| re: Loaf Feature Story | |
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Posted by: |
Vin 02:28 pm UTC 02/28/07 |
| In reply to: | Loaf Feature Story - Jacqueline 12:42 pm UTC 02/28/07 |
| Bat III went gold in the States? Fantastic. At least that's some small shred of dignity preserved, or at least the illusion thereof. > > http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/arts/story.html?id=68f747a3-89ce-4a67-8233-b907b7a80a16 > > > Recipe for longevity > Veteran rocker Meat Loaf keeps act fresh with Bat Out of > Hell trilogy > > Adrian Chamberlain > Times Colonist > > Wednesday, February 28, 2007 > > PREVIEW > Who: Meat Loaf (with guest Marion Raven) > Where: Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre When: Tonight at > 7:30 > Tickets: $69.50 (tel. 220 7777) > - - - > Thirty years after his heyday, one of rock's most > colourful singers insists his show will be more than > left-over Meat Loaf. > > "I really want to give them everything I got," said Meat > Loaf, 59, adding that he's now singing well and working > out regularly. > > "I give [audiences] an emotional centre as opposed to a > flash in the pan. I want to move them like when you saw > Rocky for the first time." > > For those who missed him the first time around, Meat Loaf, > a.k.a. Michael Lee Aday, is the larger-than-life belter > who put the 'B' in bombast with his 1977 album, Bat Out of > Hell. It was the kind of music the then-nascent punk rock > movement detested: an overblown, operatic epic with > histrionic guitar solos and do-or-die vocals courtesy of a > 300-pound, stringy-haired-singer. Meat Loaf and his > theatrical shows made bands like Queen (of Bohemian > Rhapsody infamy) seem almost tasteful and reserved by > comparison. > Still, Bat Out of Hell -- with its garish cartoonish > graphics -- went on to sell more than 34 million copies. > Bat Out of Hell II eventually followed, also selling > millions and earning a Grammy in 1994 for the single, I'd > Do Anything for Love. And in 2006 the saga continued with > Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster is Loose. > > Meat Loaf -- always garrulous, sometimes combative -- > fielded calls from North American newspapers (including > the Times Colonist) recently before launching his concert > tour. He immediately took exception to a reporter's > observation that Bat Out of Hell III was a "troubled" > project. This was, apparently, in reference to reports > that longtime songwriter Jim Steinman and Meat Loaf had > legal battles during the recording -- specifically over > the use of the name Bat Out of Hell (which Steinman > registered as a trademark in 1995). > "Whatcha been readin' isn't true," said Meat Loaf, before > the reporter had time to explain. > > Although he contributes seven tunes to Bat Out of Hell > III, Steinman's involvement as a producer and otherwise > was minimal. Meat Loaf said his old partner -- who > initially signed up to write and produce -- suffered a > stroke and indicated he would need up to nine months to > recover. That being the case, the album ended up being > produced by Desmond Child, who also did some songwriting. > > (In a manner typical of rock-music legal hassles, this > tale contradicts reported comments by Steinman's manager, > who has said that although his client had suffered ill > health, this in no way affected his involvement -- > potential or otherwise -- in Bat Out of Hell III.) > > In any case, Meat Loaf said toward the end of recording, > Steinman recovered sufficiently to offer advice and tweak > lyrics. The album is dedicated to Steinman and his "30 > years of friendship and inspiration." > > The singer, sounding gruff and gravel-voiced, cheered up > when talking about his concert tour. It kicks off tonight > in Victoria and stops in Vancouver on Friday before > continuing to Ontario, the U.S., Britain, Ireland and > Germany. Meat Loaf, who has endured his share of health > problems, said he now feels great and is singing well. > > In 2003, he underwent surgery after collapsing on stage in > London. Doctors diagnosed Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome, > which causes an irregular heartbeat. Although his health > improved enough to allow daily gym workouts, Meat Loaf was > initially frustrated while recording Bat Out of Hell III. > He felt physically unable to replicate vocal feats he was > capable of 15 years ago. > > "I didn't want to cheat it," he said. "I didn't want to > go, 'Well, I can't really do that any more.' I hate > that." > So he hired vocal coach Eric Vetro, who has also worked > with John Rzeznik from the Goo Goo Dolls and actors Billy > Crystal, Kevin Spacey and Jeremy Irons. Meat Loaf credits > Vetro with greatly improving his vocal technique and > helping him overcome his legendary stage fright during > televised performances. > > Meat Loaf's chipper mood continued as he chatted about Bat > Out of Hell III earning gold status in the United States > and Canada, and platinum in the U.K. and Germany. > "That's pretty good for an old guy," he said. > > He also expressed pleasure about scoring good concert > reviews from the New York Post's Dan Aquilante (who has > apparently dissed Mr. Loaf in the past) and other critics. > His ebullience vanished, however, when a reporter said > something about his shows being "theatrical." > > "I don't do theatrics," said Meat Loaf, cutting off the > journalist in mid-sentence. "I don't do fire and > motorcycles and girls in dancing cages and I never have > .... We don't go in for tom-foolin' trickery." > > That said, the show will feature plenty of razzle-dazzle > video footage and light effects, said Meat Loaf. The > set-list will sample music from all the albums. "It's all > Bat, all the time," he added. > > He became even more annoyed when another interviewer -- > again interrupted mid-stream -- noted that Meat Loaf > doesn't write his own songs. > > "Did Marlon Brando write On the Waterfront?" demanded the > singer. "Did Al Pacino or Robert De Niro write The > Godfather?" > > Meat Loaf said he makes a point of connecting emotionally > to the characters portrayed in his music. He cited his > extensive acting experience. It not only includes roles in > the films The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Fight Club but > extends to performing in the musical Hair and Othello and > A Midsummer Night's Dream in New York's Central Park. Meat > Loaf even mentioned the musicals he did while attending > Thomas Jefferson High School in his home town of Dallas, > such as Where's Charley? and The Music Man. > > "You learn to develop characters," he said. "You > understand the emotional content." > > Meat Loaf suggested that his fans are lucky to see him in > concert again. During his last tour he had a few shows > where he didn't sing as well as he had hoped. He became > discouraged. > > "I really thought I wasn't gonna do it again, because > there were nights when it was just too heartbreaking for > me. I'm very emotional. I don't know how I've lasted 40 > years [in show business]. I wear my feelings on my sleeve; > I take everything to heart." > > When it comes to Meat Loaf, music consumers tend to join > one of two camps. He says they either love his music ... > or they hate it. > > "People are very passionate both ways. And I like it like > that." | |
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