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The careers of Jim Steinman and Meat Loaf will be forever linked.

The pair, born a little more than a month apart in 1947, rose to prominence on 1977’s Bat Out of Hell, Meat Loaf’s multiplatinum debut album that was written and conceived by Steinman as a rock ‘n’ roll musical based on Peter Pan.

Even though the album was produced by Todd Rundgren, it was Steinman who called the shots, from its conceptual center to the Phil Spector-influenced sense of musical grandeur. But where Spector constructed his multi-instrumentalist visions as radio-friendly two-and-a-half-minute pop songs, Steinman took advantage of the boundless FM radio format in the mid-’70s and often pushed his songs to seven, eight or even more minutes.

But there was more to the writer and producer than just Meat Loaf, as you will see in the below list of the Top 10 Jim Steinman Songs. In the ’80s and ’90s, he expanded his widescreen, operatic and often romantic theatrical rock to artists as diverse as Air Supply, Celine Dion, Barry Manilow, the Sisters of Mercy and Billy Squier, and continued to rack up hit songs.

Still, it was Meat Loaf who gave him his final No. 1 when they reunited in 1993 for the belated sequel Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell. Steinman and Meat Loaf died within a year of one another in 2021 and 2022, respectively, their lives inevitably connected until the end.

10. Bonnie Tyler, “Holding Out for a Hero” (1984)

Flush from the success of “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” Steinman reunited with Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler for a song from the Footloose soundtrack. One of the few Steinman-written and -produced tracks that restrains epic inclinations, if not its length (the single version clocks in at an economical four and a half minutes, but an extended cut runs more than six), “Holding Out for a Hero” is pumped-up mid-’80s synth-pop.

READ MORE: Top 10 Meat Loaf Songs

9. Jim Steinman, “Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through” (1981)

Steinman released only one solo album, 1981’s Bad for Good, which was intended as Meat Loaf’s second LP until the singer underwent vocal issues that temporarily sidelined his career. An uncredited Rory Dodd sings “Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through,” a Top 40 hit for Steinman that was later revived for Meat Loaf’s 1993 comeback record, Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell. The original is filled with hope.

8. Meat Loaf, “You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth (Hot Summer Night)” (1977)

The first single from Meat Loaf’s debut album, like the other two songs pulled for release, was trimmed in length to meet radio limits. “You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth” lost a minute-long intro spoken by Steinman that doesn’t affect much – the track, by Steinman’s standards, is relatively short to begin with. Meat Loaf has said he asked the songwriter to pen a less sprawling song for him. The result: a pop-rock gem.

7. Air Supply, “Making Love Out of Nothing at All” (1983)

Steinman didn’t intend to be tied to just one artist, especially after the delay between Meat Loaf albums. So in 1983, he wrote and produced hit records for Bonnie Tyler and Air Supply, the Australian soft-rock duo that charted seven Top 5 singles since 1980. “Making Love Out of Nothing at All” appeared on their Greatest Hits LP and peaked at No. 2 for three weeks behind “Total Eclipse of the Heart.” Another Spector-sized epic.

6. Meat Loaf, “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” (1977)

The breakthrough song from Bat Out of Hell was the last written for the album, a challenge to Steinman by a friend to write something less grandiloquent than most of his songs. While “Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” still clocks in at five and a half minutes (the single edit cuts 90 seconds), the relative scaling-back proved to be a key ingredient. The power ballad just missed the Top 10, but its legacy endures.

5. Meat Loaf, “Bat Out of Hell” (1977)

Little surprise Bat Out of Hell sounds like a musical: Steinman pieced it together from a rock version of Peter Pan he wrote for the stage. The title track is the entryway to the album and, as a result, Steinman and Meat Loaf’s worldview. Stretching to nearly 10 minutes, “Bat Out of Hell” sounded unlike anything at the time: a piece of musical theater with rock ‘n’ roll at its core. The album made Meat Loaf a star; this is the start.

