Marvin Lee Aday was born on September 27, 1947 in Dallas, Texas. His father apparently nicknamed him
Meat when he was 2, because he was, to put it kindly, a
chunky kid (you've got to love parents with such regard for the
self esteem of their
children, haven't you?). The "
Loaf" was added later by schoolmates.
When he was nineteen, Marvin moved to
Los Angeles, and tried to break into the music business starting bands called Popcorn Blizzard, Meat Loaf Soul and The Floating Circus, however rock 'n' roll success wasn't quick coming, so he earned his living as a car park attendant, before concentrating on working in
theatre, in musicals like
Hair and
Jesus Christ Superstar where his vocal range (which covers four
octaves) was a major asset.
In 1970 Meat recorded an album with another member of the
Hair cast, Stoney, but the
eponymous LP was a commercial
flop, so he remained in the theatre. 1973 he went to New York to perform on Broadway in
Rainbow in New York. It was in this show that he attracted the attention of composer/lyricist
Jim Steinman and the
partnership between the two, that would later become
legendary, began when Steinman arranged for Meat to perform in his musical
More Than You Deserve, the title song later becoming a track on the
Dead Ringer album.
In 1975, he recorded a song on
Ted Nugent's album
Free for All and accepted the part that was finally going to bring him public notice – Eddie, the (very) ex-Delivery Boy in
Richard O'Brien's
Rocky Horror Picture Show. Although it's only a
bit part, Meat's
performance of
Hot Patootie, Bless My Soul showed that he was a
powerful presence. After this, he and Steinman hooked up again on The
National Lampoon Roadshow.
It was his next
project that was to be the
big break though – Jim Steinman started writing a musical called
Never Land based on the tale of Peter Pan, and this was became the foundation of 1977's
Bat out of Hell. The album, produced by
Todd Rundgren, became the biggest selling
LP up to that date, although it was later overtaken by
Michael Jackson's
Thriller. But more than this, it was the defining album of a
generation, in the way that
Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band was
definitive ten years earlier. There are very few people in their mid thirties-forties who can't
quote at least one track from Bat out of Hell
verbatim – many (like me) can quote them all.
The
extensive tour that went along with the album, however, left Meat unable to record the planned next album
Bad For Good with Steinman. Numerous rumours surrounding the reasons behind this circulated – some said that the
strain of the tour had damaged his throat, while others claimed that he had started the album project but was
haunted by physical and mental
demons. Whatever, Steinman recorded the album
solo.
Meat Loaf concentrated on
film work, appearing in
Americathon and
Roadie before returning to the
studio to record
Dead Ringer with Steinman. Perhaps inevitably, this album couldn't compare with the
commercial success of
Bat, and
bad blood surfaced between writer and singer, with Steinman filing several lawsuits against both Meat Loaf and the
Epic record label about alleged contract breaches.
Meat's following three albums
Midnight at the Lost and Found,
Bad Attitude, and
Blind Before I Stop failed to make a
ripple, and the singer filed for
bankruptcy and disappeared from public view for several years.
He began to appear on radar again in 1992 when he starred with
Steve Martin in
Leap of Faith and appeared in
Wayne's World, but again it was a collaboration with Jim Steinman that re-established his prominence - the 1993 release
Bat out of Hell II: Back Into Hell. Since then, Meat Loaf Aday (as he is known in his recent film roles) has never looked back. He's toured widely, with his son playing drums and his daughter singing back-up. I saw him on the
Welcome to the Neighbourhood tour in 1996, and, if the album was less compelling than
Bat II, the stage presence was as
energetic,
manic and
impressive as ever. There have been no other albums apart from a greatest hits
compilation, but he has continued to work in film (including
Fight Club) and on TV. His
current project is The Salton Sea, due for release in 2002.
