His childhood was anything but beautiful. The mother died early of cancer, the father, an alcoholic, beat him. Young Marvin Lee Aday was also teased as a child. His football coach called him Meat Loaf. A nickname that his classmates were only too happy to adopt. Back then, no one suspected that the plump boy would soon become a superstar.
Meat Loaf’s career is the blueprint of the American dream. At the age of 20 he left home to pursue his dream. Away from Texas, into Los Angeles, where he formed several rock bands and performed in dark clubs almost every night to support himself. He couldn’t rely on his appearance. But the sweaty, overweight, long-haired man had one thing: incredible talent.
He was soon allowed to perform at concerts in Joe Cocker’s opening act, but he still had to supplement his meager salary as a parking attendant. Meat Loaf auditioned for the musical “Hair” – and got engaged. The production was a great success. During a guest performance on New York’s Broadway, a fateful encounter took place: Meat Loaf met Jim Steinman. The composer and author co-produced the album “Bat Out Of Hell” with him. It has sold 41 million copies.
Meat Loaf’s career seemed to be over
Almost overnight, the shaggy singer became a superstar and shaped a new genre. His music combined rock with classical elements. But the rapid rise took its toll: vocal cord problems, binge drinking and nervous breakdowns forced Meat Loaf to take a break. Then came the break with Steinman. They celebrated the reconciliation with an even greater success: In 1993, Meat Loaf made a comeback with “Bat Out of Hell II”«; the song “I’d Do Anything for Love” is still one of the most successful rock songs in music history.
His later career was also characterized by ups and downs. He completed his farewell tour in 2013, in recent years Meat Loaf had a serious heart condition. His last album, Braver Than We Are, was released in 2016. Meat Loaf died on Thursday at the age of 74 surrounded by his family.