Customer Reviews

To Hell and Back: An Autobiography

5 star:		(41)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a fast read! The subject is interesting, and it reads like a Cinderella rock-n-roll dreams come true story...only to come back down to Earth in the third act! Meatloaf presents us with a good view of his life, how his music came about, and why him and Jim Steinman make such a good team. Lots of anecdotes that will satisfy any Meatloaf fan (like when he meets Charles Manson). But I can't help but notice that short shrift is given to "the bad days" of drugs and marital strife. They keep the tone light and breezey! This is not a tell-all expose, but more of what you could imagine getting if you sat down across the table from Meatloaf and asked "How did you get here?" So from a fan's viewpoint...this is a treat and a rare opportunity. But those who want the dirt, I'd say you need to find another source. Lots of pictures by the way! And the book is well designed! So it looks great out on the coffee table -- seriously. Most interesting passages seem to deal with the BAT OUT OF HELL sessions where Meatloaf and Jim Steinman spend months trying to convince ANYBODY that this is a good album and needs to be released. Shows you how ignorant the record companies can be at times. Think of all the "suits" smacking their heads after the album became a smash. And then the unreal expectations of the performers after the whole BAT craze...searching for another hit! It's a common drama in rock-n-roll, so definitely a great choice!

Just finishing "Meat Loaf:To Hell And Back", I have to say that it is the best autobiography that I have read. The stories of his life are great reading and the way it's told"like he's sitting right there talking to you" is terrific! I have been a fan of his music for years and now that I have read his book I feel that I know the man behind the songs that he has sung. A great artist and a great book!

This book is written in short, very entertaining spurts. It might be a good one to keep in your bathroom or at the office where you can only get a few pages read every now and then. There are incredibly funny and touching anecdotes scattered within, and you get a good look at Meat's personality and history.

My only complaint was that, besides his money troubles, he tended to skip over the tougher aspects of his life. Drug use, infidelity and the harshness of life on the road are treated as minor blips on the radar.

Otherwise, this is a fun and entertaining read. Meatloaf is a great storyteller, and one of America's great rock and rollers. If you're a fan of Meatloaf or a rock enthusiast, you'll enjoy this autobiography.

I loved the way this book was put togather and made into a lot of small chapters of cool stories. Meatloaf's outgoing personality shows in this style of writting. I hated to finish this book, I enjoyed it so much.

To Hell And Back Finally, we Meat Loaf fans can take an in depth look at our beloved Rock icon! Meat shows not only his talent as a storyteller, but shines with his wit and unquenched spirit in light of some pretty nasty circumstances! This book...this man's life..is the ultimate 'don't give up no matter what' story. We've all had hints of that, but you don't realize everything...you don't know everything...until you sit down and read this book. With some distance now, (but obviously still effected by the events) Meat is able to relate the circumstances of his childhood and his struggle as a young actor/musician, talk of his early fame and inability to cope, and finally of his triumphant return. This is an inspiring book, told in such a wonderful way that you will feel like Meat is sitting at the kitchen table with you, telling you these stories over spring water!

If Meatloaf's voice finally falters or if Jim Steinman should find permanent greener collaborating pastures, all should not be lost for one of the year's best storytellers. Meatloaf never has pursued fame by filling conventional stereotypes be it rockstar, actor, sex symbol or in this turn, author. Yet in a quirky, not-by-the-book book, he delivers anecdotes and chronicles the fates and fortunes that have risen and fallen before him in the glittery, treacherous realms of theatre and the

