B-Sides Rate an Album: Meat Loaf's "Bat Out Of Hell"

[Lidge]

And who doesn't or has never owned a copy of this album?

For mine, belongs in any all time top 20 list of greatest albums ever.

 

[materamagic]

One of the classic albums from the 70's. Great work by Steinman, Rundgren and Meatloaf. Kids know these songs, teenagers and adults look back fondly at these mini operetic rockers that never age and still receive substantial airplay. Each song is a bona fide classic and was by far the best album Meat ever did. The album is a massive seller and in fact had a hell (sic) of a journey to even be slated for release. Watch Back Into Hell the Meatloaf story, its great and documents well the release of this album

 

[Clark Kent]

Awesome album. Can't add much more to what MM has written, really.

The BBC produced a series of docos a while back called "Classic Albums" in which the main players (artist, producer, recording engineers, etc etc) were interviewed. I thought the BooH episode was the best. This was maybe 10 years back and Meat did an impromptu performance as the cameras were rolling - wanted to prove he still had it. He proved his point.

 

[rick James]

You know, instead of posting in this thread, you guys should just get the word bogan tattooed on your forehead.

 

[Clark Kent]

F.... off, Rick

 

[CarterS]

You know, instead of posting in this thread, you guys should just get the word bogan tattooed on your forehead.

Do you just go around all day trying to bait people here?

 

[Lidge]

You know, instead of posting in this thread, you guys should just get the word bogan tattooed on your forehead.

You dopey bastard. Bat Out Of Hell is more of a musical theatre recording than Cold Chisel style bogan rock.

 

[year of the roo]

You dopey bastard. Bat Out Of Hell is more of a musical theatre recording than Cold Chisel style bogan rock.

Yep. Bogan is what is in Lidge's signature!

 

[ssreid]

Great album

 

[Constipated Duck]

Awesome album. Can't add much more to what MM has written, really.

The BBC produced a series of docos a while back called "Classic Albums" in which the main players (artist, producer, recording engineers, etc etc) were interviewed. I thought the BooH episode was the best. This was maybe 10 years back and Meat did an impromptu performance as the cameras were rolling - wanted to prove he still had it. He proved his point.

Geez what about when Meat is at the mixing controls and isolates Rundgren's "motorbike" guitar solo. FWOOOOOAAAAR!!!!!

 

[mark73]

And who doesn't or has never owned a copy of this album?

Me

For mine, belongs in any all time top 20 list of greatest albums ever.

Sorry Lidge, you've heard the saying its a peach? Well in this case its more its a beach, then you're fxxxed.Have always liked Todd Rundgren though.

 

[mark73]

NB : It strikes me a little odd that 5 of the 7 or so posters thus far are Roos fans.Is this a case of Lidgey being our leader? Where the Lidge goes, we all follow? Something to ponder.

 

[materamagic]

You dopey bastard. Bat Out Of Hell is more of a musical theatre recording than Cold Chisel style bogan rock.

To true, it is a huge production, almost "musical like" it is as close to being termed bogan than Ashlee Simpson is, dude. Leave our proud bogan rock out of this discussion of the Bat Out Of Hell album

 

[finrod]

You know, instead of posting in this thread, you guys should just get the word bogan tattooed on your forehead.

LOL agree 100%
Album rating - 1/10 if lucky

 

[goatsby]

overproduced crap 1 out of 10

 

[Uncle_Leo]

I love it when people bag an album they have never heard.

 

[year of the roo]

NB : It strikes me a little odd that 5 of the 7 or so posters thus far are Roos fans.Is this a case of Lidgey being our leader? Where the Lidge goes, we all follow? Something to ponder.

I haven't replied yet as I am waiting for Lidge to give me permission.

 

[NSWCROW]

Best lead-in to an opening album track ever !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Lidge]

I haven't replied yet as I am waiting for Lidge to give me permission.

Permission granted pleb.

 

[cats56]

Too generous with the 1/10 finrod & goatsby.

0/10 is the correct rating for this piece of abhorrent garbage.

Rundgren was pretty much shot as an artist by this stage so even he couldn't help "Meathead".

 

[Frank Spencer Clone]

Rundgren was pretty much shot as an artist by this stage so even he couldn't help "Meathead".

Is that right? Funny then howcome just six months after Bat Out Of Hell was sitting at #1, Rundgren had the biggest commercial success of his career with the #1 single Can We Still Be Friends ( a load of crud, admittedly ) and the LP ' Hermit Of Mink Hollow ' which was also a top 5 album?, and backed it up with a string of following hit singles both off that LP ( Too Far Gone, Fade Away, All The Children Sing ) and as part of his Utopia project.
A bit of research never went astray.

Bat Out Of Hell would have been nothing without Rundgren and to a lesser extent, Steinman.

 

[cats56]

Is that right? Funny then howcome just six months after Bat Out Of Hell was sitting at #1, Rundgren had the biggest commercial success of his career with the #1 single Can We Still Be Friends ( a load of crud, admittedly ) and the LP ' Hermit Of Mink Hollow ' which was also a top 5 album?, and backed it up with a string of following hit singles both off that LP ( Too Far Gone, Fade Away, All The Children Sing ) and as part of his Utopia project.
A bit of research never went astray.

Bat Out Of Hell would have been nothing without Rundgren and to a lesser extent, Steinman.

