
I thank each and every one of you for making my dreams real. Love is the most important thing. I am grateful for yours and please know, you have mine. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year 2018.
Jim Steinman
Below is a message Jim shared with the cast of Bat Out Of Hell The Musical on their opening night in London. He asked that it was also shared here, now.
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Most kids are told two lies that fuck them up something terrible:
Lie #1 "You have to grow up."
Lie #2 "Life is short."
The latter bolsters the former. Neither are true and believing in either (or both) will hurt you. We all grow old, with a bit of good fortune, but that doesn't mean we are required to view the world differently than we did in our younger years. Life is also far from short. Don't needlessly rush toward an imaginary "finish line" dictated by convention and rule. Determine your dream and constantly do things that move you in it's direction while taking time to enjoy the road along the way.
Some years ago I was asked to musicalize this book, The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Although the project was not realized, I was profoundly moved by some of the incredible similarities it shares with my own vision and message, albeit in an entirely different format. By total coincidence both Saint-Exupéry and I utilize a crash to begin our narrative, the burning stars above to symbolize life, a rose and an important "yes or no" question to be answered by the audience. Andrew Polec bears a striking resemblance to The Little Prince so, yet another coincidence was recently revealed to me - my Strat and Saint-Exupéry's Prince look like brothers! That's a large part of the reason the book has been on my mind and why I share it with you now.
Notice the similar messages that form the fundamental basis of ALL great art:
Love with your whole heart
Form bonds and be loyal to them
Do not judge
Be kind
Be open to the secrets life will share with you on your journey
Love supersedes death
Grow spiritually but don't "grow up"
My gratitude towards each of you is beyond even my power of expression. You are the beautiful friends I have somehow always known and been waiting for. I thank every member of the cast, creative team, production and management from the bottom of my heart. You have made my dream a reality. You have made me happy and proud. I want, wish and pray the same for each of you. When you need it the most, like I do now, may your rock n roll dream come through.
Love,
Jim Steinman
ps - This book is in paperback form not for thrift or economy. I would have much preferred to gift you the hardback. This version, however, is the original translation and it's no longer sold in hardcover. It is so much more poetic and beautiful than the current translation on sale now. Another lesson as to the care needed when approaching a classic piece of art, loved and taken personally the worldover. And another debt of gratitude from me to all of you. The fact that Bat Out Of Hell's deepest and most passionate fans love and embrace Bat Out Of Hell The Musical is a testament to how poetic and beautiful our translation has been. We've done the near impossible, my friends - faithfully translated a classic for new generations to discover. For that, I thank you.