“Little Shop” Director’s Cut Lets You Suddenly See More
Posted by Alec Kubas-Meyer on 10.5.2012
For more than 25 years, people have been watching (and loving) Frank Oz’s film adaptation of the musical Little Shop of Horrors. It’s an awesome film, with a great cast, great music, and just great everything. Still, there’s something odd about the way it ends. Both the stage musical it’s based on and the 1960 Roger Corman film which, in turn, inspired the musical end in death and despair, but that isn’t the case for the theatrically-released 1986 movie-musical. Despite the final hint of something sinister, everything seems to work out in the end for Seymour Krelborn and Audrey.
But that wasn’t how things were supposed to go. The ending of Little Shop of Horrors was supposed to be tragic, much closer to the musical with its mass destruction, and far beyond what took place during the 1960 film. Explosions, demolitions, and all manner of chaos were supposed to rein throughout the world. And for the majority of production, rein they did. Everyone involved in the project (save a couple of less-optimistic souls) believed that an unhappy ending would still pull people to the theater, and the film was conceived, written, and shot with that belief in mind.
Unfortunately, it all came crashing down when Little Shop of Horrors was put in front of test audiences in San Jose. The rules of test screenings go something like this (or at least they did in 1986): audience members watch movie, audience members fill out reaction sheet, studio execs read reaction sheet, studio execs exert control over filmmakers. The key question on that sheet is: “Would you recommend this film to someone?” If fewer than 55% of the answers are “Yes,” something needs to be changed. For Little Shop, that number was 13%, and the same thing happened at another test screening in LA. Something had to give, and reactions told everyone involved that it was the ending. Nobody wanted to watch Audrey and Seymour die. They wanted things to be pretty and happy.
So Oz changed it. For three weeks, he reshot the film to make the movie that is known and loved today. And the original ending, which hadn’t quite been finished at the time of the test screening, seemed to have disappeared. Aside from some ugly black-and-white work-print footage released on a soon-after-recalled Special Edition DVD, nobody was really sure where the footage had gone, and no one really knew what the original ending looked like. Thankfully, a team from Warner Home Video led by Kurt Galvao (who was a restoration consultant on Blade Runner: The Final Cut) set about restoring the film as it was meant to be seen, and it premiered on Saturday, September 29 as part of the New York Film Festival Masterworks section.
It’s interesting to rewatch the theatrical release having seen The Intended Cut (as it refers to itself in the credits), in part because the scale is so much diminished. An enormous amount of work went into creating the finale of devastation and essentially none of it was usable. Oz said in a Q&A session that the hardest phone call he ever had to make was to miniature creator Richard Conway, who had spent one year and one million dollars putting everything together, letting him know that his work would not be in the final release. What happens isn’t terrible by any means, but it’s obvious that things were done in three weeks, because there isn’t much to it. Most (but not all) of the big intense moments in the finale were repurposed from the original footage with inserts to change the way things were perceived (something that is fascinating to watch in and of itself).
Still, there are some hints of the director’s original vision in the film. Those who have seen Little Shop a number of times may have noticed that Audrey leaves Audrey II’s mouth at the end with blood on her dress where she was presumably bitten, only to have it immediately disappear. In the original (spoiler warning for everything here on out), Audrey dies of the injuries inflicted upon her by Audrey II and then is fed to the plant as a sacrifice to further Seymour’s future.
During the Q&A following the film, composer Alan Menken mentioned that there had originally been two versions of Little Shop of Horrors. At the time, the idea of adapting an old exploitation movie was pretty crazy, and Menken and his partner Howard Ashman came up with a version that was relatively close in tone to Roger Corman’s film. (He then sang a few bars from it, and it sounded fantastic.) But when put up against the “dark side of Grease” version that came to be, it didn’t have much of a chance. Corman’s film, which bears some similarities to his 1959 film Bucket of Blood (a much more serious film about a sculptor who kills people to use as subjects), is a very different entity than the musical it inspired. Obviously a lot of changes have to be made to take a film, especially a shoestring-budget exploitation film, and turn it into an off-Broadway hit. And then, obviously, a lot of changes were made to put that stage production back on the screen. Howard Ashman wrote an initial draft of the screenplay, but Frank Oz was asked to rewrite it when he took the director’s chair. Oz said that he didn’t change a single line of dialogue in the screenplay, but he took the story from a stage sensibility to a movie sensibility.
