Meat Loaf — Bat Out of Hell: The Original Tour

It was long ago and it was far away; and it was so much better than it is today… is the perfect lyric from Bat Out Of Hell to describe this monumental album and tour by Meat Loaf with music and lyrics by Jim Steinman

I saw a show from this tour on July 25, 1978 at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in Los Angeles about a month after this DVD was filmed in Frankfurt, Germany on June 11. After 30+ years, it still holds up as one of the best concert performances ever. With the incredible vocal/performance by Meat Loaf and song writing/performance by Jim Steinman, these two gentlemen mad rock and roll history. Produced by Todd Rundgren Bat Out Of Hell is the third best selling album of all time at 43+ million worldwide, only eclipsed by Michael Jackson’s Thriller and AC/DC’s Back In Black.

Both coming from the NY theater world, Meat met Jim while auditioning for the Joseph Papp production of More Than You Deserve. After Meat stole the show singing the Steinman title track, the relationship was born and Jim started writing songs for Meat.

In the early 70s, they put together a demo of their songs and shopped it to the record labels for about a year. Nobody was interested. Nobody understood it. They were also unable to find a producer that understood it until they played it for Todd Rundgren. Todd immedieatly understood whatthey were attempting to accomplish having completed several concept albums himself.

Bat Out Of Hell is a single creative work. Though this album is a collection of songs, the album has a beginning, middle and end. Like Dark Side Of The Moon, Sgt. Pepper and Quadrophenia, these albums are works of art as a whole. In today’s world of singles and track downloads this essence of creating an album in its entirety has been all but forgotten. And it was so much better than it is today — Jim Steinman. I wish musicians would respect and embrace this style of creating albums more than they do today.

Starting with the demo, Todd Rundgrenn produced the album with all of his wonderful magic, layering additional tracks, bringing out the best of everyone involved, adding his own tracks and tricks, like the motorcycle sounds from his guitar. After completing the album, their manager David Sonnenberg again tried shopping it without any takers for over a year until it was presented to Steve Popovich, founder of Cleveland International Records, who reportedly made the deal after hearing only the first 20 seconds of You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth according to Jim Steinman. The album was released on October 21, 1977 and the rest is history, pardon the cliché. If you are really interested in the evolution of this album, you should watch the Bat Out Of Hell/Classic Albums release also from Eagle Rock Entertainment. Bat Out Of Hell — People either hate it or worship it! — Meat Loaf

The show opens with Jim Steinman’s instrumental introductionm titled Great Boleros Of Fire. This song was not on the original album, but added as a live bonus track on the re-released version currently available on CD. This intro leads into the title track, Bat Out Of Hell (also the lead track on the CD) and Meat Loaf starts the show with an energy that’s just a taste of what’s to follow.

Next up is the high energy You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth starting with a dramatic interaction between Jim and Karla DeVito called Hot Summer Night. Another cute Steinman story follows and leads into All Revved Up With No Place To Go. I don’t know about you, but I find myself singing along with most all of these songs.

Karla deserves her credit as the female lead in this dramatic and comedic staging. On the album, it was Ellen Foley singing the female parts. And in the music video of Paradise By the Dashboard Light, it was Ellen singing and Karla performing the visuals. But on this DVD, it is all Karla!

The encore ballad, Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad, demonstrates the incredible collaboration between the musicianship of Jim Steinman and the soulful vocal performance by Meat Loaf. Then they segue in the high energy reprise of All Revved Up With No Place To Go and Meat Loaf’s attempt to do a flip on stage… if you turn it up, I guarantee it will get you out of your seat and dancing…

Also included as a bonus on this DVD is an interview with Meat and Jim shot just before the show in Germany. Jim provides insight into the inspiration behind the making of Bat Out Of Hell and Meat explains the evolution of the band and his background. Be sure to check it out…

During a performance in Ottowa after the shows in Germany and L.A., Meat broke his leg. He continued to tour, reportedly playing the Nassau Coliseum in New York from a wheelchair and ultimately cancelling the rest of this tour. This DVD is a piece of history not to be forgotten, but to be revered for all that it represents.

—Matt Friedman