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-   -   JIm Interview (https://www.mlukfc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20227)

renegadeangel 31 Oct 2016 18:39

JIm Interview
 
Check it out here
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...e-version.html

There is one very interesting comment made towards the end of the interview...

loaferman61 31 Oct 2016 21:10

I saw that. And direct from Jim too, unless he was extremely misquoted. Doesn't surprise me much to be honest.

Adje 01 Nov 2016 01:23

I stopped reading after they spelled Meat Loaf as Meatloaf.

The entire Bat musical sounds horrible to me anyway :roll:

stretch37 01 Nov 2016 04:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adje (Post 618926)
I stopped reading after they spelled Meat Loaf as Meatloaf.

The entire Bat musical sounds horrible to me anyway :roll:

But I'm sure the writing is freaking awesome :D ;)

ThatWriterGuy 01 Nov 2016 18:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adje (Post 618926)
The entire Bat musical sounds horrible to me anyway :roll:

I wasn't aware that you'd 'heard' it :-P Take it from someone who has -- the arrangements are incredible. As far as the story is concerned, what you've read on the Internet is akin to the blurb you'd read on the back of a book, and nothing more (90% of that blurb is the most basic and unforgiving plot points regurgitated into 'everyman' speech. What you get in the press isn't even 10% of the story and scope of the musical).

If you were expecting a safe, sanitary, by-the-numbers 'cabaret' style production, or a rock n roll 'retread', well, maybe this one isn't for you. There are aspects of BAT that have never been done on a stage live before (and things that have never been attempted in musical theatre).

Bottom line: Jim's story, Jim's music. If you've enjoyed his Bat related output so far (and you're here, so I'll assume that you have), then there's a pretty good chance that you'll find something to like in this, too :cool:

Danny L 01 Nov 2016 20:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThatWriterGuy (Post 618933)
I wasn't aware that you'd 'heard' it :-P Take it from someone who has -- the arrangements are incredible. As far as the story is concerned, what you've read on the Internet is akin to the blurb you'd read on the back of a book, and nothing more (90% of that blurb is the most basic and unforgiving plot points regurgitated into 'everyman' speech. What you get in the press isn't even 10% of the story and scope of the musical).

If you were expecting a safe, sanitary, by-the-numbers 'cabaret' style production, or a rock n roll 'retread', well, maybe this one isn't for you. There are aspects of BAT that have never been done on a stage live before (and things that have never been attempted in musical theatre).

Bottom line: Jim's story, Jim's music. If you've enjoyed his Bat related output so far (and you're here, so I'll assume that you have), then there's a pretty good chance that you'll find something to like in this, too :cool:

It sounds like in the press events on Thursday in LDN and Monday in MANCS snippets will be heard - the word 'concert' is used inthe description...

Sue K 01 Nov 2016 20:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by renegadeangel (Post 618924)
Check it out here
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...e-version.html

There is one very interesting comment made towards the end of the interview...

What comment did you find interesting ?

renegadeangel 01 Nov 2016 20:25

Jim said that Marvin Lee Aday was just that person. He said he created the whole Meat Loaf persona.
It's very strange for him to say that as I do believe he had a heavy influence on Meat Loaf but I wouldn't say he created Meat Loaf.

nikox1 01 Nov 2016 20:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by renegadeangel (Post 618936)
Jim said that Marvin Lee Aday was just that person. He said he created the whole Meat Loaf persona.
It's very strange for him to say that as I do believe he had a heavy influence on Meat Loaf but I wouldn't say he created Meat Loaf.

Maybe in print it looks worse than it was intended and worded

Sue K 01 Nov 2016 21:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by renegadeangel (Post 618936)
Jim said that Marvin Lee Aday was just that person. He said he created the whole Meat Loaf persona.
It's very strange for him to say that as I do believe he had a heavy influence on Meat Loaf but I wouldn't say he created Meat Loaf.

I thought that was the statement you referred to. I found it odd because though Meat has found need to come up with about a gazillion stories of how he came up with the name Meat, he was performing using that name before he met Steinman. The "Meat Does Bat" persona Steinman may have helped to create, but Meat was Meat long before.

and how annoying was it to read "meatloaf" over and over again ? ... holy smokes...

loaferman61 01 Nov 2016 21:20

I did not want to be accused of pot-stirring (so I did not quote it first) and I'm sure we will all hear the "out of context", etc. But to me this sentence:
He and Meatloaf didn’t speak for years, because they were arguing over royalties and credits. ‘He was just Marvin Lee Aday!’ he exclaimed.

