October 2015 - Cover Story - There's Always Room for Meat Loaf

There is no mistaking his voice and style. Michael Lee Aday, who we’ve come to know as Meat Loaf, has created a presence that shakes you like an earthquake, which we will have the opportunity to witness during his stage show at Route 66 Casino on October 16th. Meat Loaf has recorded with Motown, created a memorable album with Bat out of Hell and became a cult classic hero. But before all of that about, Meat Loaf was a student who loved theater, performing in school musicals and loving every moment of it. The love of acting lead to one of his memorable roles in the cult film classic, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, celebrating their 40th anniversary this year. His time during the stage show and filming was a fond one. “I remember the laughter,” shared Meat Loaf. “I have never in my life seen an audience laugh that hard with the show, which lead the rest of the cast succumbing to the laughter as well.”

Around the time Meat Loaf was filming The Rocky Horror Picture Show, he returned to the studio, along with Jim Steinman, to created one of the most powerful albums in history, Bat Out of Hell. Meat Loaf remembers the first meeting. “Well, I had two different piano players - the first one that came in with me to auditions was Paul Shaffer and the other was Steve Margoshes. So, I remember I took Steve with me - you see, I got an agent and he said, ‘OK. If you are going to do anything worthwhile in New York, you have to go to The Public Theater’ - so I walked in and Jim was there in a room all by himself. So, Steve sat down and played and I sang a song called “I’d Love To Be As Heavy As Jesus”. Then - and I’ll always remember this - Jimmy’s comment was ‘I think you’re as heavy as three Jesuses.’” The album has since gone on to sell more than 34 million copies worldwide and made Meat Loaf a multi-platinum star. Since then, Meat Loaf, with a discography of over 12 albums, is currently promoting his new album, Braver Than We Are - another collaboration with Steinman - guaranteeing to offer something new for the listening public. “It’s completely different from anything that’s out there right now. When you hear the opening track, your mouth will hang open. The first song people will either love or despise, which is the way I like it - the opening number is pretty wild. The second, third and fourth songs are long. After that, you’ll have to listen and hear.” New Mexicans will have the opportunity to listen to the old and new of Meat Loaf’s repertoire when he performs on October 16th at the Legends Theater at Route 66 Casino. Tickets are available on the Casino’s website through HoldMyTicket - http://holdmyticket.com/event/215026

With a career spanning over 45 years, one, that still to this day, he is continuing to build on, During an interview with Billboard, Meat Loaf shared a statement that seems to wrap up what he would like his legacy to be. “I told the band, if I die on stage, leave me laying there, play When The Saints Go Marching In, then get the audience to sing Take Me Out to the Ball Game. And, if leaving me laying there is too morbid, remove me and then do those songs.”