I agree a bit of research never went astray. FYI Hermet Of Mink Hollow peaked at 36 in the US and 42 in the UK. The single Can We Still be Friends @ 29 in the US and didn't crack the Top 40 in the UK. Two other singles lifted from the album, You Cried Wolf & All The Children Sing didn't make Top 40 in either US or UK. Going on commercial success Rundgren was more successful with earlier singles "We Gotta Get You A Woman", "I Saw The Light" & "Hello It's Me" and the album "Something/Anything?".

If you had understood my post correctly there was no mention of popularity only Rundgren's credibitaly as an artist, which in my opinion sadly went downhill from around '74 onwards. Believe me there is a huge difference between the two, unfortunately very few people have an understanding or have the capacity to understand this,something which i have gone too great pains too explain too a few poor unfortunates in the past. Hopefully you can grasp this but going by your user name i feel you may struggle with the concept.

If you enjoy Bat Out Of Hell, that's great for you, but i don't, and i doubt whether Rundgren, even at his peak could have lifted this abomination out of the mire.

 

[Bernie L]

absolute timeless classic. 20 yrs ahead of its time.
for the rest of you that are bagging it, you better lay off the justin timberlake cd's for a while..

 

[Frank Spencer Clone]

I agree a bit of research never went astray. FYI Hermet Of Mink Hollow peaked at 36 in the US and 42 in the UK. The single Can We Still be Friends @ 29 in the US and didn't crack the Top 40 in the UK. Two other singles lifted from the album, You Cried Wolf & All The Children Sing didn't make Top 40 in either US or UK. Going on commercial success Rundgren was more successful with earlier singles "We Gotta Get You A Woman", "I Saw The Light" & "Hello It's Me" and the album "Something/Anything?".

I'd suggest you conduct some further research a little closer to home.
My research tells me ' Can We Still Be Friends' ( far from my favourite Rundgren song and I am a massive Rundgren fan ) peaked at #3 in Australia in November 1978 and was still in the Australian Top 40 in February 1979.
The LP ' Hermit Of Mink Hollow ' peaked at #7 in Australia also in November 1978.
' You Cried Wolf ' was never lifted as a single in Australia. ' Too Far Gone ' ( November '78 ) , ' Fade Away ' ( February ' 79 ) and ' All The Children Sing ' ( May' 79 ) were the follow ups here.
I will agree with you that Rundgren - as a solo artist - was pretty much shot on these shores after this, as he didn't appear on our charts again until a minor hit with ' Time Heals ' ( Jan 82 ) and then again with ' Hideaway ' ( Jan 83 ) before disappearing again until June '89 and another series of minor hits ' The Want Of A Nail ' , ' The Waiting Game ' and ' Feel It ' .
Agreed that other than HOMH, ' Something / Anything? was by far his most commercially successful, apart from some of his Utopia project work.
( Source: Australian Chart Book, Australian Music Report )

If you had understood my post correctly there was no mention of popularity only Rundgren's credibitaly as an artist, which in my opinion sadly went downhill from around '74 onwards.

Disagree to some extent but I will meet you half way on this point.
Much of Rundgren's earlier work, from his work with ' The Nazz ' ( 1968 - 70 ) through his first three solo albums ( Runt, Ballad, Something / Anything? ) were classics. The concept album ' Initiation ' ( 1975 ) which featured the brilliant fully instrumental second side - was very underrated.
He certainly IMO lost a hell of a lot of credibility with the 1976 LP ' Faithful ' on which he devoted a whole side to covers of boring, tired 60s rubbish originally recorded by woeful artists ( with the exception of ' Good Vibrations ) . ' Hermit Of Mink Hollow ' ( 1978 ) was an interesting LP. It contained some brilliantly written lyrics and powerful ballads ( Fade Away, Hurting For You ) and some absolutely pathetic, wimpy garbage like ' Can We Still be Friends ' and ' Lucky Guy ' .
It was definitely an LP attempting to move into mainstream commercialism, something Rundgren had avoided to that point. IMO Rundgren's appeal has always been in his lyrics. His covers / attempts at blatant crass commercialism have been what has let him down.

Believe me there is a huge difference between the two, unfortunately very few people have an understanding or have the capacity to understand this,something which i have gone too great pains too explain too a few poor unfortunates in the past. Hopefully you can grasp this but going by your user name i feel you may struggle with the concept.

Understand the concept very well actually. Another case was Cliff Richard, whose credibility as an artist took a huge dive in the mid Sixties when he took on the religious fervour.

If you enjoy Bat Out Of Hell, that's great for you, but i don't, and i doubt whether Rundgren, even at his peak could have lifted this abomination out of the mire

Not a big fan of Bat Out Of Hell, actually. It has one really decent song ( 2 out of 3 ain't bad ) and the rest is basically bogan, tattoo wearing, motorcycle riding, head shaving, headbanging rubbish.
Remember he did the same thing with the New York Dolls and Grand Funk Railroad in the mid 70s as well.

 

[goatsby]

Too generous with the 1/10 finrod & goatsby.

0/10 is the correct rating for this piece of abhorrent garbage.

MY REVISED RATING 0 out of 10

I was far too generous in my intial marking I was rating against the benchmark of bad albums Craig Mclaughlin and Chek 1-2's "Rock the Rock" but I have to rate Meatloafs album the same. IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO ENJOY ANY LISTENING PLEASURE WHATSOVER


Furthermore I can even do a rough profile of Meatloaf fan

- left school at minimin age
- drinks VB or sweet pre mixed drinks
-overweight like their idol
- drive a VN VP Commodore with a McDonalds VIP sticker on the front windsreen
- wears "NO Fear" brand clothing
- greets all their friends when they walk into a busy pub friday nights as "LEGEND"