From promo for Popstar to Operastar

CarylB · 12 Jan 2010, 14:33

January 12th, 2010 by Lisa McGarry.

A livewire presence, Meat Loaf goes on to outline what sort of critic he will be. “I’ll be looking for someone just like me,” laughs the singer, real name Michael Lee Aday. “What I mean is, I’ll be looking for is a performer who gets up on stage and says, ‘yes, I’m going to own this song’.

“I once performed a George Gershwin song in a very traditional way for an album George Martin was putting together, and it became my own. Don’t give me a hip-hop version of an aria. Just walk on there and make it your own. If you don’t, it’s not worth a dime.”

The Grammy Award-winning Meat Loaf knows all there is to know about “owning” a song. His opera-inspired 1977 album, ‘Bat Out of Hell’, has shifted in excess of 40 million units. It remained in the charts for a staggering nine years. And more than three decades after it was first released, an astonishing 200,000 copies are still sold every year.

Meat Loaf, who hails from Dallas, Texas but now lives in California, says he will be a frank and fearless critic of the contestants’ efforts on Popstar to Operastar. “If someone gets up there and obviously doesn’t take it seriously, I’ll be pretty opinionated about it.

“If they’re just doing it to be on TV, then I’ll nail them for it. And if they’re lazy and won’t rehearse, I’ll tell them, ‘you shouldn’t be here anymore because you clearly don’t care’. They better come out all guns blazing!

This hugely entertaining performer confesses that he has, “a rebellious nature that has cost me a lot over the years. I’ll flat tell people what I think. I’ll tell them to their face, ‘you suck!’” Consequently, he fears that, “I may cause friction with the other critics. I may say to them, ‘are you crazy?’ I’m sure I’ll be creating conflict on the panel!”

Meat Loaf has certainly done his research for this job. “I’ve just downloaded 100 Greatest Opera Songs, so I’ll have all those arias nailed. If I believe the singers, I won’t care if they sing the wrong words! It’s all about the emotion.”

The singer, who boasts a marvellously powerful heldentenor voice, has a strong background in opera. Recruited as a schoolboy to appear in a New York production of Carmen, he instantly fell in love with the world. “Opera people so rocked. They were unbelievably wild. I’ve never been to parties like that since – my eyes are still hanging out! Opera people might say, ‘we don’t do that sort of thing’. But they should not try to deny it – they do!”

After singing a ditty in a Central Park production of As You Like It, he was spotted and invited to train as an opera singer and appear at The Met, in New York. Meat Loaf takes up the story. “I talked to a lot of people in classical music, and I found out that unless you’re a Pavarotti or a Domingo, the conductor is in total control. I thought, ‘if I do that, I’ll wind up in prison. I may not kill the conductor, but I’ll certainly put him in hospital!’ I’ve always had that attitude – ‘don’t screw with me!’ So I turned them down.” Instead, he went into acting and pop singing – and the rest is rock history.

His love of music should make Meat Loaf a compelling critic. “I’m very passionate about this project. I get a buzz from all music – except jazz! Opera is so important in our lives – anything that moves us is important in our lives. Anything that gives us access to such high emotions has got to be massively significant.

“I’ve got a painting in my house which I love. It’s a picture of a dirt road in the California hills. Every time I look at it, I think, ‘I wonder where that goes?’ Music has the same effect – if you don’t wonder where it’s going, then it’s no good. In opera, there is always another side. Some people might think opera is over the top, but if you don’t go over the top, how are you going to know what’s on the other side?”

Meat Loaf concludes by underlining his passion for the art-from. “I love opera. It’s so exciting. If you put opera on when you drive, you can all too easily get a speeding ticket!”

greg · 12 Jan 2010, 14:34

i was reading about meat loaf in the sun news paper today how he does not like these i t v shows

howlerformeatloaf · 12 Jan 2010, 14:48

Thanks for that Caryl. Do we possibly have another Idol type thing going on here? Are we in the States going to be able to see it. I have got to see Meat doing this. This is going to be wild just like the main man himself. Have fun Meat.

roomster · 12 Jan 2010, 14:58

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...ITV-shows.html

WhenItComes2LovingU · 12 Jan 2010, 15:20

Hate to be the one to say it, but it almost sounds like Meat is channeling Jim a bit there (especially the "over the top" quote).

daveake · 12 Jan 2010, 15:44

"if you don’t go over the top, how are you going to know what’s on the other side?"

hmmm ... hope he's paying royalties on that one

Nice interview btw.

melon · 12 Jan 2010, 16:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhenItComes2LovingU

Hate to be the one to say it, but it almost sounds like Meat is channeling Jim a bit there (especially the "over the top" quote).

