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Meat Loaf: Bat Out Of Hell singer dies at 74

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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-60080934

Meat Loaf, the singer whose Bat Out Of Hell album is one of the best-selling of all time, has died at the age of 74.

The news was confirmed on the star's Facebook page by his family.

"Our hearts are broken to announce that the incomparable Meat Loaf passed away tonight with his wife Deborah by his side," a message read.

The Bat Out of Hell star sold 100 million albums worldwide and appeared in movies like Fight Club, the Rocky Horror Picture Show and Wayne's World.

"Daughters Pearl and Amanda and close friends have been with him throughout the last 24 hours," his family continued.

"We know how much he meant to so many of you and we truly appreciate all of the love and support as we move through this time of grief in losing such an inspiring artist and beautiful man," his family added.

"We thank you for your understanding of our need for privacy at this time.

"From his heart to your souls…don't ever stop rocking!"

The Dallas-born singer, born Marvin Lee Aday but also known as Michael, was best known for his Bat Out Of Hell trilogy, which sold millions of albums worldwide.

He released a string of other albums in the late 1970s and 1980s, most notably notably Dead Ringer and Midnight at the Lost and Found.

Cher, who duetted with him on the 1981 track Dead Ringer for Love, recalled having "had so much fun" with the singer on the track.

In the 90s, his hit I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That) was the UK's best-selling single of 1993 and earned him a Grammy Award.

On screen, he played Eddie in 1975 musical film The Rocky Horror Picture Show, was bouncer Tiny in 1992's Wayne's World, and appeared opposite Brad Pitt as bodybuilder Robert Paulsen in 1999's Fight Club.

Bat Out Of Hell - which remains one of the top 10 best-selling albums of all-time, alongside LPs by Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and the Eagles - was also adapted as a stage musical, written by long-time collaborator Jim Steinman.

In a 2010 interview with the BBC, Meat Loaf spoke about his distinctive and dramatic vocal style, which ranged over three octaves.

" had an offer to study opera and make a lot of money but it wasn't for me - I'm too rebellious, too crazy," he said.

"I made the right choices. I have no regrets. [It] might have saved some of my voice, you know - doing 200 rock shows a year will take it out of you."

Tributes have been paid from the world of entertainment, with broadcaster Stephen Fry tweeting a reference to the lyrics from Paradise by the Dashboard Light, a song from Bat Out of Hell. "I hope paradise is as you remember it from the dashboard light, Meat Loaf," he wrote.

"Had a fun time performing a sketch with him on Saturday Live way back in the last century."

Broadcaster Piers Morgan described him as "one of rock music's all-time great characters" and "a wondrously talented, flamboyant, funny, outrageous and rebellious chameleon".

Meat Loaf had his battles with illness and injuries over the years.

In 1978, he broke his leg jumping off a stage in Ottawa, Canada, finishing his tour performing in a wheelchair.

He also fainted on stage while performing in Pittsburgh in 2011 and then collapsed on stage during a concert in Canada in 2016.

Three years later, the star broke his collar bone falling off an interview stage at a convention in Texas.

When Jim Steinman died last year Meat Loaf paid tribute, posting: "Coming here soon, my brother Jimmy."
 
Interesting character, great singer, a pretty good actor too. RIP and condolences to his family.
 
How could anybody not love Meat Loaf?

It had been reported earlier in the day that he was in ICU in Nashville with Covid, poor guy.
 
Incidentally, the sales of “Bat Out Of Hell” remain crazy.

11 times Platinum in the UK in spite of peaking at Number 9.

14 times Platinum in the USA in spite of peaking at Number 14.

In history the only comparable albums are Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours” and Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”.

And, let me point out, even his own record company hated it. His luck changed when he performed the title track on BBC2’s “Old Grey Whistle Test” in the UK, and literally belted his way into music history. He ended up making it in his own country because he had already conquered the UK and Canada.
 
Oops, I should also have added Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” as one of only three other peer studio albums in history.
 
Never a fan of his music, which I found bombastic and overblown. When I did my A-levels that album was on the charts for about two years, it was unparalleled.

But I liked his acting, especially in Fight Club where he was revelatory.
 
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I read that too. He didn't wear a mask or take the vaccine because he didn't want to be "controlled".

I believe that his health had been failing him for some years.
 
"I would do anything for love" was a good track. His appearance seemed to be a very dark one for some reason. There were rumours that he was a Satanist.
 
"I would do anything for love" was a good track. His appearance seemed to be a very dark one for some reason. There were rumours that he was a Satanist.

He was a guest on an episode of Ghost Hunters around 8-10 years ago
Was interesting show. He said he always had an interest in the paranormal but didn't come across as a satanist, if anything quiet the opposite.
 
