Meat Loaf: Death of Another Legend

January 21, 2022January 23, 2022 ~ Loreeebee ~ 2 Comments

The legendary Meat Loaf passed away yesterday at the age of 74. Any of you in my age group will most likely remember him for his passionate love songs in the 70s and 80s.

Bat Out of Hell, by Meat Loaf

This album was one of my favourites in my late teenage years. In fact, it still remains one of my all time favourites. It has the power to invoke so many memories of romantic relationships of those years. Especially Paradise by the Dashboard Lights. Every time I hear it, I am transported back to those days.

Released in 1977, the album was so popular it was on the hit list for nine years! As a matter of fact, it still remains at the top of the “best sellers of all time” list.

Also on my list of favourites are top singles on the charts from that album including “Two out of Three Ain’t Bad,” “You Took the Words Right out of my Mouth” and “I Would do Anything for Love, but I Won’t do That.”

The album was so iconic that a musical with the same name features many of my favourite hit singles from the album. Unfortunately, many performances of this musical were postponed due to the pandemic.

Meat Loaf’s Memorable Quotes

Asked about his flamboyant and passionate performances, he replied that he treats each stage performance like it’s his last. More iconic, often self-depreciating yet painfully truthful, quotes from AZquotes include:

The day that I ever become hip… please shoot me and put me outta my misery!”
“I never fit in. I am a true alternative. And I love being the outcast. That’s my role in life, to be an outcast.”
“I don’t have a rock voice. I have to force it. I am like an opera singer.”
Meat Loaf

He was quite insightful, very talented, yet well aware of his limitations. I believe that was part of his charm. What you saw is what you got. Every performance, live or recorded, was passionately and emotionally delivered.

Childhood Angst

Meat Loaf certainly worked hard for his fame. Born Marvin (AKA Michael) Lee Aday in Dallas, Texas, in 1947, he was the only child of an alcoholic, abusive father. His mother, a school English teacher, passed away when he was young. Because of his weight, constant bullying and teasing were a daily occurrence at school. In fact, (allegedly) this teasing lead to his name. Teachers, kids, and even coaches reportedly called the youngster “ML,” for Mighty Large, which turned into Meat Loaf. Another theory is that he was nicknamed after a favourite meal that his mom made often.

Meat Loaf Performances

Over the years, Meat Loaf performed in over 50 television shows and films, including Rocky Horror Picture Show, Black Dog, Fight Club, Wayne’s World, and Hair. These performances were over and above his innumerable concerts and recordings that spanned four decades.

In 1994 Meat Loaf won a Grammy for the Best Solo Rock Vocal Performance for “I’d do Anything for Love.”

Health Issues Derailed his Comeback

Unfortunately, poor health in the form of excruciating back pain curbed the career that spanned so many decades. He fainted on stage in Pittsburgh in 2011 and halted his UK tour in 2013. Due to illness, shows were canceled in 2016, followed by a collapse on stage in Edmonton.

“Braver Than We Are” was released in September 2016. Ultimately it proved to be his last album. The dream of a comeback was cut short when never-ending back pain brought on eighteen months of back surgery.

Four surgeries later a glimmer of hope emerged. In early 2020 Meat Loaf promised another album. In March of 2021, he performed at country singer and fellow Celebrity Apprentice cast member John Rich’s bar in Lower Broadway. Just this past (2021) November a personal Facebook post had fans’ hopes up. At that time he vented about the four back surgeries, but also shared that he was looking forward to getting back in the studio in the new year. I for one was excited, something to look forward to in 2022.

Visit his website for more fascinating information on this legendary music icon.

Hopefully, he is rocking pain-free in heaven, or resting in peace with Betty White, another legend we lost recently. Although the two had nothing in common (that I am aware of) they both made a profound impression around the world.

Daniel Campoli: Local Talent

September 30, 2020March 25, 2023 ~ Loreeebee ~ Leave a comment

Check out this young, very talented musician. Daniel Campoli not only writes and records his own pieces but sings beautifully and plays the piano too. Simply amazing! Listen to his latest single entitled “Broadcast From my Bedroom” here or on YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, or Amazon Music.

Daniel Campoli

I was just introduced to Daniel myself, virtually that is, through Facebook, and was blown away by his voice and talent. It turns out he grew up, and his parents still live, around the corner from my brother in Ingleside, just west of Cornwall, Ontario. His mother and my sister-in-law have been friends for years. It is indeed a small world, especially when you grow up in a small town.

Social media can be wonderful for sharing positive, inspirational stories like this, compared to all the vitriol that seems to have taken over our media sources lately. I am always happy to share such amazing talent.

Check out, follow, and support Daniel Campoli on Instagram, Facebook, and SoundCloud. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed!

“Broadcast From my Bedroom” may be one of the most appropriate songs for 2020, one good thing that has emerged from this miserable year.

Journey and Pat Benatar Tribute by Fire and Ice

March 9, 2019January 3, 2020 ~ Loreeebee ~ Leave a comment

The Brass Monkey on Greenbank Road in Ottawa was rocking last night thanks to vocalist and drummer extraordinaire Roy Nichol and his group of talented musicians known as Fire and Ice. Guitarists Mark Day and Don LeCompte flanked Nichol and his drums for the set of Journey songs with Tammy McRae joining in as lead vocalist for the Pat Benatar set.

Journey and Pat Benatar Tribute — left to right: Mark Day, Roy Nichol (drums) Tammy McRae and Don Lecompte

The music was a walk down memory lane in more ways than one for me. I grew up two doors down from Mark Day in Cornwall. As a tomboy, I spent many hours with Mark, his oldest brother and my own brothers playing everything from hide and seek to flag football. We lived on a dead end, small street, a safe haven for all the neighbourhood kids. As we hit our teenaged years, Mark moved on to spend more time with his guitar and rock band friends, so we lost touch. We reconnected recently on Facebook with other members of the McGregor Avenue gang.

In my late teens I met Roy Nichol at a friend’s cottage where she hosted many a summer party. Roy often played the drums and occasionally sang at these parties. His speciality (as I remember it) was Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven.” Every time I hear that song, even 40 years later, it brings me back to those days.

Enough of the nostalgia and back to the present where Roy is currently the drummer and vocalist for a few different bands, including Canada’s April Wine. That skinny boy on the drums from my 70’s memories has certainly done well for himself.

Currently, and especially as this was a tribute to Journey, Roy’s vocals share an uncanny and remarkable resemblance to those of Journey’s Steve Perry back in the late 70s and 80s. Not that I am an expert of anything rock related, but must one not be incredibly talented (not to mention coordinated) to excel on the drums and the vocals at the same time? Obviously the crowd gathered last night agreed as they sang along and danced the night away.

While reminiscing for a few moments with Roy between sets last night, I did ask him if he still performed Stairway to Heaven. His reply was “not for many years, but maybe I should get back to it”.

Yes Roy, you should!