That tends to happen when two people have known each other as long as Jim and Meat have known each other.

CarylB · 12 Jan 2010, 17:48

Well "over the top" is a pretty commonly used expression and one that's been applied to Meat's performances for more than 30 years by critics, so why he wouldn't use it I have no idea

And he's used the pushing to "see what's on the other side" many times. I thought it was a good article .. and find to no surprise that it was the Sun which mainly reported his criticism of of his "TV bosses" and left out most of the interesting stuff

He seems gung ho for the show, has prepared with his usual focused professionalism, and I'm really looking forward to it .. a first for me and a reality show!

Caryl

suzieq · 12 Jan 2010, 19:09

Thanks for posting both articles. I enjoyed the first one and found the article from the Sun pointless (thats just my opinion). If it were on in the states, I would surely watch it. I hope someone who can watch it posts a thread about the show with Meat's input.

Evil One · 12 Jan 2010, 19:26

Most articles in The Sun are pointless!

Rostely · 12 Jan 2010, 19:43

Most of the time, but I've read the article with pleasure. I've been checking mlukfc and some other Meat Loaf sites the whole day for news. Especially because of this message:

Twitters will keep coming. I will be arriving in the UK Jan 10th. Will be there anywhere from 7 to 12 weeks. You'll find out part of what's going on the 11th or the 12th. the rest will unfold one piece at a time. Yes , the art work is done.

Ps. when you hear what I'm doing just go with with flow. There is a reason for it . Part of an over all deal with Universal.

What's 'part of an over all deal with Universal'? Is Popstar to Opera Star part of that? I don't think so. I just can't wait for any new album related news.

It's too bad I'm living in The Netherlands and can't see From popstar to Opera Star..

: oops:

ChrisBelfast · 12 Jan 2010, 21:06

The Mirror have expanded on The Sun's story...

http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/...5875-21960447/

*AndyK* · 12 Jan 2010, 21:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisNI

The Mirror have expanded on The Sun's story...

Slightly.

Got to love the red tops

suzieq · 12 Jan 2010, 21:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisNI

The Mirror have expanded on The Sun's story...

There's that Bull in a China Shop phrase again.

CarylB · 12 Jan 2010, 22:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisNI

The Mirror have expanded on The Sun's story...

Actually that was, word for word, the one I'd seen .. so on this occasion I blamed the Sun incorrectly (though I assume the Sun's was similar) .. and all they've done is concentrate on a few comments Meat made about some of the reality shows, completely ignoring all the other things he said. In my view he wasn't "slating" ITV. I like a lot of what ITV does .. but I'm with Meat on his comments about those shows .. they should be buried at sea along with Ant and Dec ..

Caryl

PanicLord · 12 Jan 2010, 22:57

Interesting interview CarylB, thanks! Great to see Meat in the public eye once again in the UK.

I wonder if the show will be live, or recorded and bleeped :)

*AndyK* · 13 Jan 2010, 00:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by PanicLord

Interesting interview CarylB, thanks! Great to see Meat in the public eye once again in the UK.

I wonder if the show will be live, or recorded and bleeped :)

It's going to be transmitted "live", which in reality means it'll have a slight delay to allow for someone to hit the bleep button

nikox1 · 13 Jan 2010, 00:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by suzieq

There's that Bull in a China Shop phrase again.

is meat playing mind games again? i really do believe that will be the title?
it describes meat so well

cowboy · 13 Jan 2010, 02:17

English rags are so much fun. My goal for this ,the Cover of the SUN.
LOL.
M

CarylB · 13 Jan 2010, 02:27

Well .. they're good for lining the parrot cage

Loved the interview on Radio 4 tonight .. of course you could aim for Page 3 rather than the front and give us all a treat

Caryl

Vickip · 13 Jan 2010, 02:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by cowboy

English rags are so much fun. My goal for this ,the Cover of the SUN.
LOL.
M

suzieq · 13 Jan 2010, 03:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by cowboy

English rags are so much fun. My goal for this ,the Cover of the SUN.
LOL.
M

Oh won't that please the producers! LOL They say controversy = ratings.

