Dance of the Vampres/Seize the Night

**RadioMaster** · 14 Sep 2006, 15:42

In the RAH thread occured a discussion about that topic, it think it´s important so, let´s start an own thread.
Here´s what happened up to now:

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndyK

I'm with you on this on RJ

STN are song that to me are crying out to be given the live treatment.

I remember feeling the goosebumps rise when I heard Seize The Night blasting out at the Minskoff Theatre during Dance Of The Vampires nearly 4 years ago ... one of the few highlights for me of that fated show.

Would love to hear a proper rock concert version of this one!

Quote:

Originally Posted by multiply

Sorry I have to disagree with you, Andy.

I took my wife to New York especially to see DOTV - flight, tickets and hotel cost me a small fortune but being a big Steinman/Meat Loaf fan made this a must-see for me.
The word, 'disappointment' barely approaches the description I felt after seeing that shambles.
I am no less a S/ML fan now, but I want NOTHING to remind me of that night- including Seize The Night...... unless Meat's interpretation can completely cleanse the memory (which I am more than happy to allow for)!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jayd

Yeah, but wasn't the Broadway version completely trashed, by an outsider actor. Thats why it was never as good as the European version.

Quote:

Originally Posted by multiply

Sure, in my mind I don't think Michael Crawford (for it was he)would be my ideal candidate for any of JS's material.

But in fairness, the show itself wasn't any good (quite camp, really) and the songs with any potential reasonance just weren't arranged as they should have been. Seize The Night is a good example of this - it was arranged as a pseudo-opera, which just made it..... hammy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radiomaster

think we should start an own thread for that discussion, I think it´s important but it´s absolutely not related to the RAH concert...

I´ll do it...

IMO the only person that really fits as Krolok was Steve Barton, on the german version as on the DOTV demo´s on Jim´s site.

*AndyK* · 14 Sep 2006, 16:03

Agrre with Multiply. I was heartily disappointed on seeing the pantomime that DotV had become.

That said, to me getting the chance to hear the DotV version of two of my absolute favourite Steinsongs live (STN & TIWIMTBY) was worth the trip alone - even though both were poorly portrayed in the show.

Of course they both came across as too-camp and hammy, but they were live incarnations of two of Jims children ... and even if they were runts of the litter after the rest of the production team ruined them, that doesn't mean they should be slated as much as they have been. They could have been better of course, but they could have been far far worse ...

needmoremeat · 14 Sep 2006, 16:31

I thought it was Crawford who turned it into the camp, hammy farce it became? The pre-Crawford stuff is wonderful from what I've heard. Barton looked and sounded the part, while Crawford looked like a nightmarish version of Willy Wonka!

*AndyK* · 14 Sep 2006, 16:33

Certainly Crawford had a hell of lot to do with it, but there were no doubt other factors too.

As I sat watching it in the Minskoff I remember thinking not long after Crawford had appeared on stage that he was playing it as if he were a vampire Frank Spencer ... and then everytime he was on stage from then on I was sat waiting for him to proclaim "Oh Betty! The Bat's done a whoopsie in the corridor"

**RadioMaster** · 14 Sep 2006, 18:34

I read somewhere that he just agreed to the contract to play krolok, if he´s got the rights to change his role to what he wanted to be.

And the fact that he played The phantom of the opera before, made him doesnt wont to play another of these dark, mystic roles again. So he made it to a more funny and ironic version.

I cant jugde it as I havent seen it...

mszee · 15 Sep 2006, 05:10

I've seen a bit of Crawford performance on YourTube...

It was BAD...but not as BAD as that screeching bat of a female that was singing with him...at one point she hit a note that deafened me for days to come...

I am totally not surprised it folded on Broadway.

This is opera and belongs most probably in City Center Theater rather than Broadway...

Pudding · 15 Sep 2006, 07:50

I'll jump in here quickly before Ryan does.

DOTV would have totally worked on Broadway had it been left in it's original conception. Unfortunately some Broadway types try and put their own spin on things and in this case completely f*cked it up.

It was Crawford who turned Krolock into a gibbering buffoon, but the Director was too weak and allowed him to do it and the producers couldn't get the backers unless they got a big name, i.e. Crawford, so Crawford was left holding all the cards.

Not all the blame should fall on Crawfords shoulders, but most of it should.

Pud

**RadioMaster** · 15 Sep 2006, 15:30

**The Flying Mouse** · 15 Sep 2006, 15:47

I've heard bad things about the Crawford production

Pudding · 15 Sep 2006, 16:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by THE FLYING MOUSE

I've heard bad things about the Crawford production

Only Crawford fans like it...........hmmmmmmmmmmmm

Pud

**The Flying Mouse** · 15 Sep 2006, 16:04

He has FANS?

mszee · 15 Sep 2006, 16:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by THE FLYING MOUSE

He has FANS?

He had some fans at the time of the show...it gets hot in NY...

