From promo for Popstar to Operastar
 

January 12th, 2010 by Lisa McGarry.

A livewire presence, Meat Loaf goes on to outline what sort of critic he will be. “I’ll be looking for someone just like me,” laughs the singer, real name Michael Lee Aday. “What I mean is, I’ll be looking for is a performer who gets up on stage and says, ‘yes, I’m going to own this song’.

“I once performed a George Gershwin song in a very traditional way for an album George Martin was putting together, and it became my own. Don’t give me a hip-hop version of an aria. Just walk on there and make it your own. If you don’t, it’s not worth a dime.”

The Grammy Award-winning Meat Loaf knows all there is to know about “owning” a song. His opera-inspired 1977 album, ‘Bat Out of Hell’, has shifted in excess of 40 million units. It remained in the charts for a staggering nine years. And more than three decades after it was first released, an astonishing 200,000 copies are still sold every year.

Meat Loaf, who hails from Dallas, Texas but now lives in California, says he will be a frank and fearless critic of the contestants’ efforts on Popstar to Operastar. “If someone gets up there and obviously doesn’t take it seriously, I’ll be pretty opinionated about it.

“If they’re just doing it to be on TV, then I’ll nail them for it. And if they’re lazy and won’t rehearse, I’ll tell them, ‘you shouldn’t be here anymore because you clearly don’t care’. They better come out all guns blazing!

This hugely entertaining performer confesses that he has, “a rebellious nature that has cost me a lot over the years. I’ll flat tell people what I think. I’ll tell them to their face, ‘you suck!’” Consequently, he fears that, “I may cause friction with the other critics. I may say to them, ‘are you crazy?’ I’m sure I’ll be creating conflict on the panel!”

Meat Loaf has certainly done his research for this job. “I’ve just downloaded 100 Greatest Opera Songs, so I’ll have all those arias nailed. If I believe the singers, I won’t care if they sing the wrong words! It’s all about the emotion.”

The singer, who boasts a marvellously powerful heldentenor voice, has a strong background in opera. Recruited as a schoolboy to appear in a New York production of Carmen, he instantly fell in love with the world. “Opera people so rocked. They were unbelievably wild. I’ve never been to parties like that since – my eyes are still hanging out! Opera people might say, ‘we don’t do that sort of thing’. But they should not try to deny it – they do!”

After singing a ditty in a Central Park production of As You Like It, he was spotted and invited to train as an opera singer and appear at The Met, in New York. Meat Loaf takes up the story. “I talked to a lot of people in classical music, and I found out that unless you’re a Pavarotti or a Domingo, the conductor is in total control. I thought, ‘if I do that, I’ll wind up in prison. I may not kill the conductor, but I’ll certainly put him in hospital!’ I’ve always had that attitude – ‘don’t screw with me!’ So I turned them down.” Instead, he went into acting and pop singing – and the rest is rock history.

His love of music should make Meat Loaf a compelling critic. “I’m very passionate about this project. I get a buzz from all music – except jazz! Opera is so important in our lives – anything that moves us is important in our lives. Anything that gives us access to such high emotions has got to be massively significant.

“I’ve got a painting in my house which I love. It’s a picture of a dirt road in the California hills. Every time I look at it, I think, ‘I wonder where that goes?’ Music has the same effect – if you don’t wonder where it’s going, then it’s no good. In opera, there is always another side. Some people might think opera is over the top, but if you don’t go over the top, how are you going to know what’s on the other side?”

Meat Loaf concludes by underlining his passion for the art-from. “I love opera. It’s so exciting. If you put opera on when you drive, you can all too easily get a speeding ticket!”

meat loaf in the sun
 

i was reading about meat loaf in the sun news paper today how he does not like these i t v shows

Thanks for that Caryl. Do we possibly have another Idol type thing going on here? Are we in the States going to be able to see it. I have got to see Meat doing this. This is going to be wild just like the main man himself. Have fun Meat.

Hate to be the one to say it, but it almost sounds like Meat is channeling Jim a bit there (especially the "over the top" quote).

"if you don’t go over the top, how are you going to know what’s on the other side?"

hmmm ... hope he's paying royalties on that one ;-)

Nice interview btw.

That tends to happen when two people have known each other as long as Jim and Meat have known each other.

Well "over the top" is a pretty commonly used expression and one that's been applied to Meat's performances for more than 30 years by critics, so why he wouldn't use it I have no idea :lol: And he's used the pushing to "see what's on the other side" many times. I thought it was a good article .. and find to no surprise that it was the Sun which mainly reported his criticism of of his "TV bosses" and left out most of the interesting stuff :roll:

He seems gung ho for the show, has prepared with his usual focused professionalism, and I'm really looking forward to it .. a first for me and a reality show! :lol:

Caryl

Thanks for posting both articles. I enjoyed the first one and found the article from the Sun pointless (thats just my opinion). If it were on in the states, I would surely watch it. I hope someone who can watch it posts a thread about the show with Meat's input.

Most articles in The Sun are pointless!

Most of the time, but I've read the article with pleasure. I've been checking mlukfc and some other Meat Loaf sites the whole day for news. Especially because of this message:

Twitters will keep coming. I will be arriving in the UK Jan 10th. Will be there anywhere from 7 to 12 weeks. You'll find out part of what's going on the 11th or the 12th. the rest will unfold one piece at a time. Yes , the art work is done.

