Compaired to a lot of songwriters, Jim isn't that known. Most people, most rock and roll fans, recognize the work of Leiber & Stoller: and the legacy they left behind. Most Motown fans are familiar with the songwriter of Holland & Dozier. Most pop fans, and most people actually, have heard the work of Diane Warren & Desmond Child: all over the radio for the last ten years. Most people, most people who care, know that they wrote those songs. As a matter of fact, most songwriters are more recognized than Jim Steinman. He's probably mostly known for Bat Out of Hell and Total Eclipse of the Heart.
My issue is: Jim could have been a lot more known for Bat Out of Hell, which would have changed things. But Sonenberg altered the credit; what started as a unique collaboration between Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman became Meat Loaf in the leading role and Steinman as the unseen director. I've read interviews, from both Meat and Jim, stating how badly this ended up affecting them. This may even be partially responsible for the friction behind the Bat today. Jim isn't known as much as you think is.
Sure, he's had some astonishing hits, but walk up to a person and they probavbly wouldn't have heard of him. However, if the original credit had of been on Bat they would know him as much as Meat Loaf. But that's not the case. Even most musicians would know him, after Diane Warren, Desmond Child and all the others I mentioned.
Jim isn't that well known, to regular people, but there have been many opportunities and chances where he could have been.
|