at 14:00 on May 09, 2010, EDT.
By Nick Patch, The Canadian Press

TORONTO - After his last foray into "Hell," Meat Loaf pretty much felt like his lengthy career had lost its wings.

His 2006 release, "Bat Out of Hell 3," was borne from tumultuous sessions during which the Dallas singer felt that he was being manipulated by his producer and record label. The record was also the subject of a nasty legal dispute between Meat Loaf and his longtime collaborator Jim Steinman.

While it opened in the Top 10 on the charts, the record didn't stay there long. Even worse, Meat Loaf didn't necessarily believe in the tunes with the same zeal he applied to much of his catalogue.

He had health issues. He was unhappy. And, in 2007, he famously announced his retirement while onstage in Newcastle.

At the time, he meant it.

"I thought it was over," the 62-year-old told The Canadian Press during a recent interview at a Toronto hotel.

"It was awful, it was awful. It was the worst period in my career."

After three-plus decades and worldwide album sales well into the eight digits, Meat Loaf says he felt ready to leave music behind.

The first idea the despondent singer had for the next phase of his life almost sounds like a punchline now.

"I was getting ready to sell my house and move (to California) so I could open up a Jimmy John's," he explained, referring to the American fast-food sandwich chain.

"I was going to try to get a whole regional section, but I was going to start with one, and that was going to be what I was going to do: I was going to open up Jimmy John's.

"But I was so depressed, after a while, even my Jimmy John's thing, I couldn't get the energy to do anything with that. And then, all of a sudden, I just got up and went . . . this," said the animated singer, using an explicit four-letter word and repeating the phrase.

"I'll show 'em."

Four years after the third "Bat" and Meat Loaf is back with "Hang Cool Teddy Bear," a collection of typically over-the-top theatrical rock tunes.

The nearly seven-minute opening track, "Peace on Earth," introduces all the elements Meat Loaf aimed for this time out: a flurry of pounding guitars, impossibly overblown vocals and thunderous drums.

Fans of Meat's tender side will have to look elsewhere.

"If you liked (my other albums) because you wanted to hear all the ballads, forget it," he blustered. "If you liked the rockier side of me — which I think most people do — then you're going to absolutely fall in love with this."

Meat Loaf certainly has. He calls his new record "the most important" of his career. He's careful not to say it's the "best," out of respect, he says, for the first megasuccessful "Bat Out of Hell."

But he says the two records are "in the same ballpark."

"Maybe 'Hang Cool Teddy Bear' is in the bullpen and 'Bat Out of Hell' is on the pitcher's mound, waving."

He says "Bat Out of Hell 3" failed largely because the characters he inhabited on the record's lyrics were undefined ("it was a bad script," he says). He credits producer Rob Cavallo (the Warner executive responsible for signing and producing Green Day) with sharpening his focus this time out.

The record's central character is a dying soldier whose life flashes forward instead of backwards as he takes his final breaths.

He intentionally didn't tell the record's slate of guest writers (including Canadian Raine Maida, Jon Bon Jovi and "American Idol" judge Kara DioGuardi) about the overarching theme because he didn't want "a bunch of dead soldier stories."

Perhaps as a result, the high-minded concept isn't completely obvious in listening to the record's freewheeling tunes.

First single "Los Angeloser" begins with a DJ scratching a record and Meat Loaf hollering "I'm just a white boy/ I play the guitar" over a strummed acoustic, while the chorus of "California Isn't Big Enough" finds the singer howling about his groin with an irrepressible conviction.

If the off-colour reference offends his fans? Too bad, he says.

"I read something on Amazon: 'No Meat Loaf record has ever reverted to swear words before, I can't believe that he would actually do that,'" he said. "I just went: 'Lady, I love ya, but you're stuck in a time warp.' What we say on this record, compared to what you could find on any movie channel or any movie, we're in kindergarten over here. We haven't even got to the fifth grade yet.

"We're on that cartoon MTV used to have, 'Beavis and Butthead.' That's where we are."

