Meat Loaf: The Middle Finger (Vegas show idea)

[Wario]

You.guys take stuff wayyyyy too seriously sometimes lol

[Evil Ernie]

Originally Posted by Wario

You.guys take stuff wayyyyy too seriously sometimes lol

True, but I find that the predictability somewhat entertaining.

Lol... love you guys.

[Vickip]

Originally Posted by Wario

You.guys take stuff wayyyyy too seriously sometimes lol

My thoughts exactly

[wolfy35]

Originally Posted by Meat Loaf_fan

Without "Paradise"? NO! Without "AFL"? Yes.

I think you are underestimating just how important a song AFL was for Meat

Between Bat & Bat 2 Meat was almost forgotten in the US apart from some diehard fans, initially because of the voice / health issues Meat had after recording Bat, but then simply because the record companies did not want to take a risk with an artist who had fallen away from the limelight for so long.

It was only the UK & a handful of other countries, mainly other European, that continued to provide an audience and fan base for Meat.

Sad fact is that many people in the US did not hear anything from or about Meat between Bat & Bat 2 with AFL being the song that grabbed them by the arms, shook them awake and made them fall for Meat again. There is also the large number of people for whom Bat2 & AFL was the first thing they had ever heard of from Meat & got them hooked.

In short Bat is the song that made Meat but AFL is the one that has allowed him to be where he is today so to suggest it not be in a setlist is foolhardy & shortsighted.

[CarylB]

Originally Posted by Wario

You.guys take stuff wayyyyy too seriously sometimes lol

I'm not sure anyone takes many of your thread grabbing titles/polls/ideas seriously at all, let alone wayyyyyy too much However, sometimes the grown-ups get talking about other things that get posted in befuddled reply

Really, with an opener like this one, do you expect us to say "Fantastic idea Warrio! Sing unknown songs, give the finger to the potential ticket buyers, and even call it The Finger .. Bound to grab interest and sell tickets by the shed-load .. love it!" ? ..

Here's another poll :

Should we:
* Say it's fantastic, suggest Masculine, and post no more
*Ignore it and not post at all
* Say it's bollocks and why
*Ignore it and not post at all
* Pretend you posted "So if Meat were to not do any well known songs in a show, what rarely delivered songs would you like to hear" (A route we've covered a few times anyway of course) and start listing all the songs he could sing that most of the audience wouldn't have heard of
*Ignore it and not post at all

[misterfive]

Originally Posted by The Flying Mouse

I've spoken to the evil squirrel who whispers in Wario's ear, and he's here to explain how things work in Vegas

That was creepy...never do it again.

[lorenzoduke]

I love Meat, but I couldn't care less about hearing most of Blind Before I Stop, Midnight At The Lost & Found or Bad Attitude live.

Besides personal preference, to me Meat's entire career is about how hard he will work to send an audience home happy and exhilarated. Giving a paying audience the figurative middle-finger is the antithesis of everything he stands for, and Vegas is the place to give people what you're best known for.

That said, there are certain songs that have rarely or almost never played live that I'd give my eye teeth to see (It Just Won't Quit, Martha, I'll Kill You If You Don't Come Back, Elvis in Vegas etc.) and I'm sure everyone else has their own wish list. The thing is the NLE play the sets to such a high standard it would seem like a huge task for them to learn a whole new dozen or so songs just for the sake of a fan club gig, and to then discard most of them and never play them again. Maybe it'd be worth it if the gig were recorded for release, but then what's the commercial potential of a live DVD/CD comprised entirely of obscure tracks that most of the public have never heard?

The only practical way I could see it happening was if there was another extensive tour (which I don't see happening) and there was a 3 song section of the show devoted to rarities that rotates from a list of 10.

[Meat Loaf_fan]

Originally Posted by wolfy35

I think you are underestimating just how important a song AFL was for Meat

Between Bat & Bat 2 Meat was almost forgotten in the US apart from some diehard fans, initially because of the voice / health issues Meat had after recording Bat, but then simply because the record companies did not want to take a risk with an artist who had fallen away from the limelight for so long.

It was only the UK & a handful of other countries, mainly other European, that continued to provide an audience and fan base for Meat.

Sad fact is that many people in the US did not hear anything from or about Meat between Bat & Bat 2 with AFL being the song that grabbed them by the arms, shook them awake and made them fall for Meat again. There is also the large number of people for whom Bat2 & AFL was the first thing they had ever heard of from Meat & got them hooked.

In short Bat is the song that made Meat but AFL is the one that has allowed him to be where he is today so to suggest it not be in a setlist is foolhardy & shortsighted.

I know that "AFL" is very important to Meat - thanks to this song (and Bat 2 album) he gain a new (music) life.
To me - "AFL" is also important - thanks to it I first heard Meat ... (but I'm fan since "Did I Say That" ) ...
Anyway - I want to say that despite the fact that "AFL" is so important, in the same time I have enough of it (*). Why? Partially thanks to radio stations which play this song over and over again (in the same time they don't play anything from (for example) HIAH ).




(*) When it comes to DVD ("Storytellers", "MSO" and "Guilty Pleasure"), I'm very happy evey time when I hear "I'd Do Anything For Love" . I love both arrangement and (Meat's and Patti's) vocals.


