# Meat Loaf: Bloke, band or both?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-loaf-bloke-band-or-both/562319
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [November 29, 2010, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-loaf-bloke-band-or-both/562319 "2010-11-29T20:17:30Z")
**Posts on this page:** 14
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Scougs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scougs)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2010, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-loaf-bloke-band-or-both/562319/1 "2010-11-29T20:17:30Z")
So, I’m having an argument in my local bar. I need the wisdom of The Dope.
We all know that Bat Out of Hell was recorded by Meat Loaf. But does that refer to Meat Loaf the man (with supporting musicians and singers, obviously), or was the band as a whole called Meat Loaf?
Need answer fast!
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### Author:  [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-loaf-bloke-band-or-both/562319/2 "2010-11-29T20:20:45Z")
The man’s name (stage name) is Meat Loaf.
ETA:[Wiki.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meat_Loaf)
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### Author:  [@Scougs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scougs)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2010, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-loaf-bloke-band-or-both/562319/3 "2010-11-29T20:28:49Z")
Yes, but stubborn bloke in bar insists that the band took the man’s name. Like Dio. Or Van Halen.
You can tell which side of this argument I’m on.
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### Author:  [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-loaf-bloke-band-or-both/562319/4 "2010-11-29T20:39:36Z")
No. Meat Loaf was a solo act from the start, teaming up with Jim Steinman to hiring session musicians for **Bat Out of Hell**. He’s no more a band than Aretha Franklin is.
The credits for **Bat Out of Hell** show that different musicians played on different cuts. That’s the sign of studio musicians, not a band.
Now, Alice Cooper could be both the band and the frontman.
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### Author:  [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2010, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-loaf-bloke-band-or-both/562319/5 "2010-11-29T20:40:10Z")
The funniest thing was when they wrote about him in the Wall Street Journal and referred to him as Mr. Loaf.
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### Author:  [@multimediac17](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/multimediac17)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2010, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-loaf-bloke-band-or-both/562319/6 "2010-11-29T21:02:50Z")
_Bat Out Of Hell_ was supposed to be credited to Meat Loaf & Jim Steinman together, but it was credited solely to Meat Loaf because it’s just easier that way, though there was the famous “Songs by Jim Steinman” label on the cover as a compromise.
But no, there was never a band called Meat Loaf in the sense that there are bands called Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson and Sade, all of which share their name with their leader.
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### Author:  [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2010, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-loaf-bloke-band-or-both/562319/7 "2010-11-29T21:15:11Z")
**Meat Loaf** ’s first band was called [_Meat loaf Soul_](http://www.rickbozzo.com/meatandme.html). I’ve been Googling around a bit, but can’t find anything that says which name came first, or if they came about at the same time. That was in the late 60’s, so at this point it may be hard to know definitively.
By _Bat out of Hell_, though, that was his name, not a band name.
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### Author:  [@Haunted\_Pasta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Haunted_Pasta)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2010, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-loaf-bloke-band-or-both/562319/8 "2010-11-29T21:22:11Z")
Besides, most of the band was already a band, namely, Utopia (\*Bat Out of Hell \*producer Todd Rundgren’s band). Plus Roy Bittan of the E-Street Band.
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### Author:  [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2010, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-loaf-bloke-band-or-both/562319/9 "2010-11-29T21:31:22Z")
Meat Loaf is specially credited(with a shot of him and his name) on the Rocky Horror Picture Show. You can see it’s just the one guy with the words “meat loaf” on the screen when it shows him. No band members present in the shot, so it’s a good bet it’s the name of the dude, not the band.
Enjoy,
Steven
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### Author:  [@Ostrya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ostrya)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2010, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-loaf-bloke-band-or-both/562319/10 "2010-11-29T21:36:37Z")
I thought _Meat Loaf_ was his last name and his first name was _Don’t Let Your_.
My ignorance has been fought.
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### Author:  [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-loaf-bloke-band-or-both/562319/11 "2010-11-29T21:39:06Z")
Meat Loaf is the guy with love hate on his fingers. The band is secondary.
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### Author:  [@Scougs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scougs)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2010, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-loaf-bloke-band-or-both/562319/12 "2010-11-29T22:23:08Z")
Thanks everyone. I did some of the Wiki-ing and Googling to try and settle the argument, but… well, you know how it goes.
Also note to self to use “dude” instead of “bloke” in future around here!
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### Author:  [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)
#### Post date: [November 29, 2010, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-loaf-bloke-band-or-both/562319/13 "2010-11-29T22:28:00Z")
As of the early 1980s, when I worked several retail jobs around the Westport, CT area, his Visa card still read “Marvin Aday.”
…damn. I’ve gotten old…
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### Author:  [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)
#### Post date: [November 30, 2010, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meat-loaf-bloke-band-or-both/562319/14 "2010-11-30T00:02:53Z")
> [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](#):
>
> The funniest thing was when they wrote about him in the Wall Street Journal and referred to him as Mr. Loaf.
A friend of mine drove for a limo company for a while in LA. He picked him up once and he introduced himself saying, “How are you? I’m Meat Loaf and this is my wife, Mrs. Loaf.” (And my friend always wrapped that story up by saying they were some of the nicest people he ever drove for .)