Neverland Express album?

[Smithie]

Do you think a Neverland Express album would work, kind of like a Fleetwood Mac album with the girls and guys trading lead vocals? Patti sings a song, Randy sings a song, cc sings a song and so on.

[Sarge]

They are a fantastic live band, yet I doubt that it would work. What kind of songs would they sing, who would provide them with (good) songs?

[Elijah's way]

They could do a cover album?!?

[madagascar]

Justin Avery is an amazing songwriter.

[Sarge]

Originally Posted by Elijah's way

They could do a cover album?!?

How inventive... Who would buy that aside from die-hard Meat Loaf fans?

Originally Posted by madagascar

Justin Avery is an amazing songwriter.

Examples?

[glamourgirl]

Originally Posted by Sarge

They are a fantastic live band, yet I doubt that it would work. What kind of songs would they sing, who would provide them with (good) songs?

Most of the band members are songwriters. I especially like Patti's songs which are on Youtube.

[madagascar]

Originally Posted by Sarge

How inventive... Who would buy that aside from die-hard Meat Loaf fans?



Examples?

Buying a CD is a good tip:

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/justinavery

[glamourgirl]

Originally Posted by madagascar

Buying a CD is a good tip

Very true.
Most of the band members have songs posted on their Myspace pages too.

[AndrewG]

That Justin Avery music is definitely some of the worst music I've heard in a long time, absolutely not the kind of stuff I like, so far removed from my musical interests it's almost impossible to get any further I reckon. It's more Jazz, Funk and Rnb than Rock imo. If a "Neverland Express album" (it will never happen as they are a touring band for Meat Loaf which some people seem to forget) contained those type of songs I definitely wouldn't buy it! Awful. Sorry.

[Sarge]

Originally Posted by glamourgirl

Most of the band members are songwriters. I especially like Patti's songs which are on Youtube.

I'm not sure if they would ever have the time, the chance and the interest to work as an independent band and create their own, distinctive style of music.

Originally Posted by madagascar

Buying a CD is a good tip

Pretty cool (the music that is, I'm not that excited about his voice) but would that be the "right" kind of music for the NLE to play? Compare that to the other band members' stuff, they would have to agree on a common denominator and make compromises if they decided to work together on an album, I guess.

[madagascar]

I never said they should do his songs, but he is a good writer.

[Sarge]

Yeah, but what if you have several writers / musicians with different styles and preferences? The members of the NLE usually work together very well on a project assigned to them (e.g. playing for Meat) but how would they work on a project of their own (i.e. as the NLE without Meat)?

[madagascar]

You've asked the right question, the outcome of a project like this would be interesting imho.

[Steve6]

If Kasim was still in the band a Neverland Express album would work. He can write songs, and he has a fine singing voice, I'm sure he can produce too. But without him I'm not really sure to be honest. Who knows maybe they have recorded some material together already.
But like I've said before it's Meat and Jim's band, they don't really have the right to branch out and do their own album under the name the "Neverland Express"

[Evil One]

Originally Posted by Steve6

If Kasim was still in the band a Neverland Express album would work. He can write songs, and he has a fine singing voice, I'm sure he can produce too.

I disagree. Kasim's singing voice bores me to tears.

[Steve6]

Originally Posted by Evil One

I disagree. Kasim's singing voice bores me to tears.

He brings more than just his singing voice to the table to be fair. You could have Patti on lead vocals I suppose. Can Paul or Randy sing?

[Evil One]

Randy's got an OK voice, but Paul should just stick to guitaring.

[Steve6]

Originally Posted by Evil One

Randy's got an OK voice, but Paul should just stick to guitaring.

One of the reasons a Neverland Express album won't happen, unless it's a heavy metal album with screaming vocals. ARRRGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!

[nikox1]

Originally Posted by Evil One

I disagree. Kasim's singing voice bores me to tears.

spot on, i have to agree

[Elijah's way]

Originally Posted by Sarge

How inventive... Who would buy that aside from die-hard Meat Loaf fans?



Examples?

It wouldn't necessarily have to target a big audience, it could be just something for the fans and only sale on itunes or something. And like everyone else is saying some of them right songs so they could do that.

