Are we spoiled ?
 

Was thinking today whilst sat about at work a little something. There was 8 years between the releases of WTTN and CHSIB. Now we have 3 album releases in 7 years. We all know how hard working Meat is with acting, recording and tours, but he has managed to release 3 albums in 7 years, not bad for a guy of Meat's young age. You don't really see classic rock bands who are around releasing many albums anymore, no new material, but maybe just live off live tours. That's lead to my question, Are we spoiled ?

I'd just say we are fortunate to follow a man who still has such enthusiasm for what he does, still has such creative vision, and is still pursuing his rock and roll dream with as much passion, energy and belief as he had when he started :-)

Caryl

wouldnt really say Meat has a tight recording schedule...

look at Springsteen. Two albums between 2008 and 2009, and several tours!

I think I am more spoiled by the internet. There is a two week delay between the first releases in Europe and the release date here in America. That is going to drive me crazy, especially when the rave reviews start pouring in. I fear this will create temptations and I always have trouble resisting temptations (of most kinds) but especially when it comes to new Meat Loaf songs.

The VBO and Storytellers happened in that 8 years though.

Yes, but they were not proper studio albums. All we got was a few new tracks on VBO. These last 7 years we have had 3 whole new studio albums.

:twisted: That's quite a complex question.
(either that or I really need a beer :bleh: ).

I think that Meat and the fans have a mutual beneficial relationship.

First of all, we ourselves chose to follow Meat because his music is so good, so if we are spoiled then we have ourselves to thank for our outstanding good taste :mrgreen:

Meat is a dedicated singer, who takes his art seriously, but with nobody to listen it becomes a dead circuit.
Music has to be heard to be brought to life.

Meat has sung many many amazing songs which have touched many people in many ways.
We repay that by buying his albums, his singles, his merchandise, and by going to see him live when we get the chance.
A percentage (not nearly enough of a percentage, i'm sure many will agree) ends up in Meat's pocket which, let's face it, allows the artist to be an artist for a living rather than doing a gig in between shifts in McDonalds.
This works rather well for the artist

Not that it's about the money of course.
If you do your art for the money, then you're a monkey (to paraphrase Stephen King there).
You do it because you need to do it, because it's in you to do it, and that you can't imagine what it would be like to not be doing it.
The luckiest people in the world are those who are able to make a living from their hobbies and passions.These professional hobbies are known as "the arts" to try and hide the shameful fact that we are enjoying our work too much.
One thing all profesional artists have in common, from painters to sculpters, to rock stars to us chaps who are lucky enough to get by playing pubs and clubs, we would all continue to do what we do even if we were no longer paid for it.


So on the whole, perhaps we are a little spoiled because we have such a worthy artist to follow, but I think Meat is also lucky to have such a loyal and diverse fanbase.

As for the quantity of material Meat has brought out in the last decade, it's not really that different from the 80's Which saw Dead Ringer, Bad Attitude, and Blind Before I stop all within 6 years.
Followed the next year with Meat Loaf live.

Many artists have a much higher turnout of albums, many have a lower turnout.
Everyone has their own speed of working, and Meat will bring an album out when it's ready.
That's all anyone can do :shrug:


*looks back over that post, I should have gone with the beer :doh: *

Think Meat like Springsteen and many other 60+ year old rockers are trying to fit in as much as possible whilst they still can. Sure I think they all do it because they want to but the money is always good too (not that Springsteen needs it I think. I believe he is pretty much a billionaire??). Indeed as a result of this we are much more spoiled with many more chances to see Meat in the UK than ever before. However I think the celebrity pop culture has a lot to do with this too. You're either in the news or you are nobody these days...

I agree with The Flying Mouse that its not just Meat that spoils us but we spoil him as well to some degree.

Meat has genuine talent and a will to be as good as he can be nowhere was this demonstrated better than in "In search of paradise" where Meat came off stage and beat himself up emotionally for not being perfect in a concert that was given rave reviews.
Meat has a very loyal fan base who are proud to demonstrate what he means to them because his music has touched so many of us with its power and emotional content.

We as fans and Meat have a symbiotic relationship where we both nourish each other and give each other the energy and will to constantly give the other the best we can.

The last ten years has certainly been a good ten years personally speaking when it comes to both recorded and live music. As a huge Springsteen and Meat Loaf fan, I've been spoilt (financially lol) by the tours and the albums. It's up there with the late 80's in terms of quantity of products and events that has been available.

Last year was the first time since 2003 that Meat hasn't toured the UK, and I think Bruce has only missed a couple of years in the last 10.

Incidentally, Springsteen was the second highest grossing act on tour last year, beaten only by U2, earning a meagre $57million!

Wow Flying Mouse, you really should reward yourself with a beer after that detailed answer lol. Me personally do think we are lucky to follow a excellent and hard workin artist. And I hope that before Meat decides to retire from recording music, we see maybe at least one more album after HCTB, because so far, this album is sounding to be his best work since Bat 2 possibly Bat 1, and I know I will want more, so I think I spoiled :-) .