Still fourth in best selling album of all time
[table=class: grid, align: center]
[tr][td]Position [/td][td]Artist [/td][td]Album [/td][td]Released [/td][td]Claimed sales (millions) [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]1 [/td][td]Michael Jackson [/td][td]Thriller [/td][td]1982 [/td][td]70 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]2 [/td][td]AC/DC [/td][td]Back in Black [/td][td]1980 [/td][td]50 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]3 [/td][td]Whitney Houston / various artists [/td][td]The Bodyguard [/td][td]1992 [/td][td]45 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]4 [/td][td]Meat Loaf [/td][td]Bat Out of Hell [/td][td]1977 [/td][td]44 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]5 [/td][td]Eagles [/td][td]Their Greatest Hits (1971–1975) [/td][td]1976 [/td][td]44 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]6 [/td][td]Pink Floyd [/td][td]The Dark Side of the Moon [/td][td]1973 [/td][td]44 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]7 [/td][td]Eagles [/td][td]Hotel California [/td][td]1976 [/td][td]42 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]8 [/td][td]Bee Gees / Various artists [/td][td]Saturday Night Fever [/td][td]1977 [/td][td]40 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]9 [/td][td]Fleetwood Mac [/td][td]Rumours [/td][td]1977 [/td][td]40 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]10 [/td][td]Shania Twain [/td][td]Come On Over [/td][td]1997 [/td][td]40 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]11 [/td][td]Various artists [/td][td]Grease: The Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture [/td][td]1978 [/td][td]38 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]12 [/td][td]Led Zeppelin [/td][td]Led Zeppelin IV [/td][td]1971 [/td][td]37 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]13 [/td][td]Michael Jackson [/td][td]Bad [/td][td]1987 [/td][td]35 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]14 [/td][td]Alanis Morissette [/td][td]Jagged Little Pill [/td][td]1995 [/td][td]33 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]15 [/td][td]Michael Jackson [/td][td]Dangerous [/td][td]1991 [/td][td]32 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]16 [/td][td]Celine Dion [/td][td]Falling into You [/td][td]1996 [/td][td]32 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]17 [/td][td]The Beatles [/td][td]Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band [/td][td]1967 [/td][td]32 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]18 [/td][td]Various artists [/td][td]Dirty Dancing [/td][td]1987 [/td][td]32 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]19 [/td][td]Adele [/td][td]21 [/td][td]2011 [/td][td]31 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]20 [/td][td]Celine Dion [/td][td]Let's Talk About Love [/td][td]1997 [/td][td]31 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]21 [/td][td]Metallica [/td][td]Metallica [/td][td]1991 [/td][td]31 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]22 [/td][td]The Beatles [/td][td]1 [/td][td]2000 [/td][td]31 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]23 [/td][td]The Beatles [/td][td]Abbey Road [/td][td]1969 [/td][td]31 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]24 [/td][td]ABBA [/td][td]Gold: Greatest Hits [/td][td]1992 [/td][td]30 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]25 [/td][td]Bruce Springsteen [/td][td]Born in the U.S.A. [/td][td]1984 [/td][td]30 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]26 [/td][td]Madonna [/td][td]The Immaculate Collection [/td][td]1990 [/td][td]30 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]27 [/td][td]Pink Floyd [/td][td]The Wall [/td][td]1979 [/td][td]30 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]28 [/td][td]James Horner [/td][td]Titanic: Music from the Motion Picture [/td][td]1997 [/td][td]30 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]29 [/td][td]Dire Straits [/td][td]Brothers in Arms [/td][td]1985 [/td][td]30 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]30 [/td][td]Nirvana [/td][td]Nevermind [/td][td]1991 [/td][td]30 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]31 [/td][td]Santana [/td][td]Supernatural [/td][td]1999 [/td][td]30 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]32 [/td][td]Guns N' Roses [/td][td]Appetite for Destruction [/td][td]1987 [/td][td]30 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]33 [/td][td]Elton John [/td][td]Goodbye Yellow Brick Road [/td][td]1973 [/td][td]30 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]34 [/td][td]Bon Jovi [/td][td]Slippery When Wet [/td][td]1986 [/td][td]28 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]35 [/td][td]Mariah Carey [/td][td]Music Box [/td][td]1993 [/td][td]28 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]36 [/td][td]Linkin Park [/td][td]Hybrid Theory [/td][td]2000 [/td][td]27 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]37 [/td][td]Eminem [/td][td]The Eminem Show [/td][td]2002 [/td][td]27 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]38 [/td][td]Norah Jones [/td][td]Come Away with Me [/td][td]2002 [/td][td]27 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]39 [/td][td]Eric Clapton [/td][td]Unplugged [/td][td]1992 [/td][td]26 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]40 [/td][td]Britney Spears [/td][td]...Baby One More Time [/td][td]1999 [/td][td]25 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]41 [/td][td]Bob Marley & The Wailers [/td][td]Legend: The Best of Bob Marley & The Wailers [/td][td]1984 [/td][td]25 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]42 [/td][td]Carole King [/td][td]Tapestry [/td][td]1971 [/td][td]25 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]43 [/td][td]Phil Collins [/td][td]No Jacket Required [/td][td]1985 [/td][td]25 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]44 [/td][td]Queen [/td][td]Greatest Hits [/td][td]1981 [/td][td]25 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]45 [/td][td]Madonna [/td][td]True Blue [/td][td]1986 [/td][td]25 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]46 [/td][td]Simon & Garfunkel [/td][td]Bridge over Troubled Water [/td][td]1970 [/td][td]25 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]47 [/td][td]U2 [/td][td]The Joshua Tree [/td][td]1987 [/td][td]25 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]48 [/td][td]Prince and The Revolution [/td][td]Purple Rain [/td][td]1984 [/td][td]25 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]49 [/td][td]George Michael [/td][td]Faith [/td][td]1987 [/td][td]25 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]50 [/td][td]Elton John [/td][td]Greatest Hits [/td][td]1974 [/td][td]24 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]51 [/td][td]Backstreet Boys [/td][td]Backstreet's Back / Backstreet Boys [/td][td]1997 [/td][td]24 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]52 [/td][td]Backstreet Boys [/td][td]Millennium [/td][td]1999 [/td][td]24 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]53 [/td][td]Spice Girls [/td][td]Spice [/td][td]1996 [/td][td]23 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]54 [/td][td]Ace of Base [/td][td]Happy Nation/The Sign [/td][td]1993 [/td][td]23 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]55 [/td][td]Celine Dion [/td][td]All the Way... A Decade of Song [/td][td]1999 [/td][td]22 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]56 [/td][td]Whitney Houston [/td][td]Whitney Houston [/td][td]1985 [/td][td]22 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]57 [/td][td]Fugees [/td][td]The Score [/td][td]1996 [/td][td]22 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]58 [/td][td]Oasis [/td][td](What's the Story) Morning Glory? [/td][td]1995 [/td][td]22 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]59 [/td][td]Michael Jackson [/td][td]HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I [/td][td]1995 [/td][td]22 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]60 [/td][td]Adele [/td][td]25 [/td][td]2015 [/td][td]22 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]61 [/td][td]Madonna [/td][td]Like a Virgin [/td][td]1984 [/td][td]21 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]62 [/td][td]Eminem [/td][td]The Marshall Mathers LP [/td][td]2000 [/td][td]21 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]63 [/td][td]Bon Jovi [/td][td]Cross Road [/td][td]1994 [/td][td]21 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]64 [/td][td]Michael Jackson [/td][td]Off the Wall [/td][td]1979 [/td][td]20 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]65 [/td][td]Lauryn Hill [/td][td]The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill [/td][td]1998 [/td][td]20 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]66 [/td][td]Boston [/td][td]Boston [/td][td]1976 [/td][td]20 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]67 [/td][td]Britney Spears [/td][td]Oops!... I Did It Again [/td][td]2000 [/td][td]20 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]68 [/td][td]Celine Dion [/td][td]The Colour of My Love [/td][td]1993 [/td][td]20 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]69 [/td][td]Def Leppard [/td][td]Hysteria [/td][td]1987 [/td][td]20 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]70 [/td][td]Elvis Presley [/td][td]Elvis' Christmas Album [/td][td]1957 [/td][td]2520 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]71 [/td][td]Green Day [/td][td]Dookie [/td][td]1994 [/td][td]20 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]72 [/td][td]Lionel Richie [/td][td]Can't Slow Down [/td][td]1983 [/td][td]20 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]73 [/td][td]Mariah Carey [/td][td]Daydream [/td][td]1995 [/td][td]20 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]74 [/td][td]Pink Floyd [/td][td]Wish You Were Here [/td][td]1975 [/td][td]20 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]75 [/td][td]Shania Twain [/td][td]The Woman in Me [/td][td]1995 [/td][td]20 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]76 [/td][td]Supertramp [/td][td]Breakfast in America [/td][td]1979 [/td][td]20 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]77 [/td][td]Tracy Chapman [/td][td]Tracy Chapman [/td][td]1988 [/td][td]20 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]78 [/td][td]Various artists [/td][td]Flashdance: Original Soundtrack from the Motion Picture [/td][td]1983 [/td][td]20 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]79 [/td][td]Whitney Houston [/td][td]Whitney [/td][td]1987 [/td][td]20 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]80 [/td][td]The Who [/td][td]Tommy [/td][td]1969 [/td][td]20 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]81 [/td][td]Andrea Bocelli [/td][td]Romanza [/td][td]1997 [/td][td]20 [/td][/tr]
[/table]
 
He was a guest on an episode of Ghost Hunters around 8-10 years ago
Was interesting show. He said he always had an interest in the paranormal but didn't come across as a satanist, if anything quiet the opposite.

"Bat out of hell"?:qdkcheeky
 
Guy was a legendary singer

in the last year he was pushing anti-vaccine messages. in 2022 covid got him
 
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