Well, Meat Loaf is certainly animated. Directing a conversation with him is as impossible as predicting which tangential rabbit hole he might venture down next.

His salt-and-pepper hair cropped close, he dresses in all black, with jewellery jingling around his neck and each of his wrists. He looks slimmed down but grows concerned when he thinks a photographer has taken his picture while he's seated in a cushy armchair.

"I look like a lumpy little frog when I'm sitting down," he worries.

Indeed, it doesn't seem as though he likes to sit still for long. It's part of why he's so bothered that labels have tried tirelessly to recreate the success of the first "Bat" record.

"Whenever I've tried to turn the corner or change, record companies always come back in going `no, no,'" he said. "They always want to call it 'Bat Out of Hell.'

"This album would have been 'Bat Out of Hell 11' if a record company had their way. I would have more of these than the 'Police Academy' (movies)."

But he thinks "Hang Cool Teddy Bear" does, in fact, represent a turning point.

"The record has legs," he said. "That's the thing about this record. Where other records I've made didn't have legs — in fact, 'Bat Out of Hell 2' didn't have the legs that 'Bat 1' did.

"Word of mouth on this record is really unbelievable. I really think this could have longer legs."


©The Canadian Press, 2010

This seriously is an awesome CD. I was bitterly disappointed with Bat 3 ... but this is the best thing he's done since the first Bat album.

Check out 'California (Isn't big enough)' .. it rules !!

He's working with Kara Dioguardi?! Oh hell naw!

Meat, what are you doing?!

Timmy84 said:

Kara is actually a good writer and he has the goods to pput together good well produced songs. Excellent writer and she plays, unlike Paula who was on that show? Its actually a really strong cd, got it on import about a month ago, very good,

lastdecember said:

I heard some songs she did and they weren't that good.

Timmy84 said:

Her work on the latest Katharine Mcphee is excellent, a few songs were written together with Katherine, but very strong cd too.

lastdecember said:

Guess it depends on certain people lol

Timmy84 said:

Considering that out of the gate AI paired Katharine Mcphee with Danja, thinking that was what a "talented artist that could sing" should be doing.

lastdecember said:

Which sucks, most of the "Idols" have to hook with someone who is considered "talented" and has only marginalize whatever talent they possess.

worst period of his career? really? what about that period when he was not only not selling any albums, but was little more than a punchline for late night comedians and little more than a footnote of rock 'n' roll. i.e., the 80;s.


didn't ready any more of it after that part. and don't really care to. if it he isn't working with Jim Steinman, I have absolutely no use for him.

errant said:

Thats a healthy attitude haha. You should give the album a listen .. even if you just check out track one which is Peace on Earth. Or Like a Rose with Jack Black on backups. Its a guitar driven album rather than piano driven which is really different for meat. Im Generally only a fan of his stuff with Steinman aswell .. but this album is one out of the box. It's terrific from start to finish. Better than Bat 2 for me and Ive had it on repeat for over a month now. I really wasnt expecting anything decent after the disaster that was bat 3.

actually here's the one with Jack Black is anyone wants to check out one of the tracks

http://www.spinner.com/20...-premiere/

delicious said:

Let me get this straight... not only is he working with the most useless AI judge ever, he's also put Jack Black on it? there's a level of self-parody that might work. but not something I'm at all interested in hearing.

errant said:

Actually with the exception of Randy Jackson, she is the only one that should be judging music, i mean Paula Abdul? Ellen? Simon? i wouldnt let them judge a dog grooming contest let alone music. And NO ellen is no an expert because she "listens" to old school stuff, big deal.

where is bat out of hel 4

lastdecember said:

Kara is a paradoxical mixture of someone with both an annoying personality and NO personality. She might be "qualified" to judge talent, but she is in no way qualified to be on television. And that's the only reason we know who she is.

I'm looking forward to the album (I'm in the US, so we don't get it until Tuesday). I bought the last one only based on his version of "It's All Coming Back To Me". but overall it wasn't that strong. I bought the one before that based on the first single and the fact that he said it was so great. I might preview this one a bit more before buying.