And this sentence " ‘I totally created the Meatloaf persona.’

I separated each complete sentence for a reason. I think maybe Jim feels like Meat was more "just" a singer (thus not part of royalties or credit). It is documented that during recording BOOH, Todd and Jim were somewhat dismissive of Meat. I have also seen that Jim's Meat Loaf "persona" vision didn't speak and was like a monster set loose from a cage, but that Meat started talking and ruined that plan.

I have always believed there was some creator/ creation drama. But I have rarely seen Jim state it so matter-of-factly and I know full well that Meat's love for Jim and that they talk all the time statements are a part of it as well.

Is there some arrogance on Steinman's side that marginalizes how much hard work, touring, and parts of his personality Meat added? I ask it as a question. Not to make much ado about potentially little, but if it was meant the way it was said, Jim would probably not want to be a member here, LOL.

Take it or leave it, just my thoughts and questions, and etc etc. your mileage may vary, void where prohibited.

Oh and PS, yes I read Jim's review.

ThatWriterGuy 01 Nov 2016 22:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by loaferman61 (Post 618939)
I have rarely seen Jim state it so matter-of-factly

Let's not forget where this was published:

THE DAILY MAIL.

loaferman61 01 Nov 2016 22:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThatWriterGuy (Post 618940)
Let's not forget where this was published:

THE DAILY MAIL.

If the quote is accurate does it matter?

stretch37 01 Nov 2016 22:27

there are two Meat Loaf personas being talked about possibly.

Jim's persona was for Bat. it was Meat acting like Meat Loaf in the way Jimmy wanted. a character.

Meats Meat Loaf had always existed since he was little. He has always been called Meat Loaf since the football coach got stepped on by him. And his dad called him Meat according to legend.

Meat creates characters for every song. At the time Jimmy was helping to create those characters. Perhaps he felt like he had a role to play in creating the Meat Loaf character for his play.

But ultimately it was Meat that was always the one who felt and lived his characters, and ultimately him who created characters for each song.

The way I see it they worked closely as a team.

Adje 01 Nov 2016 23:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThatWriterGuy (Post 618933)
I wasn't aware that you'd 'heard' it :-P Take it from someone who has -- the arrangements are incredible.

Take it form someone who loves the Bat performances by Meat, it's just karaoke on stage. :-P

Which is my biggest issue with this musical. The Bat songs are so specific for Meat Loaf to me that I just wouldn't enjoy a musical cover of it. No matter about the arrangements. Don't feel bad though, I have the same issue with other musicals, based on songs that clearly belong to the artist who made it big.

Besides I am not a Steinman fan per se. I almost exclusively liked his cooberation with Meat (for obvious reasons) and I wasn't impressed by Braver as I didn't find any of the songs real improvements over earlier arrangements (and Meat no longer being abel to make that difference). And none of the songs are really impressive to me.

So, no. This musical is not for me. And having iconic songs that I adore being performed in a musical is... well horrible to me. So yup, I can tell for certain I believe this musical will be horrible. Doesn't mean nobody will like it. I'm just not your target audience ;)

CarylB 02 Nov 2016 00:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by stretch37 (Post 618942)
.... But ultimately it was Meat that was always the one who felt and lived his characters, and ultimately him who created characters for each song.

The way I see it they worked closely as a team.

When they worked on the initial project, when they recorded together, the first year of touring. Since then Meat has worked his ass off, made that Bat fly round the world and kept it flying for close to 4 decades with an energy that will keep it flying many more years, made the performance his own from the start .. but has never failed to express credit and gratitude to Steinman, nor faltered in his love and loyalty

letsgotoofar 02 Nov 2016 00:25

Let's not forget that, though he doesn't use those exact words, Meat talks in his own autobiography about the difference between the "Meat Loaf character" and himself, and always wrestling with it. In the very last chapter, he talks about that (emphasis mine):

Quote:

Allen (Kovac, Meat's then-manager) had originally wanted to call Welcome to the Neighborhood, Escape From Hell, to link me to my own heritage. I wanted to do a Meat Loaf record, not more of Steinman's characters. I was screaming at Allen and saying, "I'm sick and tired of being a cartoon. I don't want to be that Meat Loaf comic book character any more."
There is a difference between the two, and over the course of the book, Meat discusses it at length. Jim (or the editor from the Daily Fail) might be terse in the description, but it's nothing Meat himself hasn't said before. Not as black and white as the article seems to portray it, granted, but then what in life is?

nikox1 02 Nov 2016 00:34

There will be a 40th anniversery Bat released next year, lets hope they put some rarities on it, mind you they prob wont as it will sell just the same.