4. Celine Dion, “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” (1996)

Celine Dion was one of the most commercially successful artists in the world, coming off her second No. 1, when she surprised fans with Steinman’s seven-and-a-half-minute “woman’s song.” “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” caused a rift between the songwriter and Meat Loaf, who wanted to sing it but was legally prevented by Steinman. Dion gives an epic performance, one of her all-time best; not a single note is out of place.

READ MORE: 50 Songs From the ’90s That Don’t Suck

3. Meat Loaf, “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That)” (1993)

Sixteen years after Bat Out of Hell made Meat Loaf a star and Steinman a hit writer, the pair reconciled for a sequel. Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell was an immediate hit, giving them their only No. 1 LP. Its lead single topped the chart, too. “I’d Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That),” in its album version, runs more than 12 minutes; the single, trimmed by half, loses some of the intensity but none of its romantic propensities.

2. Meat Loaf, “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” (1977)

Bat Out of Hell‘s centerpiece requires four sections and eight and a half minutes to realize Steinman’s Phil Spector-like vision. A duet between Meat Loaf and Ellen Foley – who chart a couple’s romance from backseat courting to end-of-the-world-praying deliverance – “Paradise by the Dashboard Light” spotlights the LP’s nucleus, from the performers to producer Todd Rundgren to songwriter/conceptual mastermind Steinman.

1. Bonnie Tyler, “Total Eclipse of the Heart” (1983)

Meat Loaf’s second album, 1981’s Bad for Good, was a critical and commercial nonstarter, and Steinman’s relationship with his muse singer was waning following the wait between records. So Steinman retreated to work with Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler, who hit No. 3 in 1977 with “It’s a Heartache.” He coproduced her 1983 album Faster Than the Speed of Night and wrote a couple of the songs, including “Total Eclipse of the Heart,” a seven-minute, multipiece work that recalled his best music with Meat Loaf. The song was a worldwide hit, reaching No. 1 in the U.S. and U.K., and resurrected the careers of Tyler and Steinman, who’d go on to work with other artists throughout the decade. But none sparked him the way Tyler did – “Total Eclipse” is one of the ’80s best songs and a Steinman crown jewel.

In many ways, the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles represented a major change for the modern Games. The sporting event had long been noted for its financial losses, a lasting burden on the vast majority of host cities. In a move never seen before, Los Angeles brought corporate sponsors on board to help shoulder the Games’ costs. The decision proved profitable, as the ‘84 Olympics earned more than $200 million thanks largely to the influx of endorsements and advertising. However, one major promotion continues to live on in infamy and it belongs to McDonald’s.

The concept of the fast food giant’s campaign was simple; upon purchasing an item, a McDonald’s customer would receive a scratch-off card with an Olympic event on it. If the American team won gold in that event, the patron would get a free Big Mac. A silver earned the patron french fries, while bronze won a free soft drink. Pairing patriotism with capitalism, McDonald’s believed they had the recipe for a successful promotion. Commercials would sell customers on a simple phrase: “If the U.S. Wins, You Win.”

Surprisingly, this wasn’t the first time McDonald’s had built a promotion around free food and medal counts. The company embarked on a similar campaign for the 1976 Olympics, albeit with less publicity. That year’s Games, held in Montreal, saw the U.S.A. place third in the overall medal count. The two countries who finished ahead of them were the Soviet Union and East Germany.

It’s likely that McDonald’s looked at the ‘76 results when estimating the number of prizes they expected to give away via their ‘84 promotion. After all, America boycotted the 1980 Games held in Moscow, due to Soviet warfare in Afghanistan. As such, ‘76 represented the most recent Olympics to reference. What their number-crunchers clearly didn’t anticipate was another boycott.

Read More: Top 10 ‘Saturday Night Live’ Olympic Sketches

Due in part to America’s actions four years prior, the Soviet Union, East Germany and many other communist nations boycotted the Los Angeles Olympics. With these sports powerhouse nations no longer participating, America’s competition was far less daunting.

