Meat Loaf ‘killed by Covid’ after criticising masks and restrictions
ROCK singer Meat Loaf said: “If I die, I die, but I’m not going to be controlled” by Covid-19 restrictions, months before reportedly succumbing to the virus.
The singer had been preparing to release his first new material in years and had spoken of his excitement at the prospect of recording and performing again after a series of operations to treat his debilitating back pain.
The 74-year-old had complained of “power-mad” Covid rules enforcers and called face masks a “nuisance” that “don’t stop you from getting” the virus.
The comments surfaced amid reports in the US that the rock legend, born Marvin Lee Aday, had died after contracting coronavirus.
In an interview with the Pittsburgh Post-gazette in August, Meat Loaf railed against people who enforce Covid restrictions, whom he likened to Nazis.
Discussing face masks, he said: “They don’t stop you from getting Covid. They’re just a nuisance and make your nose itch and make it so you can’t breathe.”
He shared an anecdote about travelling on a plane when he was accosted for not wearing the right mask.
“The only good masks are N95. But we got one, and it was so badly made, the straps were so short, they would go on a child. So we had to go on the airplane with the paper masks and then on the way back, we got a Nazi: ‘Get your mask on now!’ They’re power-mad now,” he said.
The Texas-born singer added that the pandemic meant people were giving up their autonomy, but added: “Not me. If I die, I die... I’m not going to be controlled.”
In a Facebook post in late November, he wrote: “Recording.... Yes Yes Yes!!!!. On or about January 4th, we are in the studio. Playing live, rehearsing live, recording all basic tracks on a 24 track analog recorder (old school).”
He had also been planning an ITV “rock and relationships” show named after his hit song I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That). He is survived by his wife, Deborah, and daughters, Pearl and Amanda. In a statement, the singer’s family said: “Our hearts are broken to announce that the incomparable Meat Loaf passed away tonight. His amazing career spanned six decades that saw him sell over 100 million albums worldwide and star in over 65 movies.
“We know how much he meant to so many of you and we truly appreciate all of the love and support as we move through this time of grief in losing such an inspiring artist and beautiful man.”
His family said he was surrounded by his family in his final moments.
Tributes were paid from fellow showbusiness luminaries following the announcement of his death. Pete Waterman, one of Britain’s most successful music producers, paid tribute to Meat Loaf ’s exuberant persona and the string of hits he performed, such as Bat Out of
Hell, still one of the top 10 selling albums of all time.
Waterman said: “Meat Loaf was an amazing character. His voice. You knew what you got with Meat Loaf.”
Jo Whiley, the broadcaster and DJ, tweeted: “God I loved Bat Out of Hell. Soundtrack to my youth. Sad news RIP Meatloaf. Extraordinary voice. Phenomenal character.”
Among those who mourned his death were fans of Hartlepool United FC – known as the Monkeyhangers – who established an unlikely link with the star. He began to follow their fortunes when he heard the story of the hanging of a ship’s monkey by the townsfolk, after they purportedly mistook it for a French spy during the Napoleonic wars.
A Hartlepool United spokesman said: “He was probably our most famous fan.”
Meat Loaf also once claimed he had had a scuffle with the Duke of York during filming for It’s A Royal Knockout in 1987, after Prince Andrew accused him of flirting with his then wife, the Duchess of York. The singer said: “I think Andrew... got a little jealous... he tried to push me in the water. So I turned around and I grabbed him and he goes, ‘You can’t touch me. I’m royal.’”