Some of the more notable changes from screen to stage to screen involve the role of the dentist, who was a sadist in Corman’s original, but had no real importance to the story. Instead, he was simply another victim in Seymour’s unintentional reign of terror. Bill Murray’s turn as the masochistic Arthur Denton was not based on any character from the stage play but on the character of Wilbur Force from Corman’s film, famously played by Jack Nicholson in one of his earliest roles. In the original film, Force ends up being the patient of a terrified Seymour, whose lack of training gives Force the painful experience he was looking for. It’s a great scene and I’m glad it was brought back, at least in spirit, to the movie-musical.
Perhaps the greatest omission from either of the adaptations was the character of Seymour’s mother. In the original film, Seymour constantly has to take care of his mother, a hypochondriac who may or may not actually be diseased. Regardless of her actual health, she drinks cough syrup with dinner and covers the food with all sorts of “healthy” items. Unaware that food is supposed to taste good, Seymour does the same. She’s an interesting character, and I think she would have had some pretty great songs, but the musical’s singular focus on the shop and those people immediately affected by it meant that some cuts had to be made. As much as I liked the character, it was for the best.
And then we return to the ending. What about the film’s original, epic finale turned audiences off so much? Oz pointed to two reasons: the close-ups and the curtain call (or lack thereof). In a play, everything is in a wide shot, but the close-up gets the audience right up there with the characters, creating a different kind of connection. That connection is made stronger, and the severing of that bond becomes that much more painful. This is compounded by the fact that the end of a film is simply that. In a stage musical, the entire cast comes out (and probably sings a song together); a movie-musical ends with the credits. Seymour Krelborn and Audrey are dead, and that’s that.
Twenty-six years later, I think it’s time for the world to finally see Little Shop of Horrors the way Frank Oz and the entire cast and crew intended for it to be seen. The new ending is intense, crazy, brilliant, and I am very sad this isn’t the classic that everybody and their mother knows about. It is in every way a better film. Ignoring the fact that the theatrical release had a new ending that was essentially rushed out the door, the general tone of the film fits far better into a world of total chaos and destruction. It’s a world where Seymour has seen and done terrible things, and for all intents and purposes he should be a pretty disturbed guy. The film sets itself up for the terror that reigns, and going anywhere else just seems inappropriate. Restorations of old films have been very popular in recent years, and it’s awesome to see higher quality versions of these classics, but the restoration (and in some cases recreation) of 20-plus minutes of presumed-to-be-lost footage is something much rarer. I imagine Warner Home Video will be releasing The Intended Cut or The Director’s Cut or whatever it ends up being called within a year, possibly with some special features about the restoration process, which would be very cool to see. I’m looking forward to that. Telling people about how awesome the new ending is one thing, but getting to experience it with them and discuss it together is something else entirely.
I hope that day happens, and I hope it happens soon. When it does, I will be first in line.
Alec Kubas-Meyer is a member of the NYFF Critics Academy program. You can follow him on Twitter at @AlecJKM.
par3182 • 2 days ago
I imagine Warner Home Video will be releasing The Intended Cut or The Director’s Cut or whatever it ends up being called within a year
Nobody at the screening mentioned the DVD was being released on October 9th?
http://www.filmlinc.com/nyff2012/blog/little-shop-of-horrors-directors-cut-ellen-greene-frank-oz-alan-menken-nyff
Monday, October 8, 2012
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
First reviews and feedback on The Dark Knight Rises online!
Clint Morris July 7, 2012
The press and industry types have just witnessed what’s said to be the best in Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight” series, “Dark Knight Rises”. With words like “epic”, “Awesome” and “crying”, seems we’re all in for a treat when mid-month rolls around and Batman makes his final stand wearing the Christian Bale mask.
Suggesting the film has a rather beautiful conclude, many were said to have teared up as well as jumped to their feet and ripped with thunderous applause.
Tom McAuliffe says : “Just finished the screening of Dark Knight Rises…so much awesome…can’t wait to see it again. And again.” He later adds, “To your original question – there are things I criticize in every film, but this one measures high on many measures. There will be some surprises but not big ones, the beauty of the film is how well it tells the story. Tom Hardy was incredible as Bane, the storyline was fantastic. I think the Joker is far more iconic than Bane, with more memorable quotes, but this story was great, including Bane’s origin. Godfather 3 never happened. Xmen 3 & Spider-Man 3 were awful, this film was the perfect final chapter in the trilogy.”