Pudding · 15 Sep 2006, 23:20

Some of his hardcore fans went to RR (probably just for freebies

) and said he was great, best thing he ever did (you following the pattern here

you can imagine how that went down

Pud

Leah · 15 Sep 2006, 23:30

I can imagine indeed the reception they got over at RR!

needmoremeat · 16 Sep 2006, 22:19

!

Alex · 17 Sep 2006, 00:28

As this was the most looked forward song of mine on the new album - it wasn't as good as I'd hoped - but that was due to it's predecessors.

Tanz Der Vampire's CD is the greatest piece of production I've ever come across in my life. It's truely perfect in my ears. I don't understand a word and I was rather hoping Meat could add the vocals to a production that was similiar to that. Unfortunately not, though, the track isn't without it's many merits. For me, the German version will remain 'Carpe Noctem'. The demo is extremely good too and Steve Barton has a voice I can believe belongs to a Vampire, Meat doesn't - and I like the Vampire's :>

p.s. I know the thread was dying, but I thought I wanted to make my contribution :P

**RadioMaster** · 17 Sep 2006, 12:19

steve barton didnt sing the stn demo, that was done by Kyle Gordon.
But it´s still a great song, in every interpretation.

Alex · 17 Sep 2006, 12:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radiomaster

steve barton didnt sing the stn demo, that was done by Kyle Gordon.
But it´s still a great song, in every interpretation.

You know, I put Kyle Gordon initially as that's who I thought it was - but I wasn't sure, so I looked up and all that comments were of Barton so I presumed I was wrong. Damn - I should trust my instincts more often as thats twice I've done that recently! :P

You are write, all incarnations are glorious in their own way.

Tanzsaal is my fave song from the German version, damn shame there isn't really a copy of that around

**RadioMaster** · 17 Sep 2006, 13:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amadiere

damn shame there isn't really a copy of that around

please explain what you mean

Alex · 17 Sep 2006, 16:36

Ahh, I didn't make sense! Tanzsaal from the German version is awesome - I meant to say it's a damn shame there isn't a decent recording of the English language version of that.

**RadioMaster** · 17 Sep 2006, 16:38

aaaah...now I understand...
I think the fact that there is no cast recording of dotv speaks for itself

**The Flying Mouse** · 17 Sep 2006, 16:51

But isn't it weird that Meat and Steve, the two people who are the best singers of Steinman material, are both from Texas

And incidently, one of my other fav singers (Roy Orbison) was from Texas too

There's deffinatly something about Texas

mszee · 17 Sep 2006, 16:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by THE FLYING MOUSE

But isn't it weird that Meat and Steve, the two people who are the best singers of Steinman material, are both from Texas

And incidently, one of my other fav singers (Roy Orbison) was from Texas too

There's deffinatly something about Texas

There is definitly something about Texas...as Texan would say...

EVERYTHING IS BIGGER IN TEXAS

**RadioMaster** · 17 Sep 2006, 19:19

pretty woman, walking down the street, pretty woman, the kind I´d like to meet, I dont believe you, you´re not the truth, no one could look as good as you. grrrrrr...mercy

mszee · 17 Sep 2006, 21:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radiomaster

pretty woman, walking down the street, pretty woman, the kind I´d like to meet, I dont believe you, you´re not the truth, no one could look as good as you. grrrrrr...mercy

It's not about the song...it's about the voice...Roy Orbison has a unique otherwordly voice...

You will NEVER in your life hear another voice like that...give him another chance maybe with another song...

14 Sep 2006, 16:03	#2
AndyK Relentless Join Date: 21.11.2003 Location: Over the top..... seeing what's on the other side Posts: 18,694	Agrre with Multiply. I was heartily disappointed on seeing the pantomime that DotV had become. That said, to me getting the chance to hear the DotV version of two of my absolute favourite Steinsongs live (STN & TIWIMTBY) was worth the trip alone - even though both were poorly portrayed in the show. Of course they both came across as too-camp and hammy, but they were live incarnations of two of Jims children ... and even if they were runts of the litter after the rest of the production team ruined them, that doesn't mean they should be slated as much as they have been. They could have been better of course, but they could have been far far worse ...

14 Sep 2006, 16:31	#3
needmoremeat Mega Loafer Join Date: 23.11.2003 Location: Sunderland, UK Posts: 1,416	I thought it was Crawford who turned it into the camp, hammy farce it became? The pre-Crawford stuff is wonderful from what I've heard. Barton looked and sounded the part, while Crawford looked like a nightmarish version of Willy Wonka!

14 Sep 2006, 16:33	#4
AndyK Relentless Join Date: 21.11.2003 Location: Over the top..... seeing what's on the other side Posts: 18,694	Certainly Crawford had a hell of lot to do with it, but there were no doubt other factors too. As I sat watching it in the Minskoff I remember thinking not long after Crawford had appeared on stage that he was playing it as if he were a vampire Frank Spencer ... and then everytime he was on stage from then on I was sat waiting for him to proclaim "Oh Betty! The Bat's done a whoopsie in the corridor"

14 Sep 2006, 18:34	#5
RadioMaster The German Join Date: 11.03.2006 Location: some kind of hunting lodge for rich weirdos... Posts: 15,778	I read somewhere that he just agreed to the contract to play krolok, if he´s got the rights to change his role to what he wanted to be. And the fact that he played The phantom of the opera before, made him doesnt wont to play another of these dark, mystic roles again. So he made it to a more funny and ironic version. I cant jugde it as I havent seen it...

