i really don't see Tribute bands as lazy depending how they go about it. There are millions who make a living doing Elvis for example. Perfect for a party atmosphere and for those who want to be able to go to a bar and listen to the songs they like, either in the style of the original artist or not.
From what I've seen, Chris, you bring your own things but keep the integrity of the songs on both the Meat Loaf and Billy Joel count.
Then you have shows like We Will Rock You, Mamma Mia, Rock of Ages, Jersey Boys...there's hundreds of them that focus on one person or group's songs and present them in a format that some genuinely hate. There are many who don't give musical theatre the time of day, but the BIG BIG difference for me with Bat is that this is exactly where it came from. The original Dream Engine and Neverland plays were in one way or another the origins of pretty much every song of Jim's that Meat has ever recorded. Without musical theatre, there would be no Bat Out Of Hell and possibly no Meat Loaf as we know and love him.
I love the late 60s/early 70s versions of Bat, Took The Words, All Revved up et al, from those plays every bit as much as the album versions. And the new musical versions, when they are seated in the set, with the production and everything, then I have no doubt I will love them as well.
I've lived Meat's songs for coming up to 30 years, and I'm not about to abandon those songs now just because it isn't Meat singing them. I have Meat singing them forever on that never-should-have-worked album that is 40 years old next year and I'm more than happy to listen to anyone else who cares to sing them. There's a reason why no-one ever begs him to sing Wolf At Your Door or Clap Your Hands just one more time, and it is exactly the same reason that they do want Bat, AFL, Rock and Roll Dreams, For Crying Out Loud, Objects. The singer delivers the song to the listener, but it is the song that sinks its fingers in and doesn't let go.
Bat The Musical, Jim's vision of HIS songs, is basically back to ground zero for these songs. This is where they came from, and this is the beginning. There are many who have never picked up Bat the album, but may well be curious enough to go see the musical, then they may well discover the album and from there who knows where the journey will end.
I got my last Meat/Jim collaboration with Braver, I'm getting another vision of Jim's songs with Tyce's album, and then the man himself brings it all back home on stage in the spring and summer. After almost a decade of what if's and maybe-not-now-or-maybe-not-ever's, i'm taking every moment of these songs in all their forms and being thankful for the risks that are taken against the industry of today to keep them alive and protentially move them another generation and another 40 years into the future.
However if Trump is elected next week who cares because we'll all going to hell sooner or later. Sign out and turn off the lights.