SHH’s The Shape and Scoop say : “I think Bale gives his best performance as Batman and as Bruce Wayne in this one. He was terrific. And I especially loved his bat voice this time around…I really enjoyed [Neeson's] part in the movie. It shows both his villain side and his fatherly figure to Bruce side… [Bane is] very intimidating, more so than Darth Vader ever was IMO.Because you can see his eyes..”
Manarchy Magazine says : “I would be remiss if I did not touch on what Nolan seems to have perfected – the villain. Bane is this installment’s chaos. He is played by Tom Hardy who is (yes, you guessed it) a supporting actor in Inception. The brilliance of the direction of these films is how lost you get in the villain’s soul. You lose track of the fact that an A-list actor is on screen. You are completely immersed in their portrayal as an ordered society’s tainted medicine. If you thought The Dark Knight introduced us to a dystopia, just wait until you watch this movie. We learn that it is not only Bruce Wayne and Batman that are rotting from the inside out, but an entire society. You will see urbanites at their most wretched, and in their prime. The chaos wrought unto Gotham City by the Joker was merely the beginning. And Nolan manages to convey this wild ride into 165 minutes of his best work.”
Zach Pincus says : “The Dark Knight Rises is not only easily the best Batman movie yet, but now one of my favorite movies I’ve ever seen. It was unbelievable!”
@cmfcknw says : “Critic after The Dark Knight Rises screening: “If this does not break the mold and win Best Picture, no comic book movie ever will.”
So there you have it, a masterpiece by the sounds!
http://moviehole.net/201255404first-reviews-and-feedback-on-the-dark-knight-rises-online
The press and industry types have just witnessed what’s said to be the best in Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight” series, “Dark Knight Rises”. With words like “epic”, “Awesome” and “crying”, seems we’re all in for a treat when mid-month rolls around and Batman makes his final stand wearing the Christian Bale mask.
Suggesting the film has a rather beautiful conclude, many were said to have teared up as well as jumped to their feet and ripped with thunderous applause.
Tom McAuliffe says : “Just finished the screening of Dark Knight Rises…so much awesome…can’t wait to see it again. And again.” He later adds, “To your original question – there are things I criticize in every film, but this one measures high on many measures. There will be some surprises but not big ones, the beauty of the film is how well it tells the story. Tom Hardy was incredible as Bane, the storyline was fantastic. I think the Joker is far more iconic than Bane, with more memorable quotes, but this story was great, including Bane’s origin. Godfather 3 never happened. Xmen 3 & Spider-Man 3 were awful, this film was the perfect final chapter in the trilogy.”
SHH’s The Shape and Scoop say : “I think Bale gives his best performance as Batman and as Bruce Wayne in this one. He was terrific. And I especially loved his bat voice this time around…I really enjoyed [Neeson's] part in the movie. It shows both his villain side and his fatherly figure to Bruce side… [Bane is] very intimidating, more so than Darth Vader ever was IMO.Because you can see his eyes..”
Manarchy Magazine says : “I would be remiss if I did not touch on what Nolan seems to have perfected – the villain. Bane is this installment’s chaos. He is played by Tom Hardy who is (yes, you guessed it) a supporting actor in Inception. The brilliance of the direction of these films is how lost you get in the villain’s soul. You lose track of the fact that an A-list actor is on screen. You are completely immersed in their portrayal as an ordered society’s tainted medicine. If you thought The Dark Knight introduced us to a dystopia, just wait until you watch this movie. We learn that it is not only Bruce Wayne and Batman that are rotting from the inside out, but an entire society. You will see urbanites at their most wretched, and in their prime. The chaos wrought unto Gotham City by the Joker was merely the beginning. And Nolan manages to convey this wild ride into 165 minutes of his best work.”
Zach Pincus says : “The Dark Knight Rises is not only easily the best Batman movie yet, but now one of my favorite movies I’ve ever seen. It was unbelievable!”
@cmfcknw says : “Critic after The Dark Knight Rises screening: “If this does not break the mold and win Best Picture, no comic book movie ever will.”
