Meat Loaf: VH1: Storytellers (1999)

It was late 1999. I was browsing a bookstore when I came across the hardcover version of Meat Loaf's autobiography "To Hell and Back" written with David Dalton. Besides the fact that it was Meat Loaf, the cover design and layout of the book instantly grabbed me. I'm sure it made a terrific Christmas present that year and when I got the chance, I'm sure I devoured it from cover to cover.

Here was the story of the performer behind classics like "Bat out of Hell" and "The Rocky Horror Picture Show". Here, as I would discover, was a story of perseverance and inspiration. Because we journey with Meat Loaf, in a carefree conversational manner, through his early years growing up in Dallas, suffering from personal losses in his life, joining his band in Los Angeles and winding up in a production of the musical "Hair", before finding his way to New York and meeting composer Jim Steinman.

In the wake of his performance in "More Than You Deserve", Meat and Jim seemed to take on half the world to release their monster debut album "Bat out of Hell", only it didn't end there. As monstrous as it became, reaching listeners all around the globe, Meat lost his voice while planning the follow-up album with Jim Steinman. His life by 1983 had descended into a hell of lawsuits, but he kept on fighting. He kept singing. He kept performing. He kept persevering. He didn't even have a label on some of his 80s tours. He was just touring anyway. It's a story that's stuck with me, through all its twists and turns.

It's the album advertised at the back that I'm looking at here today. It was an album I wanted to hear, because clearly there was another Meat Loaf CD, but I never could find it in stores. I finally heard the darned thing last year. Even though the CD and DVD had eventually been issued here, I'd only previously been lucky finding the DVD. That's worth checking out as well, because not only do you get the visual component but a few different songs, e.g. Batman and Superman's combined effort on "A Kiss is a Terrible Thing to Waste".

So here it is, "VH1: Storytellers" on CD, the Australian issue which has a different cover (the one advertised in the book which I couldn't find). The purpose of this release was not just simply to document Meat Loaf and his band, but to talk about the creation and fruition of the songs themselves. Originally, this meant that the maestro himself would have to put in an appearance (I can only imagine what that might have been like, like Batman and Robin being interviewed in the Bat Cave with bats swarming about). Unfortunately, plans changed.

Jim I believe had been sick in London, after working on his musical with Superman (sorry, I'm referring to Andrew Lloyd Webber here), "Whistle down the Wind". Side note: we are going to be exploring that musical in my more fleshed out Lloyd Webber reviews to come.

So what we have here is Meat Loaf and the Neverland Express, Meat Loaf's band, performing on a set made up to resemble a football locker room to an intimate audience of fans and music followers. That's what we see on the DVD. The CD is pure sound, performance and response. The common thread is clear: this is a more up close and personal offering than the recordings we've been given previously. This is something unique in the Meat Loaf verse. And it works because it's different, but it's still the same mighty Meat and that sound.

Let's get stuck into the songs, which I have to tell you also comes with Meat Loaf’s onstage commentary, since this is "Storytellers" after all. Meat's telling us stories which actually arise out of questions from the audience, leading into the songs. Unfortunately they can't play everything (I believe they *rehearsed* everything) because we would have been there all night.

To preface this, I want to thank the various talented people involved! VH1 obviously! The album is produced by band member and musical director Kasim Sulton. The Neverland Express features members including Kasim on Bass, Acoustic Guitar and Vocals, John Miceli on Drums, Patti Russo on Vocals and Meat’s partner on songs like "Paradise", Pearl Aday on Vocals as well, with Tom Brislin providing Piano and Vocals too, Damon La Scot on Lead Guitars and Ray Anderson with Rhythm Guitar, Keyboards and Vocals.

Without any further ado!

"All Revved Up With No Place to Go"---we begin with the finale, but just the finale to this classic from "Bat". Let's bring us in with a big fat musical punch. It would have been interesting to hear the whole song, but no I get it.

"Life is a Lemon and I Want My Money Back"---damn, this rocks! So far, I am really enjoying these live versions of "Lemon". All of these songs have a more intimate vibe about them, because of the setting, but they are still powerful as ever.

