Meat Loaf vs. the World

Photo: The Howard Stern Show

When rocker, Meat Loaf came into the studio, Howard asked him how many copies “Bat Out of Hell I and II” sold, and he replied about 52 million. Howard then brought up the fact that Meat was now suing his songwriting partner, Jim Steinman, over the American copyright to the name “Bat Out of Hell.”

After explaining how he owned the rights to the title in a number of countries with America being the one exception, Meat said he didn’t own the copyright in the United States because of a mistake his attorneys made. Meat added, though, he and Jim were still friends and make appearances together despite the litigation going on between them. Meat announced he had a new album coming out, “Bat Out of Hell III,” and that Jim wrote seven of the songs on it. Meat went on to note he was one person involved with his records who didn’t receive much money from them, although he also commented he was in the process of looking into rectifying that situation. Meat then explained he has decided to take some of his former record companies to court in an effort to get the money they owe him, instead of taking the settlements they’ve been offering him.

Meat reported he recently filmed 22 pages of a script for his newest movie, “Urban Decay,” in one day, which he admitted was difficult but necessary because of his busy schedule. Meat went on to say he and his wife of 25 years divorced since he last spoke to Howard, but added he has become involved with another woman, who he said was 12 years younger than him.

Meat also mentioned he was beaten on occasion when he was growing up by his father, and that his mother, to whom he said he was close, died of cancer when he was 16. Meat added he can no longer remember what his mother looked like because her death was so painful to him, while also noting his father died just four years following his mother’s passing.

Howard said Meat claimed he knew who shot John F. Kennedy, but he replied that wasn’t exactly the case. Meat then recalled he was in Dallas on the day of the assassination, and when one of his friends, who was able to shake the president’s hand that morning, asked a police officer who was standing nearby what he would’ve done had he been carrying a gun, the officer responded “nothing as long as you didn’t take it out.”

Meat next reported he and his friends were driving through the city following the shooting, and a Secret Service agent pulled them over and confiscated his car to drive to the hospital. Meat went on to say he and his friends were instructed to remain in the car, which he said they did for two hours until Kennedy’s body arrived and the Secret Service agent left them.

Meat proceeded to claim, a decade later, he asked someone at a party who killed Kennedy, and he was warned never to ask that question again because he might bring it up to the wrong person.Despite his story, Robin felt it didn’t shed any new light on the assassination.

Meat reported he dated many women during his heyday, including Beverly D’Angelo. However, Meat also said he wasn’t always able to get women, adding, when he was young, he was so heavy that none of his classmates were allowed to play with him. This led Meat to say, because he doubted himself so much when he was a kid due to his weight, he didn’t think he deserved the success he gained after “Bat Out of Hell,” and even tried to kill himself twice because of it.