So there you have it, a masterpiece by the sounds!
http://moviehole.net/201255404first-reviews-and-feedback-on-the-dark-knight-rises-online
Friday, March 2, 2012
Stephen Sondheim & David Ives
But not content merely to revisit the past, Sondheim speaks of pushing forward and says he has "20 or 30 minutes" written of a new musical that he is collaborating on with American playwright David Ives, a New York regular little known in London. "Having spent the better part of four years writing two books [both sizeable tomes in which he anatomises his own career as lyricist alongside that of others], I'm really rusty. I sit at the piano and think, 'Where's middle C?' Any muscles, as you know, atrophy when you don't use them, and I haven't been using my musical muscles."
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/theatre/article-24039487-in-new-york-were-starved-of-plays.do
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/theatre/article-24039487-in-new-york-were-starved-of-plays.do
Monday, February 27, 2012
Lloyd Webber eyes Profumo musical
(UKPA) – 1 day ago
Andrew Lloyd Webber is considering a musical about a key figure in the Profumo affair.
The stage maestro said he found the story of Stephen Ward - who had a pivotal role in the scandal - intriguing and could use it for his next production.
Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the episode which led to the downfall of the then secretary of state for war, John Profumo.
The story of his affair with showgirl Christine Keeler was chronicled in the 1989 film Scandal.
It starred Joanne Whalley as Keeler, Sir Ian McKellen as Profumo and John Hurt as Ward, a society figure who introduced the pair at a party at Cliveden and was central to the tale.
In the fallout from the affair, he faced charges of living off immoral earnings but died as a result of an overdose of sleeping tablets. Ward was found guilty although he was dead before sentencing.
Lord Lloyd-Webber - soon to lead an ITV1 search for the star to lead the cast in a revival of Jesus Christ Superstar - said Ward's story could form the basis for his next new musical.
He told Chris Evans on his BBC Radio 2 breakfast show: "I'm looking for a subject at the moment and I think I've found one. You always have to go and try these things.
"Stephen Ward really intrigues me and was a fantastically interesting character. The most popular man in London who ended up with absolutely nobody after the trial and everything.
"I kind of think he was the fall guy."
Copyright © 2012 The Press Association. All rights reserved.
Andrew Lloyd Webber is considering a musical about a key figure in the Profumo affair.
The stage maestro said he found the story of Stephen Ward - who had a pivotal role in the scandal - intriguing and could use it for his next production.
Next year marks the 50th anniversary of the episode which led to the downfall of the then secretary of state for war, John Profumo.
The story of his affair with showgirl Christine Keeler was chronicled in the 1989 film Scandal.
It starred Joanne Whalley as Keeler, Sir Ian McKellen as Profumo and John Hurt as Ward, a society figure who introduced the pair at a party at Cliveden and was central to the tale.
In the fallout from the affair, he faced charges of living off immoral earnings but died as a result of an overdose of sleeping tablets. Ward was found guilty although he was dead before sentencing.
Lord Lloyd-Webber - soon to lead an ITV1 search for the star to lead the cast in a revival of Jesus Christ Superstar - said Ward's story could form the basis for his next new musical.
He told Chris Evans on his BBC Radio 2 breakfast show: "I'm looking for a subject at the moment and I think I've found one. You always have to go and try these things.
"Stephen Ward really intrigues me and was a fantastically interesting character. The most popular man in London who ended up with absolutely nobody after the trial and everything.
"I kind of think he was the fall guy."
Copyright © 2012 The Press Association. All rights reserved.
“I talk to ghosts” Meat Loaf reveals his affinity for the supernatural
As a singer, he’s the voice behind Bat Out Of Hell — the fifth biggest selling album of all time. As an actor, he’s braved Shakespeare and working with David Fincher. But, on first speaking to Meat Loaf about his new album Hell In A Handbasket, (out in the UK on February 27) the most pressing question isn’t about any of those things…
Before we start, how do we address you?
Meat. I’ve been called that since I was a baby [laughs]. It’s not a stage name. Then, when I was about 13, I stepped on a coach’s foot and he screamed, “Get off my foot, you hunk of meatloaf!” And that was it. The only time that I’ve ever been called Mr Loaf was in a 1972 theatre review of As You Like It.
How does Hell In A Handbasket stand out from your previous material?