Suzieq

PanicLord · 13 Jan 2010, 08:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by cowboy

English rags are so much fun. My goal for this ,the Cover of the SUN.
LOL.
M

Lol - that would be awesome.

PanicLord · 13 Jan 2010, 08:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by AndyK

It's going to be transmitted "live", which in reality means it'll have a slight delay to allow for someone to hit the bleep button

Well I always thought they had a delay just like radio which always gets bleeped. But on Strictly Come Dancing they just had to continuously apologise for people's remarks. It was hilarious because they were usually very inoffensive overall (eg DAMN

), and the apology only drew more attention to them, but it doesn't look like that was delayed.

*AndyK* · 13 Jan 2010, 11:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by cowboy

English rags are so much fun. My goal for this ,the Cover of the SUN.
LOL.
M

Go for it! It'll be the only time I buy a copy of that paper when you achieve it!

12 Jan 2010, 14:33	#1
CarylB Mega Loafer Join Date: 16.04.2003 Location: Sheffield UK Posts: 5,910	From promo for Popstar to Operastar January 12th, 2010 by Lisa McGarry. A livewire presence, Meat Loaf goes on to outline what sort of critic he will be. “I’ll be looking for someone just like me,” laughs the singer, real name Michael Lee Aday. “What I mean is, I’ll be looking for is a performer who gets up on stage and says, ‘yes, I’m going to own this song’. “I once performed a George Gershwin song in a very traditional way for an album George Martin was putting together, and it became my own. Don’t give me a hip-hop version of an aria. Just walk on there and make it your own. If you don’t, it’s not worth a dime.” The Grammy Award-winning Meat Loaf knows all there is to know about “owning” a song. His opera-inspired 1977 album, ‘Bat Out of Hell’, has shifted in excess of 40 million units. It remained in the charts for a staggering nine years. And more than three decades after it was first released, an astonishing 200,000 copies are still sold every year. Meat Loaf, who hails from Dallas, Texas but now lives in California, says he will be a frank and fearless critic of the contestants’ efforts on Popstar to Operastar. “If someone gets up there and obviously doesn’t take it seriously, I’ll be pretty opinionated about it. “If they’re just doing it to be on TV, then I’ll nail them for it. And if they’re lazy and won’t rehearse, I’ll tell them, ‘you shouldn’t be here anymore because you clearly don’t care’. They better come out all guns blazing! This hugely entertaining performer confesses that he has, “a rebellious nature that has cost me a lot over the years. I’ll flat tell people what I think. I’ll tell them to their face, ‘you suck!’” Consequently, he fears that, “I may cause friction with the other critics. I may say to them, ‘are you crazy?’ I’m sure I’ll be creating conflict on the panel!” Meat Loaf has certainly done his research for this job. “I’ve just downloaded 100 Greatest Opera Songs, so I’ll have all those arias nailed. If I believe the singers, I won’t care if they sing the wrong words! It’s all about the emotion.” The singer, who boasts a marvellously powerful heldentenor voice, has a strong background in opera. Recruited as a schoolboy to appear in a New York production of Carmen, he instantly fell in love with the world. “Opera people so rocked. They were unbelievably wild. I’ve never been to parties like that since – my eyes are still hanging out! Opera people might say, ‘we don’t do that sort of thing’. But they should not try to deny it – they do!” After singing a ditty in a Central Park production of As You Like It, he was spotted and invited to train as an opera singer and appear at The Met, in New York. Meat Loaf takes up the story. “I talked to a lot of people in classical music, and I found out that unless you’re a Pavarotti or a Domingo, the conductor is in total control. I thought, ‘if I do that, I’ll wind up in prison. I may not kill the conductor, but I’ll certainly put him in hospital!’ I’ve always had that attitude – ‘don’t screw with me!’ So I turned them down.” Instead, he went into acting and pop singing – and the rest is rock history. His love of music should make Meat Loaf a compelling critic. “I’m very passionate about this project. I get a buzz from all music – except jazz! Opera is so important in our lives – anything that moves us is important in our lives. Anything that gives us access to such high emotions has got to be massively significant. “I’ve got a painting in my house which I love. It’s a picture of a dirt road in the California hills. Every time I look at it, I think, ‘I wonder where that goes?’ Music has the same effect – if you don’t wonder where it’s going, then it’s no good. In opera, there is always another side. Some people might think opera is over the top, but if you don’t go over the top, how are you going to know what’s on the other side?” Meat Loaf concludes by underlining his passion for the art-from. “I love opera. It’s so exciting. If you put opera on when you drive, you can all too easily get a speeding ticket!”