To sum up - although I have spillover of "AFL", I would like to hear it on a new DVD again (but perhaps in slightly different arrangement ).

[CarylB]

Originally Posted by Meat Loaf_fan

Anyway - I want to say that despite the fact that "AFL" is so important, in the same time I have enough of it (*). Why? Partially thanks to radio stations which play this song over and over again (in the same time they don't play anything from (for example) HIAH ).

Have to say I'd be happy if they still played AFL on the radio here

I love Did I Say That? .. one of Meat's best songs imo, and should have been a huge hit single; mature, poignant, clever and beautifully sung, but wasn't released here as the single. Have heard it live I think once, and would love to hear it again!

But AFL went platignum around the world, and is arguably one the strongest duet with Patti (certainly the most popular) .. for that reason alone imo it's one that brings a roar from any audience as soon as they hear the opening chords, and would I think make it a must for a show aimed at a broader audience Different arrangements may have appeal to regular concert goers .. others are likely to be happy with the huge hit they recognise immediately

[wolfy35]

The new opening arrangement to AFL used in Guilty pleasures & Last at bat is, I think, the best it has ever been.

There again Meat & the NLE seemed to have gained so much more energy through both those tours that everything they played was improved.

As an example my all time favourite Meat track Heaven Can Wait I always believed that the pinacle of that song would be the version on LATW with just Meat & Jim on the piano it was just beautifully simple. That said the version played on LAB blew that one right out of the water.

[lorenzoduke]

Originally Posted by CarylB

Have to say I'd be happy if they still played AFL on the radio here

I love Did I Say That? .. one of Meat's best songs imo, and should have been a huge hit single; mature, poignant, clever and beautifully sung, but wasn't released here as the single. Have heard it live I think once, and would love to hear it again!

As a side note, I happened to be in Germany for the week that Did I Say That? came out as a single there. I've never seen so much promotion for a Meat Loaf album or single in my life - TV ads, billboards/posters at practically every train station, in store displays, the works. Shame he's rarely had similar record company treatment elsewhere (at least in recent years).

[CarylB]

Yes, it is .. shame too that they couldn't even get stocks of the UK single CHSIB comprehensively on the shelves in retailers the day and week of its release here! It's like saying "Well we won't do much advertising, and just to cement things we'll make it difficult to buy anyway!" Meanwhile Meat tirelessly does the rounds himself!

I guess CHSIB was judged to be more up tempo, and it was the duet .. but I still think DIST was, and is a stellar track.

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by CarylB

I guess CHSIB was judged to be more up tempo, and it was the duet .. but I still think DIST was, and is a stellar track.

ABSOLUTELY I agree. Think it should have had the million dollar video treatment. I regard AFL - ILFY(ATTT) and DIST as a trilogy in some ways although the latter is not a duet.

[CarylB]

Actually I loved the video they did do .. but sadly videos don't get much airtime unless you're the performer or group the record companies are pushing. I can see what you mean about the trilogy I adore the entire album .. there's a maturity about it, these are songs sung by someone who's been around the block. But DIST remains for me one of Meat's most powerful songs.

[lorenzoduke]

The DDIST? video is definitely one of the most interesting of Meat's videos - or certainly the most interesting not to be associated with a Bat album.

[Evil Ernie]

I love DIST, but the only thing throws me off is when it gets heavy. The soft "So this is what it feels like..." parts are great, but then it seems like a different song.

I think that they could have up'd the tempo without going all hard rock. But that's just my opinion... I could be wrong.

[RSG]

Originally Posted by Evil Ernie

I think that they could have up'd the tempo without going all hard rock. But that's just my opinion... I could be wrong.

A prime cut from the Meat Loaf discography. Did I Say That has to be a song that's near perfect.. an acoustic jam with the tempo being up'd ?
Perhaps something like YTTWROOMM treatment from Storytellers DvD.

[ShelbyLee]

DIST is a great song, but CHSIB is one of the best live performances I ever saw. As for the Vegas show, I always look forward to AFL and Paradise. The chemistry on the last couple of tours has been stronger than ever. I would enjoy seeing ILFY again.

If this show is a Storytellers format, we have already heard the stories about why the songs were written, so I would enjoy hearing stories about life on the road. Not just Meat, but band members like Patti & John have been with Meat for 2 decades so I bet they have some interesting stories too.

[CarylB]

Originally Posted by ShelbyLee

If this show is a Storytellers format, we have already heard the stories about why the songs were written, so I would enjoy hearing stories about life on the road.

I think with a title that includes "Rocktales" the chances are high

[Tina.K.]

Originally Posted by Evil Ernie

I love DIST, but the only thing throws me off is when it gets heavy. The soft "So this is what it feels like..." parts are great, but then it seems like a different song.

I think that they could have up'd the tempo without going all hard rock. But that's just my opinion... I could be wrong.

How funny... DIST is one of my all time favorite songs, and I like the heavy parts most. Haha the exact opposite... The combination of the softer and heavier parts makes it a typical Meat song I think. It is musically so well done, you can hear it when you try to listen to the instruments individually.