I have Chuck D rapping on a version of Tom Cochrane’s Mad Mad World. I already had Lil Jon on the record, and when I started to research the rap and hip-hop world, I began to appreciate the art form and the poetry involved, so I wanted a rap guy to do Mad Mad World. The producer said, “You want Chuck D. Your son-in-law is one of his best friends.” So I called Scotty [Ian], my son-in-law, who’s in Anthrax, and said, “I need Chuck D.” An email came saying, “Chuck meet Meat. Meat meet Chuck.”
You rocked in the Seventies and Eighties — you must have some crazy Ozzy Osbourne-style anecdotes?
I never was Steve Tyler or Ozzy. I tried drugs, but I don’t really drink. I get horrific stage fright, so I have a shot of tequila to calm my nerves, but that’s three hours before I go on. I despise the taste of beer. I don’t like vodka, don’t like Scotch. Champagne makes me want to gag. I’ve never been that clichéd rocker. Groupies cursed at me because I wouldn’t take them home. I’d go, “I can’t do it” and they’d go, “Well f*ck you then.” I don’t have many wild stories from the Seventies or Eighties. The Sixties, though, were crazy. I did acid and hung around everybody like Hendrix, Daltrey, Joplin, The Dead. A lot of those English bands would come over, you know, Bonzo Doo Da Doo Wop Diddy, or whatever.
And how do you relax now?
[Laughs] I don’t do anything. I listen to the news all day. I go back and forth between channels, and just shake my head going, “These people are whack!” [laughs]. NBC is all skewed to liberals, CBS is kind of split, MSNBC is real left-wing and Fox News is real right-wing. Then at night, I sit at my computer and play strategy games. I don’t remember the names — one is about knights and one is about gladiators.
What did you want to be first — actor or musician?
I never figured on music, I figured on acting. I was originally cast in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest as Billy Bibbit, but there was a writer’s strike and I ended up doing The Rocky Horror Show instead. I had the time of my life in London. I made friends with a Pakistani taxi driver. He was a member of the Playboy Club and he took me. You could gamble there in those days. I went in with £40 and came out with £23,000 — I was rich, dude! £23,000! I went and bought an apartment.
Is there a group of fans who know you best as Bob from Fight Club?
That was sort of a departure for me — it was a better script [laughs]. David Fincher is such a great director. One of my agent’s clients is in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. My agent went to the premiere in New York and he texted me, “I just saw David Fincher,” so I texted him back saying, “Go back and ask him when he’s going to hire me again.” David laughed and said I’m always on his list.
You’re known as someone who’s had a lot of near-death experiences — what was the closest you came?
I rolled into a river in a car. Got hit in the head by a shot put. I was on a commercial airliner landing in DC when the wing hit the runway. That was great [laughs]. I’ve had 18 concussions. I think I had a 19th, but I didn’t go to the doctor, so it’s not official.
Did you ever see ‘the light’? Did your life flash before your eyes?
Nah, I’ve never seen that stuff. But I believe there’s something when you die because there are ghosts. I’ve seen them, I’ve been around them. Some are just energy left behind, and some are intelligent. I’ve had conversations with them using a K2 meter, which lets them answer “yes” or “no”. I chased one across the room once. And when we were making Bat Out Of Hell I saw a blonde girl in a white dress. I went downstairs and told the guys, “There’s a groupie up on the balcony,” and they go, “How would she get up there?” Everybody went up and no one was there.
Finally, what exactly wouldn’t you do for love?
This was a huge discussion between me and [writer] Jim Steinman. Jim said people will never figure it out, and I said “Jim, do you really think audiences are stupid?” Obviously audiences are stupid, because I’ve been asked that question a million times. It’s the line before every chorus. Lines like “I’ll never stop dreaming of you every night of my life” or “I’ll never forget the way you feel right now”. I would do anything for love but I won’t do that. And so I add you to my stupid list [laughs].
Hell In A Handbasket is released on 27 February
Image: Rex
http://www.shortlist.com/entertainment/music/Meat-Loaf-Interview
Before we start, how do we address you?
Meat. I’ve been called that since I was a baby [laughs]. It’s not a stage name. Then, when I was about 13, I stepped on a coach’s foot and he screamed, “Get off my foot, you hunk of meatloaf!” And that was it. The only time that I’ve ever been called Mr Loaf was in a 1972 theatre review of As You Like It.
