Hell

Meat Loaf reminisces about classic album

TORONTO — Bat Out of Hell is one of the biggest selling albums in music history, but Meat Loaf says his rock opus was more of a slow burn with critics out of the gates.

“When Bat came out, there was 10 people maybe that liked it; and out of hundreds of reviews, we got one good review from the Cleveland Plain Dealer,” Meat Loaf said.

After learning a DJ who came on at midnight planned to spin a song from the 1977 LP, composer Jim Steinman was among about 50 people crammed into Meat Loaf ’s apartment to tune in.

“We invited everybody in the building and the stereo was cranked as loud as it could go,” Meat Loaf said. “For them to play a 10-minute song, DJs back then loved Paradise (By the Dashboard Light), loved Bat Out of Hell, because they could go get a sandwich, they could go to the bathroom, they could take these breaks — they loved us.

FRANK GUNN/THE CANADIAN PRESS Seasoned stage performer Meat Loaf is an associated producer of Bat Out of Hell: The Musical, which is based on his 1977 LP and opens Oct. 14 in Toronto.