Danny L 02 Nov 2016 02:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikox1 (Post 618949)
There will be a 40th anniversery Bat released next year, lets hope they put some rarities on it, mind you they prob wont as it will sell just the same.

40th Anniversary Bat? Who said this [ind you it's been rereleased and repackaged quite a bit!]

it could be a home for Meat's 'What Part of My Body'?

letsgotoofar 02 Nov 2016 02:28

Continuing from my previous thought in the thread...

Jim has occasionally speculated as to what might have gone differently if Meat wasn't the sole person in the spotlight -- if there might not have been all the shit that went down in that period popularly known as the Eighties where Meat lost his money, his house, his voice (briefly), and his mind (equally briefly).

I look at the name of his backing band The Neverland Express, which I feel might bear a tad more relation to Jim's ideas than to Meat's in its name, and wonder what it might have been like if Jim and Meat had just formed a band, done their thing with that band, and Meat had been able to put out non-Jim albums in his solo career and not needed to live up to any kind of "character" outside that band.

It's tempting to speculate whether or not life would have been easier...

renegadeangel 02 Nov 2016 03:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarylB (Post 618945)
When they worked on the initial project, when they recorded together, the first year of touring. Since then Meat has worked his ass off, made that Bat fly round the world and kept it flying for close to 4 decades with an energy that will keep it flying many more years, made the performance his own from the start .. but has never failed to express credit and gratitude to Steinman, nor faltered in his love and loyalty

Meat made his living off Steinman's songs. During the 80s he was playing bars and from what I understand he was ready to retire after BBIS. After Pandoras Box failed Jim came running back to Meat as he needed to make up the money he lost funding Pandoras Box.
Meat was on board and we have BAT 2. I have to wonder if Jim's involvement in BRAVER was a quid pro quo for Meat supporting the musical. As has been noted here as well Meat is the face of BAT OUT OF HELL. What would happen if Meat came out and said anything slightly unsupportive about the musical?
I remember the exchange he had with an audience member in STORYTELLERs regarding whistle down the wind.
He didn't trash it but it was pretty clear what he thought.
Meat I feel will do his bit and say all the right things for the musical. But in the end how many casual fans will turn up and be disappointed that Meat isn't even in it?

letsgotoofar 02 Nov 2016 03:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by renegadeangel (Post 618952)
Meat made his living off Steinman's songs. During the 80s he was playing bars and from what I understand he was ready to retire after BBIS.

I dunno if I'd say ready to retire. He was still warding off the taxman, hence the constant touring. He might have felt ready to pack it in, and maybe he wasn't interested in recording anything new, but I don't think retirement was going to actually be on the cards until he squared away his money issues. He describes this in the autobiography as well, him having to hit the road again periodically to pay off whatever needed paying off.

Quote:

After Pandoras Box failed Jim came running back to Meat as he needed to make up the money he lost funding Pandoras Box.
Meat was on board and we have BAT 2.
This seems to be basically true, but I think there's more to it than that.

Quote:

I have to wonder if Jim's involvement in BRAVER was a quid pro quo for Meat supporting the musical. As has been noted here as well Meat is the face of BAT OUT OF HELL. What would happen if Meat came out and said anything slightly unsupportive about the musical?
I remember the exchange he had with an audience member in STORYTELLERs regarding whistle down the wind.
He didn't trash it but it was pretty clear what he thought.
Well, Jim doing shows took time away from being able to write new things explicitly for Meat. I can't help but wonder, based on stories I've heard over the years, how Meat felt about being tossed aside by Jim in order to pursue the theater dream and handed cast-offs from Jim's new musical, one of which was previously recorded with great success by another artist, and a one-off with Don Black for the "best of"? Time that could have been spent writing an album for Meat?

