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To hell and back: the autobiography
by
David Dalton
,
Meat Loaf
"Stories are like legal tender in Texas; the stranger the better. It's not that people in Texas are particularly morbid or anything. It's just that they love stories, and the best stories naturally have some bizarre aspect to them." That's Meat's summation of his home state, and a read of
To Hell And Back
proves he's a Dallas boy through and through.
It's fantastic to rep
...more
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Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
356)
Nov 17, 2013
John
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
rock-memoir
,
biography
Though I can't stand Meat Loaf as a human being, I absolutely go nuts over his music (most of it, anyway). TO HELL AND BACK is one of the most consistently entertaining rock memoirs I've ever read. It didn't give me any greater appreciation of Meat as a person (the horrible temper, the drugs, the petulance, the fighting), but it did give me a greater appreciation for him as a musician. It turns out the man paid his dues, whereas I'd always pictured him as something of an overnight sensation. The
...more
I've been slowly getting into the music of Meat Loaf since I was in high school. I began with Bat out of Hell II on cassette tape, then went back and listened to the first Bat out of Hell. I was sorely disappointed with Bat out of Hell III, but when I discovered Bad Attitude and a handful of other random songs, my faith was restored. I picked up a copy of Meat Loaf's autobiography for a mere $3.00, and if I had known how much I was going to enjoy it, I would have lovingly paid full price for it.
...more
I'm not usually one for non-fiction, and particularly not celebrity autobiographies. I find them to be generally full of name-dropping, exaggerated anecdotes, and a confused timeline. I picked up this one because I've always been a fan of Meat Loaf, but unfortunately found it to be no exception to the rule.
The book is easy to read, and the writing is nothing miraculous. The chapters are nice and bite-sized, and can stand alone as small tales on their own. The trouble was, I was never sure where ...more
The book is easy to read, and the writing is nothing miraculous. The chapters are nice and bite-sized, and can stand alone as small tales on their own. The trouble was, I was never sure where ...more
Feb 11, 2014
David
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
biography-autobiography
First off, this is one of the two books I bought when I was in England in 2001. I finally got to it...
Meat Loaf and Aerosmith have gotten me through some tough times in my life. Bat Out of Hell II: Back In to Hell is still the best Meat Loaf album, and was one of the several CDs I had with me over there.
Meat was also in Rocky Horror Picture Show, and was one of the original cast in the play before it became a movie. This book has some neat behind-the-scenes stuff with regards to the play and the ...more
Meat Loaf and Aerosmith have gotten me through some tough times in my life. Bat Out of Hell II: Back In to Hell is still the best Meat Loaf album, and was one of the several CDs I had with me over there.
Meat was also in Rocky Horror Picture Show, and was one of the original cast in the play before it became a movie. This book has some neat behind-the-scenes stuff with regards to the play and the ...more
This is the way a biography should be done. Almost as if you are sitting down in a one on one situation with the man himself. Meatloaf is a very interesting character. I always enjoyed the almost cinematic approach to the music he and his band was putting out. Little did I know that he was actually quite the stage actor as well. For fans of the music and the man this is a great book and one I would say should not be missed.
Feb 09, 2015
Andrew
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
music
,
biog-autobiog
Enjoyable enough though in many ways a tame autobiography...I guess if you are writing about yourself (even with help) you are likely to paint yourself in the best possible light....that's not to say Meat Loaf comes across all judgemental to other folks and passes the blame to others which is a tool I see in so many of these books nor is he whiney...it's just he keeps any transgressions private.
Although he mentions his demons of the past(substance usage) he neither uses this book to overhaul epi ...more
Although he mentions his demons of the past(substance usage) he neither uses this book to overhaul epi ...more
I finally got to see Meat Loaf in concert in December 2010 after years of wanting to see him live. I’d got tickets for a Meat Loaf concert a few of years earlier, but the concert got cancelled just when the doors to the venue should have opened, then the rest of the tour was cancelled. Meat Loaf was ill. I was gutted, but the concert at Birmingham last December was brilliant and well worth the wait. The man really knows how to put on a stage show!
So what has this got to do with the book? It was ...more
So what has this got to do with the book? It was ...more
I love Meat Loaf's albums, but only recently learned that Meat Loaf lost his voice and had a nervous breakdown (among other things.) So I thought I'd read his autobiography, and it's interesting, but not great. It's written as a series of vignettes from his memories--important scenes from his childhood, life on the road, etc.
It's fine for the broad strokes, but you probably need an impartial biographer to get to the truth of what was really going on. This autobiography feels too incomplete.
It's fine for the broad strokes, but you probably need an impartial biographer to get to the truth of what was really going on. This autobiography feels too incomplete.
Aug 21, 2008
lynne naranek
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
fans of Meat Loaf
Shelves:
2008
I'm not that knowledgeable about Meat Loaf the person, let along Meat Loaf the performer. I just know I love the songs, and that the combination of Meat Loaf vocals with Jim Steinman songs are hair-raisingly awesome.
The first Meat Loaf song I'd ever heard was Two out of Three Ain't Bad, although I didn't know/remember the artist then. It was only when I pledged my co-ed chemistry fraternity, whose "house song" was Paradise by the Dashboard Light, did I get officially introduced. I borrowed the a ...more
The first Meat Loaf song I'd ever heard was Two out of Three Ain't Bad, although I didn't know/remember the artist then. It was only when I pledged my co-ed chemistry fraternity, whose "house song" was Paradise by the Dashboard Light, did I get officially introduced. I borrowed the a ...more
Name dropping all over the place
Held my interest. But then I always was a fan of Meat Loaf. Makes you think that there is always a hell of a lot that goes on behind the scenes. What we see of anyone famous is only a glimpse of the whole story.
