Last week, Meat Loaf, the bombastic rock singer best known for his best-selling record Bat Out of Hell, died at the age of 74. But while Meat Loaf is renowned for his epic rock opera tracks and his electrifying stage pressence, not as many people knew him as a dad — or that his daughter Pearl was married to Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian. Now, Ian has posted a tribute to Loaf, which showcases the fun, loving human being behind the sweaty dynamo.
Scott’s Instagram post features two photos of Meat Loaf. The first is the rocker mugging it up at a party, with Pearl on his left. The second is the singer with Ian’s song Revel, with whom he only recently jammed on Sepultura’s “Roots Bloody Roots” to great effect. The latter photo is the one that’ll really gut you, and remind you that even rock gods are people when the lights go down.
“There are so many stories to tell, and I know they will all be told over time,” wrote Ian beneath the post. “For now, what I know is that Meat’s legacy will live on through his family – Pearl, Amanda and Revel. Their forever love for their father/grandfather (Papa Meat) outweighs the heaviness of their hearts. ………. Thank you to everyone for the outpouring of love, we feel it. ……….. I love you Meat. ………….”
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Meat Loaf was born Michael Lee Aday in Dallas, Texas. His father was an alcoholic whose drinking binges were sparked by an injury he sustained in World War II; Aday had memories of driving around with his mother, searching Dallas bars for his dad. He picked up fame in the Los Angeles production of the musical Hair, as well as for his collaboration with Shaun “Stoney” Murphy and his appearance as biker Eddie in The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
But it was 1977’s Bat Out of Hell, the album Meat Loaf created with late composer Jim Steinman, that vaulted him to international stardom. The record’s combination of old-school rock, soul, dive bar piano, showtunes and the music of the then-emerging heavy metal scene, struck a perfect chord with listeners at the time. To this date, the album has sold approximately 43 million copies worldwide.
Everyone at The Pit sends their heart out to Meat Loaf’s family, friends, collaborators and fans during this difficult time.
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Words by Chris Krovatin
