The next tape contains slightly strange bedfellows, The Crossing by Big Country (taped off Janet C's album) and Bat Out of Hell - Meatloaf (taped off my now brother-in-law's album) both taped just as A Levels finished.
Big Country are one of the most underrated and half forgotten bands of the 80s. But being underrated doesn't mean that they are great. In the summer of 83, wher I think I had uncontrollably lust for way too many men on the telly, I had a serious thing about Stuart Adamson. I was, momentarily, very upset when he died a couple of years back. In A Big Country, Chance, and Porroh Man.
Meatloaf on the other hand is one of the greats of Rock Music. I don't listen often enough to him. This Bat Out of Hell is oneof the best selling albums of all time; it is also one of my favourite. IT was absolute de rigeur to own this in Willoughby Hall 1986-87, along with Chris de Burgh's Into The Light and Dire Straits Brothers in Arms. And there was something rather magical about walking around hearing that real raw, passionate, rocking good love songs belt out from the rooms of Willobites (motto: Nil Taurus Excretum.
Best Tracks - Bat Out Of Hell, Paradise By The Dashboard Light and For Crying Loud - which is barely a cigarette paper away from being in my top twenty two.
My manager went to see Meatloaf just before Christmas, and walked out halfway through due to utter crapness. Sometimes it's best when people realise in time that they should retire.
I always quite fancied being a doo-wop girl for Meatloaf. Or Leonard Cohen. I could never quite decide which one.
