We Met Meat Loaf!!!

I happened to be on Twitter Wednesday morning when I saw that a local record shop was having an autograph session with Meat Loaf in advance of the release of his upcoming album Braver Than We Are, due out in stores September 16. As you may know, Meat Loaf has been my favorite music artist since about 2001 when I first discovered the original Bat Out of Hell album. Well, I was aware of it prior to that. Mom and Dad had a Meat Loaf record and Mom actually bought the Bat Out of Hell II CD when we first had a CD player on the computer. But something about those eleven-minute ballads really got to me! So I knew I had no choice but to drop everything, skip out of work, and go meet the aging legend of rock. It would probably be my only chance ever!

I picked up Johnny from daycare on the way, because I figured if photos were iffy, they’d have to give in when I came up to the table with a toddler in tow! We waited in a very long line, me holding Johnny the whole time while he watched videos on my phone. Eventually we made it up to the front and had our big chance to meet the legendary Meat Loaf. He shook our hands, signed the album cover we pre-ordered in order to get in line, and posed for a photo. He even gave Johnny a little rub on his head.

The whole thing was being filmed for some reason, and Johnny and I were interviewed afterwards and had to sign release forms. They asked me, “would you say Johnny here is a third generation Meat Loaf fan?” I said “yes, of course!” They said, “please state the whole sentence so we can use it in the video.” So I repeated “I would say Johnny here is a third generation Meat Loaf fan!” They asked “why did you find it important to bring your toddler son along to meet Meat Loaf?” I said “because Meat Loaf is his favorite! I sing Bat Out of Hell to him as a goodnight lullaby!” And that is true, I really have done that! But Meat Loaf is not Johnny’s favorite, Kermit the Frog currently is.

Anyway, that’s one thing off the old bucket list! If you had asked me which one living famous person I would most want to meet, I would have said Meat Loaf. He is the only person that seems larger than life, like a mythological creature or something. And now I’ve met him! I suppose the next on my list will be any current or former US president; I’ve still never met a world leader aside from South Dakota politicians like Tom Daschle or Bill Janklow.

Hard to believe this man is still recording albums, acting, touring, and doing these meet-and-greet events as he pushes 70 years old. I hope the new album is a hit! With Jim Steinman back on board as the songwriter, I have no doubt it will be amazing.