12 Jan 2010, 14:34	#2
greg Super Loafer Join Date: 14.04.2002 Location: lincoln Posts: 887	meat loaf in the sun i was reading about meat loaf in the sun news paper today how he does not like these i t v shows

12 Jan 2010, 19:43	#11
Rostely Rookie Join Date: 14.09.2006 Posts: 13	Most of the time, but I've read the article with pleasure. I've been checking mlukfc and some other Meat Loaf sites the whole day for news. Especially because of this message: Twitters will keep coming. I will be arriving in the UK Jan 10th. Will be there anywhere from 7 to 12 weeks. You'll find out part of what's going on the 11th or the 12th. the rest will unfold one piece at a time. Yes , the art work is done. Ps. when you hear what I'm doing just go with with flow. There is a reason for it . Part of an over all deal with Universal. What's 'part of an over all deal with Universal'? Is Popstar to Opera Star part of that? I don't think so. I just can't wait for any new album related news. It's too bad I'm living in The Netherlands and can't see From popstar to Opera Star.. : oops:

12 Jan 2010, 14:48	#3
howlerformeatloaf loaf howler Join Date: 15.08.2007 Location: Hershey, Pa Posts: 360	Thanks for that Caryl. Do we possibly have another Idol type thing going on here? Are we in the States going to be able to see it. I have got to see Meat doing this. This is going to be wild just like the main man himself. Have fun Meat.

12 Jan 2010, 14:58	#4
roomster Super Loafer Join Date: 11.03.2009 Location: Norway Posts: 536	http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...ITV-shows.html

12 Jan 2010, 15:20	#5
WhenItComes2LovingU Banned Join Date: 16.01.2006 Posts: 303	Hate to be the one to say it, but it almost sounds like Meat is channeling Jim a bit there (especially the "over the top" quote).

12 Jan 2010, 15:44	#6
daveake 200% is the new 110% Join Date: 13.03.2005 Location: Newbury Posts: 2,983	"if you don’t go over the top, how are you going to know what’s on the other side?" hmmm ... hope he's paying royalties on that one Nice interview btw.

12 Jan 2010, 17:48	#8
CarylB Mega Loafer Join Date: 16.04.2003 Location: Sheffield UK Posts: 5,910	Well "over the top" is a pretty commonly used expression and one that's been applied to Meat's performances for more than 30 years by critics, so why he wouldn't use it I have no idea And he's used the pushing to "see what's on the other side" many times. I thought it was a good article .. and find to no surprise that it was the Sun which mainly reported his criticism of of his "TV bosses" and left out most of the interesting stuff He seems gung ho for the show, has prepared with his usual focused professionalism, and I'm really looking forward to it .. a first for me and a reality show! Caryl

12 Jan 2010, 19:09	#9
suzieq Mega Loafer Join Date: 26.10.2008 Location: West Palm Beach, Florida Posts: 2,319	Thanks for posting both articles. I enjoyed the first one and found the article from the Sun pointless (thats just my opinion). If it were on in the states, I would surely watch it. I hope someone who can watch it posts a thread about the show with Meat's input.

12 Jan 2010, 19:26	#10
Evil One Mega Loafer Join Date: 15.01.2007 Posts: 5,192	Most articles in The Sun are pointless!

12 Jan 2010, 21:06	#12
ChrisBelfast Mega Loafer Join Date: 18.02.2003 Location: Posts: 1,061	The Mirror have expanded on The Sun's story... http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs/news/...5875-21960447/

12 Jan 2010, 22:57	#16
PanicLord Mega Loafer Join Date: 18.06.2003 Location: At The End Of The Line Posts: 2,652	Interesting interview CarylB, thanks! Great to see Meat in the public eye once again in the UK. I wonder if the show will be live, or recorded and bleeped :)

13 Jan 2010, 02:17	#19
cowboy Loafer Join Date: 14.01.2007 Posts: 68	English rags are so much fun. My goal for this ,the Cover of the SUN. LOL. M

13 Jan 2010, 02:27	#20
CarylB Mega Loafer Join Date: 16.04.2003 Location: Sheffield UK Posts: 5,910	Well .. they're good for lining the parrot cage Loved the interview on Radio 4 tonight .. of course you could aim for Page 3 rather than the front and give us all a treat Caryl