Are you trying to say that Springsteen fans are spoiled? :lol:

Bruce has been pretty busy in recent years, but it wasn't always that way. Not to quibble, but Magic came out in Oct. of 2007; prior to that, though, the last E Street album was The Rising, which came out in 2002. (In between were Devils and Dust, which was a solo album, and the Seeger Sessions, which was a folk music project.) Prior to that, though, his last album of new (not including archival releases) material was The Ghost of Tom Joad, which came out in '95, and was also a solo album. There was another long gap between Tunnel of Love ('87) and Human Touch and Lucky Town ('92), which were with the "other" band.

Prolific isn't always a good thing, either. Lots of fans (not myself) criticized his last record, Working on a Dream, saying that he rushed to get it out, thus it wasn't his best effort.

I think it also makes a difference that Bruce writes and plays all his own material, thus he is able to put out an album more quickly than if he had to line up songwriters, musicians, etc., if he chooses to do so.

He has toured alot in recent years, but not always with E Street, and again, only since about '99 or so. (Not complaining ;) ) His last tour prior to that was the solo Joad tour. The ESB is currently taking at least a year off, but I'm hoping Bruce will come back out sooner in some capacity. Which, he probably will, since I think that he does love it! :-)

just saying that I wouldnt necessarily consider an album every 3-4 years as spoiled. It's actually quite a long time compared to other artists. We were spoiled if we'd get an album every 6 months or every year. A new Meat album is quite a rare occasion compared to that.

Quality is worth waiting for though.

A 5 year break from BBIS and we get Bat II, something similar and we got WTTN, and likewise something similar before we got CHSIB. Then Three years between CHSIB and Bat III and another three before we get HCTB. Outputwise that's not prolific but each on e has been worth the wait, even if it doens't feel like it at the time.

I wouldn't say we're spoiled. Lucky, maybe.

We don't ask or demand that Meat does those things. He chooses to do them, and we're glad that he does.

Agreed

Exactly right ... we're very lucky :-)

just out of curiousity...what are the chances we WILL see another album? I'm a more casual fan, and I don't really know what's going on behind the scenes at the moment

Also, what's the Meat Loaf / Steinman relationship like at the moment? Would we possibly see another world changing, bestselling album of all time album as a big finale to his career? Bad for Good Part 2 maybe? =D

Pretty low I'd say, but something tells me he might surprise us all with a new album this year. I know it's really unlikely, so let's make it interesting. I'll bet you $20 he'll release one by the end of May, so long as you give me 10-1 odds. Deal? :twisted:

Check the front page! ;)

I bet some people would have thought the chances of a new album after Bat 3 was pretty low, so I would be not surprised to see another album. And i got a sneaky feeling we may see another Meat and Jim get together, maybe not a Bat album, but something. :D

I doubt it. The Bat musical was an opportunity for them to work together on a song or two, and that seems pretty much dead in the water.

Never say never though. :D

I've had fleeting thoughts of Meat ricocheting off the success (being very optimistic) of HCTB and making another album back to back with Rob. Meat has said he'll never work with any other producer. So I was thinking maybe he'd work on another album with Rob.

I don't see Meat waiting for HCTB to breathe as the other works he's done. Back to back albums is something Meat has never done, so it would be a 1st for him but not out of the question. And it doesn't have to be a HCTB II, it could be some other stand alone work.

The only thing I question is timeline, because he's going to tour for HCTB and the way things are reading, he'll be touring still in 2011. So, production started in 2009 for HCTB, promo 2010, tour into 2011. The production of another album could span into 2012 which would be 2 years between albums releasing at the earliest. I suppose in between tours he could log in some studio time so the possibilities are all there to make it closer.

It is fun to speculate and that's all this really is. I just wish Meat has madd success with HCTB and he's had such a different studio experience and we have such a different product now. We may really want more of this raw Meat in your ear sound. Which doesn't make me spoiled, but greedy.

Meat/Jim relationship is a good one from what Meat is saying. After HCTB comes out, I don't know if we are going to want a reunited work from that duo again, because what we had was greatness as we knew it. But we have a different avenue to experience and I'm gung ho in keeping Bat as a treasure and exploring a diverse Meat.

Finally, I think HCTB could be a world changing album best selling album for Meat. I just don't think this is his finale' yet. I think he's just been reborn.

Suzieq

brilliant as always susieq!

i would love to speculate the future of meat loaf; but i honestly bursting at the seams of HCTB. i'm glad meat is in the mood for delivering meaty rock chops. this is a interesting thread. a interesting time. an amazing feeling. bring on april/may!

lol Suzie .. as this thread moves, almost inevitably it seems where Meat's work is concerned, into "Will there be/when can we expct a HCTB 2?", I agree with what you say .. in particular the hope that HCTB will be a world changing, best selling album for Meat.

He keeps telling us that musically he's been reborn, and as we're still waiting for this new direction to be laid in our laps I'm just focused on that, and as you say a tour which will run into next year, which is something else wonderful to look forward to. We have a very special time ahead, still to come and to enjoy ;) ..

Talk of "what next?" is to me a bit premature .. and like you, I don't see this as a finale, but rather a new treasure yet to be enjoyed. Meat says a new adventure is beginning, and I'm just looking forward to the journey, and more than happy to allow it to unfold :D

Caryl