The U.S. went on to dominate the watered-down field. The Americans took home 83 gold medals, 61 silver and 30 bronze for a whopping 174 total medals. For comparison’s sake, the U.S. won 34, 35 and 20, respectively, in Montreal for a total of 94.

McDonald’s catchphrase proved prophetic. As Team U.S.A. won, so did fast food patrons, and they did so at a staggering rate. A 1984 New York Times article described the number of prizes given away as “mindboggling.” The newspaper reported that some McDonald’s franchises even ran out of Big Macs due to the overwhelming amount of giveaways. While this claim was not verified by the company, a spokesperson admitted there was “a real gold rush at McDonald’s.”

“We may be giving away more product, but that means more customers for McDonald’s,” asserted Chuck Rubner, a representative for the company at the time. Though the fast food conglomerate never revealed how much money it lost on their Olympic promotion, guesses have been in the millions.

How ‘The Simpsons’ Parodied McDonald’s 1984 Olympics Promotion

Since 1984, the marketing campaign has become the butt of jokes. Most famously, a similar promotion appeared within The Simpsons. In the 1992 episode titled “Lisa’s First Word,” Krusty Burger offered a similar promotion based around Olympic events. The fictional burger chain banked heavily that team U.S.A. would lose to the Soviet and East German teams. When those countries boycotted, Krusty Burger, and its spokesperson clown, lost millions.

Watch ‘Krusty Loses the 1984 Olympics’

The Olympics will return to Los Angeles in 2028, giving some people hope that McDonald’s may revive their famous promotion. It appears, however, that such a move is not meant to be. In 2017 the company announced that it would no longer be an Olympic sponsor, ending the relationship more than four decades after it began.

Columbia Pictures announced Jason Reitman’s movie about the first episode of Saturday Night Live will be titled simply Saturday Night, and will appear in theaters on Oct. 11.

The date matches the 49th anniversary of the variety show’s debut in 1975 under its original name NBC’s Saturday Night.

Directed by Jason Reitman and co-written with Gil Kenan based on interviews with those who were there, it’s an exploration of the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast.

READ MORE: Will SNL Movie Show the Truth or the Legend?

The cast includes Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, Dylan O’Brien as Dan Aykroyd, Cory Michael Smith as Chevy Chase, Rachel Sennott as Rosie Shuster and Lamorne Morris as Garrett Morris. The soundtrack is being composed by five-time Grammy winner Jon Batiste, who also plays the show’s first musical guest, Billy Preston.

Producer Michaels had big ambitions ahead of its launch. “So much of what Saturday Night Live wanted to be, or what I wanted it to be when it began, was cool,” he said later. “This was taking the sensibilities that were in music, stage and the movies and bringing them to television.”

First ‘SNL’ Show Featured Future Mainstays

The cold open featured John Belushi and Michael O’Donoghue in a sketch titled “The Wolverines,” while the episode also included future mainstays, the “Live from New York” intro, the host’s monologue – in this case George Carlin – and the “Weekend Update” skit.

Despite the success that lay ahead, the first episode wasn’t well-received, with reviewers using terms such as “less than auspicious,” “lackluster” and “uneven.”

Watch the First Ever ‘SNL’ Sketch

30 Best ‘Saturday Night Live’ Characters

Much of the show’s humor stems from impersonations, but ‘Saturday Night Live’ has also created a long list of memorable recurring characters. 