Discography: (Tracks marked '=' were released as singles)
STONEY & MEATLOAF
(I'd Love To Be) As Heavy As Jesus
She Waits By The Window
It Takes All Kinds Of People
Game Of Love
Kiss Me Again
What You See Is What You Get =
Sunshine (Where's Heaven)
Jimmy Bell
Lady Be Mine
Jessica White
BAT OUT OF HELL
Bat Out Of Hell =
You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth =
Heaven Can Wait
All Revved Up With No Place To Go =
Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad
Paradise By The Dashboard Light
For Crying Out Loud
MEAT LOAF Featuring STONEY & MEATLOAF (Re-release including three additional tracks)
Stone Heart
Who Is The Leader Of The People
Everything Under The Sun
DEAD RINGER
Peel Out
I'm Gonna Love Her For Both Of Us =
More Than You Deserve
I'll Kill You If You Don't Come Back
Read 'Em And Weep =
Nocturnal Pleasure
Deadringer For Love =
Everything Is Permitted
MIDNIGHT AT THE LOST & FOUND
Razor's Edge =
Midnight At The Lost And Found =
Wolf At Your Door
Keep Driving
The Promised Land
You Never Can Be Too Sure About The Girl
Priscilla
Don't You Look At Me Like That
If You Really Want To =
Fallen Angel
BAD ATTITUDE
Bad Attitude
Modern Girl =
Nowhere Fast =
Surf's Up
Piece Of The Action =
Jumpin' The Gun
Cheatin' In Your Dreams
Don't Leave Your Mark On Me
Sailor To A Siren
BLIND BEFORE I STOP
Execution Day
Rock 'n' Roll Mercenaries =
Getting Away With Murder =
One More Kiss (Night Of The Soft Parade)
Blind Before I Stop =
Burning Down
Standing On The Outside
Masculine
Man And A Woman
Special Girl =
Rock 'n' Roll Hero
BAT OUT OF HELL II: BACK INTO HELL
I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That) =
Life Is A Lemon (And I Want My Money Back)
Rock And Roll Dreams Come Through =
It Just Won't Quit
Out Of The Frying Pan (And Into The Fire)
Objects In The Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are =
Wasted Youth
Everything Louder Than Everything Else
Good Girls Go To Heaven (Bad Girls Go Everywhere)
Back Into Hell
Lost Boys And Golden Girls
WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBOURHOOD
Where The Rubber Meets The Road
I'd Lie For You (And That's The Truth) =
Original Sin
45 Seconds Of Ecstasy
Running For The Red Light (I Gotta Life) =
Fiesta De Las Almas Perdidas
Left In The Dark
Not A Dry Eye In The House =
Amnesty Is Granted
If This Is The Last Kiss (Let's Make It Last All Night)
Martha
Where Angels Sing
THE VERY BEST OF MEAT LOAF
Home By NowNo Matter What
Life Is A Lemon (And I Want My Money Back)
You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)=
Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad =
Modern Girl =
Rock 'n' Roll Dreams Come Through =
Is Nothing Sacred =
Paradise By The Dashboard Light
Heaven Can Wait
I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)
A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste
I'd Lie For You (And That's The Truth)
Not A Dry Eye In The House
Nocturnal Pleasure
Deadringer For Love
Midnight At The Lost And Found
Objects In The Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are
Bat Out Of Hell
Filmography (from IMDB)
The Salton Sea (as Michael Lee Aday) .... Bo
Face to Face .... Driver
Trapped (as Meat Loaf Aday) .... Jim Hankins
Wishcraft (as Meat Loaf Aday) .... Sparky Shaw
51st State (as Meat Loaf Aday) .... Lizard
Crossover .... Himself
Focus (as Meat Loaf Aday) .... Fred
Meat Loaf: To Hell and Back .... Himself
The Ballad of Lucy Whipple (as Meat Loaf Aday) .... Aaron
A Galaxy Far Far Away .... Himself
Rustin .... Coach Trellingsby
Blacktop (as Meat Loaf Aday) .... Jack
Classic Albums - Meat Loaf: Bat Out of Hell .... Himself
The Hurdy Gurdy Man
Meat Loaf: VH-1 Storytellers .... Himself
Fight Club (as Meat Loaf Aday) .... Robert Paulson
Crazy in Alabama (as Meat Loaf Aday) .... Sheriff John Doggett
Smash Hits Poll Winners Party 1998 .... Himself
Outside Ozona .... Floyd Bibbs
Everything That Rises .... Red
The Mighty .... Iggy
Black Dog .... Red
Gunshy .... Lew Collins
Spice World .... Dennis
I'd Lie for You and That's the Truth .... Himself
To Catch a Yeti .... Big Jake Grizzly
Leap of Faith.... Hoover
The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag.... Larry
Wayne's World .... Tiny
Dead Ringer.... Meat Loaf/Marvin
Motorama.... Vern, Biker at American West Lounge
The Squeeze.... Titus
Stand by Me: Aids Day Benefit.... Himself
Vandemonium Plus.... Piglet
The Grand Knockout Tournament.... Himself
Out of Bounds .... Gil
Der Formel Eins Film (aka Feel the Motion) .... Himself
Musicourt.... Himself
Roadie .... Travis W. Redfish
Americathon.... Oklahoma Daredevil
Scavenger Hunt.... Scum , Head Biker of Peace Corps
The Rocky Horror Picture Show.... Eddie (Ex-Delivery Boy)