[letsgotoofar]

Originally Posted by renegadeangel

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.

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.

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.

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.