Held my interest. But then I always was a fan of Meat Loaf. Makes you think that there is always a hell of a lot that goes on behind the scenes. What we see of anyone famous is only a glimpse of the whole story.
This book’s terrific! It’s a very quick read, the book being a little more than 200 pages, but at the same time it’s an insightful and extraordinary look at the life Meatloaf has had. The chapters are really short. Some only a page! I had to smile when reading this book, because it reads like Meatloaf is sitting across from you, in a pub or coffee shop, telling you these anecdotes. I particularly found the part about the relationship between Meatloaf and Jim Steinman very intriguing. All up, a
...more
Being a fan of Meat Loaf's I was thrilled to learn about this book. Having seen a movie about his life I was wanting to find out more. The book is an easy read with most chapters being anywhere from half a page to only 3 pages long. The other plus is lots of pictures. So many that in fact the book could qualify as a photography book.
Starting when he was young and concluding right after Bat out Hell 2, Meat Loaf tells his story his way.
I had heard him discuss 2 of his stories on a talk show and n ...more
Starting when he was young and concluding right after Bat out Hell 2, Meat Loaf tells his story his way.
I had heard him discuss 2 of his stories on a talk show and n ...more
I absolutely LOVE Meat Loaf's music, but I've never really been that invested in the person. I was right insofar as I just preferred to see the "character" that he admits in this bio he usually puts on as a performer. With this bio though I wanted to change that but found myself disappointed. I had hoped for facts, thoughts, insights and emotions, background. Nada. It's incoherent, uninteresting even, and I feel like I "know " as much as before. I guess it's better to keep it that way then.
To Hell and Back
is a good, quick read, and thanks to Meat Loaf's sense of humor, entertaining. It's also interesting music history 101.
Meat Loaf shares how he got dubbed the nickname, wearing fishnets for RHPS , struggling in the music industry, and then some. He also reveals insights into Jim Steinman, the musical genius who wrote many of Meat Loaf's best hits, and the rift that grew between them. It was all pretty fascinating.
Meat Loaf shares how he got dubbed the nickname, wearing fishnets for RHPS , struggling in the music industry, and then some. He also reveals insights into Jim Steinman, the musical genius who wrote many of Meat Loaf's best hits, and the rift that grew between them. It was all pretty fascinating.
I love Meat Loaf! I loved reading his biography, To Hell and Back. "Rocky Horror Picture Show" is like one of my favorite movies; and "Paradise" is my favorite Rock and Roll song! I thoroughly enjoyed his account of these and more! My favorite page was 91 where he loans his equipment to the Grateful Dead and they play for 4 and 1/2 hours; and The Hog Farm and Wavy Gravy are there! Love you, Meat! I hope they end up making that movie about you!
An autobiography. My obsession with Meat Loaf has reached a peak. A peak.
"One morning in 1974, I answered the phone. 'Hello?' the voice said. 'Meatball?'"
"More people in Canada owned Bat Out of Hell than owned snowshoes."
"If I'd had my way, the hallways of record companies would run with the blood of incompetent executives, promoters would be hanged from lamp posts, and the band would suffer the torments of hell. I AM GOD! YOU ARE FOOLS!"
"One morning in 1974, I answered the phone. 'Hello?' the voice said. 'Meatball?'"
"More people in Canada owned Bat Out of Hell than owned snowshoes."
"If I'd had my way, the hallways of record companies would run with the blood of incompetent executives, promoters would be hanged from lamp posts, and the band would suffer the torments of hell. I AM GOD! YOU ARE FOOLS!"
I like rock bios, and I read this one alongside the Motley Crue book. Meat was pretty much a hell-raiser in his day, but at no point did I ever feel the need to wash my hands while reading his book. Can't say the same thing for the Crue book. Meat's reads like a chat over beers. Just a guy telling some stories about his life. Not a classic by any means, but an entertaining beach read.
Each chapter stands on its own as an intimate story from Meat Loaf's rise and fall and resurrection in the rock world. If you're looking for lots of lurid tales of sex, drugs and rock and roll and won't find it here. Instead, reading this book is like story time around the kitchen table with a friend who just happens to be a music legend.
The book was written ok but it sort of skipped around a lot. It was written as a journal type book and I liked that. It was easy to understand but I also had the feeling that he was leaving out a whole lot more. Quick Read
I really loved reading about meat loaf it was very good and all about his childhood and how is dad ran afte him with a knife and how he got the nickmane meat loaf it is a really good read into his life.
Surprisingly engaging autobiography with many fascinating tidbits about the man and his music. It's also pretty funny. I think even those who don't like Meat Loaf at all could enjoy this.
Really liked it. Except I wish they would have written it a little later in his life, after they released "Bat Out Of Hell Three" and such. But otherwise, it was good.
Interesting, easy, and entertaining. Its nice sometimes to use just enough brain power to read and not have to worry about digesting and interpreting a plot.
Good read and really quite unputdownable. I read it on a coach trip and found it to be a fascinating account of his life. Can't wait for the next installment.
OK. Interesting. Not my normal type of reading (autobiography), but if you want to know more about Meat Loaf you should read it.
Absolutely loved this book. It was like someone talking to you and not like reading a book at all. Read it in one day.
An amazingly well written book. This book really did teach me about identity, ethnicity and racism all over the world.
was a kick-ass book & the photos were great. I knew nothing about Meat Loaf & I found him to be fascinating!
Loved this book! I am an adoring fan of his, and this was a great insight to his lifestyle.
I loved it, but I'm a huge Meat Loaf fan. If you love Meat Loaf you'll love this book.
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