How does Hell In A Handbasket stand out from your previous material?
I have Chuck D rapping on a version of Tom Cochrane’s Mad Mad World. I already had Lil Jon on the record, and when I started to research the rap and hip-hop world, I began to appreciate the art form and the poetry involved, so I wanted a rap guy to do Mad Mad World. The producer said, “You want Chuck D. Your son-in-law is one of his best friends.” So I called Scotty [Ian], my son-in-law, who’s in Anthrax, and said, “I need Chuck D.” An email came saying, “Chuck meet Meat. Meat meet Chuck.”
You rocked in the Seventies and Eighties — you must have some crazy Ozzy Osbourne-style anecdotes?
I never was Steve Tyler or Ozzy. I tried drugs, but I don’t really drink. I get horrific stage fright, so I have a shot of tequila to calm my nerves, but that’s three hours before I go on. I despise the taste of beer. I don’t like vodka, don’t like Scotch. Champagne makes me want to gag. I’ve never been that clichéd rocker. Groupies cursed at me because I wouldn’t take them home. I’d go, “I can’t do it” and they’d go, “Well f*ck you then.” I don’t have many wild stories from the Seventies or Eighties. The Sixties, though, were crazy. I did acid and hung around everybody like Hendrix, Daltrey, Joplin, The Dead. A lot of those English bands would come over, you know, Bonzo Doo Da Doo Wop Diddy, or whatever.
And how do you relax now?
[Laughs] I don’t do anything. I listen to the news all day. I go back and forth between channels, and just shake my head going, “These people are whack!” [laughs]. NBC is all skewed to liberals, CBS is kind of split, MSNBC is real left-wing and Fox News is real right-wing. Then at night, I sit at my computer and play strategy games. I don’t remember the names — one is about knights and one is about gladiators.
What did you want to be first — actor or musician?
I never figured on music, I figured on acting. I was originally cast in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest as Billy Bibbit, but there was a writer’s strike and I ended up doing The Rocky Horror Show instead. I had the time of my life in London. I made friends with a Pakistani taxi driver. He was a member of the Playboy Club and he took me. You could gamble there in those days. I went in with £40 and came out with £23,000 — I was rich, dude! £23,000! I went and bought an apartment.
Is there a group of fans who know you best as Bob from Fight Club?
That was sort of a departure for me — it was a better script [laughs]. David Fincher is such a great director. One of my agent’s clients is in The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. My agent went to the premiere in New York and he texted me, “I just saw David Fincher,” so I texted him back saying, “Go back and ask him when he’s going to hire me again.” David laughed and said I’m always on his list.
You’re known as someone who’s had a lot of near-death experiences — what was the closest you came?
I rolled into a river in a car. Got hit in the head by a shot put. I was on a commercial airliner landing in DC when the wing hit the runway. That was great [laughs]. I’ve had 18 concussions. I think I had a 19th, but I didn’t go to the doctor, so it’s not official.
Did you ever see ‘the light’? Did your life flash before your eyes?
Nah, I’ve never seen that stuff. But I believe there’s something when you die because there are ghosts. I’ve seen them, I’ve been around them. Some are just energy left behind, and some are intelligent. I’ve had conversations with them using a K2 meter, which lets them answer “yes” or “no”. I chased one across the room once. And when we were making Bat Out Of Hell I saw a blonde girl in a white dress. I went downstairs and told the guys, “There’s a groupie up on the balcony,” and they go, “How would she get up there?” Everybody went up and no one was there.
Finally, what exactly wouldn’t you do for love?
This was a huge discussion between me and [writer] Jim Steinman. Jim said people will never figure it out, and I said “Jim, do you really think audiences are stupid?” Obviously audiences are stupid, because I’ve been asked that question a million times. It’s the line before every chorus. Lines like “I’ll never stop dreaming of you every night of my life” or “I’ll never forget the way you feel right now”. I would do anything for love but I won’t do that. And so I add you to my stupid list [laughs].
Hell In A Handbasket is released on 27 February
Image: Rex
http://www.shortlist.com/entertainment/music/Meat-Loaf-Interview
Bob Seger, Gordon Lightfoot & Jim Steinman Enter Songwriters Hall Of Fame
by: Dave Swanson 3 days ago
Awards, awards…someone is always handing out awards! The Songwriters Hall of Fame has announced their inductees for 2012 and the list includes Bob Seger, Gordon Lightfoot and Jim Steinman.
