Jim Steinman

Wed
01
Nov

MEAT LOAF Shares Making 'Bat Out Of Hell' On 40th Anniversary

Artist: 
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Categories: 
Podcasts & Radio
Dallas, TX - Oct 31, 2017. North American syndicated Rock radio show IN THE STUDIO with Redbeard: The Stories Behind History’s Greatest Rock Bands  celebrates the 40th anniversary of easily the most unconventional internationally top-selling album of all time (fourteen million U.S.) with an exclusive interview as passionate, bombastic and hysterically funny as the  
Bat Out of Hell album. 
In October 1977, Dallas, Texas-born Marvin Lee Aday aka Meat Loaf quietly released his major-label debut after seesawing between acting in live theater and singing in bands. Meat Loaf was perhaps the only choice to take on the music of theatrical songwriter Jim Steinman. With his hulking physique and voice to boot, Meat Loaf was a force of nature with a budding off-Broadway career and the Rocky Horror Picture Show movie to his credit, but Meat was unable to get a record deal. Meat Loaf shares, with IN THE STUDIO  producer and host Redbeard, the thoughts of one record industry legend.
 
“We got turned down by everybody, you know, four times, by every label I can think of. Clive Davis (president of Columbia Records at the time) said to me, “Do you guys listen to Rock’n’Roll?”, he said, You’re like the Ethel Merman of Rock’n’Roll.” -  Meat Loaf
 
Today the Bat Out Of Hell  album has sold in excess of 40 millions records worldwide supported by such classic songs as “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad”, “You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth” and the eight minute epic “Paradise by the Dashboard Lights”
 
MEAT LOAF Bat Out Of Hell @40 / IN THE STUDIO episode is available now to STREAM at: “http://www.inthestudio.net/online-on-demand/meat-loaf-bat-hell/
 
Tue
28
Feb

JIM STEINMAN Songs Given Fresh Treatment by TYCE

Artist: 
Categories: 
News Feed
 
BROADWAY RECORDS RELEASES “HERO” FROM TYCE – 9 SONGS PLUS 7 BONUS TRACKS – WORDS AND MUSIC BY JIM STEINMAN
 
New York -- Every so often a new artist comes along with a debut album that not only raises eyebrows, but curiosity in that the songs are so perfectly matched with the talent. In Tyce’s case, with the release of his debut Broadway Records album, HERO (March 10), his voice is perfectly in sync with the celebratory music and lyrics of noted-Meat Loaf-collaborator Jim Steinman.
[The album is now available for pre-order at www.BroadwayRecords.com and, at Amazon.com]
 
No ordinary talent would ever dare to record such treasured songs as “Holding Out For A Hero,” “Total Eclipse Of The Heart,” “I’m Gonna’ Love Her For Both Of Us,” and “Braver Than We Are,” without the imprimatur of wordsmith Steinman, who was catapulted to international fame and renown with the debut album from Meat Loaf, Bat Out Of Hell.
Tyce is the first male vocalist to have recorded with Steinman since Meat Loaf. Adds Tyce, “I also fit Jim’s original vision of a young blond, honorable, noble-boy that he first had in mind when he wrote Bat Out Of Hell.” 
Steinman is currently prepping the musical Bat Out Of Hell which opens June 5 in the U. K.
 
Bravely produced and boldly re-imagined by Zak Lloyd (with Tony Heyes as executive producer and Nicky James as producer), with Steinman’s blessing, the album features nine Steinman-tracks; plus seven bonus tracks. Don’t be fooled, these tunes perfectly balance Steinman’s original vigor with a twist of modern.
 
Van Dean, President of Broadway Records, says of the album: “I first heard Tyce sing Steinman in a concert in New York and knew immediately that he was a rare talent who could pull off these extraordinarily difficult to sing songs and make them his own. It’s no surprise that Steinman trusted Tyce with his material and we are excited to unveil Tyce’s debut album to the world.”
 
