Meat Loaf prepared Bruce for life with Kiss
Jewish Telegraph, January 2022
JEWISH guitarist Bruce Kulick had always hoped there would be a reunion tour of the Bat Out Of Hell touring band.
But the death of legendary singer Meat Loaf at the age of 74 last Friday means this won’t be able to happen.
Kulick, who was later a member of Kiss in their no make-up era, told Ultimate Classic Rock that he spoke to former Meat Loaf drummer Joe Stefko, who had been close to songwriter Jim Steinman, after the rock star’s death.
“We were both very bummed out this morning,” Kulick said. “Our biggest regret, we always fantasised [about a reunion]. Could there have been a reunion of sorts of the Bat Out of Hell touring band for that first record?”
Kulick — who performed in the band with his late brother Bob — added that touring with Meat Loaf from 1977 to 1978 changed him.
He told UCR: “We did Saturday Night Live, we did arenas and we did stadiums. We did a world tour and it was totally overwhelming for me.
“I know I’ve told people how hard it was for me, but that really got me prepped to be able to handle my years with Kiss.
“ I don’t know if I could have understood the Kiss gig as well if I didn’t tour with Meat Loaf.”
Kulick, who now performs with Grand Funk Railroad, added: “I’m not sure he knew how to handle success and then there were some really big issues after that. We toured for a year and then there was that break.
“There were a lot of issues, he lost his voice and Jim did a record without him and on and on. But that original tour, touring the world and performing those songs, especially with Jim [was unbelievable].”
When Bob Kulick died in May, 2020, Meat Loaf — born Marvin Lee Aday, although he later changed his name to Michael — paid tribute online.
“One of the band members on the Bat Out of Hell tour which started in October of 1977 and ended in October of 1978,” he wrote.
“Bob rocked that stage with his brother Bruce. His contribution to that year can never be repaid. We started with being booed in Chicago but not off that stage, not us. We came to rock and we did for a year.
“The end of that year, Bat had sold almost 7 million in the states. We were headlining to thousands. Bob, we could not have done it without you. As your brother Bruce wrote yesterday, keep playing that guitar loud in heaven.”
Kiss frontman Paul Stanley went to see one of the Bat Out Of Hell shows, but, according to Kulick, left after a couple of songs.
“He just couldn’t handle it,” Kulick told UCR. “But I understood it, years later, I was able to talk to Paul about it. He just didn’t get it. You know, Paul grew up a different way, seeing rock ’n’ roll.
“To have a very large overweight man in a tuxedo singing just didn’t fit for him. It wasn’t his thing.”
But that didn’t stop Stanley and Kiss, including fellow Jewish frontman Gene Simmons, posing with Meat Loaf in June, 1979, and later in 1984, where they were joined in the photo by Bob Kulick.
Stanley, who turned 70 last week, wrote on Facebook: “He was one of a kind. Who could you compare him to?? No one. That’s how you define greatness. My condolences to his entire family”
Simmons added: “RIP Meatloaf. A kind man. He will be missed.”
Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian, who was born Scott Ian Rosenfeld, is married to Meat Loaf’s daughter Pearl.
“There are so many stories to tell, and I know they will all be told over time,” he said.
“For now, what I know is that Meat’s legacy will live on through his family — Pearl, Amanda and Revel. Their forever love for their father/grandfather (Papa Meat) outweighs the heaviness of their hearts.
“Thank you to everyone for the outpouring of love, we feel it. I love you Meat.”
Ian once described Meat Loaf as “just a regular guy who happens to be a legendary rock star”.
The Bat Out Of Hell album, which has sold more than 43 million copies since its release in 1977, has a number of Jewish connections.
As well as being written by Steinman, who died last year aged 73, personnel include drummer Max Weinberg, pianist Steve Margoshes and concert master Gene Orloff.