music business as well as his not-so-mundane commonman existance. He succeeds in cementing his image as one of "everyman"--he tells his tale as if he's popped over for a brewski or is killing time with the other parents between Little League innings. There's something unique, endearing and overall consistant, this from the Meatloaf character. Being a huge fan since the 1977 release of "Bat Out Of Hell", I found the book at the week it came out, read half of it in the store and the rest of it before leaving the parking lot. I found it very readable, impossible to put down and a great assist in chronologising various aspects, rumours and reports from the past 20+years. There were two things that did bug me about the book, however. The first being the lack of photo identification. It was an erroneous assumption that the text provides adequate names and dates to faces and events--photo credits are all the reader has to go on--details and background surrounding each would have enhanced the already homey nature of the text. The second complaint I have (and I'll acknowledge this comes to an extent out of my devotion to Jim Steinman) is this underlying tone throughout which seems to be Meat coming to grips with his relationship with Jim Steinman. At times he seems to be defensive, at others he seems to be seeking redemption and one gets the feeling that Meat's out to convince himself and the world he doesn't need him in the least. And ultimately events have transpired, consequence have happened and in the aftermath all is just. Trouble is, Meat sees his career through the eyes of a performer, not a composer(which may also be part of what motivated him to write an autobiography). By viewing events so inevitably, he still misses the point as to why Steinman was so peeved when his name was lost on the album's main bill and just how close Steinman came to seeing his entire legacy dissolve into obscurity. Meatloaf's continued perplexity over Jim's bitterness throughout the years is annoying. But then, the creatures in Meatloaf's vistas, especially the ones in music, ARE complex and perplexing. Precisely how we'd expect "everyman" to perceive them--and given that, Meatloaf fared impressively overall.

Meat's story is incredible, it rivals most fiction I've read. No movie made out of this book could ever do it justice, this is coming from the man himself. Once you get used to the rambling style in which the book is written, you will read it very fast. I sit down to read this book and before I knew it I was half-way through with it. I then put it down for a while to eat and then came back and finished it. It's a very quick read and a very good read. The way Meat tells his story is in a very personal and intimate way, almost as if he's sitting right there talking to you. I learned a lot about Meat that I didn't know before from this book. For example, the extent of his background in theater, a lot about how Bat Out of Hell was conceived and recorded, and an incredible account of the perils he went through after he lost it all. I also enjoyed the background on the supremely interesting Jim Steinman. I wish Jim would write his own autobiography.

However, there were a couple of things about this book that could've been improved, which is why I didn't give it 5 stars. For instance, there are many pictures in the book (always a plus) but none of them have captions! Half the time I couldn't tell what the hell the picture was supposed to be showing. Also, the book focuses relatively little on the Bat Out of Hell II album, the only song it really says anything about is "I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)". I wish he would've went in-depth on that album like he did with the first Bat. Also, it doesn't say anything about Meat's plans for the future in music. This is somewhat disappointing considering that we've heard relatively little from Meat Loaf after Bat Out of Hell II was released 7 years ago. I'm keeping my fingers crossed on a third Loaf/Steinman collaboration...

Anyways, although this book has it's shortcomings, it is a diamond mine for any true Meat Loaf fan, or indeed for anyone who wants to read the account of one of the most astonishing human experience stories of our times.

I found myself not being able to put the book down. Being a fan, I wanted to find out all I could about MEAT. What came through the story for me was how much heart MEAT has. He truly knows himself and his talents. I would love to see this made into a play or movie. The story is almost a "Touched by an Angel" story. It is great to see how hard work and determination can take a person of good spirit to the place they want to go. Great book! I would recommend this book not only to those that are interested in MEAT but also to those that like to read a good underdog story.

Meat Loaf tells his story of childhood torment, the rise to fame and the despair that followed in heartwrenching detail. And with tongue firmly implanted in cheek he recounts his 17 concussions. As I sat in a public place reading this book, I found myself alternately stifling laughter and wiping tears. The words and photos lend definition to the man behind the voice we've known for years. He has risen to the top once again, right where he belongs.

Meat Loaf has always been portrayed in a heroic, over-the-top light--bombastic, some even say. But Meat Loaf's story (which you won't believe until you read it, maybe not even after you read it) is a series of absorbing vignettes that is strung into his life story. If you call yourself a fan, just having all of his albums won't do--buy the book and amaze yourself with things you never knew about the man behind the music.

Colour photos included.