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> I remember BMV posting that, very cool. > > Where is that god awful Meat Loaf 99 thing from?? isn't that the cover for the tourbook for the very best tour in 99??? I think I have one lying around somewhere, but am in the middle of a move and am not unpacking 40 something moving crates to look for it today lol -K- a bit stressed... can you tell?? :) > > > This is from a post that BMV made in 2007? > > > > "Michael Whelan, the artist who created the Bat II and > > Very Best of Meatloaf covers, is in Denver this weekend > > for a Fantasy Art convention. I took off a few hours of > > work today to go meet with him. I spent about 3 hours > > talking to him about his work. One on one. It was great! > > I've been a fan of his ever since Bat II. > > > > I asked a lot of questions about his work with Jim and > > Meat and here are some of the points he made: > > > > Joe Stefko (drummer touring with Meat at the time) > > recommended Whelan's work when Meat was looking for the > > Bat II artist. Meat and Jim conceptualized the cover, but > > had various disagreements (with Michael caught in the > > middle!). One of them wanted the view looking down into > > the city, the other wanted a view looking up. The end > > result is the bizarre perspective of NYC skyscrapers on > > the album cover. > > > > Apparently, Jim demanded an angel on the cover, but Meat > > told Whelan "ah, forget all that angel shit." But, Jim was > > adamant about having an angel on the cover. (Reminds me of > > "Todd...where's my motorcycle??? from Bat I). > > > > The idea was the biker going back into Hell, but this time > > the Bat was dominating and in charge. > > > > Regarding the Very Best of Meatloaf cover: > > Michael really wasn't interested in doing this piece. He > > had a great idea for the biker standing along a ruined > > highway. From the impression he gave, neither Jim nor Meat > > were directly involved with this concept, so it was left > > to the ad execs for the record label. They wanted the > > motorcycle in the sky. Michael did several versions (he > > estimated about 12) before they found one they liked. > > Michael had other commitments at the time and was finding > > himself increasingly behind schedule for these other > > projects. He was getting irritated with the record folks. > > After all their demands, he finished the painting by > > putting in a kitchen sink in the lower corner of the > > cover. He said he wasn't sure you could see it in the > > album cover, but when you view the full-size painting, > > it's there. > > > > Regarding Bat III: > > Meatloaf approached Michael about doing this cover. Meat's > > original idea was having the biker riding across the > > cover, with the girl/angel on the back of the bike, > > holding a samurai sword, and slicing the head off the bat. > > According to Michael the head was to be almost completely > > decapitated with large amounts of blood oozing all over > > the place. Michael turned down the conceptual sketch, > > knowing that the ad execs would never approve it for > > release. Eventually, the project went to Julie Bell. > > > > Michael mentioned that the original painting to Bat II was > > purchased by Meatloaf. > > > > Michael keeps his original concepts/sketches and > > occasionally brings them to shows for quick, cheaper sales > > to fans. I asked him about the Bat II concept work and he > > said he still had them, and that he'd run into them just a > > few weeks back. He and I exchanged information, so I'm > > going to try to buy a few off him. These will be the > > original pencil/charcoal/acrylic sketches. I'll keep you > > all updated! > > > > All in all, I've wanted to meet Michael Whelan for 13 > > years. Nice to say I finally did. Guess I can check him > > off my list. > > > > --BMV" > > > > And I also have this version of the artwork: > > > >
> > > > > > > Hey here's something kinda cool. > > > > > > Below is an image comparing the Artwork Whelan did for The > > > Very Best of Meat Loaf: on the left is as it appears on > > > his website, right is as it appears on the final album > > > cover. > > > > > > Meat must have asked him to redo the Bat/Monster, but I > > > guess he prefers the original. I do too. That bat is much > > > more part of the image in the first one, instead of quite > > > literally floating, and in the final version its hard to > > > tell how far back into the image he's actually intended to > > > be. > > > > > > And he appears to be a in staring match with the guy in > > > the first version! I really don't think this painting > > > works as an album cover at all, but I do prefer Whelan's > > > original over the final! | |