Gallery Credit: Corey Irwin

More From Ultimate Classic Rock

Canadian power metallers, Unleash The Archers, will support Powerwolf on the band’s upcoming North Anerican tour. During the run, Unleash The Archers will play three headline show. Dates are as follows: 

September 
1 – Lawrence, KS – The Botttleneck
2 – St. Paul, MN – Amsterdam Hall
11 – Richmond, VA – Canal Club

Tour dates supporting Powerwolf:

August
29 – Los Angeles, CA – The Hollywood Palladium
31 – Denver, CO – The Ogden Theatre

September
3 – Chicago, IL – The Riviera Theatre
4 – Cleveland, OH – The Agora Theatre
5 – Silver Spring, MD – The Fillmore
7 – Tampa, FL – Jannus Landing
8 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade
9 – Charlotte, NC – The Fillmore
12 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore
13 – Worcester, MA – The Palladium
14 – New York City, NY – Brooklyn Paramount
15 – Laval, QC – Place Bell

Unleash The Archers, released their massive sixth studio album, Phantoma, on May 10 via Napalm Records. The album has hit the charts in the US, Canada, UK, Germany and Switzerland. 

Napalm Records: “Congratulations to Unleash The Archers on their amazing chart success! Their latest album has stormed the charts, and we couldn’t be prouder. Thank you to all the fans for your incredible support.”

Check out the new BraveWords feature story on Unleash The Archers, featuring an interview with vocalist Brittney Slayes, here.

Intertwining reality with imagination, Unleash The Archers were inspired to utilize elements of AI during the creation of Phantoma, in keeping with its innovative theme. Frontwoman and lyricist Brittney Slayes conjured the album’s concept in 2021; before the swarm of pressing commentary surrounding AI began to reach an all-time high.

The band weaved electronic and synthwave elements throughout the album’s 10 colossal anthems, which – in line with its theme – prove much darker and heavier in comparison to the bright positivity of Abyss. Album opener “Human Era” sets the tone with imagery of a bleak, windswept futurescape that crescendos headlong into the breakneck pace of power metal bastion “Ph4/NT0mA” – a masterwork of dueling guitar solos and vocal acrobatics. Trad-metal influenced “Buried In Code” lights the way with pummeling rhythms before the album’s path turns dark on heavy metal hardened “The Collective”, with Brittney Slayes’ warm tones inviting the listener to ‘join or stand aside’! Hair-raising first single “Green & Glass” unveils the truth before the upbeat 80s flavored “Gods In Decay” and the extraordinary balladic anthem “Give It Up Or Give It All” showcase the varied song writing prowess of Unleash The Archers’ modern era. A trifecta of concept closers begins with the moody “Ghosts In The Mist”, leading into the soaring yet menacing “Seeking Vengeance” before closing with the bittersweet tale of “Blood Empress”.

Mixed and mastered by Jacob Hansen, and with lead guitarist Andrew Kingsley at the helm as both principal songwriter and producer, Phantoma is an exciting advancement in Unleash The Archers’ songwriting and storytelling mastery, and a giant leap forward in their towering musical trajectory.

Phantoma tracklisting:

“Human Era”
“Ph4/NT0mA”
“Buried In Code”
“The Collective”
“Green & Glass”
“Gods In Decay”
“Give It Up Or Give It All”
“Ghosts In The Mist”
“Seeking Vengeance”
“Blood Empress”

“Seeking Vengeance” video:

“Ghosts In The Mist” video:

“Green & Glass” video:

Unleash The Archers lineup:

Brittney Slayes – Vocals
Scott Buchanan – Drums
Grant Truesdell – Guitar, Vocals
Andrew Kingsley – Guitar, Vocals
Nick Miller – Bass

German black metal collective Groza will release their 3rd album, Nadir, on September 20 with AOP Records. Today, the band has unveiled the record’s 2nd single, “Daffodils”, which features their first collaboration with members from Harakiri For The Sky and Karg.

Conjuring a sound that melds intense atmospheric soundscapes and enraged melodic vocals with blistering blast beats and catastrophic riffs that invoke powerful emotions of anger and sadness, Groza has crafted six songs on Nadir that defy boundaries and create a new benchmark for modern black metal. 

Preorder/presave Nadir here.