[AndrewG]

To think of The Neverland Express without Meat Loaf is like thinking of a hamburger without Meat or a bun. I think we are forgetting here that Meat is the one who brings this band together. After hearing what the arrangements are like with Kasim gone even his MD role seemed rather less important to me than what I once thought it was. I'm not saying Kasim is useless at all. Kasim is a great guy and was a huge asset to the band but Meat definitely is much more of a director here than what some seem to be giving him credit for I reckon. With half of these guys spread across the States doing different things (and by the sounds of it different styles of music too!) without Meat it makes no sense to me for them to get together without Meat Loaf and do similar music at all. A fantasy proposition in my opinion. It was great hearing Patti do Bible and beer but she could have her own less expensive band and do gigs and still be on the money.

With Meat comes a grandeur and a band perfection I've rarely come across (except for the E Street Band) but I reckon Meat is the puppet master, the driving force who actually makes the band work. Would anyone care if the E street band did a "solo" album, yeah maybe a few thousand hardcore Springsteen fans. Would anyone care if the Neverland Express did an album? No-one outside this board I reckon.

[Monstro]

Originally Posted by AndrewG

To think of The Neverland Express without Meat Loaf is like thinking of a hamburger without Meat or a bun. I think we are forgetting here that Meat is the one who brings this band together. After hearing what the arrangements are like with Kasim gone even his MD role seemed rather less important to me than what I once thought it was. I'm not saying Kasim is useless at all. Kasim is a great guy and was a huge asset to the band but Meat definitely is much more of a director here than what some seem to be giving him credit for I reckon. With half of these guys spread across the States doing different things (and by the sounds of it different styles of music too!) without Meat it makes no sense to me for them to get together without Meat Loaf and do similar music at all. A fantasy proposition in my opinion. It was great hearing Patti do Bible and beer but she could have her own less expensive band and do gigs and still be on the money.

With Meat comes a grandeur and a band perfection I've rarely come across (except for the E Street Band) but I reckon Meat is the puppet master, the driving force who actually makes the band work. Would anyone care if the E street band did a "solo" album, yeah maybe a few thousand hardcore Springsteen fans. Would anyone care if the Neverland Express did an album? No-one outside this board I reckon.

POTD, completely agree

[suzieq]

Originally Posted by Evil One

I disagree. Kasim's singing voice bores me to tears.

Originally Posted by Evil One

Randy's got an OK voice, but Paul should just stick to guitaring.

I agree x 2.

The members in the NLE are pretty friendly, I think that if an album would happen between all of their styles it would have happened already. IMO I believe that the NLE knows that a project would work but there are too many styles that they would have to compromise possibly leaving someone unhappy. I think they all want each other to succeed and be happy in their own specialty/strength if you will. However, when Meat is at his helm with the NLE, they are so professionally perfect for Meat.

[Pudding]

Originally Posted by AndrewG

To think of The Neverland Express without Meat Loaf is like thinking of a hamburger without Meat or a bun.

Utter nonsense. The Shadows worked perfectly well without Cliff Richards.

A touring NLE would work, then when they're established on their own without being labelled just as Meats backing band, then an album could be possible.

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by Pudding

Utter nonsense. The Shadows worked perfectly well without Cliff Richards.

As far as I understand The Shadows or the Drifters were formed in the 50s or 60s and did solo stuff quite soon after forming for Cliff Richard. If The Neverland Express were such an individualistic band they would have done something by now. I just think beyond the borders of the hardcore Meat Loaf fanbase (and those who take note of what is written in the tourbook and what Meat says during the shows) not many people will have heard of the Neverland Express. The constant different incarnations of the band simply leads me to conclude there is not much unity within the group without Meat, but that's my opinion. I see Meat much more as an auteur, a creator of the show and a brand to some extent than just a bland singer like how I see Cliff Richard, sorry. If the Neverland Express had been credited more like how the E Street Band have been there may have been more of a chance to get things of the ground. This is not to say that beyond Meat there is no career for these guys and I'm sure some of them would happily play together in other incarnations but as The Neverland Express itself I just don't see it happening.