MEAT LOAF
Meat Loaf (or Meatloaf; born Marvin Lee Aday; September 27, 1947) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Meat Loaf’s Bat Out of Hell trilogy of albums (consisting of Bat Out of Hell, Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell, and Bat Out of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose) has sold more than 50 million copies worldwide. Almost 40 years after its release, Bat Out of Hell still sells an estimated 200,000 copies annually, and stayed on the charts for over nine years, making it one of the best selling albums in history. He is also known for his powerful wide-ranging operatic voice and theatrical live performances. Meat Loaf has retained iconic status and popularity in Europe, especially the United Kingdom, where he received the 1994 Brit Award for Best Selling Album and Single, appeared in the 1997 film Spice World, and ranks 23rd for the number of weeks spent on the UK charts as of 2006. His most notable film roles include Eddie in The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), Robert “Bob” Paulson in Fight Club (1999), and “The Lizard” in The 51st State (2002). (More from Wikipedia)
Before releasing his monster hit album in 1971 called Bat out of Hell, Meat Loaf was in a duo called Stoney & Meatloaf that was signed by Motown the year before. Others include Crystal Mansion (a white psychedelic/R&B band that is a future UARB), Toe Fat (a British band that included two future members of Uriah Heep), Love Sculpture (a Welsh blues-rock band that was led by Dave Edmunds), and a Dutch band called the Cats.
(April 2015/1)
* * *
From Wikipedia: “Other notable [Detroit] bands from this time period include Alice Cooper, the Amboy Dukes (featuring Ted Nugent), the Bob Seger System, Frijid Pink, SRC, the Up, the Frost (featuring Dick Wagner), Popcorn Blizzard (featuring Meat Loaf), Cactus, and the soulful sounds of Rare Earth and the Flaming Ember.”
(March 2016)
* * *
People bought more albums in the 1970’s than at any time before or since. For what it’s worth, 6 of the 10 biggest selling albums of all time were released during the 1970’s – in order, they are The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd; Bat out of Hell by Meat Loaf; Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) by the Eagles; the Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack (featuring the Bee Gees and others); Rumours by Fleetwood Mac; and Led Zeppelin IV by Led Zeppelin. However you might feel about these chestnuts, it is hard to imagine a more varied group of albums. Thriller by Michael Jackson (1983) remains Number One, but I was certainly surprised to see Back in Black (1980) by AC/DC in second place.
(December 2016)