Tracklisting:

“Soul: Inert”
“Asbest”
“Dysthymian Dreams”
“Equal. Silent. Cold.”
“Deluge”
“Daffodils” feat. JJ & MS // Karg & Harakiri For The Sky

“Daffodils”:

“Dysthymian Dreams” video:

Groza live:

October
2 – Munchen, DE – Backstage
3 – Essen, DE – Turock
4 – Hamburg, DE – Kronensaal
5 – Berlin, DE – Badehaus
6 – Copenhagen, DK – Stengade
7 – Arnhem, NL – Willemeen
8 – Wasquehal, FR – The Black Lab
9 – Paris, FR – Glazart
10 – Aarburg, CH – Musigburg
11 – Bologna, IT – Arcanum Fest
12 – Vienna, AT – Vienna Metal Meeting
13 – Ljubljana, SI – Orto Bar
14 – Zagreb, HR – Mocvara
15 – Belgrade, SR – Zappa Baza
16 – Budapest, HU – A38
17 – Ostrava, CZ – Barrak
18 – Dresden, DE – Blauer Salon
19 – Poznan, PL – 2Progi
20 – Krakow, PL – Kamiennal2

Today, Finnish-Ecuadorean melodic heavy metal band, Black Sun, shares “Rise”, the third single from their forthcoming self-titled album, out September 6.

Fronted by the formidable Netta Laurenne, Black Sun is completed by founding members Nicolas Estrada (drums), Christopher Grünberg (guitar), and Santiago Salem (bass) as well as the band’s producer, Thunderstone guitarist Nino Laurenne. As a result, Ecuador and Finland are now bonded and represented by a band that is one of a kind. With this new lineup, Black Sun entered the studio to record a full-length album, which was recorded at Hi Noiz Studio and Sonic Pump Studios, produced and mixed by Nino Laurenne, and mastered by Svante Forsback (Rammstein, Apocalyptica, Volbeat, Amaranthe).

Like their previous singles “Slay The Queen” and “Drown In Sin”, “Rise” is available in Dolby Atmos on Apple Music and other supporting platforms.

About the track, Black Sun shares: “This song is a catchy anthem of empowerment, urging you to rise above the struggles within yourself.”

Black Sun is an Ecuadorian-Finnish melodic heavy metal band that was originally formed in Ecuador by Nicolas Estrada (drums), Christopher Grünberg (guitar), and Santiago Salem (bass). The band worked with Finnish producer/mixing engineer and Thunderstone guitarist Nino Laurenne (Amorphis, Lost Society, The Rasmus) on their previous release ‘Silent Enemy’ and started to talk about making music together. As a result, Black Sun joined forces with Nino.

“After working with the guys as their producer, we became really good friends, which finally led me to become a guitarist in the band. Joining Black Sun really got me stoked about playing in a band again, and I can’t wait to hit the stage with Santiago, Nicolas, and Christopher. And with Netta on vocals, it’s going to be the biggest kick in the butt!” says Nino.

Along with Nino, vocalist Netta Laurenne (Smackbound, Laurenne/Louhimo) also joined the band as the new lead singer.

“Black Sun is a band born and based on friendship. Getting to spend time and play music together is awesome,” adds Netta.

Santiago, Nicolas, and Christopher comment on the new line-up, “The songwriting approach was completely refreshed when Nino and Netta joined the band. We were able to explore a bit more complex rhythmical and heavier approach. Having Netta on vocals allows us to explore wider ranges and navigate into different waters. We’re super excited for people to get to know our new sound.”

Black Sun tracklisting:

“Slay The Queen”
“With Them Devils”
“The Mercenary”
“Drown In Sin”
“Reapers Of The Underworld”
“Awake”
“Stars”
“Rise”
“Revolution Now”
“Man Without A Shadow”

“Drown In Sin”:

“Slay The Queen”:

(Photo – Jose Xavier Cuesta)

Legendary thrashers, Under The Oak, have issued the following update in regards to their forthcoming new album:

“2024 is the year we release our third album, have our international live debut, and continue to be good buddies who enjoy each other’s company. The album, The Last Of A Dying Breed, will be released in September, once again through our friends in Wormholedeath.