Tyce, who has long been key player in the Broadway community and recently appeared at last year’s Rockers On Broadway event (performing Boston’s “More Than a Feeling” to a rapturous reception) services Steinman’s work with a bold, fresh take and a passion that immediately demands an audience.
Tyce first met Jim Steinman after honoring him at a special concert in New York City. A surprise performance followed, with Tyce receiving a standing ovation after singing “Bat Out of Hell” in its 9-minute 51-second entirety in the original key: the first time the song was ever officially performed live since the Meat Loaf rendition. From there, it was kismet and a new interpreter of Steinman was born and reborn, for Jim.
Steinman called Tyce’s performance “Brilliantly virtuosic!!” and terms Tyce’s performance on the album: “It was like you wrestled with a fire-breathing dragon and came out on top!!!”
 
HERO’s cover art is by noted graphic-fantasy artists Boris Vallejo and Julie Bell – who did Meatloaf’s latest release Braver Than We Are.
 
Hero will be celebrated with an event at NYC’s Cutting Room on Thursday, March 9, the day before its official release.
 
“Rock and Roll Dreams DO Come Through”
 
 tyceofficial.com / @tyce
 
Fri
09
Sep

MEAT LOAF - Braver Than We Are (Review)

information persons: 
content: 
35%
Produced By: 
Paul Crook
Release Date: 
2016
Released: 
Worldwide
Musical Style: 
Rock
Label: 
429 Records
Artist: 
Score: 
35
Friday, September 9, 2016
Categories: 
Reviews
 
Braver Than We Are is apparently Meat Loaf’s last album. Even if that wasn’t the intention, once the fanbase gets hold of this, that will be the end result. This is a career killer.
The bravest aspect of this release is how anyone other than Meat Loaf would want to put their name on it. And I don’t say any of this lightly. I’ve had the album advance for nearly 2 months now and I have to force myself to play it to review.
Now, before the abuse from card carrying Meat Loaf fan club members starts – people who maybe have never read this site before – let’s get a couple of facts straight.
 
Firstly - Jim Steinman is one of the greatest songwriters of this age. I’ve got everything he has ever done. Ever. And Meat Loaf is Jim’s greatest foil. He takes his songs and elevates them to a majestic level that no other artist has been able to reach. Some have come close (Bonnie Tyler, Air Supply & Pandora’s Box), but Meat is (or was at least) one of a kind.
I’ve got every Meat album too. We know they are a little hit and miss, but a couple of his recent efforts since Bat 2 were pretty damn good. This isn’t. At all.
 
I rate Bat 1&2 as two of the best pomp rock albums in history. But as much as I hate to say it, Meat is done. And I’ve lost a lot of respect for him recently as he continues to mime his way across the world on a farewell lap he should have taken a decade ago. I’ve seen Meat live. He was amazing, but the health problems and the lost voice suggests he should have retired on top.
 
Not only has Meat’s voice sunk to a level hitherto uncharted by any recording artist I can recall, but the songs just don’t work as a cohesive release here. The sporadic nature of their origins gives the album a disjointed approach that perhaps could be glued together by a dynamite performance from the big man, but when he fails to show up, the scattered nature becomes so much more obvious.
 
The album opens in bizarre fashion. Who Needs the Young is a track more suited to the opening of a circus than a bombastic rock album. And it is at the 1 minute 40 mark that the fate of this entire album is determined. That’s 5 seconds after Meat starts “singing” and you realize that his voice is absolutely shot.
The jazzy, cabaret style 1920s tune might sound completely at home amongst other similar tracks in one of Steinman’s musicals, but this 5-minute romp is possibly one of the worst lead album tracks in recent memory.
 
The 11 minute plus Going All the Way Is Just the Start (A Song in 6 Movements) is everything I love about Jim Steinman’s epic songwriting. Had Meat recorded it 10 years ago, I’m sure it could be another huge hit. All the required elements of a Steinman epic are here – pounding piano, ever changing tempos and bombastic overtures. It’s a great song and my favourite of the album I guess, but only because the starring role is taken by vocalists Ellen Foley and Karla DeVito. Meat’s vocal parts sound labored and painful at times and even in a support role they detract from the female leads. The production is also lacking that hands on Steinman stamp – the drum sound in particular is of little impact.
 
And already we have a ballad in play – the sparse piano and acoustic guitar driven Speaking in Tongues is all about the vocals, but it’s missing that big booming voice required to take it to any level worth remembering. Stacy Michelle tries to lift it, but instead it labors along and kills any momentum set up by the last track.
 