"Story (Written just for you)"---Meat answers one of the audience's questions, talking about their first kiss, and he decides to tell that story seguing into the next song...

"You Took the Words Right out of my Mouth (Hot Summer Night)"---yes, that's when we get this song. With this track and the commentary before it, we can see how Meat and Jim's music is universal in the way people relate with their memories and experiences. It's great that's been put here, at the start, so we can look at that right off the bat, because it's important.

"Story (What I won't do)"---Meat addresses that kind of constant annoying question that arises in the media, almost whenever they talk about Meat Loaf and his music, and that is: "What won’t he do for love?" Meat attempts to convey what "That"” actually is to the audience, and as far as I'm aware they all seem to have figured it out, if they hadn't already.

"I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)"---of course, that leads us into this song! It's cool as ever. I know that might sound lame, but listen to it?!

"Lawyers, Guns and Moneys"---this is a cover of a Warren Zevon song. I've never heard the original, and this is also not on the DVD version, but this is the icing on the bat cake for me. I love, love it. Similar to "Very Best of" Meat gives us something new.

"Story (Working with Jim Steinman in New York)"---Meat tells us the story of meeting Jim at the auditions for "More Than You Deserve" and how he sang "(I'd Love to Be) As Heavy as Jesus" from "Stoney and Meatloaf" (Jim replied: "By the way, I think you're as heavy as two Jesus's!"). The resulting performance of the following song from this production was the moment Meat realized there was something really special with Jim.

"More Than You Deserve"---as a very special treat, Meat goes on to perform this song live for us, because besides the original "Bat" tour, I'm not sure he ever performed it before, besides the musical of course.

"Story (Peter Pan)"---another treat for the Steinman fans listening here, with Meat revealing to the audience that most of the songs Jim writes are for his musical "Neverland". One of those songs is the first song written for "Bat", which is...

"Heaven Can Wait"---of course, it sounds great here. One wonders what a Meat/Jim version would have been like had Jim been able to appear on the day, but that is one of those "Renegade Angel" or "Bat out of Hell III: The Final at Bat" questions.

"Story (Paradise in the Office)"---Meat talks about the auditions for getting "Bat" on a record label, and how he and Jim would turn up to perform at the piano, along with Ellen and Rory Dodd. Meat and Ellen would start making out during the play by play bit in "Paradise", because that was what was supposed to happen in the song. Record company people would just be sitting there, startled. This leads us into...

"Paradise by the Dashboard Light"---Meat, Patti and the band give us the Storytellers version of this song. The dialogue at the end changes again. This evolves in live performance, though some parts remain the same. They're always living it. It's great.

"Story (Performing on Television)"---Meat tells us how nervous he gets performing on T.V. From memory, he's talking about his historic appearance on "Saturday Night Live" promoting the original "Bat". This leads into...

"Two out of Three ain't bad"---Meat skips part of the song, but he doesn't have to sing that here, and it works because it's a more intimate setting, and that's a very intense part of the song.

"Story (Psycho out of Hell)"---it's the last story of the evening now, and Meat's telling us about the opening scene from "Psycho". "Bat out of Hell" is established in just the same way. Jim as a writer and Meat the performer are thinking of this song as a film. The opening music is the credits, the establishing shot of Phoenix, Arizona is "The sirens are screaming and the fires are howling" and all of that business, as we come closer to the two lovers in the bedroom, Marion and Sam. That's when Meat sings "Oh baby you’re the only thing in this world..." Pretty cool, right!

"Bat out of Hell"---now the band and Meat take us out with this incredible high. On the DVD, I remember a moment where Meat's eyes roll into the back of his head. It's chilling stuff. He becomes the song. The band is going at it.

And then the movie's over! Fade to black!

Bonus track! Meat and Patti re-record "Is Nothing Sacred" from "Very Best of Meat Loaf" as a duet. This CD and the Collector's Edition of "Welcome to the Neighbourhood" is the only way I own this song, since I remember no single release in Oz.

Thank you,

Ryan.