“Now that we are closing in on 40 years in the business as metal musicians, it’s no secret that we feel the title reflects ourselves. We still prefer to work like we always have, and physical format and regular rehearsals are second nature. It’s natural for us to be a live band, and our goal will always be to be even better live than in the studio.

“As always, we have one foot in traditional heavy metal and the other foot in the world of thrash metal. The music must be melodic, ruthless, fast, and furious. We still pay tribute to our old heroes with the odd cover tune. There was only room for one of those on the new album, but in return, it will be one that you all recognize.

“For the first time, we are joined by a guest musician Jan-Erik Johansen, who plays triangle on the album. The album consists of ten original Under The Oak tunes and will be available on CD and vinyl in the fall of 2024.”

The Last Of A Dying Breed tracklisting:

“Inner Truth Of Denial”
“When The Sirens Call”
“Grim Reaper”
“Nightmare”
“Shadow Of Darkness”
“The Last Of A Dying Breed”
“Death By Cutlery”
“Keyboard Warrior”
“Playing Dead”
“Wobblehead”
“Ride The Sky” (Cover)

Lineup:

Jostein – Vocals (ex-Fury, ex-Testimony)
Marius – Drums (ex-Terrazone, ex-Mecalimb)
Hillbilly Bill – Bass (ex-Excelsis, ex-Dressed To Kiss, also plays in Rövballebandet and Nostalgic Groove)
Thomas Bolverk – Guitar (ex-Darkness, ex-Black Currant, ex-Images At Twilight, ex-Ragnarok, also plays in Bolverk and Venom tribute band Welcome To Hell)

Combining the antics of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest with vintage Benny Hill, Under The Oak filmed a video for the title track to their third album, the forthcoming Last Of A Dying Breed. The song is something of a departure, offering a doomy vibe, with a nod to Candlemass.

BraveWords was present on the first day of video shooting. The band are not young pups, their insistence on issuing physical product (vinyl, CDs and even the occasional cassette) has often been ridiculed by younger, digital-only acts. Yet, through make-up and (over) acting, the video storyline sees them aged 30 years in the future, as cantankerous geriatrics, examining the travails of old age, especially within an assisted living facility. Not content to sit by quietly, the “old-timers” start ripping it up, causing mayhem and playing music. Watch for “Last Of A Dying Breed”, which is sure to be a much talked about clip!

(Photo – Jan-Erik Johansen)

A record release party, at Oslo’s famous John Dee (basement of Rockefeller music hall) is scheduled for October 11, and there will be a members’ only performance for the Oak Metal Club, a group of friends (some of whom will appear in the finished video) who regularly convene in the converted grocery store/turned concert venue beneath frontman Jostein Sandaker’s out-in-the-country/away-from-everyone home. The tiny room (less than 80 capacity), comes complete with backline, drums and soundman provided and has already offered a cozy tour respite for the likes of Blaze Bailey, Exciter, Legion Of The Damned and Anvil, with word-of-mouth inquires building within the industry.

On November 30, the band will take their initial foray outside Norway, as part of the True Thrash Fest, at the Bambi Galore club, in Hamburg, Germany.

July 30, 2024, 13 hours ago

news classic rock rarities stewart copeland the police professor of rock

Professor Of Rock has released the new video below, along with the following introduction…

“Wow! Where do I even start with this one? The Police’s blockbuster record, Synchronicity, defined it’s time as much as any album could with four huge hits, including ‘Every Breath You Take”, a song that has become the most-played in the history of recorded music. But all in all, Synchronicity is pretty dark. In fact, its main themes are obsession, surveillance, control, murder, jealousy, revenge, and ownership. I’ve got Rock And Hall Of Famer Stewart Copeland to help tell the story of this album that broke up a band and even brought them to full-on fistfights, but the producer of the album said that tension made it the masterpiece it is. The story of a classic with one of its creators is next on Professor Of Rock.”