Loving You's a Dirty Job (But Somebody's Gotta Do It) features Stacy Michelle once again trying to mask how bad Meat’s unsteady, barely in tune vocals are. Another terrific song from Jim, but one that’s some 30 years old and delivered better back in the day by Bonnie Tyler. Love Stacey’s voice, but her performance is not enough to make the song what it could have been.
 
Another epic is up – the 8 minute Souvenirs kicks in with some subtle horns and then one of Meat’s most wobbly vocals of the album. God I hate typing this. The brass plays on through the track and takes us back to the early days of Meat & Jim, but the track really doesn’t get going until the 5-minute mark, when the vocals lift along with the tempo, but there really isn’t any reason for this track to run so long.
 
Only When I Feel is one of those quirky short Steinman songs that’s just a little left of centre and typically acts a circuit breaker on his albums. And I like the premise here – but once again, I’m sorry to say, but Meat’s vocals are barely listenable. I love the passion he’s trying to deliver and I can feel him hurting, its emotional. But it’s just soul destroying to hear.
 
Then we dive straight into the completely over the top, hard rocking More. It’s the first time the angst and the passion has really boiled over on this relatively restrained album. The track retains its gothic overtones from the original Sisters Of Mercy recording back in the day and it does suit the big man, but it stands out as a little out of place. Once again female lead vocals are brought in to get Meat through the song.
 
Godz is just completely bizarre. More a spoken word track, with a heavy, bombastic guitar sound, it’s another interesting left turn from Steinman, but I think won’t be received that well in the context of the rest of this album.
 
Skull of Your Country is another piano ballad with more female lead (this time featuring Cian Coey) morphing part of Total Eclipse Of The Heart with a new verse and chorus. More music than vocals (yet again), it’s an ok song that you just wish was more over the top.
 
Closing this sorry album is the crappy fast moving pop/rock Train of Love, featuring a horrible chorus, really poor programming and a totally forgettable hook. What a disappointing way to finish a disappointing album.

This is a truly horrible way to end a grand recording career. The whole album just doesn’t gel – from the missing “Jim” factor (collaborating from afar hasn’t worked), to the restrained almost laid back feel of the album, to Meat’s vocal performance – words just can’t describe that. I'm sure Meat will say it's all intentional, but no-one sings like this intentionally. And if his voice isn't completely gone, why is he miming on stage?
I’m beyond disappointed and this comes from a lifetime Steinman/Meat Loaf fan. I doubt I’ll ever play this album again.
 

 

 
Fri
24
Jun

MEAT LOAF 'Braver Than We Are' With JIM STEINMAN

Artist: 
Friday, September 9, 2016
Categories: 
News Feed
 
Grammy Award-winning musician and acclaimed film, TV and stage actor Meat Loaf, is readying the release of his highly anticipated new album, Braver Than We Are for 429 Records.

Working closely again with longtime collaborator Jim Steinman, a key to the magic of multi-platinum selling albums Bat Out of Hell and Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell, Meat has recorded ten songs in tandem with Steinman, producer Paul Crook and The Neverland Express which includes John Miceli (drums), Paul Crook (guitars, loops, synths), Randy Flowers (guitars, vocals), David Luther (sax, B3 organ, strings, horn arrangements), Justin Avery (piano, synths, strings, backing vocal arrangements), Danny Miranda (bass), Stacy Michelle (vocals) and Cian Coey (vocals). Guest musician Ricky Medlocke provided the slide guitar solo on Train of Love.

The tracks on Braver Than We Are were written by Steinman, featuring the first song he ever wrote in a storied career to the most recent. While Crook produced the album, Steinman acted as creative consultant throughout the recording process working alongside Paul and Meat from beginning to end sending suggestions, adding verses and contributing opinions on every aspect.

The first single to radio, Going All The Way, showcases a reunion with vocalists Ellen Foley and Karla DeVito decades after their first performances on the smash hit Paradise by the Dashboard Light. The single is available for purchase now at iTunes.

429 Records will release Braver Than We Are digitally, on CD and vinyl in Europe on September 9 and the U.S. and rest of the world on September 16.

