Meat Loaf

It was the Fall of 1977. I was a young FM Rock Radio programmer in the Chicago Metro. At the time, there were conventions that we would attend to network, learn from others' success stories and witness the newest acts in concert.

At some point during the conference, I stumbled into the Epic Records Hospitality Room...and bumped into a big guy in a satin jacket (favored by roadies, at the time). It was just the two of us and the "Bat Out of Hell" album was on the turntable. We struck up a conversation.

Back then, radio stations often received preview copies of new LPs in white album covers...so, while I had listened to the album, I had no idea what the artist named Meat Loaf looked like. I was late to the Rocky Horror Picture Show, so I didn't realize that Meat Loaf had starred as Eddie.

But there we were, he knowing I didn't know who he was, asking me what I thought of the album on the turntable. "Four hits," I confidently said, to his mischievous smile. It was then I connected the dots...and we laughed our asses off. He was one of the most gregarious artists I ever met.

As we say farewell to the man known as Meat Loaf, the hits speak for themselves. On this Music Friday, we go to the more obscure.

Well...besides this version of Paradise by the Dashboard Light with Karla DeVito in the ultimate on-stage battle.

Then there was his rendition of Lawyers, Guns and Money on Letterman in 1999.

Among his covers, this version of River Deep, Mountain High was inspired.

But, of all the album tracks, this is my favorite: Objects in the Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer than they Are. Powered by the lyricism of long-time conspirator Jim Steinman, this is the track that stops me every time it shuffles forward.

Thanks Meat. Thanks for a generation of stellar music that helped define an era.

Comments

[Lee T]

Big voice...big personality...big hole in our collective teenage musical hearts. Hope your jamming with Jim. RIP Meat!