Jim Steinman / Meat Loaf - Braver Than We Are - September 16

It's his diction that concerned me. Since about 1993. You know the way deaf people speak? He often pronounces the words in the songs like that now.

 

Despite the naysaying nonsense, Caleb Johnson can sing his face off and this will be good. He's perfect for those tunes and he'll pull it off spectacularly.

Ed

 

Oh, yeah. It got real bad sometime in the mid-2000's. Just pointing out I think his vocals are pretty decent in that 2004 show given he was 57 or so at the time.

 

It’s the elephant in the room. It looks like he may have had a stroke or something. I know he’s 70 odd but his whole personality seems diminished. He also left a green room of a talk show before going on to be interviewed because of an incontinence episode. I love Meat Loaf’s music, I think he’s more than earned his dues and right to retire. Now he should head up a comprehensive reissue series of his albums, vinyls, live concerts etc. but obviously that won’t make the kind of bucks a live tour does.

Is there an audience for this though? I don’t want to pay to see a frail Meat tells anecdotes with professional karaoke inbetween.

 

Seems ridiculous.

Who would go to a Madonna show if Madonna wasn’t performing ? Insert any solo act for that matter....

 

Regardless- this is weird to say the least...

Imagine if Bruce Springsteen came on stage, told the story of how born in the USA was written, and when it was time to count the song in, he handed the microphone to someone else.

It’s not right. I can only imagine that meat loaf is in desperate need of money[/QUOTE]

 

If nothing else, I have to second this. How many acts "augment" their live show with backing tracks, pre-recorded vocals and the like - particularly in the age demographic Meat Loaf happens to reside in?

Even if this isn't for you, it's well stated up front what you're paying to see. Seems fair to me. Just a shame that Meat himself isn't up to the task.

 

Yep.

I'm not a big fan by any means (I have and like a couple albums) but I think it's objectively true to say Meat Loaf has been all in, balls to the wall as a performer for the entirety of his career - and has largely done very well as a live performer I would guess at least in part due to his commitment to the moment and the material.

Age catches up with us all and - and the last album/media blitz/rationalization misstep apparently was the last straw. There's no shame in a 70 yr old man not being able to pull off the kind of shake the rafters type singing that is Meat's stock in trade.

If people want to see him tell stories and see someone else sing, that's all good.

Even though I said I'm not interested in attending, as a general concept I would rather see something like this eyes wide open than go hear someone lip sync and pretend they're not.

 

He’s also a pretty good actor (Fight Club) it would great to see him get a good film role or part in a decent drama.

 

His name is Robert Poulson.

 

I'm surprised at how positive people here seem! Or pehaps, the lack of negativity is what surprises me.
Perhaps that's due to no one here being a massive fan? I'm interested to see how his hardcore fan base reacts to this....

What's even more interesting is how the tour will be billed. Will he billing make it 100% clear that Meat is not singing? Somehow I don't think so, and that'll secure extra ticket sales.

As a casual fan, I would not go near this at all. And I have seen Meat Loaf live. I can't wrap my head around this.
What I WOULD go and see is a q&a + storyteller session with Meat Loaf. He is an entertaining character and knows how to win an audience, regardless...

But to hear some other guy sing the songs in between the original singer explaining them? Not at all

 

Where are you seeing positivity? Everything I've seen has been extremely negative. I must be missing something.

Ed

 

Exact same thoughts here.

 

I changed it to a lack of negativity....I assumed it would be met with outrage, but it hasn't.
Key members in bands is one thing, but to replace Meat Loaf in Meat Loaf? Insane!!!

 

Sad, just donate to him!

 

Yes, it is. People aren’t happy. That’s all I’m seeing in this thread unless I’m missing something. For my part, Caleb has the voice to pull this off well and Meatloaf clearly needs the cash. Can’t judge a man if you aren’t in his loafers.

Ed

 

If it was free and near my town, I would go.

 

I'm a big fan, but I can't imagine any way I'd go see this. (Especially since he's already written a book that, presumably, covers most of the stories he'd be telling, along with the VH1 Storytellers episode that was also pretty entertaining) I'm sure the dude needs the money, especially since Steinman gets all the publishing money the Bat songs still generate (as he should), but I can't imagine this really working. I'd be much more interested in seeing Steinman's Bat musical that's opening soon (I think?).

 

By the sound of things he can only afford flip flops....

 

I mean, maybe if like, they were reuniting the original team behind Bat...Max Weinberg, Todd Rundgren, Roy Bittan, Kasim, Steinman, etc., with this guy singing...that might be a gig worth going to. Kind of like the groups of Bowie or Prince alums out touring right now as a tribute. But I know that's not what this is.

 

I think Kasim plays bass for him, no?

Ed

 

Not for quite some time, unless he came back recently. Last time was around 2008, I believe.

 

I'm quite a big fan. I even met him once and spoke to him on the phone. But he has ALWAYS been supported by a very decent band (and some good looking backing singers!). The show was never just about him but about the music. the album Bat out of Hell was never just about him...without Rundgren's input, it would have surely flopped.

It all depends on the size of the venues. could be an evening with ...Meat Loaf. Place it is a small theatre and it could be good?

 

I think you could have the original band, and a new singer, or Meat Loaf with a different band, but not both. I mean, let's presume people are going to hear songs from Bat, and not Hell In A Handbasket or whatnot. I just can't imagine enough people paying money for something like this, enough to make the enterprise profitable. (As you said, Meat always had a great band, and great musicians cost money)

I'm not sure Meat is 'all there' so to speak...this could just be some crazy idea he came up with one day and some reporter ran with it. Who knows.

 

That is interesting! How come you phoned him? Tell us more!