In a career spanning over four decades, Braver Than We Are is Meat Loaf's fourth album featuring songs exclusively written by Jim Steinman. With a painting featuring Meat and Jim together for the first time gracing the cover, the album hearkens back to the hugely successful Meat-Steinman collaborations Bat Out of Hell (1977) and Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell (1993), which together sold over 67 million units. Braver Than We Are is a testament to Meat's artistic rapport with Steinman. The songwriter's strikingly vivid style matched with Meat's incomparable talents not to mention his wit and grandiosity, results in the two successfully connecting with audiences on an epic scale.

"It's a tribute to Jim Steinman really," said Meat Loaf. "It's a tribute to both of us and our work together."

Track List:
  • Who Needs The Young
  • Going All The Way
  • Speaking In Tongues
  • Loving You Is A Dirty Job
  • Souvenirs
  • Only When I Feel
  • More
  • Godz
  • Skull of Your Country
  • Train of Love
Additional tracks on Target exclusive version:
  • For What It's Worth (feat. Stephen Stills)
  • Prize Fight Lover
  • I Would Do Anything For Love (Orchestral Version feat. Imelda May)
 
Thu
23
Jun

MEATLOAF Premiere's New JIM STEINMAN Single

Artist: 
Categories: 
News Feed
 
Meat Loaf has teamed up with songwriter Jim Steinman, who wrote most of the singer's biggest hits going back to Bat Out of Hell, for a new album, Braver Than We Are. The first single, "Going All the Way," is a multi-movement, symphonic-rock epic in the vein of "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" and "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)" with all the attendant melodrama of those hits.
 
The song features additional vocals by Ellen Foley, who sang on "Paradise," and Karla DeVito, who appeared in the "Paradise" video and sang Foley's parts on the Bat Out of Hell tour. The album, which will come out September 16th, features 10 never-before-released Steinman compositions; it contains the first tune he ever wrote up through his most recent songs, and it's the fourth album in Meat Loaf's oeuvre whose tracks were written solely by Steinman. The songwriter also had final approval on the mix and presentation of the songs before they were deemed finished. Former Anthrax guitarist Paul Crook – who produced Meat Loaf's last album, 2012's Hell in a Handbasket – helmed the album and played guitar on it.
 
"It's a tribute to Jim Steinman really," Meat Loaf said in a statement. "It's a tribute to both of us and our work together."
 

 
 
Mon
29
Feb

MEAT LOAF Completes 'Braver Than We Are' For September 9

Artist: 
Friday, September 9, 2016
Categories: 
News Feed
 
Meat Loaf has declared his new studio album 'Braver Than We Are' complete and announced it would be released September 9 in Europe and September 16 in North America.
 
Here's what the rock legend had to say: "THE ALBUM IS FINISHED. IT WILL BE OUT SEPT 9TH EUROPE . SEPT 16TH NORTH AMERICA. THERE WILL BE IN STORES BEFORE THE RELEASE. WITH WATER MARKED COPIES THAT CAN'T BE COPIED. I CAN'T DESCRIBE THE RECORD IN WORDS. AFTER YOU HAVE IT, IT BELONGS TO YOU. IT WILL BE YOUR INTERRUPTION. IT IS A JIM STEINMAN AND MEAT LOAF RECORD. WITH GREAT PRODUCTION BY PAUL CROOK. WHAT'S IT CALLED "BRAVER THAN WE ARE"
 
In answering a few fan questions, Meat added this about long time collaborator JIM STEINMEN's involvement: "Jim was involved everyday , Everything that was recorded was sent to him and we got his input the next day . Jim was not able to travel . So he was plugged in through the internet. Every mix was approved and all his notes were done. Jim is very Happy with what all 3 of us have done. So don't think for a min. Jim was not a major influence.in the making of this album..." and "This album nothing like Bat, but still great and unexpected."
 
Stay tuned for news when available.
 
Thu
12
Mar

MEAT LOAF Teams With JIM STEINMAN For Brave Album

Artist: 
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Categories: 
News Feed
 
MEAT LOAF has posted another teaser for his upcoming studio album Braver Than We Are on his Facebook page.
 
The graphic (which is not the album cover apparently) highlights the fact that Jim Steinman is once again involved with Meat, after passing on the last two albums. Jim is not producing or appearing across the whole album from early reports. Producer Paul Crook is also involved.
 
Details to come in due course, with the album now pushed back until Fall 2015.
 
 
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