Meat Loaf & Jim Steinman - Overview


Category: Music

Was at CBS during the genesis of Meat Loaf. They were having a hard time getting Bat of Hell into production. I will forever remember the show they put on for the CBS brass in New Orleans. That performance sealed the deal forever for Meat Loaf and JS. In fact Bat out of Hell keeps selling some 25 years after it was first released. Love him or hate him,he really doesn't care. Michael is now an icon and legendary performer be it music or movies. One thing for sure there is no mistaking his signature and has survived all the fads,and continues as a major force in the record business. The music industry needs to stop this cookie cutter boy band crap and I for one have had enough of the Brittany Spears genre. In todays market if Meat Loaf,Santana and Boston,etc., were just starting,they would never see the light of day. There is no mistaking the impact that ML and JS has had on Rock n Roll. Let's hope we will have new Rock icons coming our way. Ok - Audiogon members your turn - lets have your thoughts. Record companies will listen, after all it decides their bottom line.
ferrari
Carlos Santana is playing better than ever, I can think of two bands that are excellent, ok, make it three bands that would have been big back in the day (Icons), but now have a problem finding an audience, King's X, Gov't Mule, and Dream Theater. I'm sure there are more but those three come to mind first. Musicianship is not "in" nowadays, people are being fed a load of garbage and they seem to like it. Maybe they are to busy to listen, thats why high end is not more popular and the mass market thinks bose sounds great? I don't know, same problem with jazz and classical. TG
There is no new talent out there. Thats why the great bands of the 70s & 80s keep getting resurrected. Thats why Santana,U 2,Journey,Rolling Stones, and of course superstars such as Sting,Meat Loaf,and even Cher continue to this day. The new talent just can't stand and deliver. I know I have omitted a lot here. But the question Where's the talent??????????
Ferrari,
I hear what you are saying but......you need to put everything in context.
Bat Out Of Hell was imho a classic album,over the top sure but it contained a great set of songs and don't forget the classic production of Todd Rundgren.
It was/is a pretty derivative piece of work however,classicly done maybe but it did recieve a lot of derision because of it.
Steinman did go on to write the odd other great song (Bad For Good was THE lost Meat Loaf album)but Meat Loaf imho has been living off the back of one classic album therefore not an artist I would hold up as a shining light against the ills of the current music business.
99Golf on the other hand has just made a very crass generalisation.
Whatever the state of the current music business there are some great young talent artists out there,you just need to search for them or be informed.
The Strokes,The White Stripes,Coldplay just for starters.
Cher? Good grief is that truly so far away from Britney Spears?