Canadian born Lightfoot, known for a string of hits such as ‘Sundown,’ ‘If You Could Read My Mind,’ ‘Carefree Highway’ and ‘The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald,’ began his career in a manner similar to that of many struggling young songwriters, with his songs becoming famous before he did. His early efforts were covered by the likes of The Grateful Dead, Elvis Presley and Peter Paul & Mary to name a few.
Bob Seger is no stranger to classic rockers. From his early days as a primal rock and roller in Detroit, making raw and gritty records, to his more polished arena filling million-sellers, Seger remains a staple on classic rock radio, with legions of fans. Hits like ‘Night Moves,’ ‘Turn The Page,’ ‘Old Time Rock And Roll,’ and ‘Hollywood Nights’ can be heard every day on a radio near you. Seger entered the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2004.
Meat Loaf may have been “the man,” but Jim Steinman was the man behind the man. Steinman wrote the songs that became million sellers for Meat Loaf on the ‘Bat Out Of Hell’ album. His conceptual teen dramas, filled with Phil Spector-esque arrangements, were brought to life via Meatloaf’s Broadway-style delivery. Steinman would later work with a variety of artists ranging from Bonnie Tyler to Sisters Of Mercy.
Also being inducted are Don Schlitz (primarily a country writer) and the duo of Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones (no not that Tom Jones, this duo gained fame from the 1960 musical ‘The Fantasticks,’ which is the longest running show in the history of musicals.)
The ceremony will be held Thursday, June 14 in New York City, with additional special award honorees announced soon. The Songwriters Hall Of Fame started in 1969 and annually pays tribute to a variety of writers in pop, rock, country, soul and more.
http://ultimateclassicrock.com/bob-seger-songwriters-hall-of-fame/
Awards, awards…someone is always handing out awards! The Songwriters Hall of Fame has announced their inductees for 2012 and the list includes Bob Seger, Gordon Lightfoot and Jim Steinman.
Canadian born Lightfoot, known for a string of hits such as ‘Sundown,’ ‘If You Could Read My Mind,’ ‘Carefree Highway’ and ‘The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald,’ began his career in a manner similar to that of many struggling young songwriters, with his songs becoming famous before he did. His early efforts were covered by the likes of The Grateful Dead, Elvis Presley and Peter Paul & Mary to name a few.
Bob Seger is no stranger to classic rockers. From his early days as a primal rock and roller in Detroit, making raw and gritty records, to his more polished arena filling million-sellers, Seger remains a staple on classic rock radio, with legions of fans. Hits like ‘Night Moves,’ ‘Turn The Page,’ ‘Old Time Rock And Roll,’ and ‘Hollywood Nights’ can be heard every day on a radio near you. Seger entered the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2004.
Meat Loaf may have been “the man,” but Jim Steinman was the man behind the man. Steinman wrote the songs that became million sellers for Meat Loaf on the ‘Bat Out Of Hell’ album. His conceptual teen dramas, filled with Phil Spector-esque arrangements, were brought to life via Meatloaf’s Broadway-style delivery. Steinman would later work with a variety of artists ranging from Bonnie Tyler to Sisters Of Mercy.
Also being inducted are Don Schlitz (primarily a country writer) and the duo of Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones (no not that Tom Jones, this duo gained fame from the 1960 musical ‘The Fantasticks,’ which is the longest running show in the history of musicals.)
The ceremony will be held Thursday, June 14 in New York City, with additional special award honorees announced soon. The Songwriters Hall Of Fame started in 1969 and annually pays tribute to a variety of writers in pop, rock, country, soul and more.
http://ultimateclassicrock.com/bob-seger-songwriters-hall-of-fame/
Jim Steinman To Receive Songwriter Accolade
gbarton / News / 23/02/2012 10:31am
Jim Steinman is to be inducted into the Songwriters’ Hall Of Fame.
The 64-year-old Steinman – famed for his collaborations with Meat Loaf as well as… er… Bonnie Tyler – will receive his accolade at a ceremony in New York on June 14.
