Polanski's hugely successful musical (featuring epic music by Jim Steinman) opens October 16th as Le Bal Des Vampires Le Musical at the Theatre Mogador in Paris, France.

Visit their website for news, ticket information and a look at this spectacular production. Join me in wishing the entire cast and crew all the best for a long and wonderful run in the City of Love & Vampires!

http://www.lebaldesvampires.fr/

Visit - http://baldesvampires.fr

Doctor Jim Steinman at Amherst College

Steve Popovich Foundation Teams with Tri-C to Endow Scholarship Fund

This throne is inspired by Jim Steinman and designed especially for Jim Steinman.

This throne becomes a perfect unit with the owner by fusing with the steel wings, it comes with black leather upholstery, all work done by myself, like every other steelwork, cutting the iron, welding, forming, polishing, finishing.
Absolutely unikat single-item.
Duration of work 1-2month.
Best, Rob.

For all of you wondering where the sculpture in the "Christmas photo" came from...the sculpture was by Rob from Bayreuth......custom made and he's made a new piece--a "throne" as he calls it. ALL the works of art in that room came from geniuses in Bayreuth, Germany.

Attached is the throne, just finished and ready soon to travel here.
Love
Jim

PS - The sculpture is based on a set Karl Lagerfeld did for Chanel (that was based on Superman’s Fortress of Solitude - Clark Kent's secret hideaway in the Arctic).

Looking forward to seeing you all in 2013. Thanks for your constant support, loyalty, friendship & inspiration.
THANK YOU for ALL you've done & felt for me!
THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Great love respect & gratitude,

Jim

Songwriters Hall Of Fame 43rd Annual Induction Ceremony

Jim Steinman's night in words and pictures

And All The Hiding Places Are Hiding

Tribute To An Inductee

Doctor Steinman

Jim to receive honorary degree from alma mater, (and birthplace of The Dream Engine '69), Amherst College!

AMHERST, Mass.—CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour, former UMass professor and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Chair Sheila Bair, playwright and gay-rights activist Martin Duberman, Iran hostage crisis negotiator Ulric Haynes Jr. ’52, chemist David K. Lewis ’64, New York Public Library President and former Amherst College President Anthony W. Marx, acclaimed narrative nonfiction writer John McPhee and hit songwriter Jim Steinman ’69 will all receive honorary degrees from Amherst College during its 191st Commencement exercises on Sunday, May 20, at 10 a.m. on the school’s main quad.

Jim's Bio from Amherst's Website:
Since his days as a young opera fan and a creator of daring theatrical works at Amherst College and with Joe Papp at the New York Shakespeare Festival, Jim Steinman ’69 has sold more than 190 million records as a composer and lyricist behind such hit songs as “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” ”Making Love Out of Nothing at All,” “Dead Ringer for Love,” “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now,” “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad,” “Paradise By the Dashboard Light,” “Holding Out For A Hero” and “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That).” He is probably best known for writing the songs on the album Bat Out of Hell, which has sold more than 48 million copies, and Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell. Steinman also wrote the lyrics for the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Whistle Down the Wind; composed the score for the musical Tanz der Vampire, which has run for 16 consecutive years in Europe; and contributed to the soundtrack of Footloose, among other movies. His works-in-progress include a stage musical version of Bat Out of Hell and a heavy-metal version of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. In June 2012, Steinman will be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

See the link below for scheduled events and further information:
https://www.amherst.edu/aboutamherst/news/news_releases/2012/04/node/389163

Ready to have your Nutcracked? Read more...

Jim Steinman & Asher Levine : The Boys Noir…

Jim Steinman - Total Eclipse Of The Charts

I wrote “ROCK & ROLL DREAMS COME THROUGH” in 1982 for my one CD, BAD FOR GOOD, but had to change it when I did it with Meat in 1993, for Bat Out Of Hell 2—as someone said, I’ve written one song in my life—but its full of lots of movements and about 200 hours long…

To quote from that:

“ONCE UPON A TIME
WAS A BACKBEAT

ONCE UPON A TIME
ALL THE CHORDS
CAME TO LIFE

AND THE ANGELS HAD GUITARS
EVEN BEFORE THEY HAD WINGS

IF YOU HOLD ONTO A CHORUS
YOU CAN GET THROUGH THE NIGHT

I TREASURE YOUR LOVE

I NEVER WANT TO LOSE IT

YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH
THE FIRES OF HELL, AND
I KNOW YOU'VE GOT
THE ASHES TO PROVE IT

I TREASURE YOUR LOVE

I WANT TO SHOW YOU HOW TO USE IT

YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH
A LOT OF PAIN IN THE DIRT,
AND I KNOW YOU'VE GOT
THE SCARS TO PROVE IT

REMEMBER EVERYTHING THAT
I TOLD YOU, AND I'M TELLING
YOU AGAIN THAT IT'S TRUE

YOU'RE NEVER ALONE,
'CAUSE YOU CAN PUT
ON THE 'PHONES,

AND LET THE DRUMMER
TELL YOUR HEART
WHAT TO DO

KEEP ON BELIEVING, AND
YOU'LL DISCOVER BABY

THERE'S ALWAYS
SOMETHING MAGIC

THERE'S ALWAYS
SOMETHING NEW

AND WHEN YOU REALLY
REALLY NEED IT THE MOST,
THAT'S WHEN ROCK AND
ROLL DREAMS COME THROUGH

THE BEAT IS
YOURS FOR EVER

THE BEAT IS
ALWAYS TRUE

AND WHEN YOU REALLY
REALLY NEED IT THE MOST,
THAT'S WHEN ROCK AND
ROLL DREAMS COME THROUGH,

FOR YOU!”

For me, the soul of Pops was in those words.
I also, for no specific reason, remember:

Driving home from after a WMMR show, in a limo with Popi and Harvey Leeds and a few other CBS big wigs & they were saying, in 1978 mind you, that it was time to get back in the studio: “Look guys, we sold 300,000 now—eventually we’ll hit gold @ 500,000—that’s the time for another record!.” I was horrified, and expressed it. They looked at me like I was from Mars & said sarcastically:

“Ok Mr. Record man, how much do YOU think it’ll sell?”

And I said, not pausing, 10 million.

Then came the storm of ridicule, mockery & reiterations of how foolish I was.

I basically withered under the abuse & there was a long pause—until Pops said gently: “10 million huh? Is that domestic or foreign?”

God I loved him then, as I always did & would forever.

He had family members coming to visit, & rightly or wrongly, I thought they were from Russia or eastern Europe. He asked me if I could write a song for them.

I came up with “It’s Only Rock And Roll Balalaika”

I could go on forever but I wont. I deeply loved Pops & I’ll always cherish that I was privileged to know him.

Steve Popovich is WHY rock n roll dreams come through. Not TRUE, he wasn’t God, but “came through”, like offering a rescue line or salvation. He wasn’t God but he WAS A&R and promotion FOR HIM.

To read more about the life and times of Steve Popovich please visit the site below:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/holly-cara-price/steve-popovich_b_875447.html