Ps. when you hear what I'm doing just go with with flow. There is a reason for it . Part of an over all deal with Universal.

What's 'part of an over all deal with Universal'? Is Popstar to Opera Star part of that? I don't think so. I just can't wait for any new album related news.

It's too bad I'm living in The Netherlands and can't see From popstar to Opera Star.. :(: oops:

The Mirror have expanded on The Sun's story...

http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/...5875-21960447/

Slightly.

Got to love the red tops :lmao:

There's that Bull in a China Shop phrase again.

Actually that was, word for word, the one I'd seen .. so on this occasion I blamed the Sun incorrectly (though I assume the Sun's was similar) .. and all they've done is concentrate on a few comments Meat made about some of the reality shows, completely ignoring all the other things he said. In my view he wasn't "slating" ITV. I like a lot of what ITV does .. but I'm with Meat on his comments about those shows .. they should be buried at sea along with Ant and Dec ..;)

Caryl

Interesting interview CarylB, thanks! Great to see Meat in the public eye once again in the UK.

I wonder if the show will be live, or recorded and bleeped :)

It's going to be transmitted "live", which in reality means it'll have a slight delay to allow for someone to hit the bleep button ;-)

is meat playing mind games again? i really do believe that will be the title?
it describes meat so well:D

English rags are so much fun. My goal for this ,the Cover of the SUN.
LOL.
M

Well .. they're good for lining the parrot cage ;) Loved the interview on Radio 4 tonight .. of course you could aim for Page 3 rather than the front and give us all a treat :lol:

Caryl

:lol:

Oh won't that please the producers! LOL They say controversy = ratings.

Suzieq

Lol - that would be awesome.

Well I always thought they had a delay just like radio which always gets bleeped. But on Strictly Come Dancing they just had to continuously apologise for people's remarks. It was hilarious because they were usually very inoffensive overall (eg DAMN :oops::shock:), and the apology only drew more attention to them, but it doesn't look like that was delayed.

:lmao: Go for it! It'll be the only time I buy a copy of that paper when you achieve it!

Now that I would love to see Meat. Glad you've arrived safely in the UK.

Carole

Welcome to the UK Chiefie !!!
 

popstar to operastar
 

I am really looking forward to this programme i think its going to be good and i know meat loaf will do a fantastic job

This I want to see! :lol:

Funnily enough I was just going to say that's my number one use for any of these "news"papers!

:twisted: And written in wax crayon.

Not difficult :lmao:

Meat, I never ever thought i'd say this to you, but you need to aim higher.

*pinches self to see if awake* :wtf: :nuts:

With the Fight Club bitch tits? :lol:

Thanks for posting the articles.

I am so looking forward to this program. I rarely watch tv so this will be a real treat. So after the program finishes, will there be a tour around the UK like with XFactor, Strictly Dancing, etc. and even more importantly, do the judges tour, too?!? :)

Bull In A China Shop ;)
 

http://www.virginmedia.com/newsfeeds...af_blasts_itv/

Something to read. Points all have been mentioned. A little read reguardless :)

Meat Pluggin' New Album & PTO
 

Just come across the below video on the net for any of you that have not seen it. Meat pluggin the new Album.....oh and talking about Popstar To Operastar. Think the interviewer was a little intimidated by Mr Loaf at the beginning. LOL :D

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/realityt.../realitybites/

Excellent video .. thanks for posting the link :))
And yes, I think the interviewer was a little intimidated ... :lol:

Great video....thanx a bunch.

Hot and Sour Chinese Chicken Dish. LMAO!

I know ..... he really made me hungry ! :lmao:

Thanks for posting the link. Loved how he said that other guy doesn't know flamboyant, looks like Meat is going to show him a thing or two. Gee I wish this show was going to be on here in Australia, looks like it's going to be a fun show.
Carole

I agree with Neil, please aim higher then the rubbish that is the Sun and I'm sure all Liverpool fans would agree.

nice quotes though and can't really argue with Sir Loaf's assessment of reality tv

the new tweets are great!! miss jenkins wants to sing with meat [ i would ]
sing with her of course:lol:

I just had an email from ITV promoting the show and a link to sign up for show info....http://zaphod.uk.vvhp.net/reg/reg.pl?id=4696-120031

ITV have also updated their site http://www.itv.com/entertainment/popstartooperastar/

cheers

I love all the new tweets !!
Thanks for the heads up .... watching them was a great way to start my morning :))

I hope he does sing with her ... that would be fun to see !

yep! it sure would! and even more promo for him:up:

Aw, it's great to see and read this! The big one starring in that show proves to me once again that he really is a lot more popular in Britain.

Would be a weird thought imaging Meat doing this here:lol: he's sort of an insider's tip. answers are always similar to: "what, he still does music?"

Definitely :))

ITV have now added a one minute "Meet the Critics" video. :) It should be here http://www.itv.com/entertainment/pop...nl_100115alert but if it doesn'twork just go to ITV.

Thanks for posting the link :-)
But, unfortunately for those of us in the USA, you can only watch the video if you are in the UK.