Bat Out Of Hell III

Listening this morning to "Bat Out Of Hell III: The Monster Is Loose", Jim Steinman and Meat Loaf's new third installment of the story of ... of... what the hell is this the story of? I have no idea. I've been listening to the original Bat Out Of Hell for 30 years and I'm completely clueless as to what it's about. Something about a guy and a motorbike. And chicks. Fuck it, what more do you need to know?

Highlights of this new album...

• Brian May's cameo in the opening bars and solo of the new version of "Bad For Good" (yeah Tony Goodson - we finally get to hear Meat singing it). When this came on and I heard that guitar I was like "holy crap! that's gotta be Brian May!" and so I looked it up. Oh yeah.
• Steve "I used to play for David Lee Roth but then I quit and his career disappeared" Vai does the solo on "The Land Of The Pigs (The Butcher Is King)".

Ermmm... that's about it. The album doesn't grab me as a new classic, in some ways it kind of reminds me of any one of Alice Cooper's post-Constrictor albums, a little bit too much gothic theatre and attempted metal. I think the catchiest track is perhaps "What About Love" a piano-driven duet with Patti Russo penned by Desmond Child. That should be the first single off the album. That or "Bad For Good" but I prefer Jim's original version of that off his own album when Meat was resting his voice. Love to know what you think Goodson.

UPDATE: I've listened to the new and old versions of "Bad For Good" back to back several times now this morning and I'm pretty sure that, while the new version has Meat's voice, May's guitar and a massive arrangement going for it, the original version is definitely the superior. It's faster, the arrangement is lighter, and Jim's voice has a sense of urgency and desperation about it which really make it a plea on behalf of all of us who feel like we didn't really turn out like the world would like us to be. What a chorus. I've been belting this out at the top of my voice all morning (sorry Dave next door):

And I know that I'm gonna be like this forever
I'm never gonna be what I should
And you think that I'll be bad for just a little while
But I know that I'll be bad for good

Comments

[Tony Goodson]

Insipid! I've listened to Meatloaf's version of Bad for Good.
There is something very wrong. It sounds like a cabaret singer being asked to do an imitation of Meatloaf singing Bad for Good, with a home produced sound backing track.

You have a good singer, a good song, and Brian May. Where has it gone wrong? You'd think in 25 years the production of music would improve. But no. The producer needs shooting. The voice track is muffled, and the rest of the music tracks are muffled to produce a Wall of Muffle! Nothing stands out, including Meatloaf.

Jeez, how difficult it to get Meatloaf to sing, more Brian May twiddles, some Cowbell and rolling drums, more backing singer bits and all kept separate and simple. And do it with even more irony than than the Jim Steinman version.

Surely the production of music has improved, and nostalgic old gits like me harking back to the good 'ol days, can't be right.

I wonder if Meatloaf has ever listened to Jim Steinman's version of Bad for Good! Meatloaf doesn't deserve to carry the mantle of Bat Out of Hell. It should remain with Jim Steinman. Most people would find this difficult to believe, but it's Jim Steinman's music and production that made Meatloaf and Bat Out of Hell, and not Meatloaf's voice.

I'll have to listen to the rest of the album, but if they can't get this song right, what hope is there!!

[Cameron Reilly]

Tony you're right dude! THat said, the new version has been growing on me. But the most shocking thing is that you are right - Jim Steinman wasn't involved in producing the album! In fact, there was some legal conflict between him and Meat over the use of the Bat name, as Jim owns the rights to it. Check this out:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bat_Out_of_Hell_III:_The_Monster_Is_Loose

The album was produced by Demond Child which makes my "reminds me of any one of Alice Cooper's post-Constrictor albums" comment crazily right! Child produced "Poison", the single off of that album, along with lots of other stuff by Alice, Bon Jovi, Kiss, etc.

[Tony Goodson]

Yep, that's what I was alluding to with the legal dispute over the "Bat Out of Hell" rights.
I've played Meatloaf’s Bad for Good more times, and it does grow on you, but if you or I were given the song to produce and arrange do you think we could come up with something better than a similar but slowed down version?

It’s like modern music production won’t allow the voice track, or backing vocals, lead guitar, drums, or something else to show up too much or too often, and yet the whole point of Jim Steinman’s music is over the top Wagnerian cut-ins and counterpoints, not some bloody metronomic muffle.

Funnily enough I’m more likely to play the Meatloaf version, because it’s good background music, where the Jim Steinman version you have to listen to because it’s got heart.

[Tony Goodson]

Hey look what I found!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38ppH4gW5Xs

Nice Chick! I wonder what happened to her?
That's how the song should be produced and arranged!