15 Sep 2006, 05:10	#6
mszee Mega Loafer Join Date: 29.03.2006 Location: And you think you're down under??? Posts: 26,252	I've seen a bit of Crawford performance on YourTube... It was BAD...but not as BAD as that screeching bat of a female that was singing with him...at one point she hit a note that deafened me for days to come... I am totally not surprised it folded on Broadway. This is opera and belongs most probably in City Center Theater rather than Broadway...

15 Sep 2006, 07:50	#7
Pudding I'm A Prize Fight Lover... Join Date: 22.10.2003 Location: New Zealand Posts: 5,532	I'll jump in here quickly before Ryan does. DOTV would have totally worked on Broadway had it been left in it's original conception. Unfortunately some Broadway types try and put their own spin on things and in this case completely f*cked it up. It was Crawford who turned Krolock into a gibbering buffoon, but the Director was too weak and allowed him to do it and the producers couldn't get the backers unless they got a big name, i.e. Crawford, so Crawford was left holding all the cards. Not all the blame should fall on Crawfords shoulders, but most of it should. Pud

15 Sep 2006, 15:30	#8
RadioMaster The German Join Date: 11.03.2006 Location: some kind of hunting lodge for rich weirdos... Posts: 15,778

15 Sep 2006, 15:47	#9
The Flying Mouse Armed ba$tard and Jo's other half. Join Date: 06.08.2002 Location: In the middle of nowhere near the end of the line. Posts: 16,104	I've heard bad things about the Crawford production

15 Sep 2006, 16:04	#11
The Flying Mouse Armed ba$tard and Jo's other half. Join Date: 06.08.2002 Location: In the middle of nowhere near the end of the line. Posts: 16,104	He has FANS?

15 Sep 2006, 23:20	#13
Pudding I'm A Prize Fight Lover... Join Date: 22.10.2003 Location: New Zealand Posts: 5,532	Some of his hardcore fans went to RR (probably just for freebies ) and said he was great, best thing he ever did (you following the pattern here you can imagine how that went down Pud

15 Sep 2006, 23:30	#14
Leah Mega Loafer Join Date: 03.04.2005 Location: Cleethorpes, North East coast of England Posts: 1,510	I can imagine indeed the reception they got over at RR!

16 Sep 2006, 22:19	#15
needmoremeat Mega Loafer Join Date: 23.11.2003 Location: Sunderland, UK Posts: 1,416	!

17 Sep 2006, 00:28	#16
Alex Ooh weee ooOOoh! Join Date: 14.04.2002 Location: In the Land of the Manc's Posts: 445	As this was the most looked forward song of mine on the new album - it wasn't as good as I'd hoped - but that was due to it's predecessors. Tanz Der Vampire's CD is the greatest piece of production I've ever come across in my life. It's truely perfect in my ears. I don't understand a word and I was rather hoping Meat could add the vocals to a production that was similiar to that. Unfortunately not, though, the track isn't without it's many merits. For me, the German version will remain 'Carpe Noctem'. The demo is extremely good too and Steve Barton has a voice I can believe belongs to a Vampire, Meat doesn't - and I like the Vampire's :> p.s. I know the thread was dying, but I thought I wanted to make my contribution :P

17 Sep 2006, 12:19	#17
RadioMaster The German Join Date: 11.03.2006 Location: some kind of hunting lodge for rich weirdos... Posts: 15,778	steve barton didnt sing the stn demo, that was done by Kyle Gordon. But it´s still a great song, in every interpretation.

17 Sep 2006, 16:36	#20
Alex Ooh weee ooOOoh! Join Date: 14.04.2002 Location: In the Land of the Manc's Posts: 445	Ahh, I didn't make sense! Tanzsaal from the German version is awesome - I meant to say it's a damn shame there isn't a decent recording of the English language version of that.

17 Sep 2006, 16:38	#21
RadioMaster The German Join Date: 11.03.2006 Location: some kind of hunting lodge for rich weirdos... Posts: 15,778	aaaah...now I understand... I think the fact that there is no cast recording of dotv speaks for itself

17 Sep 2006, 16:51	#22
The Flying Mouse Armed ba$tard and Jo's other half. Join Date: 06.08.2002 Location: In the middle of nowhere near the end of the line. Posts: 16,104	But isn't it weird that Meat and Steve, the two people who are the best singers of Steinman material, are both from Texas And incidently, one of my other fav singers (Roy Orbison) was from Texas too There's deffinatly something about Texas

17 Sep 2006, 19:19	#24
RadioMaster The German Join Date: 11.03.2006 Location: some kind of hunting lodge for rich weirdos... Posts: 15,778	pretty woman, walking down the street, pretty woman, the kind I´d like to meet, I dont believe you, you´re not the truth, no one could look as good as you. grrrrrr...mercy