I wouldn't be complimentary either, especially coming as this did off of discussions for Bat III that eventually resulted in Welcome to the Neighborhood instead (again, as per Meat's autobio). "We were supposed to work together again, but first you don't deliver, and then you go off and do all this other shit once the sun is shining in your direction again? Something that wouldn't have happened without my help?! Ungrateful ~~~~!" (Bear in mind: entirely speculation, and not to my knowledge his actual thoughts.)

I mean, to be fair, Jim could have at least offered him a role in the show(s) or something, even as a courtesy. We know how Meat hates feeling betrayed by others; he's often commented on it here.

Quote:

Meat I feel will do his bit and say all the right things for the musical. But in the end how many casual fans will turn up and be disappointed that Meat isn't even in it?
Now that is a different question entirely, and a valid one.

CarylB 02 Nov 2016 04:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by renegadeangel (Post 618952)
Meat made his living off Steinman's songs. During the 80s he was playing bars and from what I understand he was ready to retire after BBIS.

Not going to get involved in the old debate as to who brought most, who benefited from whom. But whilst he may have had to play bars in the US, here in Europe in the 80s he had 5 successful tours in theatres and arenas, and released 4 albums .. two golds, one silver and of course Dead Ringer which went platinum and made No 1.

Quote:

Meat was on board and we have BAT 2. I have to wonder if Jim's involvement in BRAVER was a quid pro quo for Meat supporting the musical. As has been noted here as well Meat is the face of BAT OUT OF HELL. What would happen if Meat came out and said anything slightly unsupportive about the musical?
I don't believe it is a quid pro quo. I think Meat genuinely cares that Jim's dream of bringing his musical to the stage is finally being realised, and simply wants to do what he can to support that. I heard nothing trashing Whistle at my ST shows, but that had already been reworked and had had a resounding success for well over a year in London's West End by the time ST started. Meat would not say anything unsupportive of this new musical imo.

Quote:

Meat I feel will do his bit and say all the right things for the musical. But in the end how many casual fans will turn up and be disappointed that Meat isn't even in it?
Meat has made it clear he wants to give any support wanted. I doubt it has been his decision to have his photo featured so much in the promotion so far, nor the frequency with which his name is attached to it. I agree there is a danger that this can encourage casual fans to think it is about him, might even include him, even though the published storyline and now the cast makes it clear that neither is the case. I have even seen some fans expressing hopes that Meat will be on stage on opening night performing with Jim .. :roll:

However, I was pleased to see that the latest article I read makes no mention of Meat. I'm quite sure he is aware of the issue, and whatever he does to support Jim will be done in a way that will make it clear he is supporting his long-time friend and not directly involved in any way. In fact it's an opportunity to counter any false expectations raised by the earlier promotion so people do not buy tickets believing it is some kind of Meat Loaf Story, or that he will be appearing in it.

PanicLord 02 Nov 2016 09:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by nikox1 (Post 618949)
There will be a 40th anniversery Bat released next year, lets hope they put some rarities on it, mind you they prob wont as it will sell just the same.

Will be interesting to see if they come up with something exciting and new or if they just bung the same CD in a new box.

My top wish is they go back to the tapes and make a top notch remaster. Secondly please just have the actual Bat songs on cd1. Cd2 and a DVD would be good and are the places to put all the extras and goodies.

rockfenris2005 02 Nov 2016 11:13

Correct me if I'm wrong:

BAT 2 was in the works since around 1985. Jim had started working with Meat on the songs. I think "Original sin" and "It's all coming back to me now" might have been some of those songs.

Then Meat went out to the record company. They organized a big meeting where Meat was going to pitch BAT 2. He walks in and suddenly... They don't want it. It's too expensive. Steinman is too difficult. It's not going to happen. Meat was, like. Well, maybe I don't want to work with you guys anymore.

"Live at Wembley" came out and that was the last album on that label. Meat talks about what happened here in a 90s interview for BAT 2.

Meat of course also plays various songs from "Bad for good" and snippets of "Original sin" on the 80s BOOH 10th anniversary tour, which I can't help but wonder were also tryouts for BAT 2, similar to Pink Floyd previewing songs before they got recorded.


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