Steinman is best known, of course, for the hit songs I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) and Total Eclipse Of The Heart – as well as the entire Bat Out Of Hell fandango.
Gordon Lightfoot, Bob Seger, Don Schlitz, Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones – not to be confused with the Welsh warbler – will be honoured at the same event.
http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/jim-steinman-to-receive-songwriter-accolade/
Jim Steinman is to be inducted into the Songwriters’ Hall Of Fame.
The 64-year-old Steinman – famed for his collaborations with Meat Loaf as well as… er… Bonnie Tyler – will receive his accolade at a ceremony in New York on June 14.
Steinman is best known, of course, for the hit songs I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) and Total Eclipse Of The Heart – as well as the entire Bat Out Of Hell fandango.
Gordon Lightfoot, Bob Seger, Don Schlitz, Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones – not to be confused with the Welsh warbler – will be honoured at the same event.
http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/jim-steinman-to-receive-songwriter-accolade/
Meatloaf songwriter Jim Steinman to receive Fame honour
Record producer Jim Steinman, who has written songs for Meatloaf and Bonnie Tyler, is to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
He is best known for the hit songs I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That) and Total Eclipse Of The Heart.
In 1997 he received the album of the year Grammy award for producing Celine Dion's record Falling Into You.
The 64-year-old will receive his accolade at a ceremony in New York on 14 June.
Gordon Lightfoot, Bob Seger, Don Schlitz, Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones - not to be confused with the Welsh singer - will be honoured at the same event.
Chairman of the event, Jimmy Webb, said each inductee has created a "unique range of extraordinary contributions, a body of work that has resonated with audiences around the world, and greatly enriched our global culture".
Established in 1969, the Songwriters Hall of Fame celebrates composers and lyricists and has more than 300 inductees.
Lightfoot is largely credited with helping to define the folk-pop sound of the 1960s and 1970s.
His song credits include Early Morning Rain, Canadian Railroad Trilogy and Sundown and he has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry such as Bob Dylan and Elvis Presley.
Schlitz achieved award success with his first recorded song The Gambler, which was sung by Kenny Rogers.
In 1978 it was named country song of the year at the Grammys.
Since then he has gone from strength to strength, with a songbook that includes 24 number one hits.
As well as his songwriting credits, songwriter Seger has also achieved success with his Silver Bullet Band, who have sold more than 51 million records worldwide.
In 1981 he won a Grammy for his song Against The Wind in the best rock performance by a group or duo category.
Composer Schmidt and lyricist Jones are best known for penning the longest running musical in history, The Fantasticks.
The most well-known song from the show, Try To Remember, has been recorded by hundreds of artists over the decades, including Barbra Streisand and Placido Domingo.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17130540
He is best known for the hit songs I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That) and Total Eclipse Of The Heart.
In 1997 he received the album of the year Grammy award for producing Celine Dion's record Falling Into You.
The 64-year-old will receive his accolade at a ceremony in New York on 14 June.
Gordon Lightfoot, Bob Seger, Don Schlitz, Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones - not to be confused with the Welsh singer - will be honoured at the same event.
Chairman of the event, Jimmy Webb, said each inductee has created a "unique range of extraordinary contributions, a body of work that has resonated with audiences around the world, and greatly enriched our global culture".
Established in 1969, the Songwriters Hall of Fame celebrates composers and lyricists and has more than 300 inductees.
Lightfoot is largely credited with helping to define the folk-pop sound of the 1960s and 1970s.
His song credits include Early Morning Rain, Canadian Railroad Trilogy and Sundown and he has worked with some of the biggest names in the industry such as Bob Dylan and Elvis Presley.
Schlitz achieved award success with his first recorded song The Gambler, which was sung by Kenny Rogers.
In 1978 it was named country song of the year at the Grammys.
Since then he has gone from strength to strength, with a songbook that includes 24 number one hits.
As well as his songwriting credits, songwriter Seger has also achieved success with his Silver Bullet Band, who have sold more than 51 million records worldwide.
In 1981 he won a Grammy for his song Against The Wind in the best rock performance by a group or duo category.
Composer Schmidt and lyricist Jones are best known for penning the longest running musical in history, The Fantasticks.
The most well-known song from the show, Try To Remember, has been recorded by hundreds of artists over the decades, including Barbra Streisand and Placido Domingo.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-17130540
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